Cruising & Tonics: Our Westhaven Marina Mixer Was One to Remember

Good company. Great stories. A gin and tonic in hand and Westhaven Marina glowing behind you. That was the scene last Thursday evening as 36° Brokers hosted Cruising & Tonics, and honestly, it exceeded every expectation.

From the moment the first guests walked in, there was a buzz through the office that's hard to manufacture. Lagoon owners swapped notes with boating enthusiasts they'd never met. Old friends caught up. New connections sparked over shared stories about favourite anchorages, dream routes and life on the water. It was exactly the relaxed, unpretentious vibe we set out to create, and Auckland's harbour did us a favour too, handing over a still, calm winter evening as the backdrop.

A First Look at the New Lagoon 47

The undisputed talking point of the night was the all-new Lagoon 47. We'd have loved to have one tied up at Westhaven for the occasion (wouldn't that have been something!), but for now guests got a proper introduction through a presentation covering her redesigned cockpit, improved circulation and refined interior.

Stories That Inspired the Room

No mixer is complete without a good storyteller, and Adrian, Chairman of Multihull Cruising New Zealand, delivered in spades.

He took guests through years of cruising aboard multihulls, with a real focus on the Pacific Islands, the routes, the anchorages, the practical lessons learned along the way. Honest, engaging and full of real-world detail you won't find on a spec sheet, his stories had people leaning in, and judging by the conversations buzzing afterwards, more than a few attendees left already dreaming about their own Pacific adventure.

Great Partners, Great Hospitality

You can't call an event Cruising & Tonics and skimp on the drinks, so we made sure we didn't.

Sea Lovers Gin kept the G&Ts flowing all evening and were, by popular vote, the hit of the night. Thanks to Epic Beer, the beers stayed ice cold and went down just as easily, and United Cellars had a wine selection that rounded things out nicely for every palate in the room. Paired with a spread of delicious platters, it all came together to create the kind of relaxed atmosphere where people stuck around and talked boats for hours.

Thank You to Everyone Who Made It

Above all, thank you to everyone who came along and made the evening what it was.

Events like Cruising & Tonics exist for one reason: to bring together people who love boating, whether they're current owners, future owners or simply friends of 36° Brokers. Seeing that community fill the room last Thursday was a reminder of why we do this.

We hope to see you at the next one. Until then, happy boating!

Interested in the new Lagoon 47 or want to hear about upcoming 36° Brokers events? Get in touch with the team or drop by our office in Westhaven Marina.