Fullers Group Limited

Fullers Group Limited, Auckland. A group of companies emerged from the progressive amalgamation of a number of maritime transport and marine engineering companies based on the Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf. Its present configuration of 9 vessels now transport over 3.9 million passengers a total of 46.6 million passenger kilometres each year on scheduled services.

Buying Leo Dromgoole's fleet of boats was the start for Fullers. It was developed under the guidance of former owner George Hudson, whose son Doug Hudson is still at the helm administratively. But the company was bought out in the mid-2000s by Socttish-based Stagecoach, whose New Zealand interests have since been bought by infrastructure company Infratil.

Vessels

• Adventurer
• Harbour Cat
• Jet Raider
• Kea
• Quickcat
• Quickcat II
• Seaflyte
• Starflyte
• Superflyte
• Tiger Cat

The company's timetable for its Waiheke run can be found here.

Ferry Refusal Strands Dozens

In February 2007 dozens of Aucklanders spent the night stranded on the wharf at Matiatia after a Fuller's ferry refused to go back to Waiheke Island to pick them up. About 50 people who had been at Stonyridge Vineyard arrived at the wharf in time for the last boat home, but were told it was full and another would come and pick them up in half an hour. They spent all night on the wharf waiting for it.

During the night the ferry terminal was broken into and tagged, as well as some desperate drunk people lighting bon fires, stealing dirty linen from resturants to use as blankets, and the odd boat to attempt to paddle home to Auckland where there is ample public transport to get people home.