Bryce’s Wish4Fish comes true
Bryce’s Wish4Fish comes true
As he lay in Christchurch Hospital’s Burwood Spinal Unit, Bryce Dinneen dreamt of fishing and getting out on the water again.
As a C4 tetraplegic, it was always going to be difficult. But sheer determination, passion and the ability to convince others to support has dream, has resulted in a $2.5m custom-built boat now being available for New Zealand’s disabled community.
Dinneen launched a charity called Wish4Fish in 2011 to bring the project to life. Cubro has proudly supported his efforts by supplying an overhead lifting solution, four electric beds, mattresses and a shower commode for the new vessel.
The 18m-long catamaran (named Wish4Fish) can take 50 passengers at a time and has a specifically designed loading system to allow for wheelchair access from a wide variety of berths.
The boat includes a wheelchair access lift to the fly bridge and everything people with disabilities might need to enjoy a fishing trip. Dinneen says Wish4Fish General Manager Tony Pearce now hopes to take as many as 1000 people on ocean outings each year.
“Thanks to Cubro we’ve put in four electric beds, giving people the ability to stay overnight, if required, or to have a rest during the day,” Dinneen says. “We’ve also installed a full track ceiling hoist to allow people with limited function or disability to transfer either into the shower or toilet area, or onto a bed to manage personal routines or whatever it may be. It’s fantastic!”
Dinneen first heard of Cubro following his shallow water diving accident 14 years ago. His occupational therapists and physios supplied many pieces of equipment from the company. Years later he saw Cubro at disability trade shows where he was fundraising for Wish4Fish and discovered they were based in his hometown of Tauranga.
“I went to visit their team and gave a talk to their staff about Wish4Fish. They ended up doing an internal fundraiser and dressed up in nautical theme for the day. They really bought into what we were trying to achieve.”
Dinneen says Cubro also helped to raise the profile of the project and create energy and engagement around it. “They shared the Givealittle link through their internal email and some donations came in as a result. And of course they provided a substantial discount on the equipment required for the build.
“We’re super grateful and it’s been great to work with like-minded people. The actual Cubro story’s pretty cool as well about how two brothers started coming up with amazing gadgets and grew the company from there. It highlights that Kiwi ingenuity and determination which is something that Wish4Fish is all about as well.”
The boat is due to launch in December 2021 and can sail anywhere around New Zealand to collect passengers. The charity’s focus will now switch to raising funds to support running costs so as many people as possible can experience Wish4Fish.
To donate, please visit www.wish4fish.co.nz or check out their Facebook page. Anyone who would like to see the boat up close or organise a fishing trip for a disabled friend or family member are welcome to contact General Manager Tony Pearce by emailing [email protected].