Our Trustees

Eric Mahoney (Chairman)

“I have been involved in sailing for many years and have a keen interest in our maritime heritage. I have helped to restore a number of classic yachts which I continue to race with the Classic Yacht Association series. The Maritime Museum Foundation will play a pivotal role in supporting our maritime history for future generations.”

Bob Hawkins (Deputy Chairman)

“Bill Laxon was a fellow committee member of the former Auckland Maritime Society, which was instrumental in establishing the Maritime Museum. The Society gifted its collection of books and archival materials to the museum’s fledgling library. The Foundation set up in Bill’s name will support the library to serve a wider audience as the museum enters a new phase of development.”

Alastair Aitken

“If I had to select a special object from the museum’s library to highlight the input of this Foundation, it would be helping to purchase the volume known to us as ‘the Cook Book’. This was published after Cook’s 1773 voyage, and republished with an additional chapter in 1777. When a copy of the revised edition came up at auction, the Foundation was central to quickly contributing towards its purchase.”

Ian McCombe

“The Foundation was originally called the Bill Laxon Maritime Library Foundation. Bill was a noted maritime author and photographer. I was delighted to be asked to chair the Foundation which honours his memory and work. Its wider role is support for all the aspects of the museum and its preservation of our maritime heritage, which is crucial to our understanding of our place in the world.”

David Winstone

“The sea has always held a fascination for me. Its moods and stories are captivating.”

Terry Bates

“I’ve had a passion for the sea and boats since my dad presented me with my first dinghy as an eight-year-old. For me, there is nothing more satisfying to the soul than the hiss of a well-designed hull under full sail. As a nation of explorers, immigrants and traders, sea journeys are core to our national history and cultural stories. I see the Maritime Museum Foundation as a key pillar of the kaitiakitanga that explains, protects and promotes that legacy.”