The Riverstone Regatta was held in Oamaru on Saturday.
The annual model boat event took place on the Riverstone Castle moat for the third year in a row.
Among those present were Dunedin Steampunk Society members James Bryan and Allan Benfell.
This was the first time they had created a boat like this, Mr Benfell said.
"I’ve made models all my life but this is the first radio-controlled boat I’ve made."
The boat was based on the HMS Bounty from 1787, Mr Bryan said.
"We thought it fitted with the steampunk genre, the age."
It also featured crocheted orange octopuses made by Mr Benfell’s wife.
She was inspired after seeing a similar design from a previous event, Mr Benfell said.
"I was showing my wife pictures [of previous events] and they had a picture of the alligator, radio-controlled alligator head. And I said ‘wow, wouldn’t it be crazy if we made a boat with an octopus on it?’.
"And then it kind of expanded from there."
The boat is made of architectural foam board and took around four weeks to make.
Riverstone Regatta event manager Robin Jacobs said the day was really enjoyable for everyone there.
What separated this event from others in the country was the picturesque location at the castle, he said.
"For model boaters, you tell me, where anywhere else in New Zealand you can go and get a setting like that?
"You can’t, and you won’t. We’re very, very fortunate to have that. Everybody that turns up, they all say this is their most favourite spot to go boating because of the background."
He could not thank the castle owner Dot Smith enough for letting them use the moat.
They were also lucky enough to give away vouchers from RCNZ who sponsored the event, he said.
