The owner of Queenstown’s Hydro Attack wants to add two more semi-submersible ‘‘shark’’ boats to Lake Wakatipu, one of which is proposed for staff training. Watersports Holdings Ltd Partnership, a company associated with Silicon Valley entrepreneur Iraj Barabi, has applied to the Queenstown Lakes District Council to add a fifth Seabreacher craft to the lake for paying customers, and a sixth for staff training, safety and maintenance purposes. At present, Hydro Attack operates from the council-owned Lapsley Butson Wharf in Queenstown Bay. The proposal became more urgent after the pair learned their company would cop a massive rent hike on its existing wharf. Watersports’ application said once the new wharf was constructed, Hydro Attack would operate from there.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 05, 2026 15:33 UTC