Pushing boundaries

Born in 1936, Pinker grew up in New Lynn where his father – also named Alf – owned and operated a petrol station on Great North Road.

The love of boats started early – by age seven Pinker was sailing a P Class on the Manukau as far out as Cornwallis where the family had a bach. He left school to complete a four-year mechanic’s apprenticeship. He ran his father’s workshop for a few years but the two didn’t get on. Aged 21 he left and established a car/truck servicing business in Lynwood Road, Kelson. “We had no money but a lot of friends.”

One of his first customers was Peter Colmore-Williams, who [later] became his daughter’s godfather.

Colmore-Williams then owned Sonata Laboratories which later morphed into Consolidated Chemicals producing marine resins, glues, paints and sheathing systems under the Epiglass brand. In addition to crewing on Colmore-Williams’ Stewart 34 Patiki, Pinker maintained the Consolidated Chemicals vehicle fleet.

…Pinker had the fastest boat in the OBC, but it wasn’t enough.

While the bulk of Pinker’s business was