EVOLUTION OF THE KENTIKI

Ken Smith's family have been fishing the Wanganui coastline and river for four generations from the 1800's when George (Artesian) Smith arrived to sink artesian wells for the fledgling settlement.

From their home at Sandy Hook on the Whanganui River fishing from the water's edge has been the family passion - whether it be for whitebait or snapper.

It was no surprise then that when Ken Smith met fellow enthusiast Fred Snowdon on a beach in the 1970's that the search for the perfect longline hauler began.

A great variety of hull shapes and timing mechanisms with petrol motors were trialled by the two men in an attempt to refine the product.

However. it was the decision in the 1990's to go electric using battery power and Mercury outboards that accelerated the quality of the machine to a point where it was a marketable product.

The Kentiki branding and trademark was designed and formulated by George's great-granddaughter Tracy Smith.

Trademark registered No 638784

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