The Christchurch Yacht Club
Last year, Graham Hill Roofing partnered with The Breeze Canterbury to run a free re-roof giveaway for a Christchurch local in need, whether an individual or an organisation. Hundreds of entries came in, and it was the Christchurch Yacht Club that won.
For Zach McKay, Managing Director of Graham Hill Roofing, giving back is a big part of why he does what he does.
“We support a lot of different things, from local sports clubs and charities right through to supplying push bikes to kids in Cambodia. We’re in a position where we can help people, and it’s important to me that we do.”
| ColorCote Product | MagnaFlow |
| Profile | Corrugate |
| Installer | Graham Hill Roofing Canterbury |
| Colour | Pioneer Red |
| Photographer | itch.co.nz |
| Rollformers | Roofing Industries |
The Christchurch Yacht Club has been sailing out of Monck’s Bay since 1891. Its main clubhouse was built in 1938 and damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes, and the old corrugated roof had needed constant, costly repairs ever since. With re-development plans already underway, the giveaway came at the right time. Graham Hill Roofing and its supplier partners rallied together to donate the materials and give the club a new roof.
On the day, Graham Hill Roofing’s installers got to work at Monck’s Bay with one goal: re-roof the Christchurch Yacht Club in a day. The Breeze Canterbury covered it live on radio, with a countdown and community cheer to start the morning. ColorCote®, Roofing Industries and a number of other suppliers and supporters came along to watch it happen in real time, cheering the team on and keeping them fuelled with coffee runs, snacks and a classic Kiwi BBQ at lunchtime. By the end of the day, a clubhouse that had been patched up for years had a roof it could rely on.
“It was a pretty special day,” says Zach. “Seeing everyone come together from around NZ, our team, suppliers and others who donated their time and resources, was awesome. But the best part was seeing what it actually meant to the club. It reminded us that something we do every day for work can make a massive difference to someone else.”
When the call went out, ColorCote’s team didn’t hesitate. The Yacht Club has been a gathering place for Christchurch families for over 130 years, and backing a cause that would benefit the community long after the last sheet went on was an easy yes.
“We all left the site that day with a real sense of satisfaction, knowing we did something great to help our Christchurch community,” ColorCote said at the time.
Situated right by the coast, the Christchurch Yacht Club needed a roof that could handle salt-laden air, so ColorCote MagnaFlow was the roofing steel selected. MagnaFlow is designed for demanding environments like this, where corrosion is a constant threat to pre-painted steel. When corrosion starts, the magnesium in its aluminium/zinc/magnesium alloy coating flows over cut edges and scratches, forming a protective layer that helps seal the exposed area and protect the roof for the long term. Roofing Industries roll formed the steel into their Corrugate profile, so the clubhouse kept the traditional look of a historic building, while MagnaFlow’s protective coating looks after the roof long after the installers have packed up.
“We simply couldn’t do it without them,” says Zach. “ColorCote and Roofing Industries and everyone else have jumped in and supported the whole idea, and that generosity is what makes something like this possible. It’s not just Graham Hill Roofing giving away a roof — it’s our whole industry coming together to do something good.”
Now it’s happening again. The Graham Hill Re-Roof returns on Tuesday 13 October 2026 with The Breeze Canterbury, and ColorCote is proud to be backing it as a supplier partner.
“After last year, it was almost a no-brainer to do it again,” says Zach. “We saw how much of a difference it made, and we had such great support from everyone involved. There are plenty of people out there doing it tough, so if we can use what we’re good at to help someone out, why wouldn’t we?”
The team are ready too. “Everyone’s really looking forward to it. It’ll be a big day and there’ll be plenty happening, but the team are excited to get stuck in. Hopefully, the Christchurch weather plays ball! At the end of the day, we get to go home knowing we’ve done something that will make a real difference to someone’s life — that’s pretty cool.”
Follow Graham Hill Roofing and ColorCote on social media and tune in to The Breeze Canterbury on Tuesday 13 October to stay in the know. If you’re outside Christchurch, you can listen through the ROVA app, clicking on The Breeze and changing the region to Canterbury – 94.5FM / 100.5FM.
Fellow suppliers from the Christchurch Yacht Club Re-Roof inlude:
