UPDATED 5.48PM: The yachtie who disappeared with his daughter 10 days ago had a lucky escape last year when his boat sunk in a tropical cyclone.

Alan Langdon, 49, and his six-year old daughter Que Langdon left Waikato's Kawhia Harbour allegedly bound for the Bay of Islands on December 17 and have not been seen or heard from since.

Police say they have grave concerns for their welfare and are seeking information from other boaties who may have seen them.

Langdon, his then partner, and Que were in Port Vila, Vanuatu in March last year when Cyclone Pam struck.

The category 5 severe tropical storm battered the island, claiming up to 16 lives and sinking at least 20 boats.

Friends today told the Herald that the Langdons lost a boat in the storm and narrowly escaped with their lives.

"It got smashed to pieces and sunk," one friend said.

She said that Langdon held Que in his arms and got her safely to shore.

Another family friend Mo Stafford said Que had nearly drowned and that Langdon had saved her life.

"They were lucky," he said.

"Alan has sailed the world and has never had a fear of the water."

The Coastguard has issued a notice asking for sightings of the 6m white catamaran which has blue anti-fouling paint under the waterline and a sail ID number of T878.

It's believed that Langdon indicated they were headed for the Bay of Islands.

Waikato Police Search and Rescue, and the Auckland Maritime Unit, continue to make inquiries and are calling for any information or sightings of the pair or their boat.

"Mr Langdon is an experienced and capable skipper, and his daughter has had experience on boats also," said Sergeant Warren Shaw of Waikato Search and Rescue.

"Police have received a number of calls from the public with information, which have assisted police as they continue to make further inquiries.

"We continue to appeal to the public for anyone who saw the vessel - a 21ft white catamaran with blue anti-fouling paint under the waterline - in the Kawhia Harbour, crossing the Kawhia Bar, on the afternoon of December 17, or any sightings since, to call police."

Friend of the Langdons, Jane Anderson said said Langdon has often taken to the sea alone.

"But this time he has a little girl with him and it's very worrying. I can't believe he's disappeared," she said.

Langdon is known as 'Paddles' in the local Kawhia district.

He is a well-respected member of the community, and Que is a "lovely" child, said Kit Jeffries, chair of the Kawhia Community Board.

He said the Langdons were an old, well-known name in the area and had a long association with the sea.

Langdon's grandfather operated a fishing vessel out of Kawhia Harbour for many years.

News of the pair's disappearance was "very upsetting for locals", he said.

"We are just hoping for the best," Jeffries said.

Local marine contractor Alan Rutherford said sea conditions have been "pretty bad" over the last ten days.

He received a Coastguard message which asked all vessels to be on the lookout for the overdue catamaran.

"It's a bit of a mystery," he said.

"If you were sailing in a little cat like that you'd want to know what you were doing."

Police urge anyone who has seen or had contact with them since December 17 to call their local police station.

NZ Herald