Issue date
The four Yachting New Zealand regional development managers take a look at what has been happening in their areas and explore ways to help clubs operate with more sustainable practices.
Junior memberships
Clubs are always looking at ways to attract new members, and some are thinking outside the square to boost memberships, specifically for young sailors.
New Plymouth Yacht Club ascertained one of the biggest barriers their junior sailors face is club fees, especially with increasing subs needed to keep pace with inflation. So they reached out to their sponsors for extra assistance. By presenting club sponsors with an opportunity to pay a juniors subscription for the season, over and above their usual sponsor contribution, the yacht club has managed to cover all 25 junior sailors' fees for the season. The club has been overwhelmed with the response, and sponsors have welcomed the opportunity to connect with young club members. One commented they could see direct benefit to both the sailors and the club.
Interest has also ramped for their junior learn-to-sail programme, with 20 sailors attending the course in October, and a fully booked course in December to come. A third course is now scheduled for January and is already half full with most of these sailors coming from the school sailing experience days the club has been running as part of the new YNZ Kōkōkaha schools programme.
Wairoa Yacht Club – River Regatta
The Wairoa Yacht Club once again tuned on a great weekend for their River Regatta. The Flying Fifteens from Napier made up a strong contingent of the race fleet, which made for some close and run racing. A spectacular BBQ on Saturday night left all the sailors and supporters with tummies full of crayfish and venison. The club thanked to all the sailors who travelled from Napier and Gisborne, and acknowledged all the club volunteers for running the regatta.
Napier Sailing Club – Summer Regatta
An impressive 170 boats turned out for part one of the Napier Sailing Club Summer Regatta, with a variety of conditions presented over the weekend for single-handed sailors. The club is now gearing up for the second part of their regatta from 10-11 December which will be for crewed boats and will also include the 420 and Sunburst North Islands.
For more information about the regatta click the link. https://www.napiersailingclub.org.nz/summer-regatta
Mercury Bay Boating Club – Double Trouble Regatta
Wash out conditions may have been forecast, but sailors attending Mercury Bay Boating Clubs’ ‘Double Trouble’ regatta enjoyed sunshine, fresh breeze, and a picturesque race course in Whitianga earlier this month.
Now in it’s fourth year, club members and organisers are thrilled with the popularity of their specialised catamaran event, with the 2022 edition including Hobie Cat, Tornado, and A-Class Fleets. Eight races were sailed over two days, and a volunteer race management team lead by Philip Hart were commended for setting great courses and keeping the boats safe in a very windy bay.
Results:
Tornado Fleet: 1st Winston Ordish-Benner//Tauranga Yacht Club, 2nd Jason Marra//Tauranga Yacht Club, 3rd Lance Putan// Tauranga Yacht Club
Hobie Cat Fleet: 1st Dave McGlashan//Murrays Bay Yacht Club, 2nd Zane Blomfield //Manly Sailing Club, 3rd Jonathan Kline//Mercury Bay Boating Club
A-Class Classic: 1st Tom Block//Bay of Islands Yacht Club Keri Keri, 2nd Dave Aarons//NZ Multi Hull Yacht Club, 3rd Brent Harsant//Howick Sailing Club
A-Class Foiling: 1st Hamish Hall-Smith// French Bay Yacht Club, 2nd Ed Crook//Wakatere Boating Club, 3rd David Haylock/Wakatere Boating Club
Read more about this regatta..
Torbay Sailing Club
The iconic Sir Peter Blake Regatta will unfold this weekend from 3-4 December and is hosted by Torbay Sailing Club. This event typically receives entries from across New Zealand, and entries are once again expected to be high. You can download the regatta app here for all the news and updates from the weekend.
https://www.torbaysailing.club/sir-peter-blake-regatta.html#app
Ngaroto Sailing Club
Ngaroto Sailing Club will host the three-day Hansa 303 Nationals this week, with sailors coming from most of the North Island Sailability groups to race from 1-4 December. The event will see both double handed and single handed classes compete.
The regatta was postponed due to Covid and also the water quality of Lake Ngaroto, but the green light is now showing for sailors to finally get their nationals away.
Regatta details: https://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/events/2022/12/2022-new-zealand-hansa-class-national-championship-and-kiwi-cup
Bay of Islands Sailing Club – Northland Starling Match Racing Trials
Expressions of interest from Northland Clubs wanted!
The Northland Starling Match Racing Trials are set to be held at Bay of Islands Sailing Club on Sunday 11 December. The club is inviting all Northland Clubs to put in their expressions of interest. Starling sailors will need to be members of the Starling Association to join in. Please email Robyn at boiycsailingcommittee@gmail.com to express your interest.
Taipa Sailing Club - Far North Championships
A fleet of 44 boats sailed 6 races under the watchful eye of Race Officer Paddy Sims from 19-20 November for the Far North Championships.
A solid 15 knot Nor' Wester greeted the fleet, and the outgoing tide created bumpy waves and exhilarating downwind rides. Day two saw squally, unpredictable conditions with gusts over 25 knots and white out conditions at times and only two races completed.
The fleet included the J 14 class holding their North Island champs, the title for which was defended by current National Champion Bill Hewitt. Despite no race wins, Hewitt proved consistency pays off as he maintained a strong presence in the top of the fleet throughout the series.
The other major event was the inaugural Ben Lutze Cup for the Splash class. It was great to see a few younger sailors taking on this class, with exchange student Anja Reichel crowned the overall winner. The RS Feva also continued their traveller series with Erin and Isla Kee taking out the title.
The variety of boats who contest this annual event is growing and Taipa Sailing Club makes it work for anyone who turns up. This year there was a mix of Weta Trimarans, Lasers, Starling,Open Skiff, Wind Foil and a wing foil. Taipa Sailing Club once again shone with a friendly atmosphere and family gathering on Saturday night around the BBQ.
The event was generous supported by Burnsco, Mainstay Marine, Ronstan, NZ sailing.net, and North Sails
Lake Dunstan Boat Club – Laser Regatta
The annual Lake Dunstan Laser Regatta was held on Lake Dunstan from 26-27 November, and had a strong fleet of 23 lasers to compete over nine races.
As with lots of lakes, the depth of water can create challenging race setting conditions for officials. Race officer Peter Henderson said the ability to use the remote control Mark set Bots, (robotic sailing marks) for the event was highly valuable.
“When volunteers are thin on the ground, the bots allow you to run a professional regatta with limited resources”, he commented
Regatta organisers strive to make the event inclusive of all lasers in the local area, and participating sailors came from Tamaki Yacht Club, Naval Point Yacht Club, Charteris Bay Yacht Club, and several Otago Southland clubs. Daryl Parkes from Bluff took out the Full Rig division, and Jenny Armstrong took out second in the radial division, 1 point behind winner Peter Graham from Vauxhaull Yacht Club in Dunedin.
The regatta is also is an event in the Southern Laser Traveller series, which has stimulated great interest in the South in previous years
Naval Point Yacht Club – South Island Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series
The second round of the Elliott 5.9 Southern Circuit will take place this weekend in, Lyttelton at Naval Point Yacht Club. The regatta from 3-4 December is part of a three part series based in the South Island, and attracts a competitive fleet to guarantee tight racing. Similar to the Traveler Series, this series takes advantage of the ease in towing the boats behind a modest vehicle and opportunity for a fun weekend away yachting with friends and family.
2022/23 Southern Circuit Programme:
Southern Circuit # 1 21 - 23 October Lake Aviemore - Timaru Yacht and Powerboat Club
Southern Circuit # 2 3 - 4 December Lyttleton - Navel Point Yacht Club
Southern Circuit # 3 21 - 22 January Nelson - Tasman Bay Crusing Club Info: tasmanbaycc.co.nz/nelson-regatta/
Queen Charlotte Yacht Club - Inter islander Optimist Regatta & Port Malborough Starling Championships
‘The Interislander’ is one of the most popular regattas in the NZ Opti racing calendar, and dates are set for 27-19 February 2023. Organisers are excited to get this action-packed event underway, following two years of covid-related cancellations. The fun and friendly event caters for Opti Green, White, and Open fleets, with high-quality racing in a picturesque setting.
The Port Marlborough Starling Championship will also be run over the three days of the event, with a 9 race series.
Yachting New Zealand's High Performance Coach Jenny Armstrong will be running a Starling Coaching Clinic on 16th February (The day before the regatta starts). All Starling Sailors are welcome but registration will be required prior to the clinic. Details will be announced closer to the time.
Once again the event will be a Clean Regatta, under the Sailors of the Sea Program https://www.sailorsforthesea.org/programs/clean-regattas further Clean Regatta initivities will be announced closer to the event, remember, reusable drink bottles, no one use coffee cups, elimination where possible of plastic packaging.
