Issue date
In our regular focus on the regions, the four regional support officers look at what has been happening in their areas.
Looking after volunteers
Photo: Charteris Bay Yacht Club
There are so many people who help out at clubs and events so it's crucial we look after our volunteers, especially during periods like now when there's such a busy schedule of regattas.
It is important for clubs to support and thank these amazing people because, without volunteers, events would not happen.
Below are some tips to keep in mind and how to take care of volunteers and ensure they keep coming back:
- Thank your volunteers and thank them again
- Reward your volunteers
- Provide an experience connected to your cause
- Create a community or team from your volunteer’s base
- Share your volunteers' success stories to demonstrate the important difference they make
And some dos and don'ts:
- DO work to keep your volunteers engaged
- DON'T waste their time
- DO be flexible
- DON'T use volunteers for work that needs to stay consistent
- DO train your volunteers
- DON'T forget to show some love
You can find more tips here
Marsden Yacht and Boat Club
Photo: Marsden Yacht and Boat Club
This year's annual Snake Bank charity fundraising event held on the weekend saw a fantastic turnout.
“It was an amazing turnout that a had a very good community feel about it and not just for sailing but anything that floats," said Yachting New Zealand northern regional support officer Hayden Whitburn. "It’s a great way to get more people to the club and fundraise for the coming season. Other clubs should look at doing something like this to help boost numbers."
The event comprised a paddle race in the morning open to anything that can be paddled (paddleboard, kayak, surfboard, surf canoe) followed in the afternoon by a sailing race open to anything that can be sailed, which saw anything from kiteboards, centreboard yachts, trailer yachts and keelboats.
In the spirit of having a fun-filled day, the winner in each category/class is not necessarily the first craft to cross the line, rather the one that is nearest to their nominated time to complete the course.
Hartley 16 North Islands
Photo: New Plymouth Yacht Club
After last year’s nationals were firstly postponed and then cancelled due to Covid-19, the Hartley 16s finally got a regatta away in New Plymouth over the weekend.
As many as 16 boats from Auckland, Wellington and New Plymouth turned out for the North Island championships with two days of light winds and some great, close racing.
Shaking Laundry (Robin Williams and Mike Insley) from the Manukau Yacht and Power Boat Club continued their consistent form to win the regatta by one point from Bizzare (Gareth and Sheree Insley), also from Manukau. Local boat Splash (Sam Street and Caleb Ludlow) claimed third on countback from Stratos (Simon Holdt and Nathan McArthur).
The handicap ranking was won by local boat Rumbo (Jeremy and Leo Pritt).
It was great to see some new people entering the class and they enjoyed the social nature of these regattas.
Full results here
Waitara Regatta
Last weekend's Waitara Regatta saw the biggest fleet in recent times with 54 boats.
This was bolstered by the local and out-of-town OK Dinghy sailors from Wellington and Auckland, while the Lasers, Hansa 303s and Optimists also had good numbers.
It was really good to see so many yachts on the river for the two-day regatta, and spectators enjoyed being only a stone’s throw away from the racing. The wind also played its part.
The Rainbow fleet sailors enjoyed themselves further up the river, having some short reaching races and an adventure sail up the river.
Full results here
Optisail camps
A couple of Optisail live-in camps were held in late January, with the Titahi Bay Boating Club hosting 26 sailors at their three-day camp and the New Plymouth Yacht Club hosting 20 sailors in their two-day camp.
It was very windy for both camps but that didn’t deter the young sailors at all. With lots of games and managed sailing, they were able to get on the water most of the time.
The Optisail camps are focused on gaining confidence and it’s always great to see the youngsters improve in such a short time.
Huge thanks to the volunteers and coaches at both clubs for their dedication in making these camps something the kids remember forever.
Timaru Yacht & Power Boat Club
This weekend's Timaru Age Group Regatta in Caroline Bay and is open Optimists (open and green fleets), P Class, Starling, Laser Radial, 420s, O'pen Skiff and all other youth classes.
To be eligible, entrants must be under the age of 19 as of January 1, 2021.
Along with a goodie back and regatta T-shirt, all entrants will receive a spot prize and there's a spit roast meal on the Saturday evening.
See here for more information, including the entry form.
Marsden Cove Marine Route 66
Photo: Richmond Yacht Club
The Richmond Yacht Club’s ‘short’ coastal race – 66 nautical miles from Auckland to Marsden Cove, Whangarei - is coming up on February 26 and this year's race features a new twist.
The Route 66 is a collaboration between the Richmond, Onerahi and Gulf Harbour Yacht Clubs and been an annual fixture since 2006.
The event is notable for being a great introduction to coastal racing, as the safety requirements are category 4+ and the fleet stays within the Barrier islands. With starts from both Westhaven and Gulf Harbour, and open keelboat, multihull and single-handed divisions, there's a variety of ways to take part.
This year, single-handed competitors can enter the new three-day Gulf Triangle single-handed challenge, racing up to Marsden Cove, then to Great Barrier Island and back to Westhaven.
For more information, and to enter, see here.
North Island Moth Championships
Photo: Bruce Carter
Graeme Sutherland put on a show at the North Island Moth Championships in Kerikeri over the weekend, winning seven of the nine races including all five on the second day, to add to his list of titles.
Mattias Coutts did his best to keep the pressure on the national champion with a couple of race wins and host of second-placed finishes to claim second overall, with Mike Bullot third.
A solid south-easterly breeze blew into the Kerikeri Cruising Club on the first day of racing and this intensified on the second day.
There were some solid battles further down the fleet, with class chair Brad Marsh competing in his first regatta in 10 months on his new Beiker and Frankie Dair also out with his new(ish) Mach 2.
Many tthanks to all of the volunteers and members at the Kerikeri Cruising Club for hosting what was an awesome North Island championships. We’d all love to come back.
- Brad McLaughlin Live Sail Die
Cherub North Island Champs
Dean Barker was back in the boat over the weekend, albeit a slightly slower one than his last craft, as he teamed up with daughter Mia to take out the Cherub North Island Championships at the Sandspit Yacht Club.
The Barkers finished ahead of former Ocean Race winner Mike Sanderson and his son Merrick after six races for the 10-boat fleet, with Tim Roper and Janelle Milne third.
It was the first Cherub event in this country in more than 20 years and it featured a different format to normal which saw crews take part in a variety of fun and friendly race formats, including triangle courses, a three nautical mile windward leeward course, a reverse handicap race.
Full results here
Auckland Optimist and Starling Championships
Photo: Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Congratulations to all the sailors, parents and volunteers who took part in the 2021 Cassidy Construction and HPCA Chartered Accountants Auckland Optimist and Starling Championships hosted by the Murrays Bay Sailing Club over the Auckland anniversary weekend.
As principal race officer Harold Bennett said: "you are all winners".
We are so lucky as a country and community to be able to host such wonderful sporting occasions, basking in glorious sunshine and sailing on the Waitemata Harbour. Competitors were even able to glance over and see the America's Cup as a back drop on the Saturday>
Well done to all the trophy winners and place getters.
Optimist open (72 boats)
Boys
1st: Joe Leith (Murrays Bay Sailing Club)
2nd: Lorrenzo Sirena 2nd (Royal Akarana Yacht Club)
3rd: Will Leech (Charteris BYC)
Girls
1st: Tessa Clinton (Wakatere Boating Club)
2nd: Alexis Heckler (Kohimarama Yacht Club)
3rd: Bella Jenkins (KYC)
Optimist white fleet (12 boats)
1st: Zara Scott (MBSC)
2nd (and 1st boy) Tom Shannon (WBC)
Optimist green fleet (30 boats)
Girls
1st: Annabelle Cartwright (Howick Sailng Club)
2nd: Olivia Anderson (KYC)
3rd: Brooke Day (MBSC)
Boys
1st: Jake Dickey (Napier Sailing Club)
2nd: Jacob Horne (MBSC)
3rd: Lauchy Wills (HSC)
Starling development (6 boats)
1st: Kate Rasmussen (Maraetai Sailing Club)
2nd (and 1st boy) Marcus Hilder (WBC)
Starling open (46 boats)
Boys
1st: Tom Pilkington (WBC)
2nd: Winston Liesebach (NSC)
3rd: Jack Manning (Glendowie Boating Cloub)
Girls
1st: Nicola Hume (MBSC)
2nd: Grace Still 2nd girl (GBC)
3rd: Kayla Abbott (MBSC)
Full results here
