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Our four NZCT regional development managers - Hayden Whitburn, Kelly Mulcahy, Wayne Holdt and Ian Gardiner - bring you the latest news from around the country, as we prepare for the first in a series of regattas celebrating women in sailing.
Next weekend's Women's Day Out follows on from the success of other female-only events like Gulf Harbour Yacht Club's Women on Water Weekend. Photo / Live Sail Die
Women's Day Out 'welcome addition to sailing calendar'
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's inaugural Women’s Day Out event is a timely addition to the domestic sailing calendar and an ideal way to kickstart an important period for female sailing in the country.
It takes place next Saturday (August 12) and is designed for females of all ages to participate on the water – from sailing novices to experienced yachties.
Yachting New Zealand national sport development director Raynor Haagh has welcomed the regatta, following the success of other similar events like the Women on Water Weekend, hosted by Gulf Harbour Yacht Club, Waikawa Boating Club's women’s regatta, and the Kohimarama Yacht Club’s girls championship regatta.
"Yachting New Zealand continues to support and encourage ways of increasing female participation in our clubs and competitions," Haagh said.
"Supporting the pathways in the sport was a key component of our comprehensive women and girls in sailing strategy devised in 2019, a review of which we have recently completed to make it more relevant to our sailing community in 2023 and beyond."
The Women's Day Out also aligns well with World Sailing's second Steering the Course festival in September and October, Haagh said.
According to organisers, the Women’s Day Out is also an opportunity to assemble your crew before one of the other upcoming women’s sailing events, and for dinghy sailors it’s a great opportunity to give keelboat sailing a go.
For more information, click here.
Meanwhile, the ever-popular Waikawa women's regatta returns next month (16-17 September) after a record number of entries last year.
Organisers have introduced a cap of 250 crew entries, with a new chartered wine tour also available as part of the 2023 edition.
Women's sailing trailblazer Keryn McMaster will be on the start line again.
“The sailing is awesome and the yacht club does a fantastic job," she said.
"The whole of Waikawa is so accommodating and friendly and if it's your first time coming, you’re going to have an absolute ball. I can't wait."
For more information and to enter, click here. https://waikawaboatingclub.co.nz/womens-regatta/
Another female-only event set for early next year is the Women on Water Weekend on 15-17 March.
Planning is also underway for the 2024 Girls Championship Regatta at Kohimarama Yacht Club in Auckland, following a successful event in March this year.
Entries are open for the 2024 Bay of Islands Sailing Week. Photo / Lissa Photography
Entries open for NZ's 'best big-boat regatta'
New Zealand's biggest multi-day keelboat regatta – Bay of Islands Sailing Week – has opened entries for the next edition of the event, to be held from 23-26 January 2024.
Bay of Islands Sailing Week – dubbed “New Zealand’s best big-boat regatta” by yachting commentator PJ Montgomery, is hugely popular among the sailing community in Aotearoa, and many regard it as the highlight of the annual yacht racing calendar.
The event combines three days of high-calibre racing with a fun-filled festival atmosphere on shore in a world-class visitor destination. The week regularly attracts well over 100 boats and their crews to take part from around New Zealand and overseas.
This year organisers say they plan to ramp up the party atmosphere even more with the regatta moving to a new venue adjacent to the Bay of Islands Marina and Opua launching ramp.
Regatta committee chair Ian Clouston says the new venue will mean easier access, more space and better views for regatta participants to enjoy.
“We’ve been working closely with Far North Holdings Ltd on the new venue, and we’re really pleased to be able to move the event hub there. We’ll have the marquee overlooking the marina which is a great backdrop, and it’s much more central so it’ll be closer for most participants," Clouston said.
"There’s more room too so we’ll be able to offer a lot more for the sailors to enjoy before and after racing each day.”
Now entering its 22nd year, the regatta has had a challenging time of late, with the 2022 event cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the 2023 event affected by bad weather.
But organisers have high hopes for the 2024 event and as always have their sights set on a record-breaking number of attendees.
The Notice of Race is available here and entries are invited from keelboats, multihulls, trailer yachts and sport boats.
Howick Sailing Club now offer Learn to Foil courses.
Howick Sailing Club on the foils
Howick Sailing Club has joined the foiling revolution.
Working closely with the team at North Action Group (North Sails), the club has developed a Learn to Foil course which follows the traditional learn-to-sail formula.
The course is run on a 1:3 instructor to rider ratio, takes 10 hours (4 x 2.5 hour sessions) and is built around a four-step programme that gets riders up and flying in the shortest possible time.
All the equipment is provided by the club although members can also use their own.
“Based on the initial pilot courses run last season there’s plenty of demand from both members and the general public for courses,” said outgoing club commodore Tim Nichols.
“It’s a sport than naturally drives curiosity and there’s plenty of interest from the public when courses are running at the beach. The long-term goal is to run learn to foil alongside learn to sail as part of the programme and then integrate into the regular club racing schedule.”
For more information, contact Nichols on timnichols11@gmaill.com or 022 6424657.
More than 70 entries were received for the latest instalment in the Auckland junior winter sprint series.
Sun finally shines on junior winter sprints
The Auckland junior winter sprint series has had a tough run this year – Royal Akarana had no wind, Kohimarama had too much and Murrays Bay had to shift venues due to a damaged boat ramp and seawall.
Perfect sailing conditions finally prevailed on Saturday for the third leg of the series (the second at Kohimarama Yacht Club), however – with over 70 entrants competing in a variety of junior classes from Optimists, P-Classes and O’pen Skiffs to Starlings, RS: Fevas and 29ers.
Sunshine and a gentle 6-11 knots of wind enabled the race committee to complete three races.
Wakatere Boating Club will host the next instalment of the series on 12 August.
Full results here.
Double treat at Royal Akarana book night
Royal Akarana Yacht Club is inviting bookworms to the launch of two books - Storms Ahead by America's Cup Sailor and Paralympian Rick Dodson and Marco Polo by Tony Armit - the first Kiwi sailor to circumnavigate the globe.
The event will be held in the club's member lounge, starting at 5.30pm on August 17.
Both authors will be in attendance.
To secure your seat, RSVP here.
Call for entries: RS winter champs
Maraetai Sailing Club will host the RS winter championships on 19 and 20 August.
The regatta is open to all entries from RS classes - RS: Feva, RS: Aero and RS: Quest.
For more information and to register, click here.
R+R returned to the Traveller series with victory in Whitianga.
Back with a bang! R+R takes out Traveller series win
Rough & Reddy (R+R) made a triumphant return to the Elliott 5.9 Traveller series last month - dominating the second day of the race to take out the win and exact revenge on rival Shapeshifter.
The breeze on the first day at the Mercury Bay Boating Club was relatively light and offshore, building throughout the day to allow the race committee to get six races in.
Gusty conditions on the second day were a good test of boat control that saw plenty of wipeouts which would prove costly in the tightly contested fleet.
While many struggled for consistency, the R+R crew - Craig Satterthwaite, Richard Bearda and David Rolfe - used their experience to make the most of conditions, putting on a sailing masterclass to rattle off three straight wins before a sixth in the last race.
Shapeshifter, who won the national championships at Queen Charlotte Yacht Club in March to snap R+R's near-decade-long winning streak, failed to mount much of a challenge in Whitianga.
While it had some good results, it also had to carry a number of high scores and eventually had to settle for second overall, with Slam Dunk in third.
Shapeshifter still holds a commanding series lead however, but the battle for the remaining podium places is heating up - currently held by Reggae Shark and Revelry.
The next regatta in the series takes place at Opua Cruising Club on 9-10 September.
Full results here.
Wellington clubs have enjoyed fine weather for their winter series racing.
Wellington clubs hit the water
It may be winter but the Wellington weather over the weekend was spectacular with sunshine and light winds for winter series racing.
Evans Bay Yacht and Motor Boat Club saw a great turnout of keelboats, trailer yachts and dinghies (and a super gathering in the club afterwards), while Titahi Bay Boating Club ran their dinghy series on Sunday with a good contingent from Heretaunga and finally got some racing in once the breeze filled in.
Lowry Bay Yacht Club continued the trend of waiting for some wind but it was well worth the wait with 14 keelboats enjoying a great day sailing on the harbour.
Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club's winter series started with a celebration of three new boats to the club entering and 20 boats on the water. While the racing has been frustrating at times with fickle light winds and drift-offs turning into motor racing, the socialising has been fantastic with the annual Navy Cup and another season of Grad's Go Sailing programme with numerous new members experiencing the joys of winter racing.
Paremata Boating Club had their AGM as they gear up for their 100th season with a celebration function planned for December and an Easter regatta in 2024.
Worser Bay Boating Club made the most of the good weather to put some new rescue boats and coaches through their power boat driving course.
A shellback out for a row at Pleasant Point Yacht Club's final winter series race.
Pleasant sailing at Pleasant Point
It was a great day weatherwise for the last race of the Pleasant Point Yacht Club’s winter series – with a 5-8 knot north-easterly breeze making for good sailing.
Twelve yachts took part in the two back-to-back races, with the focus more on enjoying the sailing than final placings. Series sponsors Burnsco provided vouchers which were drawn randomly at the after-race social and awarded to participants.
There were visitors from Christchurch Yacht Club, Mount Pleasant Yacht Club and Waimakariri Sailing Club, along with locals. Also on the water were some of the Canterbury Classic Yachts and a fleet of PPYC Learn to Sail participants.
