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Sailability

Regional Roundup - inclusive sailing at your club

Issue date

The four Yachting New Zealand regional development managers take a look at what has been happening in their areas and also highlight what your club can do to be more inclusive.


World Sailing might have started another campaign to get parasailing reinstated to the Paralympics and there's a lot your club could be doing to be more inclusive.

Not only could this lead to growth in your club but it would also ensure a more diverse membership, and it probably isn't as difficult as you might think to make positive changes.

It is worth your club spending some time to consider accessibility and inclusion both on and off the water and, in many instances, different boats or equipment might not be required. 

There are now 10 Sailability units established around the country, most closely aligned to yacht clubs, and many of these have seen the positive impact of this relationship. Sailability use Hansa 303s, which are well suited to promoting sailing for people with disabilities.

For more information on how your club can get involved, contact your local regional development manager.

Hartley 16 national championships

Hartley 16

There are few classes untouched by Covid-19, with cancellations and postponements commonplace, but few have been as affected as the Hartley 16s who have now cancelled their fourth consecutive national championships.

This year's nationals was due to be held at this month's Napier Summer regatta, which has been cancelled due to its size and the current Covid restrictions. The event is one of the country's biggest and typically attracts more than 300 boats.

The Hartley association have decided to continue with the programmed events for the rest of the summer, including the North Island championships in New Plymouth (February 12-13) and 2022 nationals in Manukau (March 17-20). There will also be an additional travellers series regatta at Evans Bay over the new Matariki long weekend of June 25-26, 2022.

The Hartley association is well known for their social element and another cancelled national championships just means it will be some party when they finally get together.

Red Socks Regatta (Bay of Islands Yacht Club)

What do you get when you cross Lasers, Open Skiffs and 29ers with RS Fevas, Wetas, Starlings and some rampant Windfoilers, and also throw in a race officer with a penchant for trapezoid courses with multiple added loops?

If you answered, 'a mess' you would be only half-correct. The complete answer is: A mess with an absurd amount of laughter.

A lot of that came in the final race when all of the classes competed together. It might sound unfair to pit windfoilers against Open Skiffs, but the race officer evened things up when a hooter sounded halfway through the outer loop forcing all craft to do a u-turn and retrace their steps back to the start, which was the finish. It might not be a surprise to learn it was called the bang-and-go-back race.

Fashion certainly wasn't rewarded on the day, with the prizes being scooped by teams wearing red socks over wetsuits.  

Yachting New Zealand chair Ross Blackman, who was a close friend of Sir Peter Blake, spoke prior to racing about the fun Blake insisted on for Team New Zealand and reminded competitors about the resilience Blake was renowned for.

You can get a flavour for the day in the video above.

Kerikeri Cruising Club

Kerikeri Cruising Club

A social teams racing event used as an introductory open day to kick off the 2021 spring season proved a hit for the Kerikeri Cruising Club and some newcomers have expressed an interest in continuing in the sport.

The club's fleet of Mistrals, which are reasonably equal in terms of performance and suitable for adult-child crew combinations, proved perfect for the three teams made up of sailors of various age and experience.

There were a handful of mums and dads, teenagers as well as Opti kids and first-timers who all competed in the three-on-three format. The club also utilised a barge as a change-over boat, with the race course a square shape set around the committee boat.

The weather was perfect, with plenty of sunshine and a suitable wind, and 12 short races were sailed, easily started and finished from the centrally positioned committee boat. 

The regatta was sponsored by Cater Marine chandlery and many newcomers enjoyed the day so much they said they would like to continue sailing.

Club stalwart Derry Godbert said the format was a good way to start the season, with new members meeting and enjoying the support of experienced club sailors. 

Legends Regatta

Legends Regatta

A few entrants probably felt like they earned their stripes when last weekend's Legends Regatta off Tauranga was hit by 25-knot easterlies and large swells.

One boat lost its mast (but managed to get back to Tauranga safely), many crew were sea sick and a number of boats withdrew and took shelter at Slipper Island due to the difficult conditions.

Into its 15th year, the First Mortgage Trust Legends Regatta run by the Mount Maunganui Yacht Club is held annually over Labour Weekend and aims to promote friendship, fun, skill and fair play.

Normally the 65 nautical mile 'race' from Tauranga to the Mercury Islands has a motoring clause to ensure participants get there in good time but an additional event was added this year in the shape of the Burton Sails Great Race to add a more competitive edge to this year’s format for those who might have missed out on the cancelled PIC Coastal Classic.

The second day saw a 15-mile triangle race course and day three involved a race around the island (approximately 9 miles) before cruising back to Tauranga. 

Results

Overall winner: Truxton
]Burton Sails Great Race: Wizzard
Mike McCormick Round the Island Race - A division: Pork Chop
Mike McCormick Round the Island Race - B division: Sunshine
Seamanship award: Kuihi (self rescue at sea)
Promarine Electrical & Burnsco Marine participation prize: Hapai

Royal Akarana Yacht Club

Akarana

Clubs and class associations are looking to reschedule a number of events postponed by Covid-19 which is why the Royal Akarana Yacht Club have moved the majority of their club racing from Sundays to Friday evenings.

The club wanted to ensure their members had the opportunity to take part in as many rescheduled events as possible so made the decision to move their Akarana Series to Friday nights for the 2021/22 season.

The first event is expected to take place later this month with the first warning signal scheduled to sound at 5pm. There will be no in-person briefing, which will instead by done via WhatsApp.

Some of the scheduled days are still on a Sunday but the majority will be on a Friday.

You can find out more about the club and what's on their calendar here.

 South Island Optimist Championships

Charteris Bay Yacht Club

Expressions of interest are now being taken from South Island clubs with an active Optimist fleet willing to host the South Island Optimist champs.
 
The New Zealand International Optimist Dinghy Association are keen to see the event on the calendar for the next few years and, once expressions of interest close, with decide whether it is held annually at one club or rotated around several clubs like the North Island champs is currently.

Interested clubs should complete this form by November 30.

Lowry Bay Yacht Club

Lowry Bay Yacht Club

The popularity of the Lowry Bay Yacht Club's Friday Pursuit Series was highlights last week when 21 boats lined up, including a couple of new members joining the fleet with their boats.

The club have made some changes to the calendar and introduced some new races this season to keep things fresh, and they also needed to adapt when the Hutt City Council deemed the Point Howard Wharf unsafe and closed it immediately.

The change presented some challenges because the club had long used the start box positioned there but some volunteers stepped up and offered use of their boats to run on-the-water starts. This allows for more flexibility in course setting - and sometimes shortening - and the club are looking into other options for starting from the land.

Sunday sailing continues this weekend with the two-handed series in the morning and spring series in the afternoon. You can find out more information about the club here.

Toyota Optimist and Starling national championships

Optimist nationals

The Napier Sailing Club are gearing up for next year's combined Optimist and Starling national championships and have been buoyed by the confirmation Toyota New Zealand will once again be naming rights sponsor.

The regatta takes place from April 14-19 and organisers have recommended potential competitors book accommodation early.

The schedule is as follows:

  • April 14-15: Registration, inspections, weigh-in
  • April 16-19: Racing for all fleets

Follow the Napier Sailing Club Facebook page or regatta page to keep up to date with all the news on the regatta.