Issue date
The latest issue of Yachting & Boating Quarterly, the official publication of Yachting New Zealand, is now live - just in time for a summer of sailing.
This eighth edition follows closely on the 2025 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards and celebrates excellence in all its forms; none more powerfully than that embodied by the man on our cover.
Late last month, Mark Mulcare received the inaugural Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing, a distinction named in honour of one of the most respected figures in the sport. It is a significant accolade, yet to define Mark by an award alone would miss the essence of his story.
Completely blind since his mid-teens and recently battling a series of significant health setbacks, Mark’s path has not been straightforward or easy. Yet through every obstacle, his commitment to sailing has endured. His story is a timely reminder that the strength of our sport depends on people whose passion is measured not only in achievement, but in service.
Elsewhere in this edition, Yachting New Zealand chief executive Steve Armitage reflects on his first months in the role and shares his conviction that clubs are the true breeding ground of excellence. Every sailor, coach, and official honoured at the awards evening began their journey at a club. Strengthening those foundations, he says, is essential to ensure sailing in New Zealand continues to thrive.
We revisit the return of the Admiral’s Cup after a 22-year hiatus - a revival that has reignited offshore ambition - and look ahead to the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, where Kiwi sailor and LawConnect sailing master Tony Mutter discusses his team's rare chance to secure a third consecutive line-honours victory.
Jo Aleh offers an inside view of life since becoming the first female sailor selected for Emirates Team New Zealand, sharing insight into the inner workings of the America’s Cup campaign. We also catch up with wingfoiling sensation Sean Herbert, New Zealand’s Male Sailor of the Year, whose meteoric rise has put the discipline firmly in the spotlight.
We also present 20 of our favourite New Zealand anchorages - from enduring classics to hidden gems - as cruising season gathers pace. And in one of our most gripping accounts, we recount a Kiwi sailor’s 27-month, 24,000-nautical-mile circumnavigation of the Pacific: a voyage marked by typhoons, breakdowns, solitude, sharks, armed officials - and unforgettable moments of wonder.
You can read these stories, and more, for free by clicking here.
Enjoy the issue, and may the summer ahead deliver fair winds, good company, and plenty of time on the water.
