Ahoy Cruise News - February 2024

issue 31

Ahoy Cruise News

February 2024

Monthly Magazine for Island Cruising & Down Under Rally

In this issue: South Island Rally pics The Ultimate South Pacific Itinerary Boats for Sale Boating Etiquette Holding Tank Horror Stories Upcoming Events Great Deals from our Partners!

Pacific Rally 2024

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally Contact Us Viki Moore Email info@islandcruising.nz Website www.islandcruising.nz www.downunderrally.com Phone +64 21 438 977 Facebook www.facebook.com/islandcruising.nz ISSN ISSN 3021-1948

on the cover Ocean Alley in Resolution - Marlborough Sounds on the South Island Rally.

Photo by Viki Moore

photos and news contributions are welcome

issue 31

In this issue February 2024

From the Helm The latest update from Viki

South Island Rally HEAPS of photos of our adventures

Go East & Pacific Rally 2024 Update on the content covered so far

Meet our new Partners Super excited about all our new partner businesses and their great products & services!

Upcoming Events Boating Etiquette ask our Pirate panelist your curly questions

Holding Tank Horror Stories

By Craig Edwards

Boats for Sale

Add a little bit of body text

From the helm I hope you’ve managed to get plenty of quality time on the water over the summer so far.

I had a fantastic time away over the Christmas holidays cruising with the South Island Rally boats up in the Abel Tasman and Marlborough Sounds.

We spent New Years Eve in Torrent Bay and enjoyed the fireworks, and then had some fantastic cruising around Queen Charlotte Sound.

A couple of yachts headed further south to Fiordland where they have been dodging a few gales and sandflies, and there are a couple more boats including the awesome crew from Sailing Parlay Revival who are also still planning on heading in that direction shortly.

After the Sounds I came home to catch up on some work and then headed up to the Bay of Islands Sailing Regatta which was lots of fun. Over 100 yachts racing around this stunning harbour. We had fantastic weather, some big parties and it was a great opportunity to catch up with many of our past and future rally participants and members and friends. It was heaps of fun and I can highly recommend this event!

Inside the magazine this month you’ll find lots of pictures of the South Island and Bay of Islands adventures over summer.

Next week I am off to Auckland to sail in the Duder Cup on board Bella Vita with some friends. The race was first run as recently as 1881 initially known as the North Shore Regatta Cup and then re-named in 1923 in honour of Thomas John Duder, a significant benefactor of the Devonport Yacht Club. The handicap race is run by the Club in association with the Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand. The race is open to all yachts including traditionally inspired boats and classic yacht members of the CYA NZ. Then there is a 1920's ball afterwards at the club. I can’t wait!

Last night we had a webinar with the Pacific Rally participants to run through some of the fantastic things there are to see and do in Tonga. We’ve got heaps of support from the local businesses for rally participants, including discounts on whale swims, and heaps of social events for the calendar. There is still time to join us! More info here.

The Lau Group entry details and pricing is still TBA but we are hoping to have all the details and pricing for this confirmed in the next week or so.

We’ve got similar webinars coming up soon for Fiji, Vanuatu & New Caledonia.

I am also just getting started on the process of signing up all our generous rally partners for 2024. I am delighted to introduce a few new names this month along with our valued regulars including Sail IQ who can do new sails, repairs, and help you design your cruising sail wardrobe, Mooring BnB who have a fantastic website where you can rent out your mooring or find moorings to rent, Explore Vava’u giving rally participants discounts on whale swimming tours, Yachting World Vanuatu - who are going to be taking great care of our rally participants in the Pacific this season, Hydrovane who have the BEST self steering and emergency steering solutions in the world, Paradise Resort in Taveuni who take great care of rally participants cruising through their resort, PredictWInd - who we all know and love for our weather forecasts, Oceania Medical excellent Offshore Medic training courses (I am doing one later in Feb - can’t wait!) and some very generous discounts for our rally participants needing Cat 1 Medical kits, All Marine in Whangārei who are an excellent chandlery with all the bits you need for going offshore, Nautilus Braids - who do the best braided rope money can buy and is also produced right here in Christchurch, Skipper Training - who do all our Advanced Sea Survival training for boats going offshore from NZ, Yacht Delivery Solutions - who can deliver your boat to and from the Pacific or further afield, Rocket Guides - who produce excellent cruising guides for New Caledonia & Vanuatu, Sail South Pacific who do cruising guides for Tonga, Fiji, NZ & AU, Bato Flags who do beautifully hand stitched flags for all your cruising needs, Grotty Yachtie who are producing all our rally crew T Shirts, and Greenskin wines in Australia who do fantastic light weight wine options for cruising sailors. And that is just the ones I’ve managed to talk to this week!

There are lots more to come in the next few weeks, and by joining up as a member of Island Cruising & Down Under Rally, you get to tap in to some fantastic products, great service, excellent advice and generous discounts from ALL our partners! You can recoup your modest $129 membership fee or rally entry fee VERY quickly by taking advantage of all their amazing offers. Please make sure you support these wonderful businesses.

If you own a business that has products for sailors and you aren’t already one of our partners - you are missing out on tapping in to our incredible community! Please get in touch. We’ve got a marketing solution to support every budget and we’d love to have you become a part of our community.

I am also very excited about some of the Citizen Science and community projects we are going to be supporting in the Pacific this season. Rally participants can choose to join in with all kinds of different environmental and community based initiatives which enables us to not only do some good things but also connect on a deeper level with the people we visit and hopefully make a difference to leave a clean wake behind us. Whether it is taking water samples as we cross the oceans, 3D photographing certain reefs, taking dog collars to the volunteer vets, or books & life jackets to the local libraries or transporting Days For Girls kits up to Sea Mercy. Leaving a positive impression with the communities in the Pacific is vitally important to ensure yachties are continued to be welcomed in the Pacific. We talk a bit more about this later in the newsletter along with our new ‘Agony Aunt’ who is here to answer all your curly boating etiquette questions.

I hope you enjoy the February edition of Ahoy Cruise News.

Happy sailing!

Cheers Viki

HYDROVANE IS BOTH: A Self Steering Windvane System: A completely independent mechanical system (ie. non-electrical) that steers the boat on a wind-based course. Easiest to operate, with no lines in the cockpit, and excellent on all points of sail and in all conditions.

It is an Auxiliary Rudder type of windvane system – the Vane drives its own Rudder via a sophisticated Drive Unit linkage.

An Emergency Rudder/ Steering System Inherently a second Rudder and Steering System for your boat.

It is the strongest Emergency Rudder and Steering System available today. Always in place, nothing to set-up – takes the fear out of losing your rudder or breaking your vessel’s steering mid passage or close to shore.

www.hydrovane.com

Advanced Sea Survival Course A comprehensive theoretical and practical course for crew requiring an offshore, category 1 certificate.

Two Day Full Course 24 & 25 February AUCKLAND 20 & 21 April WHANGAREI tbc 04 & 05 May AUCKLAND 17 & 18 August NELSON

One Day Refresher Course 09 March AUCKLAND 11 May WELLINGTON TBC 22 Sept NELSON

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally members get a 10% discount (please use the discount code in the members newsletter when you book online)

www.skippertraining.ac.nz 0800 546 9700 info@skippertraining.nz

South Island Rally

Clip best watched with volume on & turned up!

We’ve been having some fantastic adventures on the South Island Rally this summer.

17 yachts made up of Kiwis and International Cruisers have made the voyage south.

Some choosing to spend the whole summer in the top of the South Island in the stunning Abel Tasman, Pelorus, Kenepuru and Queen Charlotte Sounds.

Others headed further south to Fiordland and Stewart Island where they’ve been warmly welcomed by the locals there who have supported the rally since we started back in 2021.

With many of the places only accessible by boat, you really need to sail to these places to explore the areas that the usual tourist cannot access.

You can read more about the rally inclusions on our website. We will launch the plans for the 2024 - 2025 edition of the rally a little later on this year. Watch this space!

www.lissaphotography.co.nz

South Island Rally

South Island Rally

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South Island Rally

South Island Rally

South Island Rally

South Island Rally

South Island Rally

A Saviour For Mooring Owners and Sailors Alike Mooringbnb is a new platform designed to allow mooring owners to maximise their earnings while making it easy for sailors to book a mooring from anywhere.

It’s the ultimate win-win set to take off this summer.

Mooringbnb for mooring owners Often, moorings sit unused for extended periods of time.

Mooringbnb.co.nz makes it easy to hire your mooring out whenever you’re not using it. It works along similar lines to AirBnB, allowing sailors to search for an available mooring, book it and pay for it on the spot.

Mooringbnb automates all the admin work, from marketing to taking payments and even notifying the harbourmaster when the mooring is being used. It’s fully customisable, so you can control its availability, and charge whatever rate you wish.

Registering your mooring costs nothing, and you get paid the rate you set.

It’s available in New Zealand at the moment, but is set to expand into Australia and the Pacific Islands in 2024.

www.mooringbnb.co.nz

For mooring owners, it’s a unique opportunity to generate income that requires minimal effort. It makes more locations available to sailors, including when the weather turns bad and they need a safe place to stay at short notice.

The number of moorings are increasing monthly and sailors are already making bookings for the next few months. With the summer sailing season on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to list a mooring and generate extra income while you sail off elsewhere yourself.

Women Who Sail GATHERING ON THE BAY Have you ever been at a function and you walk around having polite boring conversations with strangers, until you FINALLY find the one person in the room who has a boat? You breathe a sigh of relief, and spend the rest of the night chatting to them sharing stories of adventures on the water…

Well imagine a whole room full of people you can share those stories with! And not only that – they are all women!

Welcome to the Women Who Sail Gathering on the Bay. An annual get together of women sailors from around the South Pacific (and their partners can come along too), where you instantly have not only a sailing passion in common with everyone in the room.

The women who attend the GOTB are inspirational. After listening to the speakers it is common to think “If she can do that – then I can do that too!” The atmosphere is buzzing. Its like an incredible sisterhood of people who understand one another, who are sometimes given amused looks by fellow male sailors who think its a bit ‘cute’ to have a female skipper at the club. Or the friend of a friend who simply can’t believe that a girl could possibly own a boat and manage it on her own.

The room is filled with racers and cruisers, singles, couples, mothers, young people and those with years of life experience.

People who have built their own boats, sailed solo around Antarctica, those who have sailed all the way to Australia from Europe, and those who have sailed 100 miles up the coast. But no one judges anyone else. You can ask any question, you can cry and laugh, and chat for hours and hours without your husband rolling his eyes. You can be yourself and feel supported in what it is that you do.

It is quite simply just awesome.

And if you are a woman who loves sailing and happen to be in Australia then you should absolutely head along and join in the fun from 5 - 7 April this year in Port Stephens There is an impressive agenda packed full of interesting topics and inspirational speakers.

You can register online here to attend.

The Ultimate SOUTH PACIFIC SAILING ROUTE

There are so many options for International Cruisers when it comes to cruising the South Pacific. Often we see people who zoom straight through and miss out on some of the best bits! Our recommendation - don’t rush and make the most of the prevailing winds. Here’s a suggested South West Pacific itinerary for boats heading from Panama in this direction - Watch the video animation here.

Year 1 March April

July August September October

Cross from Panama to French Polynesia Arrive French Polynesia (unless you’ve got a long stay visa or an EU passport you’ve only got 90 days to explore this incredible destination).

Join the Pacific Rally for heaps of inclusions as you start your passage west.

Cook Islands Samoa and or Niue Vava’u - Tonga - check out the BlueWater Cruisers Festival Ha’apai, Tongatapu, Minerva, New Zealand

Stop in NZ to escape cyclone season - enjoy tax free repairs on your boat, Or Join the South Island Rally to sail south to explore incredible Fiordland or head home for Christmas.

The Ultimate T

SOUTH PACIFIC SAILING ROUTE

Year 2 May August September October December

Join the Pacific Rally to sail back to Fiji or back to Tonga Vanuatu - join the rally events throughout Vanuatu New Caledonia Bundaberg Australia on the Go West Rally.

Sydney Harbour to watch the start of the Sydney Hobart Race and fireworks on New Years Eve Australia is another great place to stop for a while with great boat repairs and places to leave the boat while you explore ashore or head home and of course some excellent cruising grounds too!

Year 3 January February .

May .

October

Tasmania - Join the VDL-C Cruise Cruise slowly back up the East coast of Australia, enjoy the stunning Whitsundays and then Onwards to Asia or alternatively cross the Tasman and head back to New Zealand to enjoy exploring with the South Island Rally.

Or return to the Pacific on the Go East - Pacific Rally to revisit the places you missed or enjoyed the first time round.

Back to New Zealand or Australia - both great places to end your journey and sell your boat.

Or carry on doing circles in the Pacific or continuing on around the world!

Check out all the details of the Pacific Rally on our website

For Sailors The freedom of being able to sail wherever you want is one of the greatest things about cruising this summer. You can follow weather patterns or coastlines, meander your way to a set destination or just follow your nose and see where you end up.

Just as long as you can find a mooring or a place to anchor...

For Peter Kershaw, a trip around the Bay of Islands piecing together available moorings on the fly, posting on Facebook pages and asking locals for help, made him think there must be a better way.

Peter decided to create an online booking platform that took care of all the details and made it easier for yachties to plan sailing trips.

With Mooringbnb, you can see available moorings anywhere in New Zealand, and book them without needing to go onshore. It’s a much-needed upgrade of the traditional booking system, giving sailors certainty, convenience and compliance.

There’s no need to check mooring size limits or notify the harbourmaster - all the conditions and logistics are taken care of within the booking platform.

To find out more, head to: www.mooringbnb.co.nz

Cruiser survey: Get your voice heard!

Have you ever wondered if other cruisers struggle with the same things you struggle with? Or if you and your partner are unusual in how you came to the decision to cruise? Joy Archer, a writer and cruiser, wonders these things too, and is fielding a survey to get answers to these and other pressing questions. Joy and her partner Harry recently completed a South Pacific sail, returning to North America from New Zealand via Tonga, Tuvalu, the Republic of Marshall Islands and finally allllll the way north to Sitka, Alaska. She had plenty of time to ponder story ideas on that last 35-day ocean passage.

Responses to the survey will be used as the basis for story ideas for publication.

Joy and Harry are also speaking at the Seattle Boat Show this year and will use some of the data there. All responses are anonymous. If you'd like to contribute a quote that Joy can attribute to you, there's room at the end of the survey for that. If you have questions email Joy at joy@joyarcher.com.

Take the survey here: https://forms.gle/b86NRatLXTzCwQ1o7

ElectroMaxx System Surge Protector The ElectroMaax System Surge Protector provides protection to the alternator and DC electronics whenever a voltage spike or surge occurs.

Many cruisers, sailboat or power, are eagerly installing lithium batteries on their vessels, and the majority of lithium batteries have an internal BMS (battery management system) controlling them.

The primary function of the BMS is to protect the battery and control the internal cells, however when the BMS senses a threat or full charge, the battery(s) go offline! - and all the energy the alternator is developing at that precise moment in time gets sent back into the alternator brushes in the form of a spike or surge.

With many alternators now generating in excess of 100 amps that is a lot of energy with no place to go.

Over time this can and will degrade the alternator or in many cases, cause catastrophic damage.

You can prevent this by installing the System Surge Protector (SSP) between the battery and the alternator. As the SSP absorbs all spikes, the energy cannot affect the alternator or any other attached electronic devices, like radios, GPS systems or any other expensive electronics.

The SSP is recommended for ALL batteries, in 12V or 24V systems, regardless of their technology and especially for large battery banks that are susceptible to voltage spikes or surges.

As an in-line protection device the System Surge Protector has 4 primary functions: Monitor system voltages Provide almost instantaneous controlled disconnect of vulnerable equipment (i.e.- Alternator).

Safely dissipate any transient electrical “spikes” or surges.

Monitor system integrity and reconnects when safe to do so.

The SSP is unique in the market, and should be designed into any new Lithium battery system, Please call us at Marine Smart Energy Australia to find out more about the SSP, or our high power Alternators, Smart Regulators, and Watermakers.

Simon Rosenbaum 07-3060-5090 info@marinesmartenergy.com.au

Go East & Pacific Rally 2024 News We’ve now got 90 boats registered for the Go East & Pacific Rally 2024, including 3 power boats and 18 children! The rally preparation content is well underway. If you are planning on joining us please register here. Or check out our website for more information.

This month we’ve had a webinar on Tonga and all the things there are to do there, as well as covered off some Navigation tips and Crew & Health considerations. We’ve also already completed: The Cat 1 Safety Regulations - including the Yacht Manual checklist Documentation & Administration Things that break Bluewater Insurance Offshore Communications Safety Gear - Standard & Emergency Operating Procedures template Rally Partners We have got an incredible group of rally Partner businesses who provide some very generous discounts, events and support to the rally participants.

New this week!

Vanuatu EcoTours - 15-25% discount on tours around Efaté Vanuatu.

The Navigation Centre Townsville - great discount on Pacific charts and cruising guides

Raymarine’s clever new Smart Wind™ offers smarter sailing for all levels Raymarine’s clever new Smart Wind™ technology delivers new levels of sailing information and intelligence to sailors of all abilities.

Thanks to Raymarine’s sophisticated new Smart Wind™ transducer, complete with integrated AHRS 3D sensor technology, the new Smart Wind™ technology delivers incredibly accurate calibrated wind speed and direction data.

Extensively wind tunnel tested, the Smart Wind™ transducer automatically delivers improved true wind accuracy, not only accounting for wave action and vessel pitch and roll but also compensating for mast twist and bend and the effects of airflow and upwash against the sails.

Smart Wind™ technology even intelligently automatically compensates for rotating masts of the sort used on performance race yachts, catamarans and trimarans (previously only possible with a wireless mast rotation sensor and gateway).

“This type of highly accurate wind speed and direction data is normally only available to those with professional-level calibrated instruments, complicated and expensive black-box processors or cumbersome calibration tables,” says Mark Milburn, managing director of Raymarine New Zealand distributor Lusty and Blundell and a keen sailor.

“Being able to get this type of trusted, high-accuracy, true wind data simply and easily displayed on an Alpha Display or Axiom chartplotter is a real breakthrough,” he says. “It means all sailors, regardless of their sailing ability, will be able to sail smarter, faster and more accurately.”

Raymarine’s new Smart Wind™ transducer, complete with integrated AHRS 3D sensor technology is now available through Lusty and Blundell’s nationwide network of leading marine dealers and at their three showrooms in Albany, Whangarei and Tauranga.

Product information is available from Lusty and Blundell on (09) 415-8303 or at www.lusty-blundell.co.nz.

SLEEP WELL

Well rested skippers & crew make better decisions and are generally much nicer people to be around on a boat. So how do you achieve that? Give them a good safe, comfy dry bed and this all starts with the mattress...

Thankfully one of our Island Cruising & Down Under Rally partners specialises in this! Eco Marine Bedding can supply our members with the Flexima Nautic Boat Mattress. As an added bonus Provide us with your Island Cruising & Down Under Rally Membership number and receive a complimentary Tencel fitted sheet set (fitted sheet, top sheet and 2 pillowcases) valued at $380 when you purchase your new Flexima® mattress from Eco Marine Bedding. *Membership must be current at the time of placing your order.

Designed and built to address the unique challenges of the marine environment Moisture and mould, lack of access to storage space, a corrosive salty environment and a hard bed base – FLEXIMA® mattresses are the ONLY mattresses that have been purpose designed and build have been purpose built and specifically designed to address the unique challenges of the marine environment.

As lifelong sailors at Eco Marine, we also understand your boat mattress is more than just a place to sleep – it’s also a place to sit, relax, read, play, work and even eat, providing it with more opportunities to get soiled.

Features & benefits of a FLEXIMA® Nautic boat mattress Luxurious comfort -unique 7 zone spring system can be configured to your comfort level Hypoallergenic – antimicrobial and antibacterial TENCEL®covers Easy to clean – removable and machine washable cover Easy to carry – side carry handles, flexible springs and light weight make it unexpectedly easy to fold and transport through companion ways and stairways Long lasting – our cold set polyurethane foam is the same foam used in luxury car seats Award winning design – metal-free long lasting synthetic spring system cannot rust Customised support – enjoy the different levels of support you require for your head, neck, shoulders and back Choice of firmness & thickness – long lasting cold cured foam available in regular and firm Self-aerating – cavities in foam core provide excellent ventilation anytime you move on the mattress, keeping it cool and dry Storage access – we can make your mattress in segments Designed for the marine environment, designed for comfort, designed for sleep …FLEXIMA® is the world’s most comfortable and customisable on-water mattress system. It makes luxuriating on your boat at night as rewarding as revelling and relaxing on your boat during the day.

Check out the Eco Marine Bedding website here.

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally members get a 10% discount!

Use the discount coupon code at the checkout

Shop Now

Seeking 3rd Partner in a Catamaran Syndicate We are looking for a 3rd partner to join our catamaran syndicate. The boat is a 2008 Leopard 46 Catamaran which is well maintained and was surveyed in December 2023 as part of our due diligence process (full report available). The intention of the syndicate would be for participation in ICNZ Pacific Rallies during the New Zealand winters and cruising New Zealand waters during the summer. The boat is berthed in the Auckland area.

Structure of the syndicate would ideally be an equal share, join ownership arrangement (in terms of both capex and opex), with mutual agreement of ongoing expenses. Usage of the boat would be proportional to their equality position.

The current (2) syndicate members are both experienced blue water sailors with suitable qualifications and have participated in previous Pacific Rallies.

For those interested in finding out more about this unique opportunity, please contact Viki and she will pass your details on: info@islandcruising.nz

BOATING ETIQUETTE! Got a question?

Ask a Pirate...

Dear Captain Jack, I am thinking about cruising the South Pacific this season, but I confess my boat doesn’t have a holding tank, and to be honest, I don’t really want to put one in, because in my country, we don’t need to have them, so I don’t really think I should have to...

What are your thoughts on the subject? Many thanks Mr W t Pooh Ahoy there Mr Pooh, Thanks for your message. “The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.

Do you understand?”

It’s a shitty subject, but sadly it appears that some cruisers need reminding that it is not ok to empty your holding tanks in pristine bays - particularly where people are swimming and catching fish!

In New Zealand we’re savvy to being savvy. But how savvy are you?? the regulations state that: In general, untreated sewage may NOT be discharged within 500 metres from land, or in water less than 5 metres deep. The Regulations also prohibit sewage discharge near marine farms, mataitai (traditional food collection) reserves or marine reserves.

Some countries do not have set laws or regulations on this issue, but that still doesn’t mean that discharging your sewage in to a pristine bay in the South Pacific is OK! Sadly in Fiji last year we needed to give a couple of cruisers a friendly reminder of this common courtesy and boating etiquette. Sadly it appears that some vessels are not even equipped with holding tanks or a way of storing their sewage on board until they are offshore, and this is not OK! If you are doing any cruising to the Pacific Islands this season, please ensure you have holding tanks on board - or a composting toilet and you do the right thing when it comes to managing the sewage on board your boat. If you notice any boats not doing the right thing, please give them a friendly reminder.

It is also not etiquette to throw food scraps overboard in anchorages. You can either take them ashore for the local pigs or chickens to eat, or take them well offshore and dispose of food scraps there.

In summary, we don’t want to swim in your shit or scraps - comprendé?

Yours Cpt Jack

r u o Y e s U

By Craig Edwards

d a He

Like a lot of boat owners, I expect, the first time I really got to know my holding tank was when things all went horribly wrong.

For me this happened the day before a major regatta after 2 weeks of family cruising in the Marlborough Sounds. Flying Machine’s new holding tank, fully compliant with Young 88 Class rules, had recently been installed and had been preforming well despite a few “capacity” issues. Suffice to say the rule of thumb with regard to the size of a holding tank should be calculated as follows; the size you think you need x waterline length x number of teenagers aboard. Invariably this will equal the size your partner told you that you needed but you didn’t listen because you were trying to save weight/money.

Anyway, despite the rather frequent need for emptying (yes, 15 litres is too small) all was going reasonably well. That was however until the day before the Lawson’s Regatta when the valve handle broke off in my hand during an attempt to drain the holding tank of its contents. Although no immediate disaster occurred, a moment was required – severed lever in hand – to consider the implications; Urgent and expensive haulout? or race with the weight of 15 litres of sewage in the bow plus the inevitable inconvenience for the female crew in particular? This was followed by an audible “bugger” or words to that effect.

Rescue came surprisingly promptly and took the form of experienced chandler Aaron Blackmore of Oddies Marine in Waikawa. “Nah mate, you won’t need to haul out” he said, “Just bang a softwood plug in from the outside and I’ll set you up with a new valve”. A simple but effective plan… seal the outlet from the outside, disconnect the broken fitting, drain and dispose of the effluent ashore, reconnect a new fitting and we’re back in business.

The bit about draining the holding tank did take some thought however and was the part I was least looking forward to, for obvious reasons. Once disconnected the contents would “pour” into a bucket with some degree of flow control achieved by constricting the breather tube to restrict returning air. This was necessary as my maths has determined that more than one bucket was required.

Bracing myself for the odour that was to envelop me in a stiflingly small space on a warm Marlborough day, I began. What I had not prepared myself for, however, was the sound that the contents made as it vomited from the disconnected pipe and gushed violently into the bottom of the bucket. No noise I can image could make me feel quite as sick as the sound this made. Steeling my resolve, and swallowing hard, I continued and rapidly filled two buckets. I paused and contemplated my next move.

The quickest means of escape was to carefully lift each bucket out through the open forward hatch, above my head, to the foredeck. I thought better of this, realising that I only needed to catch a bucket edge on the hatch rim and I would look like Augustus Gloop after his swim in Mr Wonka’s chocolate lake. So I carefully carried each bucket out through the companionway to the safety of the dock. We were nearly there.

But as I made my way to the toilets ashore I found my path blocked by a very relaxed gentleman leaning on the companionway rail engrossed in a cigarette and conversation with his mate on the nearby boat.

“Excuse me” I politely asked, seeking to squeeze past, a bucket in each hand. Ignored, I asked again, a little louder “Excuse me”. Turning this head this time he quickly realised the gravity of the situation, loudly exhaled an expletive that accurately described the hazardous substance I was carrying and quickly moved aside. The offending material was subsequently disposed of and I returned to complete the task successfully.

The principle of a holding tank is quite simple. Its purpose is to temporarily store your toilet effluent so it can be transported away from sensitive marine environments and disposed of either in an approved shore based pumping station or well offshore. For most of us, offshore is the easier and often only option. Boat owners should be aware that regulations about where you can dump sewage can vary depending on where you are. In Marlborough, our favourite cruising area, it’s a minimum of 500 metres from shore but this is currently being reviewed and under the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan this is extended to 1,000 metres from shore or any marine farm.

There is no doubt that holding tanks are a very good idea. Not too many years ago, rafting up with our sailing friends and their families in a beautiful anchorage in Queen Charlotte Sound, the holding tank issue was always a bit of an elephant in the room. As I’d glance across the cockpits at our friends enjoying a lazy breakfast, sipping their second cup of coffee of the day, I’d decide to skip the morning swim. Fortunately, now, holding tanks are the norm not the exception.

There are two general types of holding tank. One that uses the toilet’s own (or a separate) pumping system to remove the effluent and a gravity based system. Ours is a gravity model. The tank is positioned above the waterline and the toilet pumps the nasties up to the tank where it’s held until released by opening the seacock.

All holding tanks require a breather to enable gasses to escape. While the chemistry of anaerobic fermentation isn’t important here the simple message is – if you install a holding tank without a breather you’ll be fitting a sewage filled time bomb in your boat. Pressure would mount and a loud “pop” would accompany the instantaneous redecoration of the interior of your boat in a neutral shade of brown.

Anyone unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity would find their silhouette printed life size in reverse block on the nearest bulkhead.

As the breather will vent unpleasant odours it pays to think about where this goes. Some have a hose that takes this up the mast and well away but in my experience this probably isn’t necessary. In our case I connected a vent hose to a skin fitting in the anchor locker on the bow. This worked well and was sufficiently far away to not be of any nuisance.

However, I come back to the point made earlier about the need to ensure your holding tank is of sufficient size for your needs. In our case, at 15 litres, it isn’t quite enough and our family of four is lucky to last 24 hours. Of course the way we discovered this was when the tank overflowed out the vent hose and started filling up our anchor locker. This resulted in the anchor and warp going over the side and the application of a significant quantity of heavy duty cleaner and numerous buckets of sea water. Unfortunately, the exercise was repeated all too often to the point where the joke about someone taking a dump in the anchor locker started to wear thin. The solution in the end, in addition to more careful management, was to put an extension hose from the skin fitting long enough to reach over the side. So whenever we are moored up the hose comes out of the locker and over the rail looking like a butterfly proboscis… just in case.

One of the best things about a cruising charter holiday overseas is the whole ‘all care, no responsibility’ thing. So when the opportunity came along to join a bunch of our friends to explore the Whitsundays in a charter fleet we jumped at it. We had two families sharing a modern 44 foot Beneteau with two of everything… two wheels, two showers, two fridges, two heads and even two holding tanks. Luxury beyond compare and a significant step up from our Young 88. But the most relaxing aspect of the whole experience, or so we thought, was the knowledge that if anything went wrong it was someone else’s job to fix it.

The turnaround process was surprisingly rapid with the boats arriving in and getting a quick clean up before the next group went out. Fresh soaps and towels were decoratively arranged in each head like a fivestar hotel bathroom. However, this didn’t seem to leave much time for servicing and maintenance. As we discovered, the approach seems to be to wait until something stops working and then deal with it then. Several of the fleet had something go wrong that required a call out at some stage. In our case it was at the first anchorage that we discovered the previous charter had blocked one of the holding tanks. Clearly if you’re near the end of your charter the protocol is to keep quiet about any blockages so you don’t get the blame.

Not to worry they said, “we’ll be out in the morning and will sort it out for you”. True to word, next day a couple of young aussies with lots of enthusiasm and a fast RIB turned up ready and armed to do battle with our wee holding tank issue.

The first thing I noticed about their solution was that it involved them getting out of their RIB and into ours.

The reason for this soon became obvious. While one boatman held the RIB steady against the hull his mate took our dinghy pump and inserted the hose into the holding tank vent, mounted just below the gunwale. He then proceeded to pump air into the holding tank system in an obvious attempt to clear the offending blockage.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I asked from the safety of the foredeck. “Yeah, won’t take a minute, mate”.

Considerable pumping ensued and I watched as the process appeared not to be as successful as he was hoping. The pressure was no doubt building somewhere as the pumping rate began to slow. He looked across at his mate as if to say “well, what now?” when suddenly the hose end blasted out of the vent followed by a high pressure stream of raw sewerage which hit our friendly rescuer mid chest. He decided it was a good time for a swim while we nodded our new understanding of the reason the maintenance manual stipulates this procedure be carried out in the client’s dinghy.

Modern, electric macerating pumps seem to be the way to go these days. There are certainly advantages with these systems but they do use power, require more water, are more complicated and still require servicing and maintenance. Whatever your system there’s one good trick for looking after it. Other than toilet paper in sparing quantity don’t put anything down there you haven’t first eaten.

UPCOMING

events 2024 1o February - Maldives Yacht Rally begins 10 February - Duder Cup - Devonport Yacht Club - all welcome March - Japan Yacht Rally 14 - 17 March - Auckland Boat Show 15 - 17 March - Women on Water - Gulf Harbour Yacht Club 5 - 7 April - Women Who Sail Australia - Gathering on the Bay 5 May - Island Cruising Pacific Rally first group departs for the South Pacific 9 June - Groupama Race - New Caledonia 10 July - Island Cruising Rally - Lau Group Entry TBA August - Vanuatu - Pacific Rally Gathering September - Fiji - Musket Cove Regatta October - Blue Water Festival Tonga 12 October - Americas Cup starts in Barcelona 15 October - Island Cruising & Down Under - GOWest Rally returns to New Zealand or Australia November - Bundaberg Welcome Week November - Bay of Islands Cruisers Festival

Offshore Marine Medic

Two-day Offshore Medical Course customised to provide students with the basics required for Offshore Cruising. Course also covers a handover of the Offshore Medical Kit (CAT 1) and how to use it.

Upcoming dates: 8 - 9 February 2024 - Auckland 9 - 10 March 2024 - Auckland 11 - 12 April 2024 - Auckland 18 - 19 May 2024 - Auckland or contact us for more options 10% discount for Island Cruising members + discount on Cat 1 Medical Kits Register online here

Pacific Rally 2024 CHOOSE YOUR OWN DATES & DESTINATIONS AUSTRALIA * NZ * TONGA * FIJI * VANUATU * NEW CALEDONIA AUSTRALIA * NEW CALEDONIA * VANUATU FRENCH POLYNESIA * COOKS * SAMOA * NIUE * TONGA RETURN TO NEW ZEALAND OR AUSTRALIA OR INDONESIA

first departure - may 2024 or choose your own departure date

register now on our website

NEW ZEALAND

IT’S EASIER THAN YOU MAY HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE……

The late Sir Peter Blake, for example, whose sailing successes included the America's Cup, Whitbread Race and Jules Verne trophy, tested his mother's patience and ruined her flower With 8000 miles from Panama to Australia and thousands of beds by building his first boats in the family garden. Boat unique islands and atolls to visit along the way, one season is designer Bruce Farr, whose yachts have won most of the simply not enough time to truly explore the South Pacific. world's top yachting silverware, first produced lightning fast Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia are destinations in themselves dinghies and skiffs in the family shed. and deserve much more than a fleeting visit.

CRUISING THE SOUTH PACIFIC ONE SEASON IS NOT ENOUGH

We strongly advocate spending at least 2 seasons in the South Pacific to really experience all the variety that the region has to offer. It’s a long way to come and for many a once in a lifetime opportunity.

TAKING A CYCLONE BREAK

“New Zealand is a wonderful country for sailors. The Bay of Islands Is a world-class cruising area, and many folks never get any further. Whangarei is also a large cruising center, and there are excellent haulout yards “ Jim Corneman – Letters from the South Pacific

Irrespective of how fast or slow your pace, when November approaches most cruisers will be considering their options for the cyclone season. Some cruisers spend the summer in Pacific Islands, but they are playing with the odds as well as enduring the heat and humidity of the wet season.

Many more look forward to a break from the islands for a while, and New Zealand is the logical destination for a cyclone break, especially if you are returning to the Pacific Islands for a second season.

AOTEAROA - NEW ZEALAND As an island nation, New Zealand's maritime traditions are deep rooted - from the earliest Polynesian settlers who migrated across the mighty Pacific, and the Europeans who voyaged from the other side of the world.

Dependent on the sea for trade and communications, New boatsZealanders were forced to build seaworthy, reliable and to develop a deep understanding of seamanship. No part of of New Zealand is far from the coast and, from its thousands bays and coves, New Zealanders venture forth from an early age in all manner of boats.

Our largest city, Auckland, is known as the 'city of sails' and is the host city for the next America’s Cup Regatta. The oftenquoted statistic is that there are more boats per capita in New Zealand than anywhere else in the world. In 2014, Auckland had over 135,000 registered boats, or one boat for approximately every 11 of the 1.45 million people living there. Unlike other parts of the world, sailing in New Zealand has never been an elitist pursuit.

Many of New Zealand's top sailors began their careers in boats that emerged from hours of devoted labour in garages and backyard sheds.

THE PASSAGE TO NEW ZEALAND – CORRECTING THE MISINFORMATION Naturally the voyage from the Pacific Islands to New Zealand is always taken with a bit of trepidation, especially for firsttimers. For most cruisers, it is the first time sailing out of the predictable trade winds for many months, these concerns can be exacerbated by a lot of the misinformation that tends to circulate in cruising circles.

A common one that is often heard being repeated is; “to get to New Zealand you have to face the notoriously dangerous Tasman Sea twice”.

We would just like to take this opportunity to correct this misinformation by providing some navigational re-education to those that disseminate this.

The Tasman Sea is in-fact a section of the southwestern Pacific Ocean, between the south-eastern coast of Australia and Tasmania to the west, and New Zealand on the east. Most cruisers heading to the East coast of New Zealand from the Pacific Islands will not encounter the Tasman Sea. With modern forecasting and a flexible timeframe, the trip from the Pacific Islands to New Zealand and return can be spectacular, with many yachts opting to stop at North Minerva Reef for an incredible mid ocean reef experience.

MINERVA REEF - A UNIQUE MID-OCEAN EXPERIENCE EN ROUTE TO NZ Weather develops in two areas that will affect the passage this time of year. One is from the south west; systems form to the east of Australia moving up and across the Tasman Sea. The other is from the north west; in the Coral Sea off the north eastern Australian coast where tropical depressions form, possibly growing to cyclones.

Therefore, it is important like with all ocean crossings, to wait for a good weather window before departing on the 1200-mile journey.

Take the opportunity to do short day hops between anchorages and explore some of our fantastic hiking, safe in the knowledge that our wildlife cannot harm you…… shoes optional!

Our sub-tropical waters also offer excellent swimming, snorkelling and diving with unique marine environments to experience……. and no need for stinger suits here!

For the New Zealand summer – November though to April – large high-pressure systems tend to dominate the country, giving settled weather with light north-easterlies.

MARINE SERVICES – WORLD RENOWNED New Zealand boasts some of the most creative and dynamic marine industry professionals in the world, our boatbuilders are world renowned and we pride ourselves on using quality products and providing exceptional service.

It is a great place for major projects with sailing-oriented marine services of all descriptions available at an affordable price.

As international cruisers Customs will be provided with a temporary import permit for your vessel which will also enable you to get many things GST free automatically saving you 15%.

You don’t have to request a GST refund on departure or prove that your projects were completed less than 60 days before you leave!

INDEPENDENT INFORMATION CHECK OUT THESE LINKS You don’t have to take our word for it, there is plenty of independent and unbiased information available online from fellow cruisers.

Read the following report from cruising family who have recently completed the Tonga to New Zealand passage and had a fantastic stop in Minerva Reef with 11 other cruising yachts: https://sailingmirabella.com/2019/05/12/passage-to-new-zealand/

If we could do it again, how would we do it?

This is a great retrospective article from cruisers who spent 2 seasons in the Pacific:

CRUISING NEW ZEALAND The northern part of the North Island is geographically subtropical and the southern part of the South Island is very close to the Southern Ocean and the sub-Antarctic islands.

For this reason, New Zealand offers a unique cruising experience contained within only 1000 miles of coastline between the two islands.

Coastal cruising is very easy with thousands of excellent sheltered anchorages within a short distance of one another and plenty of very affordable marinas throughout New Zealand.

https://outchasingstars.com/2017/11/07/cruising-south-pacific/

North Minerva Reef – A once in a lifetime opportunity for a mid-ocean reef stop:https://www.facebook.com/pages/MinervaReefs/139017926117334

For some great information on passage planning to New Zealand, see this informative article on Noonsite. https://www.noonsite.com/report/passage-planning-from-the-swpacific-to-nz/

Join our Sail South Rally or Pacific Rally in 2024 and enjoy all that New Zealand has to offer!

With a friendly boating mad team always on hand to offer practical advice, tips, and make product recommendations, we’ve got the answer for you. Our chandlery will ensure you get back out on the water, faster!

For any boating problems, come see the team at All Marine.

Always on hand find that hard-to-find boat part you’ve been searching for – even if it’s not on our shelves – we’re sure to know where to find it. Priding ourselves on stocking our great product range and having fantastic service, shop online or come on down in store and have a yarn.

Don’t see what you need?

Give us a call, we’ll be happy to help.

09 438 4499 Check out our website here.

ISLAND CRUISING MEMBERS GET A GREAT DISCOUNT! Check your member's weekly newsletter for the discount code

FOR SALE Young 43 Summer Soul Solid teak dodger, center cockpit, safe coastal and offshore passage maker.

Current NZ registered ship N0 1770, has been Cat1 twice under the current owner, having been twice around the Pacific.

Cutter rig with rigging replaced in 2017, mast steps for coral spotting and avoidance.

Constructed of Triple diagonal Kahikatea treated and glassed over, with a Ford 80 hp engine using just over 4 litres per hour, 506 litre diesel tanks, 460 litre water tanks.

Cruising speed 6 knots maximum speed 8 knots, lead keel with a coral crusher giving a 2.1m draft. Furling genoa, with a fully battened slab reef mainsail, spare main, genoa and spinnaker - including a sock. 2 emergency storm sails and sail bags.

45lb Manson anchor attached to 90m of chain through a Maxwell windlass, including an anchor buddy. Along with spare Plough and Danforth anchors with chain and rope warp.

Radar, SSB, (including emergency aerial) , Antenna tuner, Pactor modem, and VHF. Four man life raft , Two 80 watt solar panels, 350 watt wind generator, 70 amp alternator.

One sealed 1000 cca dedicated start battery, 3 120ah deep cycle AGM batteries all new just before Xmas 2023, Fridge and freezer powered by compressor.

Hot water off the engine, eight berths with lee cloths ,a private double aft cabin with ensuite, separate double cabin forward with an additional head.

Three burner Gas stove and oven, with a seperate gas detector, also a Diesel heater, with fume detector, and 4 fire extinguishers.

Emergency steering, Coppins Parachute anchor, and drogue , Jack lines and Harnesses.

Many spares, Last antifouled in May 2023. Asking $135,000 For any further information please contact Bruce: brumarg23@gmail.com

FOR SALE $250,000 Lazy Sunday - 50' Ron Given Power Cat The perfect vessel to explore the beautiful waters of Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, New Caledonia , etc.

We have lived aboard since early 2022 and enjoyed every minute but changes in our work lives brings Lazy Sunday to the market.

About to organise haulout at Vuda Marina in Fiji for new antifoul and any inspections.

We took possession of her early 2021 in NZ (tax paid) and spent a year preparing her for our adventure around the South Pacific. During this time numerous works/additions were carried out , please see pdf in pics for full details Both engines had new water pumps, cam belts, fuel lift pumps, raw water pumps & starter batteries.

Shafts were removed and new cutlass bearings fitted. Since departing engines have been serviced every 200hrs, records available.

Included is an extensive spares package which includes a new alternator, starter motor, filters, belts, engine mounts, etc LS can hold approx 2300L of diesel and at a burn rate approx 10L per hour (total, both motors running) at 7.5kn she is very frugal. We used approx. 1500L Opua to Denarau averaging close to 8kn.

The generator has done approx. 250hrs (yes only 250 or about 10hrs per month!) since new and is only required if there are several overcast or rainy days otherwise the solar/wind keeps up .

Three beds (Superking, Double, Single) plus plenty of sleeping space in flybridge. A full bathroom incl bath plus a second head. Large salon and galley Construction is fibreglass over ply, a quality build according to those who have worked on her.

Everything onboard is included at no extra cost.

Ready for you to step on and float away on your own adventure. View on Trademe Here.

Rally To Japan

or F nt & u o g c n i s i s i y D l u l % r 10 nd C r Ra e a d l n s I s U r n e b w o m D Me

Personalised category 1 Preparation Support Obtaining a category 1 safety certificate for the first time can be a daunting prospect. I can support you in this process to ensure that it is smooth and you are properly prepared.

My name is Angus Willison & I am a New Zealander who has sailed small boats offshore since 1993 ranging from South America to Langkawi in Malaysia. I have refitted my own boats in preparation for ocean voyaging & been involved in new builds on behalf of owners & builders who require technical oversight.

I spent over 10 years as the head Yacht Inspector for New Zealand running the safety & technical programme for yachting in New Zealand & latterly as an elected member of the World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations sub committee.

As a Yacht Inspector I have assisted hundreds of people prepare their vessels to safely & enjoyably sail internationally. As the head Yacht Inspector I held very high standards for the vessels that I was responsible for & in a few cases was criticised for upholding those standards. In other cases I completed consecutive inspections for owners who appreciated my thoroughness.

I have provided governance oversight for international & domestic sailing events & provided regulatory oversight for organisations allowing them to operate within the appropriate legal framework. I have been instrumental in accident investigations involving New Zealand registered vessels off shore & domestic accidents resulting in fatalities.

I have advised the Maritime New Zealand, the Coroners, various Harbour Masters, Police, & the New Zealand Customs service on matters relevant to yachting.

I have sailed with all age groups. My wife & I took our young family from New Zealand to New Caledonia, a distance of almost 1000 nautical miles, when the youngest was 3 years old. Eighteen months later we embarked on a voyage from French Polynesia to Australia. My long time delivery crew is now 82 & he has just completed a 1000 nautical mile voyage from Noumea, New Caledonia to Mackay, Queensland, Australia in June 2023.

I am an active delivery skipper most recently delivering a 12 metre catamaran from Tonga to Auckland where I was tasked with mentoring the owner who was a proficient sailor but had not completed any offshore miles I hold the following yachting qualifications, • RYA Yachtmaster offshore • RYA Yachtmaster ocean (shore based) • STCW • Advanced sea survival • Offshore medic Discounts available for Island Cruising & Down Under Rally members For more details please contact me on: Phone & WhatsApp: +64 21 560 011 Email: angus@willison.co.nz

Island Cruising NZ is proud to partner with Rocket Guides Cruising Guides for Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Rocket Cruising Guides have expert local knowledge on Anchorages, Routes, Marine Parks, Marinas, Yacht Agents, slipways, yacht repair facilities, supermarkets, marine hardware stores, welders, fitters, sail makers, internet, mobile phones, and more.

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally Members get a 20% discount on these amazing cruising resources Purchase Online here.

I have been based in New Zealand for the past 5 years after cruising on and off for 8 years, having sailed the East Coast of Africa, the West and East Coasts of Australia as well as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. My wife and I live on our boat and are still fully involved in the cruising lifestyle. I am a Licensed Immigration Adviser for New Zealand and, as a yachtie, have a particular interest in helping yachties with their immigration issues. Island Cruising NZ Members get a 30% discount

10% discount!

Radix makes delicious meals, ideal for when it's rough or when you need to refuel on the go. Quick, easy, nutritious, delicious.

Discounts for Island Cruising members Click here to order - discount code SAILNZ10

Are you Offshore Ready?

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally members receive weekly emails with tips and suggestions on how to go about getting prepared for a long coastal or offshore voyage. There are webinars, videos, templates, downloads, and in person get togethers.

Suitable for boat owners or crew members, experienced sailors or beginners alike You can start any time, and work through the topics at your own pace. Join in any time. Just NZD$129.00 per year and take advantage of our great sponsors deals too!

Workshop topics include: EPIRBs Getting organised - a system for storing all VHF/AIS the information for your Passage Plan, Safety Communications Manual, Maintenance log, Important Man Over Board Documents, Boating Qualifications and more Fire Your vessel information - a template for Flooding collating all the specifications of your boat Abandon Ship The Cat 1 & 2 Regulations Preparing a Grab Bag Boat Registration Meteorology Reporting Incidents Tides Insuring your boat Docking VHF & MMSI Plumbing Meteorology - Forecasts Electrics Communication options at Sea Batteries Rig - rules for Cat 1 & 2 Charging systems Sails for offshore - the Cruising Wardrobe Keeping healthy Fire Safety Sail trim & new sails Anchoring Boat registration Your Maintenance Records Taking on crew Provisioning Dinghy tips EPIRB's Fog signals Your sailing resumé Biosecurity Navigation Seasickness COLREGS Coping in emergencies Passage planning Security Provisioning Skipper responsibility Safety gear Log keeping Diesel engine basics Search and Rescue Fuel systems Steering Servicing winches Heavy Weather Sailing Checking your rig Anchoring tips AND MUCH MORE! Sailing at night

Become a member now to join in www.islandcruising.nz

Discounts for ICNZ Members!

Clive Bennett clive.bennett@seaboatsbrokers.com +64 27 494 9799

Beneteau First 47.7 Performance Cruiser $290,000

Designed by Bruce Farr, the Beneteau First 47.7 builds on the phenomenal success of earlier Beneteau sailing craft. This true performance cruiser is strongly built and carefully engineered to deliver excellent sailing performance while retaining the essence of a comfortable easily handed cruising yacht. Features include a very spacious 3 cabin, twin head layout. The cockpit has fore and aft seating with single wheel steering. A well-appointed galley and saloon with ample room for entertaining plus a large dining table to starboard and settees located port and starboard. Forward of the saloon is the spacious master cabin.

Plenty of well thought out storage onboard. There are three sets of swept back spreaders, a nine-tenths fractional rig. Under sail, it is well balanced, responsive and the ability of being able to be sailed hard or 2 handed cruising. This is an impressive boat for the money. More info here.

27m Luxury Sailing Charter Yacht Following a full refit this luxury yacht has been cruising in Thailand and Bangkok as a popular charter and event vessel. It is now available for sale as a profitable business or converted back to a private live aboard.

Features include a log speedometer, battery charger, cockpit cushions, microwave oven, deep freezer, steering wheel, electric and manual bilge pumps, genoa, plotter, cockpit table and shower, autopilot, compass, battened mainsail, GPS, shore power inlet, wind speed and direction, refrigerator, VHF, generator, depth sounder, cockpit cover, bimini top and marine heads.

More info here.

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally Providing cruisers with support, education & connection ·

Social Connection Running yacht rallies around New Zealand and the South Pacific Environmemt · Organising social events, activities and social media networks · Running a sustainable and environmentally · Learning about and being respectful of the cultures we visit sensitive organisation · Promoting positive social impact, community engagement and · Supporting local and global environmental long-lasting connections with the people we meet initiatives to protect the Ocean and the places we visit · ·

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Support Being an inclusive, diverse and supportive community · Advocating for and assisting sailors in need · Advice on immigration clearances & formalities · Yacht tracking and shore crew support

Encouraging sailors to be eco-conscious and reduce their impact on the environment Promoting Citizen Science projects aimed at ocean health

Education Assisting sailors to prepare themselves, their vessel and crew for long coastal or offshore voyages · Promoting Safer Boating initiatives · Being a rich pool of knowledge, support and resources for cruisers · Encouraging upskilling and good seamanship

Collaboration · Supporting the strategic direction of Yachting New Zealand · Forming strong relationships with yacht clubs to promote longcoastal and offshore races, rallies and cruising events and activities · Promoting Safer Boating and good seamanship alongside Coastguard and Maritime New Zealand · Partnering with Down Under Rally to promote cruising in the South Pacific

Communication · Producing a regular newsletter to keep cruisers informed on the latest cruise news, upcoming events and promoting partner products & businesses. · Promoting the New Zealand Marine industry and providing a positive and mutually beneficial connection to their target market · Encouraging and welcoming international sailors to New Zealand