50 Breeze Magazine
Kawau Boating Club launches Labour Weekend sailfest For boaties disinclined to compete in the annual springtime ritual of the Coastal Classic, Kawau Boating Club has come up with an alternative way to celebrate the impending summer season. The inaugural running of the Nautica Shipping and Logistics Kawau Sailing Weekend begins a race from Auckland to Kawau on Friday, October 22, starting from the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron at 1pm. This will be open to a racing and a cruising division and launches are also welcome. On Saturday, there is an Up the River Raid, in which tenders and dinghys will follow the
river from Sandspit to Matakana for a visit to the famous Saturday market. Back on the island, revellers will enjoy a jump-up ashore with a live band. Sunday will feature a round-the-island race, folowed by a prize-giving in the evening. The club has ambitions to build the event into a major fixture on the sailing calendar. “KBC is a magic facility and location – we hope to emulate the Hamilton Island Race Week and develop this regatta into the signature sailing event in NZ,” says Club Captain Jon Whisker. Club Commodore, Mike Mahoney, says the event is not intended as competition for the
Coastal Classic, but to complement it. “This is for boaties who have probably done the Coastal Classic a couple of times and want something a little less demanding and more family-oriented. Particularly for the smaller boats, the Coastal Classic is a long way to go just to turn around and come back again. “Our focus is on a family fun weekend. We are looking to mimic the casual atmosphere of the Mahurangi Regatta with no protests and not much in the way of formalities.” Notice of Race and Entry Forms are available on the KBC website kawauboatingclub.nz.
