BREEZE Magazine Summer 2022-2023

Official Publication of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

OCEANIS 46.1

Cover: 40th Anniversary Coastal Classic fleet romps out of Auckland ahead of a slow passage north. – Ivor Wilkins Photo

EDITORIAL

Please address all editorial correspondence to the Editor, Ivor Wilkins ivorw@xtra.co.nz Phone 09 425 7791

ADVERTISING inklink@xtra.co.nz Phone 09 378-1222.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are purely those of the authors and are not necessarily the official view of the RNZYS, nor of the publishers.

PERMISSION

Reproduction rights in part or in full of the contents of this publication must be applied for from the Editor.

DEADLINES For Autumn 2023 Issue

Now 4 seasonal issues per year Editorial - 17 March

Advertising booking - 17 March

Advertising material due - 24 March Magazine posted - 31 March Layout and Typesetting by Ocean Press Ltd Printed by Soar Communications Group

Registered as a magazine at the GPO, Wellington. ISSN 0113-7360

From the Commodore 5

From the GM ............................................................................................................................................................................. 6

Cruising Division Report 8

Sailing Office Report 12

Exciting times ahead for new coach 14 McDells share laughter and stories in slow race to honour ‘Pop’ 16

Squadron Coming Events 18

International Racing returns to our shores 20 ETNZ speeding towards land speed record 30 New records set in 40th Coastal Classic – just not the fast kind 36

Magnificent J-Class Rainbow to race under RNZYS colours in 2024 40 Cup legends rally in support of Rick Dodson 44

Harold Bennett wins YNZ award 46

RNZYS enjoys reciprocal rights with yacht clubs around the world 48

Get on board with NZ Sailing Trust 50

A day at the races: marking the Melbourne Cup 52

Smiles all round as Santa pays his annual visit to the RNZYS 54 Corporates get behind good cause in charity regatta 58

Performance Programme Report 62

Youth Programme Report 63

Classic Yacht Association Journal 64 Marine Scene 66 Directory Ads 68

FLAG OFFICERS

Commodore Andrew Aitken 027 579 4194

Vice Commodore Gillian Williams 021 540 896

Rear Commodore Garry Scarborough 021 821 177

BREEZE MAGAZINE Editor

Ivor Wilkins 021 732 101 ivorw@xtra.co.nz

Assistant Editor Debra Douglas 0211 856 846 chaucer@xtra.co.nz

Advertising

Debbie Whiting 09 378 1222 inklink@xtra.co.nz

MANAGEMENT TEAM

General Manager

Sarah Wiblin 09 360 6800

Membership Manager

Nikki Harkin 09 360 6804

Commercial Manager Kristine Horne 09 360 3905

Sailing Manager

Reuben Corbett 09 360 6809

Events Manager 09 360 6834

Members’ Bar Reservations 09 360 6800

RNZYS Office Box 46-182, Herne Bay, Auckland 1147 09 360 6800

Wayne 0274 502 654 • wayne@lcw.co.nz • www.lauriecollins.co.nz

It is almost four months since I became Commodore and it has been eventful.

With the commencement of our new General Manager, Sarah Wiblin, there has certainly been a lot delivered, and every day it seems there is a new ‘opportunity’ to do things differently, or better!

You very likely know that the hospitality industry is under considerable pressure – as are the food and beverage, and event offerings at RNZYS. Costs are up, good people are hard to source, and our good people are working incredibly challenging hours to try to deliver great outcomes for members and visitors.

The good news is that our team is getting through it, and they get to take a break from 23 December. Let’s hope they return to us rested and reinvigorated.

The not so good news is that we have had to cancel and delay a number of events. Please remember when talking to our Food & Beverage team, many of them are working significantly more than a 40-hour week. The same goes for the kitchen team lead by Executive Chef Campbell White.

The new menu is consistently good, the weekly specials are great, and the food served up for events is fabulous – none of this happens without a lot of hard work.

We have hosted some fantastic sailing

events already this summer – the NZ Women’s Match-Racing National Championship and the Barfoot & Thompson Women’s Match Racing World Championship. Sailing against the best in the world, our RNZYS Performance Programme teams achieved 2nd and 3rd in the world – a terrific result. One of the best parts of these events was that they were held right outside Westhaven with viewing from our Members’ Bar.

Reuben Corbett, while new to the role of Sailing Manager, is leading our very full club racing and youth sailing programmes, while ensuring Learn-to-Sail and our Mastercard Youth Training Weeks at Kawau deliver on their promise.

Our sailing calendar is set up some time in advance, and I know Reuben has some great ideas on how things can be improved in the future, so watch this space.

Talking with members around the club, everyone is busy. It’s great, though, to see so many of you coming in and using the club as your place. While there are clearly more opportunities to deliver more for you, right now I would suggest (plagiarizing the late John F Kennedy) “Ask not what your club can do for you, but what you can do for your club”.

For me, that might involve supporting the Food & Beverage team at events, or helping

the race management volunteers. For you, that might mean organizing to meet friends and family for a meal at the club, participating in the racing, or cruising events, or simply taking an interest in what the club is up to via reading the Mainsheet e-newsletter and Breeze

One of the great things about our club is that we offer many different things to many different people: from internationally ranked athletes to beginner harbour racers and offshore sailors, to cruisers, anglers and launch owners, and those that love to simply meet at the club to network or reminisce and tell tales of boating days gone by.

I encourage you to attend more of our events, and come in to meet some fellow members, be it a gathering in Cobwebs Corner, a quiet lunch or dinner, or party night after Havana Club Rum Racing – we do offer a wide spectrum. Please look for opportunities to use your club; it will be what you make it.

Looking forward to seeing many of you on the water, around our Westhaven clubrooms and at our Kawau base over the Christmas period and into the New Year.

soon Andrew

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Wayne 0274 502 654 • wayne@lcw.co.nz • www.lauriecollins.co.nz

Talk

FROM THE General Manager

The Christmas season is now in full swing here at the club and it is great to see so many members making use of our facilities, whether in the Members’ Bar for lunch, the Dinghy Locker after sailing, or taking advantage of member-rate bookings for private events and corporate functions. We are certainly keeping busy!

It was a delight to host the Golden Wedding Anniversary of Jim and Karin Lott recently – 50 years after they enjoyed their wedding reception here at the club; having them return to the same room to celebrate with family and friends was a very special moment for the team and a pleasure to be part of.

I would personally like to thank both our Kitchen and Front of House teams led by our Executive Chef, Campbell White, and Front of House and Events Leaders, Emily Chambers and Will Clough.

The hours and effort they have been putting in have been exceptional and the effort has not gone unnoticed. We are proud to receive positive feedback about the quality and consistency of our food offering and our improving service levels, and it is great to see the hard work of these teams delivering great results.

I would also like to acknowledge the Sailing Office and the army of volunteers that delivered the Barfoot & Thompson Women’s Match Racing World Championships through trying conditions, to what I think we would all

agree was a truly world-class regatta.

We’re also proud and thankful to all of our corporate partners and members who supported the Corporate Regatta, which raised $120,000 through the charity auctions. I was blown away by the generosity of our volunteers, members and partners at these events.

Coming up quickly before the holiday break, we look forward to the Christmas Race – to be sailed on Wednesday 21 December. I encourage as many members as possible to take this opportunity get out on the water with friends, family and work colleagues to enjoy a fun and social race followed by Festive cheer back at the club afterwards.

We are planning well into the New Year and looking forward to a couple months of exciting summer sailing ahead of us.

The New Year’s Day Regatta at the Kawau Boating Club will start the year with a bang, to be quickly followed by the 36 Degrees Brokers Squadron Weekend on February 11/12. I am looking forward to spending some time at our RNZYS ‘home away from home’ and connecting with many members up on Kawau Island.

Reflecting on my first few months here, it has been the highlight and my pleasure to meet and connect with so many of our members and partners, and I look forward to continuing to meet many more this summer. The support from our Flag Officers, General Committee, wider committees, and volunteers

has been invaluable as I get to know the finer workings of the club and the different areas of our organisation. Thank you, I appreciate the support.

I look forward to seeing many of you over the holiday season on the water!

Barrie Hopkins

In our previous issue of Breeze, the list of members (P44) who received pins to mark more than 60 years of RNZYS membership omitted Barrie Hopkins. As of 8 September, Barrie had, in fact, been a member for an impressive 73.2 years. We apologise for the omission – Editor

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PIC Insurance Brokers Cruising and Motor Yacht Series

‘Best Kept Secret of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’

– a reflection of spring conditions on the Waitemata Harbour.

• October 29: A 15-25 knot dense northerly with showers and bad visibility made us question the relevance to “cruising”, but doubts were more than compensated by a fresh sail to blow the winter cobwebs away and by meeting up with new and old friends ashore. This was clearly evident with big smiles emanating out of wet weather gear, which won the fashion stakes of the day.

The harbour was busy with the Globe 40 race yachts heading out en route to Tahiti and our own Mastercard Youth Training Programme athletes “sending it” as they overtook the cruising fleet.

After our start, a squall reduced visibility significantly as we approached

Bean Rock. Rough water caused by wind against tide in Crusoe Passage was thankfully short-lived and the yachts were soon sailing downwind through the Motuihe Channel to navigate tricky puffs entering Islington Bay for the finish.

We met ashore under the ferry wharf shelter courtesy of Matt Cole who kindly ferried us in his RIB. A quick beach clean while the BBQ was set up resulted in enthusiastic participants receiving a prize from Squadron partner Ecostore.

Line: 1st catamaran, Levity – Mike Mackey; 1st monohull, Terminator - John Faire

Handicap: 1st Zuben – Garry Locke; 2nd Platine – Peter Lavelle; 3rd Share Delight – Mike Lanigan

Three PIC Insurance Brokers Cruising Rallies have been sailed this season so far, with completely contrasting weather

• November 12: The previous day’s wild storm cleared to picture postcard scenery for the rally to Rocky Bay, Waiheke Island. Champagne sailing all the way on port tack in shorts and T-shirts was hard to beat.

Terminator led the way, and we were soon ashore. Pleased to report, next to no rubbish was found in our beach clean, although Tyson (Pink Cadillac) managed to pull out some nylon fishing line encrusted in seaweed. A brief shower heralded a wind change, so as the rising westerly buffeted the dinghies, the fleet transferred to shelter in Huruhi Bay to listen to the Black Ferns winning the Women’s Rugby World Cup. Line: Terminator – John Faire Handicap: 1st, Enjoy the Silence – Rick Menalda; 2nd, Pink Cadillac –Basil Orr; 3rd, Alacalufe – Rodger Jack.

A big thank you to MV Affinity – Mike Malcom and team – for two turns at Race Management and especially to Dave West from the Sailing Office for fabulous photos.

• December 3: Forecasts for this race to Mullet Bay on the east side of Motutapu promised a lightwind broad reach, but the weather had its own mind, and the event took place in a building north-east breeze, requiring a beat from start to finish. The 16 yachts were accompanied by Past Commodore Steve Burret in his launch V

Carl Whiting on Emotional Rescue quickly pulled ahead, and gradually extended all the way to the finish, completing the course in just under two hours. They were chased by ‘the judge’ in Terminator and the leading two-handed entry The Black Pearl. with a number of close battles throughout the fleet.

While the race committee calculated the results aboard Mike

Malcolm’s launch, Affinity, the participants headed ashore for a beach clean, followed by BBQ and drinks.

Handicap: 1st, Enjoy the Silence; 2nd, Warringa; 3rd, The Black Pearl

Now we’re all preparing for our Christmas cruises with friends and family. Remember to contact Slowtilla – Hamish Williams, phone 027 475 4762 – to sail north in company before the holiday season.

Have a fabulous time and look after the sea, our playground, by avoiding losing anything overboard that fish wouldn’t normally eat in their own environment.

• Rally dates for 2023: Feb 18; March 18; April 1 (no joke!); April 7-9, Easter Rally

• Cruising contacts: Mike Malcolm, Murray Deeble, Ross McKee, Sheryl Lanigan, Matt Cole.

The Black Pearl finished 3rd in the December rally. – Dave West photo

From the Sailing Office

The Kawau Mastercard Youth Training Weeks are fully subscribed with 85 young sailors from around the country lined up for an introduction to keelboat sailing. Fingers crossed the weather plays ball, as we are all in tents on the lawn of Lidgard House for two weeks. It’s great way to finish the year for the E7s and hopefully entice some new members into the Mastercard Youth Training Programme for 2023.

Apologies from the Sailing Office for having a breakdown in communication regarding Commodores Cup divisions and associated handicaps. This applies to A, A / R divisions only. Internally, we have altered our process to ensure this does not happen again. I am also meeting with the Handicap Committee to plan a way forward for the remainder of the series in the fairest way possible for all.

You may have noticed that we are trying to get preliminary live results for club racing displayed on the screens in the Members’ Bar and Dinghy Locker after Havana Club Rum Races. Please note that these are provisional and pending any protests, or errors.

The link to this feed will become available on the webpage for each individual series as well. There have been some technical issues, but we are working on being more fluid.

Sprint Racing is well underway for the Stewart 34s, MRX, Etchells, Women’s Series, Y88s and Elliott 7s. Unfortunately, some November weather was rather blustery and several evenings were called off. Hopefully, with the gentler sea breezes of summer to come, the remainder can all go ahead as planned. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with these fleets if you aren’t already. Just sing out if we can help in any way.

Match racing events take an enormous amount of resource to run. We have just recently held the NZ Women’s Match Racing Nationals and Barfoot & Thompson Women’s Match Racing World Championships back-toback. A massive thank you to our wonderful volunteers who helped make these memorable events for all. To those who billeted teams, assisted with transport, performed race management duties, umpiring, cleaning up after them all, we thank you very much.

The Christmas Race is being held on the 21 December, and we hope to see you all for one final outing before the club shuts down for the holiday season. Bring all your friends along, sailors or not.

The PIC Insurance Brokers Cruising Series has been in full swing and it is pleasing to see many boats venture out, even though the weather wasn’t always ideal.

We have several Learn-to-Sail graduates very keen to join this series with their own boats and get amongst a crowd who enjoy exploring our beautiful harbour. Hopefully this will lead to some solid growth in this series.

We have recently held the Etchells Nationals, so congratulations to Anatole Masfen and team for taking out the series in dominating fashion. A whopping 10-point lead over the second placed team of Marvin Beckman, who pipped Laurie Jury on countback for second place.

Hope everyone manages to get out on the water to enjoy the Festive Season, refresh and recharge those batteries for a cracker 2023! See you all on the other side.

Reuben Corbett, Sailing Manager

Celia Willison’s Edge Women’s Match Team finished runners-up at the Barfoot & Thompson Womens Match Racing worlds. – LiveSailDie photo

Exciting times ahead for new coach

Story and picture by Debra Douglas

As a 10-year-old the RNZYS Race Office’s new Coach, Zac Merton, signed up for every water sport he could. His family had just moved from Southland to Tauranga and Zac appreciated the warmer summers and accessibility to the sea.

“I enrolled in a learn-to sail programme; we bought a wooden boat, I kept going and going and got the buzz for it,” said Zac.

As a member of the Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club, Zac progressed through Optis, P-class and Starlings to 420s and 470s, with sailing taking him all over the world while amassing plenty of international and big fleet experience.

“I spent a lot of time travelling to events as a teenager – Cyprus, Portugal, Spain, Germany and the UK – including two ISAF Youth World Championships in the 420 class.”

Zac moved to Auckland in 2015 for university and graduated with a Bachelor

of Commerce, majoring in marketing and management. He joined the Squadron’s Mastercard Youth Training Programme in 2017, moving to the Performance Programme in 2018 and has been a member of the Knots Racing Team for four years.

Zac: “Two of the proudest moments in my sailing career were when Knots Racing won the US Grand Slam Tour in 2018 and the Match Race Super League in 2019.”

At the time of writing, Zac was looking forward to competing with the Knots team in mid-December at the World Match Racing Tour final, at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Sydney.

“Covid stalled our progress over the past couple of years, so It will be great to get back into high level racing in Elliott 7s, boats we are familiar with.”

“I recognise now how much the Youth Programme did for me and how crucial it is to our sport and to our club to foster young

sailors. As coach, I am now helping this year’s intake of 42 members, aged 16-23, to grow not only as athletes and sailors, but also as people. I am also looking at more ways we can compete internationally to become the leading yacht club on and off the water.”

2023 will see Zac and his youth teams competing at three events in Sydney, one in New Caledonia and at the Youth Nationals in Wellington.

“We have an exciting year ahead and an awesome group in the programme, some of whom have done their own high-level sailing beforehand. They are all eager to be there and to cooperate with each other.

“For me, being their coach is a dream job. There is a lot of pressure because you are dealing with other people’s lives, but I love the competitive aspect, the travel and talking about making boats go faster while hanging out with people I know and respect.”

McDells share stories and laughter in a slow race to honour ‘Pop’

While lack of breeze turned this year’s Roy McDell Race into a bit of a fizzer, on one boat two generations of McDells enjoyed a memorable day of fun, laughter and many stories about their father and grandfather, who was fondly known to all as ‘Pop’.

The gathering was organised by General Committee member Mike Malcolm, who was one of a host of young sailors Pop encouraged and supported in their early years with the club.

“I sailed with Pop on his Townson 32, Sunset,” Mike recalls. “He was very kind to us young guys and looked after us. We learned a lot.”

Normally, the McDells would have sailed the race with Zamzamah, in which Terry and Kim McDell are partners. However, with Zamzamah temporarily out of commission, Mike invited them to join him on his Bird on the Wing. They were accompanied by Terry’s daughters, Jamie and Tessa and Jamie’s husband Jake.

“Terry and Kim helmed with the younger generation fully involved in keeping the boat

From left: Terry McDell, Tessa, Jake, Jamie and Kim McDell aboard Mike Malcolm’s Bird on the Wire

moving, while I sat on the rail,” notes Mike.

“It was quite special,” says Kim. “We had a very pleasant day, although the wind was quite light and we had to eventually withdraw from the race. The stories came thick and fast.

“Pop was a passionate sailor on all sorts of boats from 18ft skiffs to K-Class and several others. He was passionate about getting young people involved with sailing and always had young crew on board, including P.J. Montgomery, Bill McCarthy and many others.

“On one race with his K-Class, Waiomo, they were coming around the back of Motutapu, hard on the wind. Pop was a great one for cutting corners and, sure enough, he hit a rock at 8 knots.

“Pop was flung from the helm down the companionway and ended up with blood pouring from a gash over his eye. P.J. Montgomery patched him up, gave him a whisky and got him back on the helm for the finish of the race, which they won. Back on the dock, a doctor from one of the other yachts stitched him up and the enthusiastic post-match celebrations resumed as normal.”

Roy McDell was RNZYS Commodore from 1981 to 1983 and served yachting in a wider sense, representing the Squadron on the Auckland Yachting Association and representing Auckland at the New Zealand Yachting Federation.

“He always encouraged young people to get involved with the RNZYS, which tended to be

quite a stuffy place back then,” Kim recalls. “He was keen to get the younger generation onto the General Committee and supported Peter Hay and Richard Endean, for example, both of whom later became commodores. He was also a very strong advocate for the Youth Training Programme.”

Peter Hay (1994-96) was commodore when Pop McDell died. He suggested the

RNZYS Gold Cup race be named the Roy McDell Race. The first race under that banner was in 1995 and it has kept that title ever since.

Terry McDell, who with Kim and Peter Brook won the 1974 18ft skiff world title in Auckland, also enjoyed the outing with Mike Malcolm, particularly with his daughters joining the action.

“They never actually knew Pop, but over the years they have heard plenty of stories and heard some more during the race.”

In the time-honoured fashion, the race was followed by a lively after-match function lubricated with rum and ginger beer.

“Pop would have looked down with pride,” Terry chuckles, recalling his father’s fondness for a whisky and milk in the morning and spirited after-match sessions in the cockpit.

Pop was also a lover of music, so it would have been appropriate if Jamie McDell, who is a talented award-winning alt-country singersongwriter and guitarist, had entertained the troops – but it did not happen.

“Pop was big into music,” Terry recalls. “When we did overnight races on Waiomo, I would bring my guitar and he would tell us which songs to play.

“It was nice remembering all those times.”

By Ivor Wilkins

bigideas.co.nz

Past Commodore Roy ‘Pop’ McDell 1981-83

House,

Boat

International racing returns to our shores

By Billy Woodworth

Following Covid-imposed years of isolation, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron staff and volunteers have had a hectic end-of-year hosting the return of international sailing events, including the Barfoot & Thompson Women’s Match Racing World Championship and the Globe 40 Round the World Race.

The women’s match race worlds followed hard on the heels of women’s New Zealand national championships and saw RNZYS crews – Celia Willison’s Edge Women’s Match Team and Megan Thomson’s 2.0 Racing – finish behind reigning world champion Pauline Courtois’ Match in Pink crew from France.

The logistics and organisation behind a major world championship test every aspect of the host club both on the water and off and the RNZYS was pleased to rise to the challenge after the long absence of international competition.

“All of the event team, staff and volunteers from RNZYS hosted a world-class event and made all of us and the international teams feel very welcome in Auckland,” said Women’s World Match Racing Tour travelling representative James Pleasance.

“The RNZYS has a very impressive match racing programme and facilities, and it is very encouraging to see the club supporting women in sailing and match racing as well.

Above: Keeping the combatants fed and watered – General Manager Sarah Wiblin and Facilities Manager Cooper Hopman prepare for the victory celebrations at the Women’s Match Race Worlds.. Opposite: The reigning world champion French Match in Pink crew led by Pauline Courtois on their way to defending their title in Auckland. – LiveSailDie photo

“We look forward to the opportunity of returning to the RNZYS and Auckland again,” he added, noting it was a particular pleasure to be competing at the home of the America’s Cup.

The hosting process for the 2022 Barfoot & Thompson Women’s Match Racing World Championship began in 2019 and finally swung into action in October, following Covid disruptions.

In addition to the huge effort put in by the Race Management team, umpires and support crew on the water, a world championship involves a multitude of off-water tasks including organising billets for the crew, pick-ups from the airport, accommodating international media, umpires, and officials, daily briefings and protests, as well as the opening ceremony and closing prizegiving – which doubled as the inaugural Women’s World Match Racing Tour prizegiving as well.

With 70 competitors and 30 volunteers from around the world to kept fed and hydrated alongside a far busier than usual Members’ Bar, the galley team was kept busy preparing daily breakfasts, packed lunches and buffet dinners over the four days of racing.

The Youth Building workshop was a hive of activity throughout the weekend with wild weather playing havoc on the water and causing plenty of late nights for the repair team.

“We were pretty much all go all week in the repair team,” said repair boat driver and team member Johnny Montgomery.

“Geoff Dawson, Giles Jordan and I had to step up to the challenges, but it was all very worthwhile in the end”.

The RNZYS also took aboard the tasks of exposing our visitors to plenty of New Zealand culture, with ‘Welcome to Auckland’ guide packs

MARINA, DRYSTACK, HAULOUT AND MARINE PRECINCT.

20T and 60T haulout trailer (9m air draft limit)

Covered and uncovered hardstand All trades available on site or DIY

Onsite fuel supplied by GOfuel

270 berth dry stack boat storage 10-25m marina berths available

Located 5 minutes off motorway at Mt Wellington; 20 minutes from Westhaven.

and a whakatau at the opening ceremony thanks to Ngati Whatua Orakei and Auckland Unlimited.

Thanks to New Zealand Rugby, we were also able to offer all teams prime seats on the halfway line for the Women’s Rugby World Cup final, a once-in-a-lifetime experience and for many of the teams, their first rugby game.

“It was a particular highlight for us to be at the home of the America’s Cup and for the event participants to have the opportunity visit the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup at Eden Park, an amazing joining of two world championship sporting events,” said James Pleasance.

Each day saw a media team from the Squadron, the Women’s World Match Racing Tour and Live Sail Die producing content of all shapes and sizes for people on and off the water. Post-racing media conference live streams on Facebook and YouTube were run by Cooper Hopman and William Woodworth with a rotating cast of General Committee members as hosts supported by Scarbro Construction and Auckland Unlimited.

The Squadron Sustainability Committee led by Michele and Jon Henderson set the tough task of ensuring the event met the Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta Gold standard. Teams were invited to assist in a Westhaven Marina clean-up before racing got underway on Day Three of competition.

The visiting APCC team of Margot Riou and the local ‘Sailing Mums’

team each cleared over 6kg of rubbish from the Westhaven area, with more than 25kg of rubbish including an e-bike pulled from the sea!

Gift packs including products from EcoStore, and Dubarry clothing were distributed to all competitors.

Despite the Squadron being short-staffed, all departments chipped in when necessary throughout the regatta to help with everything from bar service to boat repairs, showing great camaraderie and humour throughout.

Adding another dimension to the international proceedings, the Globe 40 crews also made the RNZYS their home during their Auckland stopover. The Globe 40 Round the World Race is a two-handed, sevenstop circumnavigation aboard the one-design Class40 yacht.

The crews made it to Auckland on their fourth leg with the lead boat arriving 34 days after leaving Mauritius on September 11, 2022. After nearly 6,000 miles at sea, the first two boats were within three miles of each other at the finish line manned by a RNZYS Race Management team, who spent a rough night aboard Te Kouma awaiting their arrival off Milford Beach.

North Wharf became the home base for the Globe40 fleet and the Squadron acted as the host club for dinners, briefings and sponsor events for the Globe40 teams and race officials before sending them off on their next leg to Papeete, Tahiti.

Chelsea Williams and her crew from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia enjoy a night at the Women’s Rugby World Cup. – Sarah Wiblin photo

US pair Micah Davis and Craig Horsfield finishing the 6000-mile Mauritius-to-Auckland leg of the Globe40 race. – Peter Linford Photo.

A yacht for going places and getting things done

Words by Ivor Wilkins • Photography by Gareth Cooke

Expedition styling is an increasingly popular genre in boat design, but in many instances, it is only skin deep. Dip below the surface and oftentimes the engineering and equipment lack real expedition intent, while the interior is all marble tops, gold taps and Versace fabrics. That is not the case with the latest build from Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders.

At every level, the 24m ketch Wind Spirit chooses substance over styling and declares its muscular purpose with a strict devotion to function over form. Its shape, construction, general specification and layout all reflect a disciplined, single-minded adherence to mostly short-handed sailing in remote high latitude regions with autonomy for long periods.

The project is the result of a collaboration

between Swiss designer Arnaud de Marignac and the European owner, a close friend and fellow racer, who chooses to remain anonymous. “We have raced together over many years on the European circuit, suffering on the same decks, pulling on the same ropes, pushing on the same handles,” says de Marignac.

“Originally, I designed this boat for myself. My friend basically agreed with everything about it and said, ‘Go ahead, build it.’ I remain involved, first as owner’s representative through the build and commissioning and then as delivery skipper. He intends to do some singlehanded sailing, but we will do double-handed expeditions together as well.”

After looking at construction yards in Europe and the US, de Marignac came to New Zealand. When he discovered Lloyd Stevenson

Boatbuilders, he knew he needed to look no further. “If I was going to start all over again, I would have no hesitation in working with them. I am very impressed.”

In the list of priorities for Wind Spirit endurance clearly ranks high, but not at the expense of sailing performance. With their shared racing background, neither de Marignac nor the owner would be content rumbling along in the slow lane.

The high freeboard hull with its abrupt vertical transom and near-vertical bow extends waterline length to maximise sailing efficiency with 200-mile daily averages in mind.

Built tough, the hull construction features six layers of cold-molded yellow cedar in a matrix of longitudinal and diagonal layers, encased in an outer skin of e-glass and Kevlar for high-

impact resistance. A 1m-long sacrificial bow section and fore and aft watertight bulkheads are designed to maintain watertight integrity in the event of a collision.

The rig is a fractional cutter ketch supported on Hall Spars carbon masts with all-carbon standing rigging. The main mast features three sets of swept-back spreaders with a conventional backstay, but no running backstays, while the double-spreader mizzen has no backstay.

The ketch configuration, argues de Marignac, provides plenty of power, but divides it into several individual sails of relatively low surface area. “This makes the sailplan easier to handle, but also to balance, easing the load on the autopilot, which is a very important aspect of this design,” he says.

Built tough for high latitude sailing, a sacrificial bow section and fore and aft watertight bulkheads ensure watertight integrity. The ketch configuration spreads the sailplan into manageable sizes for short-handed sailing. Note the hank-on headsail and high guardrails for protecting crew.

Working back from the bow, a code zero, a working jib, a staysail, the mainsail, mizzen staysail and mizzen offers the potentially stirring combination of six sails powering the boat along in reaching conditions.

Smaller individual sails also make sense in this case because of a philosophical mistrust of furling technology. The headsails are all hank-on, a seldom-specified requirement on modern cruisers, let alone a powerful 24m yacht intended primarily for solo and doublehanded sailing.

“I am not keen on furling sails,” de Marignac declares. “They are binary. They are either in or out. I have seen boats with sails half furled and it is terrible. Also, Murphy’s Law says they will jam at the worst possible time, in the middle of the night with the wind howling on a lee shore, the engine out of commission and half the crew sick. Thanks, but no thanks. I am pretty old fashioned, which is why I like hank-on sails.”

Old fashioned, perhaps, but also keen to embrace state-of-the-art performance technology in the form of a full wardrobe of high-tech Stratis Doyle Sails. “Everything comes from a racing mentality and background,” he says. “The quality of equipment and the deck layout design is all to racing standard.”

In keeping with the hank-on approach, the mainsail and mizzen both utilise traditional slab reefing – four on the main and two on the mizzen – with lazy jacks and conventional carbon booms.

This “old school” approach extends to the handling systems. In a veritable battery of 17 Harken winches, only three are electric. The rest rely on muscle and grunt.

While the crew will undoubtedly work their passages, their safety and welfare are well considered. Permanent webbing lines run along the sidedecks for crew moving forward to clip on safety harnesses, while waist-high stainless steel guardrails provide all-round protection and handholds.

“Most yachts have much lower guardrails,” notes de Marignac, “which are very easy to fall over and ensure you break both knees on the way.”

Above: Although the interior layout reflects the no-nonsense aesthetic of the yacht, the craftsmanship and joinery is finished to an extremely high standard. Note the practical, snug sea-going galley with high fiddles and deep sinks. Opposite: One of two double suites.

At sea, a favoured spot will be the inwardfacing watch seats set into the high cockpit coamings under the shelter of the hard dodger, which provide shelter from the elements and good all-round visibility.

Having established its credentials as a rugged, no-nonsense sailing machine designed by and for highly-experienced offshore sailors, the interior reflects a similarly purposeful aesthetic.

It is all very simple and sensible.

Sustainably-sourced anegre timber joinery creates a warm below-decks ambience, with the companionway leading down from the cockpit to a comfortable saloon with seating around a generous table.

The adjacent galley is built for producing meals at sea, its U-shaped configuration snug enough to prevent its occupants from falling in any direction and well equipped with all electric appliances, deep stainless steel sinks, gimballed induction cooking hob and counters rimmed

with deep fiddles to stop pots, plates and pans from sliding to oblivion.

Again, function trumps glitz and glamour. It is an ocean-going galley to sustain an expedition crew, not a celebrity kitchen for serving lavish, large-scale banquets. Ample refrigeration, a 300-litre freezer, plenty of storage for provision and supplies ensure long-term self-sufficiency in remote regions. There is also a laundry.

Large battery banks are charged by the main engine alternator, solar panels, and two

ASHLEY TAIT

Sold after only five days on the market • Achieved $530,000 over reserve • our network introduced 50% of buyers at auction • Owner of nearly 70 years thrilled with the result • Selling? We have cash buyers ready to go.

Accommodations are four cabins, two doubles and two with twin bunks.

highly efficient Watt & Sea hydro generators as used extensively on many round-the-world race yachts.

Forward of the saloon is a giant sail locker, with the headsails and staysails arrayed along the sides and a large overhead hatch, through which they can be hauled on deck with halyards. On the rare occasion that large crews might be on board, extra pipecots can be deployed in this area.

Aft of the saloon area, the main accommodations are democratically arrayed in four mirror-image double cabins, two on the port side and two on the starboard side with a centreline companionway in between. The two aft-most cabins feature single bunks, one up, one down, while just ahead of them are two larger cabins with double beds. Shared port and starboard heads with showers are positioned directly forward of the cabins.

A navigation station, a separate station for monitoring on-board systems and heated wet and dry hanging lockers are also provided in this area of the boat.

If the focus is more on function than form, that is a compliment, not a criticism. It is refreshing to see such a dedicated adherence to a purist

B&G electronics and instrumentation in the navigation station.

philosophy born of vast ocean sailing and racing experience.

Nor should it imply a boat without its own sense of style and character. This is a sophisticated, complex machine engineered and built to an extremely high standard. The interior may not excite the fashionistas, but in terms of finish, quality and detailing the craftsmanship is outstanding.

Wind Spirit is a boat with serious intent. “It is a sailor’s boat,” de Marignac insists. “It is not for looking at and showing off. It is for doing things.” Purposeful in every sense, it looks eminently well qualified to fulfil its mission to get things done.

WIND SPIRIT PRINCIPAL SPECIFICATIONS

LOA 24m

LWL 22m Beam 5.60m Draft 3.80m Displ. 50,000kg Sail Area 246m Sails Doyle Stratis Spars Hall Spars carbon Engine John Deere 6068SFM85 Prop Gori 800mm Design Arnaud Yacht Design Builder Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders

Congratulations on the launch of this remarkable purpose-built yacht designed by Arnaud Yacht Design and built at Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders. Harken are proud to be part of this project and supply Harken winches, Harken hydraulics, Switch Batt Car Systems & Harken Reflex furlers.

Come and chat to us about your new build or any refit work you may be considering.

24 December 8am-2pm 25 - 28 December - Closed 29 - 30 December 9am-4pm 31 December 9am-2pm

Christmas hours: December 24 – 27 Closed • 28 – 30 Open 9am – 4pm

December 31 – January 3 Closed • January 4 Open 8am – 5pm Merry Christmas and have fun afloat

1 - 4 January 2022 - Closed 5 January 2022 8am – 5pm.

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know we can go faster, so we plan to’

By Ivor Wilkins • Photos courtesy of Emirates Team New Zealand

With unusually wet conditions continuing for months across the remote vastness of the South Australian desert, Glenn Ashby’s frustration is well understood. Less expected is his view that Mother Nature is actually on his side.

By late November, Ashby and his small Emirates Team New Zealand support group attempting to break the 202.9km/h wind-powered land speed record had only been able to sail on five days in a seven week stretch. Then a new procession of weather fronts forced them to pack up their equipment and take a two-week break.

In a year of outlandish and extreme global weather events, the normally parched desert has had record rainfalls. “These are the wettest conditions this region has seen since 1962,” says Ashby. “I could not have picked a worse time to do this.”

The situation became so dire, the team began investigating alternative locations. “There are possibilities in Argentina and Bolivia, but I am really loath to send everything over there, because Lake Gairdner really is the ideal location when we have normal conditions. Another location would be very much a last resort.”

In early December, as the group re-assembled for a pre-Christmas

session, Ashby was looking at the bright side, saying all the water helps smooth the salt surface of the normally dry lake-bed.

“The grippiest salt surface is when it is just drying out,” he says. “In fact, all this adversity could be Mother Nature’s way of preparing the best surface ever for our run. I am optimistic she is looking after me.”

Lake Gairdner, situated some 500km northwest of Adelaide, is an other-worldly place – a 160km-long expanse of bright white salt stretching further than the eye can see, surrounded by red desert sand. The ancient landscape is so vast, it plays tricks on the mind, requiring a total recalibration of distance and perspective.

“The scale and energy of the place is so powerful, your brain struggles to comprehend it,” says film-maker Leon Sefton, who has been recording the team’s attempt. “It is vast and silent with impressive sunsets and blazing nightscapes.”

Although Ashby is a seasoned traveller in the Australian outback, even he has been taken aback by the weirdness of their experience.

STOP PRESS: NEW RECORD, BUT THE QUEST CONTINUES

“Up to now, the problem has been that on the few occasions the lake has been dry, the wind has been under 20 knots,” says Ashby. “Whenever, we have had winds above 20 knots, the surface has been wet.

On Sunday December 11, Ashby topped the 202.9km/h record originally set by British engineer Richard Jenkins 13 years ago with a new record of 222.4km/h – but he plans to keep pushing for more!

“They have never managed to line up and give us the right combination of 20-30 knot winds with a dry

‘We

On the ‘other-worldly’ massive white salt of Lake Gairdner in South Australia, Glenn Ashby and his small support group of Emirates Team NZ technicians, broke the wind-powered land speed record. ‘For sure, there is cause for celebration,’ he declared, ‘but this isn’t the end ... It has always been about pushing things to the limit and going as fast as we possibly can. We know we can go faster, so we plan to.’

As an international business, we realise that our business activities have an impact, and we are committed to minimising these impacts as best we can. A tree is planted on the Squadron’s property at Kawau Island for every finished sail that leaves Doyle Sails New Zealand in partnership with Trees that Count.

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surface.There has often been 8-10mm of water covering the area. You just can’t operate in those conditions. The craft starts aquaplaning and it gets really dangerous.”

At that stage, the best run they had achieved was 159km/h, but that was in 17 knots and exceeded performance expectations.

Despite the frustration, everything the team had learned in its limited runs gave Ashby “110% confidence” that the record was within their grasp. “It is simply a question of getting the right conditions.”

And first indications from the December session on the lake appear to justify Ashby’s faith that, despite everything, nature might be on his side. He is absolutely certain that the speed machine Emirates Team NZ have designed and built is well capable of exceeding the target. There was a palpable air of celebration as it hit speeds of 175km/hr, 185km/hr and at last went over the 200km/h barrier.

“Finally to be able to sail on a dry surface is incredible with a decent amount of runway. We have only sailed in up to 20 knots of wind previously and to have a decent amount of runway now and a really beautiful surface just makes a huge difference. It is a totally different craft to sail. I feel like I am getting into 6th gear a couple of times and it feels like it has plenty more left in it.”

The official time-keeping process has to be validated by officials certified by the North American Land Speed Association. “We have two on standby, one in Sydney and one in Perth,” says Ashby. “Both have been out on the lake to see what we are doing.

“The Sydney-based judge has been here twice, when we thought conditions were going to be perfect. If only we had a couple more hours of dry surface, we might have had a pretty good crack at it, but

The quest to break the wind-powered land speed record has been a dream for Glenn Ashby since childhood. With the design and technological resources of Emirates Team NZ behind him, along with sufficient external funding, he has finally pulled it off.

unfortunately a huge band of uj-forecast rain came through and totally mucked it up.”

Like everything in such a remote location, it takes up to five days to co-ordinate all the logistics to get a judge in place. The process is that an SD card is slotted into the back of the craft and records all the GPS data. The judge must witness the card going into the slot and being removed at the end of the run. It is then plugged into a computer and the data is scanned for the best 2-second average over the duration of the session.

The craft cannot be towed up to speed and then launched off on its own, like a glider. It must either be pushed into motion by a couple of crew, like a bobsleigh start, or in 25 knots or more Ashby can sheet on the wing and it will self-start.

He has found a technique of reversing the wing, which effectively sets the craft in motion on the wrong tack. Being asymmetrical, like a proa, the ballast ama is out to starboard, so at speed the craft must always run on starboard tack.

“I can get it going up to about 100km/h on port tack and then gybe over onto starboard and build to terminal velocity. That saves about 2km of speed-build. Instead of requiring a straight run of 7km in one direction, you build speed for about 2km in the wrong direction, gybe over and then hope to hit the target in 5km. Logistically it keeps everything tighter in terms of radio comms, return trips and so on.

“Our prediction is that in 30 knots, it will take about 1.5km to get to between 120 and 150km/h. Obviously, the less wind you have, the longer it takes.”

Lying prone in a carbon fibre tube just millimetres above the ground, the ride is harsh and extremely noisy. “The suspension is very firm with only about 50mm of travel. The craft is very rigid, so it is like riding on

small marbles. Up to 60km/h, you feel the slightest bump. Once you get to about 120km/h, it seems to smooth out, but it is bumpy and noisy –much noisier than I expected. With your helmet on and radio ear-pieces in, you get used to it.”

In terms of development, most has been within adjustable parameters that were built into the original design with moveable ballast and wheel positions. “There have been no major changes to the craft itself. It has just been about tweaking and tuning. It is all about getting the balance of forces right,” says Ashby.

Tyres have been a bigger area of change. With massive side force generated by the wing, the tyres are in constant cornering mode, relying on grip to fight leeway.

Originally, the two rear wheels, which are positioned one behind the other, ran with racing slicks, but they proved unsuitable. Particularly in the wet conditions, they were too slippery causing the craft to slide around.

The team now runs the back wheels on wet weather tyres from the V8 supercar series, at about 50psi pressure. The front tyre is a European saloon car racing tyre at 60psi, while the ballast ama tyre is a Goodyear landspeed tyre at 100psi. “We are still juggling tyre pressures a bit as we reach higher speeds.” On the more recent, faster runs, the steering became very heavy, suggesting more juggling might be required.

With the record already within touching distance, the question is how far Ashby and his group will push the envelope.

Time and weather have been against them. However, if, as he believes, Mother Nature was simply grooming the surface to perfection, you have to believe they will not be content with just squeaking past Richard Jenkins’ 202.9km mark. They will keep running as hard as they possibly can for as long as they can to smash it out of the park.

KENNEDY POINT MARINA WAIHEKE ISLAND

RNZYS enjoys year-end BBQ with ETNZ

On a fine early summer evening in December, RNZYS Flag Officers, General Committee members and 330 members joined Emirates Team New Zealand at their new base to mingle and chat and enjoy a year-end BBQ together.

With the revolutionary hydrogen chase boat perched on its cradle on the forecourt and the AC40 newly-repaired following a training accident on the base floor, members were able to get up close and personal with some of the team’s latest innovations.

It has been a busy year for the team with diverse projects and a heavy load on the design group, with full attention now turning towards lifting preparation for the America’s Cup defence in Barcelona in 2024.

Team CEO, Grant Dalton, outlined much of the progress the team has made following its successful defence of the Cup in 2021 and updated members on preparations taking place in Barcelona to host the regatta in two years’ time.

With powerful challengers, backed by the resources and expertise of Formula One teams, lining up to throw everything they have at unseating Emirates Team New Zealand as Cup champions, there were no illusions about the task ahead, but 2022 closed with the defender in good spirits.

Main photo” Hopes of a fast, possibly record-setting, blast were high as the Coastal Classic fleet left Auckland, but the wind gods had other ideas.

Below Right: Tony Poolman’s 30-year-old 7m Elliott won overall on handicap.

New records set in the 40th Coastal Classic – just not the fast kind ...

Words and Photos by Ivor Wilkins

With fresh south-westerlies in the forecast, the gun boats in the 40th anniversary running of the PIC Insurance Coastal Classic race would have relished the prospect of a fast run north with a sunset finish in time for cocktails and dinner ashore in Russell.

Hopefully, they provisioned with more than lunchtime sandwiches, however, because it was just short of midnight before the first boats drifted across the finish line. The rest of the 164-boat fleet were left strung out along the coast, with the last official finishers trailing across the line a full 25 hours after the leaders.

The changing conditions not only confounded expectations, but also the established conventions of this 119-mile race, with monohulls pushing the multihulls well down the leader board to dominate line honours while small boats claimed the top handicap prizes.

The promise of a fast sprint up the 119-mile track from Auckland to the Bay of Islands quickly faded as the brisk south-westerly that had spinnakers billowing in the early stages encountered a new easterly breeze halfway up the coast. As the countervailing winds wrestled for supremacy, the fleet leaders stalled in no-man’s land.

After waiting for hours into the night, the markers on the finish boat suddenly had a busy 11 minutes recording the first six finishers, all of which were monohulls: V5 (TP52), Sassinate (Mikayla Plaw’s Melges 40), Wired (Rob Bassett’s TP52), Kia Kaha (Chris Hornell’s TP52), Mayhem (Harry Dodson and Tony Bosnyak’s TP52), and Clockwork (Past Commodore Steve Mair’s Melges 40).

The 2022 result is the first time monohulls have gone so deep in

the line-honours order. The first multihulls across the line were Graham Catley’s 18.5m Roger Hill catamaran, Cation, followed by Erle Williams’ Murray Ross-design catamaran, Apache. They were in 7th and 8th place respectively. Multihulls filled all the slots from 7th to 12th on line, with two more in the top-20.

However, it was a close-run thing all the way to the finish. “I wasn’t sure we had won until right at the very end,” says Brian Peterson. After a slow beat from Cape Brett to Tapeka Point in a fading westerly breeze, the final approaches to the line were painfully slow. The tightly-bunched leading group crept forward in the dark at 2-3 knots with the monohulls finally able to eke out an advantage.

Waves of boats continued to cross the line through the early morning hours. A particularly busy hour between 0420 and 0520 saw 63 yachts finishing.

The overall handicap leaders would be found in this group, which

brought the wind up the coast and into the Bay of Islands, avoiding the worst of the calm patches.

Unlike the leaders, this wave of finishers stormed around Cape Brett with a 20-25 knot easterly blasting them towards Russell, although the breeze steadily reduced as they approached the finish.

This is where the race consolidated into a small-boat benefit. The top 10 monohull handicap results all came from Divisions Three, Four and Five comprising yachts under 10.5m LOA, with the top four – Elevation (Tony Poolman’s Elliott 7m), Rocky (Luke Judge’s SR26), Slipstream III (Jed Roberts’ Young 88) and Moving Violation (Finn Topzand’s Elliott 7.9m) –coming from Division Five with boats mostly in the 7-9m size range.

The smaller multihulls also took the top handicap prizes over their larger sisters. The handicap winner was Justin Lee’s Great Barrier Express, Espresso 8.5, followed by Ed Crook’s Exodus and Matt Middleton’s Crazy Train, all three of which are 10m or under.

“It was very much a race of two halves,” says Greer Houston, commodore of the NZ Multihull Yacht Club. “It was good that the smaller yachts dominated the handicap results this year. It shouldn’t just be about the big boats. It was a tactical race, not just the normal drag race up the coast. There was plenty to think about.”

On-shore, Tony Poolman and his Elevation crew of four were relaxing over a couple of quiet rums and figured they had the Division Five prize in the bag.

“Then we thought maybe we had not done too badly in the overall standings,” says Tony. “So, we checked that out and realised we had won the top prize. There was a stunned silence for about 30 seconds as we took it all in.”

Poolman has owned Elevation for 14 years (built 30 years ago, it was originally designer Greg Elliott’s own boat). Elevation won the Division Five prize in the 2019 Coastal Classic, but this year’s overall victory is a crowning achievement and just reward for a big effort. “We pushed hard all the way, with a lot of sail changes.”

On a totally parochial note: although their boats occupy opposite ends of the size spectrum, Brian Peterson and Tony Poolman, the two major prizewinners of this year’s race, are close neighbours in Helensville. Must be something in the water out there.

Although the race is run under the auspices of the NZ Multihull Yacht Club, the monohull divisions always outnumber the multihulls, but over the course of its 40-year history, the line honours overwhelmingly belong to the twoand three-wheelers. The current race record of 5:00:37 was set by Karl Kwok’s MOD 70 trimaran, Beau Geste, in 2019.

This page: Spinnakers blossom as the smaller classes cross the startline. This is the section of the fleet where the handicap winners would be found. Opposite page: Round North Cape and settled for a fast romp north, the larger yachts were soon to be frustrated as they stalled when the breeze headed and dropped.

‘We pushed hard all the way, with a lot of sail changes ...’

Monohulls have taken line honours only three times before. In 1989, Graeme Woodroffe’s Davidson 55, Emotional Rescue crossed the line first after 19 hours and 7 minutes of upwind slog – with 50 knots around Cape Brett!

In 2009, Neville Crichton’s supermaxi Alfa Romeo set a new outright course record of 6:43:32, wiping out the 14-year-old time set by the pink catamaran Split Enz. Conditions provided a rare dream run of sustained south

westerlies averaging about 20 knots all the way.

Then in 2020, in a painfully light, fickle breeze, Bianca Cook’s Volvo 65 NZ Ocean Racing (formerly Turn the Tide on Plastic) ghosted across the line 2 minutes short of 4am. Only 16 boats managed to record official finish times; 135 retired at various points along the coast.

In all three of those cases, a multihull was second or third across the line – making this year’s monohull-dominated line honours board all the more exceptional.

Magnificent J-Class Rainbow to race under RNZYS colours in 2024

By Ivor Wilkins Photos by Carlo Borlenghi, courtesy of J-Class Association

RNZYS Life Member Neville Crichton has purchased the magnificent J-Class yacht, Rainbow, and his first response to questions about this latest acquisition is to make jokes at his own expense.

“I never thought I would pay a great deal of money to go slow,” he chuckles, before adding: “I have always loved the classic look of the J-Class yachts, but felt it was best to leave it to others to own them.

“However, Rainbow came on the market and Erle Williams and Mark Hauser ganged up on me and persuaded me she would be a good one to buy.”

Sydney-based Crichton has owned and built a veritable fleet of yachts – from Ton Cup Admiral’s Cuppers to supermaxis to luxury superyachts – but over the past couple of years has been sitting out the racing scene.

With the purchase of Rainbow, however, his competitive juices are back in full flow and he is relishing the challenge of getting the boat raceready in time for the 2024 J-Class racing season in Europe, the highlight of which will be their Barcelona regatta coinciding with the America’s Cup.

For Squadron members, there will be two yachts to root for at Barcelona – the Emirates Team New Zealand AC75 defending the America’s Cup and Crichton’s J-Class, Rainbow, both of which will sail under the RNZYS burgee.

“I have obtained special permission from the class association to carry the New Zealand sail number J-KZ1,” says Crichton. At 38.5m, Rainbow will be by far the largest race yacht ever to grace the Squadron lists.

She will also be the third Rainbow on the RNZYS register, joining the

Designed by Starling Burgess, the original J-Class Rainbow was commissioned by New York magnate Harold Vanderbilt for the 1934 America’s Cup defence. Up against Sir T.O.M. Sopwith’s Endeavour, Rainbow lost the first two matches, but then won the next four to retain the trophy for the New York Yacht Club.

Under new ownership, Rainbow entered the trials to select a NYYC defender for the 1937 Cup series, but lost to Vanderbilt’s potent new yacht, Ranger Rainbow was later scrapped and the materials used for the War Effort.

Under the J-Class Association rules, modern replica yachts can be

1898 Logan classic Rainbow, jointly owned by Brad Butterworth, David Glen and Hamish Ross; and Rainbow II, registered under Life Member John Street’s name in the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust.

Neville Crichton

built to the original lines of earlier models. The current Rainbow was built in Holland in 2012 and passed through several owners before Crichton secured her earlier this year.

Despite his jokes, he is thrilled with the purchase. “It is a really nice boat, which has not been raced” he says. “I am excited about it and looking forward to campaigning it. It is smaller and lighter than the other Js and with some tidying up and good crew, we feel it will be competitive.”

Rainbow has been put on the hard at Palma, Majorca, where a sixmonth refit is planned. “We are going to manage the refit ourselves with sub-contractors undertaking the various specialist projects.”

The refit will be extensive including fully fairing the hull below the waterline, particularly around the rudder area, a repaint, new decks and revised deck layouts with winches and sail tracks repositioned, and the

hydraulic control systems upgraded. To come into racing compliance, the Southern Spars carbon mast will be shortened by 850mm and there will be a completely new wardrobe of racing sails.

“The plan is to have Rainbow back in the water in July,” Crichton says. “We will do no formal racing in 2023, but there are a number of Js based in Palma and we hope to establish a relationship with one or more of them to hook up for some tune-up sailing ahead of the 2024 season.”

Crichton says most of his key crew positions have already been allocated and he is talking to former crew from his supermaxi, Alfa Romeo, and others, including a number of Kiwi sailors.

“We definitely believe that with the refit work we are doing, the planned programme of training leading up to 2024 and with enough talent on board, we will be competitive,” he says. “I do like to race to win.”

Cup legends rally to support Rick Dodson

When NZL-32 won the America’s Cup for New Zealand in 1995, its crew featured a hard core of yachting talent that had been developing since the late 1970s. Among them was strategist Rick Dodson, a twotimes world champion in the OK Dinghy and winning skipper in the 1987 Admirals Cup and 1988 One Ton Cup.

Later, Dodson’s sailing career was cut short by the symptoms of MS (multiple sclerosis). With the late David Barnes, who was diagnosed with MS around the same time, Dodson launched a campaign in the Sonar class for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.

Dodson wanted to share his MS and sailing story in a book, so his friend Matt Mason, mastman on NZL-32, brought together a core of New Zealand sailing talent to support Dodson’s cause in a book fundraising evening, 29 October at the RNZYS Dinghy Locker Bar.

WHY USE SALT-AWAY

Tony Rae (NZL-32) and Ray Davies, representing a later generation of Team New Zealand, entertained with their Salty Dogs Band; Sir Russell Coutts reminisced about his fierce rivalry with Dodson in the 1984 Finn Olympic trials and Joey Allen (NZL-32 bowman) remembered the day the America’s Cup was vandalised.

Dodson was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1997, but kept his disease under wraps to protect his sailing career. He enjoyed another 10 years of professional sailing, including two America’s Cup campaigns, until the disease began seriously affecting his mobility, sight and speech. “I’m like a drunken sailor,” he says.

Mason commissioned yachting journalist Rebecca Hayter to write the book, on track for publication in March 2023.

• To register your interest in buying the book, please visit www.rebeccahayter.co.nz

New Zealand Distributor:

Kiwi America’s Cup legends Tom Schnackenberg (left), Sir Russell Coutts and Rick Dodson at the RNZYS fundraiser.

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Harold

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Harold Bennett wins YNZ award

In an evening of celebrating yachting achievement, one of the biggest rounds of applause at the recent Aon Yachting Excellence Awards dinner at the RNZYS was reserved for Harold Bennett, who was named Yachting New Zealand Official of the Year.

Now in his late 70s, Harold continues to be involved in race management roles. “For the past several years, I have done the Millennium Cup superyacht regattas,” he says, “although we have not had those recently due to Covid lockdowns.

“I am also involved with the Sir Peter Blake regatta and I spend a lot of time at Murrays Bay doing their events. I am a life member there as well as patron.”

He is also Vice Commodore at Manly Yacht Club, serving with Barry Thom (Commodore) and Sir Russell Coutts (President).

Apart from his race management contribution, Harold was actively racing Zephyrs up to a couple of years ago. “I have since stopped racing big Zephyrs,” he says, “but I am now involved with radio-controlled quarter-scale Zephyrs. We have about 20 of them racing on Regency Lake at Gulf Harbour. They perform just like big Zephyrs, but you don’t get wet or a sore back.”

From 1987 to 2004, Harold played a major role at the RNZYS, helping establish and then run the highly successful Youth Training Programme, which has gone on to graduate more than 1,000 young sailors, many of whom rose to the highest level of the sport.

He was also Principal Race Officer at the club and served as Assistant General Manager during his final four years.

Before joining the Squadron, Harold was national coach with the New Zealand Yachting Federation (precursor to Yachting NZ). In 1986, he was seconded to help coach and prepare the team at Fremantle for New Zealand’s first America’s Cup campaign led by Michael Fay.

It was there that Richard Endean, a future RNZYS Commodore, recognised that if New Zealand was going to compete at this level, a proper youth training programme would have to be established. Harold was the perfect choice to establish the programme and lead it through its formative years.

Following New Zealand’s first America’s Cup victory in 1995, Harold presided as PRO at the 2000 defence in Auckland and went on to be involved with the race management of the next four Cup cycles: in Auckland again in 2003, Valencia in 2007, the controversial Deed of Gift match in Valencia in 2010 and finally

at the protracted and (for New Zealand) heartbreaking 2013 series in San Francisco.

His technical and diplomatic skills were tested at all of them, but none more so than the 2010 series between Alinghi’s catamaran and Oracle’s giant, hard-wing trimaran, when he had to face down a mutiny. After waiting nearly all afternoon for conditions to stabilise, Harold ordered a start, but three of the Alinghi-appointed officials on the Committee Boat refused to perform their duties in the start sequence.

With the help of an Oracle observer, a Spanish boat driver and the fourth Alinghi member, Harold got the race under way. Four months later, an official ISAF report applauded his conduct and independent actions on the Committee Boat.

Harold was named Yachting NZ Official of the Year following his handling of the mutiny – and now a dozen years later has been recognised again with the same award.

“Ever since leaving the America’s Cup scene I have been trying to give back to the sport by sharing the experience I have had and mentoring other people coming through,” he says. “At this stage of our lives, we need to give back to the sport.”

By Ivor Wilkins

Bennett accepts his Yachting New Zealand award from Olympic and

sailor, Jo Aleh, at a glittering awards dinner held at the RNZYS

RNZYS enjoys reciprocal rights with yacht clubs around the world

Story & picture by Debra Douglas

A visit to one of the 52 international yacht clubs with reciprocal rights with the Squadron is on your bucket list. You’ve packed your passport, togs, sunscreen and a phone charger, but most importantly, have you got your paperwork?

“Prospective reciprocal guests must present a letter of introduction from the Squadron, as well as their current membership card, to gain entry to these clubs,” said Nikki Harkin, RNZYS Membership Manager.

“So, before leaving, contact me or Membership Services Coordinator, Faye Hallett, and we will provide the letter, basically saying you are a full and financial member in good standing.

“We require the dates you would like to visit the club and, if it is a residential club, we check what accommodation is available and state that all accounts and purchases will be settled at the time.

“We have had the odd rejection, but this was usually due to lockdowns, or if the club was holding a major event. Some clubs limit visits to perhaps three times a year.”

The Squadron also operates a similar system, offering a two-week time slot for overseas visitors. A standard template is sent out outlining the club’s protocol, operating hours, dress code and cell phone usage.

Nikki: “We do, however, get other reciprocal yacht club members who just walk in the door without a letter of introduction. They want to look at the America’s Cup and have a drink in the Member’s Bar.

“We are pretty relaxed about this, if they produce their club membership card, and as long as it is quiet and the Duty Manager agrees.

“Usually guests are in awe of the trophies upstairs and the feel of the place. Of course, they could become potential overseas members.”

One Squadron member who knows what it is like to be in awe of a yacht club is Stephanie Jones, who, with her partner and overseas member Clive Carrington-Wood, is back in New Zealand for the summer to be reunited with their 60ft schooner Happy Spirit II, moored at Lily Bay, Russell.

During New Zealand’s winter, while Clive was captaining a 37m commercial motoryacht in the Mediterranean, Stephanie left her base in Malta to visit New York.

“I was staying with a friend, who really wanted to visit the New York Yacht Club (NYYC), but he said it was impossible, as it was very exclusive,” said Stephanie. “I saw it as a challenge. I knew that, as a RNZYS member, I would have reciprocal rights and could take him as guest.

“I emailed Nikki, who sent me the letter of introduction. I also had

to send a photo of our yacht, its registration details and give two weeks’ notice of our visit.“

Stephanie: “The club is fantastic, gorgeous. The ceilings were so high, like a cathedral, there was lots of oak panelling and leather chesterfield sofas. The library and the model room were stupendous. The club is something else!

“At the bar was a chap, who insisted on buying us a drink. He was a Wall St. banker and was joined by friends who were also bankers. They were quite sanguine about no longer holding the America’s Cup and picked up the final drinks tab.

“It was a lovely visit, thanks to the Squadron’s reciprocal service.”

• Clubs with reciprocal rights are listed in the Squadron’s Handbook and links to their websites are on the RNZYS website. Many clubs without existing reciprocal agreements with RNZYS allow Squadron members to visit. If there is a club you would like to visit, contact Nikki or Faye.

Stephanie Jones and Clive Carrington-Wood.

The New York Yacht Club is situated in downtown Manhattan.

Get on board with NZ Sailing Trust

Perched on North Head and watching the memorable duel between Steinlager 2 and Fisher & Paykel NZ on their final sprint into Auckland during the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race left an indelible mark on Charles Scoones. Now, 23 years later, he has the privilege working with both yachts in the NZ Sailing Trust …

The 1990 New Year was only three days old and, with binoculars braced against my knees, I could just make out two spinnakers almost alongside each other in the Tiri channel. Having match-raced halfway around the world at the head of the Whitbread fleet, the two Kiwi ketches skippered by Peter Blake and Grant Dalton were neck and neck.

Then, as Steinlager 2 dropped its spinnaker, Fisher & Paykel NZ charged on before broaching, its kite flogging wildly, victim of one of those infamous Auckland southerly squalls. Steinlager 2 took the gun and Blake, in charge of his third round the world campaign, laid to rest his demons, first by leading the fleet into his home town and ultimately with the unique achievement of winning every leg of the race around the world.

In the days following her win, I queued up with my son Toby to go on board the big red ketch. At that moment I could not have believed that one day I might be skipper of this famous yacht. Toby too would not have known that he would one day be making sails for this same boat.

Born into a sailing family, I earned a living in sail training, yacht delivery

and charter work. John Appleton took me on as a skipper on the Pride of Auckland tourist yachts. From across the dock, I witnessed the formation of the New Zealand Sailing Trust with Lion New Zealand in 2008, then the purchase and refit of Steinlager 2 four years later.

I watched enviously as Big Red and Lion came and went from the Viaduct with excited students aboard. I put my name on the Trust’s volunteer crew list and managed to get a ride aboard Big Red for an Auckland-Tauranga race. On the sail home (and probably hogging the helm a bit), I decided I wanted more.

Over time, the head skipper, Andre, entrusted me with more responsibilities aboard both boats. It was a challenging time learning how to handle these maxi yachts. Finally came the day when it was me giving the command to cast off with 28 school students and three crew aboard Steinlager 2

As the young crew bent to the unfamiliar task of hoisting the massive sails, Big Red came alive in response to the breeze. Handing the helm to a nervous young student who grew up on a farm, the thrill for both of us could not be measured. This is my day job. Pinch me.

The NZ Sailing Trust is a New Zealand outdoor education, youth development provider operating mainly in the Tīkapa Moana / Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

We sail year round, up to 200 days annually carrying over 1200 young New Zealanders from all communities nationwide. We deliver to a large

The NZ Sailing Trust gives school children from around the country

number of schools across the country and representing the full socioeconomic spectrum.

Typically, during a four or five day voyage, Lion New Zealand and Steinlager 2 will sail the relatively sheltered waters of the Hauraki Gulf, out to Great Barrier, the Mercury islands, or stretch their legs further with a passage up to Whangarei, the Bay of Islands, or down to Tauranga. After a week at sea, the students have had a unique and sometimes lifechanging experience.

It is not always plain sailing as the programme does not stop in foul weather. After all, these boats were built for the Southern Ocean. At the end of a voyage, to feel and experience the growth in the students’ confidence and see the grins on their faces as they step ashore makes our job well worthwhile. We are sure Sir Peter Blake would approve.

Working with the NZ Sailing Trust team is a unique and empowering experience and I would encourage anyone who has their maritime certs perhaps gathering dust in a file somewhere to get in touch; we could do with more helpers.

The NZ Sailing Trust is looking for casual skippers, a full time skipper and maintenance manager/skipper role.

• If you have suitable maritime qualifications, some great energy to share with our young people, or know of anyone who has, call Evelien van Vliet, General Manager, 021 333 816, or email your expression of interest to evelien@nzsailingtrust.com

and representing all socio-economic groups a unique, sometimes life-changing, outdoor experience.

A day at the Races: Marking the Melbourne Cup

Mark Zahra, this year’s winning Melbourne Cup jockey, when talking of his win said, “I can’t put this into words, I’ll start crying. It’s unbelievable!” But at the Squadron’s Carnival Cup afternoon, there were more cheers than tears, as members took the opportunity to dress up, sip champagne and try their luck in the sweepstake draw.

Putting their best bow ties and fascinators forward were ….

1/ ‘Fashions in the Quarterdeck’ judge and Committee member Marguerite Delbet, with prize winners, from left, best-dressed man, Mike Lanigan; best-dressed woman, Candice Sweetman; joint best fascinator winners Leila Robinson and Diane Hill; and best-dressed couple, Brenda and Trevor Dunn.

2/ From left, Debbie Whiting, Penny Whiting and Debbie Teale.

3/ From left, Dee Weck, Leila Robinson, Bob and Sue Sahakian.

4/ Deidre Harris and Grace Nisbet.

Photos by Debra Douglas

Smiles all round as Santa pays his annual visit to the RNZYS

Words by Debra Douglas • Photos by Debbie Whiting

How does he do it all? Santa Claus is a one-man operation (well at least one man and a handful of elves). He can’t take any time off. In addition to his promotional commitments ahead of the big day, appearing in adverts and posing for photos in shopping centres, he has to manage the selection and wrapping of presents. Then he has to rely on nine gangly, over-excited, party-loving seasonalworking reindeer to help deliver them.

But, of course, the famous fella in red comes up trumps every time. And he always finds time drop in to the RNZYS before Christmas Eve to greet his very favourite and very loud fans.

This year he packed his bucket and spade, jandals and sunscreen for the Kiwi Summer Christmas- themed party.

Among those lining up to meet the Man in Red at the RNZYS were:

Charlotte Witt (20 months).

Miller Campbell (2).

Van Achterbergh (4).

Ryan & Sam (21 months) Wiblin.

Harley Baird (2).

Wiley (3).

Lola Bailey (3).

11. Santa gets a thank-you kiss from Christmas fairies Nikki and Faye.

12. D’Arcy Whiting (2).

13. Tom & Fiona (18 months) Bertenshaw with Beth Mc Donald.

13. Jaxon Whiting (6) with the balloon man, Mike from Rainbow Kids’ Parties.

Corporates get behind good cause in charity regatta

Story & pictures by Debra Douglas

It was a nervous weather watch for Commercial Manager Kristine Horne and her team on the morning of this year’s Corporate Regatta and Charity Auction, set to raise funds for the RNZYS International Sailing Fund and the Kawau Tree Planting and Reforestation Project. The past two years have seen disruption and postponement, because of lockdown restrictions and adverse weather conditions.

“It was touch and go for a while, but sailing went ahead despite the drizzly conditions,” said Kristine. “And the day turned out to be awesome, with about 400 happy guests on the water, who returned to enjoy the food and beverage options on the North Lawn and in the Dinghy Locker, the evening’s live auction, prizegiving, a live band and dancing.”

The guests on the day were corporate members or sponsors; people who donated to the on-line and live auctions; members who had purchased tickets and the skippers and crew of the 45 boats that took part in the race.

The race was won by Warringer skippered by Don Grayson with his team from corporate member Navico Group. Second was Zamzamah with Alberts on board and third, Zero Tolerance with guests from Southern Spars and Robertson Lodges.

Alongside the silent auction, which opened for bids in late October, the live auction began early evening with Tony Loughran, from Barfoot & Thompson, wielding the auction hammer. Items donated were diverse, including: a two-night Taupo fly fishing experience, a year’s supply of Ecostore laundry liquid, a Karen Walker $500 clothing voucher, the opportunity to be Commodore of the RNZYS for the day and a limitededition Louis Vuitton tie.

Kristine:“The auction was exciting from the start.Thanks to Committee Member Matt Cole, Mark Cole and Hick Bros Civil Construction, who donated a helicopter ride to Waiheke, a long lunch at the Man O’ War Winery and a luxury launch cruise home. This raised $8000.

“Then the Cole family said they would do it all again and we received the same amount again. To open with this was a real buzz.

“I was very happy with the items and experiences donated and the final figure raised was $120,000, exceeding our $100,000 goal.

“Mid-2023 we are looking to hold a charity auction in another format, in addition to the Corporate Regatta. November is our big one, but we want to keep the momentum going throughout the year, perhaps as a fund-raising opportunity for a Youth America’s Cup team.”

Regatta guests pictured pre-race start …

1/ The Alberts team, from left, Cornelia Weston, Sophie King, Miria Wynyard, Claudia Craies, Kylie Metzener, Anna Timu and Cat Stanton.

2/ Team Zephryus Racing, from left, Chris Drost, Terry Zouch, Paul Kerr, Josh Wijohn, Nick Egnot-Johnson and Paul Armstrong.

3/ The Westpac NZ team, from left, Shelley Powell, Damien Leng, Junia Ang, Andrew Single, Manthan Mehta, Paula Temple and Tony Katemba.

4/ The Doyle Sails team, from left, Rajwant Singh, Poleak Kang, Kristin Lautner and Pavel Shevelev.

5/ Marina Thorbe (Chain Reaction) and Jasmine Whiting (Emotional Rescue).

6/ Graeme Smith and Lisa Downie, Negociants NZ.

7/ Tom Dodson (Zero Tolerance) and Amelia Bone, Navico Group.

8/ Manny Yang, Matthew Zhang and Vero Xia, Hikvision.

A perfect storm ... With a clean energy silver lining?

In just two-and-a-half years, the 2020s have already proved to be a decade of dramatic and disruptive change – but could some change be for the better? The world continues to weather a global pandemic, lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, and a European war. Oil, gas and electricity prices have spiked in the past 12 months, hurting the consumer and adding to a challenging economic backdrop. Add to that inflation, and governments pulling desperately on the reins to quell it, and it begs the question: how does this play out and what does it mean for your investments?

Government response

The 2020’s turbulence has sparked meaningful policy change in key markets, as governments are forced to face the realities of energy independence and climate change.

Governments are striving to solve the “Energy Trilemma” – how to provide secure, affordable and low-carbon energy. The war in Ukraine has brought home to the EU a need to decouple from Russian energy, and has accelerated plans for decarbonisation through its revamped REPowerEU plan. The US has passed its Inflation Reduction Act to combat rising commodity prices and accelerate its energy transition.

Countries around the world are revisiting their positions in light of the current challenges, and many have set targets for a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero” by 2050 – the key ambition of the Paris Agreement to limit the negative impacts of global warming.

The need for investment is significant … but appears manageable

McKinsey Global Institute estimates the total spending on physical assets for energy and land-use systems required to meet net-zero 2050 targets will be $9.2 trillion per year globally from 2021 to 2050. Of the $9.2 trillion to be spent, $3.5 trillion is new spending on low-emissions assets, while the remaining $5.7 trillion is current spending, some of it a reallocation to low-emissions assets.

Though the headline number of $9.2 trillion seems high, in the context of current investments and global GDP it appears manageable. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) put the estimate of incremental spending to reach net zero at 0.6-0.9% of global GDP. For context, this is less than half of the global defence spend at 2.2% of global GDP and spread across the public and private sectors.

Renewable energy as a cost competitive stable alternative

Renewable energy technologies are moving in as the trilemma-solving technology of developed nations. Renewables tick the “low carbon” box by their very nature, as well as providing energy independence. But what about affordability and security?

Bernstein Research estimates the cost of energy from renewable generation is now lower than conventional alternatives and the world’s capitalistic instincts have been woken. Environmental benefits aside,

the world wants the cheapest and most certain form of electricity to power its needs.

One of the natural benefits of renewable energy is the low variable cost per incremental unit (wind and sun are free), which means the price is known at the time of building for the life of the project (usually 20+ years) and does not require commodity inputs, which improves energy security and stability. This means utilities – and their regulators – are favouring renewables from a pure economic standpoint (a low and certain future cost).

While many assumptions go into these cost of energy estimates, it is becoming clearer that the gradual reduction in the cost of renewable energy driven by technological improvement, combined with volatile coal and gas prices, is making renewable energy more attractive. As a result, it appears the transition from conventional to renewable energy is not just underway but accelerating.

What does all this mean for our investments?

The reallocation of trillions of dollars from high-emissions assets to low-emissions assets will create “winners” and “losers”. In addition, the spending required on physical assets to meet net zero targets creates significant transition opportunities for investors in Global Real Assets that should provide attractive returns and growth. That said, any largescale transition is fraught with risks and there will undoubtedly be challenges along the way, such as the balancing act of ramping up new assets in line with the retirement of old assets to minimise disruptions. The Milford investment team is working hard to keep on top of these demand and supply dynamics to maximise the risk reward of these investments.

Beyond electricity generation, opportunities exist in energy storage, energy transportation, carbon capture, and new/emerging technologies such as hydrogen – all part of an energy transition that needs fitfor-purpose infrastructure.

The winds of change are clearly blowing, and this storm may have a silver – or should we say green – lining yet.

This article is intended to provide general information only. It does not take into account your investment needs or personal circumstances. It is not intended to be viewed as investment or financial advice. Should you require financial advice you should always speak to a Financial Adviser. If you would like to speak to a Milford Adviser please contact us on 0800 662 347, or send an email to privatewealth @milfordasset.com. For information on our financial advice services visit milfordasset.com/getting-advice. Before investing please read the Milford Investment Funds Product Disclosure Statement as issued by Milford Funds Limited at milfordasset.com

ANDREW AITKEN

ANDY ANDERSON

BEACON MARINE

COLIN & PATRICA CARRAN

COLOURWORX

ROY DICKSON

DODSON JAPANESE PARTSWORLD

DOYLE SAILS

GRAEME EDWARDS

GERALD FLYNN

MATTHEW FLYNN

GALBRAITH FAMILY DON GRAYSON

HARKEN NZ

PHILLIP HART

HOPMAN FAMILY ICEFIRE LTD

KZ RACE FURLERS

LIGHTHOUSE MARINE EQUIPMENT

LUCAS FAMILY

MIKE MAHONEY

STEVE MAIR

MCKEOGH FAMILY

MULCAHY ENGINEERING

DAVID NATHAN

NEW WORLD BIRKENHEAD PAGANI

PORK CHOP RACING

ANDREW REID

SAVINGS WORKS

JOHN & KATHRYN SINCLAIR

SOUTHERN SPARS/ RIGPRO WASHTECH

WESTHAVEN ROTARY

WINDOWMAKERS

HUGH L WRIGHT

YACHTING DEVELOPMENTS

ZHIK

SUPPORTERS

RNZYS PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME

Our two women’s touring teams – Celia Willison’s Edge Women’s Match team with crew Charlotte Porter, Serena Woodall, Paige Cook, and Alison Kent; and Megan Thomson’s 2.0 Racing with crew of Ellie Copeland, Chelsea Rees, Josi Andres and Anna Merchant – sailed excellently at the Barfoot & Thompson Women’s Match Racing World Championship. Edge claimed a valiant 2nd behind the dominant world champion Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink (FRA) crew, while 2.0 Racing knocked off Anna Ostling’s Wings (SWE) crew for 3rd in the petit final. This meant the RNZYS was able to claim 2nd and 3rd on home water.

William Woodworth spoke to Celia and Megan after their respective Silver and Bronze medal performances: After plenty of trips for regattas overseas, how was it to be a home team for a World Championship?

MT - We have been fortunate to travel quite a bit this year, and the hospitality shown to us overseas was incredible, but there is nothing like competing at your home club with friends and families cheering you on. It was awesome to race on home waters for a world title. It felt a bit surreal on day one. Our team chatted about how it felt like just another training day, but with world-class training partners.

CW - We really enjoyed having our international friends in our home club for the worlds. For most of the year Serena (Woodall), Gator (Alison Kent) and I have been living overseas and we’re stoked to show off our home club to international teams who have done the same for us at their clubs.

Did you have any memorable matchup’s / events throughout the worlds?

MT - Matching up against the world champions for sure! Pauline and her team have been dominant for so long, and we haven’t had the opportunity to race them before now. But in all honesty, all our races on the final day were exciting. They all went to sudden death, putting the pressure on and keeping the racing close.

CW - We tried to keep it cool, calm and

consistent throughout every race, but we did have one spectacular wipeout. On one of the breezy days, we were gybing downwind with the kite up and Paige slipped and dropped the kite sheet. We violently wiped out and had both Serena and Charlotte in the water. Clearly, someone had been saying their prayers because we still won that race. What advantages did you think you had with sailing at home?

MT - Knowing the boats was an advantage; we felt confident in our boat handling. Usually, when we go away to an event, we spend the first couple of days figuring the boat out. As for the venue itself, each day is so variable here that I think it can open the game up to anyone as each day saw different conditions which would have played to different teams’ strengths.

CW - Obviously it is a huge advantage to know the tides and how the breeze works in the harbour, but you can never underestimate the breeze’s shiftiness close to the harbour’s edges, as we saw on the finals day. Is there anything you look back on and think “we could have done that better”?

MT - 100% yes, but that’s the joy of match racing. There are no blurred lines. Each race is a clear win, or loss and you are instantly aware of where you could have improved. But that’s what our team loves about match racing – the margins are so small.

CW - We were pretty happy with how we sailed overall. We trusted our guts on plenty of calls that paid off. For me, I think we could have trusted our guts even more. A few losses were due to overthinking moves, or shifts.

MT - Our team would like to say a massive thank you to all those who have supported us this season: RNZYS, Musto, along with friends and family.

CW – Edge Racing would like to thank the RNZYS and NZL Sailing Foundation for their support this season. Thanks to RNZYS for running the event. and all the Race Committee and umpire volunteers for making the racing fair for everyone.

MASTERCARD YOUTH TRAINING PROGRAMME

Josh Hyde and his crew of Jack Manning, Zach Fong, Cody Coughlan, and Ryder Ellis performed well at CYCA match race events in Sydney.

The summer season is officially here, and our Mastercard Youth Training Programme athletes have been taking full advantage of the longer evening training sessions as they continue to refine their skills. There have also been a few lucky ones who have been given the opportunity to test some of these skills in sunny Sydney, where they have competed against some of the world’s best youth match racing talent.

Our RNZYS team of Brooke Adamson, Poppy Hoskin, Emilie Jones, Sofia Fyfe, and Roberta Li Bassi competed in the John Messenger Women’s Regatta, which took place in Sydney. They managed to sneak away with a 5th place, which was commendable after the event changed to asymmetrical spinnakers last minute when the girls had done all their training with symmetricals! Well done girls.

Next up, we sent two teams to both the Harken Youth International at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and the Bolle Youth International Match racing event run out of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Brayden Hamilton and his team of Crue Ellis, Luc Gladwell, Kahurangi Nepia and Chloe Salthouse made improvements throughout the trip and came away with a newfound passion for the match racing discipline. Crue commented it was “a big change, having never raced overseas before. It was a high level, but we made big improvements with little time together”.

Congratulations to Josh Hyde and his team of Jack Manning, Zach Fong, Cody Coughlan, and Ryder Ellis, who came away with a 5th and a 4th and also made big leaps throughout the two events. Josh commented that he “loved the

opportunity to be put under some pressure and to thrive in it”.

Back at home, we had a number of the programme athletes and the regular volunteers give up time to volunteer for the Barfoot & Thompson Women’s Match Racing World Championships that were held at the club in November. It was a great event and I’m sure it was a massive inspiration for the younger girls in our squad. Well done to the two Kiwi teams, Edge Woman’s Match and 2.0 Women’s Racing Team, which both finished on the podium. Lots of graduates among those two crews!

The YTP encourages athletes to seek out opportunities to expand their sailing repertoires, so it’s great to see so many current and graduate members who are regular fixtures on boats and races around the club. If you are looking for extra crew, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me and I will do my best to connect you with one of the athletes.

As we look forward to the New Year, there’s no slowing down with plenty of regattas left to work towards, including another Australian event, an event in Wellington and our very own Harken Youth International Match Racing regatta, which is bound to attract some of the world’s best.

As I write this, we are about to embark on our end of year race to Kawau Island, where we will stay the night camping next to RNZYS’ Lidgard House.

This will be a nice way to celebrate the work that everyone has put in this season and further foster the relationships that are already strong in the programme.

Zak Merton, Coach

SUPPORTERS

BOAT SPONSORS

Peter Brookes wants to give back to CYA

By Penelope Carroll

The CYA’s new Yacht Captain, Peter Brookes, has had a love affair with classic wooden boats for the past 50 years – ever since he sailed his first gaff-rigged clinker dinghy on the Blackwater estuary at Maldon on the Essex coast, where he spent much of his childhood.

Born in Auckland in 1963, Peter moved to the UK with his family in 1969 for three years (his father Colin was from there), then returned to Auckland for the next three before the family settled back in Maldon.

“I was so fortunate to grow up in Maldon. It has a whole culture of old wooden boats; it’s like going back in time.”

During his three years back in Auckland, Peter sailed the family’s aluminium Parker tender and an old wooden P-class – both gaff-rigged – on the Tamaki Estuary.

Back in Maldon, where his father acquired and restored an old Essex fishing smack and bought a little clinker sailing dinghy called Betty for his son, Peter was soon following in his father’s

footsteps, restoring, sailing and on-selling various small wooden boats.

Maldon is renowned for both its graveyard of Thames sailing barges (the equivalent of NZ scows) and its small fleet of restored barges. When 16-year-old Peter began his apprenticeship as a shipwright with local builders and in his father’s boatyard, the first vessel he worked on was a Thames sailing barge.

Through the ‘80s and ‘90s he restored and refitted various classic yachts, setting up his own yard in 1990.

When he returned to NZ in 1999 – “vowing never to work on another wooden boat” – his European clients caught up with him and he was soon asked to restore the 30 sq. metre Vivi, built in 1923. The boat was shipped from Cowes on the Isle of Wight and became the first in a string of

projects for international and NZ clients. Peter was once again working fulltime with classic wooden boats.

In his Waimauku yard at present in varying stages of restoration are the classic yachts Impala, Tawhiri, and Cezanne and the launch Amakura II, along with his own ‘fleet’ – Ladye Wilma, Matia and Kotiri and the Logan launch Kenya II. There is also a 50-ft solid kauri newbuild, Hannah Mae, a replica of an 1898 Bristol pilot cutter, bound for Melbourne.

While he has undertaken several new builds throughout his career, Peter says his passion is restoring old boats.

“I love all the detective work, and the feeling of giving a boat a new lease of life; cutting out the rot and putting a new piece back, although we are really lucky in NZ that we had kauri for

boat building. It has lasted so well. You look at our classic fleet, and so much is original wood.”

His favourite restoration was the 1905 Logan, Rawhiti. “She took six years of my life from 2005 to 2011. A couple of years ago, I was very fortunate to be able to buy her back in partnership with Andrew Barnes.

“She’s the one. I love wooden boats and I love racing. I’m very competitive and she’s the fastest on the Waitemata,” says Peter.

As if to emhasise his claim, Rawhiti took A division line honours in the December 3 passage race to Patio Bay, the final CYA race for 2022.

Peter hopes, as yacht captain, he can help the CYA in some way. “I have got so much out of belonging to the CYA and I hope I can give something back.”

Peter Brookes (right) in his happy place at the helm of Rawhiti with the opposition behind.

Right: Iain and Glenn Forsyth show their winning hand at the conclusion of the Patio Bay Poker Run.

Below: Meola.

Meola plays her cards right to win at Patio Bay

Ten CYA launches and their owners took part in this year’s Patio Bay poker run, with cards needing to be picked up from each of five collection points to make up a poker hand: firstly from Maya Daniels at Islington Bay, then Jill Hetherington on Tuna off Kennedy Point, from Antony Smit on Waikaro at Rocky Bay, Dennis and Sue Rule on Summer Wine in Awaawaroa Bay , then lastly from Mike Mahoney on Moerangi at Patio Bay.

And the winners this year, with a low straight, were Iain and Glenn Forsyth from Meola.

The Forsyths joined the CYA classic launch fleet four years ago. Their 42’ 6” 22 tonne vessel was built in Dunedin in 1961 by Miller and Tunnage for the Ministry of Works ‘buoys and beaconage’ division. She plied the East Coast of the North Island from East Cape to North Cape, towing barges and carrying freight, says Iain.

She was sold to the Navy in 1978 – and sank after hitting a rock off Motutapu that same year, on her way back to Devonport Naval

Base following the attempted salvage of an F111 fighter plane, which had crashed into the sea off the eastern end of Waiheke Island.

Meola in turn required salvaging. Once she was safely back at the naval base, it was Navy shipwright Iain who carried out the extensive repairs. “She had a bloody great hole in the bottom and had to be rebuilt,” he says.

Meola was then decommissioned and was purchased by Cal Crookes, who took her to the Bay of Islands where he did a lot of work on her. While in the Bay of Islands she served as the start boat for the annual Tall Ships race on several occasions. Meola was then sold to Bram Cone, who owned her for 15 years before the Forsyths purchased her in 2015. That was almost four decades after Iain had rebuilt Meola following her mishap.

“Since I’ve owned her

I’ve done a bit of trim and niceties, but she is basically very sound. She is built of kauri, with jarra deck beams and spotted gum ribs,” he says. “Her hull is coppersheathed to the waterline to protect her from the teredo worm.

“She’s a great boat. Not a week goes by when we are

not at sea, cruising around,” says Iain.

The poker run is sponsored by the Milford Slipway, with prizes for the best poker hand including a no-charge haul at the Milford Slipway, wash and three days on the hard, as well as wine and additional mystery prizes.

By Penelope Carroll

CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION CONTACTS – GENERAL ENQUIRIES: Joyce Talbot, admin@classicyacht.org.nz

CLUB CAPTAIN YACHTS: Peter Brookes, yachtcaptain@classicyacht.org.nz

CLUB CAPTAIN LAUNCHES: Shirley-Ann McCrystal, launchcaptain@classicyacht.org.nz

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Latest information on Products and Services

36 Degrees Brokers partner with eFoil market leaders

Fountaine Pajot push environmental technology

Fountaine Pajot chose the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival to unveil their new electrically propelled catamaran model: the Aura 51 Smart Electric.

The Aura 51 Smart Electric is the first step in the Odyssea plan leading to the development of fuel cells that will ultimately allow Fountaine Pajot to install hydrogen-powered motors on their boats.

To augment electrical generation, the Aura 51’s large flybridge is fitted with solar panels that are totally flush-decked, integrating with the lines and capable of producing 2000 Watts of renewable energy.

The Aura 51 is available with four different interior layouts, all of which feature ensuite cabins.

multihullsolutions.com.au

Ready for the next era in water sports? As the proud inventors and market leaders in eFoils, the team at Lift have spent over a decade developing and fine-tuning the ultimate foiling experience. In pursuit of creating a ride unlike any other, and to perfect the foil lineup, they signed up legendary board shapers and top carbon fibre suppliers to offer the highest-performance foil setups available on the market today. With an all-electric, silent motor, this is a user-friendly foiling experience, which has successfully wed the thrill of surfing with the sensation of flight.

36 Degrees Brokers are thrilled to announce their new partnership with this brand and are excited to have 6 new Lift eFoil models available for purchase pre-Christmas and available at all of their NZ office locations.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced thrill-seeker, into serene lakes or riding big surf, the Lift eFoil allows you to craft the adventure that’s best for you. 36degrees.nz

Highly anticipated Elan E6 arrives in Auckland

The much awaiting first Elan E6 arrived into New Zealand late in November.

Compared to other yachts in Elan’s repertoire, the Humphreys Yacht Design team distilled even more performance in this project, while keeping the dual-purpose ethos that has been the hallmark of the E Line range for years. The interior is carefully designed by Pininfarina

to blend aesthetics and functionality at sea. Lighter than competitors in its class, the E6 is the fusion of performance engineering and enriching sailing experiences. This twin rudder and helm yacht utilizes 3D VAIL technology for ultimate lightness and stiffness, with a T-shape keel.

info@pinnaclemarine.co.nz

Nautitech 44 OPEN, the latest addition to Nautitech’s OPEN range, has been nominated for the boat of the year awards in Europe and the USA.

Designed with the help of a selection of owners already sailing the 40 Open and 46 Open, the Nautitech 44 Open is configured to be the “ideal owner’s boat”.

The biggest addition is its “SmartRoom”

– a multi-functional space in the starboard bow area, designed to meet the needs of sailors who might want a washing machine, workshop, office, storage space, or all of the above combined.

The reverse bows and powerful rig contribute to the exceptional performance that is a Nautitech trademark. busfieldmarine.co.nz

Gloss Boats move to fantastic new premises

Zipwake integrator module enables flexibility and clean dash installation

Gloss Boats Marine Spraying have moved to brand new facilities at Tamaki Marine Park. Their new shed is a huge 30m x 20m with a door height of 10.5m complete with a new semi-downdraught heated spray booth and a high volume extraction system.

Tamaki Marine Park has a lifting capacity of 60 tonnes, 1200m2 of oncreted undercover hardstand. and a designated area for removing old antifoul by wet blasting.

Operations commenced in June at their

new location and Gloss Boats have already completed multiple repaints.

Their new heated spray booth is proving invaluable for quick turnaround service painting parts e.g domes, radars, tables, engine covers etc.

Gloss Boats core business continues to be antifouls, Propspeeds and repaints and they look forward to servicing the needs of boatowners in Auckland.

info@glossboats.co.nz

2023, enables seamless integration and clean dashboard solutions by connecting the Zipwake system to multifunction displays (MFDs) and/or smart devices for intuitive and easy control.

This removes the need for a separate control panel, answering demand from the market, boatbuilders and boaties.

The Integrator Module also offers the flexibility of connecting up to three control panels for operation via Zipwake’s unique control wheels in addition to touch screens. The module supports connections to a wide range of MFD brands/models via an ethernet interface and lets users configure, operate, monitor and update the system wirelessly via the Zipwake app on smartphones and tablets.

The module can be oriented in any direction and its rugged, waterproof design allows for flexible installation, e.g., behind the helm/dash, on the flybridge, or in the engine room. The Zipwake Integrator Module can be purchased as an accessory for easy retrofitting into any boat with an existing Zipwake system sales@advancetrident.com

NZ Boatshow under new ownership

XPO Exhibitions is acquiring the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show from long-time owner Auckland Water Ski Club.

With this purchase, XPO now runs 19 of the nation’s largest sector trade shows and consumer exhibitions and says it is confident it “can grow the Hutchwilco NZ Boat Show’s targeted attendance to new highs.”

All-electric Nautitech catamaran announced