December 2005 News

The following items were placed on Crew.org.nz in December 2005 and have been archived without links or photos. Please use the 'search' function on the homepage of this website to find further info on a particular topic:


Happy Christmas my friends:
23 Dec - Right, we are signing off for the Christmas break and expect you to be doing the same. At the start of the Sydney Hobart on Boxing Day keep an eye out for Konica Minolta and the little Townsen 36 Navenka, our two true-blue Kiwi entrants, as well as Alfa Romeo flying the NZ flag. The Volvo Ocean Race recommences shortly, and in January is Bay of Islands Sailing Week, which Crew.org.nz will be in Opua to cover, as well as the Auckland Matchracing Cup in Auckland the same week, Auckland Anniversary Regatta, and not to mention the return of summer racing. Have a safe and happy holiday everyone. Enjoy yourselves! From Zoe, Cool Change & the Crew xxxxxx

Posted 23/12/2005


Family silver:
23 Dec - Ross George and the George family are familiar faces on the Auckland yachting scene. A RNZYS member for 45 years, and current owner of a Ross 35, Ross has donated a trophy worth $20,000 and steeped in family history, to the Auckland Match Racing Cup, The silver trophy was first presented to Ross's granddad, former Wellington Mayor Sir Charles Norwood in 1935 by Lord Nuffield, founder of the Morris car empire. Ross had the trophy in his basement for ten years so he's happy it's going to such a good cause. Auckland Matchracing Cup >

Posted 23/12/2005


Youth initiative from Yachting NZ:
23 Dec - In the New Year, Yachting NZ are launching an exciting new initiative designed to get more youth into sailing. The programme, dubbed 'Sailing... Have a Go!' features a mobile unit of one and two man dinghies and a coach that will eventually travel the country, offering day sailing courses via schools and clubs. The initiative is designed to give kids a taste of sailing in such a way that they will really enjoy themselves and hopefully want more of the same. The pilot begins in Auckland and Northland. Full story >

Posted 23/12/2005


New world title for NZ:
18 Dec - From YNZ - Blair McLay of Auckland has won the Laser Radial Youth World Championship by one point over Frederico Melo of Portugal. Wellington 15 year-old Cushla Hume-Merry was the top performing female at the regatta which has just concluded in Brazil. Competition was fierce between McLay and Melo who shared the lead for the first few days of the regatta. They didn’t race against each other until the fleet was split for finals for the last two days of the six day event. Full story at www.yachtingnz.org.nz >

Posted 15/12/2005


Memoirs of Memorial Regatta:
14 Dec - Near-perfect sailing conditions combined with a spirit of fair-play were the order of the day as a total of over 420 boats of various shapes and sizes raced courses off Auckland’s North Shore. Waters which have previously hosted the America’s Cup saw a total of 35 keelers, multihulls and Etchells race a variety courses off Gulf Harbour Yacht Club. Full story >

Posted 14/12/2005


Who's going to Beijing?:
14 Dec - Get the feeling that Beijing is going to be a great Olympics for our sailing team? We've already pulled in some podium finishes at world events this season, and it seems the best is yet to come. Reforms at Yachting New Zealand have followed a disappointing performance in Athens in 2004. Davis was appointed as Olympic Director in May this year and has created a new Olympic sailing plan with the single-minded aim of winning medals. Olympic medal prospects are now identified early, then paired up with coaches and detailed programmes that will get the very best out of them. Read the story and find out who's in the squad >

Posted 14/12/2005


All I want for Christmas is a North Sails bag:
13 Dec - Looking for a seriously covetable gear bag this Christmas? Crew.org.nz sponsor North Sails NZ has launched a terrific range of sailing gear: bags, t-shirts, polos and caps. Starting at just $19, The bags are very well priced and come in a range of sizes, styles, and fabrics, including sail cloth and a women's tote bag. Click on the picture to view the selection.

Posted 13/12/2005


Distracted:
13 Dec - From International Marine Brokers - This Bavaria 42 Cruiser is the second of the new generation Bavaria to be based in the Marlborough Sounds and so far she has received a very enthusiastic welcome. On 25 Nov Duthie Lidgard and Jane Pares of IMB and Distracted's new owners, Sniffy and Bindy, hosted a launch party at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club. Members and invited guests joined us on board for wine and nibbles on a blustery Wellington evening. Most people were impressed with how light and spacious she is down below and the elegance of her clean lines. Distracted will be cruised extensively in the Marlborough Sounds and plans are afoot to take her up to the islands at some point in the future. Sniffy and Bindy are delighted with her and as well known racers and cruisers out of Wellington they are great ambassadors for the Bavaria

Posted 13/12/2005


Advance notice: Anniversary regatta:
13 Dec - This looks great: the 2006 edition of the NZ Herald Anniversary Day Regatta, on Monday 30 January, is going to be a very special one. The Governor General will formally start the Regatta by firing the start gun for the A Division fleet from the Royal NZ Navy vessel ‘Te Kaha’. A parade of classic yachts and launches followed by the Tall Ships will encircle the Waitemata Harbour, and the Tall Ships will also race. There is a great selection of harbour and short passage racing for keelers, multis and centreboarders, starting from Orakei, Mahurangi, Kawau, Islington Bay and Orapiu details of which are at www.regatta.org.nz. “Don’t miss out on being part of our oldest sporting event," says Auckland Anniversary Regatta Chairman Eric Henry.

Posted 13/12/2005


Sunday brings fair winds for UpTo26 racing:
13 Dec - From Andrew Neame - After drifting conditions on Day 1, and a strong breeze on Day 2, the wind gods blessed Day 3 of the UpTo26 Summer Series with 10-15 knot nor-easters, swinging over 20 degrees. The moderate conditions saw some close racing, with frequent calls of "Starboard" and "Buoy Room"at the top and bottom marks. The biggest turnout was the Tracker division with 9 boats competing. Line honours went to Elly, followed by Bushranger and Christie. Tomorrow Bird sailed well but were over the line in the second race, dropping them down on points. The Reactor division was won convincingly by Umeme on line, as was the Farr 727s by Quarter Pint. In the Noelex 22s Pure Magic came out on top. The mixed division was dominated by Markone, with High Profile and Crocodile third equal. Full results >

Posted 13/12/2005


Blatant corruption:
12 Dec - What appears to be a corrupt file has caused some issues with our forums today. Nik is working on it, but we are waiting for 'spare parts' and we hope it will be restored within the next day. In the meantime, if you have any rumours, lies or serious sailing news please do email it to me: zoe@due-north.co.nz. Make sure you click on 'Breaking News' above, too, as loads of new stuff has been added today. Thanks for your patience.

Posted 12/12/2005


18 footer Worlds Team named:
12 Dec - From Brad Marsh - The SsangYong 18 Foot Skiff Auckland Champs concluded on the Waitemata Harbour yesterday with a variable and shifty breeze that saw all the boats on their number two rigs but sometimes left searching for power. The victor on the day was Alex Vallings on his self sponsored C-Tech boat who took out both races. In second place finished Chris Hirst who has shown remarkable improvement over the past few weeks as a result of a lot of time on the water. Graeme Catley in the SsangYong boat was third. Graeme did not have a very good day - after having to return home for his sailing gear, Graeme was late for the first start and then did not finish the race after trawling his kite when the halyard slipped the cleat. The result was a spectacular kite trawl and no reported fish caught. All three are confirmed to attend the Worlds in February. Chris Hirst has also been invited.

Posted 12/12/2005


Mystery solved:
12 Dec - Remember the photos of a half submerged catamaran spotted near Norfolk Island that the NZ Multihull Yacht Club received in October from the Rescue Co-ordination Centre? Another of our readers has a friend who was in Norfolk Island when the boat was salvaged. Here are the photos: Story and photos >

Posted 12/12/2005


Local knowledge pays off: OK Nat's:
12 Dec - Mark Perrow (Wakatere), Alistair Deaves (Wakatere) and Paul Rhodes (Worser Bay) took first, second and third respectively in the OK Dinghy Nationals held over the last week out of Wakatere Boating Club. The nationals also doubled as a selection trials for the upcoming World Championships in Australia in February, at which a team of 15 NZL sailors will be competing. "If recent form is anything to go by, hopes are high for some impressive results," says an OK representative. The OK Class has also decided to bid for the 2010 World Champs. Good luck with it.

Posted 12/12/2005


DIY keel project:
NEW FEATURE - Glen Jeffrey's writes about designing, building and fitting a new bulb keel to his 32 footer: "First off what is Oracle, she is a 32 foot keeler, the first of about 5 built locally. In D/D stressed Kauri ply sheathed in glass. Originally designed by Peter Nelson and built by Ewan Guy. There has been others of this design raced locally and quite successfully for some years (Scott/Fuzzi Duck) both of these were built lighter and with taller rigs. All of these have the same keel, basically a Davidson 28 trapeziod keel weighing 1.5 tonnes. Read the full story >

Posted 12/12/2005


Trans Tasman Solo: back from the dead:
11 Dec - The Solo Tasman Yacht Race, one of the southern hemisphere’s most iconic ocean racing events, is back on track for an April 2007 start. The 1246 nautical mile race has been run every four years since 1970, between New Plymouth and Mooloolaba, on the Queensland coast. But earlier this year the New Plymouth Yacht Club (NPYC), which organises the race, announced plans to withdraw it’s support, citing a lack of small boat facilities at Port Taranaki. The NPYC had considered asking Nelson yacht clubs to take the race on. The decision prompted an outcry from race supporters and a public meeting was held on October 2 to decide the future of the event. "We were surprised by the amount of support that the race had with the general public," NPYC commodore, Mark Hatch, said. Discussion >

Posted 11/12/2005


Bakewell-White design features in Monsoon Cup:
11 Dec - If you managed to catch the Monsoon Cup on Sky last week, you might have liked the look of the boats the guys were racing. I remember a couple of days later having a chat with a few people about the boat, but nobody was really sure what it was exactly. It turns out to be a Bakewell-White 36 and here is some info that Brett's office sent through this week. Thought you might like to have a look. More photos and details >

Posted 11/12/2005


McLay scores bronze at Worlds:
11 Dec - From YNZ - Blair McLay has won bronze at the Open Laser Radial World Championship which concluded last night in Fortaleza, Brazil. McLay improved his performance throughout the regatta with two wins and five top five finishes in the six race finals series. A win in his final race left him just one point shy of the silver medal claimed by Brad Funk of the USA. Eduardo Couto of Brazil won the title with a 15 point margin over Funk. Andrew Mowlem ending the regatta in 14th and Max Andrews in 22nd. Jo Aleh who earlier in the year placed 9th in a strong fleet at the European Champs finished this regatta in 21st place. Sara Winther was just behind her in 22nd overall.

Posted 11/12/2005


OK Dinghy Nationals:
11 Dec - From Alistair Deaves - Local boy Mark Perrow only has to sail two conservative races to win the OK Dinghy Nationals taking place off Takapuna this week. In second overall overnight, Alistair Deaves, sailed to a 5th and 12th in the first two races of the day before coming back to win the last two races of the day and now sits 8 points behind Perrow. Greg Wilcox had a couple of good races but scored OCS in the last race when he was 3rd over the line, dropping him down to 4th in the overall standings. Third place now is taken by Karl Purdie from Worser Bay. Click the photo for more images.


Posted 11/12/2005


18 update - Day 1:
11 Dec - From Brad Marsh - The first day of the SsangYong Auckland Champs has concluded with two races completed in variable breeze dying as the day wore on. The long courses gave a good chance for each crew to make gains and also make costly mistakes. Alex Vallings proved he had superior boat speed with his new carbon fibre racks. The weight gains helped to keep him moving through the light spots and greatly assisted him to accelerate in the puffs that placed themselves around the harbour. Alex took both races convincingly, leaving behind a tough fought battle for second and third plae. In second equal place stand Chris Hirst and Graeme Catley.

Posted 11/12/2005


Departing soon...:
8 Dec - Departing very soon from Australia to our shores is 2005's last containerload of Hobie 16s and Hobie Tigers. Of all the boats in the container, only four are left to purchase, and they are at a super good price because the manufacturer is paying for the shipping. The boats look like they'll arrive in time for the NZ Nationals, too. For information, telephone Gavin at Boat Bits and Takapuna Sailing Centre on (09) 486 2422, or visit the all-new Boat Bits website >

Posted 8/12/2005


Springclean at RaceTrack:
8 Dec - By Mark Mulcare - Well, another November, another 198 races come and gone. For December in RaceTrack, I'm doing a couple of small changes. First, I've set up the proper removal of boats no longer racing. This is sort of good news for people, they'll be, at least at first, 72 boats dropping out so quite a few people can expect to jump up the rankings a little. The second change is that a boat needs five races in the last two years to be displayed, and at least one race in the last year, the 'one year' part being the change from before. Anyway, to November's summary >

Posted 8/12/2005


Big time:
8 Dec - The Hauraki Gulf'll be busier than Queen Street on a Friday night this weekend. Not only has the Sir Peter Blake Memorial Regatta attracted more entries than ever before, from 17 different classes of boats, but the OK Dinghy Nationals are taking place this weekend and have 35 entries, and this weekend is also the first weekend of the 18 foot skiff Auckland Champs that also serves as the qualifier for the Worlds team. We'll be keeping you posted.

Posted 8/12/2005


A Chain Reaction?:
6 Dec - Congrats to Dennis & Cath Hunt who have just taken possession of an Elliott 1050 called Chain Reaction. Dennis is the Commodore of the Ponsonby Cruising Club, and formerly owned the Farr 1104, Razzle Dazzle. Razzle Dazzle has emigrated north, to Mahurangi. The boat was sold by Tony Smith of Taylor Marine, who has also just listed the Ross 850, Cool Change, for sale.

Posted 6/12/2005


New online store:
5 Dec - Boat Bits and Takapuna Sailing Centre have launched a new online chandlery. Top brand deck and rigging gear, clothing, NAVMAN electronics, books, charts, Laser and Hobie accessories, and Henri Lloyd and Aigle wet weather clothing are all available at www.boatbits.co.nz. The website is easy to use, allowing you to compare products, and make secure purchases online with your credit card, with the purchases delivered directly to your door. It all comes with friendly advice and help available in-store at Barry’s Point Road, or by phone or email. Plus these guys are one of the original Crew.org.nz sponsors, and really deserve your support.


Posted 5/12/2005


What's this?:
4 Dec - First glimpses of the new Elliott 11, 'Mrs Jones', launched on the Waitemata last week. Click the image for more pics by Will at Ocean Photography. Forum discussion >

Posted 4/12/2005


We have a winner...:
2 Dec - from VOR - At 1324 GMT today, an ecstatic Mike Sanderson brought ABN AMRO ONE safely into Cape Town to claim leg one of Volvo Ocean Race. After 6,400 nautical miles, and 19 days, 24 minutes and 2 seconds at sea, this team, which also holds the new monohull 24-hour world record, now leads the Volvo Ocean Race by one point, clocking up a total of 11.5 points so far. “It’s unbelievable to be here,” said Sanderson as he brought the boat into the dock. “Team ABN AMRO has worked so hard on this. Before we started we were told by our designer Juan Kouyoumdjian, that we would average 16 knots on this leg and we a laughed. We have averaged 15.95 knots and put in nearly 400 miles almost every day of this leg. I am not sure if I could call it fun. It seemed very high stress but to see Table Mountain is always a pleasure and we are really looking forward to our time here.” ABN Amro 2 finished six hours behind. Race website >


Posted 2/12/2005