Sailing to & Cruising in New Zealand

22/01/2024

Seeking 3rd Partner in a Catamaran Syndicate

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

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

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

For those interested in finding out more about this unique opportunity, please email [email protected] and I’ll connect you 🙂

15/11/2023

Island Cruising NZ has announced that it has acquired the Down Under Rally, in a move that marks a significant expansion for the New Zealand based rally organiser according to Managing Director Viki Moore...

17/02/2023

A man on a catamaran in distress has been rescued and is safe on board Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana. His anchor broke and he drifted out to sea,

03/01/2023

The adventure is underway. Island Cruising NZ

Some of the boats are now safely anchored in Tata Bay after an adventurous trip down the west coast. Great pic from Mari.

20/05/2022

WHANGAREI MARINE GROUP

The Whangarei Marine Group was set up to promote, streamline and improve the services available to international yachts visiting our unique city. Membership is open to all Whangarei marine businesses with a proven track record of quality work and service in Whangarei.

Our members offer a comprehensive range of top quality and easily accessible services. They agree to abide by the Group’s code of conduct, which ensures a high standard of work and customer satisfaction.

Whangarei has a strong tradition of boat building and servicing the marine industry. Among the Marine Group’s members are many long-established businesses. Some are small family affairs where the person doing the work is also the owner, while others have developed into large companies. The theme running through them all is a commitment to quality and their customers: the visiting sailors.

If you need information or help finding services you can contact any of our members, whose details are provided on this website.

www.whangareimarine.co.nz

Using the information we provide on our website owners and crew of yachts cruising in the South Pacific can either plan and make bookings for major refits well ahead, or if they need more urgent work done, they can have their needs rapidly assessed.

The logic is simple: without the visiting yachts Whangarei would not have such a vibrant and diverse marine industry. Local boaties and sailors, many of whom work in the marine industries, also benefit from these high quality services, as does the community at large, who enjoy hosting such an interesting range of visitors.

Many of our clients are repeat customers or have heard about our city’s reputation from others sailing the South Pacific. We are client-focused businesses, who know that if we provide exceptional customer services and workmanship, then you will be our best advertisers.

09/04/2022

Have you read the TRUE STORY of the STORM we published in April Ahoy Sailing? It is an incredible tale and a reminder of the importance of staying with the boat if the worst happens.
To read the story in the April Ahoy go to: https://www.downunderrally.com/ahoy

06/03/2022

"Voicing our dream made us committed. Come hell or high water; we’d make it happen. Well, since then, there’s been some hell and plenty of high water..." The Lewis Family AKA Brave Sailing. Read the full article in the FREE March issue of Ahoy Sailing NEWS.
https://issuu.com/downunderrally/docs/ahoy_newsletter_-_march_22/43

01/03/2022

MASSIVE MARCH ISSUE - 91 PAGES! In the March Ahoy: •SW Pacific & Australia Maritime Borders Update.•2022 Down Under Rally Updates. •Marine Insurance - There has to be a better way!•Sailing No Regrets - Brisbane to Cape York.•Llama Overboard - WHAT? •Medical Emergency Response.•BRAVE in...

12/02/2022

It might be a bit colder than we are used to here in Queensland Australia but how nice does it look at Stewart Island / Rakiura The South Island - New Zealand with Island Cruising NZ

05/02/2022

23/01/2022

OUTLOOK FROM (TCO-SP)
The January 2022 Long-Range Tropical Cyclone Outlook for the Southwest Pacific (TCO-SP) suggests below-normal TC activity for the remaining 2021/22 Southwest Pacific TC season (1st February to 30th April 2022)
Download the detailed outlook HERE
https://tcoutlook.com/swpacific/latest-outlook/

19/01/2022

Picture perfect for the Island Cruising NZ

Stunning day in Queen Charlotte Sound today. The yachts are enjoying the sunshine and the Waikawa Boating Club extensive network of moorings throughout the Sounds. There’s a southerly due through tonight and then they’ll start making their way further south to Lyttelton.
PredictWind Lawson's Dry Hills Wines Parker Marine Group Spire NZ Port Whangarei Marine Centre Punga Cove Resort Furneaux Lodge Passage Guardian

06/01/2022

Multihull Solutions Auckland Boat Show

01/01/2022

In the January Ahoy: •Plans in the sand at low tide •Australia Day On Sydney Harbour •SW Pacific & Australia Maritime Borders Update •2022 Rally News •Diving New Caledonia •Can You See Me? (AIS Discussion) •Sailing with No Regrets •Equipping A Yacht For Offshore Cruising •Do You Kn...

31/12/2021

24/12/2021

21/09/2021

We sail to Whangaruru Harbour in Northland for the Christmas holiday period. Join us for a short sail up the coast to beautiful Mimiwhangata Bay and Whangaru...

20/09/2021

Latest update:
20/9/21

Taking the westerly route to Picton

After coming in from crossing the Tasman Sea just 4 days ago, it seems strange to retrace our track up the east coast to Cape Reinga and go back out there again. The west coast is the fastest, shortest route to Picton and with 20-30 knot tail winds its too tempting to ignore.

With the 3 days in dock spent on tidy up, drying out, some repairs including; replacing the salt water pump, water-proofing the mast base (we hope) into the mid cabin and a few other minor jobs, its been a productive and relaxing time for the crew. Last night NZ Customs arrived at 8:30pm to approve our departure and farewell us. All in all they have been great to deal with in the circumstances and always smiling and friendly. We also had few people stop by the dock and say hello from behind the fenced off corden including a visit from my parents who live nearby.

We departed from the quarantine berth, moved to the fuel dock to take on 850 litres of diesel and then hoisted the mainsail before we headed off into the cloudy night, lit up by a full moon that made the entire sky glow, like a heavily dimmed light bulb. We headed out into 18-25 knots on the nose and motor-sailed for a while with just the main up, but once the sea state got too rough we hoisted the staysail and turned off the engine. Its a long 100nm slog up the coast into the head winds, rain squalls and 2-3m seas, but once we round Cape Reinga it will be downwind sailing in 20-30 knots all the way to Picton.

The crew were ready to head back to sea and complete the final leg which should see us arrive late Wednesday or early Thursday if we can average 8 knots + on the West Coast downwind sleigh ride. Everyone is tired this morning, we stayed up later than normal before getting into our watch system. The bow bounced up and down like a bucking bronco as we charged upwind through the night, with the girls in the forward cabin and Chris getting airborne a few times.

Now its all about getting around the corner as soon as we can, so we can bear away and get back to some smooth fast sailing.
David

Follow tracker: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com/live-tracker

14/09/2021

This is the start of our major refit of Brave, Lagoon 450. Interspersed with some family fun around Whangarei

16/05/2021

Check out this drone footage of New Zealand's Poor Knights Islands. These islands have some beautiful archways and caves.

Poor Knights Video May 15, 2021 During this little New Zealand cruise we’re on, we had the chance to anchor at Poor Knights Islands. Here are some highlights in a short video set to music. The video includes two flights through caves and arches. There’s a small cave that I was too afraid to fly ...

06/01/2021

Looks like a great place to spend a few days exploring! Enjoy SV Jasper II

03/01/2021

Great Barrier Island, a great cruising destination and a favourite of ours. Cheers to Rockstar Adventures for sharing.

11/11/2020

During our recent Sailing to & Cruising the SW Pacific webinar we talked about visiting Fiji by departing from New Zealand and the opportunity to obtain full inward clearance into the Lau Group with Island Cruising NZ. Below, thanks to PredictWind, are the tracks of some of the vessels who did just that in 2019.
Missed the webinar?
No worries you can watch the recorded version at: https://youtu.be/52u5C2N0Dvo

We think the Pacific Circuit Rally fleet are certainly exploring the extremities of Fiji. Great image from the PredictWind traking page.

https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/rally/ICNZ_2019-PCR/

11/11/2020

An invite from the Bay of Islands Marina - Opua

09/11/2020

Watch to learn about making the voyage to and cruising the SW Pacific Islands including New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, & New Zealand and the Solomon Islands.

20/10/2020

16/10/2020

If not for Covid the first Island Cruising NZ / Down Under Rally 'Go South Rally' would probably be looking to depart New Caledonia for Bay of Islands Marina - Opua where the participants would be welcomed and enjoy a week of festivities.
Maybe next year?
https://www.downunderrally.com/go-south-rally-about

01/10/2020

Join Russ & Margy a.k.a SV Sunrise - First Leopard 50 in Australia as they sail from Bay of Islands Marina - Opua to Port Denarau Marina Fiji.

The Fijian Prime Minister announced that Fiji was open to boats on the Sunday night. By Monday morning we had booked our COVID test, completed and emailed ou...

25/09/2020

Thanks for sharing Cyndi & Rich. Sailing to & Cruising in New Zealand

Taken out at New Zealand's Waiheke Island, this is our first attempt at a drone video for twoatsea.com. The drone is a Mavic Air 2. The boat is Legacy. Our b...