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Akld to Tga - November


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The Tauranga Yacht Club is considering moving the A2T race to November, maybe 2-3 weeks after the Coastal Classic.

We would like some feedback on what fellow sailors/racers think, looking at the Akld calendar it would be after the Gold Cup and starting on a Friday. It is probably too late to run it this year but I was thinking about 2016, running the event in late November should coincide with more favourable weather conditions.

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Speaking personally - I think this,could have merit. More boats in cat3 race trim before re-moding for summer cruising. Effectively you have the ssanz races, the CC then a2t. Can't help but think it would benefit all.

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Thanks for the feedback, it would be nice to get some more. I heard of a possible 3 leg race in that November time spot that starts in Akld then stops in Tga, the next leg up to Bay of Islands, followed by a return leg to Akld. Anyone else heard of that race possibility?

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Its a great idea to change the date. I've only done one Auckland tga and hated it. We drifted for a large proportion of it and I got pretty seasick. It was enough to put me off entering again. I hear this year was pretty bad for it as well. If it was moved to a time when it was more likely to be windy then I would definitely be more keen to race. I'd rather be sailing in 40knots than nothing!

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If anyone got seasick on this years race they should probably stick to tiddlywinks. Was lightish but the breeze hung in there for the bulk of the course with flat water.

November would definitely be better weather but wouldn't want it too close to labor weekend which is a moving target.

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fwiw, appreciate Easter isn't working quite as well as the Tauranga fraternity would wish, but two problems I think with November.

 

First which has already been hinted at, being as close as it will be to Coastal Classic, with White Island/Yates/Three Kings/Wellington at a similar time and with the majority of the Gold Cup on pre Christmas, there's just too much coastal racing at that time not to be diluting the fleets. 

 

Second, with no long weekend it's pretty much committing boats to missing prize giving, taking an extra days leave to get the boat back or leaving the boat in Tauranga with the logistics that implies (yes, I know the Tauranga types already have that headache at Easter).

 

Sorry, just don't see it working any better than Easter at the moment.

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Yep, it wouldnt work for me either. If I understand things correctly Easter always has a full moon and that makes navigation down the coast easier at night, and then there is plenty of time (3 days) to get back. November is too close to the Coastal (sometimes we dont bring the boat back until weekend following), Gold Cup, thoughts of the White Island race, all at a time when many of us are ramping up for year end. November would kill it for me.

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Personally I have found this to be a very challenging an enjoyable race, first you have to get out of Auckland, then across the gulf an around the corner, then through the merc's an the hole in the wall, then across the western bay....each with its own challenge. Many more options than the coastal, more technical.

Easter has worked well as this is the end of Summer event, while the Coatal is the starting one. The starting day works to, as we still have most of the weekend available to sail in the lake as well, a traditional weekend for the trailer yachts to meets as well.

November tends to be a busy time ....

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We would be keen to do this race sometime but as mentioned above  Easter just doesn't work for us (and many many others I suspect) bacause it's been our last family cruising weekend away for the last few years.  

 

We would be happy with late April/May (avoid the SSANZ Anzac race). November is busy and December is manic for non-sailing reasons.  If a long weekend is required, what about Queens Birthday weekend?  

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Queens birthday tends to have similar issues to Easter (blowing like snot or nothing)

What about Waitangi Day weekend?

Warm breeze and most people are back at work by then and looking for an excuse to get back out on the water.

 

I do think the coastal labour weekend has been blessed with good conditions in recent years which could give some an unrealistic view of what to expect weather-wise in a coastal race in New Zealand.

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Hi--November wouldn't  work for me .I usually have difficulty getting crew numbers up after the CC until Christmas time as everyone is so busy .

We would like to do another White Island (no problem with numbers as starts/finishes in AKL ) but l wouldn't do the A2T as there is the matter of getting the boat back for the Squadron Wednesday night race .The concern for me is never the race but getting the boat back to AKL which is why the Easter arrangement worked for me .

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