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Auckland to Tauranga Multihulls


gopher

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What will it take to get the Multihull and 8.5 numbers up for this great race?

This is possibly the best race for Multihulls in New Zealand. the course is more technical than the Coastal Classic with more points of sail.

Have a look at the thread under Racing for Auckland to Tauranga Race and give some positive input.

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I'd like, of course, to encourage anyone running a yacht race. It's a difficult under taking, and they need all the support the can get. 

 

But from my personal point of view this is my thoughts on the Alk to Tga race.

 

I've done it three times, twice on Pulse and once on X Factor.

 

Going into Tauranga harbour in a big Easterly with big waves, at night, I've never been so scared on a boat.

 

Then getting into the bridge marina with tide running through it, when already shattered from the entrance, is no fun.

 

Walking or waiting for a ride (yes it was well done by people at the time) back to the Yacht Club just felt inconvenient. 

 

This may have changed, but waiting a whole extra day for the prize giving was frustrating, as I would prefer to be sailing gently North, rather than rushing in a couple of days. There could have been a nice day at the Barrier on the way home.

 

 

So it is unlikely I'll be doing it again. My boat can race and cruise, and it's very likely I'll be enjoying wineries and other multihulls rafted up at Waiheke over Easter.

 

But again best of luck with the race and entries. It is a challenging course and a well run event. 

 

I think we need a serious discussion about the whole multihull calendar. But let's start a new thread on that...

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Sorry but I disagree Tim. I've done the race about 6 times on Superbird With GD and the worst experience we've had was not finishing twice due to lack of wind,and that's not Taurangas fault, in fact they ended up being fishing trips at the Barrier so not all bad. 

 

If it's a big Easterly or NE we probably wouldn't leave Auckland anyway.

 

I agree coming into Tauranga isn't easy. There's so many flashing lights it's like sailing into a disco, but if we wanted easy.... we'd sail to Waiheke.

 

But the of 4 races we finished, one was at anchor close in by the bridge, the shuttle was no more inconvenient than waiting for a water taxi at russell. the other 3 were at the club marina. Excellent.

 

The last race we did there was 2013. They had the prizegiving on Friday night and by Saturday night we were tucked away at the Mercs pulling in Snapper and listening to GD's heavy rock collection.

 

Sunday saw a beautiful cruise down to the bottom end of Waiheke for some more fishing. What a great weekend.

 

People who say they "lose" a weekend by sailing to Tauranga, I don't get it.

 

The Multi-hull scene these days is dominated by 8.5's which are terrifically exciting boats but basically just day sailers with limited galley and accomodation facilities. They get away with doing the Coastal because they're all tucked away by dusk whereas the Tauranga is not usually just a drag race and takes a little more time and effort.

 

Anyway GD and I like the challenge and will continue to do the Tauranga. Just thought I'd put my 2-bobs worth in.

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Well done that man - very honest. I've only ever done the race on keelers and loved it for the difficulty of the race (same goes for the white is. race). Also enjoyed the sail back as much for the same reasons as you.

I tend also to agree with you re the 8.5s - personally (and this only my personal opinion) I think the club (and Tauranga and BOI) worry too much about getting the 8.5s to participate and should be concentrating on the cruisers, who can involve their families in the fun, or the bigger race boats - well the few that are left.

You can't realistically race with the family up or down the coast on an 8.5 - and as clipper points out - with young families it's hard to get more than one long weekend a year off to bugger off with the boys.

In NZ I think that something's gonna change for these coastal races.

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I have only done the race in reasonable sized mono hulls. They were memorable, quite scary around Channel Island and then quite slow near the finish. We always got a birth in the marina given to us,  some of the smaller boats squeezed in top to tail. It is on my to do list on our GBE one day. We don't have hot showers, an oven or a plush leather couch on our boat. Opted to do the nationals because it will be a bigger fleet for us and much easier.

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