Boating NZ May 2022

Well, it’s official. No surprises, I suppose – the intention to head offshore was flagged very early on – but Auckland will not host the 37th America’s Cup event in 2024. Instead, the Spanish city of Barcelona will have that honour – and responsibility. Staging a successful America’s Cup event is no easy task, as Auckland found out last time around when the pandemic made a difficult logistics task even harder. That the 36th America’s Cup took place at all is something of a miracle, for which ETNZ deserves credit. Not only was the team instrumental in staging a memorable event, it also handsomely won the contest – at home in front of Kiwi fans. However, ETNZ won’t be the home team in Barcelona. For many Kiwis they will no…

Barcelona is one of the most iconic and attractive cities in the world and will become the first venue in the world to host both an Olympic Games and an America’s Cup event. America’s Cup Defender Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton is delighted to announce Barcelona as the Host Venue after a long and competitive venue selection process. “As Defender of the America’s Cup, we have always felt the responsibility to grow the event, the audience, and the sport of sailing on a global scale and certainly having the event hosted in a significant city such as Barcelona will allow us to propel the growth trajectory on the global sporting stage,” he said. Racing will take place within a few hundred metres of Barcelona’s beaches, waterfront, and race…

As the longest steel and aluminium yacht below 500GT (gross ton) in the world, the 55m Al Waab is not only a milestone project for the Antalya, Turkey, based Alia shipyard, she also sets a new industry standard in terms of external and internal spaces for her category. Al Waab offers 42% more exterior space (including storage for two tenders) and 8% more interior space than comparable yachts on the market. The yacht can sleep up to 12 guests in six staterooms – rare on a 499GT yacht – including a lavish split-level master suite on the upper deck with a private four-metre pool on the foredeck. A sprawling beach club in the stern is another highlight and by placing the tender bay in a sunken deck in the bow,…

A light southerly on April 8 saw yachts competing in 500nm RNZYS Three Kings Offshore Race head out from Westhaven with the sun low behind them, caught here by Boating New Zealand photographer Roger Mills. Wired led the fleet round North Head from Equilibrium as the yachts faced the start of an incoming tide and light winds. The colourful spinnakers made a great sight as the yachts headed off up the Rangitoto Channel towards Whangaparoa. Wired would eventually take PHRF and line honours, the fleet having to deal with three-metre swells and 30 knots of breeze in the Tasman north of New Zealand.…

The latest Allan Tongs build has joined Ownaship’s Auckland -based boat share fleet. Sapphire is the first of five AT43’s on order for Ownaship, with this and the next build due in December 2022 fully sold. Ownaship CEO Simon Barker optioned the boat with twin Volvo D6 440hp inboards on shaft drives and joystick controls. “It’s all New Zealand built with Kiwi boaties in mind. The intelligent design of Elite Marine’s Bill Upfold paired with the established quality of boat builder Allan Tongs is superb. It sleeps six people comfortably in three cabins. The social layout appeals to family fishers and luxury cruisers alike.” www.ownaship.co.nz www.allantongsboatbuilders.co.nz…

Biosecuriy NZ encourage anyone planning to take a vessel to Ahuahu Great Mercury Island, to avoid anchoring in the affected area where NIWA found what appeared to be an exotic Caulerpa in the waters between Paritu and Pukekoromiko Points. If anchoring in the area absolutely cannot be avoided, says Biosecurity NZ, inspect the anchor and chain when lifting it and remove any attached seaweed before moving. Return it to the sea in the anchoring area. Do not move it away from the area. The Controlled Area Notice and rāhui remain in force at Aotea Great Barrier Island, with controls on anchoring and fishing in the three affected harbours – Blind Bay, Tryphena Harbour and Whangaparapara Harbour. Options for managing the Ahuahu Great Mercury Island situation are being worked through. www.mpi.govt.nz…