Story: Sailing and windsurfing
Auckland – the ‘city of sails’ – has more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world. For over 150 years, New Zealanders have raced in sailing craft, from superb kauri keelers to home-made dinghies. In the 1980s Kiwi yachties and leading-edge designers emerged on the international scene. Since then they have won, successfully defended, and lost the America’s Cup.
Full story by Harold Kidd
Main image: The classic yacht Tawera heads out into Auckland Harbour
The Short Story
A quick, easy summary
Read the Full StorySailing
New Zealand has plenty of wind and water, and Kiwis love sailing. At harbours and ports they compete in races or just have fun. In 2001 about 30,000 people belonged to yacht clubs.
1870s: regattas
From the late 19th century people began sailing as a sport. Sailboats were used for transport or to carry goods, but people also raced in them, especially at regattas (organised boat races). At the Auckland Regatta, Māori and European fishermen and traders would compete. Fast mullet boats, used for fishing, were converted into racing craft.
Yachts
Unlike sailboats, yachts have decks. They are quite large, and have living space below the deck. The first yachts were built especially for racing at regattas or cruising the Hauraki Gulf. Soon, yacht clubs around the country were promoting the sport.
Boat building
From the 1890s Auckland was the main centre for yacht builders. They used kauri wood, which was very strong. The Logan and Bailey families were famous for building fast racing yachts.
People also built smaller boats called pātiki, and dinghies. These were popular for racing at Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Growing popularity
More people joined clubs and raced in major competitions. They also enjoyed watching the races. In 1939, 100,000 people watched a race in Auckland Harbour.
New kinds of yacht
New boat designs were grouped in classes from A to Z. The M-class was a glamorous racing yacht. The P-class was small and safe, and schoolboys could build their own using plywood and glue. In the 1970s, fast boats such as Lasers and catamarans were made of ferro-cement or fibreglass.
Cruising
In 1933 Johnny Wray, a young sailor with no money, built his own cruiser and sailed it around the Pacific. He became a hero for many Kiwi yachties. Cruising is popular in the Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Islands and Marlborough Sounds.
International success and the America’s Cup
Designer Bruce Farr, skipper Peter Blake and others helped New Zealand succeed internationally. In 1995 Team New Zealand won the premier trophy, the America’s Cup. Kiwi Russell Coutts successfully defended the cup in 2000, and won it for Italy in 2003.
Windsurfing
Windsurfing is a mixture of sailing, surfing and skiing. The first New Zealand windsurfer was built in 1975. Kiwi men and women, including Bruce and Barbara Kendall, have been international medal-winners.
There are 11 windsurfer clubs, and the main racing event is the Taranaki Wave Classic.
