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Have-A-Go!

Join us for the Wakatere Have-a-Go Day for Adults on Saturday, 19th October 2024 and learn about our adult sailing programs, our boats, and our club. Coaches will be on hand to take you sailing in the club's RS Feva & RS Quest boats.This event is open to anyone 18 and over, with no experience required.Date: October 19th, 2024Time: 1pm - 4pmCost: FreeWelcome: 1:00pm sharpPlease wear sailing-appropriate clothing, as you may get wet. Buoyancy vests provided, just bring a towel and change of clo...

Holiday Clinics

Wakatere is rolling out the first club Opti Clinics for 2024/25 this October.  The school holidays are a perfect time to refresh your fleet racing skills, set goals and focus on the season ahead, regardless of your level.Sessions will include sailing, theory, video analysis and fun led by Head Coach Gauthier Thomas.  Opti OPEN CLINIC 2 options for Opti Open - 3 or 4 days!4 DAY: Tues 1st - Fri 4th (4 days) 3 DAY: Tues 1st - Thurs 3rd (3 days)  Time: 9am - 4pm ea...

Coaching Info Session

Junior sailors, parents & supporters,Join us this Sunday afternoon, October 13th, at the club for a Coaching Information Session. You'll have the opportunity to meet coaches Helena Sanderson and Gauthier Thomas as they present an overview of the season plans, introduce our programmes, and explain how you can get involved. Don’t miss out on this chance to connect with the coaches!Parents, please support your child by attending. Your encouragement is crucial for their progress, regardless of...

Start the Season Together

We are honoured to have Ngahiwi Walker from the Royal New Zealand Navy join us to lead a mihi whakatau (a Māori welcome that is less formal than a pōwhiri) to welcome everyone to the 2024/2025 season. Ngahiwi is a Devonport local and committed to sharing Maori culture with communities. Some of you may recall him from the fantastic Opti Nationals Opening ceremony!  We will also hold a naming ceremony to launch our two RS Quests – that's right, the Club has acquired an additional boat! Ha...

Join Us This Spring

With the new season upon us, it's time to welcome some fresh faces to our sailing community. Join us for the 2024/25 season at Wakatere.The Club calendar is looking jam-packed with exciting events, from club racing on Sundays to Social Sailing on Thursdays plus a sprinkling of regattas. And, if you're a budding sailor or looking to brush up on your skills, our junior & youth coaching is ready to set sail all week long.We are thrilled to have Head Coach Gauthier Thomas and Operations & Pr...

Welcome to the Sunburst Season

Join us at Wakatere on Sunday 8th Sept for a warm welcome to the season from class rep Bruce Yarnton, followed by a Rigging & Tuning Session with Sunburst guru Andrew Brown. Andrew sailed a Sunburst named Vagrant for many years. Together with his son Cameron, they clinched their first national title when Cam was just six years old and won 6 more after that. In fact Andrew has nine Sunburst national titles in all. Drawing from practical sailing experience and coaching elit...

Sail Away This Spring

Are you looking for a great outdoor activity for your child this coming school holidays?Learning to sail will teach them skills for life - skills like self-confidence, spatial awareness, sense of direction, weather knowledge, and responsibility and it's a fantastic way to get outside, have fun, and make new friends. Courses are led by Yachting New Zealand qualified Learn to Sail instructors and follow the Yachting New Zealand Learn to Sail curriculum. This is a step up from the NZ scho...

Get 'Approved'

We have a couple of important safety courses coming up at Wakatere. These will put you in a great position to confidently help your class, perhaps your sailor, and our club. It's a win-win-win!Courses are a legal requirement of our operating procedure. Regardless of previous experience, you cannot drive a Wakatere patrol boat or tractor without being formally added to the club's 'approved' list.  Let’s get you qualified this season! PATROL BOAT SAFETY COURSE+ COURSE FULL. Regist...

Volunteers Welcome

We value all helping hands at Wakatere Boating Club to make our events top-notch and safe. If you're keen to dive into the action, you'll be backed up by our sailing committee, race officers, and skilled sailing class reps who will guide you every step of the way.We are aware that many individuals in our local community have sailing expertise or experience on the water - if you are looking to get back to it, we enthusiastically encourage you to volunteer for our Sunday duty roster or occasi...

Junior Sprints at WBC

Wakatere is the host club for Saturday 10th August 2024.All Optimists (Green and Open), P-Class, Starling Development & Starling Open, RS Feva, and Open Skiff juniors are welcome to race in this fun event.Online registration is now open so help us plan for the day by registering as soon as possible and then pay by eftpos at the club on Sat 10th.   Note the Briefing time has been brought forward to 12:30. This changes NOR 7.2For Registration, NOR, and all the other important bi...

Sail Fast (Opti Open)

Winter SailFAST welcomes the Wakatere OPTI OPEN group to join in on winter training at the club, combining fun with the thrill of learning to sail fast.This program will take sailors through to the summer season (June - Sept), working alongside the Auckland Junior Sprint Series.Daily MVP prizes (hot chips) and when the weather suits we can have some family fun after the sailing has finished. One fee, attend as many sessions as you can.Cost: $285 (incl GST)Time: 10:30 am to 1:30 pmCoach: exciting...

Sail Through Winter (C2-Opti Green)

The Wakatere coaching team is rolling out some fun sailing for our younger Opti sailors to stay active and keep learning over the winter months. The program is called WINTER WARRIORS and is for our C1, C2, any C2 sailors thinking of transitioning to Green fleet, and Green fleet.Depending on the number of signups and level of experience, groups will be split:to focus on learning new skills and practice techniquesto focus on race procedures and tactics for anyone keen to learn to start racing...

2024 Senior Winter Series

Wakatere will be running a series for senior classes this winter. It's open to OK Dinghy, Farr 3.7, Zephyr, A Class Cat, Finn and Sunburst classes. This is a fun low-key sailing series to keep the skills sharp and stay connected to your class. Racing will be run by a club coach with no rescue support.  Short races, 3min starts with handheld flags from a tiller steer. The club bar will be open afterwards and the heaters will be on! One flat entry fee: $80 (May-A...

The Great Kiwi Cup Raffle

Update: this raffle is now closed. Hope you have the winning ticket! Closes 24th July 2024Drawn 29th July 2024Please get behind the club, buy a raffle ticket, and help raise funds for new engines & equipment upgrades to our Learn-to-Sail boats.You’ll also be in to win a trip to Barcelona for the 37th America’s Cup at the same time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!This national raffle organized by RNZYS has a major prize valued at $35,690.  In a matter of months, you could be on your way to watch Emirat...

July Learn 'N Burn

This mid-winter Learn 'N Burn windfoil clinic is designed to keep it together, be together, and learn from the best.We are excited to announce that the clinic will be led by coaches Patrick Haybittle & Gary Hill with the addition of rockstar windfoil coach Aaron McIntosh - two-time Olympian, international Olympic coach and currently working with the ETNZ Youth team on the AC40 for Barcelona. Don't miss this opportunity!The July clinic will run over three days from 18th - 20th July 2024. It w...

Prizegiving's Big Night

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Club Prizegiving last Friday 14th June. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our members' achievements, and the insightful words of guest speaker Prof. Mark Orams certainly captured everyone's attention. Mark went above and beyond to emphasize the value of being a member of a sailing club just like ours. You could have heard a pin drop! Thank you, Mark.Congratulations to all the club racing placegetters, recipients of special class awards, junior and ...

Changing of the Guard

Following the recent 2024 Annual General Meeting, we have a few changes to announce. Julia Faire officially handed over the responsibilities of Commodore to Greg Salthouse, who moves up from Vice Commodore and carries on the Salthouse family legacy at Wakatere. A warm welcome to our newly appointed Vice Commodore, Mat Dunne, and Treasurer, Andrew Mackay. The Secretary position remains in the capable hands of Pip White. They are all familiar faces at Wakatere and we ...

Ed's Clipper Race Talk

Wakatere sailor Ed Crook joined UNICEF UK in Uruguay for three legs of the Clipper Round the World Race between October 2023 and January 2024.  He is stealing himself to recount his South Atlantic, Roaring Forties, and Australia Coast to Coast experiences with you, and answer any questions about this adventure of a lifetime. Thursday 4th July 2024 at 7pm At Wakatere Boating ClubAll welcome Club bar open Visitors please introduce yourselves at the bar to be ‘signed...

P Class Intergalactic

Intergalactic Freshwater Champs for the P Class is back this June - Sat 22nd & Sun 23rd June 2024 at Lake PupukeVenue: Lake Pupuke, Sylvan Park Ave, MilfordHead to the regatta page for more details -👽 REGATTA PAGEOrder a t-shirt online while you're there! ...

AGM All Members Welcome

Please note that the Wakatere Boating Club Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 19th June 2024 at 8.00 pm.Flag officer reports will be presented and the official positions of Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Treasurer, and Secretary for the 2024/25 season will be confirmed.The AGM is also the official forum for members' issues, suggestions, or improvements. Please mark your calendar.Apologies can be sent to Secretary Pip White at wakatere.secretary@gmail.com-AGM-Wed 19th...

Prizegiving 2024

Club Prizegiving for the 2023/24 season will be held on Friday 14th June at Wakatere. We are thrilled to announce that the guest speaker for the night will be Mark Orams.As a former NZ and world champion sailor, Team New Zealand member, author, environmentalist, and Professor of Sport and Recreation at the Auckland University of Technology he is affectionately known as the “sailing professor”. He speaks passionately about all that he does. Prizegiving is for the whole club to celeb...

Lend a Hand at Wakatere

As a volunteer-run club, we are always looking for more help, and you don't have to be a club member or sailor to get involved. Here are some of the ways you can help, pick one and get in touch -ASHORE: General club compound help on Sundays for putting the hoses out; putting the flag pole out;  walking boat trollies to and from the beach for sailors; race radio VHF comms on Sunday in the race office (club training given); tractor driver (club training given); prepping patrol boats...

Join the Working Bee 🐝

Be a Wakatere Super Hero by volunteering your time on Saturday 11th May 9.00am – 12.00pm for the END OF SEASON WORKING BEE.Saturday 11th May 20249:00 am - 12:00 pm Even if you can only come for an hour or two, any time you can give will be greatly appreciated. The more helpers we have, the easier and quicker the work will be done.Please bring whatever tools you're handy with, a few cleaning products, and some willing hands.   Saturday 11th May 20249:00 am - 12:00 pm Check i...

Nominate a Fellow Member

As part of our annual prizegiving, Wakatere awards a number of Prestige Prizes which club members nominate. Nominations are then put to a guest panel for review and final selection.We have awards for sailing performance, sportsmanship, and for being helpful - we try to cover everything at Wakatere.We warmly invite all club members to submit a nomination, choosing as many categories as you can (one or all). *Nominations extended until midday Tues 4th June 2024.  NOMINATION FOR...

Welcome to Closing Day at Wakatere

Club members,With plenty of action still happening on our waters, it’s hard to believe that the season is nearing the end with Wakatere Closing Day on Sunday 5th May 2024. However, we plan to go out with some Closing Day fun and a post-racing BBQ so pencil this date in.Join us on Sunday 5th May and bring the whole family.  We have some fun parent-child racing, Season Points, and a club BBQ after sailing. It's been a huge season and we have lots to celebrate. After...