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Learn to Sail this Spring

Learn the fundamentals of sailing in a safe and social environment at Wakatere. Sailing 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 at Wakatere are led by qualified Learn to Sail instructors and follow the Yachting New Zealand Learn to Sail curriculum.The Junior LTS courses are for the junior age group (8-11yrs)...

New Season Awaits

Celebrate the start of the 2023-2024 season with a whole club turnout at 11am on Sunday 10th September. A few short speeches followed by the traditional bang! Straight after the Opening Day ceremony, members, their families & partners are welcome to join our invited guests for a whole club morning tea. By way of a small food contribution to the morning tea, please bring a plate - home baking or store bought is fine. Thank you. Afternoon races follow and an old school sausage s...

Duty Calls

Wakatere runs regular Sunday club racing throughout the season and needs a full compliment of DUTY ROSTER roles to be filled to be able to provide safe racing for everyone. This is your commitment to membership. There are roles for all levels of ability, on the water and ashore. No experience required.  DUTY ROSTER - CLUB RACINGEach club member aged 15 or over (or parent of each junior sailor <15) will be rostered for Sunday CLUB RACING once either side of Christmas each season. No ...

All Hands On Deck

EcoMatters Environment Trust and Auckland Council came on board at the 2023 Toyota Opti Nationals Champs at Wakatere to showcase our zero waste initiatives in this video. A massive thanks to the club volunteers and all the local businesses that supported us.  More about Zero Waste Events More about EcoMattersMore about Sustainability at Wakatere The video case study, All Hands on Deck, was created by Davian Lorson of Taking Shape...

All Smiles At Wakatere

Wakatere club prizegiving drew a big crowd for 2023, How great to be celebrating at full strength after the last few years. Sailors and volunteers were acknowledged from all areas of the club with special thanks this year to our 2023 Opti Nats team - what an achievement and a half that was! Sunday afternoon racing and  junior coaching achievements were rewarded with trophies, certificates and applause. Guest speaker Nathan Outteridge fielded some great questions from the room, rel...

Position Vacant

Update 01/09/2023 - the position has been filled. A fantastic opportunity exists for a head coach to join Wakatere Boating Club - one of New Zealand's leading dinghy and foiling sailing clubs. This position will oversee the planning and coordination of coaching programmes at all levels for juniors, youth, and seniors. If you have the experience, along with great planning and communication skills, and a desire to be part of a friendly, family-orientated club, we’d love to he...

July Holiday Clinic

The 7-9 July clinic is now fully booked. Catch you next time!Any questions about joining future clinics, please get in touch with Gary Hill garyhillnz@gmail.comGary is the Windfoil class rep at Wakatere and front man for Windfoil NZ youth development. ...

End of Season Working Bee

SUNDAY 11th JUNE is our club End of Season Working Bee. We've had a huge 2022/23 and now it's time for a full pack down before winter sets in.Head to the club at 0930hrs and see Commodore Julia Faire in the hall for the job list 🐝  Sunday 11th June 20239.30-am-12pm at Wakatere What to bring Good yard broom, bucket, spade, small hand brushRange of general tools, whatever you are handy withKitchen surface cleaner, cloths/sponges for cupboard interiors and a full wi...

Winter Foiling

The Windfoil NZ Association is running a series of weekend clinics for junior and youth foilers this winter. The series is supported by Wakatere.   *The clinic on 27/28 May 2023 will be run from Akarana in conjunction with the YNZ AON Youth Clinic and it's all about developing skills, control and settings using 6-8m sails. Sailors must be already foiling.Open to Wakatere members & members of other clubs. Online bookings essential before turning up. NOW OPEN TO BOOK Sat 27...

Closing Day at Wakatere

Club members,As the club racing programme comes to an end for winter, join us on Closing Day and bring the whole family for some fun parent-child racing, two Season Points races and an informal gathering after sailing with food provided by the club. It's been a huge season and we have lots to celebrate. Afternoon racing will be the final two Season Points for the 2022/23 season. SCHEDULE1130 Green fleet parent-child races  1230 briefing (SP 45,46) Closing&...

Beginner Course for Adults

Put five Saturdays aside for yourself this autumn and learn to sail in a fun, modern dinghy...

PLATINUM!

Massive thanks to all the sailors, parents, coaches, club volunteers, sponsors, and the Wakatere green team for your efforts during the 2023 Toyota Optimist National Champs 6-10 April.  Thanks also to those businesses and organisations that helped with the regatta sustainability focus - Sailors for the SeaGoodbye - Natural Outdoor Skin CareBLAKEThe Clean Up CrewEcoMatters Environment TrustToyota New ZealandYachting New ZealandAuckland CouncilLUCKE apparelRevive Our GulfDoyle SailsNew W...

DAY 4 Opti Nats Report

The sun was shining and the bacon was sizzling for the final day of the 2023 Toyota Optimist National Championship. Everyone was eager to get underway with three races left to decide our national champions and travelling teams. The sea state was a lot more settled this morning making launching easier and allowing the race committees to crack straight into racing.Zofia Wells from Glendowie has comfortably led Green fleet the entire regatta, however today her position on the top of the podium was ...

Day 3 Opti Nats Report

Excitement was in the air this morning as over 200 sailors realized the Easter Bunny had visited the boat park overnight! Chocolatey surprises were hidden in and amongst the Optis, the best way to start Day 3 of the 2023 Toyota Optimist National Championship.An onshore breeze ruffled the sails as kids waited for the D- Flag, some anxious to get racing and others nervous about the new set of challenging conditions. Big swells battered the race course, with a 15 - 20 knot northerly breeze setting ...

Day 2 Opti Nats Report

However there was not a drop of rain in sight - the most perfect sunny morning with a light 4-knot breeze.Wakatere Boating Club is an official Yachting New Zealand Clean Club and the 2023 Optimist Nationals is registered as a Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta. As part of this the sailors, parents and volunteers headed down to take part in a beach clean, clearing every piece of inorganic material from the shores of Narrow Neck Beach.The wind was shy first thing this morning causing the abandonmen...

Day 1 Opti Nats Report

Over 200 young Optimist sailors bustling about the grounds of Wakatere Boating Club ready for four days of fierce competition. With nationals being the only ranking regatta for NZIODA travelling teams this year, the nerves were high and the air thick with anticipation. Teams have travelled from near and far to take part in this year's proceedings with sailors representing Australia, New Caledonia, Tahiti and Noumea out on the course. The regatta was officially opened by a moving welcome and Wait...

Opti Nats Merch

Choose a gorgeous pink or red hoodie to snuggle up in or a nautical stripe tshirt in green or yellow.  We have a great range of in-house designs with product from AS Colour, print and purchase from our partners at Digitees. Lots of options.  Plains & stripes, kids through to adult sizesOnline shopping & delivery from Digitees 24/7 at your convenienceNZ delivery standard rate $8NZDSecure payment*Available online only. Stock not available at Wakatere. Go ...

Sail Away This Easter

Understand the basics of how the wind works, parts of a boat, and how to set up and control your boat on a LEARN TO SAIL course at Wakatere. Sailing is a great way to get outside, make new friends and learn skills for life. Regardless of whether or not kids are competitive or happy to adventure this is a worthwhile activity.  This April Wakatere is running two courses. Course #1 runs over 4 days, Course #2 runs over 5 days but they both cover the same number of hours.Course 1:&nbs...

Regatta Help Needed

As host club for the 2023 TOYOTA OPTIMIST NATIONAL CHAMPS this coming Easter, we need the support of the whole club, friends and community to make this regatta the best it can be.As always, there will be roles to be filled on and off the water, some requiring experience, but plenty for people with no experience at all.With over 200 kids sailing and a big social scene, this will be an extensive duty roster. Please put your hand up now so we can fill the remaining spots on the rosterDATES Thu...

In Support of Napier

As the majority of us Aucklanders are back to ‘life as normal’ after Cyclone Gabrielle it is so easy to forget the utter devastation our friends are living through down in Napier. This weekend Wakatere Boating Club is hosting the final 2023 Windfoil Summer Series #3 and has decided to use this event to make a difference to those who have lost everything. All proceeds from this weekend's entry fees will be donated to Red Cross Napier, and Foil Labs NZ will match every single entry fee for the...

Do You Have An Opti Available?

We have a remaining 10 competitors from overseas still looking to charter an Optimist for the Nationals at Wakatere this Easter (as of 1st March). They are good sailors looking for good boats.  Due to local supply issues and the high number of enquiries, we are continuing to call out for unused privately owned Optis of a decent standard to register with us.DO YOU HAVE AN OPTI AVAILABLE?If you have a race-ready boat that you are not using, and are happy to hire it out, we would lov...

2023 Club Champs

Looks like summer has finally arrived and just in time for a big weekend of club racing on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th March 2023 - our annual Wakatere Club Championship.After sailing on Saturday join us for a special Club Champs Q&A with Rod Davis & John Cutler + Social Gathering BBQ.  $10 adults, $5 kids. Pay at the club. ...

Entry Open

The crew at Wakatere is super excited to announce that ONLINE ENTRY is OPEN for the 2023 Toyota Optimist National Championship 6th-10th April.Fair racing, friendship and sustainability are our goals so come and experience four days of great competition​ ​on and off the briny deep. Packed to the gunwales with sponsor surprises.  Open to Green, White and Open fleet sailors to show us what you're made of -  hone your racing skills, have fun and adventure and build a love for the ocean...

*New Date* - Dinghy Sailing for Adults

Due to Cyclone Gabrielle the new start date for both ADULT LTS will be SATURDAY 18th Feb 2023. Dates below have been amended to reflect the change.  Put just five Saturdays aside for yourself this summer and get afloat!  LEVEL 1TIME: 9am- 12pm DATES: 18th Feb - 18th March. Save day 25th MarchCOST: $300 course + $100 LTS MembershipLevel 1 is designed for complete beginners and covers the basics about how to control the boat and sails, helm and crew positions and how ...

Duty Calls for 2023

The Sailing Committee can't emphasize enough, the importance of saying "yes!" to the duty roster at Wakatere.The club runs regular Sunday club racing throughout the season and needs a full compliment of roles to be filled to be able to provide safe racing for everyone. This is your commitment to membership. There are roles for all levels of ability, on the water and ashore. Just say yes and the coordinator will find something for you. No experience required.  DUTY ROSTER - CLUB RACINGE...