Taranaki Daily News Shorthanded Tasman Yacht Race

by Lindsay Wright on 26 Jul 2006 New Zealand’s oldest and longest shorthanded ocean yacht race has got a full fleet – and a new name.

The Solo Tasman Yacht Race has started from Port Taranaki every four years since 1970, but next years race will be called The Taranaki Daily News Shorthanded Tasman Yacht Race. 'The first part reflects our generous sponsors,' organizing committee chairman, Wayne Sattler, explained, 'and about six of the 20 boats entered in the race will be sailing two handed, so the second part of the name reflects a slight change in the character of the race.' The current logo will be retained for the 2007 event but may be altered for subsequent races.

Previous races have attracted up to 15 solo sailors but the 20 boats entered will be the biggest fleet ever. It includes a record four Taranaki sailors; Blondie Chamberlain, Tony Florence, Bob Millen and Lindsay Wright. 'We’re still getting quite a lot of interest but we are turning them down,' he added. 'We expect to get a few withdrawals but, at the moment, we have about as many as we can handle.'

The majority of entries is from Auckland but boats have also entered from Napier, Nelson, Lyttelton, Greymouth and Milford Sound. 'If we had the facilities to cater for them, I reckon we could have 30 or 40 boats in the race….it’ll be a great thing for the port, New Plymouth and Taranaki as a whole.'

Organisers had been in touch with the Mooloolaba yacht Club and been guaranteed a warm welcome at the finishing end of the race.

Race organizers had capped the number of entries to the race at 15 due to restricted small craft facilities at the port. 'But there was still a hell of a lot of interest,' Mr Sattler said. 'A lot of people had been interested from the beginning but had been a bit slow to enter. So we told them they could enter with the proviso that they find their own anchorage or mooring in the port and tend their own boats – like a normal cruising yacht would do.'

The late entries include the only woman sailor, Cathy Ross from Auckland and Australian Allen Rooke. Port Taranaki Ltd has agreed to provide some moorings for the fleet and others have been volunteered by private boatowners.

The organizers are also planning a 'Taranaki Festival of the Sea' at Ngamotu Beach to coincide with the start of the race on April 8. 'It’ll be quite a spectacle with 20 odd boats jockeying for the start line – we’ll have a buoy for the boats to round off the windwand, so people will be able to get a good view of them along the foreshore,' Mr Sattler said. 'Back at the beach, we’d like to have a blessing of the fleet, learn to sail demonstrations, charter boat trips, surf lifesaving demonstrations, music…anything to do with the sea.'