Volvo Ocean Race- Charts and Viewing for In Port Race and Start

by Sail-World on 16 Mar 2012
The Auckland Harbourmaster has issued charts and instructions for the conduct of the In Port Race and the Start of Leg 5

The Auckland Harbourmaster has issued charts and instructions for the conduct of the In Port Race and the Start of Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race in Auckland on 17 and 18 March. All are reproduced here for easy reference, bookmark this story on your mobile phone if you are going on the water. If staying on land the usual waterfront vantage points are best.

The start line of the 60-minute race will be off the Yacht Squadron just to the west of the Race Village and will take the fleet east round North Head around a turning mark and back to another mark through Auckland Harbour Bridge.

For those in Auckland, the best viewpoints in the city will be at Westhaven Marina, Tank Farm, Viaduct Harbour, Prince’s Wharf, Queen’s Wharf and the Tamaki waterfront.

On the northern shore, Birkenhead, Devonport, Bayswater and North Head will provide the best views.

Huge screens will broadcast the action at the Race Village at Viaduct Harbour. The departure ceremonies start at 1210 local time (2310 UTC) with the race starts at 1400 (0100 UTC).

Race fans who can’t make it to Auckland need not panic – as always the In-Port Race and leg start will be streamed live at www.volvooceanrace.com and the race’s Livestream page, starting 15 minutes before the starts on Saturday and Sunday.

New Zealand viewers will also be able to see the live broadcast on Television One

SATURDAY 17 MARCH VOLVO IN-PORT RACE - see chart extract above

The Volvo In-Port Race awards points to syndicates in the overall Volvo Ocean Race series. Again the
Volvo fleet will line up at the Start/Finish Box outside the Viaduct Harbour. Racing will start at 2 pm
with a sailing course taking the fleet under the Auckland Harbour Bridge to a mark off Rona Buoy, the
fleet will then sail to marks off Orakei Wharf and possibly up to Rough Rock, North Head. The Sailing
committee will set the In-Port Race course subject to weather conditions, ensuring that the yachts
finish within 60 minutes. The race is weather dependent and therefore subject to change with respect
to the direction the yachts will start and the placement of Volvo marks been set by the race committee.
Please listen on VHF channel 12 for race course details and updates.
Refer to Saturday 17 March Volvo In–Port Race Map - above

SUNDAY 18 MARCH VOLVO DEPARTURE - see chart extract above
The Volvo Ocean Race fleet will clear the Viaduct Village at 1 pm for Leg 5 Auckland to Itajai. The
Volvo Start Box will be set east of the Auckland Harbour Bridge off Westhaven Marina. The race start
is 2 pm. The Volvo fleet will sail down the Waitemata Harbour to a mark mid stream east of Devonport
Wharf, the fleet will then round the Volvo turning mark and again head back up Waitemata Harbour to
a Volvo turning mark east of the Harbour Bridge. The fleet will then head out of the Waitemata
Harbour rounding a Volvo Mark off Rough Rock before heading up the Rangitoto Channel to two
further marks, the first approximately 0 .7 nautical miles off Campbells Bay and the second and final
Volvo mark 0.6 nautical miles east of Browns Bay reef.

For the Auckland departure the Volvo race organisers are wishing to keep the race fleet within the
Inner Waitemata Harbour for approximately 40 minutes providing maximum exposure for the land and
on water spectators. Given the speed of competing craft and the relatively short distance between
marks it is essential that spectator craft anchor north or south of the Inner Waitemata course area.
Once the fleet round the Rough Rock Volvo mark off North Head patrol/marshal craft will allow
spectator vessels to escort the racing yachts up the Rangitoto Channel and East Coast Bay’s Volvo
turning marks. All vessels must keep abeam or astern of the race fleet. It is critical that the racing
yachts have clear water ahead as the yachts are deceptively fast.

Refer to Sunday 18 March Volvo Departure Map - above

Uploaded : 1468 KB
ON WATER RESTRICTIONS AROUND THE EVENT
To manage the Volvo Ocean Race Auckland Stopover event the Harbourmaster has put in place
safety measures for the racing yachts and other harbour users for the duration of the Volvo sailing
activities. The Volvo Race course area has been designed to provide fast up close sailing action within
the confines of the Inner Waitemata Harbour. The course area will be buoyed with yellow
Harbourmaster and Volvo event marks. The area will be patrolled by Harbourmaster, Police and Volvo
marshal vessels.
The following restrictions are in place for the duration of the 3 day sailing programme.
• All vessels to keep clear and out of the course area
• Spectator craft are requested to anchor early around the course area
• A 5 knot speed restriction will be in place from the Auckland Harbour Bridge to North Head for
the duration of racing.
• Access along the southern shore commercial port area from Wynyard to Fergusson Wharf will
be restricted to commercial ferry operators only.
• Wake is to be kept to a minimum around the course

All vessels are to have a listening watch on VHF Channel 12. On the day course details and sailing
instructions will be broadcast to mariners along with ferry and shipping movements.

It is important that all mariners maintain a good lookout and exercise caution when transiting the Inner
Waitemata Harbour and that they take instruction from the marshal /patrol craft that will be managing
the event.

For further information http://www.volvooceanraceauckland.com/therace.php?id=6!click_here