Lucky joins PIC Coastal Classic fleet after record-setting Tasman run
by Fran Holland NZ Multihull Yacht Club 14 Oct 2025 11:56 AEDT
Lucky approaches the finish line in Auckland - Finish Sydney Auckland Race - October 14, 2025 © Richard Gladwell - Sail-World.com/nz
The New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club, organisers of the PIC Coastal Classic have welcomed the entry of Lucky, the 88-foot Juan K-designed maxi that has just set a race record for the the 2025 Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race.
Skippered by Chicago-based owner Bryan Ehrhart and featuring New Zealand sailing legend Brad Butterworth as tactician, Lucky crossed the Tasman in a blistering 2 days, 20 hours, 27 minutes and 7 seconds - less than half the previous race record. The benchmark of 5 days, 3 hours, 37 minutes and 57 seconds, set by Antipodes in 2023, is now history.
The PIC Coastal Classic, often described as New Zealand’s great race north, will celebrate its 2025 edition over Labour Weekend. Starting from Auckland on October 24th and finishing in Russell, Bay of Islands, the 119-nautical-mile sprint traditionally attracts everything from cruising multihulls to high-tech grand-prix campaigns.
With Lucky now joining the fleet, organisers say the milestone edition promises one of the most competitive line-ups in recent memory.
“This is a huge moment for the Coastal,” said Adrian Percival, NZMYC Commodore. “Having a boat of Lucky’s calibre on the start line highlights how far this race has come. She’s proven herself across the Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific, and now the Tasman—seeing her charge north alongside New Zealand’s best will be unforgettable.”
Formerly Rambler 88, Lucky carries one of the most decorated résumés in modern ocean racing.
- RORC Transatlantic Race 2025: new monohull record in 7 days, 20 hours, 34 minutes, 41 seconds.
- Caribbean 600 2025: monohull line honours.
Her performance pedigree—combined with Ehrhart’s leadership and Butterworth’s tactical nous—makes Lucky one of the most formidable offshore machines of her generation.
The 2025 PIC Coastal Classic fleet will assemble off Devonport Wharf on Friday 24 October, with over 100 boats and hundreds of sailors expected to take the start gun. Weather permitting, Lucky’s northward sprint will be one of the most closely watched in years.
Further details, including Ehrhart’s and Butterworth’s confirmed roles aboard Lucky for the Coastal, will be announced in the coming days.