The dredging work currently underway in the Port of Tauranga has brought about changes to the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club's sailing instructions.

The dredge Brage R has commenced dredging in the main and cutter channels, which potentially impacts on the club's sailing – particularly the keeler division.

Yachts are being asked to watch for dredging in the Port of Tauranga. Photo: File.

The changes are the result of a meeting this week between yacht club race officials and the port company's dredge operations manager over safety concerns about keeping the dredge in position if a race fleet happens to be sailing past at the time.

While dredging the bank between harbour markers C1 and C17 ­– the western side of the main reach from Pilot Bay to the Otumoetai Channel – it could prove tricky to keep the dredge in position while it is working.

Yacht Club vice commodore Nick Wrinch says: 'The dredge operators are particularly anxious to keep yachts clear so that if the dredge has to move suddenly, it can do so.”

The Race Committee is adding an additional Sailing Instruction to the 2015/16 list, which requires all yachts to keep at least 50m away from the dredge while it is operating along the bank.

Breach of the new sailing instruction may result in a penalty by the Race Committee.

The dredge may turn at any time. It may give advice over channel 77, and for that reason all competitors are now required to keep a listening watch on the VHF channel.

The Race Committee also recommends all competitors stay on the channel side of all green floating marks of the Cutter and Main channels between C1 and 17 in the vicinity of the Brage R while it is dredging the western edge of the Main and Cutter channels.