OK, I admit it. One of the top things I enjoy most is sailing offshore, away from land, telephones and emails. I find it a great way to relax while brushing up on navigation and weather skills.
Throw in some fun people and a bit of good food, and you have what I think is a great vacation!

Last November Tauranga Boat Sales brokered the sale of”Raynad”, a 50' Custom Roger Hill Cutter to John and Kris from Alaska. Their plan is to do a season or two in the South Pacific before sailing the boat back to Alaska and the cruising grounds there. I was fortunate enough to be invited along for the sail up to Tonga.
By early June, the boat was meticulously prepared and the three of us ready to go. The ideal time to head north from New Zealand in a yacht is just after a winter cold front passes through and is followed by a well developed high pressure system centred in the Tasman. This scenario normally gives brisk winds from the west or southwest and provides a good start. On June 11 we got just what the doctor ordered and departed from Auckland and cracked sheets around the north end of Great Barrier just before sundown.
The sailing was boisterous to say the least with westerly winds of 30 to 40 knots and occasionally gusts higher during the first night. Not much time to gain one's sea legs, but we soon settled in and took heart in my continual promises that it would get warmer very soon as we headed north. In the first 24 hours we covered 195 miles straight towards our waypoint about 80 miles east of Minerva Reef. ”Raynad” was a joy to sail and handled the conditions easily. I am a big fan of the cutter rig as it gives you heaps of options in terms of getting the sail combinations right.
It turned out that I was not quite telling the truth about things getting warmer. Kris was beginning to think I was telling tall tales! The high pressure system had continued to expand and bring cool winds much further north than normal. The flip side was that we had brisk SW winds pushing us along.
Just over 700 miles up the track the wind lightened and began its anticipated shift to the east. Up until this point we had not tacked or gybed once! We gybed and motored for about 12 hours before settling in with a gentle easterly tradewind which carried us all the way to Nukualofa.
Seven days after leaving Auckland, we tied up at the wharf in Nukualofa. Once we cleared customs, we anchored off 'Big Mama's” resort on a small island a few miles out from the harbour. A few gin and tonics and a great night's sleep at anchor were very welcome!
After my begging John and Kris to adopt me so I could continue my cruising days in the manner which I had become accustomed failed, I resigned myself to the fact that it was time to return to New Zealand. I had to smile as our plane passed right over Great Barrier on our descent into Auckland. It was blowing a good 30 knots from the southwest much the same as when we left about 10 days earlier. I knew then that I should have worn long pants!
It had been about 4 years since I had last been offshore. Far too long for an Offshore-aholic. I look forward to the next time. Great boat, great people, great sailing…….what more could one want from a vacation!

Brian Kent
Tauranga Boat Sales