The great race north
he PIC Coastal Classic, affectionately known as ‘The Great Race North’, is a 119nm race organised by the NZ Multihull Yacht Club. It can be an adrenalincharged, six-hour sprint for the fastest boats, or a challenging marathon for crews on boats that may t
A primer for this year’s Coastal Classic.
we were literally one minute off, and multiple times we’ve been ahead of the record only to lose it while weaving through the notorious parking lot at Cape Brett.”
Fickle winds in the Bay of Islands can throw the best of campaigns off course.
Last year, Shane and Charleston were the third boat to the finish, behind the overall record holding Team Frank, and the giant Mod 70 trimaran Beau Geste, visiting from Australia just for the race, but won their division convincingly with a time of 8 hours 18 minutes. Trimaran Frantic Drift still holds the Under 10.65m Multihull record of 7 hours 59 minutes.
If you’re looking to build or join a team for the race, check out the PIC Coastal Classic Crew finder group on Facebook.
GOOD KIWI ROOTS
The original concept for the PIC Coastal Classic was inspired by
Roger Diley of the Auckland Multihull Sailing Association (now the NZ Multihull Yacht Club) in 1982 – a drag race with the first boat into Russell being the winner.
Twelve intrepid skippers and crews took up the challenge with multihulls and monohulls ranging in size from Peter Williams’ 62-foot Fidelis down to Alex and Matthew Flynn’s 24foot trimaran Gulf Chariot.
While the Flynn family were not on the podium on the first race (Duncan ‘Cookie’ Stuart’s Krisis won the race after 18 hours), the enjoyment the family has received from being involved in the event’s entire 36-year history is counted as a major success.
The PIC Coastal Classic has been organised by Emily Flynn, daughter of the late Alexander and sister of Matthew, for the last six years, evolving into a modern, innovative and trend-setting event that suits the changing needs of the local sailing fraternity.
Emily acknowledges all the partners that have kept the event
afloat for the last 36 years. Partners like PIC Insurance Brokers – the original idea for the Cruising Rally division originated with PIC itself.
CRUISIN’ ON UP
Stripping a boat of comfort and cruising equipment can feel counter-intuitive for many owners, and this ritual used to be standard practice for every race entrant. But for a growing number of boats taking part in the new cruising rally division (introduced last year), the process is now a little less extreme and 36 Degrees director Conrad Gair is encouraging boaties to get involved.
“Essentially, the 36 Degrees Cruising Rally is about getting more Kiwis using their boats and having fun. It’s also widening the scope for participation in the event and creating a community where cruise-orientated boaties can feel a part of the buzz.”
Boats in this sub-event may use their engines for up to four hours and still be eligible for prizes at the end of the race.
...creating a community where cruise-orientated boaties can feel a part of the buzz.