LBYC Long Harbour Race 17 May 2026

Crew: Tunch, Eduardo, Peter, Jamie, Geoff.

Forecast: SE 5-11 Knots.

We cast off from Chaffers Marina at 0840 hrs with almost wind and hoisted our no. 1 genoa with full main wondering if the race would go ahead.

Crossing the harbour, the course was announced: Start – 18s – 6s – 25p – 23s – Finish, with a scheduled start time of 1000 hrs

By the time we reached the start area, the committee boat had sensibly hoisted the AP flag, postponing proceedings while everyone floated around searching for signs of life in the breeze.

The Start

Eventually a faint southerly filtered across the harbour and racing started at 1020 hrs. Boats were drifting in multiple directions. We lost steerage at one point and and gently parked our bow into the bow of Playwright. Thankfully skipper Ian Wright took it all in good humour and both boats escaped without damage. A relief for everyone involved.

With almost no boat speed we slowly pirouetted through a full 360-degree turn before finally managing to point in the right direction and crawl across the line, dead last.

Not our best start!

First beat to Days Bay

Meanwhile, up at the sharp end of the fleet, Grenadier absolutely nailed the start and quickly slipped away from the pack toward Days Bay.

At the back of the fleet we crossed paths with Shardik as we approached the first mark.

Beat Up to Front Lead

We rounded the buoy at 1100 hrs with Shardik just ahead and settled into pursuit mode, trying to squeeze every fraction of a knot out of the patchy southerly past Ward Island up to the Front Lead.

Little by little we started clawing our way back through the fleet, slowly edging past Shardik, 2 Low 4 Zero, and Lorna.

We stayed on the lifted line nicely, allowing us to lay the mark cleanly without needing a single tack.

Round Front Lead and Downwind Run

We rounded the Front Lead lighthouse at 1145 hrs and switched to downwind mode. Eduardo hoisted the maxi spinnaker and Peter took a turn on helm for the run down toward Point Halswell.

Approaching Kau Bay we sailed into the wind shadow where the breeze swung around to the west, turning the spinnaker run into a tight reach. The genoa went back up, the kite came down, and we coasted our way around Kau Bay trying to keep every scrap of momentum alive.

For a moment it looked like we might reel in Tamerlane. We crept tantalisingly close as they struggled in the patchy breeze ahead of us but they found pressure first and powered away while we continued to slow down.

Rounding Point Halswell, Sika II appeared and sliced neatly up the inside of us.

Beat up Evans Bay

We then enjoyed a great little duel with Sika II beating up Evans Bay crossing tacks with them.

The battle stayed close all the way to the Shoal Pile mark where Sika II managed to gain the inside overlap. We had to give them mark room, allowing them to slip neatly around the buoy ahead of us and squeeze past on the inside.

Run back up Evans Bay and Harbour

For the run back up Evans Bay, Eduardo once again sent the maxi kite skyward.

After clearing Point Halswell and turning toward the top of Somes Island, the wind began fading yet again. As the angle tightened into a reach there was little point dragging the big spinnaker around, so we dropped the kite and carried on under genoa and main to keep the boat moving in the dying breeze.

Round Jessie St buoy to the Finish

Eduardo took over on helm as we sailed in the easing breeze past Somes to the Jessie St mark.

Behind us, both Shardik and 2 Low 4 Zero eventually called race control on VHF to retire from the race, deciding they had endured enough of Wellington Harbour’s disappearing wind for one afternoon.

We pressed on and finally crossed the finish line at 1443 hrs, tired but satisfied to have stuck it out to the end of a long and tactically challenging race.

LBYC Prize-giving

Sailing Commodore Irene had kindly arranged visitor berths at Seaview Marina for both Tamerlane and Halo, allowing crews to head ashore for the after-race prizegiving at the Lowry Bay Yacht Club clubrooms.

Grenadier took out 2nd place on club handicap after their superb start and good pace throughout the day.

Halo finished well down the order in 13th place for the race, but our consistency across the series was enough to secure 5th overall in the Long Harbour Series. Not too bad for a day that started with a 360-degree pirouette on the start line.

Well done Team Halo!

Evening Sail Back to Wellington

We then enjoyed a relaxing sail back across the harbour to Wellington with Jamie on helm. With the sun setting behind the hills and the city lights looming, it was a perfect way to finish off a long day on the water.

We tied up back at Chaffers Marina at 1750 hrs, tired but happy after another memorable Wellington Harbour adventure.