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Associate Editor Aileen Mack joined Dockwalk in July 2018. She is a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. If she’s not at a concert or coffee shop, she is lost in a book, movie or a YouTube rabbit hole. Email Aileen at [email protected] .

After two years in yachting, Bosun Hamish Taylor, currently on M/Y Lonian , got the idea to help more Kiwis get into the industry as it’s not well known as a career in New Zealand and he wanted to introduce others to the amazing experiences he’d been having.

Three years later in April 2021, he launched Yachties of New Zealand with his business partner Kane Taylor, a former crewmember who is now a real estate agent in Auckland. The two met when their yachts docked next to each other in Athens in November 2016 and, over the course of a few weeks, they built the relationship that brought them to this partnership.

• Everything You Need to Know About STCW Training

The Yachties of New Zealand website features three sections to help Kiwis during their career at no charge — Life Before Yachting, Life While Yachting, and Life After Yachting. The before yachting section takes those interested through the basics from STCW and ENG-1 to accommodation, visas, and what to do once you arrive overseas.

“One of the main byproducts of the website has been our social media platforms and [we] have really created an online Kiwi superyacht community,” Hamish says. 

As Hamish progressed in the industry and faced new challenges, he felt he needed to show other Kiwi yachties the processes to go through to overcome them and correct the conflicting information around. Some of the challenges faced by NZ crew include getting your money back to NZ and becoming a NZ non-tax resident. Once they had covered that issue, they knew they couldn’t stop there and developed the after yachting section to cover everything from international money transfers to tax and accounting to shore-based employment and real estate.

“We spent two years designing and modifying the website, so it is simple but informative, user-friendly, and interactive as possible,” Hamish says. Weaved into each of the sections are their partners, which are all well-known and recognized companies and organizations that provide advice and services to crew throughout their careers. Some of their partners include Standard Bank , Saltwater Recruitment , and Liquid Yacht Wear .

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The feedback they’ve received so far has all been positive from how the site functions to the purpose it serves. “One of the main byproducts of the website has been our social media platforms and [we] have really created an online Kiwi superyacht community,” Hamish says. It’s become like a news feed, featuring crew profiles and businesses founded by current or former crew.

“As a product, I have achieved what I wanted to achieve, so now I will use this as a platform with the long-term goal of rolling the exact same product into other yachtie markets around the world,” Hamish says. They’re currently working on pages for Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.

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The Before Yachting section takes those interested through the basics from STCW and ENG-1, to accommodation, visas, and what to do once you arrive overseas. Life WhileYachting shows Kiwi yachties the processes to go through, overcome and correct conflicting information around. For example, some of the challenges faced by NZ crew include getting your money back to NZ and becoming a NZ non-tax resident. Life After Yachting covers everything from international money transfers to tax and accounting to shore-based employment and real estate.

“We spent two years designing and modifying the website, so it is simple but informative, user-friendly, and interactive as possible,” co-owner Hamish Taylor states. Weaved into each of the sections are their partners, which are all well-known and recognized companies and organizations that provide advice and services to crew throughout their careers. 

Yachties of New Zealand

The Yachties of New Zealand is a website that features three sections to help Kiwis during their career at no charge — Life Before Yachting, Life While Yachting, and Life After Yachting.

Become a member and enjoy the exclusive offers from our partners.

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German yachties had 'blatant disregard' for new zealand law - immigration nz.

Immigration New Zealand says three German yachties treated New Zealand's Covid 19 laws with contempt and have to face the consequences of their actions.

Opua, in the Bay of Islands. Photo: 123RF

The two men and a women sailed from a Polynesian country to Opua in Northland, despite having their application for a border exemption declined.

Immigration New Zealand's border and visa operations manager Peter Elms says there were repercussions for disregarding the laws.

He said this included "being detained in custody, being removed from New Zealand, losing their ability to return to New Zealand as a visa-free national and potentially risking increased difficulties travelling to other countries internationally after they've been removed."

Elms said the crew requested a border exemption from the Ministry of Health, which was refused.

"New Zealand's border restrictions are in place for a very good reason - to help stop the spread of Covid-19 and protect the health of New Zealand's population," he said.

"The action by these individuals to knowingly travel here without approval demonstrates a blatant disregard for New Zealand's border restrictions."

However, a group representing yachties said while it didn't condone the actions of the German, they could understand how desperate they were.

Rear Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club, Guy Chester, said it reflected the terrible plight of hundreds of yachties stuck in the Pacific

Chester said he was disappointed that the governments of Australia and New Zealand appeared to be unwilling to help yachties in the Pacific.

The German yachties had applied for the exemption after they had already sailed for New Zealand.

Their application was declined because the Director-General of Health was not convinced the boat had a compelling need to come into the country.

The Ministry has previously provided guidance to potential applicants that 'humanitarian reasons' would be unlikely to include situations such as financial loss, or to vessels travelling mainly for pleasure or convenience such as tourists or 'wintering over' to avoid the hurricane/cyclone season in the Pacific.

This position has been widely communicated to the maritime community, including those in the South Pacific, the spokesperson said.

"While there were aspects of the case that were unfortunate, these did not rise to the threshold of a compelling humanitarian need. As much as our country is known for its hospitality, New Zealand cannot become a maritime Covid-19 safe haven for everyone in unfortunate circumstances."

Foreign yachties seeking refuge in New Zealand from seasonal Pacific cyclones have been campaigning for the move for months.

A Ministry of Health spokesperson said in a statement the crew of the vessel have all been tested for Covid-19 and those tests were negative. They have also been isolated on their vessel for more than 14 days.

Copyright © 2020 , Radio New Zealand

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Exploring New Zealand by catamaran

• May 9, 2023

Alex and Lesley Stone share the story of their summer cruise around Aotearoa, New Zealand by catamaran

The thing about Covid is that it upsets the best-laid plans, as it did for the Island Cruising Club, a New Zealand-based outfit that organises flotillas to sail to the Pacific Islands every year. When casting around for alternatives, Viki Moore, the cheerful convener of Island Cruising NZ, lit upon the obvious solution – the Te Wai Pounamu, the South Island of New Zealand, otherwise known as the Waters of Greenstone.

Sixteen yachts and their crews took up this idea, including half a dozen catamarans. So in a real sense, she really was herding cats – cruising yachties being a fairly free-spirited lot at the best of times.

We were among them, on our Schionning-design 12m cruising catamaran, Skyborne . Also in the fleet were Lisa and Martin Bennett on Champagne , although Lisa often followed along in a campervan with their dog.

Elusive weather window

We mustered at Opua in the Bay of Islands, North Island, a day or so after Christmas, and awaited the call of Bruce Buckley – the professional weather forecaster Viki had engaged for the safety of the fleet.

This is where our first challenge set in. There simply wasn’t a decent weather window to allow us to sail up around North Cape and Cape Reinga (at the northern end of North Island), and then down to Abel Tasman National Park (on the north tip of South Island), our planned first landfall.

Mount Taranaki before dawn

Unless, said Bruce, we were prepared to endure two, maybe three days of strong winds on the nose after rounding Reinga. In reality, you have to sail a further 20 miles out to clear the notorious Pandora Banks – breaking seas in all conditions.

Waiting for just the right moment to make best use of the available weather windows became the theme of the trip, but we didn’t mind, as our stopovers were in such lovely, little-known places. At the beginning of the first leg we pulled in further north at Whangaroa Harbour for an overnight anchorage, followed by a daysail to Mangōnui, a charming harbour town. As we entered the channel, a pod of orca were just leaving.

Bruce, our weatherman told us: ‘If you want to go down the west coast, you’ll have to face two or three days of strong southerlies, then the wind should ease in your favour.’ Some boats opted to stay put in Northland, a forested, sub-tropical region on North Island, others took the route south along the east coast. Martin, true to form, took off immediately with other staunch blokes as crew. We followed a day later. And yes, the wind did ease, exactly when Bruce, and the precise New Zealand-developed forecasting system PredictWind had predicted.

In fact, one enduring take-away from the trip was the plethora of navigational information we now have access to. Viki could track the entire flotilla, and each of us the others, by means of the PredictWind router app with its course-tracking option.

Kayakers relax on a beach in the Astrolabe Roadway

On our boat we also had access to open source nautical charts, NZ marine charts online (though they have some holes – see later), the navigational app Navionics, plus hand-held GPS devices. And as a final back-up, rolls of old-fashioned paper charts.

Another theme for the trip emerged. It was a seabird and wildlife safari of amazing sights. On every day at sea, we encountered dolphins more than once. Also some very rare Māui dolphins off the Taranaki coast on the west of North Island. And a seal, just lazing on the surface 60 miles offshore. Also blue whales (on this first leg), orca, and 1,001 albatrosses. And, this far north, many flying fish.

Arriving in Abel Tasman National Park, on the north end of South Island, we learned again just how beautiful this country is, but best viewed from the sea as the national park was very busy at the height of summer. We particularly enjoyed the marine reserve at Tonga Island, off the north coast of South Island, for example, with its safe anchorage, and wetland walkway.

Crew changes at toad hall

The real world of deadlines crept in with crew members to drop off at Motueka Marina, further to the east (which also dries out at low tide), for flights back to Auckland. Later, we lunched at the delightful, oak-dappled Toad Hall brewery and café. A look around too at Coppins – a family company, which has been on the main street for 100 years – that makes the best sea anchors in the world.

One of the stunning rock formations in Whangaroa Harbour, this one in Te Rere Bay

Then whanau (family) to fetch in Nelson, the oldest city on South Island, slightly further east. And a fun adventure, following the Maitai Creek through the middle of Nelson to a monument on a hill that marks the ‘Centre of New Zealand’, sort of.

On our way up the creek on our kayaks, we marvelled at the number of terrific sculptures along the river walkway. It included a lovely female form, ‘Sanctuary’ by sculptor Fiona Sutherland, just beyond – a serene Papatūānuku (earth mother goddess) figure cradling a takahē (native bird) in her lap, and artfully placed, half-hidden in a bed of flax bushes.

Then, just as we were halted by a small rapid in the Maitai, there’s the walk up to the centre of New Zealand. It turns out the ‘Centre of New Zealand’ is simply the datum point for the very first colonial settlers’ land survey – and co-incidentally somewhere in the middle of the country.

Big tides in Nelson

Navigation notes: Nelson is remarkable for its huge tides. On the day we went up the creek, there was a king tide of 4.7m, well above the normal high of 4m. And a stiff local sea breeze that defies all weather predictions from distant systems. One day there, six weather models said there’d be a light southerly of 5 knots. But in Tasman Bay, a sea breeze of around 20 knots quickly developed – strong enough for our mainsail head fitting to tear out. This was quickly repaired by Southern Sails in Nelson.

Onwards! We headed towards the notorious French Pass. It’s one of New Zealand’s most challenging bits of water, between D’Urville Island and a finger of land in the Marlborough Sounds, where the tide can run at up to 9 knots in a kind of horizontal waterfall across a line of rocks.

Kayakers rafting up to take advantage of the wind on their way back into Rākauroa (Torrent Bay)

As always, Martin on Champagne was ahead of us, though he timed the tide imperfectly, and got swirled around a bit on his way through. We made a more demure passage, bang on the turn of the tides, in the company of another Island Cruising Club yacht, the aptly-named Knysna 50 catamaran, My Happiness .

That done, we anchored for the night at Catherine Cove. Later in the Marlborough Sounds, we pulled in at Whakatahuri, on the north tip of South Island.

The most remote boatbuilders – and boat-wreckers – yard in New Zealand is situated on a narrow spit of land in the remote outer Pelorus Sound. There is no road access to this point.

A few days later, we found ourselves detained in the little town of Havelock, for all the right reasons. There’s so much to explore here – a small museum or Graham Smith’s extraordinary shrine to the British Seagull outboard motor – he has more than 150 of them.

The Te Hoiere Seagull Fleet organises races in the Pelorus River delta every two months. The rules: any boat will do – the weirder, the better – as long as it’s propelled by a Seagull outboard.

Whakatahuri boatyard and ship wrecker, in the outer Pelorus Sound is accessible via the Havelock mailboat, once a week

The elusive weather window kept us detained in the Marlborough Sounds for weeks. Bird-watching in the Sounds is a treat. Among New Zealand’s rare birds, no-one ever seems to talk about the kawau king shag of which there are only 130 breeding pairs left. Almost all of them are in Queen Charlotte Sound.

Our next overnight anchorage, after exiting the also-notorious Tory Channel (tides of up to 7 knots, plus Interislander ferries to contend with) is at Port Underwood. Which, from the land is well worth exploring, following the great self-guided Port Underwood Heritage Tour on an app.

Then we had a difficult overnight passage to Lyttleton, just south of Christchurch, on North Island, where we had rising winds and seas, cold, and no stars. We also had to slow the boat down from our 14 knots, by constantly reducing sail, to make Lyttleton Port in daylight. But it was all made up by the 50 common dolphins who welcomed us at dawn in the harbour mouth, with a full-on kapa haka (song and dance) display.

Of course Lisa had already got there by campervan, and was on board Champagne in the fine new marina in Lyttleton.

My Happiness leading us towards French Pass. Timing has to be perfect to minimise the potential for turbulence

In search of dolphins

Next was a daysail around the headland south to Akaroa, accompanied all the way by many different groups of the charming Hector’s dolphins. We found Akaroa doing just fine with a brisk trade in dolphin tours, including one on the 100-year-old sailing ketch Fox II , taking out visitors every day. Kiwi visitors are re-discovering our own country, just like us. We resorted to a borrowed car, to get over the hill to the remarkable and remote Okains Bay Museum. Which has an extraordinary collection of waka (Māori dugout canoes).

The good folk at the Akaroa Yacht club were most hospitable. This was the last time the boats of the Island Cruising Club South Island rally got together with an epic seafood meal aboard My Happiness , and a pirate party at the Har Bar overlooking the bay.

We left from there, following My Happiness back north up the east coast along the dramatic Wairarapa coast, all the while marking places to visit from land again sometime soon: the light show at the Castlepoint lighthouse, or remote fishing communities where they launch boats through the monster surf.

Waikawa boaties hurry home to beat a classic South Island Southerly buster, while one of the Cook Strait ferries battles towards Picton in 50 knots of wind

Weather bomb delay

We noticed large parts of the Wairarapa coastline remained uncharted. A legacy of the neo-liberal policies of a previous New Zealand government, that decreed it wasn’t the navy’s role. We were further held up in the marina in Napier on the east coast of North Island, when a weather bomb washed masses of ‘forestry slash’ down the rivers and out to sea.

We waited till the sea cleared, resolving to sail on in daylight hours. Later, we found plenty of logs choking up the Gisborne Harbour, a daysail away.

No worries, this gave us more time to meet great sailing characters: the brave sailors of the Napier Sailability (disabled sailing) unit, who crossed Cook Strait in a storm in their Australian-designed Liberty-class dinghies; the local historian, who showed me great pictures of Napier Sailing Club’s fleet (including the world’s first planing yachts) sailing, before the 1931 earthquake. That earthquake lifted the land by two metres, erasing most of the extensive lagoon that was there.

Martin, Champagne , Panthera and the other yachts continued with the full figure of eight, via Rakiura Stewart Island and Fiordland, and back to Nelson. I’m hanging out for the slide show, next time we see them. Way to go!

Akaroa’s old lighthouse used to be further out in the harbour, but was moved to town to be a landmark visitor attraction

Top ten options for exploring New Zealand by yacht

• Whangaroa Harbour – Whangaroa Harbour is perhaps the most beautiful of all of New Zealand’s harbours and also one of the safest.
• Tonga Island – The marine reserve at Tonga Island, off the north coast of South Island, has a safe anchorage. It has a wetland walkway where we encountered a weka, the tough flightless bird with adorably fluffy chicks.
• Awaroa Lodge – A great coffee shop at the Awaroa Lodge, just a short walk away from the white sands of Awaroa Inlet in the Abel Tasman National Park.
• Nelson – The city of Nelson, South Island. Walk down Maitai Creek to a monument that marks the ‘Centre of New Zealand’ with glorious views.
• D’urville Island – Catherine Cove on D’Urville Island and the superlative aroma of Cathy’s Kitchen at the Wilderness Lodge.
• Whakatahuri – Whakatahuri on the north tip of South Island on the Marlborough Sounds. The most remote boatbuilder’s yard in New Zealand.
• Havelock – Havelock at the south end of Pelorus Sound has many things to see.
• Marlborough Sounds – Marlborough Sounds is the wonderful bird sanctuary on Motuara Island, accessible by water taxis or your own runabout from Picton.
• Lincoln – The Laboratory in Lincoln, south of Christchurch, South Island, has a boutique brewery, restaurant and community cinema.
• Okains Bay – Okains Bay, south-east of Christchurch, South Island. The museum has an extraordinary collection of Māori dugout canoes.

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Wakatipu Yacht Club

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Wakatipu Yacht Club have been proudly offering sailing lessons and organising sailing regattas for the Queenstown yachting community since 1979.

Run and supported by volunteers, who are keen sailors and yachties themselves, the club have thrived over the past 39 years and are planning to enter their 40th season even stronger.

The club is situated at the end of the Kelvin Peninsula, across the narrows of the Frankton Arm from Queenstown. We consider ourselves fortunate to have one of the most scenically attractive yacht clubs with some of the best lake sailing in New Zealand.

Peninsula Road Queenstown New Zealand

-45.035344, 168.704009

PO Box 182 Queenstown 9348 New Zealand

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