Urban Cowboy Path To RNI

Over the past weekend we completed out qualifying passage for the Round North Island, Starting off westhaven dropping lines at 15:00 on the 11/11/22 (friday), we motored out to the lee of the southwestern side of rangitoto to hoist sails. We were upwind and laid through to Gulf harbour (Rakauanaga Point). We tacked out towards Cape Colville till about half way across the Firth which then we tacked back into Flat Rock . With a couple more boards from Cape Rodney out to Anchorite Rock and to Bream Tail we laid upto Sail Rock which we rounded in the morning of the 12/11 (Saturday) at 08:02.

Once rounded we motored out from Sail Rock in a easterly direction to get out of the lee of the Hen And Chicks Islands. Raising the kite we socked down towards Cape Rodney, then which we gybed and headed out for Cuvier Island on a tight to beam reach.

Once at the Island we didn’t go around Cuvier but sailed past on the northern side and tacked back towards Colville, thinking with another beam reach back but ended being on the wind with the forcasted northwest shift coming early.
With a couple of boards along the shore line and out past Channel Island we laid all the way through the Motuihe Channel, dropping sails at North Head and motoring back into Pier 21 Marina closing our trip report and skeds at 03:39 on the morning of the 13/11 (Sunday).

This 235nm sail was a great benefit for us both by getting more miles under our belt together and getting a few ideas thrown around on how we can make the boat easier and faster to sail. with the job list now longer we’ll crack on and will look forward to our next outing!