But what occurred back in the 1930s? Who won the race between Ngataki and Te Rapunga?
When the inaugural trans-Tasman race commenced from Auckland on December 8, 1934, only two yachts answered the starter’s gun. These were not ordinary yachts—they were Ngataki, owned by Aucklander Johnny Wray, and Te Rapunga, skippered by the charismatic German adventurer George Dibbern (who had previously spent time in New Zealand). Little did anyone realise this encounter would become one of sailing’s enduring rivalries.
Te Rapunga, built in Northern Germany, was renowned for her seaworthiness and speed, while Ngataki, hand-built by Wray from salvaged timber, was famously robust and well-equipped to handle Tasman Sea conditions. The race tested both vessels and their crews to their absolute limits. As the story goes, Te Rapunga surged ahead early but was forced into a dramatic 44-hour pit stop at Matauwhi Bay in the Bay of Islands after serious leaks and rigging damage. Despite frantic repairs, Te Rapunga remarkably recovered to win the Auckland–Melbourne leg in 19 days and two hours, narrowly ahead of Ngataki.
For a fascinating, and in-depth look at George Dibbern and Te Rapunga, including the build-up to the inaugural Trans-Tasman race, we highly recommend you read our earlier trilogy of articles: Part 1, “Exotic sails,” Part 2, “Style of freedom,” and Part 3, “Te Rapunga versus Ngataki.”
The race’s second leg, from Melbourne to Hobart, began spectacularly—crews sprinting from the Royal St Kilda Yacht Club’s bar to their vessels after swiftly downing a compulsory schooner of beer. In stormy Bass Strait conditions, Te Rapunga again emerged victorious, reaching Hobart in just over five days. Her arrival at Hobart under the glare of car headlights at 2am reportedly became front-page news. Ngataki limped in four days later, battered by gales, a blown-out mainsail, and a wrecked dinghy. Despite fierce competition, the rivalry was built on mutual respect and camaraderie.
Ninety years on, at the 2025 Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart, the legendary rivalry was reborn. Lovingly restored—Ngataki by Auckland’s Tino Rawa Trust and Te Rapunga by Denman Marine in Tasmania—both yachts again faced off on the Derwent. This rematch captivated historic sailing fans from both sides of the Tasman. Tony Stevenson, Co-Director of the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival and Trustee of the Tino Rawa Trust, recounts this year’s historic race.
Unlike the earlier races between the two classic yachts, of which Te Rapunga won both, this year’s race culminated in a symbolic dead heat finish that seemed fitting given the two boat’s intertwined histories.
The initial Ngataki–Te Rapunga rivalry symbolises an adventurous post-WWI era; on the sea, courageous sailors tested themselves against the merciless Tasman Sea. Today, both Ngataki and Te Rapunga stand proudly as examples of maritime heritage and adventure.
The 100th anniversary of the inaugural race will certainly be a race worth watching.
