With the sun beginning to rest to the west of the Whangārei Heads, Lucky’s white hull will stand stark against the darkening coastline. Bryon Ehrhart’s 27-metre JK maxi, already known for her line-honours triumph a couple of weeks ago in the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race, is once again setting the pace, this time in the PIC Coastal Classic.
At mid-afternoon she lay about 20 km ahead of her closest rivals, currently maintaining 9 to 10 knots in a light but building northerly. “Just past Sail Rock, light breeze and looking for more beautiful coastline,” reads the message sent with Boating New Zealand’s exclusive photo from onboard Lucky. The calm water tells its own story; steady progress rather than outright blast-reaching.
Behind her, the Division 1a chasers Callisto, Mayhem, Wired and Another Duchess were struggling to keep pace in softer pressure off Hen Island, speeds dropping as low as 2.9 knots. The separation marks a decisive early advantage for Ehrhart’s experienced crew, who have tuned Lucky for New Zealand’s mixed coastal conditions. It is not only Brad Butterworth’s experience, but also the experience of Lucky‘s entire crew, that is really making the most of the slight winds available.
When we spoke earlier this month about the Sydney to Auckland race, Ehrhart called the PIC Coastal Classic “a proper Kiwi challenge – short, tactical, and beautiful all the way north.” His passion for offshore sailing and admiration for New Zealand’s coastline made the race an easy addition to Lucky’s calendar.
The 42nd PIC Coastal Classic may be unfolding in gentle airs, but Lucky is proving that mastery of light-wind sailing counts just as much as raw horsepower. If the breeze holds steady through the Bay of Islands, Bryon Ehrhart and crew look poised to add another chapter to the boat’s already distinguished story.
