The first 24 hours of Leg 4 in the 2026 Doyle Sails RNIs has become a moving tactical puzzle rather than a simple choice between offshore and inshore routing.
When the 25 boat fleet left Napier at 1pm on Friday, with “very lumpy seas with 10 knots of wind” crews immediately faced the classic coastal racing question. Sail further offshore in search of stronger breeze, or remain closer to the land and sail fewer miles.
There was immediate drama at the start. Motorboat 2 was over the line early and had to return to round the pin before restarting.
The opening miles quickly produced a split in the fleet. Some boats pushed east into open water while others turned north earlier along the coastline. As the leg has unfolded, however, it has become clear that no single routing decision would define the race. Instead crews have continually adjusted their tracks, reacting to subtle wind changes and the influence of the coastline as they worked steadily north toward East Cape.
Conditions early in the leg proved uncomfortable for many crews as they began the long upwind grind out of Hawke Bay.
“Pretty yucky and slow chopping for most of the afternoon. Very uncomfortable,” reported the crew aboard Perfect Storm as the fleet began to settle into the leg.
Early moves set the tone
Shortly after the start the fleet divided almost evenly between the offshore and northerly options.
One of the first notable moves came from Motorboat III, which peeled away from the east leaning pack and pushed onto a higher northerly line. General Lee and Kayimai soon followed that shift toward the coast.
Further offshore, boats such as Hotdogger, Ragnar, Motorboat II, Start Me Up and Vixen Racing continued pressing eastward, stretching the fleet wider across Hawke Bay.
Rather than committing permanently to either side of the course, crews repeatedly adjusted their tracks. Small changes in breeze and sea state made it worthwhile to tack or bear away in search of better pressure.
Explore Racing rounds Mahia Peninsula first
By Friday evening the fleet approached Mahia Peninsula, the first major geographic turning point of the leg.
Explore Racing arrived first and began the rounding with Focus and Vixen Racing close behind. The leading trio maintained a wider track clear of the coastline as they negotiated the peninsula.
Behind them the fleet began reshaping again. Some boats that had sailed offshore moved back toward the coast, while others held their wider lines.
At this stage Motorboat III and High 5 were among the boats working closer to the land, signalling another shift in the evolving tactical picture.
Once past Mahia the boats entered more exposed water where the northerly breeze had been predicted to build slightly and sea state increased.
For many crews, it was still a tough ride.
“Lumpy little start line and a long upwind to get out of the bay,” reported Niksen as the fleet continued north.
Overnight adjustments north of Gisborne
Through the night the fleet worked north past Gisborne in light and changeable conditions.
Crews traded small direction changes as they searched for the best angle and pressure. Explore Racing, Vixen Racing, Focus and Ragnar held an easterly position for much of the night.
The motion offshore made for a restless night for many sailors.
“Tough night onboard, pretty bumpy seaway. Not much sleep as we were thrown around in the bunk off watch,” reported Ragnar. “Breakfast bar is open but limited selection today.”
Others had to deal with poor visibility as well as rough seas.
“More of this bumpy stuff. And what’s with the fog?” came the update from Focus.
Ākonga also reported dense sea fog overnight before dawn broke grey and damp across the fleet.
By early Saturday morning Explore Racing, then roughly 56 nautical miles north east of Gisborne, finally began edging back toward the coast while continuing north.
Fleet spreads along the East Coast
By Saturday afternoon the fleet had stretched dramatically along the coastline between Gisborne and East Cape.
The southernmost boat, Highline, sat about 64 nautical miles south east of East Cape Lighthouse. At the northern end of the fleet, Explore Racing remained the most northerly and easterly boat, around 37 nautical miles south east of the lighthouse.
Closest to the coast was General Lee, sailing about three nautical miles offshore near Frog Rock off Waipiro Bay.
The leaders are now approaching East Cape Lighthouse, the easternmost point of New Zealand, where the course begins to turn northwest toward the Bay of Plenty.
High 5 leads on line honours
As the fleet converges on East Cape the leaderboard is beginning to take shape.
On line honours High 5 currently leads General Lee by about half an hour on elapsed time, with Perfect Storm next. All three have largely favoured the inshore track.
The handicap battle remains tight.
On overall PHRF, Pipi leads Focus by just over ten minutes on corrected time. Start Me Up sits a further seven minutes behind.
Division battles developing
In Division 1 the coastal route is currently producing strong results. General Lee leads on corrected time, ahead of Perfect Storm by roughly 25 minutes, with High 5 third.
Division 2 shows a similar pattern. Pipi leads Focus by about 11 minutes on corrected time, with Kayimai holding third place.
Division 3 has seen a standout performance from Ragnar, which leads Kick and Niksen by roughly three hours on corrected time. All three have sailed a middle to offshore line.
In Division 4, Start Me Up leads the division. L’Avanti follows about 15 minutes behind on corrected time, with Hotdogger further back.
East Cape will reshape the race again
The next major turning point is now only miles away for the leading boats.
Once around East Cape the fleet will begin the long northwest run toward Cape Runaway and the Bay of Plenty. Forecast southerlies are expected to strengthen behind the fleet, potentially turning the leg into a fast reaching ride up the coast.
After a day of constant tactical adjustments and a tough first night at sea, the race may soon shift from strategy to speed as Leg 4 of the 2026 Doyle Sails RNIs enters its decisive phase.
