A strong concentration of sub-10-metre designs is shaping expectations for this year’s PIC Harbour Classic, following consistent results in recent seasons.
Following the 2025 PIC Harbour Classic, both the results and race coverage highlighted a clear trend. The top ten finishers on corrected time were dominated by small keelboats, defined here as 10 metres or less.
That trend has been building over time. In 2023, four of the top ten boats on corrected time measured 10 metres or less. Leading this group was Juniper, a J88 skippered by Lode Missiaen, followed by Sham Pain, an MG Whitbread 30 skippered by Greer JK. Legless, a Young 88 skippered by Karen Reid, and Motorboat, an SR26 skippered by Nick Charles, also featured within the top ten.
In 2024, the pattern continued on corrected time. Minx, a Pied Piper skippered by Sam Stenson, featured prominently and was joined by fellow Pied Piper Red Label, skippered by Tim Lynch Blosse. The Magic 25 class was also well represented, with Magic Dragon, skippered by Brent Gribble, and Team Sex, skippered by Anne Hirst, both finishing inside the top ten. Completing the group was Split Decision, a Young 88 skippered by Sally Garrett.
By 2025, the pattern sharpened. Within the top ten on corrected time, a dominant group of smaller boats under 10 metres featured throughout the results.
The Flying Fifteen class led the charge, with FFORTUNE skippered by Jenny Price, FFLYING CLOUD skippered by Sarah Reynolds, and THE GODFFATHER skippered by Sally Garrett all finishing inside the top four. They were joined by a strong showing from the Magic 25 fleet, including Team Sex skippered by Anne Hirst, Enigma skippered by Chris Hirst, and Magic Dragon skippered by Brent Gribble.
Also featuring prominently were Weapon of Choice, a Houghton Dibley 7.5 skippered by Phil Houghton, and Cool Change, a Ross 850 skippered by Richard Limbrick.
The same pattern has been observed beyond the PIC Harbour Classic. In the recent 2026 Marsden Cove Route 66 Coastal Race, Ex Machina, an Elliott 7.8 skippered by Jamie Caisley, finished at the top of the corrected time leaderboard. It was the smallest boat in the fleet. She was joined in the top ten on handicap by T-Rex, an SR26 skippered by Lanny Walker; Juniper, a J88 skippered by Lode Missiaen; Chico Too, a Chico 30 skippered by Trish Beken.
Elliott 7.8 Ex Machina strikes gold in Route 66 Coastal Yacht Race
In the just-finished 2026 Doyle Sails Round North Island Two Handed Yacht Race, Ragnar, a Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 (hull length of 9.99 metres) skippered by Brett Elliott and co skippered by James Glidden, secured overall handicap honours. Niksen, a Dehler 30OD raced by Logan Fraser and Marc Michel, Indis, a Sun Fast 3300 raced by Andrew Benton and Andrew Hall and Hotdogger, a Ross 930 skippered by Nigel Bish and Sinisa ‘Sin’ Grujicic all finished in the top ten on corrected time.
Live: 2026 Doyle Sails Round North Island Two Handed Yacht Race
Turning to the 2026 PIC Harbour Classic fleet, a significant portion of entries sit at 8.5 metres and below, forming a dense and competitive core of sportboats, trailer yachts, and small keelboats.
This group includes boats such as Sailena, a Moonraker 23 (7-metres) skippered by Malcolm Robertson, Radioactive, an Elliott 7.9 skippered by Daniel Leech, Red Line, a Whiting Quarter Tonner skippered by Brett McPhee, and Buoy Racer, an Elliott 8 skippered by Holger Zipfel.
Within the same size range, a strong cluster of Open 8.5 and similar designs adds further depth. Boats such as Attitude skippered by Steve Dunlop, Epsom Salts skippered by Andrew Johnson, Hooters skippered by Craig Haslip, and Lucifer skippered by Ed Ayre are joined by Freedom and Espresso 8.5, both Great Barrier Express designs skippered by Coen Ursem and Justin Lee respectively.
Supporting this group are compact keelboats including Blue Sapphire, a Marauder 8.4 skippered by Mike Fokin, and Cool Change, a Ross 850 skippered by Richard Limbrick.
Just above this core grouping sits a secondary band of boats in the 9 to 10 metre range, including Xstatic, a Farr 9.2 skippered by Harry Clark; Scarlet Fever and Wasted Away, both Ross 930s skippered by Simon Devoy and Luke Judge respectively; and Alien, a Turissimo 10 skippered by Jackson Keon.
As the fleet lines up, smaller boats are expected to once again feature prominently in the handicap standings. Attention now turns to the race start.
