It was the early hours of the Sunday morning in October, after having followed the 2025 PIC Coastal Classic for nearly seventeen-and-a-half hours, that I headed out in the Russell taxi to help bring the sailors from Bryon Ehrhart’s JK Lucky to shore. One of the young sailors who happened to be onboard had an early flight to catch in Auckland to make the Worlds. Last year’s event was next-level different as both Ehrhart’s Lucky (which had convincingly won the Sydney-to-Auckland Yacht Race a few weeks earlier), and Ian Moore’s Pac 52 Callisto (the team heavily involved representing the RNZYS at the 2026 Admiral’s Cup). Both continued on to Australia to join with 80th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
For more than 40 years, sailors have lined up off the Devonport Wharf, pointing their boats north for Russell. Some racers with the goal of winning, if the weather allows, in record time even. Some come along for the comraderie. No year is the same. Different fleets, different conditions. Some years bring fast reaching conditions and a quick run to the Bay of Islands. Last year turned into a tactical slog where long drawn-out patience counted more than boat speed. Either way, the finish (and party) at Russell after 119 nautical miles is what brings people back.
The Coastal Classic has had this unpredictable streak since the first edition in 1982, when a dozen boats started under the Auckland Multihull Sailing Association and Krisis took line honours in 18 hours. The record now belongs to Beau Geste, which set a time of a touch over 5 hours back in 2019, in which they reported a top speed of 45 knots in the fresh south-westerly winds that averaged 20-30 knots throughout. That record hasn’t been beaten since.
NZ Multihull Yacht Club Commodore Adrian Percival, whose club runs the event, says it’s the variety of conditions and competition that keeps sailors coming back year after year.
“The PIC Coastal Classic continues to reel sailors in because it offers something for everyone. Every year is different, and the feeling of making landfall in Russell after the run north never changes.”
Undoubtedly, with entries now open for the 2026 PIC Coastal Classic starting on Friday 23 October, skippers are talking about doing the Coastal again.
If you’ve never entered a Coastal Classic, then don’t hesitate thinking you’ll not be as fast as everyone else. After covering races and challenges in New Zealand over the past few years, I can tell you that no two boats are exactly the same. Yes, some are fast, but there are plenty of “cruiser-racers” (more cruisers than racers) who give it a go, more for the comraderie than for the trophy. It’s part of being part of the largest coastal race (cruise) in New Zealand.
The race stays open to everyone, from grand prix campaigns chasing line honours and division trophies to cruising crews using it as their first offshore passage. Percival had one more thing to add, aimed at crew rather than skippers.
“Crew have more influence than they think. If you’re keen to do the PIC Coastal Classic, now might be the time to start reminding the skipper. Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
Key details
Race: PIC Coastal Classic
Start: Devonport Wharf, Auckland
Finish: Russell, Bay of Islands
Date: Friday 23 October 2026
Entries are open now at www.coastalclassic.co.nz.
