Live: 2026 Doyle Sails Round North Island Two Handed Yacht Race

2.30pm on Friday Feb 27, 2026

Weather forecast for Leg 1: Devonport Harbour to Mangōnui Harbour

The 2026 Doyle Sails Round North Island Two Handed Yacht Race starts tomorrow at 10am. The fleet will start at Devonport Harbour, quickly finding their way past the Rangitoto Lighthouse on their starboard, having turned north for Mangōnui Harbour in Doubtless Bay.

Conditions begin relatively light. Early easterlies are forecast at around 7 to 15 knots, building through the morning. Seas will be small at first, with a chance of showers. By early afternoon west of Kawau Island, the easterly strengthens to 12 to 18 knots, gusting over 20 knots.

Through the afternoon and into the evening off Whangārei Heads, winds increase further to 16 to 20 knots, with gusts in the mid twenties. Waves are expected to build to around 1.5 metres. It will not be extreme, but it will be a solid working reach for a two handed fleet managing sail changes, navigation and rest between them.

Overnight the easterly holds steady before easing slightly near Paihia on Sunday morning. Approaching Mangōnui, winds drop back to around 8 to 13 knots with more moderate seas.

Leg 1 looks fast, honest and demanding from the outset.

2.00pm on Friday Feb 27, 2026

Final checks

SSANZ indicate that the final race checks have all been ticked off, and skippers briefed.

10.00am on Friday Feb 27, 2026

Event briefing

The 2026 Round North Island Yacht Race fleet gathered at 1000 hours this morning at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron for the main mandatory briefing, with both co-skippers from each yacht in attendance. The session covered key safety requirements, navigational hazards including fairway marks, and specific instructions for all four legs of the race, which includes stopovers in Mangōnui, Waikawa, and Napier.

The Race Committee also confirmed that additional briefings for Legs 2, 3, and 4 will be held during the respective stopovers. All required documentation, including Category 2 safety certificates and life raft inspection certificates. Crews were reminded of the twice-daily check in schedule at 0700 and 1900 hours and the requirement for all hulls to be cleaned prior to the start.

7.00pm on Thursday Feb 26, 2026

Skippers farewell function

Both co-skippers attended the official farewell function at 1900 hours on Thursday 26 February 2026 at Westhaven Marina. The event marked the formal send off for the 13th Doyle Sails Round North Island Race, bringing together the 26 boat fleet before the 1,250 nautical mile challenge begins on 28 February in Auckland.

10.00am on Tuesday Feb 24, 2026

Inspection

By 10am every yacht must be berthed in an approved central Auckland marina, hold a current Category 2 safety certificate or higher, and be available for inspection. Inspectors appointed by the Race Committee will examine each yacht to confirm compliance with its safety certificate, this Notice of Race, the Sailing Instructions, and its overall ability to safely take part in the event. Yachts that do not initially pass inspection may rectify any defects and request a further inspection. However, any yacht that has not successfully passed inspection by 1700 hours on Friday 27 February 2026 will be deemed to have withdrawn from the race.