Chris Woodhams

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Adventurer. Explorer. Sailor. Web Editors of Boating NZ
Bay of Islands Marina
Destinations

Ōpua, where New Zealand begins for thousands of cruising sailors

Every cruising season, yachts emerge from the Pacific and make landfall in the B...
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McD Yachts brings Aiata Sunfinder 50 to New Zealand // Photo courtesy Aiata
Boating News

McD Yachts brings Aiata Sunfinder 50 to New Zealand

Aiata's new Sunfinder 50 already has a New Zealand broker and, thanks to a quirk...
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SailGP 2026

Los Gallos Spain complete the fairytale as SailGP’s European leg kicks off in Portsmouth

SailGP's Season 6 rolled into Portsmouth for the Emirates Great Britain Sail Gra...
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SailGP 2026

Black Foils save their best for last as SailGP’s European leg gets under way in Portsmouth

SailGP's Season 6 rolled into Portsmouth...
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Environmental & Sustainability News

Pathways to the Sea strategy wins top local government award

Research into safer pump stations and better fish passage has earned Waikato Reg...
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The launch pass signage is right beside the jetty in Whangamata. Easy to find. // Kirsten Thomas
Boating News

Behind the new boat ramp system covering Thames & Coromandel: we sat down with the team making ...

Last week we reported that the Thames Coromandel District Council had flicked th...
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Government

Navy and Fisheries team up to check compliance from Cape Reinga to East Cape

A three-week joint operation between the Royal New Zealand Navy and Fisheries Ne...
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Aegean 600

Kiwi Andrew Hall updates us from aboard Aether in the Aegean 600 race

Kiwi sailor Andrew Hall and Greek crewmate Evi Delidou are in their second night...
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Aegean 600

Shorthanded and going Greek: Andrew Hall takes on the Aegean 600

When sail designer Andrew Hall flew into Athens last week, he stepped off the pl...
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Environmental & Sustainability News

Lobster pots in the Hauraki Gulf? They’re for science, not dinner

If you spot lobster pots inside a Hauraki Gulf marine protected area this month,...
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Boating News

Windelo 62: a new flagship for bluewater cruising

The French yard's largest catamaran takes Windelo's approach to sailing performa...
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Nic Roberts with Akonga // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race

Nick Roberts eyes Sydney to Hobart yacht race aboard Ākonga

Offshore sailor Nick Roberts discusses campaign racing, preparation and the grow...
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Tour Voile 2026

Oakley Marsh Lines Up for Tour de France à la Voile — the Only Kiwi on the Start Line

Five weeks ago, Oakley Marsh finished second at the Le Défi Paprec by 18 seconds...
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Boating News

This brand new Beneteau First 44 is a great buying opportunity

A small disclaimer before I start: I live aboard my own boat, which also happens...
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SailGP 2026

Editorial: SailGP, you cannot keep doing this to your audience

I'll be upfront: I'm tired and a little grumpy as I write this. It's been a long...
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Boat Business

DAVCO, OceanPower bring marine cranes to Asia

DAVCO, a manufacturer of advanced tender and personal watercraft management solu...
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Boat World

Fifth Pershing 140 launched

The fifth Pershing 140 aluminium superyacht was launched on 9 May at the Superya...
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SailGP 2026

Day One at SailGP Halifax: a slow start, a split fleet, and the Black Foils in the race

SailGP needs one of two things to be good theater: breeze or chaos. Halifax serv...
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Artemis beats Emirates GBR by 1.6 seconds in Group B Race 2. // Photo credit: SailGP media (screen grab)
SailGP 2026

SailGP Halifax 2026: Artemis pips Emirates GBR in a photo finish

Artemis won a spectacular second race for Group B at the 2026 SailGP Halifax reg...
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SailGP 2026

Race 2, Group A: Slingsby and Australia win again, Black Foils close behind, Audinet back on board f...

Australia won a dramatic second race for Group A at the 2026 SailGP Halifax rega...
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SailGP 2026

Race 1, Group B: Switzerland’s bold call for pressure delivers a commanding win

Switzerland won the opening Group B race at the 2026 SailGP Halifax event, maste...
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Black Foils in the 2026 Halifax Group A Race 1b // SailGP Media (screen grab)
SailGP 2026

SailGP Halifax 2026: Australia wins Race 1 Group A after timed-out restart

Australia won the opening race of Group A at the 2026 SailGP Halifax event, navi...
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SailGP 2026

BREAKING NEWS VIDEO: Black Foils taken into private ownership by US Private Equity. Blair Tuke inter...

MSP Sports Capital has taken a majority stake in the Black Foils, New Zealand's ...
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SailGP 2026

VIDEO: Blair Tuke dockside in Halifax “A new chapter, and a really exciting one”

Blair Tuke called it a hugely emotional day. For a man not given to easy sentime...
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SailGP 2026

Black Foils launch new F50 Manawatītī ahead of Halifax return

The Black Foils are back on the water. The team launched their new F50, Manawatī...
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Safety & Education

Crew member airlifted from Cook Strait: a worn sling, a wrong position: Singapore-flagged Thor Nitni...

A bulk carrier drifting in Cook Strait while waiting for a Wellington berth. Two...
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SailGP 2026

Coutts fires back: SailGP CEO breaks silence on New York criticism

Russell Coutts does not often react to critics. So a lengthy Facebook post today...
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Malcolm and Joan Dickson at the helm of Sarau, the yacht entered by Malcolm into the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. // Photo: Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Malcolm Dickson: Solo Trans-Tasman’s oldest finisher bookends career with handicap win at 79

At 79, Malcolm Dickson bookends a Solo Trans-Tasman career with a second handica...
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Boating News

HMNZS Te Mana and Aotearoa depart Auckland for world’s largest maritime exercise

Two Royal New Zealand Navy vessels left Devonport Naval Base this ...
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Kevin Le Poidevin, 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge Roaring Forty // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Kevin Le Poidevin’s Solo Trans-Tasman: The $150 mistake and everything that followed

Doug Esterman in his Cavalier 39 Fair Winds crossed the finish line at Southport...
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James Foster before arriving in Southport during the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // Photo credit: Chris Woodhams / Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

James Foster is nearly home: Seven days, 10 hours and one hell of a Tasman

The voice on the WhatsApp call belonged to the same James Foster we had intervie...
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Kevin Le Poidevin, 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge Roaring Forty // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Kevin Le Poidevin: The man who bought a racing legend on the internet

Kevin Le Poidevin is not your typical Trans-Tasman competitor. The Australian sa...
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Events

Cannes Yachting Festival: Why Kiwi Buyers Should Make the Trip to the South of France

If a new yacht is on your radar, the Cannes Yachting Festival is worth putting o...
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Guy Chester wins the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // Photo credit: Guy Chester with Boating New Zealand
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Guy Chester takes line honours in the Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge 2026

Guy Chester crossed the finish line at Gold Coast Seaway aboard the trimaran Oce...
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James Foster and Electron before the start of the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

James Foster: The man who built his own catamaran and raced it across the Tasman

James Foster is 49 years old. He is the youngest competitor in the 2026 Solo Tra...
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Safety & Education

The Big Swim returns for third year in aid of Coastguard volunteers

Coastguard Tautiaki Moana is calling on Kiwis to get in the water this June, wit...
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Boating News

Missing man last seen leaving Russell boat in dinghy

Benjamin Barrett lives aboard the vessel Reremoana and was last seen leaving in ...
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SailGP 2026

New York delivers chaos, a crash, and Slingsby’s third straight title

The Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix was extraordinary before a single point wa...
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SailGP 2026

Post race adjudication results in Penalty points

After the incident in Race 3, a Rule 14 heading has been held. Race 3 ...
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Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge

Peter Elkington: the nostalgic purchase that became a Tasman racer

Peter Elkington had a Young 11 as a kid. His family sailed one for 15 years. Whe...
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