Seawind Racing at Onepoto Basin

Winter Series – Event Cancelled

With a forecast of 16kt winds for today’s event, conditions were looking reasonably promising. Unfortunately, the 12 skippers were dealt much higher winds, making sailing — let alone fleet racing — extremely difficult.

After battling through the potentially boat-breaking conditions in the first race, with a couple of boats actually suffering breakdowns, we decided it was best to call the event off. A few hardy skippers elected to stay on and have some so-called “fun sailing”, while most of the fleet sensibly packed up and headed home.

Our Winter Series has certainly been challenging, with three of the scheduled seven events cancelled — two due to a lack of wind and one due to having far too much!

Dan’s friend Jordan joined us for racing today, sailing one of Dan’s spare boats. Jordan who sails full-size yachts, took well to RC sailing and looks to be well on his way to becoming a competitive Seawind skipper. Hopefully, he’ll become a regular competitor at our weekly events.

With the Winter Series now complete, the standings remain as posted last week. Congratulations to Bruce Watson for taking gold, with Rick Royden just one point behind claiming silver, and Dave Larsen taking bronze. 🥇🥈🥉

Hopefully, we’ll have better luck with the weather for our next event which is:

🏁 Match Racing #7
📅 Sunday, August 30
⏰ 10am–midday
📍 Quarry Lake, Takapuna

Onepoto Lagoon Algae Update.
The nasty stuff continues to grow and is now appearing throughout the pond. It is still mostly concentrated on the pond floor, although clumps of floating algae can be seen on the surface when conditions are calm.
The wind tends to break up this floating algae, so with 17 knots forecast, I don't expect it to be a significant problem for our fleet racing event tomorrow. That said, we will probably encounter the stringy Pithophora algae catching on our keels and bulbs, particularly when sailing through the shallower parts of the pond.
As mentioned in previous updates, and I know I keep going on about it, my concern is that the algae will really take off once the warmer weather arrives, as it has done in previous years. It has that familiar feeling of a ticking time bomb!

Hi everyone. Just confirming that we will hold our final winter event this coming weekend, Aug 23, Onepoto, 1-3pm. Winter Series standings and an AI generated report attached.

NZRYS Winter Series 2026 – Final Raceday Preview

With 4 races now completed, there is just one Raceday remaining in the 2026 NZRYS Winter Series.

The final event on 23 August will be particularly important because the championship is being decided on the best five Raceday scores. There is still plenty of opportunity for positions to change.

🏆 The championship is still wide open

Bruce Watson currently leads on 52 points, just one point ahead of Rick Royden on 53.

This is the closest possible battle at the top. Because only the final Raceday score will be added to their current Best 4 totals, the difference of just one point means either skipper can still take the Winter Series.

A strong final result from Rick could see him overturn Bruce's lead, while Bruce will be looking to finish ahead of Rick and secure the championship.

🥉 Third and fourth could change

Dave Larsen is currently third on 76 points, with Mike Gardiner fourth on 87.

The 11-point gap looks reasonably comfortable, but it is still possible for Mike to close it.

If Mike has a very strong final Raceday and Dave has a poor one, the two could swap positions.

So while Dave is currently favourite for third, third place is not yet guaranteed.

The battle for fifth to seventh

There is another close group involving Mike Renner, Chris Yates and Daniel Leech.

Current standings:

Mike Renner – 108
Chris Yates – 116
Daniel Leech – 126
Mike Renner has an eight-point advantage over Chris, while Chris is only ten points ahead of Daniel.

All three can therefore still change positions.

Mike Renner could finish as high as 5th or drop to 6th.

Chris has the greatest opportunity for movement and could finish anywhere from 5th to 7th.

Daniel can still move ahead of Chris and finish 6th, although he cannot catch Mike Renner if Mike has a reasonable final result.

This makes the final Raceday particularly important for this group.

Tom Clark looks safe in eighth

Tom Clark currently sits eighth on 144 points.

The gap to Daniel in seventh is 18 points, while Tom has a 36-point advantage over Noel Heerdegen in ninth.

Even the best or worst possible final Raceday result cannot bridge either of those gaps.

Tom is therefore guaranteed to finish eighth overall.

A big battle from ninth down

The positions from 9th to 14th could see some significant movement.

Noel Heerdegen currently occupies ninth place on 180 points, but Laurie Glover and Brian Christensen are both on 189.

That nine-point gap means Noel can still be overtaken.

Laurie and Brian can both move up to 9th, while Noel could potentially drop as far as 11th.

Peter, Andrew and Lance could all move

The lower end of the table is also far from settled.

Peter Newfield – 198
Andrew Hunter – 203
Lance Allen – 215

Only five points separate Peter and Andrew, while Lance is just 12 points behind Andrew.

Peter could finish anywhere from 10th to 13th.

Andrew could finish between 12th and 14th.

Lance could still move up to 13th, meaning even the final two positions are not guaranteed.

Winter Series #7 – Fleet Racing

Onepoto Lagoon – Sunday, 16 August 2026

The forecast of 3–7 knots was pretty much spot on for Winter Series #7, with light and variable conditions making for an interesting afternoon of racing. We thought we might get a shower or two, but thankfully the rain held off, apart from a few minutes of the lightest of spits.

Nine skippers entered the event, although Lance (18) decided to sit out the racing and instead take the opportunity to get some time on the boat outside the race course.

We were a little late getting underway and had a couple of hold-ups during the afternoon, which ultimately saw us run a little over time.

Before Race 1 got underway, Mikey G discovered a non-responsive rudder along with some loose rigging. Rather than attempting a repair on the spot, he took up the offer to sail Dave’s spare boat, Seawind No. 13. Mikey G tweaked the settings to his liking between races and put in a solid performance, including a 2nd and a 3rd place.

Race 5 produced one of the more interesting finishes of the day. Boat No. 3 was leading after rounding the final mark and tacking onto port to make a run to the finish line, only to slip back to 2nd. Noel (47), remaining on starboard after rounding the mark, picked up a nice lift and managed to sail past the now slower No. 3 to steal the win.

In race 2, a scratch race, there was a rather loud collision involving several boats at the far-side yellow mark, resulting in yet another hole in the side of Boat 85 (Captain Citrus). I think that makes three times in recent months that No. 85 has been on the receiving end of a pointy bow! Perhaps a target should be added to the midships hull when the latest repair is completed!

After racing, there was plenty of discussion about fitting bow bumpers to the boats. There are apparently some 3D-printable designs available that look like they could do the job, so we’ll investigate those and see if we can come up with a solution.

The racing itself was certainly challenging. Conditions were constantly changing, with holes and gusts appearing at different times — some working in your favour and others definitely not! It was one of those days where Lady Luck played a significant role, and being on the right side of a shift could make all the difference.

When the final results were tallied, Rick took top honours with 9 points. Bruce secured 2nd place on 14 points, with Noel just one point behind in 3rd on 15 points.

A big thanks to everyone who came along and made the most of the light and tricky conditions.

Next on the schedule is our Fun Day on Sunday, 23 August. No doubt a number of us will make it along to Onepoto for some relaxed sailing, a bit of fun and, of course, a few races!

Onepoto Lagoon – Algae Update - 11/8/26
Very little wind at Onepoto this morning left the lagoon with an almost mirror-like surface, which made the floating algae particularly noticeable, with clumps dotted across the pond.

While the floating clumps of algae are a relatively new development, their appearance at this time of year is not unexpected. Based on previous years, without intervention, I would expect the algae to increase significantly over the coming months, once again rendering the lagoon unusable for NZRYS, Electrons Club, Ancient Mariners and other RC boat users.

The water remains extremely murky, as it has been for the past few years, and there is also a yellowy-brown scum on the surface. This gunk sticks to our boat hulls and can leave staining if the boats are not cleaned immediately after sailing.

Runoff from the surrounding fields continues to flow into the pond, carrying visible contaminants and potentially nutrients that may be contributing to the algae growth.

Last year, Council (KLB) advised us that three doses of algaecide had been secured and would be applied as required. To date, only one dose has been applied, in November 2025, and it was successful in controlling the algae. Given the recent emergence and accumulation of algal growth, we feel it is now time for the second dose to be applied.

Addressing the problem now would appear to be a far more practical and cost-effective approach than dealing with the consequences once the problem has become much more severe. Allowing the algae to proliferate also results in a significant accumulation of organic material and dead algae, adding further sediment to the lagoon and potentially contributing to the need for costly dredging in the future.

On behalf of all users of Onepoto Lagoon, NZRYS, Electrons and Ancient Mariners, we would strongly encourage Council (KLB) & Healthy Waters to consider applying the second algaecide treatment now, while it can still be effective in preventing the algae from becoming a much larger problem.

Winter Series #6 – Onepoto Lagoon
The forecast had promised some rain and a breeze of around 8 knots, but what arrived was mostly a sprinkle of light rain and virtually no wind.
After waiting patiently, boats drifting, and watching the sails hang motionless, the call was finally made at 1.20pm to officially abandon the event. With six races scheduled, there simply wasn’t enough breeze to make a worthwhile afternoon of racing.
However, a few keen skippers weren’t quite ready to give up and called for a “friendly race”.
After a very slow start, the boats did manage to navigate their way around a shortened course, although with sails often hanging slack and progress measured more in centimetres than knots.
Every now and then a welcome puff would arrive and provide a few seconds of actual forward momentum before the fleet once again came to a gentle halt.
The breeze did pick up a tad more on occasion, which saw boats slightly heeled over and moving at a much more respectable pace—a very welcomed sight!

A few more fun races were held until around 2.30pm, with conditions varying from drifting along to suddenly being powered up, before drifting once again. Plenty of laughter and good-natured banter helped make up for the lack of ideal sailing conditions. Thankfully, the forecast rain largely held off.
While it wasn’t the racing day everyone had hoped for, at least the fleet got together and made the most of what Mother Nature provided.

Thanks to Chris for supplying and fitting an umbrella to the pits area. This kept the whiteboards etc nice and dry!

Onepoto Lagoon Update
The algae at the northern end of the pond appears to be getting a little thicker, although the recent cooler temperatures have no doubt helped suppress its progress—for now.
Paul did manage to pick up some algae from the middle of the pond, so perhaps it is now starting to pop up in other areas as well. Something we’ll continue to keep an eye on.

Next Event: Winter Series #7 – Sunday, August 16th
Hopefully the weather gods will be a little more cooperative next week and provide us with some wind, sunshine and proper sailing conditions!

NZRYS Match Racing Report – Quarry Lake
2 August 2026

On a sunny but crisp winter's day, with a light SSW breeze, nine skippers made their way to Quarry Lake for another enjoyable morning of match racing.

In true match racing style, the course was laid straight up and down the lake with starboard mark roundings at both the windward and leeward marks. Racing got underway at 10:05am with an opening contest between Chris (Boat 113) and Dave (Boat 3).

Dave gained the advantage on the first beat after a clean start and held his lead throughout the two-lap race to record the first win of the day. Chris felt Boat 113 wasn't quite "dialled in" and was lacking its usual upwind pace. A few adjustments were made after the race, and they certainly paid off. In his next match against Mike R in Boat 85, Chris returned to winning form, proving the tuning changes had done the trick.

The event ran nicely with 3 match ups racing on the lake at any one time.

As the morning progressed, the conditions became increasingly difficult to read. The breeze fluctuated in both strength and direction, making tactical decisions a real challenge. While the western end of the lake generally held a SSW breeze, the north-eastern end often produced a south-easterly. Boats could remain on the same heading yet go from close-hauled to fully sheeted out within moments. Competitors sailing on opposite sides of the course frequently encountered completely different wind strengths and directions, creating plenty of "luck of the wind gods moments" Sometimes the shifts worked in your favour, and other times they certainly didn't.

A couple of races also suffered from very light air at the start, resulting in boats being unable to enter the start box on time and receiving penalties. Aside from those infringements, it was an exceptionally clean day of racing with no notable port-and-starboard incidents….apart from a couple of ‘too close’ mark roundings that awarded boats the 360 dance.

We were also pleased to welcome Dave's friend Keith, who was having his very first sail of an RC yacht. Taking the helm of Dave's spare Boat 13, Keith showed impressive natural ability. His performance certainly didn't go unnoticed, with plenty of positive comments around the pits suggesting he's one to watch. If his first outing is anything to go by, it may not be long before he's challenging for podium places.

A special congratulations goes to Andrew with boat 9, who scored two wins in his very first match racing event while sailing his newly acquired boat. It looked fantastic on the water and has certainly made an impressive debut.

At the conclusion of racing, Laurie and Dave each finished with four wins to share first equal honours. Chris, Dan, Mike G and Andrew each recorded two wins to finish equal third.

We will update the match racing series standings once Brian our score keeper has returned from his holiday at the end of the month.

Next Sunday we return to Onepoto Lagoon for Winter Series #6 fleet racing. We hope to see everyone there for another great afternoon on the water at the home of NZRYS, the mighty Onepoto Lagoon!

Onepoto Lagoon Algae Report – 25 July 2026
I inspected Onepoto Lagoon today and found that the Pithophora algae at the northern end of the north pond has increased since our inspections last week. Although the algae is also present elsewhere in the north pond, it is currently at lower levels through the central section and down towards the southern end by the bridge, so we should be ok to sail our event there tomorrow.
As Pithophora thrives in fresh water, the recent rainfall may encourage further growth over the coming weeks. We will continue to monitor the situation closely with regular rake scrapes to assess the extent of the algae and any changes in its distribution.
This species of algae typically begins to appear around August each year, so it is somewhat earlier than usual this season. We will keep members updated as conditions develop.

Winter Series #4 – Onepoto Lagoon
19 July 2026
Winter sailing at Onepoto never disappoints, and Round 4 served up another classic afternoon where reading the breeze was more of an educated guess than an exact science.

Arriving just after midday, the carpark was already bursting at the seams. Fortunately, the Electrons were just wrapping up their morning's sailing, and as they packed away, enough spaces magically appeared for the Seawind fleet to roll in. A brief rain shower swept across the lagoon just before racing, sending everyone scrambling into wet-weather gear, but thankfully it was only a passing visitor.

Ten skippers were on the start line for Race 1, with Laurie arriving just in time to join the action from Race 2 onwards, bringing the fleet to an excellent 11 boats.

It was also fantastic to have Lance Allen and Andrew Hunter attend their second event. While both are still finding their feet in the world of RC sailing, they threw themselves straight into the fleet racing experience. Onepoto probably isn't the easiest classroom, with its famous swirling winds and endless shifts, but there's no substitute for time on the water. Every race brings another lesson in boat setup, sail trim, racing strategy, and just how quickly a comfortable lead over another boat can disappear after one unfortunate wind shift. They're both making great progress and it's only a matter of time before they're posting some solid scores.

The excitement arrived early in Race 2 when Peter Newfield became involved in a collision that left his rig folded into the water. In true club spirit, Chris Yates and Mike Renner immediately abandoned their own races to come to Peter's rescue. Within minutes Peter's boat was safely recovered, the rig reassembled, and he was back on the water ready for Race 3 as though nothing had happened. Their selfless efforts certainly didn't go unnoticed, so Chris and Mike have each been awarded average points from their 5 races for Race 2 in recognition of their rescue mission.

As for the racing... well, Onepoto was doing exactly what Onepoto does best.
The breeze wandered around the compass, puffing, fading, shifting left, shifting right, then occasionally gusting or disappearing just to keep everyone honest. Picking the correct tack was tricky as often there was a fine line between being on port or starboard, and more than one skipper watched a healthy lead evaporate in the space of a few boat lengths while someone else tacked or sometimes stumbled into the next pressure line.

Despite the tricky conditions, at times the racing remained incredibly close throughout the afternoon. The fleet often stayed tightly compressed over the 2 lap races, producing several thrilling finishes with packs of boats charging towards the line separated by only a few metres. There were plenty of position changes right to the final leg, ensuring nobody could relax until crossing the line.
Once all the scores (and throw-outs) had finally been untangled, it was Rick, sailing Seawind 234, who emerged on top with an impressive 8 points. Bruce had Seawind 33 absolutely humming all afternoon and deservedly claimed second overall on 11 points, while Dave sailed consistently in the challenging conditions to round out the podium with 18 points.

A big thank you to everyone who came along, especially those lending a hand both on and off the water. It was another afternoon of competitive racing, plenty of laughs, a rescue mission thrown in for good measure, and the usual reminder that at Onepoto, the wind always has the final say.
See you all at the next round, Winter #5, Sunday July 26, Onepoto, 1-3pm.

Fun sailing tomorrow at Onepoto. Looks like sunny skies and light winds. 1pm start.