Pacific Circuit Rally 2022 announced

Announcing the Pacific Circuit Rally 2022 © Island Cruising NZ

Island Cruising NZ is excited to announce the Pacific Circuit Rally for 2022! Island Cruising have been running yacht rallies to the Pacific for over 30 years, and we are delighted to offer some exciting sailing events in 2022.

Fiji and French Polynesia have advised that vessels with fully vaccinated crew will be allowed to enter and go cruising.

New Caledonia are hoping to reopen their borders in the New Year and are looking forward to welcoming sailors to participate in the famous Groupama Race. They will also have a cruising division next year.

Vanuatu and Tonga are still a little uncertain at this stage, but we are watching closely and will advise of any changes to their border restrictions.

We're working closely with our partners from Down Under Rally Australia to explore their part of the world too. You've got the option to sail home to NZ, or join their Go West rally to enjoy cruising in Queensland and beyond.

Shhh - this is still being worked out, but they've also got some exciting plans in place for an OZ to NZ rally where they'll be sending Australian based sailors across the ditch early next year to spend some time visiting New Zealand before heading up to Fiji too. Watch this space!

The dates

The aim is to leave New Zealand in May and return in October. However we are still able to help if you have different time frames. Please just let us know.

The destinations

We have options for:

1. French Polynesia
2. Fiji
3. New Caledonia
4. Finishing back in NZ or in Australia on the Go West Rally
5. Combinations of all the above
6. Tonga and Vanuatu options will be added when we hear more about their borders re-opening.

• Assistance with getting prepared to go offshore.
• Help with ticking off all the Cat 1 Safety requirements, training and administration
• Country entry and exit procedures and paperwork
• Health and quarantine advice.
• Cultural and environmental guidance
• Webinars and regular updates containing detailed content on destinations, weather, navigation and anchoring techniques.
• Passage planning assistance
• A detailed rally pack - containing lots of local information on weather patterns, VHF channels, and things to see and do along the way
• Use of a professional weather router for the longer passages when travelling with the rally group
• The PredictWind tracker if you have an IridiumGO which you can share with your friends and family
• 20% discount on PredictWind weather subscriptions
• Making great friends to sail with and meet the locals along the way
• Shore crew support.
• Coordination with Maritime Radio and RCCNZ so they are aware of the rally movements
• An ICNZ burgee
• Lots of great deals and discounts from our suppliers including charts, safety gear, lines, sails and much more
• Local optional events and activities along the way.
• Goody bags with sponsors product and prizes
• Local assistance if repairs are required
• Crew seeker service - and help with crew changes

When you arrive at your destination, you can choose to cruise with your new friends, or do your own thing. The choice is yours.

The price

We are waiting on a few final details to come back from our local contacts and will be able to provide a price shortly.

Getting prepared

It is never too early to start preparing for your adventures. If you arent already a member of Island Cruising NZ you can join now for just $75 per year. This will give you access to all our cruising preparation workshops and resources as well as great discounts to help get you, your crew and your boat ready for the adventures ahead: www.islandcruising.nz/register

Need crew or want to be a crew?

We can help with crew too if you need an extra hand for the passages or just cruising in general. Your crew will also need to become members of Island Cruising so they can swot up on all the handy things to know such as passage planning, safety, navigation, watch keeping, assistance with crew changes, and get access all our other content and resources as well.

What about Covid and refunds?

If the rally can't go ahead because of Covid lockdowns, then the rally fee will be refundable or transferrable to another date.

2023

If you can't join us in 2022, we will be running the same again in 2023, along with our South Island Rally over summer and a Rally to Japan.

To register your interest, please drop me an email. You'll be the first to know when registrations open.