Setting Sail for the PIC Coastal Classic
The Pic Coastal Classic is only a month away! For many kiwi sailors, the Coastal Classic signals the start of an exciting new season. The “Great Race North” as many call it, is a race from Auckland’s Devonport Wharf to Russel Wharf in the Bay of Islands and has been held annually since its inception in 1982.
Burnsco have a proud sailing heritage and are privileged sponsors and supporters of the Division 6 Coastal Classic.
We caught up with 6x Coastal Classic competitor Marcel Vroege, to have a chat to him about the build up to the Coastal Classic and how he is preparing to set sail for The Great Race North once again.
How many times have you competed in the Coastal Classic?
I think I have done about 6 Coastal Classics so far.
What boat are you doing the race on? (Name, Type)
I will be sailing on Apparition, a Ross 35
How is the preparation going for the Coastal Classic this year?
The preparation is progressing well. Last Saturday we renewed our Cat 3 certificate, and over the coming weeks we'll go through the boat making sure it is fully up to scratch. We race all year round, so we continually check and maintain all the gear on board. However, getting ready for the Coastal is a good reason to check everything and tick off all maintenance and updates.
How have you prepared in the lead up to the Coastal Classic?
Besides getting the boat ready, the crew must be ready as well. The crew race mostly all year round, so know the boat well. We will typically do a couple of work parties on the boat, which further helps with all crew being very familiar with the boat, the location of all the equipment and gear. In addition, we plan to have a get together before the race to go over various procedures including those that would deal with emergencies such as man overboard, dismasting, springing a leak, having to contact outside help and medical emergencies.
What’s it like sailing overnight? How do you and your crew prepare for this?
Sailing at night is fundamentally no different from sailing during the day – however, having limited visibility does provide challenges. Having a crew that knows the boat well helps greatly. Most of the time they will be able to grab the right halyard, or sheet without having to identify its colour. In addition, we have instruments that help us.
Ensuring the crew is well watered and fed is essential to keep up morale, provide energy and warmth. We ensure we have a hot meal before it goes dark, and have plenty of tea, soup, coffee etc on board to have during nighttime.
In addition, the Coastal Classic is not our only race we sail in the dark. During the year we have night races to Kawau and Mahurangi, as well as the Balokovic cup, which is an overnight race. (part of the gold cup series) This ensures we are comfortable racing at night.
Can you give us a bit of insight into the essential equipment and procedures you need to take for sailing the Coastal Classic?
In many ways, the Coastal Classic is like every other race – and the equipment required for Cat 3 is a good starting point. However, that is the “minimum requirement”. It is good to make sure that the boat and crew are in many ways exceeding that. In terms of equipment, this includes having several additional safety measures. For instance, Apparition has AIS installed, which will assist in emergencies, as your position is visible to every other boat equipped with AIS. In addition to the required flares, we also carry an electronic flare, which will work for longer, and can be effectively used to attract attention from aircrafts and ships. We carry extra life jackets, as modern inflatable life jackets do accidentally inflate. We have an extensive 1st aid kit with various additional supplies. We also carry various spares such as lines, blocks, filters, torches, batteries, battens etc to allow us to make essential repairs if so required.
In terms of procedures, this is part of the previous preparation work – we plan and train procedures as part of normal sailing, such as sail changes, reefing, etc, but also for emergencies, such as man overboard, or what to do in case of an accident or major damage.
What’s the most exciting part of competing in the Coastal Classic?
That must be the start – being part of this massive fleet leaving Auckland is just awesome. Other highlights are always the major milestones, such as Kawau, SailRock , Bream Head and Cape Brett, and of course the finish. However, the finish is generally a feeling of joy and relief that you made it and time to open the rum!
What are some of the biggest challenges you anticipate facing during the Coastal Classic?
Weather conditions are by and large by far the greatest challenge. To little or too much wind both provide for challenges.
What’s your go to snack when you’re on the boat?
A great favourite are small sausages rolls a crew member makes himself – they are just fantastic. Then of course, chocolate with nuts and berries, ginger cookies, muesli bars and gallons of coffee and tea. This year we are sadly missing a crew member who typically provide great savoury muffins, but she is swanning around the Pacific.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to participate in the Coastal Classic?
It can be a great fun race. Get on a good, well set-up boat, then make sure your boat is as well equipped and set-up (as the one you've been on). The crew and skipper need to be a good team, check and double check that the boat and crew are ready to face potentially tough conditions. But most of all – enjoy it.
Whether you’re gearing up for this year’s Coastal Classic or diving into sailing for the first time this season, Burnsco has you covered. Explore their CAT 3 Checklist to make sure you have all the essential gear. With everything you need available at Burnsco, you can set sail with confidence.
Lastly, a massive thanks to Marcel for taking the time to answer a few of our questions around the Coastal Classic and our fingers are crossed for ideal conditions. Enjoy the race, enjoy the comradery and enjoy the rum!
Do you have any questions?
Please, contact our friendly team on 0800 102041
or email: website@burnsco.co.nz
We provide general information on products, not personal advice.
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