Tidelines: Pt Chevalier puts out the welcome mat

Pt Chevalier Sailing Club is gearing up for its main event to kick off the summer season - Open Day from 10am on Sunday, October 9. The invitation to everyone says bring your family boat, canoe, boogie board and picnic to find out what the club has to offer. The programme includes learn-to-sail courses. The clubroom is at the end of Raymond St. Details at Sail Pt Chev (see link below).

American performance cruiser/racer here

International Marine Brokers, the Beaumont St, Westhaven, company best known for importing the Bavaria range, has added J Boats to its stable. Duthie Lidgard is looking after the incoming Americans, already well-known here through the J24 racer. The range is from 22 to 65ft, and the yachts are regarded as a true performance cruising/racing yacht with more than 5000 of the 24s having been sold worldwide. Details on International Marine Brokers (see link below).

Akarana revises Gold Cup series

Royal Akarana Yacht Club has reconfigured the long established Gold Cup inshore keelboat racing series to extend its appeal across the sailing spectrum. There are now five divisions covering big boats, small boats, short-handed crews and multi-hulls. The long haul and multi-hull divisions will sail the traditional Gold Cup courses, with the other divisions being set progressively shorter courses. The Gold Cup series is the testing ground for crews looking for a new challenge and for those preparing for ocean racing later in the season. Details on the Royal Akarana Yacht Club website (see link below).

Water-Watch

The Richmond Yacht club's Spring Regatta today is the main event on the Waitemata this weekend. Other activity:

Today: The fortnightly club series continues (Bucklands Beach Yacht Club).

Organisations planning events on or in the Waitemata or Manukau Harbours should register in advance with the Auckland Regional Council on (09) 366 2000. The 24-hour response number for the ARC maritime unit is (09) 362 0397.