KEY POINTS:
Opened at the end of December, the new 172-berth Orakei Marina is almost full. There are only two berths vacant at the Okahu Bay development. The marina can take boats from 12m to 40m (39.4ft to 131.2ft) and includes extra wide berths to cater for multihulls. There is a fishing platform on the outer rock breakwater, and there's public access during daylight hours.
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Round 2 of the New Zealand offshore powerboat championship will be raced off Maraetai today. Superboat, Superboat Light, Sport 100 and Formula Honda classes will be in action. The organisers expect there to be at least 45 boats to be contesting the 60 and 100-mile races. Peter Turner and Craig Archer in their new 1100hp Phantom catamaran Sleepyhead will be going head-to-head with PlaceMakers (Richard Shores and Wayne Carson) which withdrew with mechanical problems in the first round at Taupo. At least 18 Formula Hondas are expected to take to the course in the 60-miler with some close racing assured.
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There is plenty of action out of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron this weekend. The club championships will be sailed over harbour courses today and the youth internationals start today and run through to Wednesday. Other activity:
Today: Cruising race (Devonport YC); Burnsco Race and Etchells Races (Gulf Harbour CC); Harbour Race (Panmure Y & B C); Mullet5 Boats windward/leeward series (Ponsonby CC); Keelboat Cruise (RAYC); picnic at Motuihe (Waitemata TYS); Cruising (Weiti BC).
Today and tomorrow: Airpro single-handed series, Waiheke weekend (Bucklands Beach YC).
Tomorrow: Picnic (Panmure Y&BC); Summer Series (Pt Chevalier SC); Summer Race (PCC); Passage Race 4 from Kawau (Richmond YC). 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.
