South Island Rally launch

South Island Rally © Island Cruising NZ

Join us for an adventure of a lifetime on the South Island Rally this summer. Visiting Abel Tasman & Marlborough Sounds, and the option to head further south to Fiordland, Stewart Island, Otago & Banks Peninsula too.

Flexible destinations and departure dates, heaps of support to help you get organised, a detailed guide book with all the local contacts, connection with the others heading in the same direction and lots of fun along the way.

This will be the fourth time we've run this popular rally, and this is a unique way to explore our stunning country!

View recent Rally Launch webinar here:

What is a Rally?

A rally is all about having cruising adventures with friends heading in the same general direction.

Island Cruising takes this a step further. Our rallies include intensive pre-departure training to help ensure you feel confident and prepared on departure day. We support you along the way with tracking, help with crew, advice on weather, provide detailed resources and destination information to save you lots of time doing all the research, provide assistance if you have any issues en-route, and we have fun events along the way and connect you with others heading in the same direction.

You can choose whether to cruise with the group or do your own thing and sail independently.

We welcome yachts and power boats on the rally.

Destinations

Rally participants will have the choice to select which destinations they'd most like to visit or to follow our suggested itinerary and time line.

• Option One
  • Abel Tasman
  • Nelson
  • D'Urville Island
  • Marlborough Sounds

• Option Two
  • Abel Tasman
  • Fiordland
  • Stewart Island
  • Otago
  • Banks Peninsula
  • Marlborough Sounds

Or choose your own destinations - you can even sail the route in reverse. Join us from either the North or South Island. The choice is yours.

Dates

The best time to sail south is over the New Zealand summer. We will do our best to group you up with the others departing from your start point. Most people will depart in December and return in March, but last year we had people starting as early as November, as late as February and finishing in April! The choice is yours.

Entry fees:

The rally entry fee is NZD$600.00 per vessel.

The skipper also needs to be a member of Island Cruising & Down Under Rally and we recommend the crew join too so they can also participate in the workshops. Membership is NZD$129.00 per person.

Join early to get the most benefit out of all the pre-departure training and Partner discounts.

Any rally payments are transferrable to a later date if it turns out for any reason you are unable to get away this year.

Your entry fee includes:

1. Rally pre-departure support

• A printed Yacht Manual to help you track your progress towards preparing your boat to a Cat 2 level.
• A printed Passage Plan
• The Island Cruising weekly members workshops - covering safety, weather, navigation, passage planning, and much more.
• Additional rally specific workshops & regular updates & newsletters
• Informative webinars about the amazing destinations you can visit, communications at sea, weather, passage planning and how to use the PredictWind weather routing tools
• Tips on how to set up your offshore communications
• Discounts on VHF, Navigation & Marine Medic & Advanced Sea Survival Courses
• Assistance with finding crew and sorting their travel logistics
• Heaps of amazing discounts from our rally Partners - check them out here.
• A rally pack with lots of goodies from our sponsors and other information
• Connecting & socialising with your fellow rally participants on the WhatsApp group

2. On passage support:

• Weather support from a meteorologist if required (at extra cost).
• Tracking on the PredictWind Rally Tracker
• Support and check-in's with Peter Mott - Passage Guardian
• SSB Radio users can have a daily sched
• Support & advice if you have any issues en-route

3. On the rally support

• Regular email updates with any news, events and other important updates
• We will ensure you understand all the regulations for where you are heading
• A detailed rally guide book with details of the best places to visit, cultural considerations, weather, tides, health, repairs and much more
• Shore crew support if you need any advice or help

You will need

• A sense of adventure and a sense of humour
• A well-prepared vessel for the adventures ahead. There is no safety inspection required, however you will encounter challenging weather and need good boat handling and navigational skills. We highly recommend you prepare your vessel to a Cat 2 standard and we will assist you through this process.
• The skipper is solely responsible for the safety of the vessel and crew. It is up to you to make the decision to set sail or participate in any of the rally activities and you do so at your own risk.
• The ability to receive emails via satellite or SSB connection - a backup form of communication is highly recommended.

Register Now!

Keen to join us on the adventure of a lifetime? Register now online here!

We will send you an invoice for the deposit, and get you under way with your rally preparation. I highly recommend joining early to take advantage of all the information, resources and discounts to help you get ready.

If you have any questions, please contact me on