PT CHEV AND TAMAKI SAILBORADS

An exposed ocean beach with large, heavy surf. Suitable for expert sailors. Can be extremely good on the few occasions the swell is big. But the wind is not too strong from the south or northwest, making it ideal side shore wave sailing.

The west coast - KAITARAKIHI

To Compass

Flat water to wave sailing: West to southerly winds.

Care required in an outgoing tide. Easy launching and good rigging area.

For the expert sailors, sail upwind through the harbour entrance and onto the bars of the west coast and have fun.

The west coast - JENKINS/FRENCH BAY

To Compass

Flat water and wave sailing: West to southerly winds.

Warning Oysters!

Westerlies are dead side shore and the main channel is just yards off shore. With an outgoing tide and strong westerlies (side shore) make for good jumping and on the other side of the channel the water can be dead flat at the same time.

The west coast - CONIFER GROVE

To Compass

Flat water sailing: West to southerly winds.

Ideal for beginners to intermediates. Tidal but safe and almost land locked. Easy launching and good rigging area.

Manukau Windsurfing Club which runs many excellent events here for windsurfers of all abilities, from training days for beginners to championship racing events.

The east coast OREWA

To Compass

Flat water to wave sailing: northeasterly or easterly winds.

Entry level or expert wave sailing. Highly recommended for first-time wave sailors. It also has good slalom conditions when the surf is small.

Sailing is best at low tide in surf conditions due to a wind shadow in the break zone at high tide.

The east coast WHANGAPARAOA PENINSULA

To Compass

Flat water to wave sailing:

Southwesterly winds: Te Haruhi Bay (Shakespear Regional Park) - easy rigging and excellent launching into a gentle beach break. The wind swell gets up, providing excellent chop jumping offshore.

Northwest to northeasterly winds: Big Manly Beach, Tindalls Beach and Army Bay - You can find a good wind swell at almost every spot and very uncrowded conditions.

The north shore - EAST COAST BAYS

To Compass

Flat water to wave sailing: northerly to southeasterly winds.

Milford and Takapuna are popular spots, with varying degrees of challenge. Good rigging area and with good to differcult launching.

The north shore - SHOAL BAY

To Compass

Flat water sailing: southerly to southwesterly winds.

Tidal with sailing three hours either side of high tide.

Excellent speed bar (sand bar 150 meters long providing flat water behind it) at high tide. Good for beginners on light wind days but gets crowded on a windy day.

The north shore - ISLAND BAY

To Compass

Flat water sailing: southeasterly to northwesterly winds.

Best speed sailing in Auckland with about 1-1.5 kilometres of sand bar. Tidal with sailing one hours either side of low tide.

Excellent access to the expanse of the upper harbour (not tidal). Easy rigging and launching.

The city - HERNE BAY

To Compass

Flat water to bump and jump sailing: southwesterly to westerly and northeasterly to easterly winds.

Good speed sailing in almost perfect water is possible on both sides of the reef (about 3km). Easy rigging and launching.

The city - PT CHEV

To Compass

Flat water to bump and jump sailing: southeasterly to northerly winds.

Warning Oysters!

Ideal learning and all-round location. Easy rigging and launching (bit of a walk at low tide). Equipment hire and windsurfing school.

In strong northwesterlies and full tide quite a chop builds up, making for good jumping and chop bashing.The Pt Chev sailing club hosts many windsurfing events from casual fun racing to national championships.

The east - EASTERN BAYS

To Compass

Flat water to bump and jump sailing: Westerly to easterly winds.

Warning: lots of yachts, ships and ferries using this stretch. The water does need some care and some reasonable expertise offshore, with a number of exposed reefs at low tide giving good smooth water or great chop off Bean Rock.

Southwesterly winds: Tamaki Point - sail in the stretch of water between Tamaki and Devonport. Easy launching and concrete rigging area.

Northwest to easterly winds: Mission Bay, Kohimarama and St Heliers - good rigging area but parking can be hard on weekends (Mission Bay). Launching can be differcult at high tide.

The east - TAMAKI RIVER

To Compass

Flat water to bump and jump sailing: southerly to southwesterly and north to northeasterly winds.

Warning: strong currents and lots of lots of yachts, ships and ferries in the channel.

Good speed sailing with long and exposed bar. Little Bucks has a windsurfing school and equipment hire

On the western side launch from Glendowie Rd - Tidal with sailing three hours either side of high tide. Good rigging area and easy lanuching.

On the eastern side lanuch from Bucklands Beach - Not tidal but take care at dead ow tide. Good rigging area and easy lanuching allow it is through the morings.

The east - EASTERN BEACH

To Compass

Flat water to wave sailing: southeasterly to northerly winds.

Warning: tide goes out a little way when low and in easterlies the beach develops a decent wind swell.

In northerly winds it offers good slalom conditions. It's a great spot to access some of the Hauraki Gulf islands like Motuihe, Waiheke and Browns. In easterly winds it offers safe and easy wave sailing. Good rigging areas and easy launching.