New Years Yacht Race

Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2019

2/3/2019

Congratulations to all race entrants for sailing a great race at this annual community event - it was the 43rd consecutive New Year’s Day race.

It was a glorious Okareka summer’s day, warm with light steady breezes that provided scope for some yachtie competition and fun.

Special congratulations go to the first 3 place getters who all crossed the line within 2 minutes:
1st Place - Gary Vogels sailing a laser
2nd Place - Alex Daprini sailing a laser
3rd Place - Harry Lusk sailing a laser

For Gary it is his third time to win the race; first in 1990 and again in 1993. An old timer in the game!

Special prize for Sportsmanship was awarded to Aaron and Tirini Hemi – This father and son team had an unavoidable setback at the start and in keen spirit did not let it hold them back.

Special thanks go to Mike Smith and his support team for laying the race course and for retrieving the buoys and more - tasks that Mike has so willingly undertaken over many years.

Thanks also to Mike and Sandra Goodwin and to the Smith family for their essential race support, in providing standby rescue boats!

Appreciation also goes to Fernando Alves, timekeeper for the race.

Very particular thanks go to Grant and Shona Telfer, the owner/operators of:
Telfer Marine Ltd, 236 Te Ngae Road (cnr Hamiora Place) Rotorua Tel: 07-345-9854

Telfer Marine has supported the race over many years by donating the first prize - a top quality life jacket. This long-standing tradition is greatly appreciated.

We look forward to seeing everyone next year for the 44th yacht race.

Christine Caughey

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Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2017

16/3/2017

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Watched by a great group of local community supporters, a determined fleet of sailors, set off on a handicapped start for a fun afternoon on the lake – it was the 41st year for this New Year’s Day event on Lake Okareka.

The wind was variable - at times gentle and at times exciting as boats hummed and the spray flew! This set the scene for a display of skill and some tight competition; the first and second place getters vied throughout the race to cross the finish-line with only 30 seconds between them. The Hobie 16’s worked hard to capture the wind, and sailed a good race. The first Hobie across the line was placed 3rd with an elapsed time 11 minutes faster than the first laser.

Special congratulations to these top place getters:

1st Nick Wrinch sailing a laser, was awarded The Dr Ron Caughey Cup. This is Nick’s second win having been placed first in the race of 2011.
2nd Harry Lusk sailing a Laser. Harry was winner of the 2014 race.
3rd Michael Smith and daughter/crew, Sharon sailing a Hobie 16. Michael took the Cup in 2006.

The Bob van Boven Memorial Cup for Good Sportsmanship was awarded this year for the first time. The youngest race entrant Nick Mason sailing a Topper was the unquestionable awardee. Nick set off first on handicap and made rapid progress through the course, not deterred by a few capsizes. Nick is a budding sailor to watch! Congratulations to Nick!

Stella Weston was recognized for “hanging in”, as ballast for her brother and friend sailing a laser, as the smallest and coldest on board!

Special thanks as always, to Michael Smith and his support team for laying the course and for retrieving the buoys and for providing a support boat, a hall mark of his contribution to the race over many years. Michael has also sailed almost every race since the 1970’s.

Thanks go to the two race support boats - to crew Mike and Sandra Goodwin and to crew Tom Stapleton and Graham Prestige in Michael Smith’s boat. Not only did their presence on the lake give confidence to the younger sailors, but it also supported the health and safety plan that is now required for the race.

Once more, our very special thanks go to Telfer Marine Ltd, 236 Te Ngae Road (cr Hamiora Place) Rotorua Ph 07 345 9854, who donated a top quality life jacket as first prize. Their generosity is greatly appreciated.

We look forward to seeing everyone on New Year’s Day 2018 for the 42nd yacht race.

Christine Caughey

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Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2016

2/3/2016

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Congratulations to all entrants for sailing a great race at this community event - it was the 40th consecutive New Year race.

We were fortunate that the storm sweeping the country was tardy in reaching Okareka, enabling the race to take place. It did however create conditions that could only be described as the ―calm before the storm! Winds were light with treacherous pre-storm gusts. Sailors had to be on their toes and several capsizes were noted!

Special congratulations go to the first 3 place getters:

1st Place Simon and Tim Bell sailing a Maricat 14
2nd Place George van Boven, Scottie, & young crew, sailing Bob’s trailer sailor
3rd Place Michael Smith with crew Lukas and Jonty sailing a Hobie 16

For Simon and Tim Bell this was their second consecutive year in first place! Special prize for courage was awarded to Jacob Winstone, (crew of father Tim) who, in a Laser, survived his first capsize.

Special thanks go to Mike Smith and his support team for laying the race course and for retrieving the buoys and more - tasks that Mike has so willingly undertaken over many years. Thanks also to Denis Goodwin and to others for their essential race support, in providing standby rescue boats! Appreciation also goes to Areti Metuamate who has been the race time-keeper over at least six years.

Very particular thanks go to Grant and Shona Telfer, the owner/operators of Telfer Marine Ltd, 236 Te Ngae Road (cnr Hamiora Place) Rotorua Telephone 07-345-9854. Telfer Marine has supported the race over a number of years by donating the first prize - a top quality life jacket. This long-standing tradition is greatly appreciated.

We look forward to seeing everyone next year for the 41st yacht race.

Christine Caughey/Areti Metuamate

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A Tribute to Bob Van Boven

2/3/2016

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The 2016 New Years Day yacht race on Lake Okareka was the first without Bob in nearly 40 years. Bob was a main stay of the race. Not only was he a keen competitor in Scimitar, his trusty gold Monarch 17, T 1398, known to so many, but he was a key organizer of the race over many years. Delaying his family holiday, Bob ensured that he was there to prepare for the race each New Year’s Day. Bob’s humour and enthusiasm was infectious and he and his crew (Scotty and son George) were always a force to be reckoned with.

Bob’s enjoyment of life never subsided even as his health challenged him. Bob was a part of the glue, the yarns and the conviviality that binds the Okareka community. This included Bob’s significant commitment and contribution to the yacht race. Bob will be greatly missed in this community and his memory will sail on. Bob’s old friend Scimitar, came in second in this year’s race. There was a van Boven at the helm – son George, with long time crew member Scotty, ably assisted by two of Bob’s grand children, Olivia and Blake.

The van Boven family have made a donation to the yacht race that Bob loved so much. Next year will see the presentation of a Memorial Cup that will keep Bob’s spirit ever present at the race. Our sympathy and our thanks to Nita and to Bob’s family for their gift. A card from Bob’s family reads:

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Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2015

2/3/2015

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Another successful community yacht regatta was enjoyed on Lake Okareka; it was the 39th consecutive New Year race. Conditions were warm and balmy in a very slow breeze. There were several old time competitors who returned after a number of years away. This included three of the prize-winners, Simon and Tim Bell, Frank Vogels and Bill Humphrey and more. Simon and Tim were keen competitors as small kids and returned, now years later, to take first place sailing their Maricat 14. Warmest congratulations for a great sail. They were stoked after never quite making first place as youngsters.

Congratulations to all entrants for sailing a great race – no capsizes noted – and some keen competition.
Special congratulations go to the first 4 place getters:

1st Place Simon and Tim Bell sailing a Maricat 14
2nd Place Frank Vogels sailing a Paper Tiger (1st place in 1989 & 1991)
3rd Place Don Shanks in a Laser
4th Place Alan McNeil in a Laser

Special prize for perseverance was awarded to Bill Humphrey.

Thanks to Bob van Boven for his skilled organization for yet another year of the race. He also took on the unenviable task of refining the handicapping for the Mark Foy beach start.

Special thanks go to Denis Goodwin and his support team for laying the race course and for retrieving the buoys and more - tasks that Denis has so willingly undertaken over a number of years. Special thanks also go to Areti Metuamate who has been the race time-keeper over at least five years.

Very particular thanks also go to Shaun Bowyer of Telfer Marine Ltd, 236 Te Ngae Road (cnr Hamiora Place) Rotorua telephone 07 345-9854 for once more supporting the race and for donating a top quality adult life jacket as first prize. Telfer Marine’s sponsorship of the yacht race has become a longstanding tradition and is greatly appreciated. Shaun and his family have lived for a number of years at Okareka.

We look forward to seeing everyone next year for the 40th yacht race and to growing the base of young sailors – P’s – Opti’s – Starlings and more. This will ensure the longevity of this longstanding community regatta at Lake Okareka.

Christine Caughey/Areti Metuamate

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Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2014

2/3/2014

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A successful local yacht regatta was enjoyed once more on Lake Okareka. Many of the entrants were old timers from the community, some of whom had accumulated a history of multiple wins on the Race Cup. The first yacht race was held in 1974 and was established to take a leaf out of the Lake Tarawera New Year’s Day regatta, the legacy for which goes back even further. In 1976 the race was officially set up in memory of Dr Ron Caughey, which makes this year the 38th annual race in the Cup.

This year the handicapping, refined by Bob van Boven, could not have been bet-ter suited to the gentle to moderate wind conditions enjoyed throughout the race. Ensuring the right handicapping is not an easy feat. With a collection of yacht classes in a Mark Foy start, there were only 19 minutes of elapsed time between the winning boat and the last one to cross the line. Almost to the end Bob, in his trusty Monarch 17, was tipped to cross the line first, but the fickle winds close to the finish line gave the lighter boats the last minute edge! Congratulations to all entrants for sailing a great race – not many capsizes – and some good competition. Special congratulations go to the first 4 place getters:

1st Place Harry Lusk Laser (first time winner and grandson of Dr Ron Caughey)
2nd Place Stuart Waite Hobie 14 (winner 2010, 2013)
3rd Place Nick Wrinch Laser (winner 2011)
4th Place Bob van Boven with son George and Dave Scott sailing a Monarch 17
(Bob was winner in 1992 and George in 1985)

Special thanks go to Mike Smith and to Denis Goodwin for laying the race course and for retrieving the buoys - a task they have so willingly undertaken over a number of years, and to Areti Metuamate for time-keeping. Particular thanks also go to Sean Bowyer of Telfer Marine Ltd, 236 Te Ngae Road (cnr Hamiora Place) Rotorua for once more supporting the race and for donating a top quality adult inflatable life jacket as first prize. Sean is an Oka-reka resident, with a longstanding generosity to this local event.

We look forward to seeing everyone next year and to growing the base of young sailors – P’s – Opti’s – Starlings and more! And perhaps put 2016’s race in the diary in anticipation of a party to officially celebrate 40 years of racing and community on Lake Okareka. Thanks to Mike Vincent for supplying the Yacht Race photos.

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Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2013

2/3/2013

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As luck would have it New Year’s Day was a cracker for this year’s annual Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race with a combination of fine weather and good wind at the Boyes Beach start line venue.

A line-up of fifteen yachts of various classes gathered for the Mark Foy Start (delayed start handicap) off the beach at 2:00pm. The good breeze at the beginning gave the early starters good distance giving them an early lead on the usually faster later starting lighter boats.

The wind was relatively constant throughout the race and Stuart Waite on his Hobie 14 headed off the leading trailer yachts and remaining eleven competitors by two minutes to win this year’s race trophy.

Thanks to all of our our supporters helpers and sponsors who made it another great Lake Okareka event and thanks to Sean from Telfer Marine for providing the main prize once again.

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Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2019

Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2017

Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2016

A Tribute to Bob Van Boven​

Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2015

Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2014

Dr Ron Caughey Memorial Yacht Race 2013

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A Tribute to Bob Van Boven