The Opua Cruising Club’s Open Day on Sunday couldn’t have asked for better weather – warm, sunny, and just right for being out on the water! The clubhouse was buzzing from the start of the morning, with everyone tucking into delicious breakfasts and catching up with friends old and new. A highlight on shore was the official blessing of the club’s brand-new flagpole, with glasses of ice-cold champagne raised high to mark the occasion and set the tone for a season full of good sailing and good company.

Out on the water, the racing brought plenty of energy and laughter. For our ‘have a go’ guests who had never sailed before, it was an unforgettable introduction to the sport – the mix of sunshine, sea breeze, and the thrill of the race left plenty of wide smiles.

The combination of fun competition, friendly hospitality, and the beautiful Bay of Islands setting made the open day a true celebration of what the Opua Cruising Club is all about.

The OutFit North Fundraiser quiz night at Opua Cruising Club was a resounding success, drawing in a full house of supporters eager to rally behind a worthy cause.

Thanks to the incredible efforts of the organisers (with special thanks to Nadine and her team and Dan the quizmaster) and everyone who took part, over $10,000 was raised in one evening.

The funds will go directly to support three of the club’s much-loved members who are currently battling cancer, offering them practical help and a powerful reminder that they are not facing their fight alone. It was more than just a quiz night – it was an inspiring show of community strength, compassion, and hope.

Spring is finally here and with it comes the highly anticipated Opening Day of the 2025-26 sailing season at Opua Cruising Club.

The Commodore invites you to celebrate the start of the new sailing season on Sunday the 28th September 2025. There will be a full day of activities, including a special Race Day breakfast, opening of the new flagpole, champagne on deck, first race of the season, live music and more. This event is open to everyone, whether you’re a sailor or not. Come along, bring the family and spend some time looking out over the water from our beautiful clubhouse.

There will be a chance for anyone wanting to experience the thrill of being part of a yacht race to tag along as a passenger. We still have a few crew spots if you’d like to “Have a Go”. Just bring a hat, sunscreen, a warm top and flat shoes such as trainers. We’ll provide everything else you need.*

If that sounds too much like hard work, you can just sit back and relax, enjoy watching the racing and have a bite to eat. Food and drinks will be available from the club’s bistro, The Galley, throughout the day.

Remember, this event is open to everyone, so please tell your friends and family!

* Please note that booking ahead is advised. Please call Terry on 021 152 7584 for more information.

A winner has been chosen for the dinner for 2 at The Galley. We’ve reached out to them and we can now announce Jodi Campbell as our lucky winner!

Congratulations Jodi, we hope you have a lovely evening.

And to everyone else, we’ll be running more giveaways soon, so watch this space 🙂

There was a great turnout of Members for our Annual Draw on Saturday.  Adele Earnshaw was one of 12 lucky Members to win one of an impressive array of prizes.  She also won the auction for a very nice OCC Jacket that had been won by Brian Cripps and generously gifted back to the Club by him, thank you Brian!

As always, the Club social programme would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors, Opua Boatyard, who provided the top prize for boatyard services, which was won by Mark Boyle.

Photos taken by Paulette Smith.