2025 Island Cruising Pacific Rally

Event

Dates

26th Apr 2025 - 1st Nov 2025

Location

Auckland, New Zealand

The Yacht Sales Co. is proud to be a major sponsor of the Island Cruising & Down Under Rally, and this year’s Pacific Rally is shaping up to be the biggest yet!

The Pacific Rally starts in May 2025 (or whenever you are ready to depart), with this fantastic event allowing cruisers to depart from Australia, New Zealand or just meet up in the Pacific.

A rally is all about having cruising adventures with friends heading in the same general direction. Island Cruising & Down Under Rally takes this a step further. Their rallies include intensive pre-departure training to help ensure you feel confident and prepared on departure day. You can tap into some excellent discounts from their marine business partners, and they support you on the passage with weather and tracking you on passage, help you find crew, assist with all the documentation and entry/exit formalities, 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 have fun events along the way and connect you with others heading in the same direction.

Pacific Rally Destinations

Rally participants will have the choice to select which destinations they’d most like to visit or to follow the suggested itinerary and timeline to sail the ocean passages as part of the group. Participants can depart from New Zealand, Australia or join us in the Pacific.

In 2025 you can choose from any combination of:

Tonga
Fiji
Vanuatu
New Caledonia
Norfolk Island
New Zealand – or Australia

OR

French Polynesia
Cook Islands
Samoa
Niue
Tonga
New Zealand – or Australia

Or

Australia – cross the Tasman to New Zealand over summer and then join us to sail up to Tonga or Fiji

Or the traditional Go East Route:

Australia
New Caledonia
Vanuatu
Australia

Or – choose your own dates and destinations, and we will help support your adventures whichever way you decide to go. Contact Island Cruising for more details.

Returning

To New Zealand or Australia mid October – or on to Indonesia and we will connect you with others heading that way too.

Entry Fees:

The rally entry fee is NZD$1795.00 per boat (Aprox AUD$1645.00). A deposit of $600 is due on registration and the balance is due 1 March 2025.

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 Business Partner discounts.

Any rally payments can be transferred to a later date if for any reason you are unable to get away this year.

Your entry fee includes:

Rally Pre-Departure Support

A printed Yacht Manual to help you track your progress towards Cat 1
A printed Passage Plan and a passage planning webinar
The Island Cruising & Down Under Rally weekly members workshops – covering safety, weather, navigation, passage planning, and much more.
Additional rally specific workshops & regular updates & newsletters
North Sails session on Sail Repairs at Sea – Opua
Informative webinars about the amazing destinations you can visit, communications at sea, weather, passage planning and more.
Training on how to set up your offshore communications
Webinars on South Pacific Weather and how to use the PredictWind weather routing tools
All the documentation you need for each country you are going to visit and some tips on completing, saving, storing and sharing the information
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
Pre-Departure social events & briefings

On Passage Support:

Daily weather updates from our meteorologist
Tracking on the PredictWind Rally Tracker
Support and check-in’s with Peter Mott – Passage Guardian
SSB Radio users can have a daily sched with Gulf Harbour Radio
Support & advice if you have any issues en-route

In the Islands Support

Regular email updates with any news, events and other important updates
We will ensure you understand all the regulations, know the entry costs and have the correct paperwork ready for the arrival formalities in each country in the Pacific.
A detailed 200+ page rally guide book with details of the best places to visit, cultural considerations, weather, tides, health, repairs and much more
Lining up any repairs for things that may have broken en-route
Social events and activities along the way
Shore crew support if you need any advice or help
Discounts at Vuda Marina Fiji on marina fees & haulout
Discounts & inclusions at Nawi Island Marina in Savusavu Fiji on marina fees and more
Discount and events at Paradise Resort Taveuni
Discount & events at Viani Bay Resort & Dive Academy
Welcome events in Vanua Balavu Fiji
Events in Moala Island Fiji
Welcome event at Big Mama Yacht Club – Tonga
Social events in Vava’u
Discounts on swimming with the whales
Exclusive Lau Group Entry in Fiji (details and cost TBA if we can get permission)
Discount & lunch at CNC Noumea Marina
Welcome event, goody bags and briefing with New Caledonia tourism
Discounts and special event at Yachting World Vanuatu Marina
Discounts on Sail Tonga & Sail Fiji App
Discounts on Rocket Guides for Vanuatu & New Caledonia
Discounts on weather support from Ocean Tactics
Discounts on Bato Flags
Invitation to participate in the Citizens of the Sea project

Returning Home Support – Go South & Go West

Help finding crew & advice re crew logistics
Weather advice from our meteorologist
Tracking with our PredictWind rally tracker
Support from Passage Guardian
SSB Radio Scheds with Gulf Harbour Radio
Assistance with all the documentation & formalities to depart the Islands and arrive in New Zealand or Australia

Optional Extras

We have applied for permission for a special rally group clearance at the Lau Group in Fiji in mid-July. The bonus with the exclusive rally entry is that it saves you having to sail past some incredible destinations to check in to Fiji, and then having to sail back upwind to visit. We fly the officials out to this remote destination to process all the formalities. If you are interested in participating in this, we will advise the additional cost when we have this confirmed.

Exclusions:

Country entry fees – these are variable costs and need to be paid locally on arrival in local currency
Lau Clearance (additional cost)
Insurance – vessel & crew
Marina/mooring fees
Personal expenses
Meals & drinks at events

You Will Need:

A sense of adventure & a sense of humour
A well-prepared vessel for the adventures ahead. New Zealand vessels require a International Voyage Certificate (Pleasure Craft) (formerly known as a Cat 1 Safety Certificate). Internationally registered vessels do not need to have a safety inspection but we highly recommend you prepare your vessel to the Cat 1 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 – and a backup form of communication-is highly recommended.