ALL ABOUT CLUB SAILING

This year will be EBYMBC’s 108^th Opening Day.
All the normal pomp and ceremony will happen late morning before we hit the water for the second race of the Wellington Keelboat Interclub Series.  Expect to see the Bay full of sails, it’s a day you really shouldn’t miss!

26 September 2026 - Evans Bay

27 September 2026 - Lowry Bay

03 October 2026 - RPNYC

05 December 2026 - RPNYC Island Bay Race

21 March 2027 - LBYC Fitzroy Bay Race

The Keelboat Interclub Series is operated by EBYMBC, LBYC & RPNYC to encourage boats to sail in each other’s Opening Day races.
​​​​​​​The Series is open to Keelboats and Trailer Yachts, is raced over the three opening days, and has both a Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker Division.

October 2026 to April 2027

This season, we are once again attempting to maintain flexibility in the sailing calendar to ensure that we can include fun activities whenever the weather allows and make the most of the conditions we are dealt.
Every “race” sailed on scheduled Spring Club Sailing Days will count towards Spring Series results, but to steal someone else’s tagline, “expect the unexpected” after that.  We will be sailing courses that you may not have sailed in an awfully long time, if at all.

Junior & Youth Sailing will also take place in the afternoons of Club Sailing Days.  This will see the entire club using the facilities and being out on the water at the same time, once again bringing the junior and senior sides of the club together.

Tuesday Evenings - 1815hrs

October to December 2026

February to March 2027

After the success of the Twilight Sailing recently, this was pretty much the first thing on the calendar.  1815hrs start, and we want everyone to turn up no matter what they sail.  We will be running both a Keelboat/Trailer Yacht Course and a Dinghy Course, so there is something for everyone.  We are also excited to welcome Moore Wilson's as our Twilight Sponsor.

The Youth Race Squad will be training on Thursday evenings, under the fantastic tutelage of Phil Williams. This is a great chance for the junior and youth members to improve their skills and tactics.

19 December 2026

The MISHMOSH Rally is a casual rally, really, with participants picking up cards for their "playing hand" from predefined locations around Wellington Harbour.

The winner is the participant with the best "poker hand" at the end of the event.

The Pet Cup is the Club’s oldest trophy, dating back to 1886.  It was gifted to the club to be presented on the racing day closest to Wellington Anniversary, so we have taken that literally and organised for it to be raced ON Wellington Anniversary Day.  Public Holiday Mondays in Wellington are always beautiful weather (sorry I’ve just wrecked it for this year), and this is another great excuse to get on the water.  You never know, it might even be a race back to Evans Bay from a location we have a raft up pre-race…

The Junior Carnival is a new initiative that will include the Wellington O’pen Cup for the NZ O’pen Skiff Class .  Other junior classes will be invited for an event focused on fun and getting on the water (with a little bit of racing in there somewhere).  We will also use the weekend to showcase the different pathways that junior sailors can take as they progress to playing with the big kids.

Full up-to-date details are available here.

The Season Championships will be calculated based on the results from each scheduled Club Sailing Day (Spring & Summer).  However, each race day will count as one “race” towards the season championships.  This allows for a competitor to miss a day of sailing and not be penalised if multiple races are sailed.  It’s all about trying to keep it fair over the season and the realisation that members do have lives and activities outside of sailing.

17 April 2027

The Champion of Champions event sees the best of the best from the EBYMBC Season Championships battle it out to find the ultimate "Champion".

But the Champion of Champions is not the only event running that day.  This year we are introducing a "Best of the Rest" event to ensure everyone gets out on the water!

10 July 2027

24 July 2027

7 August 2027

21 August 2027

The Barton Marine Winter Series hosted by EBYMBC is a stand alone series hosted in July and August. It comprises four sailing days scheduled each fortnight, with two races held each race day.

The Te Ākautangi Matariki Water Sports Festival is a growing event, and we are aiming to make it bigger and better for 2027.

Paddle sports will be out there again competing while the Matariki Classic is happening and hopefully we might even be able to encourage some windsurfers or wing foilers to also participate.  Get it in your diary because it is one that you really do not want to miss!  25-27 June 2027.

Full up-to-date details are available here.