Manutaki

Manutaki is a Beale 12.4. She is 12.4m long overall, 3.9 wide, 2.1 draft. 41ft for the traditionalists. She is wood core with fibreglass inside and out, sloop rigged and built to cruise. She has been to the Pacific islands a few times already, so hopefully she knows the way. We like to think of her as a modern classic, representing the way cruising boats were built in New Zealand in the '90s.

Recent Updates

Posted: Mon, 9 Oct 2017 - 00:00

South of Cape Reinga now and very much in New Zealand waters. A night full of stars; our last night on passage most likely. Roast chicken dinner tonight. Today we have had albatross, dolphins

Posted: Sat, 7 Oct 2017 - 00:00

Another blissful day of sunshine and calm seas. The wind is a bit too light for decent boatspeed, but the joy of sliding gently through deep blue waters under a sunny sky make up for it. Loving the

Posted: Sat, 7 Oct 2017 - 00:00

A lone albatross circling, banking, swooping. Wingtip just not touching the ocean, then soaring clear and away. Magnificent grace and power.

Posted: Fri, 6 Oct 2017 - 00:00

Bye bye Tropics. We are sailing through a big empty sea and sky in the mid latitudes now. The air temperature is cooling, but the whole scene is breathtakingly lovely. We had a very brisk start out

Posted: Wed, 4 Oct 2017 - 00:00

Midnight Tuesday, and we are underway from Fiji to Auckland, properly at sea again. 100 miles done, around 1050 or so still to go. My new crew Bas and David joined me Monday night at Denarau

Posted: Sun, 24 Sep 2017 - 14:29

September is passing quietly, peacefully as we cruise the Yasawa Islands enjoying the good life. From Waya in the south via diving at the Mantaray pass in the middle to "Best Bay" in the north

Posted: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 - 00:00

A Bay with no name, north of Yasawa Island resort. A long crescent of pristine sand, fringed by coconut palms still laden with fruit. Sand shelving down gracefully to 6m depth and a perfect

Posted: Wed, 13 Sep 2017 - 14:15

Blue Lagoon Enclosed by Islands on all sides, it is a beautiful haven from winds and swell. It is peppered with resorts from basic to unaffordable; lined with golden beaches, coconut palms and

Posted: Tue, 12 Sep 2017 - 18:27

'Twas a dark and rolly night, and I'm sure the gods of sailing conspired to punish us for our complacency. We've been anchored and blissful for a week at Mantaray island, snorkelling, diving

Posted: Sun, 10 Sep 2017 - 13:40

Still anchored off Mantaray Island resort. Day 2 of the dive course, and it is going swimmingly. :). Day 1 I did 2 reef dives on the "house reef" here, which is absolutely gorgeous. Down to about

Posted: Fri, 8 Sep 2017 - 15:16

Another day,another manta ray dive. This morning's show was stupendous. The Mantas didn't just pass through, they stayed to play. Somersaults, pirouettes and all sorts of showing off for the

Posted: Thu, 7 Sep 2017 - 20:15

Jo and I are happily settled into the Yasawas, anchored off Mantaray Island resort enjoying a beautiful place and living a pretty indolent lifestyle. We went for a dive with the manta rays yesterday

Posted: Sat, 2 Sep 2017 - 07:59

Tropical paradise, with rock'n'roll. After a delightful couple of days at Waya, the forecast said very light winds so we have taken the opportunity to venture to Navadra, a tiny island in a group of

Posted: Fri, 1 Sep 2017 - 12:08

Navadra to port. A deserted south seas island. I think.

Posted: Fri, 1 Sep 2017 - 08:33

Chief navigator Joanne was poring over the map this morning, wondering which bay next. We had a great time yesterday in the village. We did sevusevu with Tom, the grey-haired smiling chief, who

Posted: Thu, 31 Aug 2017 - 09:07

Back to the Tropics! We had a wonderful 4 weeks in NZ, being taught the basics of our new role as Grandparents by the amazing Rosie. But now, return to Manutaki, still peacefully anchored in Vuda

Posted: Sat, 12 Aug 2017 - 14:36

We are over the moon to announce the arrival into the world of our first Grandchild - Rose Johanna Van den Borst, born 03:20 Thursday 10 August 2017, weighing 3.07kg (6lbs 13oz). Words are

Posted: Wed, 2 Aug 2017 - 10:13

A somewhat radical change in our situation for this update. We are back in New Zealand, revelling in the family hugs and the excellent coffee. Waiting with Sarah for Baby V to make her entrance

Posted: Sun, 23 Jul 2017 - 12:41

Dolphins!! Hundreds of spinner dolphins leaping out just behind our track across the south coast of Viti Levu. 50 to 200 metres away, fillung our view behind the boat. 2 minutes of pure magic and

Posted: Fri, 21 Jul 2017 - 00:00

Quite a week we've had. A while since my last update, and we have had adventures and achievements and marine marvels and huge frights and Kodachrome sunsets and gloriously cheeky Fijian kids and the

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Manutaki

Manutaki

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