Light winds set to make every frustrating shift count in the 2026 PIC Coastal Classic

“You’re going to get a lot of yachting!” laughed Mike Sanderson from Doyle Sails after Nick Olson from PredictWind gave a long range forecast for the 2026 PIC Coastal Classic, which starts from 0930 on Friday 23rd October.

Mike Sanderson (left) and Nick Olson (right)

“There’s a 12 hour variation that I can see at the moment between when the first boat is likely to cross the finish line!” continued Nick, with laughter and a wee bit of shock from the yachties who attended the Forecast and Tactics Clinic.

This year’s race is looking like it’s set to be a light one - with plenty of frustration along the way, and a lot of concentration required to ensure the mental capacity lasts the entire 119nm race.

“You can get 1/2 knot more speed if you ensure your hull is clean before the race!” continued Mike, who was doing his best to encourage the yachties that there were ways to go faster with a light forecast.

“Preparation is the key for a race like the Coastal,” continued Mike. “ And the only thing you should ever add weight to is a steam roller.”

For a light airs race, Mike suggested leaving some of the crew on the dock and acknowledged that not everyone wants to do a slow Coastal.

“Send a message out to your crew! Anyone who’s not excited about a max speed of 7 knots, get them to drive the car up!” laughed Mike.

The other thing he suggested was leaving sails on the dock that you’re not going to use - even the new ones.

“We built a new Jibtop for the Rehab for this race, but it’s only for 15+ knots, so it’s staying on the dock,” Mike advised.

“Carry light gear - weight will make a significant difference. Anything you can do without compromising the comfort and safety of the crew, leave behind.”

It’s going to be a long race, get ready to settle in.

Routing for a First 44.7 suggests an elapsed time of about 20 hours, with a likely finish between 5am and 6am on Saturday 24 October. The forecast, issued four days before the race, indicates generally benign conditions: maximum gusts of around 14 knots, with no rain, thunderstorms or severe or exciting weather expected.

A southwesterly breeze of 7 to 10 knots should provide a downwind opening, allowing boats to run under asymmetric or a spinnaker through the harbour and into the Hauraki Gulf.

The forecast this far out remains subject to change, but the early picture is clear: this PIC Coastal Classic is unlikely to be won through raw speed alone. The crews that connect the pressure, anticipate the shifts and execute clean sail changes will be best placed.

“It’s going to be an interesting race!” said Mike, as he wrapped up his tactical take on the great race north.

“We have a tendency as Kiwis to go 110%, then fall to 40%. Just chip away.”

Remember, the PIC Coastal Classic is more of a marathon rather than a sprint - especially this year.

Nick Olson from PredictWind will provide a more up-to-date forecast at the briefing on Thursday, 22nd October, while Doyle Sails will shout the first 100 yachties a free burger to kick the night off.