A striking yacht formerly owned by America’s Cup yachtsman Dennis Connor will line up at the start of this year’s PIC Coastal Classic.
The sleek Farr design sloop in blue and white livery, now owned by Northlanders Mike Lodge and David Skudder, is 18.3m (60ft) long and will race for Kerikeri Cruising Club.
The boat is a relatively light displacement for its generation and type, and its 4 metre draft hints at the potential of solid upwind performance should the race provide that.
Launched in 1998, Poseidon II raced extensively in New York and the eastern United States before coming into the America’s Cup great’s ownership. Mike purchased the vessel around seven years ago from Connor in San Diego, and sailed it home to New Zealand via Hawaii and Fiji.
“We just sail for fun with family and friends,” says owner and skipper Mike Lodge.
The PIC Coastal Classic is an annual season-opener for around 150 yachts of all shapes and sizes. So far, Poseidon II is the biggest.
The race starts at Devonport Wharf in Auckland and finishes at Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands. It is 119 nautical miles long.
Photos supplied
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