Join Us
Island Cruising and Down Under Rally

Benefits of Membership

Whether you own a boat already, are planning on buying one soon, or have dreams of sailing offshore someday, preparing for a long coastal or offshore voyage requires that you, your crew and your vessel are knowledgeable and fully self-sufficient. Island Cruising & Down Under Rally can help you navigate through all the preparation, administration and coordination of a long voyage.

Our membership enables you to save money, learn new skills and get connected with the South Pacific Sailing Community. 

For just NZD$129.00 per year, (aprox AUD$120) Island Cruising & Down Under Rally Members receive:

  • Cruising Workshops  - weekly updates with all the tips you need for preparing for a long voyage. Topics include Cat 1, safety, weather, navigation, passage planning, seamanship, administration, health, environment and more. Workshops are written content with webinars, templates, videos, and discounts from our sponsors.
  • Access to exclusive discounts from some of the best marine businesses in New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.
  • CrewSeeker - for both crew looking to gain experience and skippers looking for crew.
  • Social events.
  • Training, seminars and webinars.
  • Access to local knowledge and advice in the South Pacific and New Zealand
  • Assistance with navigating the ever-changing customs, immigration and health regulations.
  • Support and advocacy when things don't quite go to plan.
  • Priority booking on our rallies check out the Pacific Rally, South Island Rally, Sail South to NZ and Go West to Australia on our Rally Page. 
  • Monthly newsletter magazine

Check out our Partners page for details of discounts available to our members from Island Cruising & Down Under Rally Business Partners.

 

Cruising Preparation Online Course

Our Comprehensive Offshore Cruising Preparation Course is available online and on demand

  • The course content is broken down into easy to digest 1 hr sessions,
  • View the course content as often as you wish.
  • View when it suits you.
  • Learn at your own pace.
  • Pause / Rewind at any time.
  • Contact the course presenters via email or telephone at any time with questions.

 

Course Content:

Preparing the Vessel

  • Ship Registration: Guide to ships registry
  • Category 1: What is ‘Cat 1’and how does it apply to you and your vessel
  • Safety Gear: Vessel specific – EPIRBS, MOB devices
  • Rigging: Tips for extended cruising & safety including deck layout, preventers and more.
  • Sails: Selection, balance, tuning, maintenance, furling systems.
  • Anchors & Anchoring: How many, types, warps, windlass
  • Water treatment: Filtration, purification, disinfectant, watermakers.
  • Vessel Systems: Plumbing, gas, fuel
  • Battery Systems: Capacity, measuring power consumption, troubleshooting, preventative maintenance and charging systems
  • Power generation: How much do you need to generate and the pros and cons of various options including wind, solar and mechanical
  • Electronics: Radios, charting, GPS, Radar, autopilot, AIS, etc.
  • Steering: Tiller, wheel, wind vanes, autopilots & emergency systems
  • Diesel Engines: Troubleshooting, spares
  • Fuel systems: Filters, injectors, avoiding ‘bugs & bad fuel’
  • Navigation: Basic equipment requirements
  • Charts: Tables, filing, requirements

 

Preparing the People

  • Sea Survival: Coastal and Offshore
  • Watchkeeping & safety protocols
  • Safety Gear: Personal EPIRBS and MOB devices, personal AIS
  • Seasickness: Remedies, management & avoidance
  • Log Keeping: How to keep a ship log and why plus basic record keeping
  • To Crew or not to crew: Pros and cons of having crew aboard, where to find crew and your responsibilities.
  • Sailing to a schedule: A recipe for disaster
  • Medical Kits and medicines
  • Money Matters: Credit cards, foreign currency, Power of Attorney
  • Insurance: Vessel & Travel
  • Staying Sane: Identifying roles, communicating aboard & sharing small spaces

 

Offshore Communications

  • Voice Communication options including Satellite, Radios – VHF/ SSB/ HAM & Radio Schedules
  • Electronic communications including email at sea: why is it important?
  • Vessel tracking and position reporting
  • Computer’s, Tablets, Phones and apps
  • Weather Forecasting: Coastal & Offshore
  • Weather information: Sources of weather info, how to interpret and use weather info.
  • Weather routing for Passage Planning & Passage Management

 

Personal Health

  • Preparing and maintaining the Mind & Body

 

Search and Rescue

  • How to Contact, Response times, authority & scope of SAR.

 

Provisioning

  • What to take, where to put it & what is available when you get where we are going.

 

Sourcing Products & Services

  • Where to get great discounts and deals on marine and cruising lifestyle products and services
  • Cruising Guides & Reference Books: Recommended, pilots, reference manuals, cruising guides