Pacific Rally 2025

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally is delighted to announce the Pacific Rally starting in May 2025.

the gorgeous cover photo on this page was taken by Sally-Anne Potter.

Watch our Rally Information Webinar now here:

What is a Rally?

A rally is all about having cruising adventures with friends heading in the same general direction.

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally takes this a step further. Our rallies include intensive pre-departure training to help ensure you feel confident and prepared on departure day. We support you on the passage with weather, and tracking, help with crew, assist with all the documentation and entry/exit formalities, provide detailed resources and destination information to save you lots of time doing all the research, provide assistance if you have any issues en-route, and we have fun events along the way and connect you with others heading in the same direction. 

You can choose whether to cruise with the group or do your own thing and sail independently. 

We welcome yachts and power boats on the rally. 

Destinations

Rally participants will have the choice to select which destinations they'd most like to visit or to follow our suggested itinerary and time line to sail the ocean passages as part of the group. 

In 2024 you can choose from:

• Tonga
• Fiji
• Vanuatu
• New Caledonia
• Norfolk Island
• New Zealand - or Australia

Or

• French Polynesia
• Cook Islands
• Samoa
• Niue
• Tonga
• New Zealand - or Australia

Or

• Australia
• New Zealand
• & then join us to sail up to Tonga or Fiji

Or the traditional Go East Route:

• Australia
• New Caledonia
• Vanuatu
• Australia

Or - choose your own dates and destinations, and we will help support your adventures whichever way you decide to go.  Contact us for more details. 

Returning 

• To New Zealand or Australia mid October
• Or on to Indonesia and we will connect you with others heading that way too. 

Entry Fees:

The rally entry fee is NZD$1795.00 per boat (Aprox AUD$1645.00)

A deposit of $600 is due on registration and the balance is due 1 March 2025.

The skipper also needs to be a member of Island Cruising & Down Under Rally and we recommend the crew join too so they can also participate in the workshops. Membership is NZD$129.00 per person.

Join early to get the most benefit out of all the pre-departure training and Business Partner discounts.

Any rally payments are transferrable to a later date if it turns out for any reason you are unable to get away this year. 

Your entry fee includes:

1. Rally Pre-Departure Support

• A printed Yacht Manual to help you track your progress towards Cat 1
• A printed Passage Plan and a passage planning webinar
• The Island Cruising & Down Under Rally weekly members workshops - covering safety, weather, navigation, passage planning, and much more.
• Additional rally specific workshops & regular updates & newsletters
• North Sails session on Sail Repairs at Sea - Opua
• Informative webinars about the amazing destinations you can visit, communications at sea, weather, passage planning and more.
• Training on how to set up your offshore communications 
• Webinars on South Pacific Weather and how to use the PredictWind weather routing tools
• All the documentation you need for each country you are going to visit and some tips on completing, saving, storing and sharing the information
• Discounts on VHF, Navigation & Marine Medic & Advanced Sea Survival Courses
• Assistance with finding crew and sorting their travel logistics
• Heaps of amazing discounts from our rally Partners - check them out here.
• A rally pack with lots of goodies from our sponsors and other information
• Connecting & socialising with your fellow rally participants on the WhatsApp group
• Pre-Departure social events & briefings

2. On Passage Support:

• Daily weather updates from our meteorologist
• Tracking on the PredictWind Rally Tracker
• Support and check-in's with Peter Mott - Passage Guardian
• SSB Radio users can have a daily sched with Gulf Harbour Radio
• Support & advice if you have any issues en-route

3. In the Islands Support

• Regular email updates with any news, events and other important updates
• We will ensure you understand all the regulations, know the entry costs and have the correct paperwork ready for the arrival formalities in each country in the Pacific.
• A detailed 200+ page rally guide book with details of the best places to visit, cultural considerations, weather, tides, health, repairs and much more
• Lining up any repairs for things that may have broken en-route
• Social events and activities along the way
• Shore crew support if you need any advice or help
• Discounts at Vuda Marina Fiji on marina fees & haulout
• Discounts & inclusions at Nawi Island Marina in Savusavu Fiji on marina fees and more
• Discount and events at Paradise Resort Taveuni
• Discount & events at Viani Bay Resort & Dive Academy
• Welcome events in Vanua Balavu Fiji
• Events in Moala Island Fiji
• Welcome event at Big Mama Yacht Club - Tonga
• Social events in Vava'u
• Discounts on swimming with the whales
• Exclusive Lau Group Entry in Fiji (details and cost TBA if we can get permission)
• Discount & lunch at CNC Noumea Marina
• Welcome event, goody bags and briefing with New Caledonia tourism
• Discounts and special event at Yachting World Vanuatu Marina
• Discounts on Sail Tonga & Sail Fiji App
• Discounts on Rocket Guides for Vanuatu & New Caledonia
• Discounts on weather support from Ocean Tactics
• Discounts on Bato Flags
• Invitation to participate in the Citizens of the Sea project 

4. Returning Home Support - Go South & Go West

• Help finding crew & advice re crew logistics
• Weather advice from our meteorologist
• Tracking with our PredictWind rally tracker
• Support from Passage Guardian
• SSB Radio Scheds with Gulf Harbour Radio
• Assistance with all the documentation & formalities to depart the Islands and arrive in New Zealand or Australia

5. Optional Extras

We have applied for permission to do special rally group entry at the Lau Group in Fiji.  The bonus with the exclusive rally entry is that it saves you having to sail past some incredible destinations to check in to Fiji, and then having to sail a long way back upwind to visit. We fly the officials out to this remote destination to process all the formailities. We have applied for permission for the Lau Group entry for 2025 and we will advise when this is confirmed and the additional cost when we have this confirmed. 

6. Exclusions:

• Country entry fees - these are variable costs and need to be paid locally on arrival in local currency
• Lau Clearance (additional cost)
• Insurance - vessel & crew
• Marina/mooring fees
• Personal expenses
• Meals & drinks at events 

7. You Will Need

• A sense of adventure & a sense of humour
• A well-prepared vessel for the adventures ahead. New Zealand vessels require a International Voyage Certificate (Pleasure Craft) (formerly known as a Cat 1 Safety Certificate). Internationally registered vessels do not need to have a safety inspection but we highly recommend you prepare your vessel to a Cat 1 standard and we will assist you through this process. 
• The skipper is solely responsible for the safety of the vessel and crew. It is up to you to make the decision to set sail or participate in any of the rally activities and you do so at your own risk. 
• The ability to receive emails via satellite or SSB connection - a backup form of communication is highly recommended.

8. Register Now!

Keen to join us on the adventure of a lifetime?

Register now online here!

We will send you an invoice for the deposit, and get you underway with your rally preparation. I highly recommend joining early to take advantage of all the information, resources and discounts to help you get ready.

If you have any questions, please contact me on info@islandcruising.nz 

Many thanks

Viki Moore

Rally Director