Welcome back to Part 2 of our 2025 Coastal Classic adventure aboard SV Thistle! If you missed the action, strategy, and chaos of Part 1, make sure to watch that first — because this episode picks up right where we left off: hunting for wind off Tiritiri Matangi, and defending our lead against our fierce Division 8 rival, Persevere (a Hanse 545). With fickle breeze, tactical gambles, and narrow separation, the second half of the race turns into a mental and tactical chess match. As the wind shifts and fades, Persevere closes the gap, threatening the lead we fought so hard to earn. But SV Thistle refuses to back down. In This Episode: ⚓ Chasing elusive wind around the outer edge of Tiritiri Matangi ⚓ A tense downwind duel as Persevere closes to just 2 miles ⚓ Smart tactical calls that put Thistle back in control ⚓ Flying along at 9–10 knots in fresh breeze toward Sugarloaf Rock ⚓ Persevere’s “creative” navigation… which sends them outside the race limits east of the Poor Knights ⚓ Three painful hours becalmed off Cape Brett ⚓ Thistle accelerating from 0.5 knots to full speed with careful sail trim, keel adjustments, and patience ⚓ A dramatic overtake at Hole in the Rock ⚓ Division 8 victory — two years in a row! 🎉 ⚓ Coastal Classic prizegiving and celebrations ⚓ Our high-speed overnight delivery sail back to Auckland at 9–10+ knots ⚓ A nighttime navigation lesson covering masthead lights, sidelights, and vessel identification ⚓ A 3:30 a.m. arrival into Auckland after an incredible run down the coast This episode captures everything we love about the Coastal Classic: strategy, frustration, big wins, good humour, questionable decision-making, and the raw joy of squeezing every knot out of SV Thistle, our performance cruising ketch designed and built in New Zealand. Stick around for the next episode where we return to our North Island circumnavigation, encounter some epic scenery, and deal with some major gear failures aboard Thistle. Thanks for watching — don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and share the journey with your mates! Fair winds, team! #CoastalClassic #SailingNewZealand #SVThistle #SailingVlog #YachtRacing #AucklandToRussell #PerformanceCruiser #KetchRig #SailingLife #BoatLife

🏆 Sailing the PIC Coastal Classic 2025 | SV Thistle Takes on New Zealand’s Biggest Yacht Race! Welcome aboard SV Thistle, our 52ft New Zealand–designed and built ketch! In this special episode, we take a break from our NZ circumnavigation series to jump forward in time and race in the PIC Coastal Classic 2025 — New Zealand’s most iconic coastal yacht race from Auckland to Russell in the Bay of Islands. This year’s event brought howling winds (a blistering 8 knots! 😉), friendly rivalry, a few boat maintenance dramas, and plenty of laughs from our fun-loving crew. From pre-race prep and lift-out to unexpected hydraulic failures, spilled diesel, and our “brush of shame,” this episode has it all — real-life sailing chaos, competition, and adventure on the Hauraki Gulf. Join us as we: ⛵ Get SV Thistle race-ready for the 2025 Coastal Classic ⚙️ Repair gear failures with the help of our marina mates 💨 Battle light winds and tactical calls mid-race 🥐 Enjoy coffee, Behemoth beers, and full-throttle fun with the crew 🏁 (Almost) Cross the finish line after an epic night at sea! Whether you’re into sailing vlogs, New Zealand yacht racing, bluewater cruising, or liveaboard life, this episode captures the true spirit of Kiwi sailing — teamwork, laughter, and adventure on the ocean. 🔔 Subscribe & Join the Crew! Follow our journey as we sail around New Zealand and beyond aboard SV Thistle. 👉 Subscribe here and never miss an episode! 🌊 Chapters / Timestamps 0:00 – Welcome aboard SV Thistle 0:40 – Getting race-ready for the PIC Coastal Classic 2:30 – Lift-out & boat prep 4:20 – Practice race and unexpected hydraulic issues 7:00 – Race day: light winds & fierce competition 11:00 – Tactical decisions and rivalries 14:00 – Cooking breakfast under sail 17:00 – Wind drops & creative sailing techniques 20:00 – Sunset, beers, and race updates ⚓ Follow SV Thistle: 📘 Facebook – SV Thistle Sailing Adventures sailing vlog, coastal classic 2025, pic coastal classic, sv thistle, sailing new zealand, yacht race, liveaboard life, bluewater sailing, cruising NZ, sailboat life, sailing around new zealand, yacht vlog, ocean adventure, sailing race 2025, coastal sailing, auckland to russell race

⛵ Sailing New Zealand’s Abel Tasman National Park | SV Thistle Sailing Adventures | North Island Circumnavigation Ep. 21 Join us aboard SV Thistle as we continue our New Zealand sailing adventure through the stunning Abel Tasman National Park! 🇳🇿 In this episode of our North Island circumnavigation sailing series, we sail from Nelson Marina into one of the most beautiful coastal areas in the world — filled with golden beaches, crystal-clear water, and incredible marine life. 👉 Watch as we explore Torrent Bay, Kaiteriteri, and Fisherman’s Island, relax on secluded beaches, visit Cleopatra’s Pool, and try our luck with some Abel Tasman fishing and shark fishing. From calm anchorages to tidal surprises and beautiful sunsets, this is real-life liveaboard sailing in New Zealand. In this sailing vlog: ⚓ Sailing from Nelson to Abel Tasman National Park 🌊 Exploring Kaiteriteri, Torrent Bay & Fisherman’s Island 🏖️ Beach life, fishing, swimming & relaxing on the water 💦 Visit Cleopatra’s Pool — natural rock slides & swimming holes 🐟 (Accidental) Shark fishing and first catches of the trip 🌅 Dinghy adventures and cruising life fun If you love sailing channels, boat life, New Zealand travel vlogs, and ocean adventure content, this episode is for you! 📺 Start the series here: ➡️ Episode 17 – “Episode 17 - NZ North Circumnavigation (Part 1)” → https://youtu.be/oYmt_qFgGgY?si=mmYG8_c9ur6SFowk ➡️ Full North Island Circumnavigation Playlist → https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNo0IHctTvXp5YBZknnerqrAvJR7VOF8e&si=GpUS0dj2yvfTFrE3 Follow SV Thistle Sailing: 📘 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/svthistle Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to join the crew as we sail around New Zealand’s North Island and share life aboard our sailboat! #SailingNewZealand #AbelTasmanNationalPark #SVThistle #SailingVlog #CruisingLife #SailingFamily #BoatLife #SailingChannel #SailingAdventure #LiveaboardLife #TravelVlog #OceanAdventure #YachtLife #BluewaterSailing #ExploreNewZealand #SailingCouple #SailingAroundNewZealand #CleopatrasPool #Kaiteriteri #TorrentBay

🚨 Wild Winds, Big Tuna & Cook Strait Chaos! | North Island Circumnavigation 🇳🇿⛵ Welcome back to Part 4 of our North Island circumnavigation of New Zealand aboard Thistle, our fast cruising ketch! If you haven't watched the first three episodes, jump over to the playlist and start from the beginning — you don’t want to miss a moment of this epic journey. In this action-packed episode: 🎣 Trevor finally lands a monster tuna 🚢 We face down a tanker in the middle of the night and run through a full collision-avoidance tutorial 💨 Cook Strait throws us a wild 43-knot blow, reminding us who's boss 🏞️ We reach Abel Tasman and then head into Nelson Marina 🔥 Plus: sunrise sailing, clay bird shooting, coffee-fueled conversations, and good laughs with crew From calm cruising to white-knuckle watch shifts, this episode captures the real highs and lows of offshore sailing — unscripted, raw, and full of character. — Thistle is our home and adventure platform — we’re a Kiwi family who sold everything to chase freedom and live aboard full-time. Subscribe to follow the full circumnavigation, upcoming offshore passages, and life at sea from a family perspective. ⚓ LIKE | COMMENT | SUBSCRIBE Your support helps keep us afloat — literally and figuratively! — 📍 CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Intro & catch-up 0:13 – The tuna finally strikes 1:00 – Night sailing & tanker avoidance tutorial 5:00 – Radar, rules of the road & a close call 8:00 – Stunning morning off New Plymouth 9:30 – Entering Cook Strait 12:00 – Wind picks up — 43 knots ahead! 15:00 – Clay bird shooting at sea 18:00 – Crew debrief & final leg to Nelson — 📺 Watch the full North Island series here 👉 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNo0IHctTvXp5YBZknnerqrAvJR7VOF8e&si=4yjoY_zENuixp8Cc 🎥 Subscribe for more real sailing life 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@SVThistle #SailingNewZealand #SailingFamily #OffshoreSailing #CruisingLife #ThistleSailing #CookStrait #LiveaboardLife #TunaFishing #SailingAdventure #RadarNavigation #ClaybirdShootingAtSea #FamilySailing #KiwisAtSea

✨ Episode 19 - NZ North Circumnavigation (Part 3) Welcome aboard Part 3 of SV Thistle’s circumnavigation of New Zealand’s North Island! This leg of the journey takes us deep into the Tasman Sea — filled with unpredictable swells, midnight watches, crew antics, and yes... FINALLY, some actual fish on the line (or not? You decide). In this episode: 🎣 Will Trevor finally break the fishing drought? 🌊 What do you do when you're 100 miles offshore? 🛥️ Life onboard under motor and sail, including night watches, cabin chaos, and homemade ceviche. 🐬 Plus, dolphin sightings, sea banter, and the eternal mystery: port or antport? 🐟 What You’ll See: Hilarious (and mostly hopeless) fishing commentary 3 a.m. sail shifts & sunset whiskey traditions Crew updates: Jason's sea legs, Trevor's a Ginger?! Cillian's apparent espresso addiction! Some of the most honest, raw moments of life offshore Dolphin encounters and breathtaking Tasman sunsets Boat life chores, sarcasm, and survival through laughter 📍 Where Are We? Sailing from the top of the North Island down toward Nelson — riding lumpy seas, chasing tuna, and trying not to lose crew overboard (or our minds). 🎣 Quote of the Trip: "Two tuna in two minutes. We stopped fishing... I'm sure there's more." — An optimistic (and possibly hallucinating) crew member ⛵ New to the Channel? SV Thistle is a sailing adventure series featuring our real, unfiltered journey around New Zealand. Expect laughs, spills, salty language, fishing lies, and a bit of good old-fashioned seamanship. 📺 Watch Part 1 here → https://youtu.be/oYmt_qFgGgY?si=DTRwsk9_oBtG-ILj 📺 Watch Part 2 here → https://youtu.be/yPF4O4sAs9Q?si=i8LwRPyy1gL6CI-7 👍 Like what you see? Please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE this with your mates — it helps us keep making content from the middle of the ocean. 📸 Follow us on Facebook: @SVThistle 🔔 New episodes monthly (if we can manage it) — Hit the bell so you don’t miss out! #SailingNewZealand #SVThistle #SailingLife #FishingFail #Circumnavigation #OffshoreSailing #SailingVlog #TasmanSea #BoatLife #Dolphins #OceanAdventurelater

Once Episode 17 gets 200 likes or more, we will release Episode 19! So please share that video, and get all your mates to like the video, comment on the video, and of course subscribe to our channel before next weekend, and we will release it earlier than scheduled (which will be next Saturday 18th October)!

In this episode we arrive at Houhora in northland New Zealand to collect our crew for our passage down the wild west coast of New Zealand North Island. Spirits are high as we set off on our biggest blue water experience aboard Thistle to date.

In this episode we throw away the dock lines and head off on our biggest adventure yet, to completely circumnavigate the North Island of NZ. We get a new sailing top speed for Thistle in the first leg, clocking over 13 knots!

After about a week back in New Zealand following my return from Fiji, we set sail in one of the most prestigious south pacific races, the PIC Coastal Classic race from Auckland to Russell in the Bay of Islands. This is a 119NM (straight line) race in which many top line racing machines compete in. We entered Thistle into this race and what you are about to watch is some of the action that took place on this grueling upwind overnight race.

In this episode I fly up to Fiji to meet with Cyrus from Flying cloud, a 47 foot cutter that I help crew back to New Zealand.

Just a quick video showing some drone shots of Elephant Cove over on the inside of the Coromandel peninsula.

In this episode we have Bow Thruster failure and Marcus troubleshoots the issue and repairs it. We have a big announcement at the end of the video also!

A little video of a recent overnight sail we did to Waiheke Island (Hooks Bay).

We decide to sail a little further south down to Whitianga to get some diesel and more supplies.

We sail Thistle further south to Great Mercury Island. you don't want to miss this episode!

We again head out from the marina to sail off to Great Barrier Island and South to Great Mercury Island.

in this short video, we had back to Auckland and do some clay bird shooting from the yacht.

We sail Thistle from Tutukaka down to Kauwau Island and go for an explore on the island. we see some whales en route.

We sail Thistle from Tutukaka down to Kauwau Island and go for an explore on the island. we see some whales en route.

we spend the last night with the Civas Regal and Aliseo crew and head back south