Parua Bay will be humming this weekend when the Whangarei Cruising Club hosts the 2012 Hartley T16 National Regatta.
More than 20 boats are registered to take part in the event, which is being billed as a fun, family event, club secretary Merv Fair said. Running from tomorrow to Saturday,the two-person crews and supporters will be coming from as far afield as New Plymouth and Napier, with some then having an extended holiday in Northland, Mr Fair said.
He said the Hartley range of trailerable sail boats included 16ft, 18ft, 21ft and larger craft of which the Hartley T16 is the most popular here and in Australia. Designed by Richard Hartley in the 1950s for home construction, it was the first trailerable yacht that offered accommodation and a little more room than other vessels available at that time.
"In fact it was Hartley's design ability that started the whole trailer sailer industry in this country," Mr Fair said.
"They are a nice little craft, nippy and not too expensive."
