Blink -- Shaw12: Mangonui to Wellington Leg 2 Pre Start

The first 12m offshore race boat designed by Rob Shaw, build by Craig Partridge Yachts.

Design Objective: to maximise the performance potential of a 12m offshore monohull, with the capacity to sleep a full crew and with a usable interior. This is a versatile boat, set up for high performance racing either short-handed or fully crewed, both harbour and offshore. Blink is built with racing in the infamous Cook Strait in mind, with robust construction and systems, foam core, and options chosen with the wisdom that 'to win you must first finish' in mind: twin rudders, twin hydraulic rams, and dual hydraulic keel power sources (electric and engine pumps).

These numbers are from before the extra 90kg added to bulb in 2019
Length: 12m / Sailing Displ: 4.1T (8 crew) / Empty Displ 3.6T / Draft: 3m / Keel Cant Angle: 50° / RM (max): 7,687 kg/m / Mast: 19.8m

Fixed prod: 1m / Retractable prod: 2.5m / SA up: 110m2, down: 268m2

Pictures of Blink here

Sail Number: 110011 / VHF Call Sign: ZMU2211

More details, interior pics, plans at bottom of page.

Race Results

Blink race results highlights
1st on elapsed time, Round North Island 2-handed 2014 (Rob Shaw and TW) and 2017 (VW and TW)

1st on Line, Round North Island 2-handed 2014 and 2017

1st PHRF Division 1, and 2nd IRC Division 1, Round North Island 2-handed 2017

1st in RPNYC 2014-2015 Offshore Series on Club, PHRF, and IRC
Season Champions RPNYC 2015-2016 PHRF and Line

New Zealand Design/Build Trophy (Muir Vonu Trophy) Auckland-Fiji Race 2016

Race record Kapiti-Chetwodes-Ship Cove 2015
Race record Cook Strait Classic 2015
Race record 2016 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Yacht Race

Race record 2018 Catherine Cove Race

First on Line:
Island Bay race Nov 2013*, Brothers Race Nov 2013*, Cook Strait Classic Dec 2013* (*beating Elliot 50 canter Ran Tan in all 3 of these races), Brothers Race 2014, Kapiti-Chetwodes 2015, Port Nich Regatta 2015 overall line honours, Alan Martin Series 2015, Cook Strait Classic 2015, Nelson Race 2016, RPNYC 2016 Season Div 1, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Yacht Race 2016, Mana-Ship Cove 2016, Brothers Islands Race 2016, Round North Island 2-handed 2014 and 2017, Brothers Islands Race 2017, Catherine Cove Race 2018, Wellington-Lyttleton 2018

10 February 2014

Mangonui to Wellington Leg 2 Pre Start

Blink is all stocked up with provisions and out in Doubtless Bay for the RNI Leg 2 start. Dolphins in the harbour and gentle zephyrs. 58 mins to the start. I'm lucky to be on the committee boat for the start - a lovely big cruiser called Ocean Pearl.

Update - race delayed by an hour due to the sea breeze fighting the land breeze equaling no breeze!!

Update - breeze spilling in and start looking to be 1230.