The Bay of Plenty Trailer Yacht Squadron is bringing sailors together on Lake Rotoiti this Labour Weekend for a laid-back social rally. Crews will gather in a suitable bay for a raft-up, with the weekend centred on good company, shared stories, and the pleasures of one of New Zealand's finest freshwater sailing destinations.
Lake Rotoiti is a genuine highlight of the Rotorua Lakes district. Native bush frames its shores, hot pools hide along the waterline, and the lake has a well-earned reputation for crisp sailing breezes and outstanding trout fishing. For many in the trailer yacht community, the draw is as much about rafting up with friends at the end of the day as it is about time spent under sail.
Organising this kind of event comes naturally to BOPTYS. Founded in 1974 and based at Okawa Bay, the club has grown to become the second-largest trailer yacht squadron in New Zealand and the largest in the North Island, with social cruising central to its culture throughout.
The Labour Weekend rally follows the successful Easter 2025 event, continuing a regular calendar of social cruising for trailer yacht sailors. Details of the raft-up location will be shared on the BOPTYS Facebook page and broadcast on VHF channel 64 on Saturday morning.
Trailer yacht owners wanting to take part can reach Wayne Holdt at wayne@yachtingnz.org.nz or contact Rear Commodore Darrell Civil at rearcommodore@boptys.org.nz.
