Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club Centennial Celebrations

The Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary. Over the past century the club, established in a Devonport Road barber shop, has made a significant contribution to the boating scene in New Zealand. One aspect of this contribution can be seen suspended from the ceiling of their Sulphur Point clubroom - a seven-footer made with planks of golden kauri. As one of the first p-class constructed, it symbolises the long and celebrated connection of Te Awanui Tauranga Moana to this important little boat.

The boat’s designer Harry Highet, at the time a draughtsman for the Public Works Department, moved to Tauranga in 1923 bringing the plans and the boat ‘Roselle’ with him. The Tauranga boating community was quick to appreciate its potential. In 1924 ten boats were constructed and the design was adopted as the club’s fourth class for racing. With names such as ‘Speedwell’, ‘Mistral’ and ‘Dottrell’, these boats were sailed by the sons of the founding members of the club. By 1926 the boat was referred to as the ‘Tauranga Class’ - the name p-class was adopted later as its popularity spread.

P-class racing on Tauranga Harbour photographed by Robert Rendell in the 1920s. The Strand is visible in the background
Image courtesy of Tauranga Heritage Collection, 0100/09

"Those who have been interested in the seven footers of this town, which have become known as the Tauranga Seven Footers, will be pleased to learn that, an enquiry has been received from Southern India for plans. The enquirer intends to use the little boat on a storage reservoir there. “The Field” published in England recently contained photographs and particulars of these little boats. Mr A. Tilney Long, C.B.E. British Consul in Lorenzo Marques, Portuguese East Africa, has written to Mr Highet, asking him to design a fourteen footer on the lines of the now famous seven footer. When the midgets were designed it was not expected that they would become a good advertising medium for Tauranga. One of the gentlemen who made inquiries has an idea of settling in New Zealand. Races for what are termed the 7ft. Tauranga class are now held in Wellington. All inquiries for plans should be addressed to Mr H.A. Highet, of Tauranga, who designed the seven footers.” Bay of Plenty Times, 9 January 1926

Brochure promoting the p-class published by the Tauranga Yacht Club in the 1960s
Tauranga Heritage Collection

National competitions were established in the 1940s, the Tauranga Cup (1940) and the Tanner Cup (1945). Both these races became steppingstones for New Zealand’s greatest sailors and local sailing legends like Jimmy Gilpin. In 1947 Highet generously gifted his copyright of the design to the Tauranga Yacht Club cementing the club’s ownership of the little boat.

Postscript: At the time of posting the 2021 P Class National Championship (Sun 3 Jan to Fri 8 Jan), hosted by the Charteris Bay Yacht Club, Canterbury, has finished and new champions found.