Official site · Mount Maunganui

Sail together on Tauranga Harbour.

Kia ora. Sailing Dad is your family-friendly sailing clubhouse at 21 Adams Avenue, at the foot of Mauao. Hire a dinghy or small keelboat, get kitted out, and learn the ropes on Pilot Bay.

Enquire about a hire See boats and gear Pokies while you wait

You are on the official website of Sailing Dad — sailingdad.co.nz.

Pilot Bay, the Mount Tauranga Moana

What we provide

Hire a boat, borrow the kit, learn the harbour.

Day visitors and season members use the same clubhouse. You do not need to own a yacht to sail here.

01 — Boat hire

Dinghies and small keelboats

Single-handed club dinghies, two-person trainers, and keelboats of about six metres. Half a day from the morning ramp, or a full day when the forecast holds. Dinghies stay on the inner harbour. A keelboat can reach the Matakana shore when the briefing allows it.

02 — Gear

Safety kit and wet-weather gear

Every hire includes a lifejacket fitted at the clubhouse. Spray jackets, sailing gloves, booties, and a handheld VHF are here if you want them. Each boat goes out with a paddle, bailer, anchor, warp, and tow line.

03 — Lessons

First hours on the water

A learn-to-sail session on the flat water inside the Mount, with a club instructor in the boat or in a coach boat nearby. If you have sailed elsewhere, book a harbour familiarisation before a solo hire. Adults and rangatahi who can swim are welcome.

04 — Club days

Midweek evenings and weekend sails

From October to April we run a Wednesday evening harbour sail, and weekend trips when a skipper is rostered. Join a club day before you decide on a season membership. Membership is confirmed at the clubhouse.

In the clubhouse

Pokies and slots while you wait.

The lounge at 21 Adams Avenue has gaming machines. If the ramp is busy, a lesson is still out, or you are waiting for the breeze, you can play the pokies — slot machines — indoors until your boat is ready. The machines are for adults 18 and over.

Gamble only what you can spare. Gambling Helpline 0800 654 655, or gamblinghelpline.co.nz.

Guide rates

What a day on the water costs.

New Zealand dollars, GST inclusive. We confirm the figure when we accept the booking. Season members pay 15% less.

Guide rates for visitors. Payment is taken at the clubhouse, by card or cash, before you launch.
Hire	Time	Rate
Club dinghy, one person	Half day	$45
Club dinghy, one person	Full day	$75
Two-person trainer	Full day	$110
Small keelboat	Full day	$220
Learn-to-sail session	Two hours	$90
Spray jacket and trousers	Per day	$15
Handheld VHF	Per day	$15
Lifejacket	With every hire	Included

Kit

What goes with the boat, and what you bring.

Included

The boat, booked for a half day or a full day
Paddle, bailer, anchor, warp, and a tow line
A lifejacket in your size, worn on the water
A short safety briefing for Pilot Bay and the inner harbour

Bring, or add

Clothes you can get wet, a hat, and sunscreen
Soft shoes or booties you can swim in
A dry layer and a water bottle
Optional: spray gear, gloves, booties, and a VHF from the clubhouse

On the day

How a hire works.

Tell us the day

Email the club with your experience and whether you want a dinghy, a keelboat, or a lesson.

We check the breeze

We look at the wind, the harbour entrance, and which boats are free, then confirm the rate.

Fit the kit

At Adams Avenue we fit a lifejacket, walk through the boat, and point you to the Pilot Bay ramp.

Sail and return

You sail the area in the briefing, then bring the boat and every piece of kit back the same day.

Clubhouse

21 Adams Avenue, Mount Maunganui.

Tauranga 3116, New Zealand. The clubhouse sits at the foot of Mauao. Pilot Bay, our usual launch beach, is a short walk toward the harbour side of the Mount. Indoors, you can play pokies and slots while you wait.

October to April: Tuesday to Sunday, 8.30am–5.30pm. May to September: Friday to Sunday, 9.00am–4.00pm, and other days when a boat is booked.

Map, hours, and email