A yacht sailed by Sir Peter Blake is making a brief stop in Tauranga today, after setting sail from Auckland yesterday with a crew of 25 people, plus skippers.

The yacht, named Steinlager II and affectionately known as 'Big Red', is a yacht which captured the imagination of all New Zealanders when Sir Peter Blake won the Fastnet race in 1989 and then went on to race in the 1989 Round the World Whitbread.

The vessel is arriving at Sulphur Point near the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club, and is accompanied by the Mint Food Truck for the disembarking crew and anyone who fancies a snack.

 “Winning every leg over the line and on handicap, her record was unprecedented and still stands,” says a NZ Sailing Trust spokesperson.

“She was voted ‘Yacht of the Year’ in 1990 by Yachting Magazine and went on to claim numerous wins in races around the world."

Some of the Steinlager II crew before departing to Auckland. Photo: Juan Cortes/SunLive.

“After serving as a private charter until 2012, she was brought back to New Zealand by a group of determined New Zealanders who saw her potential.

“Steinlager II was then joined by the equally well-respected Lion New Zealand within the New Zealand Sailing Trust.

“The NZST is a New Zealand outdoor education and youth development provider that operates mainly in the Tīkapa Moana / Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

“Its mission is to provide new learning opportunities to communities and schools throughout New Zealand. The Trust works in partnership with communities and schools offering programs onboard these iconic yachts with a focus on life-changing journeys.

“The residential week-long trips leave the students with a new sense of leadership, the value of teamwork, and an inner sense of confidence - valuable skills that last a lifetime.

“Sir Peter Blake's campaigns inspire the core of the Trust, and the residential trips onboard Steinlager II or Lion NZ parallel his own story."

Photo: Juan Cortes/SunLive.

“The Trust strives to preserve the legacy of these significant sailing vessels and uses them to bring to life the values of leadership, courage, teamwork, and a new appreciation for the environment. The trips inspire the next generation to become passionate about the maritime industry, ecology, or environmental issues.

“Annually, more than 1200 young New Zealanders from all communities nationwide have access to the NZ Sailing Trust vessels and opportunities to enhance their well-being.

“Fifty per cent of the schools who spend time with us are from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and based on feedback from students, parents, and educators, these experiences are successfully inspiring young New Zealanders to become active in their families, schools, and communities. 

“There is no doubt that a week with the NZST is an incredibly impactful and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It keeps the fire that Sir Peter Blake felt alive for generations to come.”