Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti left Doubtless Bay at 7:40 am on Wednesday 12 October en route to Auckland to take part in the celebrations at Waka Maori for the Rugby World Cup 2011. Ngahiraka will spend some time in Auckland before being sailed down to Tauranga by Jack Thatcher.
The maiden voyage down to Auckland is being captained by Stan Conrad who will be in an ideal position to compare the impact of the different hull design on Ngahiraka (a "V" shape) compared with rounded hull of Te Aurere.
