Gold Residential Project Sailing on Lion New Zealand

By : Zyah Maclennan
22 – 26 September 2025

For my Gold Residential Project, I joined a five-day sailing adventure on Lion New Zealand, one of New Zealand’s most iconic yachts. The trip ran from 22 to 26 September 2025. We set sail from Auckland out into the Hauraki Gulf and towards the Coromandel, stopping at several islands along the way.

This was a whole new experience for me. I had never been on Lion New Zealand before, and I didn’t know most of the people in the group. I had only received an email from one other person beforehand and because I was chosen as group leader of group A I reached out to everyone to help us prepare. It felt exciting but also challenging to step into that leadership role with strangers and having to try to get the others involved with a game idea before our trip.

I was surprised to discover that I already knew some of the crew – Skipper JoJo, Pepper, and Craig from when I did my Silver and Gold Adventure on Steinlager 2 and Auckland Sea Kayaks. But this trip was very different as it was focused completely on sailing rather than kayaking.

Day 1 – Monday 22 September

I left home at 4:30am and we drove to Auckland, facing heavy traffic because of school holidays but I still arrived on time. After boarding at 9am we had a safety briefing and a full tour of the yacht. I was amazed at the size of the sails and the design of this yacht. At first, I felt nervous meeting the group but as we shared lunch and started helping each other the nerves eased and we began bonding as a team.

Day 2 – Tuesday 23 September

After breakfast, we started our first full day of sailing. I took turns helming the yacht and map reading as we sailed towards the Coromandel and some nearby islands and went on shore. It was hard work but also exciting to learn different aspects of the yacht.

The weather turned wet, so we were given weather gear to wear. Helming and moving around the yacht in the rain was tricky, but it was a good challenge. Later in the day we cooked meals I managed to take control and felt proud for what I had achieved.

Day 3 – Wednesday 24 September

By Wednesday I was more confident with my onboard jobs, such as helping to prepare meals, sailing, helming and map reading. We sailed to an island where we had a barbecue on the beach and cooked burgers together. This became one of my highlights of the trip as it was relaxing and fun after working so hard on the yacht. That evening we also talked about why we choose this trip and we played games. The weather cleared up, which gave us sunshine and lifted everyone’s spirits.

Day 4 – Thursday 25 September

Thursday was another busy sailing day. I got more time on the helm and also helped to put up the sails. I introduced the game I had planned before the trip  “balloon and cups”  which everyone enjoyed. It was a fun way to bring the group together and strengthen our teamwork. The weather turned stormy again, with rain and strong winds. We wore our full wet-weather gear and had to work extra carefully, but the group had become so supportive by then that we managed the challenges really well.

Day 5 – Friday 26 September

On the final day, we visited an island with old military bunkers and learned about their history. Later, I swam in the ocean again, which was another big personal challenge. I decided to push myself by swimming around the yacht three times. We listed to the history of Sir Peter Blake, the history of Lion New Zealand, and his life and achievements. Learning about his legacy was inspiring and made me appreciate being part of the yacht’s story.

We then sailed Lion New Zealand back to Auckland with very little help from the crew, which showed how much we had grown in confidence and teamwork. After cleaning the yacht, we had a final group reflection at 2pm before farewells at 4pm. Our families were waiting to hear all about the stories, challenges, and the growth we had gone through during the trip.

Sir Peter Blake and Lion New Zealand What I learnt

Sir Peter Blake is one of New Zealand’s most famous sailors and an international legend. He skippered Lion New Zealand in the 1985–1986 Whitbread Round the World Race, which was the reason the yacht was originally built. Later, he skippered Steinlager 2 in the 1989–1990 Whitbread, becoming the only skipper to ever win every leg of the race. He also led Team New Zealand to America’s Cup victories in 1995 and 2000.

After his professional racing career, Peter Blake focused on environmental work. He led expeditions to study and protect the oceans. Tragically, he was killed by pirates on the Amazon River in 2001. His red socks became a symbol of New Zealand pride, and the Sir Peter Blake Trust continues to inspire young people to take on challenges and care for the environment.

Learning about him while sailing on his yacht gave me a sense of pride and connection to New Zealand’s history and to the importance of protecting our oceans.

Weather During the Trip

Monday - Cloudy, 16°C, light winds, Calm sailing, overcast, Light jackets

Tuesday - Showers, 15°C, strong winds, Wet, difficult sailing, Wet-weather gear

Wednesday - Fine, 18°C, sunny spells, BBQ and swimming, Shorts, T-shirts

Thursday - Rain, 14°C, gusty winds, Hard sailing, teamwork, Full wet-weather gear

Friday - Mixed showers, 16°C, easing, Final sail back, Wet-weather gear AM

The mixed weather made the trip more challenging. We had to adapt quickly, work harder as a crew, and stay positive even when we were cold, wet, and tired.

 Reflection and Learning

This Residential was a completely new experience for me. Living on a yacht for five days with strangers, learning new sailing skills, and stepping up as a leader was both exciting and challenging.

• Challenges- The hardest parts were bad weather, living in a confined space with strangers, and pushing myself to swim around the yacht three times.

• Overcoming them- I stayed positive, encouraged others, and accepted encouragement myself. Teamwork being the Leader and shared responsibility made the tough moments easier.

• Skills gained- I learned sailing, navigation, map reading, helming, and group cooking. I also built confidence, leadership, resilience, and communication skills.

• Personal growth-By the end, I felt proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone, trying something completely new, and being part of New Zealand’s sailing history.

My Gold Residential Project on Lion New Zealand was both challenging and rewarding. I spent five days and four nights away from home, with people I didn’t know doing something new and exciting, and worthwhile. I learned practical sailing skills, grew in confidence, and developed resilience and teamwork.

I especially enjoyed learning about Sir Peter Blake and his environmental message. Across my Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, I have learned about the importance of looking after our oceans and protecting the environment.

I am proud to have been part of this adventure on one of New Zealand’s most historic yachts, and I would recommend the Steinlager 2 and Lion New Zealand to all youth empirically anyone completing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.

Thanking everyone.