A NATION OF SEAFARERS


As a nation with a strong maritime history and deep connection to the ocean our ship provides the vessel to run our successful youth development programmes.

SONZ
SPIRIT OF NEW ZEALAND 1986 – CURRENT

The Trust’s current ship, the three-masted barquentine Spirit of New Zealand - Te Waka Herenga Tangata o Aotearoa, was commissioned in 1986. Since the retirement of the Adventure in 1997 she has undertaken an annual programme of up to 360 days at sea.

She is believed to be the world’s busiest youth ship. Subject to stringent, on-going maintenance surveys, refits and audits, Spirit of New Zealand is expected to be able to continue operating youth voyages until around 2035.

WHICH SHIP?

A little bit of history on our ships, Spirit of Adventure Trust has had two.
The first, was a topsail schooner called 'Spirit of Adventure'. It is this vessel that first began our voyages in 1973. Then in 1986 she was joined by our current black ship 'Spirit of New Zealand' and the two sailed concurrently.
The original white, Spirit of Adventure was sold in 1997 and can now be found running sailing trips for tourists in Fiji.

 

SONZ and SOA

 

SPIRIT OF NEW ZEALAND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

  • Official Number: 875169 (MNZ 100620)

  • Port of Registry: Auckland

  • Ship Designers: Ewbank Brooke and Associates

  • Built:1986 by Thackwray Yachts Limited and Spirit of Adventure Trust, Auckland

  • Gross Registered Tonnage:184Net

  • Tonnage: 55.32

  • Displacement: 286 Tons

  • Length Overall: 37.5m (123ft)

  • Length on Deck: 33.25m (109ft)

  • Beam: 9.1m (29ft 10in)

  • Draft: 4m (13ft 1in)

  • Mast Height: Fore 28.7m, Main 31.3m, Mizzen 28m

  • Sail Area: 724.3m2 (7.965ft2)

  • Main Engine: Yanmar 6AYM 670HP (500KW)

  • Gear Box: CPG 32BP variable pitch

  • Bowthruster: 120HP

  • VolvoPropeller: 1700mm 4 bladed fully feathering

  • Hunderstat Auxiliaries: 2 x John Deere with 60 KVA alternators, Northern Lights (silent) 16KVA

  • Maximum Speed: 13 knots (power), 15 knots (sail)

  • Navigation Equipment: Brookes & Gatehouse (wind gear), Furuno ARPA radar, Simrad broadband radar, 2 x depth sounders, GPD compass, 2 x GPS navigators, B&G plotters and weather fax

  • Communication Equipment: HF & VHF Radio, satellite telephone and data

  • Ship’s Boats: 2 x tenders (2 x 60HP Honda and 1 x 20HP Honda); 2 x luggers and 4 x inflatable rafts

  • Safety Equipment: EPIRB 4 x 406 in life rafts, 1 x 406 ship float free; 4 x 25 pax life rafts, 1 x 8 pax life raft; 1 x 4 man overboard life raft

  • Crew (maximum):16 crew and 40 participants

 

Ship drawing