Phantom Sailing Bay of Islands

Rick and Robin are warm and welcoming and they gave us a perfect day on their boat. There are other tours but this one has a small group, personal conversations about sailing and the history of the Bay of islands. The homemade lunch was delicious. We loved sailing to the island and we anchored in the sheltered bay. Rick took us to the beach in a small boat and we climbed to the top of the hill. There were signposts telling the history of Captain Cook as he first met with the Maori people. At the top, the view told us why Captain Cook named it the Bay of Islands. We decided to swim back to the ship and Rick took our towels and bag. We met interesting young students and loved hearing their stories about studying English in New Zealand. We have visited from Canada for 10 weeks and this is the highlight of our trip. Highly recommended!

This is a fantastic day out with charming hosts, Rick and Robin. They are experienced sailors and even if you’ve never been sailing before you will have a safe and exhilarating experience. They are keen to put the sails up not just motor.

Wow! This was the best thing we did in the north island! Rick and Robin were excellent hosts full of local information and history, helpful advice and good cheer! The boat was beautiful and we felt very safe on her. The sailing was incredible, both Robin and Rick are very experienced sailors and have raced around the world. The lunch was lovely, the other shipmates great company and we stopped at a beautiful, bay for a swim in the crystal clear water and a sunbathe on the beautiful beach. We couldn’t recommend this trip more highly!

A superb experience. I know we were lucky and had wonderful sunny sailing weather but that’s not really the point, Rick and Robin treated us (and the others on board) like invited guests on their yacht rather than paying tourists. A lovely few hours with nice people, outstanding scenery, and an excellent lunch, plus a swim and a walk up to the view point above Cook’s landing. Highly recommend.

Super sailing day on the fast former regatta yacht with Rick as an experienced helmsman and Robin as a supporter in all matters - especially the exceptionally delicious cold buffet with homemade delicacies should be mentioned here. Thanks for the great day - we can only recommend to every sailing and water lover! Timely registration recommended. as the maximum 10 places are quickly booked up.

This sailing adventure was a highlight of our trip to New Zealand! Rick and Robin were wonderful hosts on this beautiful tour of the Bay of Islands. They were both very engaging and informative about the area and its history. We loved getting to stop at the viewpoint where we hiked to the top of the hill and could see the whole area. Robin prepared an amazing homemade lunch and we had a very special day with the group. Highly recommend this activity!!

Excellent sailing experience in the Bay of Islands This was one of the highlights of our visit to the Bay of Islands. Captain Rick and First Mate Robin run a professional, friendly, and well-organised operation. The safety briefing was clear, and it was obvious from the outset that the yacht is very well maintained. The day was perfectly paced, with relaxed sailing, informative local commentary, a stop near a beautiful island beach, and time ashore to explore. Lunch on board was fresh, generous, and far better than expected for a day sail. On the return leg the wind picked up and we enjoyed some proper sailing, which was a real highlight. Nothing felt rushed or overly touristy. Highly recommended.

What a superb experience with Rick and Robin. We really enjoyed the sail out to a lovely beach for a lunch stop and were sad to get off at the end. A proper racing yacht with great stories so it's nice to sail rather than just motor along. Would definitely recommend. Rick and Robin really supported us kindly as one of us has mobility issues.

We had a phenomenal experience with Phantom Sailing. Rick and Robin (and as a bonus, their daughter) were a delightful team, sharing insights on the area and making it an enjoyable trip for everyone. We'd sail with them again in a minute!

Robyn and Rick are very experienced sailers and shared their boat with us for the day. It didn't feel like a tour as such because it was very personal and we were a very small group. They shared their knowledge of the Bay of Islands and sailing stories over the years. The homemade lunch was beautifully prepared for us. When the wind picked up it was an exciting sail back into the bay! If you like your water tours small, personal and authentic look no further. Thanks again Robyn and Rick.