In Greymouth, Westport and at Moana on Lake Brunner, a core of competent centreboard yachts were racing by 1903. These centre-boarders occasionally escaped the obstacles of the river bars in ‘Ocean Races’ or ‘Ten Mile Races’ and went out into the rollers of the Tasman, often a hazardous undertaking because of the freakish bar conditions and the rough waters outside in the prevailing westerlies. However, the bulk of their racing was done on the Buller River at Westport and the Grey River at Greymouth which were just wide enough to provide reasonable sailing.
Moana on Lake Brunner, inland between Hokitika and Greymouth, became a favourite venue, especially at its annual regatta. Because Moana had its own railway station, many Greymouth and Moana yachts did a circuit between the two venues and regattas by train. The railway connection to the Westport network did not come about until the 1940s so Westport boats had to be shipped by coastal steamer to Greymouth.
The first Greymouth Regatta for many years was held in December 1903. There
