John Meadowcroft sold his Ker40 Carrera 2 and shipped it off to Turkey to the new owners.

But that isn’t the end of the story…

Now there’s a new Carrera, starting a whole new era for John and his dedicated crew.

For John Meadowcroft, sailing has always been about finding the balance between performance, and passion. His story traces the evolution from family-friendly cruiser-racers to full-blown race yachts, and now, a third Carrera will be on the start line – smaller, sportier but a little less spicy than the Ker 40 Carrera, this Carrera, is an MC31 which John has imported from Sydney, Australia.

But let’s take a step back and see how this journey began…

The Marten 49 Era: A Dual Life

It all began with the Marten 49, a classic racer-cruiser.

“I wanted a high-performance cruising boat,” he recalls, “but it also needed to be something I could take the family away on.”

The Marten 49 ticked all the boxes. Family trips up to the Bay of Islands were followed by stripping the boat for Bay Week regattas. But gradually, the balance shifted. “We were racing more than cruising. The kids went off to university, and I found myself entering ocean races. The boat was getting absolutely thrashed.”

By October 2017, it was time for a change.

The Leap to the Ker 40 Carrera Era

After selling the Marten, John thought his next boat might be another cruiser-racer. But fate had other plans. A chance call from a friend introduced him to a Ker 40.

“I saw it in Thailand,” he says. “I had to figure out how to get it home, and how to sell it to my wife. The solution? A family holiday in Thailand. Winner.”

A tight shipping schedule meant that the boat was purchased SIGHT UNSEEN and was on its way to New Zealand within the week. Their family holiday to Thailand didn’t happen, but John got his race yacht!

Carrera (2) was on, but what followed was a steep learning curve. Moving from a wheel-steered cruiser to a tiller-driven high-performance race boat was no small adjustment. But John credits his crew. “We had a core group who transitioned with me from the Marten to the Ker 40. We all learned together, and eventually, we got the boat dialled in. We had some great success and a lot of fun.”

The Shock Era

Selling the Ker 40 Carrera came as a shock. “I had a strong connection to the boat, but even more so to the people. Sailing is about the crew as much as the boat.”

While his crew dreamed of cutting-edge designs and made suggestions all the time, sending him various links to boats for sale around the world, John considered returning to a cruiser-racer. But with young family now all grown up, and the grandkids still too young to enjoy the cruising, crew peer-pressure steered him back toward a pure racer.

Reflecting on Auckland’s sailing scene, John sees challenges. “It’s an expensive sport. To be competitive, you need good sails, constant investment. Until the economy improves, it’s hard to see a big resurgence.”

But he’s optimistic. “I’d love to see us return to the days of a strong 40-foot fleet. We had fantastic racing, great momentum. COVID and the economy took the wind out of it, but I hope it comes back. I’m sure it will come back.”

The MC31 Carrera3 Era

Enter the MC31. “On paper, it’s the right compromise. A proper yacht, but with no compromise on racing performance and unlike the Cape 31, it fits the budget.”

The MC31 also eases logistics: six to seven crew instead of ten, and more manageable running costs. “It ticks the boxes across the board for me really, and the crew were pretty excited to get her race ready and burning up the harbour. This time we are set to be in the B Division – so there are some big changes all round for us! We used to be in R Division! And while it comes with a trailer, (which made shipping to Auckland easier), it’s not a trailer sailer, and has a 2.6m fixed keel. So getting to Bay Week will take a little longer than is used to in the Ker40!

The new MC31 will carry the name Carrera3. “I wasn’t ready to give up racing. This boat may be ambitious, but I’m looking forward to it. If we can get some good racing, keep the fire alive, and enjoy ourselves, that’s what it’s all about.”

John’s crew has already started to map out their summer sailing schedule, and the MC31 had its first test run on Friday 19th September in the Havana Club Rum Race because the excitement to take her for a spin was off the charts and they couldn’t wait.

“The more time we get on the water, the better. We’ll see how she performs. Downwind, I think she’ll be quick. Upwind, well, nobody likes going upwind!”

John remains open minded about long coastal races. “I’m not fanatical about the Coastal Classic, it’s a lot of effort for a one-way race. The crew were keen, but we still have some work to do on the boat so have to give this one a miss.”

No matter which Carrera Era John has entered, he’s always been there with enthusiasm, passion and commitment. His dedicated team have been with him for years, and they aren’t ready to let go of what has been an awesome thing to date. This Carrera might be smaller than her predecessors, but the excitement to get on the water racing has never been higher.

“We’ve still got some work to do to get Carrera3 full tuned up – but we’re on our way!”