Vaughn Clark – Balancing Yachting, Work & Family

When you first meet Vaughn Clark, there’s an easygoing confidence about him – the kind that only comes from decades on the water and having a solid business background. He’s quick to laugh, quicker to tell a story, and entirely at home talking about the forces that have shaped his life: sailing and steel.

“I’ve been sailing my whole life,” he says. Growing up in Maraetai, (the same local club where Grant Dalton first cut his teeth), Vaughn learned the ropes in the classic youth classes – Optis and P-Class – before moving into windsurfing. That move, as he puts it, was a step to “the dark side,” but it also opened doors.

Windsurfing gave him results, travel, and eventually a shot at the Olympic dream. “New Zealand was/is just incredible on the world stage at windsurfing” He was lucky to train alongside some of New Zealand’s finest world and Olympic champions. The competition was intense but fun, but the Olympic dream wasn’t the end goal.

From Windsurf Boards to Steel Plates

The new course? Business. “In layman’s terms, I sell steel,” Vaughn says with a grin. More specifically, he founded Primero Profiles, a plate processing company supplying cut and folded steel components to engineering firms. It’s a business built on precision and discipline – qualities not unlike those needed on the racecourse.

I’ve given talks at business conferences about the similarities between sport and business,” he explains. “High-end sport and business are very similar: processes, mental ability, teamwork… it all translates.”

That business success enabled him to get back on the water in a new way – as a yacht owner. His first keelboat was a Townson 28, followed by the Young 88 Sweeney Todd. He raced her for 15 years before selling up during COVID and buying his current pride and joy: the Soto40, Alegre.

The Boat with a Reputation

Alegre has developed a reputation as being a regular across results sheets, not just with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, but across the board. While Vaughn states that the RNZYS PIC Wednesday Series is fun, you can always see the team gleaming at Rum Racing, North Sails Winter Series, Commodore’s Cup, PIC Coastal Classic, Gold Cup Series and more.

“If there’s a start line, there’s a 99% chance we will be on it.”

Alegre were front and center at the 2024/2025 Squadron Prize Giving, taking away plenty of chocolates and silverware at the annual awards event.

The team won:

• PIC Wednesday Series – Division R PHS
• Club Championship – Division R PHS (Roy Neil Memorial Trophy)
• Commodore’s Cup Race 1 – Division R PHS (Sutherland Trophy)
• Commodore’s Cup Overall – Division R PHS (Mackay Memorial Cup)

And that’s just with the Squadron!

Alegre is known for more than just topping leaderboards, all thanks to a bold stencil that was sprayed onto her hull.

“We put ‘Send Nudes’ on the bottom as a joke,” Vaughn laughs. “It was meant to wash off after a week, but it lasted the whole season. The only nudes we ever got sent were from guys in the Young 88 fleet.”

While the graffiti may have been tongue-in-cheek, the sailing is anything but. Vaughn and his crew have become a fixture on the Auckland racing scene – the only ones to wear white matching crew jackets with just the right amount of red wine and rum stains to be acceptable.

But they have way more than that – Alegre has a team culture that redefines the mold.

Building the Culture

Running a 40-footer campaign was more challenging than he thought, but Vaughn has found a formula that works for his team. A crew pool of 19 sailors, coordinated through a management app called Heja, means no one is pressured to show up every time. “We just say, ‘Here’s the schedule, tell us when you can make it.’ It’s mostly self-managing now.”

That balance has created an environment people want to be part of. “It’s social. We sail hard, but we hang out off the water too. Being mates outside of sailing is a big part of our culture.”

At this point, Vaughn reminds us that “Alegre rewards precision.”

That’s only possible because of the skill and commitment of everyone on board. The Soto40 is a racing yacht, and things can flip on a dime, especially when its windy, so knowing that everyone on board knows their job well is important.”

For Vaughn, that culture is everything. “If you’re running a 10-person campaign with only 10 people, one person being away can derail the whole thing. We’ve removed that pressure. People want to sail with us because it’s fun.”

It’s also inclusive. Alegre carries a strong contingent of female sailors, something Vaughn is proud of. “It definitely changes the dynamic, in the best way. In business and on the boat, different perspectives make the team stronger.”

And those white jackets?

“They look good – and that’s part of the game.”

The Balancing Act

Behind the organised crew pool lies a busy life. Vaughn is a business owner, husband, and father of four – aged 14, 12, and twin 8-year-olds. “I run my life off my calendar,” he admits. “All the sailing for the year goes in advance. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t work.”

His wife Lisa sailed in ladies’ races on the Young 88, but Alegre is a bigger, faster beast. The kids are “extremely sporty” but aren’t sailors, yet – which keeps the family schedule full.

So, when it comes time to ensure that Alegre is ready to race, “The crew help where they can, but they all have busy lives as well, so it’s great to have a list of sailmakers and riggers available to do repairs when needed.

The Races that Matter

When asked to name a favourite regatta, Vaughn struggles. “They’re all so different. I enjoy the summer series, but Bay Week is always a highlight. The Coastal Classic with a southerly is hard to beat. Commodore’s Cup, Gold Cup – I like them all.”

Goals for the team are simple: consistency. “To do well, you need to turn up to every race with a clean boat, ready crew, and the right mindset. That alone puts you in the top half. From there, it’s about performance on the water.”

Winning is satisfying, of course, we are competitive, but it isn’t the only measure. “Our primary reason is fun. If it stops being fun, I’ll stop sailing. It’s as simple as that.”

The Bigger Picture

Vaughn has seen yacht racing evolve – smaller fleets, smaller yachts, bigger costs, and fewer new owners entering the game. “It’s a large commitment to own a 40 footer now. Marina fees, insurance, compliance and running costs… But people still want to sail. That part hasn’t changed.”

He points to Pine Harbour Cruising Club as an example of how to grow the numbers. “They don’t even have a clubhouse – just a garden shed. But they make it fun, they focus on the social side, they are inclusive, That’s a magic formula.”

A Life in Balance

From chasing Olympic dreams on a windsurfer, to running a steel company, to leading a crew pool of 19 on Alegre, Vaughn Clark has found a way to balance competition with friendship. His philosophy is simple but refreshing – sail hard, laugh often, and never lose sight of why you’re out there.

“We love winning, and we’re here to compete hard. But the fun is what keeps us coming back, race after race.”