Waiheke is the easiest island escape from Westhaven: a couple of hours under sail, sandy bays on both coasts, and a village, beaches and vineyards a short dinghy ride away.
Updated October 2026 · By the YachtShare team, Westhaven Marina
Matiatia, on the island's western end, is about 21.5 km (just under 12 nautical miles) from the downtown ferry terminal. Westhaven is a little further west, so allow roughly 13 to 15 nautical miles, or about 1.5 to 2 hours at an average of 8 knots, to the western bays. That makes Waiheke the classic first trip for new members.
Waiheke has two very different coasts. The northern bays are lovely in settled southerly weather but open to the north and north-east. The southern side, facing Tāmaki Strait, is the place to be when the wind is in the north or east. Check which way the wind will blow overnight and pick your side of the island accordingly.
Oneroa is Waiheke's best-known anchorage, right below the island's main village. It is well sheltered from winds with any southerly component, and holding on the firm sand bottom is generally very good. It is open to the north-east, so it is not the place to be if a northerly is building. Little Oneroa, at the eastern end of the beach, is a smaller, quieter sandy cove with a playground and barbecues ashore.
A little further east along the north coast, Palm Beach is known for calm water and golden sand and is a favourite for an afternoon swim. Like Oneroa, treat it as a fair-weather, southerly-wind anchorage.
On the southern side, Putiki Bay gives good shelter from most winds except the south-west. Both arms of the inner bay are shallow with extensive mudflats, so watch your depth and the tide. Neighbouring Huruhi Bay has good holding in sandy mud but is exposed to anything from the south. These bays are your fallback when a northerly makes the north coast uncomfortable. These shelter notes are general guidance, so check your chart and local knowledge before anchoring overnight.
At the far eastern end of the island, Man O' War Bay is sheltered from westerly winds and has good holding in mud. It is home to the well-known vineyard of the same name and is ringed by pōhutukawa. It is a longer sail from Westhaven than the western bays, so it suits an overnight or weekend trip rather than a day out.
Matiatia is Waiheke's main ferry terminal, with frequent ferry traffic throughout the day. Space is tight, so most skippers anchor in a neighbouring bay instead and keep well clear of the ferry approaches.
From Oneroa Bay it is a short dinghy ride to the beach and a walk up the hill to Oneroa village, with its shops and cafés. Waiheke has become known as New Zealand's "island of wine", and plenty of visitors come for the vineyards and cellar doors. If you land by dinghy, pull it well up the beach and check the tide before you head off.
Oneroa, Little Oneroa and Palm Beach are all good for swimming, and rocky Enclosure Bay is great for snorkelling at low tide.
YachtShare bookings run from one to 14 days, so a Friday-to-Sunday weekend at Waiheke fits comfortably within a normal booking. If a yacht is free on the day, members can also ask about using it at no charge after midday as a freebie day, which is ideal for a quick afternoon sail to Oneroa.
All of them. Waiheke is close and well within the fleet's survey limits, so any yacht in the YachtShare fleet works. The Beneteau Oceanis 323 'Thin Air' and Bavaria 32 'Island Breeze' are easy to handle for a couple or small family. For a group weekend, the space on the Beneteau Oceanis 41 'Schonica', Dufour 412 'Incognito' or Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 catamaran 'The Bach' makes life at anchor very comfortable.
New to skippering? Every member completes a three to four hour sea trial with a qualified trainer before taking a yacht out. If you would like more confidence first, our sister company Yacht Training runs IYT-certified sailing courses.
Planning note: distances and sailing times on this page are approximate and will vary with the yacht, wind and tide. Always check current charts, the marine forecast and local notices, including biosecurity rules, before you set out.
YachtShare members sail from Westhaven on a fully maintained yacht, without the cost of owning one. Plans start from $880/month + GST. Come and see the boats and find out how it works.
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