On the 26th. April 1921, Admiral Lord Jellicoe, who was the Governor General of NZ, visited the Whangarei Harbour in the government ship Tutanekai. The Tutanekai was escorted to the Onerahi Wharf by a flotilla of local launches. Jellicoe was made famous by his success in the battle of Jutland in the first World War in 1916. He also owned an X Class yacht called Iron Duke (The name of  his battleship in the battle of Jutland) and sailed in the Sanders Cup in 1921. The prime mover of this visit was Mr.A.R.Pickmere, a Whangarei dentist. The Whangarei Cruising Club was founded on the 7th.June 1921 by a group of enthusiastic launch owners. The addition of yachts soon followed with one handed centre-boarders, mulleties and keelers. From the beginning, the club was a great success. A prime objective of the club was to provide facilities at a cost that was affordable and available to as many families as possible. Its first Commodore was Arthur Pickmere and Lord Jellicoe became the first patron.

At the 1920 New Years Day Onerahi Regatta Arthur Pickmere saw  Harry Highet, a Whangarei draftsman with the Public Works Department, sailing a 7 foot yacht that he had designed and built himself. He engaged Harry to build a similar unsinkable little yacht for his son Hereward. This yacht was called "Halcyon", and this yacht with Harry Highets became the prototype of the present day P class fleet. Harry Highet later moved to Tauranga where the P class grew in popularity. Arthur Wilkinson (Wilkinsons Sport & Saddlery) was a foundation member and treasurer of the new club and his son Robin, later became our patron for 24 years. Robin, at the age of 14 yrs., by his own earnings, bought "Halcyon" in 1922 and joined the club in 1923. Since then Robin has noted many changes that has seen the club go from strength to strength. Hereward Pickmere became a surveyor and developed the wonderful Pickmere charts of the Northland East Coast which were later put into Atlas form by his daughter Janet Watkins (nee Pickmere).
The first clubhouse was an old hall which was moved from Whakapara and located on piles above Victoria Bridge were the swimming pools are today. The area around the piles were subsequently filled in. Now the main club house is located at Kissing Point on Riverside Drive half way between Whangarei City and the suburb of Onerahi.
Space and water were the foremost considerations during the 70's and a need to build a club house at Parua Bay for the centreboarders and the trailer sailers. This is situated between Solomon's Point and the Parua Bay Hotel.
The club also owns a piece of land at Manganese Point at the western entrance to Parua Bay. This is all thanks to the late Skipper Patterson, who was the harbour master during the 1930s. A great place for fishing or to take a break on a canoe trip around the harbour. Years gone by saw the P class sailing from the Town Basin to this beautiful spot; but now they sail in the shelter of Parua Bay.
By 2003 it was decided that the clubhouse at Kissing Point should be replaced. Following a Special General Meeting on the 18^th June 2003 which agreed to the sale of part of the club’s land at Manganese Point planning commenced for the construction of a new clubhouse at Kissing Point.  A farewell party for the old clubhouse was held in June 2004 but problems getting resource and building consents delayed the demolition until Boxing Day 2004.   Construction went right through 2005 and the new clubhouse was operational by March 2006.  During the later part of 2005 there were working bees every weekend and the Commodore at the time – John Gentry worked full time but unpaid on the project for much of the year. In addition to the proceeds of the land sale $261,000, funding was provided from the club’s reserves, by the patron – Robyn Wilkinson, the estate of Barney Finch, The Lion Foundation - $31000, and an 8 year interest free reserve development loan from the Whangarei District Council - $100,000.
John Gentry was elected Patron in 2006 after the death of long serving Robin Wilkinson in 2005.

To view the history of the club as told by our past Patron, Robin Wilkinson
The history of the club as told by Alf Attwood
Part of the history of the club as told by Ron Kiernander
Once upon a P-Class ( Compiled from the Diaries of A.H.Pickmere by Janet Watkins)
The Pickmeres
Obituaries
Old Boats