Please select your home edition
Edition
Craftinsure 2023 LEADERBOARD
Product Feature
Sailingfast Element6 ILCA 6 with Carbon Top Section
Sailingfast Element6 ILCA 6 with Carbon Top Section

'It's in the Blood' - the Lidgard family story

by Sail-World on 23 Sep 2006
An inside shot of the new book by John Lidgard, which will almost certainly become one of the definitive books of New Zealand sailing. Event Media
The patriarch of one of New Zealand's great yachting families, John Lidgard, has written a book on his, and his family’s sailing history, experiences and successes. It will be available in the next week or two.

Its title 'It’s in the Blood', is literally true for the Lidgard family.

They are the descendants of Viking ancestors with an unbroken relationship to the sea. In his book, John Lidgard (with input from his accomplished sailor and navigator wife, Heather) shares the story of his own family’s remarkable contribution to New Zealand’s yachting fame, achieved throughout the second half of the 20th century.

John’s life has demonstrated a rare and complete array of yachting-related talents.

Not only is he a sailor/navigator who has found success in a wide array of yacht-racing classes around the world, but he is a highly successful yacht designer and boatbuilder. Also, John has shown a dedication to bringing on new yachting talent. For all these reasons, he has earned himself a very special place in New Zealand yachting history.

John shares the stories of many triumphs, some disappointments and even tragedy with his readers, who are given a remarkable insight into many famous races, and family cruising exploits that sometimes include the most unusual places.

This book will be especially treasured by the yachting fraternity and makes an important contribution to New Zealand’s nautical history.

To buy, either email Duthie Lidgard duthie@internationalmarine.co.nz , or send cash/cheque to John Lidgard, 54 Vinograd Drive, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland. $35 each or $30 for two copies or more.

Related Articles

ILCA Inland Championships at Draycote
It was a full weekend that demanded absolute focus Over the weekend of 1st/2nd November Draycote Water Sailing Club hosted the Noble Marine ILCA Inland National Championships attracting 163 sailors across the three ILCA fleets.
Posted on 7 Nov
Macif Santé Prévoyance 3rd Transat Café L'or IMOCA
Sam Goodchild and Loïs Berrehar arrive in Martinique This Friday, 7 November, at 12.55 pm local time (5.55 pm in Paris), Sam Goodchild and Loïs Berrehar crossed the finish line of the IMOCA class in third place in Fort-de-France Bay, during the 17th edition of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie.
Posted on 7 Nov
RYA Opens Landmark Survey for UK Community
Participation is in decline, and we need to act Sailing and boating in the UK are at a crossroads — participation is in decline, and we need to act. The RYA's largest open study to date is designed to capture the most complete picture yet of life on the water in the UK.
Posted on 7 Nov
Join in the Winter Sailing at Northampton SC
Water levels are good and racing is available November to March Northampton Sailing Club offers winter membership for dinghy sailors, windsurfers, wing-foilers and paddleboards. This provides access to the water seven days a week and racing on Sundays.
Posted on 7 Nov
11th Hour Racing 2nd IMOCA in Transat Café L'or
Francesca Clapcich and William Harris are runners up to Charal 2 Italian-American Francesca Clapcich and Briton Will Harris sailed to an outstanding second place in the TRANSAT CAFÉ l'OR Le Havre Normandie's 18 boat IMOCA fleet when they brought 11th Hour Racing a full speed through the Martinique finish line.
Posted on 7 Nov
Transat Cafe L'Or Finish Video
Ultim, OCEAN50 and IMOCA winners! It was on Wednesday 5th November at 22:13:58 local time, which was 03:13:58 on Thursday in Central European Time, that Tom Laperche and Franck Cammas crossed the ULTIM finish line in Fort-de-France, Martinique.
Posted on 7 Nov
How to Get the Most Out of Winter Training
Advice for dinghy sailors from Cyclops Marine Got a training plan for the winter? There's no better time to focus on boat speed and performance tuning, so that when you come to refine manoeuvres and tactics you're already a few clicks faster going in.
Posted on 7 Nov
ILCA Masters Inland Championships at Grafham
75 sailors wrapped up well for a partly sunny weekend with a blustery WNW wind Over the weekend of 25 - 26th October 2025 Grafham Water Sailing Club hosted the ILCA Masters Inland National Championships, the last major event of 2025. 75 ILCA Masters sailors wrapped up well for a partly sunny weekend.
Posted on 7 Nov
49er, 49erFX & Nacra 17 Junior Europeans Day 1
A rewarding opening day in Palermo, Sicily The Junior European Championship for the Nacra 17, 49er, and 49erFX classes, hosted by Circolo Velico Sferracavallo (Palermo), got off to an excellent start yesterday.
Posted on 7 Nov
Charal 2 wins Transat Café L'or IMOCA class
Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière arrive in Martinique at 5.15am local time French duo Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière (Charal 2) took the IMOCA class victory on the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie double handed race from Le Havre to Martinque this Friday morning.
Posted on 7 Nov