The team started sea trials of the Volvo Ocean Race yacht last month, combining them with a tour of the country, and was due to call at Dunedin today.
However, shore manager Neil Cox said a "dream run down the coast from Wellington" enabled it to arrive a day early.
The trip was a far cry from the "heinous" voyage around the East Cape but the fact the yacht held up "gave confidence to the team".
Having time to survey winches, repair deck leaks, inspect rigging and the hydraulic system on the 21m yacht before a free public open day today was "a blessing".
The opportunity for the public to visit the boat was "very unique".
"These boats don't come into port often," let alone hold open hours, Cox said.
Camper will leave Dunedin tomorrow morning for Lyttelton before it carries out a 3218km race qualifier, "just to prove the boat has been to sea prior to the race", Cox said.
The ocean race starts on October 29 with an in-port race in Alicante, Spain.
Auckland will host a race stopover in March. Cox described the race as "one of the hardest races to win and the easiest to lose".
The last New Zealand-flagged yacht in such a race was New Zealand Endeavour in 1992-93.
Camper is open to the public from 9am to 11am at Birch St wharf today.
