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Foreign boat not allowed to leave.


Kestrahl

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"+ Stays – I put dynex dux 7mm standing rigging to replace the 3/16″ wire. This stuff cost $1.80 a ft, and ended up being cheaper than stainless. It does not rust, corrosion crack or fatigue like stainless. It weighs 1/8th as much. I considered galvanized wire as it would have been the cheapest route, and also very strong, but can corrode easier (unless you seal it with tar), and it still weighs a lot. I used 1/2″ bronze turn buckles (12,000lb breaking strength) to upgrade from 5/16″, and my chainplates are 1/4″x1.5″ aluminum bronze. Overall everything is 4x stronger than the stock rigging with the weakest link being the tangs on the mast which are quite strong. I have two backstays for redundancy."

He's obviously onto it.

With no diesel engine he's probably a better seaman and sailer than most.

This is my main concern about forums, its like highschool, think like the crowd or f*ck off.

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I have made contact with the gentleman in question and sent him a few questions, hopefully i'll get a response.

 

In the meantime - Immigration and Customs in Opua may be the same bloke, or it could have been a simple mistake.

 

To the person who posted the photos of the boat - are you certain that is the correct boat, do you know when the photos were taken? I'm pretty sure they were all taken in San Francisco, maybe they are "before" photos??

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I'd like to bring another point up in this discussion. The cost of recovering sailers in need is a MEDIA generated fear that pollies find easy to go along with. We can easily see the crap that the MEDIA throws at us daily and its generally not the way most folks think. Anyone can get into trouble in these waters at any time and the cost to rescue these is simply the cost to be a decent society and cheap at that.

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To the person who posted the photos of the boat - are you certain that is the correct boat, do you know when the photos were taken? I'm pretty sure they were all taken in San Francisco, maybe they are "before" photos??

There won't be that many Bristol 27s named Alexandra, registered in the US, with verbage stating the ship is currently in New Zealand.

And yeah, hopefully the worst of those photos ARE "before". OTOH, there's photos of the thing floating, in much the same condition, with the stuff he's described adding himself.

Maybe it just needs a good coat of paint...

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The whole "cost of SAR" argument is only a part of the picture. The monetary costs of co-ordinating and launching a SAR exercise, while not insubstantial by any means, pale into insignificance when you consider that you're asking men and women to put their own lives in danger in adverse weather and sea conditions in order to try to find and effect a rescue of somebody else who has chosen to be out there.

 

Sure there are always the "stuff happens" events where despite all the planning and preparation in the world, bad things happen and people get caught out. There are also the cases where it was bound to happen sooner or later and our SAR personnel then have to risk their own lives to save someone who shouldn't have been there or who, with a bit of preparation and planning, should have been able to cope on their own without outside assistance.

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One of our regular "lurkers" sent me this:

 

but just thought I would send you a pic of Sean D who we met on Queens Birthday weekend, this will give a recent view of the boat even though it's a poor pic.

 

Sean was rowing gondola style just before Russell due to lack of wind, after passing him in amazement at the look of him and his boat and the dedication been put into rowing against the tide we decided to loop back and offer a tow.

 

We ended up towing him into Matauwhi Bay as he had been there before and wanted to use the grid to bottom clean before heading back to the islands or Australia.

 

A very brief discussion with him found that he had left San Francisco, been down to Mexico, through the islands and down here, around the North Island and down one of the coasts of the South, I think he said East coast?

He did say that Cook Straight was some of the wildest water he had seen in his travels, loved NZ and the people but couldn't afford to stay due to food costs and the water was now cold when spearing fish.

 

Anyway being new to keeler ownership and a learning sailor, I am not qualified to comment on his boat or his skills other than to say the family were amazed by his boat, complete with cockpit garden, and how far he had travelled in it, he was an interesting character.

post-3043-141887221938.jpg

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(...) even though it's a poor pic.

Actually, I think that's quite a cool atmospheric shot :)

 

But "Cockpit garden"?!

Seaworthiness issues aside that's not something I'd be confronting officialdom with...

Hehe, am starting to have a certain grudging admiration for the critter... sure as hell not from the usual mould.

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John B, sorry I missed Your post. (David this is a bit of the thread drift - move it if you want)

Leaving NZ mid winter is risky. Most, of course head up to the islands, the later you leave, the more likely you are to have conditions like we have this week. To early and there is a cyclone risk. Personally I think that June is too late - From the Northern N. Island, Mid may seems better, but late June is definitely getting more risky. From Southern regions, a bit earlier, last time I went to Tonga I went direct from Wellington on April 15. Yes, that gives more of a cyclone threat. Consider the conditions this week, the June Pacific storm of a few years ago etc. Weigh up the risks, then take your best shot.. I think you have to Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best!

 

Finally, it's down to Crew, Boat etc. For me that plays a big part in any decision. Many Cruisers find that the worst weather they see on a circumnavigation is coming to, and leaving NZ. You should respect the ocean...

 

I won't even think about heading East or (Gulp) South at this time of year... (in my boat, or virtually any small yacht)

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Tuffyluffy Now come on, how many male H28 owners do you know? I haven't seen any with a pony tail in Auckland. If there is any, good for them, they have the strength to be different. It also means they at least have a bit of hair, which is more than can be said for some.

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Anyone remember Doctor David Lewis???..... Today HE would be this guy everyone is slagging off! ""You can't sail to the Antarctic.. in.. THAT!!"" The guy to me doesn't sound like he's ripping NZ off anymore than the Pacific Islanders that arrive at Auckland airport and the first question they ask.. "how do I get to the WINZ office..?" I'll say no more!! :evil: :evil: :evil:

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Indisputably so my dear.

 

 

I prefer to refer to myself as a solar powered sex machine. Can't understand why it makes people laugh though.

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Back to the topic:

 

1) Did you mistakenly type Immigration officer when you meant someone else? No one is of the opinion that Immigration wouold even care, perhaps Customs?

 

2) Can you give details of your interaction with the NZ health system?You posted on another site that you "used" it and some locals are now of the opinion that you were freeloading on our system, as I see it we don't have enough information to make a judgement.

 

3) Mostly I would like to know the status of your boat. I know the Bristol 27 and it is a rugged little boat, quite capable. But someone has posted photos they believe are your boat (no date so could even have been before your ownership), and a great many believe a customs? official wouldn't try to stop you unless the boat was a real shocker. I would love to hear your side of it.

 

4) It sounds like you are ready to leave when the weather recovers, is the issue solved?

 

Thanks for your time

 

David

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

1) Probably. It is my understanding that he is both customs and immigration.

 

2) In wellington at the anarchist's bike shop, I dropped a bicycle rim on my head and cracked it open, very deep cut an inch long. I wasn't going to go, but a few people insisted I go to the hospital since it was free. I thought the service was great they glued my head back with super glue.

 

3) Probably is my boat.. anyway, cosmetically my boat is not going to win any awards, but functionality is all there. It is a rugged little boat.

 

4) When the weather is right I plan to check out and leave clearance or not. I cannot be trapped here.. if I can check in, I must be allowed to leave, but I do intend to inform the immigration office if I am forced to leave without clearance that I was a victim of entrapment. The weather does not wait and I cannot either. Hopefully they will agree to clear me out.

 

I sailed into opua to try to clear things up, and no one was there. Apparently you have to call them in advance or they might not even be there.

 

As for the member posting comments about me.. I believe he was a bit negative towards my lifestyle, similar to the official I have been dealing with. It is purely speculation on my part, but I sense some jealousy issues when they have a boring job and various obligations, and they see me sailing around for years making practically no income, doesn't seem fair to them.

 

I think you can find bad things about anyone, but there are also many good things which are even easier to find.

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