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grantmc

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Everything posted by grantmc

  1. Nope, and I never even thought to ask. It was just a little launch and they were into diving. The guy told me that the previous owner had fitted the hiab himself.
  2. It's an ordinary, off the rack Hiab 008T-1. I don't believe Hiab offer 'Marine grade'.
  3. The above is real, I kid My post is what I really saw, I kid you not. And yes, the possibility of sinking was likely increased, especially I think if it rained and the dinghy on the coach roof gathered some water. It is only a small launch, maybe 20-22 footer.
  4. We all know that there’s seemingly no limit to the modifications and improvements people will make to their boats. And sometimes they can be quite surprising. And I’m often left wondering why didn’t I think of that? Tied up at the Picton visitors wharf a few weeks ago a family pulls up across the jetty from my boat in a little launch. When I looked up I thought what is that by the dinghy on the cabin top? When I looked closer I realised it was a Hiab crane. It’s purpose: to lift the dinghy on and off the boat. Now I know even small hiabs aren’t cheap, nor is installation simple. Turned
  5. If you've not done this event it is heaps of fun. Organised by Evans Bay Yacht & Motor Boat Club and open to trailer yachts and keelers. Tie your boat up at Days Bay wharf, go into the Days Bay Pizza Pavilion at about midday. There will be cheap eats and drinks plus you need to register for $10 per person. Race start is 1:15 and you race to Evans Bay yacht Club. They usually have awesome prizes and everyone gets some. Forecast at the moment is for a brilliant sunny day, 12 k northerly with high tide at 1450. For trailer yacht probably easiest to launch at the Council ramp
  6. Celestial navigation is still a major component of the Ocean Yachtmaster curriculum. And they don't allow the use of sight reduction tables. You have to work out the full PXZ triangle equation from sextant readings (at least they do allow a scientific calculator!). I well remember us all spending a Sunday afternoon off Paekakariki beach getting sunset sights. Using a sextant is still a good skill. And of course an aspect of attaining Cat 1 is some proof the crew know what they're doing.
  7. That rock (it's called Walker Rock) is really nasty, and in a decent sea, can be very difficult to see, especially so at night. The cruising guide doesn't have much information for Cape Jackson, certainly nothing in respect to when slack water occurs. The tidal diagrams only show an arrow but no times. It was the first place I looked. In my version of the Guide (5th edition 1994) Keith Murray says 'The passage between the lighthouse and the Cape is clear for cruising boats, but often has tide rips and overfalls and generally to avoid these nearer to the land, than the lighthouse. There
  8. Someone posted this photo on their facebook page yesterday. Photo was taken by an Evening Post photographer during a storm in 1963. The photographer was standing pretty much where the southern end of the apartments in question are located (they run north/south). As you can see the sea is actually so deep from built up northerly wind waves and high tide that the wall is almost submerged (it's usually 1.5 mtrs higher than high tide). In 1989-90 the western wall (in the photo's foreground) was raised by 1 mtr. (At least I know that my boat's safe in any Wellington storm.)
  9. Have read the thread with interest. Just a comment on third parties that call authorities (such as Wheels friend watching the facebook page). Recently had a similar experience because the wife (still at home) of one of the crew hadn't received the usual daily phone call. We were cruising slowly around the north west of D'Urville Island and no cell coverage at all. After 2 or 3 days of no contact she became worried and called Coastguard who in turn contacted Police. Much to our surprise, crew of the Lady Liz IV knocked on our cabin door at the entrance to Port Hardy. Whilst they weren't specif
  10. Your best bet is to contact Clubs and add yourself to their wanting to crew lists.The links below might help. Evans Bay Yacht & Motor Boat Club Port Nicholson Yacht Club email Nicci Wood the Sailing Secretary sailing@rpnyc.org.nz Port Nich also has a section on their noticeboard for people wanting to crew. Noticeboard is pretty easy to find, it's to the left of the bar. There's also Worser Bay Boat Club which is basically a dinghy club. Quite a number of other groups around town also have sailing/boating groups. Close to you that spring to mind include Vic Uni Sailing, Sea
  11. I've been sailing the Marlborough Sounds the last couple of weeks and I came across an old salt based at Picton who swears one should only round Cape Jackson at high tide Wellington. I'd never heard that advice before. Do any of you share that view, or have alternative suggestions.
  12. I think there are some real advantages of choosing a trailer sailor as a cruising yacht rather then a keel boat. The obvious; neither mooring fees nor anti-fouling (ok you might have trailer park costs but they’re significantly cheaper). An outboard motor; so much simpler. You can take the motor to the repair shop. And an inboard motor adds so very many extra systems, (water, exhaust, fuel, electricity etc), through hulls etc. For that matter you can take the entire boat and trailer for maintenance/repair, even if it's only to your own home. If you want to take your boat for a sa
  13. What a small world. This boat, her name is Cariolanus, was moored alongside my boat at Clyde Quay till a few months ago when the Council moved it round to Evans Bay. I heard that the mooring fees were long overdue and so the Council sold the boat on Trade me, to, presumably, recover the fees. As reported it hadn't moved for years and the hull was covered in weed and mussels. The boat is a wreck and only good for dismantling. Astonishing it still floats. There was certainly concern when it was under tow. As an aside it is a shame that there's no simple and cost effective way of scraping suc
  14. You're right Matt, he had a salty end that was somehow appropriate.
  15. For those that aren't aware there's a sad footnote to the Totorore story. THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF THE TOTORORE.pdf
  16. Caper was moored at Seaview marina and owned by a Wellington family until about 6 years ago. She was used very little and I think health issues eventually forced her sale. An astonishingly nice boat. I believe Caper was still in survey when she was sold. I spotted her in Fiji last year at Vuda Point marina. Still looking quite magnificent too.
  17. Have been quite fascinated in the responses. Clearly the majority of posters and their crew only ever fall in when they plan to do so and also - when close enough to swim to safety, or - when someone is close by to help pull them out. How fortunate. I (and those around me) on the other hand have always fallen in quite by accident, with no expectation or forward planning. The falls have happened just climbing off the boat into a dinghy, whilst on the dock trying to help a boat berth plus other occasions. Nor am I an especially good swimmer. I've also seen someone fall out when a spi
  18. I've never heard of Trilux. Where do you buy it and what specific antifoul type do you use? cheers
  19. Just wondering what others think about life jackets. I know it’s been knocked around here over the years, but is there still reluctance for compulsory wearing of jackets? I raised the topic at my rag n stick club a year ago at the annual Safety meeting. Every week I see many crews going round the cans without jackets and we’ve had the odd incident including m/wobs. As a Club I felt we should set an example, but the proposal was knocked down very quickly and I was left wondering why. The rules too as to what exactly a life jacket is and the (optional) features included make what seems t
  20. grantmc

    Thread Gone

    An alternator bracket. It's not possible to bolt that to another position. But it's not the first time I've had stripped threads in awkward positions and it was more a general question. Hoping someone might have a treasured trick they'll share.
  21. grantmc

    Thread Gone

    Wondering if someone might have a suggestion. On the block of my aluminium engine are 3 bolt holes, 2 of which have basically lost their thread. As a result the bolts don't tighten. I've tried new bolts with loctite and a little thread seal tape but no improvement. Ideally I would use helicoil inserts but the access would require more or less taking the motor out. Any ideas?
  22. When are you intending to sail over Shane?
  23. I read the newspaper articles that Ketchup provided links for (thanks). Amazed to read "In August 2007, one-time millionaire property developer and bar owner Thwaites was sentenced to 400 hours' community work for tax evasion, and found $1.4 million to pay employees' tax deductions which had not been passed on to Inland Revenue." Works out to $3,500 per hour. And to put salt in IRD's wound the 400 hours is in effect tax paid too. What would have been the consequences for a young brown boy from South Auckland who stolen $1.4 million?
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