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Finally got around to going sailing…

Motoring over to the floating dock for a purchase survey. Deal done

first two fundamental rules of sailing. 1- Don’t scare the missus. 2- Don’t bag the volunteers.

Great to have family with a drone....

We’ve been really lucky on Carpe Diem with the people who have come through. Our other skipper is just 21 - she first joined the crew via a Facebook post when she was 19, and she now leads women’s series and women’s day out racing (I’m not even involved in those, they just happen). We also have a 14-year-old on board who’s already an amazing sailor. Even when racing was cancelled on Sunday, six of the crew turned up to do boat chores together, and afterwards we ended up at Squadron for a late lunch (after failing to get parking at Swashbucklers in the rain!). We used to race with 6 m

After 12 years NZ has finally updated the Electrical Regulations that apply to recreational vessels and Lithium batteries. An amendment to the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 now cites AS/NZS 3004.2:2014 This came into force Nov 2025. Primarily, what this means for eveyone here, is that you'll no longer have to put up with me and @Island Timedisagreeing on which standard applies

I wont keep you all in suspenders any further ........................it was............................!!!!!!!!!!!!! The bolts that attach the flywheel to a flange on the crankshaft had unwound themselves yes all of them! eventually they contacted the bell housing, ie clunk-stop. The rebuilders reckon they weren't properly torqued at the factory, no harm to the engine , they had taken the head off as a precaution but nothing wrong there. I just have to source a few gaskets for them and its all go , hopefully the bill won't be too steep for that, they said its a very common engi

The new neighbour, i'm sure we will be hearing a lot more about it. Chatting with the owners the basics are 2 tons, lift keel, cassette rudder, 3/4 ton waterballast per wing, over 4m wide... An awesome build, and great colour choice too

Last week my batteries died. I decided to stick with AGM. Got the exact same so just a few bolts and job done. Plus due to various improvements in batteries I gat 20% more capacity. Cost 1168dollars for around 500 Amp hours. But I used 1100 in reward points on my credit card. So cost 68 dollars. Then took the old ones to the scrap dealer and he gave me 78. I made a profit of 10 dollars on my new batteries!

Wow, quote of the year Andrew. Do you actually think we sit around with our hands in our pockets looking the other way? Remember we as a SSANZ committee are just enthusiastic sailors trying to juggle life, work, kids and putting on amazing events for you in what little spare time we have.

Hi Matt, The solution I came up with when I rebuilt my fridge is I cut a square flange from 1.2mm 430 stainless steel and embedded that in the top of the fridge that receives the lid. I then cut a similar square flange for the lid. I fitted a standard magnetic fridge seal to the flange on the lid. The lid is hinged and seals on all four sides with the magnetic seal. I had the magnetic seal made to fit so there are no joins in the seal: Seal-A-Fridge: 0800 36 77 99 www.sealafridge.co.nz Although the seal holds the lid closed, I retained the original latch so the lid is latched

Without wanting to shift this into an even more political area (mods!!!!) the situation is a result of residents voting with their short-term brain. If you oppose the rate increases that are required to continue services and to ensure that systems like sewage are consistently n+20% capacity, you have ipso facto agreed to the inevitable less than ideal outcomes. In Rodney, there has been 40 years of retirees and small farmers screaming about their limited means while they crosslease and subdivide their nest egg properties (generalisations, but not by much). Hence, the Mahurangi shitflow.

Yes, it is a shame that Matakana Oysters need to close. But, some would question the logic of trying to grow and sell filter feeders downstream from a major urban area. A bit like trying to run a tranquil monastery retreat on Quay St, then complaining there is too much noise and traffic. Asides from a failing wastewater system any urban area is going to produce large quantities of things filter feeders are going to suck up that are very bad for you. Road run-off for example. Including heavy metals from break pads. How much agricultural land is around and upstream of the Mahurangi now

K, I appreciate you feel strongly about this but apart from there being a treaty between the indigenous peoples of NZ and the crown which is a nuanced, complex discussion well above and beyond talk radio resentment and outrage, the fact is that tangata whenua are a tiny minority on the water and there are rules they must follow as well. Resentful anecdotes about Maori enjoying their customary rights might be balanced out by having really good look around see which racial majority benefits most from NZ's democracy. The cray ban is lip service, too little and too late. Barrier and the Kings

My understanding is that a significant proportion of drowned males are found with their willies out of their pants. Boat in a nice safe anchorage. Possibly had a rhumbo or two, or perhaps a chardonnay on a nice summers evening. Went for a wee. Fell overboard and drowned. Most often at night, in the dark, at anchor. There is so many ways to die, it's not possible or practical eliminate all of them. I think the basic problem for boaties is several govt or local body agencies don't have anyone else to control, but they do have jurisdiction over regional waters. Hence why

We have been down this track before, "saving lives" is the catch all that bureaucrats use to justify rules like this. How many tender journeys between boat and shore have resulted in death. Very few I would imagine, noise in the data but it plays well among so called marine echo chambers. Lobbyists want to sell lifejackets, pearl clutchers want to save everyone and lawmakers want to be associated with "safety". More people drown in bathtubs let alone swimming pools or patrolled beaches. This is about passing another law to appear to be doing something and solving a non problem. I have sympa

I can assure you having previously been on the committee... that there is no hands in their pockets, looking the other way, pretending there was nothing they could do etc etc... Division cut offs / splits were regularly discussed (and passionately!)... but in a democratic system you need to have the numbers in support before making any changes. Just because something didn't change doesn't mean it wasn't discussed and debated. I think your post is poorly written putting a negative light on the committees of the past who all put in their time on a voluntary basis. Having said that It's always g

We didn't rescue them. Coastguard took care of that. They capsized right in front of us, so of course we were first on station, it's what anyone would of done. We dropped the jib, and did laps around them while they recovered their grab bag and got themselves together and we ran the comms to Auckland Maritime for them. Drifting away from land they weren't in any danger, and after a while they requested we stand down and continue racing. Lots of boats came to their aid, Explore Racing who was out North, leading their division they came down dropped jib and main. Flying boat ju

Speaking of the Barrier I just sailed there...via Youtube on my incredibly unpopular channel. (The real sail was over 2 years ago - I just found the footage while scrolling through my back up files this morning, so made a video) Apologies for Fred Drift. Looks like I will need breast augmentation, laser hair removal, wig, and transition drugs if I ever hope to fund my sailing trip to the Bahamas or anywhere else in the world beyond Cape Reinga the way it is going. BP is right.

Maybe, but we don't know. Despite widely circulating details of the individual and their home (distinctive boat they live on) across the media, there's been no indication as to why they are looking for her. Perhaps it's overdue parking tickets? Or anchoring in a banned anchoring area. The point I'm making is that sometimes people just want to be left alone. And, there is a great irony. Assuming the authorities do have concerns for her mental health and wellbeing, the irony being that it is damn near impossible to access mental health services in this country. Particularly f

I can't see how the proposed facility will spoil the area. The actual site to be developed is all above current drying height, so of no use to yachties. The outer areas of the Bay are a good anchorage for yachts, and would remain so. And hardly a surprise that the normal groups are against it, they always are unless there is a slice of profit or hefty consultancy fee going their way. Whether it's viable, well going by the number of empty berths at the new Waiheke marina, probably not.

Last week I attended the wonderful Paul Whiting Tribute in Auckland. I mentioned to Penny Whiting that I am the administrator for the Whiting 29 website and I was keen to build up an online register of Whiting 29's. She then presented me with this massive book which contains historical documentation and photos on every Whiting 29 ever built. What a find! I have now digitised all the pages and uploaded it to our website for all to enjoy: www.whiting29.org Regards, Geoff

Suddenly your user name makes sense

Talk to boat haulage, if you were a back load you may be surprised at how affordable a truck is. Once you look at time, buying all the extra crap we all reccomend, getting ready to sail? Just a thought?

Still got to rig her but I think it’s time to go for a putter…

Looking at the rudder setup I would think that the blades would need to be all the way down to have the correct balance with enough blade forward of the rudders pivot point. Half rudder would make most of the blade being behind the pivot point and a huge load on the helm. Hard to tell from the photos but it looks like the centreboards have some angle aft? Again the centreboard depth makes a big difference as you need the centre of effort/lateral resistance of the boat to be in the right place in relation to the sail plan and not enough centreboard blade makes the rudder work as the latera

There is a really interesting map on this page that shows where it has and hasn't been found. It must need updating as none of the new BOI locations are included. https://www.marinepests.nz/interactive-caulerpa-map Interesting that it is not in the popular anchorages put more in the high current areas. Also interesting that the top of Coromandel and bottom of great barrier have it everywhere. Seems like an easy spot for it to spread via currents to all of the gulf.

Whats missing in the conversation about Auckland marinas is the limited choices. For larger new boats 14-16m and above berth fees are not a deal breaker but for older boats especially 12m and under that cost to park annually is often up to half the boats value or worse. What the alternative- moorings and as we all know all mooring fields have downsides either from weather, waves to access, parking and security. A friends son has a Piedy at Milford and granted its pretty limited re tides but they upgraded it recently and with a finger its $30 a week or under $5 a day. What would a communi

Did I say Massive sigh of relief

P re your first paragraph on which group benefits from the commercial take- Iwi led organisations currently control 65% plus of all NZ quota . A fact not often understood.

On your second paragraph, you are possibly misunderstanding my position. I agree with you whole heartedly on that. This ban is long overdue. I have never eaten a NZ crayfish, primarily for this reason. I don't want to be part of the collapse of the whole ecosystem, with respect to kina barrens and the wider impact of that on juvenile fish habitat. But I'm not really following the point of your first paragraph. I do note that it appears politically incorrect to question any race based rules in large parts of our society today. I don't think that is healthy. Most people are just too scared

Thanks Frank, she gets along pretty well too.

Well looks like the NZ spring is colder than November at 60 north. We are just getting snow down to sea level now. Has been a few hundred metres up for a while but now down to deck level. Doesn't make getting out of bed easy each morning.

Thank you for clarifying that “no anchoring” doesn’t apply if you’re in an emergency. I’m sure the entire boating community was waiting for that revelation and incredible insight. Next you’ll be telling us that “no stopping” signs on the motorway don’t apply when your car catches fire. The “unless you can’t safely make an alternative anchorage” line is literally the same safety clause on every no-anchoring area in New Zealand and everywhere else on the planet. It’s not a loophole, it’s just the bit of common sense that stops people from sinking. Red means no anchoring. Explainin

Panmure bridge...well back in 1971 we dropped the new rig into Roulette 2 off the side of the bridge.

Bad Kitty’s winter cruise going well, up in the NE cnr of Fiji. Quite isolated, normal to have a Bay or even an Island to yourself. Stunning scenery, diving & fishing, with the Fijian locals their usual friendly selves.

Racing is just the canary in the coal mine. Young people can barely afford to keep a roof over our heads, let alone have kids or maintain a sailboat. A lot of old boats are going to be scrapped in the coming decades.

Everyone I have spoken to answered in Polish

Done. You can see freezer temp circled in red. Now got to get the eutectic fluid to be solid frozen at about -21....

its yet another example of unintended consequences. People wear their nice life jacket in dinghy when not needed. It gets wet, maybe it gets stolen ashore. Then not worn on way home or to next bay, when it otherwise might have been, or should be. I wear a LJ a LOT when sailing and always when shorthanded. They are good. But I dont (and wont) put my nice LJ on with my AIS inside and PLB strapped on, to go 100m to beach or the boat next door. In simple terms its more than a dumb rule. If it were actually enforced, i posit it makes boating more unsafe for some people.

Damn. Aaah well. That's my Bahamas plans shelved. I guess it Barrier again instead.

https://cyca-cdn-lkjnasdoiuasdjkhlasd.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/12132819/RSHYR-2024-The-Report-Final.pdf

Every time we come across dolphins in the bay (usually somewhere around Tapeka/Roberton) I slow down and call out "go away" or "will you please stop playing in my bow wave" but they just dont take any notice. Then one or two Explore tour boats come racing in, always on the plane, and follow the dolphins around for the next twent minutes or so. This usually gives us a chance to get away from the rule-breaking situation

I dont think this is an economical or practical repair in the long term even in the best case scenario, that said you could go down the quick and dirty route and just get it welded as is. File and sand to an acceptable finish while you find a secondhand winch.

In-fes-tim-inal, adj, an infestation of extremely small battery problems. See: extrarodentially and infesterminal

Yet for the entire history of yacht batteries in NZ they are in wooden boxes under a bunk with no outside vents fuming away under the squab usually. Number of FLA incidents compared to boating hours is infestiminal.

It's not a great time of year to be going up the west coast, about now the big 960 lows start rolling by every 7-10 days in the Southern Ocean. So you'll need to pick a window then drop everything and go. I presume from asking on here you are probably not that experienced, so another vote for boat haulage. As an aside, if this is about looking to buy a boat in Wellington and taking it North then you are probably better to buy one up here since they are very cheap at the moment.

What BP says, I will add if you are planning on solo, you will be knackered by the time you hit Cape Reinga and over the top you have tides, currents and lots of marine traffic to keep an eye on. AIS would really take some pressure off in a solo situation but it is an investment. Have you just bought the boat? Does it have an inboard engine, if it has sat for a while you def want to look at the fuel, going off shore is gonna stir up the fuel tank, carry spare filters You will really have to pick a good weather window, getting the snot kicked out of you solo in a 30 ft boat will

Amazing sunset on Friday night past Browns Island to Ponui, with the new spinnaker setting well.

Fiona Heenan’s 600km solo sail for Guinness record and charity Six hundred kilometres is a long way to sail a tiny boat with scarcely little legroom. Still, 57-year-old yachtswoman Fiona Heenan is giving it a go for a chance at a Guinness world record and to raise funds for her favourite charity Sailability. The Irish-born former cruising yacht instructor has always been a keen adventurer. In the 30 years she has lived in New Zealand, she has tramped extensively and cycled from one end of the country to the other. Her quest to claim the world honour of longest single-handed dist