Tim C

What is an 18 ft?? I hope it's not a modern boat with fibreglass, carbon etc being measured in a 300 year old English Kings Shoe size??? But congratulations on getting on the water as well!!

Do we actually have a official safe air draft number for the cable up the river yet? I'd love to do the trip on Pulse...

Nothing wrong with full length self tacker battens. They allow 'roach' down low if the sheeting position is effectively forward of the clew. They also protect the sail nicely when it is rolled up. As long as the battens are tapered and not too stiff they will be fine in the light.

Much as Rotoroa is a new jewel in the Hauraki Gulf, when you're there reading the history of the place, it's hard not to think that an island rehabilitation centre would be ideal still. The community model of helping people has not been successful...

I'm thinking of my next navigation kit purchase, and wanting some opinions here. I'm thinking of a chart plotter of 150-200mm screen optimised for sailing boats. I'm not interested in fishing, and so many seem to be aimed at that. I'm currently running Navionics, which I'm happy with, on other devices. But would look at options. It would be nice to have lay lines etc. Also, I'm wondering if others have integrated their tiller pilot with their chart plotter successfully? Removed are outrageously expensive on both major brands, and so thinking of options... 10m catamaran, so not needing b

I've just put a Honda 20 hp on my 10m cat. It is about the same weight and cost as a Yamaha high thrust, but has a 12 A charger. I've always started and run by outboards (for the last 15 years on Pulse) from the deep cycle house bank with no problems. It means you get to use the charge from the motor to the batteries all the time. Note the Honda has a pull start as well as electric. Very nice engine at 46 kg dry.

Their are now 12V electric water heater available from Australia. A friend has installed one in his Cat and seems happy enough. It means you don't need a fast fitter, just the ability to make amps to run it. A Google search will find it.

Perhaps note this isn't an official rule change yet. Also a deep reef would be to trysail specs, which would be the equivalent of a fourth reef on most mainsails, to match the expected small area of a trysail. The change is aimed at allowing short handed boats the rule option of not having to change to a trysail if the rig and crew strength make the change to a trysail challenging if not dangerous on deck. Either will be allowed (as I understand) Alternative steering gear is required for Cat 1. As mostly do catamarans that is not hard to achieve. I can see an underhung stern rudder

It's not cavitation. It's ventilation. Air being sucked down to the prop from the surface. Cavitation is very unlikely on the small outboards and speeds we operate at.

Probably it should be for officials to reply here officially. But the last YNZ conference saw lots of sensible and assertive discussion about options going forward. It is very possible sensible options will be offered to skippers/owners to trysail vs reefing options going forward. Lots of discussion of flares vs LED or Laser options, but none of the electric versions are SOLAS approved, yet. It is likely to be an option as soon as it's viable. Please be assured the people involved in these discussions are very experienced yachties and marine industry professionals, with both your safety, wa

I've found the problem with my iPad in bright sunlight is that even with charge going in, the charger won't keep up with the screen draw on a sunny day. The solution is to set it to turn off the screen every few minutes, but that is precisely what you don't want in a race situation, having to swipe a screen to liven it up, as you are glancing between woolies, instruments and navigation as helmsman. I run Navionics which I think is great. But the iPad is not the answer I though it would be. At night it is much better, and of course that is when good safety nav is needed. Great back up, but I'm

Which department do I complain to for an Orca trying to eat my rudders a few years ago? And is there a protest group for "protection of cruelty to foils" that I can join??

Hi All. Coastal Classic looms and anyone wanting a cat 3 for their multihull for the Coastal is welcome to PM or e-mail me as usual. I'm looking at October 15th, unless some tells me there is a race on that day. A good YNZ conference last weekend. Lots of discussion on Flares. It's not hard to see them be relegated to history in years ahead, but we need to have patience on this, as there are lots of wheels in motion to make it happen.

I hope you are getting good advice on laminates and sheer web design. And remember Aluminium has no place in the marine environment...

I'm completely biased, but I think my boat looks good, has two separate cabins, berths for six, cockpit seating for 20, and sails nicely. Not sure what more I'd want!!

40 Years ago this country changed to metric. Your boats were most likely dimensioned at build in metric. Your depth sounder has metres on it. The charts are in metric. Time to change I'd suggest!

Many of the European imports I understand are sent with what appears to be brass type through hulls, that despite being CE and Iso standards are failing in a couple of years. Also, many of these boats (including the cats) have holes at keel level connecting the whole boat to one bilge pump. So in the event of a hull impact or through hull failure the boat sinks. Anyway, the wooden bungs may not be needed in older boats as much as new ones!! We call this progress...

I do hope if you are a Kiwi with a New Zealand built boat that you have read and considered the previous posts and discussion before asking this question...?

To answer that, I have done a couple of Aussie boats leaving back for Australia after competing here. The rules are slightly different, but only slightly. I'm sure they have a Cat 1 equivalent. Much of the reason for NZ Cat 1 was their insurance demanded it. That's quite possibly a reason for NZ owners to have Cat 1 too. But the other reason that hasn't been discussed here is the sheer cost of rescue in the huge chunk of ocean that NZ is responsible for. I fully agree with the skipper taking responsibility of the boat, gear and situation. If it goes wrong, and they are happy to take the

Wow, Where do I start? (Trying not to be offended by the thread...) If you have a multihull I would welcome you contact me directly to discuss many of these issues. Escape hatches are not mandatory. As mentioned many sensible solutions and compromises can be found by a sensible inspector. I spend a fair bit of time doing my best to best represent the majority of multihull owners at any opportunity to update the rules. For instance, for Cat 3, you don't need bolt cutters or a stove. There are many Cat 1 rules under 'negotiation'. There is a large number of very experienced yachties invol

I've had two Honda's on Pulse. First one was a 15 hp, the old square model as it was the last one to be upgraded into their current form. It was a very good and reliable engine. A year overseas and not getting used probably killed it, eventually getting gear box problems and a cracked water jacket. Still it did nine years without getting flushed of course. Then there was a 15 hp 'Sail' outboard. It was called a 'Sail' because mostly that is what I did as it was hopeless. Stay well clear. Now I have a 10 hp Honda, only because there wasn't a 15 hp available in the country just before a Coast

I had fun trying to answer that question accurately! If it was effort, thought time, and money then the answer was racing. If it was hours or nautical miles it easily would be cruising. I answered the former, but a marginal call. What is interesting is how boats, or at least their owners, don't seem to be able to do both in the same boat so much. Much of the fleet seems to be in one corner or the other I think. Which is a pity, as a boat is such a big investment in time and money it's good to be able to do both!

I think it's best just to accept that you all have a likely top motoring speed of 6-7 knots, and don't try too hard to go faster! If you want to go fast go multihull sailing! (See I changed it!)

Sounds like your prop is as good as it gets. Not sure how much faster you expect to motor? The limitation is not the prop, but horsepower (lack of) and also a sailing boat (mono or multi) does not motor much faster than 7 knots at this length because of the aft shape of the hull. The stern gets sucked down at speed. A genuine power boat has 'buttock' line relatively flat to the waterline, which help support the weight of the boat and reduces the displacement wave the hull has to climb over to go faster. This is why it is so hard to get a good 'motor sailor' design...

For pushing multihulls ( or dare I say any displacement yacht or even small barge) you want big blade area, big diameter and fine pitch. Think of a prop moving through butter like a screw. If you are going fast, say 20-30 knots, which is what most outboards are aimed to do, then you need a course pitch to keep the prop gripping at its high speed through the water. But that same high pitch prop will stall the blades at low speed, especially in reverse. A bit like having your sails over sheeted going downwind. The ideal is 'under square' which is less pitch than diameter, but can be hard to