[Davits]

Who does davits well around Auckland?

 

By 'well' I mean can supply / design / build / fit sympathetic to the boat and can provide examples of their work.

[Yanmar keys]

Anyone know where to get copies of those cylindrical Yanmar engine keys cut?

[Cooker repair]

Any idea who can repair cookers around WH?

One of the burners needs a spot-weld to re-secure it plus the self-igniter fixing.

Cheers

[Navman 3100 multi display]

I've done 2x repairs of the 3100/s and so when mine finally crapped out again last season I decided it's time to call it quits and replace the whole system.

 

So I'd caution about repairing because from my experience these units are beyond their natural lifespan and it's diminishing returns!

[Boat cleaner]

AC needs a full spring clean hull / cabin / decks / cockpit / stainless. And ideally down below as well.

 

I want a proper detailing that I don’t have time to do.

 

Who does this really well (AC currently in Westhaven)?

 

Cheers

[Wanted: Westhaven visitor berth]

Sorted.

[Wanted: Westhaven visitor berth]

Looking for a 12m visitor berth from tomorrow for next 10 days or so. Ideally with finger.

Marina office saying no visitors berths above 10m available until next year - which I can't quite believe.

Hence seeking private arrangement - anyone who can help pls reply here or call / text 021 36 33 36.

Will pay full rate (in advance).

Cheers

Rob

 

 

[Transducer upgrade advice]

I already have Raymarine autopilot + network installed so easy decision to extend the Raymarine family of instruments!

[Transducer upgrade advice]

Thanks guys.

 

Have decided to go with a new option 4.

 

Remove both Navman transducers and replace with 2x Raymarine transducers (DST800 combined speed/temp/depth and P319 depth). The reason for doing this is that the P319 will give me the nice sonar image of the seabed but to get this the chartplotter must be powered u - OK underway but no good at anchor.

 

So at anchor when the plotter is mostly powered off and I just want simple depth the DST800 combined unit will give this via the i70 instrument display.

[Transducer upgrade advice]

About 12 years ago I drilled 2 holes to install 2 new thru-hull transducers for Navman 3100 (speed & depth transducers). I can't recall exact hole sizes.

 

I'm now upgrading remaining Navman instruments with Raymarine i70s. I have option of 2 Raymarine transducers (speed + depth separately) or 1 combined transducer (speed/depth in one unit).

 

So I'm deciding which route is best to go:

 

Option 1: Rip out both Navman transducers and replace with 2 Raymarine transducers and deal with any hole size differences

 

Option 2: Rip out both Navman transducers and replace one with single Raymarine combined transducer and plug the other hole

 

Option 3: Rip out one Navman transducer and replace with single Raymarine combined transducer and leave the other Navman transducer in place (dormant but plugging the hole).

 

The big unknowns are size difference of transducers between existing Navman 3100 speed & depth and new Raymarine i70s.

 

Anyone got any info or advice on this?

 

Thanks!

[Marine Electricians - Masters from the Monkeys?]

I've worked my way through a few marine electricians over the years from one-man bands to the big brands.

 

The only one I trust / recommend / continue to use myself is Marine Electronics (Gavin Dakers team).

 

They aren't the cheapest but they turn up when they say, they do what they say and they charge what they say. And they've done occasional 'top up' visits or adjustments for no charge if it fits their schedule i.e. they have someone nearby anyway. So you'd use them if you want best value and least hassle long-term.

[Insurers, the good, the bad & the ugly?]

Baileys Brokers. Who will place you with best insurer for your location, usage and price. Which might be QBE or Lumley or NZI (less likely)

Quality outfit (MD Neil Bailey is a sailor so 'gets it').

I work in insurance and I've given Baileys my yacht insurance for last 12 years.

[Night sailing+no moon+rain=unpleasant?]

My benchmark for this is a Fri night sail to Barrier which is far enough from the ambient coastal glow to be totally dark. With moon the entry is delightfully easy. But with nil moon it's dicey - the narrow Man O' War entrance is a real challenge even with a spotlight to gauge your distance from each side to stay central it's not easy. Often the spotlight just throws back glare from misty humid air and barely penetrates to the target you're trying to illuminate.

 

So I'd only do moonless night sails to places with good nav lighting and familiar, easy arrivals.

[Mummery 52]

Anyone know anything about this interesting boat:

 

http://www.flagshipmarine.nz/listing/allan-mummery-52ft-pilot-house

 

PM me if preferred.

Thanks!

[Navman 3100 multi depth issues]

Thanks guys.

 

Farrari - I might take you up on your offer to try swapping the head unit but I suspect this time it's somewhere else in the system. I'll drop you a PM.

 

Thanks

[Navman 3100 multi depth issues]

My Navman 3100s multi display started dropping digits and generally mis-behaving years ago but I've delayed replacing it due to the hassle of replacing the through-hull transducers for speed and depth.

 

I've been able to live it with because whilst the display itself is jumbled I can ready the key info (speed and depth) on my Navman plotter screen because they are connected.

 

But over the last couple of weeks the depth reading has played up. It started by intermittently dropping out altogether then coming back as usual. Now it's mostly totally absent both on the multi screen and plotter / repeater. When I'm in 10m of water it occasionally reads 10m but then reads something like 180m for a couple of seconds then goes back to blank.

 

I've looked at the transducer both from under the boat and inside the hull and also the cabling - nothing obvious amiss.

 

I'm wondering if after 12yrs the transducer and/or cabling have deteriorated to point of no return.

 

Anyone else had similar and managed to fix easily?

 

[If you own a boat and you're not a Coastguard member]

Over the years I've been:

 

1. A coastguard member

2. A coastguard volunteer

3. Rescued by coastguard

4. Rescued the coastguard (when Howick Rescue caught fire and crew abandoned ship for AC)

5. Provided on scene support to coastguard before and when they arrived at incident

 

And I've also experienced being rescued by RNLI in UK.

 

So I've got a few different perspectives.

 

For me the core problem is about their role definition.

 

A bit like ACC, concept = good, execution = mixed.

 

Have seen some great stuff from the NZ CG but also increasing examples of poor seamanship and officious attitudes. And egos in RIBs.

 

Don't know why but the RNLI always felt like a more professional service (even though most crew are volunteers and only a few skippers paid full-time). But maybe just having a few full-time professional skippers on the water was enough for a trickle down of more professional behaviour. Dealing with RNLI felt more like dealing with an extension of the Royal Navy than Dad's Army. Quiet, calm , professional, measured. You trusted them when they turned up.

 

In contrast I've found myself questioning the actions of Auck CG on the water on many occasions.

 

Don't know what the answer is but I'd be happy for CG role to be simplified to a breakdown service on the water. And for a tax-funded professional service to deal with serious situations. Like we have for most land-based emergency services and S&R.

 

Finally, don't see much benefit in TR service in an age when most people have mobiles and get coverage. A forgotten TR left open doesn't get followed up and gives people a false sense of security.

[Sailor Lost Overboard]

I'm gutted to hear one of the casualties is Nick Saull.

 

He was a top-drawer guy. He did a ton of work for me on AC over the years and was 100% reliable & trustworthy and a pleasure to have aboard helping with a range of things from fitting winches to building new watertanks. He was the best boatbuilder by far.

 

He will be sorely missed by a lot of people.

 

Rob

[Inflatable Dinghies - the good, the bad and the ugly?]

Have been round the houses on a few different new dinghies in recent years with mixed results. Bottom line, if you really want a consistently high-quality product the smart money seems to be on the robot-built Zodiac. Which is presumably why the military like them. I was told this by a competitor manufacturer who admitted Zodiac was the benchmark standard.

[Combining steaming and anchor light]

I know I'm reiterating, but IMO a masthead light is fine. Another skipper DOES NOT NEED TO LOOK UP TO SEE IT. It is visible with normal horizontal vision until closer than 2 mast lengths away. If he has not seen you by then he's not looking

 

No problem with two lights, it makes it easier to identify your boat in a fleet of lights.

 

Just sayin...

Disagree. Experience to prove it. You've even made my point yourself with your 2 mast length threshold. Because boats coming in/out of busy marinas or narrow channels can easily come within 2 x 15m (30m) of each other!

[Significant Issue off Whakatane]

Liferafts?

[Combining steaming and anchor light]

I'm not talking about 0.5 miles I'm talking about 0.5 boat lengths! I nearly ran into the back of a dawdling runabout coming into gulf harbour one dark night - I only just saw him in time from the glow of his cigarette and throttled back.

 

Imagine driving a launch looking through a rain-sodden windscreen on a dark night peering around for buoys, nav lights and other vessels. Your vision is programmed to near-sea level not 10m+ high.

 

Masthead lights are great for offshore but using them in coastal waters and crowded harbours is inviting trouble for yourself. You might be technically correct but you'll be doing insurance paperwork!

 

Go deck level.

[Interesting situation]

Once heard a TR being lodged for someone leaving Issie Bay, bound for Motuihe Island.

That kind of TR is common! Hence the volume of calls makes ch80/82 virtually unusable for anything else during peak times. Given the propensity of smartphones and digital technologies the manual TR voice radio system is a relic of the dark ages, serves no useful purpose and should be scrapped. In fact it probably gives people a false sense of security that they are being 'watched over'. The only instance when that does occur us when someone calls CG to report a planned bar crossing - in which case the CG starts a timer (usually about 7-10 mins) and if they haven't received a call to confirm safe bar crossing within that time they will trigger an initial request for more info / search.

[Combining steaming and anchor light]

Whilst the all round masthead white light might be technically ok when motoring I don't think it's wise in crowded coastal waters. Reason being someone approaching you from your stern will usually be expecting to see a white stern light fairly close to deck level (unless you're a ship). They won't be expecting your white stern light to be at masthead height.

 

So I wouldn't risk it. I'd be nervous of a faster launch hitting me from behind.

[Interesting situation]

It's true TRs are a waste of time eg if you forget to close your TR from Auckland to Barrier nothing happens unless an independent party reports a vessel overdue eg family ashore.

 

Chewing Gum is right the endless racket of pointless TRs on ch80/82 is mind-numbing and spoils a nice sail. But listening watch on Ch16 is nice and quiet and keeps you posted on the essential stuff.