Zozza

Good to hear. Btw, Deep Purple one of my favourite bands as a youngster.

Maybe it's time to bring back sailing, as in real sailing, as part of Navy basic training, including basic navigation.

More watertight companionway work. The cat is ambivalent to the whole project despite my enthusiasm

New Platino video. The channel has turned off embedding but the link will take you to it. Seems to go quite in depth on how Platino was set up with steering and rigging mechanisms, drawing his own conclusions on the tragedy. I have no comment myself as I do not feel qualified, wasn't there, and always feel a double-edged sense of sorrow for the families who lost loved ones - versus what can be learned to help mitigate a similar situation in the future, so I just provide the link for those that may be interested. https://youtu.be/NJibyLfN0u0

Now that you have joined the CCC (Cat Condo Club), albeit fleetingly, you need to start a YouBoobs channel, with appropriately dressed attractive crew.

But isn't that life? Lots of sporting contests that are built up to high expectations turn out duds. But, that makes the humdingers even better, especially when they are unexpected, when there is a great comeback etc. I am getting a bit philosophical now, but I find this a real concern in modern life is that unless every event, sporting or otherwise is some surreal exciting experience, then it is labelled a dud. And that is what I was getting at in my earlier T20 v Test Cricket analogy. T20 tries so so so hard to be an awesome super duper crackerjack experience - but now that the novelty

They are making the same mistake with AC as they are with T20. Old AC in the relatively slow monohulls was like watching test cricket, and the frantic tacking and sail changes as you round the mark were the burst of energy like someone hitting a six and taking a wicket in a Cricket Test used to be. It grew on you, and judging by the amount of non boat people right up to the early 2000's that would watch it, was very popular. However, much like T20 cricket, AC is now just extreme commercialised fast food crap that I wouldn't give a rats backside if I never saw it again, ever.

It appears so...

I subscribe to NYT, and came across this interesting article this morning, and thought it may be of interest. PDF attached because of course the article in the online paper proper is hidden behind a paywall. Off Spain’s Coast, Orcas Ram a Sailboat - The New York Times.pdf

Just a little

New companionway treads coming together...

Homicide investigation now. I dunno, sometimes we just have to accept there are - for want of a better term - 'Acts of God' that happen. A hot summer night in Italy, probably lots of hatches open....they are going to try pin the blame on the Captain? Like most of these things there will be lots of little things that contributed to this ultimate tragedy, from the design right through to the localised weather bomb. One thing that does strike me - a lot of smaller boats went practically unscathed. Take from that what you will, but reinforces to me that a larger yacht is not necessarily a sa

Each to their own, but personally being so connected to the online world via Starlink when sailing is just one step too far to me. When I go sailing I want to escape all that, not have MS team meetings. That's just me, I respect people that use their time onboard differently and I will probably find that in a few years I am in the minority.

Both those are on my navionics charts, and I have not updated them for a good 12+ months. Bit of a worry the lights are not working off Ponui...might be part of you know who's cut backs. (Don't mention the war, I mentioned it once and I think I got away with it).

Nav apps seem to be set up to work best on mobile phones and tablets.

I heard some twat on the Radio yesterday morning (RNZ) being interviewed, saying that licensing boat owners for competency on the water is an absolute must. He completely missed the point that this idiot in Pahia was looking down scrolling his phone going at twenty f**king knots, trying to figure out how to fix something. Just like driving, if you are looking at your phone then you are not fully paying attention, and going at twenty knots with your head down engrossed in your bloody phone is a recipe for disaster. But hey, if the idiot was licensed then that would have solved everything.

1971 One Ton Cup in Hauraki Gulf Syd Fischer, Alan Warwick...Stormy Petrel, Young Nick etc

My friend was nattering to me one day onboard- he just blurted out "Most people with yachts don't like sailing. That's why you see so many yachts in the marina on a sunny weekend, and why you see those that do sail will only do it between 10-15 knots, otherwise the engine is on as there is either too much wind or too little for the way they "sail".

Thanks for your wee story there LBD. Do you think though, with the collapse of the NZ boatbuilding industry as far as GRP stock designs go in about the mid 70's, that for those of us with little interest in modern lightweight flyers, and no capital means to purchase or have built a new boat - that we have little option but to by 40 or 50 year old GRP classics that mostly do require to varying degrees of 'do up' ?

I just posted this on someone's YouTube sailing channel which is really a rebuild channel. I must have made some good coffee this morning as I think I articulated where I am at reasonably well. I'll post it below, but I thought it might be a good discussion topic for CrewDotOrgers on their perspectives, even giving some of your own stories if you are comfortable doing that. Anyway, here is my take on it: __ / __ "Over the past 10 years I have refitted a 23 footer, a 26 footer (Contessa 26 - quite a famous design) and now a Twister 28 (semi-famous English design by Kim Holman, the fore

I knew about the Nth v Sth when it comes to compasses but totally forgot about it. Mostly, I have had positive experiences when buying marine gear offshore. I get the "support local" ideology, but I think in 2024 that's gone out the window years ago-- I feel no such inclination to support Burnsco, Smart Marine, or Marine Deals which are all huge players in the NZ that monopolise the marine market. I am not saying you are not right though K4, because they are still NZ companies - I may indeed be part of the problem with my attitude.

Whoops

I think I need to interview and get a tour of Mr Panther's boat. It's bound to get a 100K views and get my channel roaring! But seriously, the cost of living crisis hits us mariners especially hard. The COLC is a great excuse for NZ Maine retailers to increase their charges. I purchased a Plastimo compass via 'Waveinn' recently, and even with overseas freight it was $100 bucks cheaper than what any NZ chandler was selling the same item ...

I see this becoming even more of a bureaucratic balls up than it already is - I will be going for UK reg, as a Commonwealth citizen it is doable for Part A UK, and probably helps that my old girl was registered there originally.