[Pile moorings - Tamaki River]

I belonged to the club for 5 years great club only left as I moved north there are a few live aboard people that I think deter thevies .Also if you join the club you get to use the pontoon and work berths also store your dinghy under the club. Same distance to Browns Is as from Westhaven and you don’t have to put up with the washing machine. We enjoyed our time up there and the club

[Freezer]

Kiss is how we run the boat we hardly ever have problems when we are away most Christmas holidays are between 4 to 6 weeks we do try to get salt ice when away over that time advantage of fresh water is you can drink it or use it for a shower

[Freezer]

I pulled my whole engine fridge out with the intention of replacing it with a 12volt one never got round to it so we just freeze a ice block 10 litre gets us about 4 to 5 days it is only a couple of times a year we use the boat more than that.After 5 years of this I said to my wife shall we fit a unit she said why bother we get by.Engine compresser units are by far the best trouble is most are 30 + years old if they have a leak can be very hard to trace and it is now illegal just to top up with gas.I think I am the only refrigeration engineer that doesn't have a frigde on his boat .

[Marine toilets]

It is not advisable to use cooking oil as it hardens the rubber seals I always use silicon spray in the bowel and pump it through haven't had any problems in over 5 years of use and we do use the boat . A friend of mine told me to use it he has done it for over 12 years on his boat first 6 years with 3 children still on the same pump only on my second can of spray upside crap doesn't stick to the bowel.

[Friday Night Special]

Great way to get into sailing a lot of people started there and are now owning and racing boats

[Dogs on yachts]

We picked our dog up from the pound and took him away for Easter after one night at home he just adpated now he loves it whenever I go to the boat I always take him only problem is he has stopped going to the toilet on the foredeck now you have to take him in and that is getting harder as there is a lot of places they are not allowed.We just don,t go there We had some false grass on the deck that worked for a while then we didn't,t go out for about three months that is when he stopped going to the toilet on the boat.He is the fourth dog that I have had on boats it used to be a lot easier when there weren't so many rules and they were allowed below high water mark.

[Cruising the coast sailing engineless.]

Had a Sachs Wankel rotary engine in my trimaran used to be very temperamental we learnt to sail that boat anywhere including along side wharfs still get a kick out of sailing in and out of bays.Every yacht owner should learn how to do it and know how to hove to.

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

Wrecked brother in laws launch a few years ago Mariner paid out within 10 days so I highly recommend them or Baileys Also know of a mooring for sale by Sanfran had French Tart on it Farr 1020

[What to look for in an inflatable dinghy as a yacht tender?]

We replaced our inflatable 2 years ago ended up going for a aquapro it is light and had the bigger tubes trouble with the smaller tubes is you quite often get a wet bum if they are slightly soft especially at night as the temperature cools a lot of the cheaper hard bottom ones can be heavy.we used to have a protecter thought that was great had it for 10 years but didn't realise how heavy it was until we changed

[Yacht hits pier in surf]

Just shows how quickly it al turns to sh*t not just one thing but a number it is hardly ever just one thing

[Farr 6000 too small for Bluewater cruising or out to GBI?]

In the middle 70s used to take 14 ft trailer sailer to Great Barrier a long trip not sure I would do that now however had a Noelex 25 took that to barrier a number of times and had some wild sails in it.The advantage with the Noelex is the outboard is in a well at the back ideal for motoring sailing into a bit of a chop. We took ours to Opua spent 3 weeks in the Bay sailing to Whangaroa and around cape Brett would not hesitate to sail from Auckland in right weather .Had a roll up inflatable that could be stored under the cot pit floor though towed most of the time cruising.Just keep the centre plate pinned when sailing.Had some great racing in it to Great boat also some thing to consider it is getting harder to clean and antifoul.No running up and leaning against a wharf or piles at home the cost stops except for the towing vehicle.Make sure the trailer is braked a lot weren't when I was looking a few years ago.

[Knox Johnson]

No bullshit just do the job one of my most admired sailors.A World Of My Own one of the first books I ever read and have read it a few times since then

[Kero stove and oven]

Have a friend looking for a kero stove oven anyone out there got one spare

[Panmure yacht and boating club]

We will be there in Transformer please no rums on Tranny after the BBQ the bros need sleep

[Old dinghy]

Looking for old dinghy to leave on beach to go out to boat 8 to 10 ft must be cheap or free any condition considered

[Help choosing a trailer sailer - big is better right?]

Just another comment they float if swamped not that we ever felt like it would happen just reassurance for your wife and kids

[Help choosing a trailer sailer - big is better right?]

Had a Noelex 25 for about 5 years great boat easily sailed used to go to barrier a lot and up to the BOI in it And raced it affair bit.Easy to rig will motors well ( no cavitation with the motor in well) you pay a bit more but they hold their price one if the only boats I sold for more than I paid for.We upgraded to a Chico and I still miss the performance of the Noelex down wind with a kite up you get pretty good speeds.The Trailer is a big one make sure it is braked.A lot of them have done fresh water sailing and trailers in good nick.I made a arm up that used to hook on the winch eye on the boat and put block half way down the trailer to winch the boat backwards down the trailer to make it easier to get off .Great boats

[Seaworthiness]

Ever thought of a Chico 30 good cheap boat great windward performance many have sailed around the world. can be sailed solo just watch the teak decks.

[What anti fouling to use]

Have been stripping the antifouling off back to the glass not sure what to put back on .The boat will be going to Keri Keri as I am moving up there. Has anyone tried copper coat up there I know there are mixed feelings about it or should we just go for a hard antifouling or soft

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

Have been a member for years had used their service a few years ago when we put a launch on the rocks off Rabbit Island at 2oclock in the morning Dirty night they had to come down from Waiheke picked us off the boat as the tide was coming in boat sunk would never not belong to them now amazing service

[Lidgard Sails Panmure 3 legged series]

Big thanks to PYBC for such a great event. Awesome race Friday and Saturday could have done with more wind on Sunday but a lot hang in there and finished. Thanks to all the shore and start/finish crew who made this great event happen .We will be there next year

[Lidgard Sails Panmure 3 legged series]

Weather looking good for this weekend good winds forecast

[Garden cove, Waiheke]

Have spent a lot of nights in there but one night with us and another boat there a NW came in he started  dragging he was motoring round and hit the rocks helped him run it onto the beach had 3 holes in it lucky it was twin keeled. Was nasty in there for about 3hrs in the morning it was still has made me weary of staying the night in there but great for the day

[Lidgard Sails Panmure 3 legged series]

Great event we will be there on Transformer

[2015 Crew.org Rum Race]

Great race good turnout awesome party Black Panther looked awesome along with Transformer and crew and many others