aardvarkash10

I did by mistake last weekend. Mrs Aardvark almost fell into the gulf, bar of soap in her hand (sea was calm, no one around so it was shower day). Won't do that again

Anyone see any dodgy betting patterns on the kiwis?

Competing and possibly winning are not related to speed. Compare trials motorcycling to GP. Both motorcycle sports, different expectations. If outright speed is the measure, drag racing is the ultimate motor sport. IMO, this is not necessarily so.

This is a perennial discussion. Whether you like it or not, yachting is a relatively high cost, relatively resource hungry and relatively time consuming sport. It's up there with rowing and snow sports. I can tell you from experience that ski clubs are struggling with the same issues in terms of membership base. The politics of elite snowsports I can't comment on as I have no experience in it. IMO, Sailing is very unlikely to become a high participant sport, so give up on that. Focus on it being a preferred sport option for those with the resources. And don't miss the o

New report. Forecasts were closer but still not realistic. Motored from just before false head into Fitzroy. Wind, such that it was, from the west. Beers good, smokehouse reasonably busy, we are further up away from the stinkpots ...

Today was flat calm zero wind between Hooks Bay and Happy Jack. Wind came in about 4.30pm. we are tucked in behind Double Island tonight, up to Fitzroy tomorrow.

Sorry, it was NIWA. Less saying than inferred from their commentary. https://niwa.co.nz/climate-and-weather/seasonal-climate-outlook/seasonal-climate-outlook-december-2024-february-2025

I find windy's standard model works fine. Mrs aardvark runs predict wind on her phone, the two apps give very similar forecasts. We are heading to Fitzroy on Monday and it has been showing consistent southerly for Monday, slowly swinging to west by Thursday then dropping completely on the west of Barrier Thursday afternoon. Good for us as we will be sailing pretty much 0 degrees, arriving Fitzroy on Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday mid day depending on how we dawdle. Metservice says to expect southerlies for at least two more weeks, then a shift to more northerly patterns. It's t

Has been aboard SO all the time we have owned her, but not a Murray winch in sight. Solid bronze(?). Free to collect from Papakura or we will be at Fitzroy next week, or courier at cost.

Dead bodies of paying participants litter Everest. I'm sure there are other examples - trips to the Titanic for example. A paying rider is a h&s liability I would have thought. The Australian law is the basis of ours, so I expect any serious harm to a customer will lead to scrutiny by the Aussie equivalent of WorkSafe. A big prosecution may sort the problem out.

Agree, but at night (one at about 10.30pm, the other at 02.00am) in frisky conditions and early in the race while caution is least likely... Humans are busy being human, and blokes being blokes. This by way of explanation, not excuse.

https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/360534279/bluff-harbour-pilot-boat-runs-aground-stirling-point

Thanks for the banter, information, discussion and news over the year. We head to Fitzroy early in January for a week or so, and hopefully the weather gods are more docile than in previous years. Wishing you all a great holiday and summer season, fair winds and calm seas.

Bills contact details. The ancient YaMariner himself.

point is, there is an acceptance of responsibility, not a passing on of it to some as-yet-undefined and no doubt publicly funded entity. Its actually well easy to arrange for removal and disposal. Boats are hauled and road transported all the time, and there are disposal and transfer stations around the country. Add it up guys. Again, it just costs.

Nope,that's not the only option. It's the cheapest, but not the only. If you own a boat that is truly end of life, you should dispose of it appropriately. Pull it out, break it up, sell reusable stuff eg winches, send the rest to managed landfill. Trouble is, that costs. Psyche's proposal is a solution if the cost falls fairly. Owners have to take some reasonable responsibility. There is an existing model - cars. End of life cars are now (mostly) disposed of by the owner at a cost.

Only here in NZ. Yes yes, I get that's where we are, but we are an exception in grown up countries. The HM is only partly correct, as is everyone commenting. The problem arises from each of the points made. Voluntary insurance in an environment where there is no registration regime, where many boats are poorly maintained and inexpensive, where licensing is non-existent, where reparation/remediation costs are high, where insurance options are few and far between, and where enforcement is lax, is bound to be taken up by the minority.

So not only uninsured, but uninsurable.

A few sizes down from you, but we replaced a 20kg plough with a 15kg supreme and experienced a HUGE improvement in security and easier setting.

But, my yacht is a taonga! Year of build Vessels over 50 years old may be classified as protected objects under the Protected Objects Act 1995. If the vessel is a protected object, it cannot be sailed offshore without (as well as an International Voyage Certificate) having export documentation and meeting other legal requirements. If your vessel fits into this category, you will need to contact the Ministry of Culture & Heritage before filling in this application form. It is your responsibility to ensure any export documentation is sought and held as necessary.

Free advice is worth as much as you pay for it. I'm with psyche. Consult a qualified MA. It will certainly help to have their documentation at Cat 1 time, as well as insurance time and sale time. You'll sleep better when you are 856nm offshore as well.

When a system is so ubiquitous that's it's operation is not obvious.

...and they are back. Dubai windless, like watching overgrown Paper tigers.

OpenCPN. Multi-platform, mostly free (a small cost on Android and Apple), it works. Plays well with NZ raster and vector charts once you find your way through the licence system.

yup. NZ raster and vector charts are free.