Jono G

Sorted on the Dinghy. Thanks. Shes a bit of an oldie but goodie. A bit of glass patching and tidy up and it will be just what we need. A bit like Actionaire really. But you have to laugh - the pickup was from the Harbourmaster / Maritime Police unit in Mechanics Bay!

Shes been having a nice time on a berth this summer after too long sitting on the mooring. But back out to Bayswater soon. We've done most of the Richmond Wednesdays but a combination of dirty bottom, old sails, and me doing a few races solo haven't helped. Normally start beside Titus Canby - because we both want the same spot, and then watch them slip away.

The Actionaire 1/2 ton resurrection project continues. We are looking for a 2.7 - 3.2 hard dinghy to keep in the Northcote Sulphur Beach lockers and take out to a far mooring. We're currently using a 2.0 m rollup and it is less than ideal. Anything cheap will do. We can tidy it up. Conversely if anyone has a big Townson dinghy going spare I'm also interested. Thanks Jono Gravit 0274 754 169

Revolution is one of the better ones. It has extra freeboard over standard and lots of experienced owner improvements. Not that I'm biased or anything.... The big advantage of the 1104 over a 1020 is the interior volume. The extra beam makes a difference. And Revolution has the best cockpit in a boat this size outside an E1050. Not tender at all - she is a dream to sail shorthanded in a breeze. if anything considered a little sticky in the light vs a 1020. Weight with all the gear, water etc was around 5 1/2 ton on the travel lift. If it gets any cheaper I might have to hav

I remember someone good owning it in the late 80s. Maybe Rod McCulloch - Gisborne? No idea when it made its way across the ditch. The Hopwood boats seem to have lasted pretty well. All the potential problems you mention could exist. A lot of the trailers had bunks rather than rollers. But they are little boats and the hours aren't too bad to fix if there is a problem.

If you have time, give it a go. The worst is you stop in Tauranga after at least getting around the corner and deciding it isn't for you. I suggest Auckland to the Mercs. Mercs to Slipper or Mayor. Then to Tauranga. Then you need to allow for at least one overnight passage to get to Gisborne. Stopping in Tologa Bay or Hick Bay is fine if the weather is playing ball. You also get to get close up with White Island which is fun from a distance Then Gisborne, Then Napier. Both these clubs are really friendly, central and a great experience. Take an experienced friend to give you ext

Anyone thinking about buying a decent offshore race boat should take a look at Frantic when she arrives. As I understand it she has a near new rig too.

Anyone know the boat with the broken mast in the news this morning? Looks reasonably fast. Was it abandoned?

Yes it has been getting harder for the average boatie for years. But that doesn't mean we allow the trend to continue. And for me the two real issues are capacity for yachts with masts in. Then accessibility for boats in the central harbour. In recent years we have lost the ability to paint on the grid at Westhaven, then we lost the grid at Westhaven. Then we lost Pier 21. I read the list of grids posted. Take away the club grids, the height restricted grids, and the grids past Rangi light or Browns Island and you are left with HMB, Orams, Hobsonville and the Landing. And guess what - as ratep

Thanks both. I think I'm sorted from another regular poster on here who has 3! Mind you he also has more than 1 boat.

Any old school bosuns chair wanted for a boat I'm helping tidy up. Alternatively if there is anyone at Bayswater who could lend me one next weekend that would be just as good. D53 - Actionnaire. Cheers Jono Gravit 0274 754 169

Rob Neeley is still active.

V5 will eat the Antipodes SC72. She is the same speed as a good Ker 40. Mayfair for 2nd.

It will be fine. Particularly if you are with a good dinghy club with others also making the same step up. Half of it is getting confidence around the increased size and speed. And once she has had a couple of capsizes and figured out how to right it life will be much more relaxed. We put a reef in our daughters main (1263) and she used it a lot. Even one day at the Kohi 50th Nationals. Ring if needed - I've had a bit to do with the Starling class in recent years. 0274 754 169

I looked out over the harbour on Saturday morning and saw painted ships on a glassy harbour. "Ha" I thought to myself. It will be a long slow cold night for those crews. I almost felt glad I hadn't gotten organised to find a ride. Imagine my chagrin when I looked up the SSANZ site and saw the results, the elapsed times, and the amendments to SIs. "How unfair" I thought. A race committee with the sense to make life easy for themselves and the foresight to earn the eternal gratitude of the competitors. Nice work guys.

It's creeping up again. If anyone is short of a skipper / crew for Race 1 or 3 I'm available to fill in. I've done quite a few over the years both as owner or crew and am happy on most styles of boat. Cheers Jono Gravit, 0274 754 169

The rules are different everywhere and not adhered to / known anyway. Therefore it's all about making your life easier and not having to deal with both the differing rules imposed by each airline, and the various whims of airport reception staff. Plus if you have removed the canister it is not technically an inflatable lifejacket, and as it is only 33gm and looks like a deodorant can / toothpaste tube etc there is nothing to get stressed about in Xray. I just took a PFD on a Tasman flight and QLD regional flight this way over Easter and absolutely no issues.

I always put the canister in my toilet bag.

Rebecca has just about completed a biography of Rick Dodson as her next book.

The last week in March / first week in April is always jam packed. I love NZMYC but think they were being rather "brave" dumping another race onto the busiest time of the season. Last weekend I chose to sail Auckland Laer champs. The weekend before was 2 days of club dinghy champs. I was gutted to miss the Auckland - Tauranga which is my favourite NZ race. And I could have done the Squadron cruising race. In recent seasons I would have been chasing dinghy regattas with the kids in the lead up to the Opti and Starling Nationals. I get it gives a fresh new option, but the existing options a

Ma Te Wa and Wired had a good night

I agree with the leaned gentlemen above. With an overlapper it is far simpler to use a lazy sheet though either an aft spinnaker turning block, or possibly BMax on a wider boat - possibly not a Spencer 10m. That way the sheet is triangulating nicely and all of a sudden your pole is a perfect length. Don't cut it as one day the spinnaker will be used. If just using a blade a whisker pole on the genoa sheets is fine but a lazy sheet is still better. You can get cheap tubes from Kilwell and use your current end fittings if you want another project.

Waka and Drinks Trolley were out checking reefs on Wednesday.

Contact Sam or Lisa at Tory Channel Contractors TCC . They are pretty booked up so get your name in early and by the time you get your consents you will be nearing the top of the queue.

Anyone got their boat away and can help out? I'm looking to help out an overseas owner get Actionnnaire off its Shoal Bay mooring while the weather goes through. Cheers Jono Gravit 0274 754 169