grantmc

I did that same course recently and shared that same experience. The inflatables aren't nearly as effective in the water, but the reality is that people are far more inclined to wear them than they will wear traditional bulky life jackets. I certainly agree about the crotch strap, without one you'll be strangled. Consider an emergency light too. The Spinlocks have a light as standard (but they're 3-4 times the price).

Proving that down here in windy Welly our Council are making the right decisions with our money. Today sees 2,400 tonnes (about $400,000 worth) of new sand arriving at Oriental Bay beach. Packed in 45 containers, it's from a quarry in Dunedin, where it was especially crushed and sieved, ensuring just the right consistency. Only the best for our neighbours in Oriental Bay. And what about Wellington's other beaches?

Sorry Jeff I haven't seen that anywhere.

Thanks heaps for all the thoughts and suggestions.

A few photos of the amazing cat parked up in Wellington. Sorry about the bloody crane parked beside her. She is the biggest catamaran in the world at 44.2m long with a 16.6m beam. She's available for charter at US$260,000 per week plus expenses of about another 30%.

What a shame. She will have been someone's pride and joy once. She's parked in Evans Bay.

Is an old style halyard, (pulling up a hanked on sail) that needs replacement. It is a combination wire rope at bow spliced to braid about halfway. Why are jib halyards made this way? Is it still common practice? Is replacing with spectra a valid alternative? Would the old sheave get quickly buggered with spectra? The mast head sheave of course is quite narrow because it only handles the wire. Thanks

That's my point. And ok it still isn't perfect. But those poor practices were pretty much stopped in the motor industry by clear rules, inspector education and as a result we have consistent inspections. But yacht inspections seem stuck in the 1980s.

The variability and inconsistency between inspectors makes the system somewhat of a farce. Imagine if we just ran round as suggested with our cars until we found a garage that would provide it with a WOF. But this seems to be the practice with yachts. It's caused of course because so much of the regulation is open to interpretation because it lacks definition. Also as pointed out earlier the rules are now so far out of date. It's not even clear what category an event should be given the rules use vague and non specific words like; very extended, heavy storms, serious emergencies, self-suff

Keen to hear more about this if you go ahead.

At least two more containers have been blown off the Centre Port Wharf today. One has beached itself on Oriental Bay beach per photo. This is only 200 mtrs from the Clyde Quay Boat Harbour for yachts. At least one other container is floating around in the harbour somewhere and ships have been warned to keep a look out. One can only wonder what is going on at Centre Port. This is the second occurrence in as many months and the company isn't even sure how many containers have 'blown away'.

Man that flies. I guess no matter how bad the seas, you still get a smooth as ride. Also interesting to read the pdf brochure. It's written in Chenglish.

Awesome vid. Read the credits too. I hope I'm still able to sail a boat to Antarctica when I'm 73!

Awesome video. Thanks.

Difficult to get such boats to cat 3 too.

I found it interesting that she will be the biggest ship on the Cook Strait run. Can this suggest that Bluebridge has confidence NZ Rail is going to continue with their poor management decisions, thus alienating customers?

A new ferry - Strait Feronia - will join the Bluebridge fleet at the end of the month, replacing the Santa Regina. The latest addition to Bluebridge's fleet cruised into Wellington late last week after a 45-day trip from Sweden. Strait Shipping, which owns and operates Bluebridge, bought the new vessel - the Strait Feronia - in January to replace the Santa Regina. The ferry, which previously sailed the Sweden to Germany route, will officially join the Strait Shipping fleet sailing from the end of June. She will be the longest ship on the Cook Strait route when it enters service.

Nice too how they encourage those that can't do the entire race to just do a leg.

Call me Ishmael.

Could be either 2 or 3. Pics might help.

It only shoots pictures and will only focus on the homing device. It's a only a sophisticated toy.

Me too

Here's quite an amazing way to take a selfie. Still in development certainly but a very simple to operate gyrocopter camera that you can pre-order for January delivery at US$500. Watch the 2 minute video! Now place the pre-order : Lily Cameras

What he says

What an awful outcome. Always a difficult decision for the race officials to cancel or postpone races based on forecasts.