Gypsy Soul

I agree that a YNZ yachting facility on the Hammerhead would be far preferable to any apartments. Would be nice though to see some consultation with the current user groups at Gulf harbour....

That's the problem BP. I need something to last for a 6 month sojourn around the Islands. Maybe I take a whole bunch of spare tiller pilots....or are they really that fragile?

IT, I have a tiller with transom hung rudder. What are the current AP options? Still the old Tiller pilot type thing?

Sorry Matt, I will be overseas but if there is second session in Auckland I will be keen

Count me in if near the end of August. Overseas before then

I recall one very wet coastal, after arriving at Russell exhausted and after the obligatory couple of rumbos we all collapsed on any available horizontal surface for sleep in our wet gear including PFD's. One guy found a comfy place on a wet headsail in the cabin. After an hour or two we were woken by the noise of his automatic inflatable PFD inflating. It was bloody hilarious at the time but, like IT said, I can see there could be situations where it could be a hazard. Mine are manuals.

Jeeze KM, that's scary stuff. Thanks for the info. Are there not some sort of standards that these things must comply with or meet?

I have an Island cruise planned in my current 34 footer. Just working on Cat 1 stuff. Planning to slip the mooring May 2017

Yes that's her. Not your regular Townson 34 - well not now at any rate.

Hi Kenrick, Slice of lemon is still painted a nice pale yellow. Looks like she has been off shore or at least has been set up for it; life raft, hard dodger etc. A bit of a thread drift, but great to reminisce. I lived in Browns Bay before the harbour bridge was built and in the years after when it was still a sleepy holiday place. A number of boat builders there in those days who didn't seem to mind us snotty nosed kids following them around kicking up the wood shavings. I remember John Spencer building Infidel, I think, and paying us kids a few pence for bringing him lead that we had "foun

"Slice of Lemon" is in Gulf harbour near the end of I pier. Elderly gentleman owns her but don't know his name.

Thanks Romany. I checked out web site and it looks like spares are available. I will give that a go. If not, maybe winch replacement - then you might get a couple of cheapies!

I have a couple of Masport Barlow 40 self tailing winches. Good winches, however the nylon? clutch part of the tailers are worn and do not grip the sheets. It all goes a bit pear shaped in a big blow when everything loads up as the sheet slips through the self tailing grip things. I'm usually sailing single handed and it can all get a bit busy when this happens! Does anyone know if I can get replacement parts for these, and if so, where?