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bluezeb

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Posts posted by bluezeb

    shroud covers for anti-chaffing - pvc pipe?

    in MarineTalk

    Posted

    The anti-chafing covers on my 7mm shrouds are perished and need replacing. Am thinking of getting some 15mm pvc pipe from Bunnings, cutting a split in it and just pressing it on in 2 1.2m lengths so that inspection is still easy.  The anti-chafing boots at the terminal end on the deck are fine, so it's just for the wire. 15mm pipe is bigger than I need but I don't see smaller diameter pipe online. Anyone got a better budget solution?  Thanks

    Marine Coax for VHF radio

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    Thanks Eric. Yep, I came across that useful article - and he opted for low loss coax with non tinned core, and tinned braid. 50 ohm is the correct impedance for marine vhf. But he did identify a more expensive option with tinned core and braid which is what I am trying to source. Else, I'll go for low loss too and let the corrosion be a future issue.

    Marine Coax for VHF radio

    in TechTalk

    Posted

    My vhf coax cable looks original on a 1980 boat (9.6m boat , so only need about 20 metres of cable, and the shield is corroded RG58(?) cable. Any suggestions for where can I get marine grade coaxial cable (tinned core and shield) and suitable corrosion resistant connectors. Google not particularly helpful. jaycar don't provide specs for their cable. I'll get the heavier RG213 if I have enough room in the mast to get it through, else probably the thinner RG58 -or possibly the lower loss LM400 if I can get marine grade.  Planning to run it through in one piece and get connectors in case I need to step the mast. at some point in the future. Thanks in advance.

     

     

    Crew Wanted - New Caledonia to Auckland - early-mid May: Filled 8/4/16

    in Crew Finder

    Posted

    Hi,

    Last October, I went up with an experienced skipper (crew's own Matt Paulin - Island Time) and another experienced crew member to bring my Sadler 32 back to NZ.  We ran out of time and the boat got wet, so we left it in Noumea. Details of the first trip here: http://crew.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic/12487-wannabe-offshore-cruiser-lessons-from-port-vila-to-noumea/

     

    I went up with my kids in January and had a great couple of weeks on it.  Now I want to bring it back.

     

    Am aware that it is more usual for the passage to be done in October/November, but that doesn't fit my domestic situation.

     

    In the meantime, I've had new bimini sides made and fitted, and among other things, I've installed 2nd screen for panasonic toughbook nav station in the cockpit and got the wind vane operation sorted, so the voyage should be more comfortable than the first attempt.

     

    Matt Paulin is available and up for the return trip, and now I'm looking for 3rd person with suitable experience. With my lack of experience, 3 is the right number. Plan is to keep an eye on the weather an head up as soon after May 4 as the weather looks right.

     

    Boat info attached. Owner pays for flights and negotiable remuneration based on days/miles.  Obviously not a walk in the park on a small boat, but a bit more fun too.

    Cheers,

    Sean

    021 646628

    Admetus Sadler32 Handout.pdf

    admetus.jpg

    Wannabe offshore cruiser - lessons from Port Vila to Noumea

    in MarineTalk

    Posted

    Headed up to Vanuatu in October to bring back a Sadler 32 I bought earlier in the year, but I'm a complete novice so I got an experienced skipper, Island Time's Matt Paulin and another crew member, Russ, to come up with me. I promised Matt that I'd share some of the highlights and experiences on crew.org.nz so here goes...
    I wrote up a wordier journal and have just posted it here

    For those with limited time..here's the super short version
    "Had a blast - a potentially life changing experience. Matt was superb. Russ, the other crew member was equally impressive. From failing head pumps to self inflating vests suddenly going pop on the foredeck and a whole lot in between, the trip was hugely memorable. I've got a whole lot to learn but with the right approach, progress is inevitable and can even be fun..."

    Okay then - for anyone interested here are some of the highlights and some lessons I obviously needed to learn..
    Day 1:
    Just because it smells like petrol doesn't mean you should put it in your outboard...I should have poured it into clear container first. We spent a few hours trying to diagnose why the "reliable" outboard wouldn't start (after 3 months break)...fuel filter, spark plug, carburettor all ok, but when we poured out the petrol from the tank, we saw it was rusty in colour and a bit sludgy. Soaking everything in fresh petrol next morning soon got it going.
    Day 2
    I learnt that vinegar will dissolve caked up crap on the head pump valves, but it's not the nicest choice, and in our case, the rubber was perished and tore when I was cleaning it. A much better option is to replace your pump service kits as you use them...doh...hardly rocket science, but no service kit available in Port Vila, so I bought a replacement pump..welcome to boat ownership lesson 1 - it will cost more than you ever imagined.
    Day 3
    Just because it's a SSB radio on a marine vessel doesn't mean it's a maritime radio. The previous owner was a ham operator and hadn't opened up the radio for transmitting on maritime frequencies..no ability to respond to or relay distress messages. After a bit of googling, Matt got his scalpel out and performed a marinectomy....removing 3 surface mounted resistors and voila -we had comms with Taupo.
    Day 4
    Getting up close and familiar with the bottom of your boat and scraping it clean can be a zen-like experience. But for an even deeper experience, wait until there is a good strong current running at the same time. Of course, using a dive tank might be so much more quicker than a snorkel and mask, but then you just wouldn't get the same sense of accomplishment...
    Day 5
    Just because a hose is connected to a bilge pump doesn't mean that any water would leave the boat. No idea why, but the hose connected to the engine bilge pimp would have need to be draped overboard - otherwise it was just a re-circulation pump. Easy to fix - just add another thru'hull with anti-siphoning loop in the transom.
    Day 6
    Iridium Go! Woes. Apparently the activation process is manual, and was delayed due to a hurricane in the Caribbean. What the heck? This is 2015. I'd hate to be having to try activate this in a genuine distress situation. Lesson: simply don't assume.
    Day 7
    There's more than one way to fill a gas cylinder. Laws of gravity still apply to liquids even under pressure, and after we couldn't get the cylinders filled locally we used a bit of DIY. Don't try this at home etc..
    Day 8
    Set sail day. Lots of lessons, we were running out of days, otherwise we'd have had a trial sail and ironed out a few kinks. The fiddles on the gimballed stove only had clamps on one side, and we hadn't checked this. Moving with rhythm of the boat is all well and good, but I only took my hand off handrail for a couple of seconds and ended up on my back...bruised ego and back. I was lucky.
    Day 9
    Popped my cherry on the foredeck...self-inflating jacket just went pop when a wave came over me. Lots of experience gained in just 10 minutes..Also, don't forget rule #1, keep the water on the outside. A dry boat is a happy boat..We lost two navigation laptops to water coming down the companionway.
    Day 10
    When you're running out of options, go back over some you might have prematurely ruled out. Turns out that the other spare laptop's Prolific serial drivers were compatible with a usb GPS on board, so we could navigate inside the reef at New Caledonia. GPS on my phone with Navionics was flakey and useless, and the iPad was little better. OpenCPN and a dedicated GPS unit were much more reliable.
    Day 11
    Arrival at Port Moselle, Noumea. The harbour master uses Ch 61, rather than 16 as their listening frequency. This is visible once you're inside the harbour..by daylight, but we arrived by night. Weather forecast not looking good for onward passage to NZ and we had run out of time (lesson there somewhere too). It was now time to figure out Plan B..getting the boat from Noumea to New Zealand, but that's another story...

    I had a great time. Three guys spending 24/7 together for 2 weeks and all still getting on well at the end...even through some trying times...I felt I drew the lucky straw with Matt & Russ and learned a heap in the process. Thanks Guys.

    What next ?
    The boat is on the hard in Noumea and I'm looking at options for getting it to NZ. I'm available for a couple of weeks after Dec 11, but realistically, expect that it could be January before I get up there again. Will have to wait for weather window, and of course I'll need to sort out the skipper and crew logistic again. I'll put up a dedicated post on that in the coming days. More fun ahead..


     


     


     

    • Upvote 3

    Crew Wanted Vanuatu to NZ in early October

    in Crew Finder

    Posted

    Now looking for an experienced crew member to help skipper and owner bring a well equipped Sadler 32 from Port Vila to Opua/Auckland in early October.  Sadler 32s have a reputation as strong seaworthy boats. Will be fun. Boat info attached. Owner pays for flights and negotiable remuneration based on days/miles.

    Cheers,

    Sean

    021 646628

    First yacht day dreams : Cavalier 32 or similar for offshore cruising

    in MarineTalk

    Posted

    Much appreciated folks. Very useful and also reassuring that the Cav 32 looks a good match for my wishlist. 8 years and 30000 miles says a whole lot Black Panther, and it certainly seems capable of handing bad conditions - hopefully I'll be too. Thanks for the specifics Unicorn.

    For the racing - I'm on Waiheke Island, so a small but friendly club - but once I get going, I could always head to town if I want a bigger field or year round racing.

     

    There are a few prospects on trademe that I'll look into further..

    Red Baron in Waikawa seems pretty well set up and has the taller rig

    http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/yachts/keeler/auction-638278678.htm

    Sovereign in Tauranga looks tidy too

    http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/yachts/keeler/auction-813393832.htm

    Here's another which doesn't look as flash, but is a bit cheaper and rigging was repaced recently..

    http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/yachts/keeler/auction-816099709.htm

     

    I'll come up with my idea shopping list and see how these compare for the big ticket items (hull condition, engine, sails, rigging and hardware), but reality is that I don't know what I don't know, and I'll be relying on specialists (surveyor or diesel mechanic) to do their job well.

     

    Anything likely to suit my wishlist other than Cav 32? - Makes it easier if not !

     

    Cheers..

    First yacht day dreams : Cavalier 32 or similar for offshore cruising

    in MarineTalk

    Posted

    Hi,

    I'm new to this game, and am learning to sail my little laser while I keep a lookout for a keeler - something a bit drier. Not in a mad rush, but here's the wishlist..

    1. Must be a suitable first keeler.
    2. Handle offshore conditions well - I day dream of heading offshore to the South Seas in 3 years when I know what I'm doing - Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Islands, Mercury Islands before that.
    3. Must still be some fun to sail - I'll probably do a bit of social racing just for the crack of it.
    4. Has to be easy enough to singlehand.
    5. Budget 30K - 40K depending on what needs updating to get me through the first few years. 
    6. GRP Hull - I love timber, but don't want the maintenance overhead.
    7. Decent cabin for liveaboard or longer cruising for 1 or 2 people..

    Cavalier 32 seems to fit the budget and wishlist.  I just had a squiz at  Conquero in Westhaven today and the cabin space seemed good (though I don't have much basis for comparison).

    Any other models that might suit my budget/wishlist?

    Finally, any body know of any Cavalier 32s that are active in Auckland area that I might be able to get out on? I'll bring the beers/rum/smoothies etc :)

    Thanks in advance...

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