Steve

And also like perfect Storm, I've temporarily misplaced my triangle crew, not my wife, I'm not as careless as he is. But have a new gun on board who apparently remembers how to sail.

Me too

Oi!! Serious lack of excitement this year. Lets get into it. It's not that cold. Very reachy reachy course at this early stage.

Ha ha, Not everyone got that. I know Frank did. Classic.

I wonder how the paint shop feels about spraying it on.

hard or soft?

Paint is Less than questionable. It just doesn’t bloody work any more. Spoke to Jim Lott yesterday and he’s saying a pint of Ivomec sheep drench with the paint. No he hasn’t tried it. Yes, there’s lots of these sorts of urban myths doing the rounds. Apparently there are a couple of products approved in Europe which are working. But not here yet. I’m pretty sure the European standards would be good enough for us so not sure what the holdup is.

I found that any old thing did the trick but the splitter for the antenna needed to be top quality. I ended up with a NZ product from L & B. Or I think it is NZ made. Expensive but worth it.

Actually it’s probably worth having a chat with the harbour master.

The bottom leading light broke a few years ago and has never been fixed. Makes it tricky with such a narrow and shallow channel. Pine Harbour management are a bit deaf to the problem.

Beg to Differ. Burling and co passed most of the fleet every race.

However, if you do it again!!

Isn’t it great that nobody said dumbarse right through this fix. Proves we’ve all done as badly in the past. I know I have.

I doubt there’ll be 5000 Jon. Racetrack has 900 boats. Maybe the same for members who don’t race to be really generous. So say 2000 members @ $30. Not even enough for an office lady. And what are we trying to achieve? There would have to be a dozen good reasons before you went down that track. Cruisers currently don’t belong to yacht clubs, or very few, what could this new entity do that would attract the cruiser to cough up. We’re a pretty miserable bunch. I’ve never really minded the multi club/ pay 2 or 3 times scenario if it’s helping the kids and the olympians. Good discussion.

I’ve also seen someone remove the water, then do the final flush with meths which mixes with water quite well.

I have a wonderful little Temu electric pump that I use for extracting engine oil through the dipstick tube. You’re welcome to borrow it.

And there you have it. The reason for being once removed.

Interesting protest. They're quite within their rights of course, protest anything you like. Looking forward to the result.

I think the rationale for the switch was very sound. Mark Mulcare won't be running Racetrack forever and SSANZ absolutely did not want to be burdened with being handicappers. That's a short slippery slope to becoming very unpopular. So what's left?

https://www.facebook.com/reel/871898948335369

I just won't stand or this. The first time a particular race of people get to fish somewhere I'm not allowed, I'm out there fishing beside them. Can't wait to see what happens then. The courts are going to be very very full of disgruntled fishos. It's all of us or none of us. The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill introduced by the Labour government late last year - see The Government's Hauraki Gulf 'protection' plan. This initiative is a step towards achieving the protection of 30% of our ocean by 2030

Racing yesterday off Browns island and we got in amongst a school of Orca. One hefty young buck peeled off and decided to have a bit of fun with us. We were doing 12 knots and this guy was hardly moving, he came right up under the stern and started playing with the leeward rudder, little taps to start with then a hefty whack which just about took the tiller out of my hand. The rest of the family turned up and called him off so the whole episode lasted less than a minute but a bit scary for sure. I've had a few dolphins do this before but this was a bit next level, he was a big animal. I s

Bad luck Josh, I know how hard you've been trying to be a cruiser. You've well and truly cocked that up. They'll never let you back in now.

It's just containers. Christchurch to Queenstown by truck. Not that hard. Coutts has already mentioned Queenstown with a twinkle in his eye. Great way to showcase NZ. I know the Otago Council is tricky to deal with but they might learn some lessons from Akl and Chch.

My money's on Queenstown. No dolphins, no Auckland Council BS. That's assuming NZ even gets another chance to cock it up.