Steve Pope

No Scallops where I was, they were just curious that a sailing boat was in the Kaipara. Having to work the tides though, 20 minutes through the funnel (Tinopai) with the tide, 2 + hours against the tide on return, motor sailing, couldn't make headway under the head sail, Without the engine it would an anchor and await the change of tide.

I have since found out that the fisheries Dept. fiz boat is based in Whangarei, trailered to the Kaipara, does its run and is then trailered back to Whangarei

And of course you first have to have the better half onside when considering a composting toilet, some folk have found "i'm not sitting on that bloody thing" to be an important factor!!

There used to be a problem with Lectrasan loos not lasting the distance, expensive to maintain. That may have been once upon a time, or not???

One thing to take into consideration is the extra overall height of an Airhead toilet as compared to a Lavac or common pump type toilet. "Head" room can be an issue!!! crapping with your head at a 45° angle for a 5'10" male is not recommended. Short women and 4" + shorter males shouldn't have a problem.

As per usual we all have an opinion, MNZ are doing what they have become well known for. Using MNZ laws, or if they cannot find anything in those to hang their hat on they shift to the broad brush of Health and safety legislation. They are using "public" money, whereas the defendant (or ents) have to delve into savings / borrowings for defence. In some cases defendants have pleaded guilty purely to save themselves from going broke. White island for example. Lets see how this pans out before making judgements. 1 or 2minutes or 1 or 200 hundred metres difference and this may well have been a no

Probably 35 + - odd years ago there was a bare boat charter firm in the B.o.I. that had a very tidy "hard" dinghy that towed well and sailed even better. I had no need of a dinghy at the time so never found out who designed / made them. The mould is possibly languishing behind someones shed!

Kalispera, Te ka'niss, Is she a stretched Regardlesss?

You have nothing to lose, especially as you plan an overhaul sooner rather than later. do your sums though re the overhaul if you aren't doing it yourself, it is often amazing how the combined labour, parts, cleaners, and other incidental charges can get out of hand, and you will still have an engine with many old parts (crank, con rods, pistons? etc. etc.) and as all good English engines do, it will still leak oil, after all no leaks on an english engine means no oil. I am not in favour of the new breed of Diesel's they can be very finiky and easy to go wrong with such tight tolerances, espec

Could it be we are in the eye???

Apparently the US navy is teaching celestial navigation once again, maybe because the satelites can be taken out or corrupted. I have paper charts for backup.

Depending on what you draw, Whangaruru is well protected but can have an annoying swell running well up. I have anchored where the top anchorage shows, There is reasonably deep water in the middle. I generally anchor to Stb. in the mud, as I only draw 1m with the boards up. through some fairly ferocious blows. Keep your dinghy close though, as they have been known to have wandered in the night. Whangamumu, roly poly not recommended, The BoI and Keri Keri inlet, lots of choices, Whangaroa as good as you will find, many options. A Rocna or a Manson supreme on chain definitely a plus. Whate

I've carried a Jordan series drogue for ever, and have never used it, I also have a 3m drogue that I have only used when anchored in a hole in a tidal river to keep me in the stream when the tide ebbs, otherwise wind can take the boat out of the flow and onto shallow areas that might be rocky before the sides of the hole preclude that happening. I have had several experiences where I have needed to heave to, and have also lain ahull without any issues. The type of hull has some relevance.

No one in NZ seems to want to recognise the effect that the Tongan volcano has had and is having on the climate, perhaps it doesn't fit the Climate change criteria? It is certainly being discussed in Europe and elsewhere. Many many cubic kilometers of ash , thousands upon thousands of tonnes of water (vapour) and of course our friend Co2, apparently more Co2 was vented than the industrial world has ever managed to put into the atmosphere! and of course many other chemicals as far up as the stratosphere

Considering when you are cruising you spend at least 85% of your time at anchor his layout lends itself to reality and practicality, It can't be said that he lacks experience.