Deep Purple

Yep that El Niño thing proved the forecasters have no bloody idea. We're at Whitianga and glad to be be in our beach house and not on the boat. Todays nice though, a group of us are flying down to Waihi Beach for lunch

Tony Grainger Raider 30

Capsized during Coastal about 10 years ago. Parts of it ended up in Australia 2 years later

Great fun. Nasty t-bone between No Worries and Crocodile right in front of us. We blew the outhaul traveller car but the safety strop held to get us to the finish. Any results?

Westhaven cameras might have caught it

Just waiting for the wind to enter

I saw a link to the Facebook page of the person that sold the boat to him just 2 days before. They were incredulous. He told them he was experienced and was going to sail it himself but they had their doubts straight away.

It did and it doesn't. I know of this cow, she does the accounts for a few shysters in Huntly

Totally safe any tide any wind direction, there's a headland and no bar, deep water Quite a tide flow at times but is not that bad, I've gone in and out on one engine and fouled bottom If you want a mooring call the harbour master, there are a couple of decent big boat moorings with plenty of water. You won't have any luck at the marina unless you're really lucky Alternatively anchor at the north end of the beach, a lot of visitors anchor there Some great spots to visit, call me if you're round, we'll only have the fizz boat there this year

I'd help but I'm wearing my Francis Joyon cap

You can't make this sh*t up http://i.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/74143024/Paul-Bennett-found-not-guilty-of-possessing-stolen-New-Zealand-yacht-Harlech

Interesting to hear yesterday that the Auckland Council own 4 golf courses worth 1.4 billion that they get, for all intents and purposes, no return on. its time the golfers started paying their own way like we have to.

Just now

It's sailing up the harbour now so can't have been too bad

The photos are on Sundreamer's Facebook page

Blue ketch?

No, nothing destructive or compromising security. Will try it this weekend.

Ha, I've solved the problem, quite simple really. No longer an issue.

Well I'm pretty miffed (at myself mainly). I got an email a few weeks back saying that the pin codes are going and tags will be needed on the UVXY piers servicing the piles. I went into the office take my old tag back since Wild Oats is sold and they said to keep my old tag. It was a few days before takeover so I assumed wrongly that it would work on G Pier only. Today, already late to get on the water thanks to the stupid marathon I discovered the pin codes had been blocked and of course my G Pier tag was at home (probably wouldn't work on U anyway) (edit: it would have) When they changed G

I theory you shouldn't pass anyone until the finish line

I'd rather come last and drink the rum myself

We'll be there this year Handicapped to oblivion as usual I suppose

Sundreamer's Race Sundreamer last sailed the Coastal Classic in 2010 having been moved to Whitianga in May that year. She sat there pretty much unused for 5 years and while not deteriorating as such, lack of use was starting to show. In the meantime I sat out 2 Coastals doing race work as the HSBC sponsorship had come to an end and we needed all hands to the tools. Then 2 years racing Wild Oats to a 3rd and 4th online and 2nd and 1st on hcp in division. Just before Christmas last year I decided I'd had enough of leaner sailing and decided to bring Sundreamer back to Auckland. It took a fai

I agree with the time limit being extended to 16:00 hours but thats about as late as it can be. I wouldn't want to go back to a Sunday prize giving. The prize giving has moved between Saturday night and Sunday morning a few times. Sunday morning gave more time for finishers but as so many boats left early, it wasn't good for sponsors and a prize giving where half the winners aren't there is a pretty embarrassing thing for the presenters. It moved back to Saturday for the 2011 RWC and has stayed there. There have been races before where only half the fleet makes it, all strong headwinds

There was an area of light westerly between Cape Rodney and Whangarei Heads that Charlston hooked into and that was it, game over. Taeping went in there with mixed results and we bailed out to sea, coming back together but by then Charlston was a speck on the horizon and excellently sailed, there was no getting back at her. Predict Wind had the patch forecast before the race. Go to the race tracker and watch how boats a mere 50 metres apart got split into different patterns around takatu. Giacomo and Dragon got really shafted. It was an awesome race and well done to the 50% that made it. Some