ex Elly

Why is Dean Barker wearing a t-shirt with a large "NZ" on it?

Missing yacht Tribe found in bay near Whangarei It was located on Thursday afternoon in Bream Bay about 4 nautical miles (7km) south of Whangarei. That is about 80 nautical miles (150km) north of where it made its Mayday call. The Tribe’s skipper will meet with Maritime NZ staff on Friday to discuss what happened and what lessons can be learned from the incident. https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/124283586/missing-yacht-tribe-found-in-bay-near-whangarei-following-mayday-call-and-search

Is he in NZ? Or just watching remotely in lockdown in Switzerland?

Yes, the closure of the Boyd Gallery general store in Whangaroa is a big loss.

Maybe he was concussed, after hitting rocks at 20knots and being thrown into the windscreen?

What we should do, to make it seem really expensive, is take the cost of a 3 year campaign, and divide it by a few 20 minute races! 🙄😆

Yes there is now a rahui on Waiheke. You cannot take mussels, scallops, paua or crayfish. Also a new rahui at Opito Bay, you cannot take scallops.

You would also not be aggressive if you weren't confident in your own boat.

Quite a few DNFs on the Friday, in the small boats. Must have been windy!

The commentators reckoned USA would win both races yesterday. How wrong they were!

I guess you are asking on behalf of another vessel as ply boats will never be allowed! However modern classics are 1949-1970, built in wood using traditional methods. e.g. Stewarts, Townsons, etc.

And now an article about the circumnavigation in BoatingNZ, with more info about the skipper... "You may recognise Mike’s name as the regular mate aboard Henk Haazen’s remarkable ice-capable steel yacht Tiama. Together they’ve taken many scientific expeditions – DOC ecologists, NIWA and MFAT researchers – to New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic Islands, to the Balleny Islands, the Ross Sea, and Antarctica itself." https://boatingnz.co.nz/solo-circumnavigation/

Looks like junks are popular in Whangarei

You will have a very light boat, since you can now remove all the safety gear!

Strong boats those Ravens!

If you have a power boat then you may want to get a Sea Pen https://dockpro.com.au/seapen/ Quite a few of them at Tairua marina.

Course C is better for the spectators, but not for the sailors - wild winds shifts, or a one way track.

Unfortunate name. Is it a Lotus 10.6?

Yes Sebastian Destremau has arrived in Lyttleton. He is the guy who used to do "DestopNews". A bit tired and emotional there. Wait till he gets on the cognac! One does not "abandon" the Vendee Globe. One "retires"! 😆

Woohoo - so we'll all be booking tickets to Christchurch, for Anniversary weekend next year then?

It's on Anniversary weekend. There is a race up on the Friday night. Main day is Saturday 30 Jan. There are various events in the morning at Sullivans Bay (kayaks, dinghies, launches etc). Classic keel yachts race from 1pm. Band plays at Scotts Landing 6pm - 11pm. BYO food and drink. Race back to Auckland Sunday 10:30.

More people are killed by bees and cows. But its good that crew.org has a resident shark spotter!

Dozens of sharks spotted off popular Coromandel beach including a large group of hammerhead sharks Aerial photos showing dozens of sharks just off Matarangi Beach might surprise some people. But Whitianga resident Philip Hart often flies over the water and says seeing sharks is normal, with some just 50 to 100 metres away from surfers and swimmers. Yet the fear-inducing predators are more interested in fish, he says. Hart recently took aerial images, which show groups of bronze whalers – measuring about 1 to 2.5m long – and hammerhead sharks just off the popular and placid Corom

Maybe try the Mangonui cruising club jetty?

"Kate", the boat that Mike Delamore was raising money for is now sailing again, and there is an article in BoatingNZ. https://boatingnz.co.nz/waiheke-working-sail-trust/