southernman

Welcome aboard PR. If I was you i'd pay for a couple of hours labour from a good rigger or sail maker and get them to work with you on how to setup the rig you have. A new headsail will likely make a lot of difference also. It's amazing what another set of eyes looking over your boat does for sail trim and speed. Agree on the hull cleanliness issue - makes a huge difference up to 1.5 knot on my yacht.

Hmm good idea I'll look into that one IT. Given this is the second time I've stripped the water heater and hoses and used locktite I'm a bit over it.

Yip that's true I did that last year, no prob at all just costs a bit from the importer or agent. Had a problem with the AIS though so IT supplied me a new one. Funny story for me I've done a heap of travel in the last 12 months in and out of NZ about 30 times. Last reentry last year was via boat and found they had no record of me leaving NZ to get there to pick boat up caused all sorts of problems while they 'worked out' my history, so when "computer says no" they had to agree that I existed and was in the Country so the system is not always right it seems.

I've got a very slow water leak that no one can find inc. the experts, does not loose any pressure over 24 hours, only thing I can see is possibly the water heater have just resealed all the joints on this unit and we will wait and see.

We have a Jon Bouy, i figure deploy it and try to use it to get onto the transom step of the yacht. In a sea way agree this could be bad but with the ladder down I think doable. Agree it's one of those things, don't fall off the boat in the first place.

Will be on the boat tomorrow morning doing some maintenance come say hi if you are around.

I'm based in the new marina drop by we are on A7. Cheers Southernman

Yip the Sea Survival and Offshore Medic are a requirement for Cat 1 now. Personally I'd think that a good Coastal sail around NZ is enough experience, sailing around NZ is harder than most offshore passages. Take your yacht to Napier and back and that should be enough to sort out any issues with experience.

I pulled out as well 2 months back. Reason is not cost, just timing and logistics. Nelly Rose is ready to do the race, and I sailed her solo back from Fiji as a qualifier in December. Main reason for me was simply timing and also the location of leaving. Personally if they made the start line somewhere like Nelson, Wellington or Auckland where you can leave your yacht in a marina until the moment of leaving, arrive, fuel and food and start then it would be a better option. The people who want to race are on the start line and that's cool. Weather has been hard work. Can understa

I have my solent jib set on a Selden top down furler from Norths. Works well. Also have a storm jib setup the same way. Both sails fit the same furler. We generally fit the storm jib for offshore work on the top down furler and leave it in place. Only issue I have had is getting enough tension of the inner forestay, that's a work in progress. The good thing is they come down, you bag them and throw them downstairs out of the way and no issue for tacking when you are sailing around the harbour. Also no UV damage. Bad thing is that it's expensive.

I've got a top down, works well but expensive.

Yip I've got it electronically pm me and can email them all to you.

In the end I gave up and joined them motoring, talk about a drifter of a day. Made it to Tauranga what a lovely part of the coast to sail!! Next step round the East Cape.

There were some complete useless stink pots out on the gulf on Saturday, when you have a complete ocean why do you have to pass within 20metres of a yacht struggling in light air and wave? Two boats on Saturday did this to me on the way to the Barrier

If you have kids then the 'lost' dingy thing seems to happen all the time. We now have 2 tethers also. Our last dingy was called escape artist after it detached itself 4 times in 3 months from the back of our boat and all for different reasons including the eyelet unscrewing out of the hull. Hope you find yours.

Yip and looks like some coming next week so could be quite good. North winds are what I'm looking for.

Looking to leave Auckland on or about the 19th of this month heading for Lyttleton. I'm thinking East Coast as I'll be single handing and could do with a few stops on the way. What does the team think East or West Coasts best? I've done East Cape a few times and got whacked each time but never North to South, any ideas on best course / weather to look for? Also anyone anchored in Tolaga Bay? Where does one anchor? Cheers Southernman.

Nice one. Yip GPS is weak as piss, thank goodness I also have an external antenna which works great. However the unit is outside and even in the cockpit I can't see through the stainless steel steering housing it's located in. Will download the new software when back on the boat.

We have 4kw in a 43footer ducted and it's toasty warm, BP you'd need a big heater for your boat.

Would go B&G just that all existing is Raymarine but you are right IT, better kit.

I have on installed. It’s ok. To be honest the lighthouse software version they currently have is buggy. I’ve had it crash a number of times. I have it connected to the new wifi radar. I find I hardly use it actually as I like the IPad better due to being able to take it with me. In the wet the screen can be a bit unresponsive with wet hands. Viewing angles good, speed good, resolution disappointing given the rate of change these days. I think when they launch the new update with sailing functions that it will be better and more useful. Connection - watch out as the int

Keeping it all in balance it's not unreasonable really considering all the tax dollars that go into rescue each year. I found the courses informative and useful, even if you are a professional and have many miles you can be useful on the course with experience and assisting those who don't.

Was that 2.7k Inc stainless frames?

Thanks Neil, the berth I'm in is available short term if you need it. Yip it was the guys in Westhaven, out of interest any idea what yours cost (rough guide is fine). Anyone know a good stainless steel guy around Westhaven? PS left 31 degrees and arrived into this Auckland rubbish WTF!!!!

The time has come to replace our Dodger and Sun Shade with new canvas ones. I've had a couple of quotes and fell over a few times. You'd think this stuff is gold or something. I also need to get the stainless tubes for the sun shade modified. The yacht is now in Westhaven, does anyone have any recent experience with good contacts who can come to the boat and work with me to get a good solution at a price that's ok? Need to get this done in the next 3-4 weeks before yacht is taken South.