Kevin McCready

from my sailing database: Mr Earp gave evidence that he knew of people who started construction on a boat and registered the vessel several years before launching it. The registration is not an annual fee, it is a one off payment. Builders will do this so they can place the number within the hull. The requirements for a metal vessel are that the number needs to be stamped into the hull permanently or welded onto the metal hull or transom and displayed on a continuous beam inside the vessel. The metal plate is about the size of a cigarette carton and has an O.N. O/N or “Official Number”. M

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_number

For a steel boat survey you must have a “plate thickness meter” and get into every spot. I once helped a friend prepare an old steel boat for the water again. As we were about to relaunch it was discovered by accident that a significant part of the hull was paper thin; it had rusted from the inside. Now I'm older and wiser. Old steel boats have also basically fallen apart after being hauled out for inspection. Don't be afraid to give the steel a good solid whack with the pointy end of a welders hammer. If the steel is in good condition it won't matter a jot. If it's thin, the hammer will go th

Hey bigal. Nice piece of writing. Do you have a blog? I want to see what happened next. You've reminded me of the time my young bro hauled me up to the spreaders, got an override on the winch and couldn't get me down. LOL. No jetskier in sight luckily.

Violence, guns or beer cans, is never a solution. Let's not normalise it here in NZ in the way we've just seen in the Capitol Putsch. BTW, the best thread on the putsch is this.

Good on you!! Dunno about the crying part. Save that for the first time you're in a blow. Meanwhile, FWIW make safety your mantra. https://kmccready.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/storm-fantasy-sailing-yacht-safety-card/

Yep. harbourmaster

No. Vehicles etc can be confiscated.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/01/fisheries-officers-carry-out-major-bust-on-illegal-shellfish-after-public-tip-off.html

FWIW https://kmccready.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/sailing/

OMG. Boy's Own Adventure. Great writing by Sophie Woodrooffe. I nearly drowned as a child. It was quite pleasant when I'd given up struggling and taken my first breath of water. CO2 poisoning they say is euphoric. Hope the victim is OK.

Fire is not launch on a reef

Will do. I was aware of it but haven't read it.

Good report. Are there strong international standards now so that the crap ones aren't allowed?

I checked my copy of one of his books in Search of Robinson Crusoe. Cheeky me concluded "interesting but not much chop"