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I must say I thought it was a brave move starting a race like that with only scrim sails (mylar film on both sides). Every other boat has taffeta on both sides or 3Di composite which adds hugely to the durabiltiy of the sails.

Thanks for the update Brendan. I brought a 50watt solar panel on trade me real cheap a while ago ready to go for my next boat. Actually should have set it up for this Christmas on the sun fast but didn't think I would need it. Good to hear that 50w does enough.

Yeah wpuld be good to catch up again. We Made it out to the barrier today. Left westhaven at 3pm and anchored in smokehouse just after 8.30. Pretty happy with that effort with the family on board. Top speed 17.8kts with full main and gennaker in 30kts! Kids loved it. Much more fun than wollowing our way here. Weather is looking mint for the mercy and backside of barrier for the next week.

Kevin, please give us a detailed view of what you think the life jacket laws should be.

quick question, do we start when our number goes up or comes down?

If you intentionally drove your car off a huge cliff into the ocean without a seatbelt or life jacket on, would the statistics say it was a fatality caused by lack of seat belt, no life jacket or suicide?

We will be at the mercs again with a 4, 6, and 8 year old team of boys on board.

You're a bit harsh on the Fun N Games there Mark. I think it would be more appropriate to send them off at 17:45 today.....

Give me a call on 0212222143. Boat is at home in Birkenhead. I actually have 2 sunbursts there buy the other one is a false floor race one and not quite ready for sailing right now.

How long do you need it for? I have one that you can use if you want. It's a Fiberglass side seat in average condition, needs a paint bit perfectly usable as it is. I have both beach and road trailers if needed.

Sun Fast 3600 Racing's entry just sent. Note for the handicapper- Furling jib and full cruising gear on board!!

Its a swan 68 called 'Titania of Cowes' coming around Tasman island in the 2013 Sydney Hobart. Bicky from North Sails was on board doing mainsheet.

The top of the keel box inspection port is always well above the water line, so you can oopen the hatch at any time. We used to rinse the dishes in the keel box on many other canters I have sailed on. At pace you have some nice jets of water to do the washing. Sounds like the keel pins have snapped but the ram is still attached so its just hanging from the ram. We had a similar think on V5 in the round north island race and had to take the boat over the hokianga bar for shelter. Usually the bulkheads either side of the keel box are very strong so hopfully the ram just snaps and sends the kee

Just to clarify Shane, did you just go in and tie up without booking anything or paying?

KM they are only different due to the restrictions in having only 5 movable apendages. So the foils also need to work as canard to give lateral resistance. Who would have thought 5 movable appendages would ever not be enough!

Here is a diagram of the 2 that I have hit. Note that this was a while ago and in boats with drafts around 2.4m, 4 years for the one inside the marina and at least 10 years for the one off the end of the wall.

Thanks guys, we ended up buyong a new battery for it so are sorted now.

The sat phone we had organised for the white island race doesn't seem to be taking any charge at the moment. Anyone got a sat phone or even just an iridium battery or charger we can borrow for the race? We will know by the morning if our phone is OK. Should have checked it earlier!

We went up last week Sam. It's a fun day out.

The Sun Fast will be there. Maybe just choose a letter of the alphabet and that leaves it pretty open. It needs to be easy and open enough so that people can really run with it. This was our dress up for it a few years back when it was a 'T' theme. We were terrorists (very bad taste i know but it was pretty entertaining and a very large night).

You are on fire Ken!

I wouldn't race on a keel boat in barefeet unless I had no other option. Seen way too many injuries.

I must say that I am pretty excited about following this race. So many different concepts in boat setup and some of them very untested. I would be suprised if the 24hr record doesnt get smashed this time as well as the total time RTW, that is if anyone actually finishes.

Yes but it's generally hoists drops and Wipeouts that ruin kites!

I would think 1.5oz is plenty. 2.2 would be pretty heavy and hard to handle. Normally a kite is around the same luff length as your ISP (halyard height off deck) and your foot is 1.8 x your spinnaker pole length. However in NZ some of the race boats have seriously oversize spinnakers. If you go too small it gets unstable sitting so high off the boat. It's normally the shoulders and mid girth that vary alot between a full size and a heavy kite although some people do have really small chicken chutes. also you don't want anything too flat. Flat sails can be hard to trim and unforgiving.