AJ Oliver

pretty sure they won't arrive in 2017 (thread title alert) Seriously, I wish I could be there for it. I've been following it on YouTube and elsewhere. Been rooting for the Spanish team (w. Tuke), but they are lagging right now. It's a surprise to me how much heel they sail those boats with . .

Well hmmmmm, sort of an unclear article, though I have to say that the U. of Colorado is reputable. (Full disclosure, I'm an alum) Magnetic north is actually moving all the time - and is now over Ellesmere Island, headed for Siberia at about 25 miles per year. On the Great Lakes where we are, the compass deviation between magnetic north and true north is about 5 degrees west.

Back on October 12th a very inattentive power boat operator (boat was about 25 ft) turned this Thistle sailboat from our Club into splinters - mid-day, clear sky, Thistle had sails up. Amazing that no one was seriously injured or killed.

I would toss him from the boat at the first opportunity. You get your own self in a fix and die, but it's your mates that have to live with it. Utterly irresponsible !!

Going to the foredeck without being hooked in, or even wearing a PFD - no beacon, nothing. You could see the skipper (Witt?) was seething.

Leg 4 - off Oz NE coast Here comes Mapfre - they seem to have an extra gear

To paraphrase KM, Where is everybody? Following the VOR on the evil SA are ye? Maybe if the mods tossed in some nekkid pics . .

Mr. Tuke has himself some bragging rights - and the others too of course. Pretty different from AC racing !! And then there is the Sailing Triple Crown - winning Olympic Gold, the America's Cup and the VOR. Never been done, but he's got a chance . .

Orwell and/or Twain

Yeah, I came into some filthy lucre recently, but $ 20 NZD per bottle is still my limit. If you pay more, you're just playing the oligarchs' game.

The admiral and I love your great whites, but your reds need a bit of work. And thanks for getting rid of those damnable corks.

The French have a great tradition of long distance sailing . . Congrats !! I would be scared to death of hitting something hard at those speeds . .

Saw the winner of the last VOR, Ian Walker, interviewed yesterday on the "daily live" - link below. He said an issue in races such as these is that there is psych pressure to hold on to too much sail area as the wind builds to get that extra edge - My question is: does the fact that the VOR is now pretty much one-design increase that pressure? (since it will be easy to tell who is backing off and who it not.) Walker also observed that jibes at night were among the greatest dangers - very hard to sense wind direction and velocity as the gusts come up from behind in the dark. B

Yesterday watched the in-port race from Cape Town - very well done with good TV production and good racing. (although the race commentary was at times quite technical - almost too much so)

Sailing on the Sweetwater Seas . .

http://etnz.qiupreview.com/en/preview-news/262_THE-AMERICA-S-CUP-CLASS-AC75-BOAT-CONCEPT-REVEALED.html

We get lots and lots of lightning in our area of the Great Lakes. Curiously however, almost all the strikes on yachts occur when they are at the dock, not out on the water. Out little non-profit marina has had three boats fried by lightning in recent years - what happens is that the electricity strikes the mast, travels down, and finds water that has intruded inside the hull, which then is turned to steam and blasts off the outer skin. Sinking usually follows quickly. But I've been out on the water and had strikes withing several hundred feet of my boat - never got hit (knock on

Nope, did not buy a thing except for a sangy. But is was interesting to see all the new boats from all over the world. I was sort of interested in seeing the Jeanneau SunFast boats (32 & 36 ft), but the company did not bring any to the show. And I would not spend $ 150 K anyway (for the 32) A kiwi journalist who was there was pretty much openly scornful of the US production boats. Actually, I think sailing is considered elitist in most parts of the world - the most common comment I get when taking out international young folks for a sail from, say, Malaysia or Venezuela

Well, there were some Kiwis there - media and otherwise. Knowing that few of you would be able to attend, my half joking offer was to look over boats for a crew.org person. Those boats were WAAAAY beyond my price point. Sorry I was not more clear . .

What is this "borkerage" of which you speak? Sorry (blush)

I'll be there this weekend (first time). It's an eight hour drive from here. Anyone want me to look over what is available in Borkerage Cove? http://www.annapolisboatshows.com/united-states-sailboat-show/brokerage-cove/ http://www.annapolisboatshows.com/united-states-sailboat-show/brokerage-cove/#boat

Hey Kiwi weather gurus - What's going to happen when the Irma's leading edge runs headlong into the fastest ocean current in the world? The Gulf Stream chugs along at over 6 kph eastward through the Straits of Florida.

In our far off neck of the woods, when you ask many marine tradespersons for estimates, they give you a small smile and say it will be "time and materials." Awful experiences almost always result. Kiwi sailors, don't let this happen to you!!

Hey Ed - Well, that is about the only way to race, and sail, when one is visiting from another country. An awkward aspect of hitching rides is that, to get the attention of the skipper, one has to be a bit pushy. I know that I have done that on occasion. The "Crew Seeking Ride" table takes care of most of that. Boats in our US Club are very good about offering rides to new-comers; and in part this is following the good example of the NZ Clubs. To repeat, send your OE young 'uns our way when they are in the US, and we'll get them a ride . .

The thing that impressed me most about the RNZYS when I stopped by briefly a few years ago . . was the table they have outside the club that is for visiting sailors seeking rides on their boats. Good on ya!! Here is another such table at a US Club . . The Crew Needing A Ride Table Before Thursday and Sunday series races the "crew looking for a ride" table on the front patio is always reserved for new sailors. Look for the blue sign that says "Crew Needing A Ride". This is a more refined version of the Show-n-Go method.