There are loads of less serious races where the kids would be welcome. I remember racing in DYC series where one of the other boats fell badly off the wind for a while on beat. Thought maybe they'd broken something. Talking to them later, they'd had to stop and make sandwiches for the kids...
to answer my own question: it was fabulous. just a little easterly swell outside, perfectly calm inside. and a fabulous spot. 'twas a family cruise so was definitely looking for good/perfect rather than acceptable, and it was.
Can anyone comment on whangamumu in SW with easterly swell? e.g. forecast for +3 days from now. Obviously the SW part is good, just wondering if you'd expect the swell to come in and have you rolling around.
+1 for Bill Endean's Classic New Zealand Yachts. Lots of good information on older designs. Not that easy to find, but iirc the library had a copy.
https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/Classic-New-Zealand-Yachts-Four-Decades/16797217621/bd
also
http://crew.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic/10656-marlbrough-sounds-to-boi-advice/
http://crew.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic/7637-voyage-down-east-coast-nth-island/
Yes tidal volume approx 500 ml. You'd have to work out the volume of your tube, but of course a skinny little one isn't going to be easy to breathe through either!
i doubt it's worthwhile in that pricerange and in the current market.
given duty and gst, you'd be looking at
plus, you can get a whole lot of boat here at the moment as prices seem to have dipped significantly.
agree that the akarana book is good, but depth may be an issue in places if 3.2 draft is correct. the authors assume you can get in a lot further than that!