Sailing with new Gennaker
Herbie Reaching
tight reaching in 20 kts
reaching toward Opunga cove
Waiwhapuku bay
Friday, 25 July 2014
Some video clips...
Sailing with new Gennaker
Herbie Reaching
tight reaching in 20 kts
reaching toward Opunga cove
Waiwhapuku bay
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Winter cruising... tough life!
I thought they said that winter was no time to go sailing - well, I reckon it's some of the best times... albeit a little chilly but with great consistent winds if you are a sailor.
I left Opua early Tuesday morning with a likely weather window promising only scattered showers - which around here in the summer is no biggy, but in the winter these are often accompanied by winds of anything from 20-35kts (just saying - need to be prepared... more on that later)
While exiting the marina, who should I spot but Robert from Sea North in his barge along with Blake from NRC loitering around the spot where our mooring was last seen...
Ahh, I think, it looks like they've hooked something!
Sure enough - up she comes... mooring chain including the missing 'Fergie' Buoy (no relation!)
Looks like it was found right about where it used to be, so can't have dragged very for if at all before the buoy was holed and the tethers severed by the 30 tonne wrecking machine that destroyed Sala.
Robert has since reinstated the mooring back in place (with a 'normal' mooring buoy this time!
Meanwhile I headed back down the estuary and on past Tapeka point in 10-12 kts of fresh SW breeze. Emboldened I pulled out 'Herbie' the Gennaker and set him loose! Even managed a gybe as I headed north and the speed gradually climbed through 6 to 7 and over 8 knots as we flew along... and rounded up in a huge broach!
(Which felt a little like this picture!) Quickly dropped the main and went forward (Where's Canny when you need him?) only to find the retrieval line for the sock was merrily streaming horisontally approx 12m above my noggin. Plan B consisted regretfully lowering the halyard slowly and hauling in yards of nylon the old fashioned way - did I mention the squall was helping considerably by blowing like stink while I was hove to?
Somewhat chastened and lesson learned about large sails and single-handed sailing...
Anchored in a deserted Waiwhapuku bay for the night. Very peaceful. Has one of my favourite views out to the SE...
Next morning was spent drying out aforementioned Herbie from his unforeseen early baptism and taking of ease...
Motor-sailed across to Parorenui bay, just opposite Omakiwi cove for the night. This shot is looking due North-East out the channel which leads to Cape Brett.
Beautiful spot.
This view is more NW back towards Waiwhapuku bay.
This morning (24th) I decided to make a sailing day - ended up arriving 'home' around 7 hours and 60 kms later having begun in benign breezes and finished in brisk 15-kt Sou-westerlies with squalls accompanying. Reefed the genoa a fraction and flattened the main - 6+ knots hard on the nose - no wurries! Even managed to get the inclinometer to nearly 40 deg (fully under control, of course:)
I left Opua early Tuesday morning with a likely weather window promising only scattered showers - which around here in the summer is no biggy, but in the winter these are often accompanied by winds of anything from 20-35kts (just saying - need to be prepared... more on that later)
While exiting the marina, who should I spot but Robert from Sea North in his barge along with Blake from NRC loitering around the spot where our mooring was last seen...Ahh, I think, it looks like they've hooked something!
Sure enough - up she comes... mooring chain including the missing 'Fergie' Buoy (no relation!)
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| sunken fergie buoy sees the light of day |
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| Mud coated 2 tonne concrete block |
 |
| See the gash in the buoy... |
Looks like it was found right about where it used to be, so can't have dragged very for if at all before the buoy was holed and the tethers severed by the 30 tonne wrecking machine that destroyed Sala.
Robert has since reinstated the mooring back in place (with a 'normal' mooring buoy this time!
Meanwhile I headed back down the estuary and on past Tapeka point in 10-12 kts of fresh SW breeze. Emboldened I pulled out 'Herbie' the Gennaker and set him loose! Even managed a gybe as I headed north and the speed gradually climbed through 6 to 7 and over 8 knots as we flew along... and rounded up in a huge broach!
(Which felt a little like this picture!) Quickly dropped the main and went forward (Where's Canny when you need him?) only to find the retrieval line for the sock was merrily streaming horisontally approx 12m above my noggin. Plan B consisted regretfully lowering the halyard slowly and hauling in yards of nylon the old fashioned way - did I mention the squall was helping considerably by blowing like stink while I was hove to?
Somewhat chastened and lesson learned about large sails and single-handed sailing...
Anchored in a deserted Waiwhapuku bay for the night. Very peaceful. Has one of my favourite views out to the SE...
Next morning was spent drying out aforementioned Herbie from his unforeseen early baptism and taking of ease...
Motor-sailed across to Parorenui bay, just opposite Omakiwi cove for the night. This shot is looking due North-East out the channel which leads to Cape Brett.
Beautiful spot.
This view is more NW back towards Waiwhapuku bay.This morning (24th) I decided to make a sailing day - ended up arriving 'home' around 7 hours and 60 kms later having begun in benign breezes and finished in brisk 15-kt Sou-westerlies with squalls accompanying. Reefed the genoa a fraction and flattened the main - 6+ knots hard on the nose - no wurries! Even managed to get the inclinometer to nearly 40 deg (fully under control, of course:)
Sunday, 20 July 2014
Up from the grave...
Spirit of Nami Nami, the 60ft, 30 tonne ketch was finally raised in the early hours of Saturday morning from where she had sunk and lay submerged alongside the attenuator last week. The salvage team worked all night and she now sits forlornly on the hard stand at Ashby's boatyard. It appears that she dragged her mooring and, after hitting several other vessels, crashed into the marina pier stern first then swung side on and within an hour was holed and sunk.
Don, who lived aboard is not insured, but has a number of mates around Opua who have pledged to get his boat back in the water... must have been a strongly constructed craft (Cedar core woven through with glass?)as she has sustained surprisingly little damage compared to Sala which looks like will be written off.
Quiet day today with showers, southerlies and grey skies... managed to get the original solar panel reconnected but little sun to test it! It should give another 50w and a 25% increase to my 'off-grid' capacity. As they say... we shall see!
Don, who lived aboard is not insured, but has a number of mates around Opua who have pledged to get his boat back in the water... must have been a strongly constructed craft (Cedar core woven through with glass?)as she has sustained surprisingly little damage compared to Sala which looks like will be written off.
Quiet day today with showers, southerlies and grey skies... managed to get the original solar panel reconnected but little sun to test it! It should give another 50w and a 25% increase to my 'off-grid' capacity. As they say... we shall see!
Friday, 18 July 2014
Sailing charts and some Scottish mist...
Wet couple of days this weekend... hunkered down with a good book and heater on after an Eggs Benedict special with good coffee at the Cafe.
Weather improving Monday with some nice sailing days predicted for next week.
Just changed the grease cartridge on the shaft bearing - drip-less system seems to be working well. Will be good for another year or more.
E63 - home away from home
Who said winter sailing was wet, windy and cold? Been a gorgeous couple of fine sailing days...
I sure am glad I'm here this week and not the last! As well as 300mm+ of rain and 160kph winds there was havoc amongst a large number of boats around the bays. Walking over to the showers tonight the salvage crew were still trying to raise the 60ft 30 ton ketch which sank against the marina attenuator last week after 'ping-ponging' amongst the moored craft. on the way through it took the flying bridge off one launch then hit 'Sala', a thirty foot sloop which was on our mooring near the channel. The combined weight and the attempts of the ketch owner to start his motor somehow severed the mooring lines and both yachts ended up on the bottom after being smashed into the concrete and steel outer quarantine pier. Sala was raised on Monday, but they are having trouble lifting the heavy ketch.
Meanwhile there is no sign of our mooring... it's probably down with the dozen or so others which were dragged by their vessels across the channel and ended up being cut loose to save the boats from being wrecked against the wharves. Hopefully the divers can locate it and restore it - the news is not so good for Sala which is probably a write-off. Fortunately Helen had Sala insured but poor old Don, who lived aboard his ketch was not insured and only saved his passport and a camera as he jumped off while his boat/home was sinking.
It was a relief to get away yesterday after a visit from Roger the Sailmaker with some new and re-fashioned clothes for Kalai. A window of a couple of promising days emerged and I set off downstream and with some trepidation on a gusty day, hoisted my mistress's new dress...
She's a beauty - 7-8 kts with only a little tidal assistance...
500 sq ft of sheer terror in a squall - I'll have to promise my better half not to raise it in anything over 25 kts!
Great to finally have a downwind sail to use. Comes with a nifty sock so muggins can get the blessed thing down in a hurry if he needs to!
Headed for my favourite Opunga cove in a dying southerly (did I mention that's the cold wind?) No heater tonight being 'off-grid' but at least the repaired solar panels were pumping up to 3 Amps into the batteries - excellent!
Early night and woke to a misty morning...
Did I mention cold? According to my little weather station, it was 5.6 outside and only 5.5 deg inside... crispy!
Good feed of bacon eggs and tomatoes helped warm the inner man...
Such a nice day I decided to mess around for a while and drifted in light winds for a couple of hours before dropping anchor in Army Bay then heading back to the Marina for the night... rain expected later.
Managed to carry the Genny right up the estuary, before motoring the last bit. Bit tricky getting back into the berth with the tide still ebbing - I went to jump onto the jetty only to realise I'd made the rope a bit short and had to quickly jump back on and reverse in a hurry. I don't think anyone was watching..?
I sure am glad I'm here this week and not the last! As well as 300mm+ of rain and 160kph winds there was havoc amongst a large number of boats around the bays. Walking over to the showers tonight the salvage crew were still trying to raise the 60ft 30 ton ketch which sank against the marina attenuator last week after 'ping-ponging' amongst the moored craft. on the way through it took the flying bridge off one launch then hit 'Sala', a thirty foot sloop which was on our mooring near the channel. The combined weight and the attempts of the ketch owner to start his motor somehow severed the mooring lines and both yachts ended up on the bottom after being smashed into the concrete and steel outer quarantine pier. Sala was raised on Monday, but they are having trouble lifting the heavy ketch.
Meanwhile there is no sign of our mooring... it's probably down with the dozen or so others which were dragged by their vessels across the channel and ended up being cut loose to save the boats from being wrecked against the wharves. Hopefully the divers can locate it and restore it - the news is not so good for Sala which is probably a write-off. Fortunately Helen had Sala insured but poor old Don, who lived aboard his ketch was not insured and only saved his passport and a camera as he jumped off while his boat/home was sinking.She's a beauty - 7-8 kts with only a little tidal assistance...
500 sq ft of sheer terror in a squall - I'll have to promise my better half not to raise it in anything over 25 kts!
Great to finally have a downwind sail to use. Comes with a nifty sock so muggins can get the blessed thing down in a hurry if he needs to!
Headed for my favourite Opunga cove in a dying southerly (did I mention that's the cold wind?) No heater tonight being 'off-grid' but at least the repaired solar panels were pumping up to 3 Amps into the batteries - excellent!
Early night and woke to a misty morning...
Did I mention cold? According to my little weather station, it was 5.6 outside and only 5.5 deg inside... crispy!
Good feed of bacon eggs and tomatoes helped warm the inner man...
Such a nice day I decided to mess around for a while and drifted in light winds for a couple of hours before dropping anchor in Army Bay then heading back to the Marina for the night... rain expected later.
Managed to carry the Genny right up the estuary, before motoring the last bit. Bit tricky getting back into the berth with the tide still ebbing - I went to jump onto the jetty only to realise I'd made the rope a bit short and had to quickly jump back on and reverse in a hurry. I don't think anyone was watching..?
Tuesday, 8 July 2014
Tuesday - Lashing Day
Lots of lashing going on today... cockpits glued and stems made. A long but good day with hot chips and potato cakes for tea and a working through until after 7 with great progress made by all!
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| BJ giving lashing advice |
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| George all concentration applying glue |
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| Lochlan deep in thought... |
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| Bob consulting Arieta's plans! |
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| John - Watch and Learn, watch and learn... |
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| Richard getting a helping hand with bow shape template |
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| Father and Son team - excellent work, David and Ken!!! |
Monday, 7 July 2014
It takes a Village to build an Iqyax...
Great start today for our Skin on Frame workshop at 'The Factory' aka Mitcham Baptist Church.
Eight enthusiasts are building six BJ Specials - a modified Tom Yost Sea-Rider design, with a three other boats destined to receive new clothes (skins!)
Some early photos of progress...
Most of the framework is now assembled with cockpit gluing programmed for the morning (Tuesday) followed by glue/peg/lashing of frame.
Great atmosphere of camaraderie and fun - freshly roasted Coffee, home baking and even a 'boom box' for inspirational music!
Eight enthusiasts are building six BJ Specials - a modified Tom Yost Sea-Rider design, with a three other boats destined to receive new clothes (skins!)
Some early photos of progress...
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| Ken and John assembling 'strongbacks' |
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| Richard hard at work... |
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| The Clear One being stripped ready for a new suit of clothes |
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| Packing up for the evening... |
Most of the framework is now assembled with cockpit gluing programmed for the morning (Tuesday) followed by glue/peg/lashing of frame.
Great atmosphere of camaraderie and fun - freshly roasted Coffee, home baking and even a 'boom box' for inspirational music!
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