Feb 16th & 17th seems fine to lock in - for the newsletter. . Cruise News www.islandcruising.co.nz Next Club EVENT :- Friday 9th August 2013 Next Club Event Friday 9th August 2013 Venue to be advised. The 2013 Pacific Circuit Rally is now well underway with the Kingdom of Tonga the first stop. See where Windflower is now, click the link below June 2013 Updates, News and club events Even Hell..pt 2 - The Eye of the Storm What Works - Refridg. charging & Water Makers Anchoring - Staying put in a blow. Doyle Sails - PCR Update Introducing- PCR Profiles http://www.islandcruising.co.nz/?page_id5 PACIFIC ZULU e maran built Yanmar diesel el. Floscan fuel it/nautical mile. double or 2 uruno Navnet + epthsounder/ dinghy, to approved survey. Has gear. 11.95m, m draft. For sale This Ocean Capable Power Trimaran is now for seriously – 0272848121 or owner Barry Young - (09) 4739506 For Sale See pg 23 for details Whiting power systems The front runners in the fleet departing Opua 1st May. We UPCOMING Make Cruising M ore Fun KEEP CURRENT WITH EVENTS IN CRUISE NEWS UPFRONT FRONT COVER The fleet got away on a beautiful 1st of May with enough wind for a good sail and no seaway to speak of. Seen here passing the Opua wharf about 200m north of the start line at the Opua Cruising Club. INSIDE.... 3.. 4,... 5... 6... 8... 12. 16... 18... 19... 20... 21... 22... 24.. 25... What's up next? Updates, News Featured in this issue Evan Hell - Pt 2 - The eye of the storm. Anchoring - How to stay put in a blow. Doyle Sails PCR update Sail to Indonesia rally What Works Introducing - PCR profiles Cruising Prep Seminar dates Recipes Ponder this Classifieds:- For sale & wanted to buy. Brokerage NEXT UP. EDITOR'S NOTES Next ICA get together Friday 9th August 2013. The venue is still to be set for this one so watch this space. What a great start to this years cruising season. Almost 40 ICA Rally boats got away from Opua on the 1st of May. The weather for the passage was as close to perfect as you can get and most of the fleet arrived at the Minerva's without incident, except for a couple of exceptions with gear damage. This group love a bit of fun and we ended up playing the first Cricket International at the MCG (Minerva Cricket Ground), North Minerva to be exact. From there it was onto Tonga. The Uoleva clearance, a first for ICA was a huge success but more on that in the Doyle Pacific Circuit Rally report on pg 9. Most of the fleet are reporting on Skipr.net this year with the page mirrored on the ICA site. To see where Windflower is today, click the link below. http://www.islandcruising.co.nz/?page_id5 2013/14 Seminar dates A full round up of Seminar dates and program is now available online on the ICA site. or click the link below. http://www.islandcruising.co.nz/?page_id=1563 2014 Sail 2 indonesia rally Registrations have been strong for this rally since it's launch last month. Final dates and venues will be released shortly along with the first info pack for those already registered. summer rendezvous Looks like the Barrier is going to be a busy place this summer with good numbers alread registered for this 6 day "Cruise in Company" Doyle Sails 2013 Pacific Circuit Rally There are still a few places available for Legs 3, 4 and 5 . This year see's the first time a rally fleet has entered Fiji in the Lau Group. The clearance dates for the Lau are on the 17th June and there is still space for entries direct from NZ for this leg. All Points Rally Dates The 2013 All Points Rally dates in Opua are November 15th to 22nd Registration and enrty details are now available online. winter club nights Friday 9th August Friday 11th October Welcome Back and Christmas Party Saturday 23rd November. For further details and to register, go to www.islandcruising.co.nz John & Lyn Pg 3 Whiting power systems Where in the world is this shot? Stunning Kenutu Laundry day, Uoleva Tell us which bay it was taken from and what we're looking at to have a chance to win a club Birgee. CONTACT US.... Island Cruising Regattas Ltd. Trading as the Island Cruising Association or ICA - Directors;- John & Lyn Martin email: [email protected] Snail mail: P.O. Box 534, Paihia Bay of Islands, 0290, New Zealand voice mail: mobile 027-242-1088 & 021-242-1088 Office:- The good ship "WINDFLOWER", South Pacific Voice Mail:- New Zealand 09 8898 444 Australia - 073 0403072 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 2 We Make Cruising More Fun . . . s e t a Upd . . . e u s s i s i h In t Where in the world is this Pic? OK we made this one too hard. I had hoped some of the members that are already in Indonesia would have known this one. It's of the Island of Mausambai in central Indonesia. 6..Evan Hell - part 2 - John Hembrow In December last year Fiji was hit by category 5 cyclone Evan. Last month we introduced part 1 of the story, preparing for the worst. This month, part 2, The Eye of the Storm. Welcome Aboard May saw a rash of new members thanks to some great press from the Seven Seas Cruising Association. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank SSCA and to Welcome you Aboard, if you have any queries please don't hesitate to drop us a line. 8..Feature Article - Anchoring, how to Cruising Prep Schools. stay put in a blow. Every year during the cruising season there's a blow that tests how you've anchored. This years no exception, as I write this we're sitting at anchor with gusts to 45. The first of the New Zealand Cruising Prep Schools is set for the weekend of 23rd/ 24th November in Auckland. We will be usuing the same venue as last year at the Parnell. This holds a limited number of participants so we have had to place a limit on the numbers attending here. Please get your registrations in as soon as possible to secure your place. 2014 Sail 2 Indonesia Rally Registrations. Rally information and registration is now online www.islandcruising.co.nz The format of this rally has obviously found accord with many cruisers heading west with strong numbers registered after the launch in May. It's also nice to see a number of return participants from other ICA rallies. Final arrangements are nearly there on Venues and dates and will be released soon along with Info pack one for the rally. For full details see the fliers on pages 6 to 9 or visit the website. Update Tonga, "The Friendly Islands" and the first destination for the 2013 PCR. The Passage, the clearance into Tonga's Ha'apai Group and the cruising beyond. Cyclone Greg has been busy again upgrading the facilities offered to Cruisiers for this years cruising season. Along with the awesome food and coffee the cafe already offers our ICA port captain for Vava'u now also offer upgraded internet, the fastest in the region with an extension of the premises into the shop next door. This has also allowed for installation of the only commercial quality laundry in Nieafu and as the local water is a bit hard, all washing is done with rain water. Lyn tested the facilities and gave it the thumbs up with the washing returned clean, dry and folded, yes folded by the girls. Greg is also a font of knowledge about everything Vava'u so if you've got a question either stop in for a coffee or give them a call on Ch 16 VHF Cafe Tropicana- ICA Port Captains since 2008- 18..What Works - Refrigeration, Power Generation and Water makers We take a look at whats in the fleet, whats working and more important what's not!! www.vavau.to/tropicana Whiting power systems 12..Doyle Sails - Pacific Circuit Rally Cafe Tropicana hits the season running. [email protected] Whiting Medical Kits 19..Introducing.- PCR Profiles The answer to the question "Can I go Cruising?" is YES, we profile another couple in this years PCR Every year we get some real characters in the fleet, this year is no exception. power systems TRAINING Yacht Lifeline Available from We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 4 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 5 . . . l l e H n Eva 2 t r a p . . . l l e H van E nt. part 2 - co attempt to re-attach it! I am told the swells at the marina entrance were in excess of 1 meter and there were standing waves breaking all over the surge protector but that wasn`t going to stop the staff from having a go at re-securing it even if the wind out there was over 70 kts ! 3.00pm ; The first reports of drama begin to filter over the radio. Headsails that were not removed are starting to unfurl and shred, Halyards that have not been well secured are flying around masts and a large tree has fallen and its branches have rested on the solar panels and rear awning of a boat across from us but fortunately it seems that the marina staff and the owners have been able to clear the worst of the debris and avoid further damage. So far so good for us ,, our fenders continue to jump on to the deck as Red Sky and the boats either side of us roll and come together , it is a continuous battle to keep them in place but so far we had managed to avoid any damage. Part 2 -The Eye of the Storm - John Hembrow So all the preparations were complete it was Sunday evening 16th December 2012 and we had returned to Red Sky, moved her away from the sea wall, tensioned the anchor chain and stern lines, checked that our spreaders were not going to get fouled in the rigging / masts of the boats either side of us, adjusted our fenders and we were anxiously checking forecasts and hoping that Evan would make a last minute course adjustment and move offshore. No luck in that regard weather stations reported that TC Evan was intensifying was now confirmed as a category 4 cyclone which is described as follows; Significant roofing loss and structural damage. Many caravans destroyed and blown away. Dangerous airborne debris. Widespread power failures. A Category 4 cyclone’s strongest winds are VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with gusts of 225 - 280 km/h.( 120-150 kts). These winds correspond to the highest category on the Beaufort scale, Beaufort 12 (Hurricane). 11.00 am Monday 17 December; We were getting a taste of what was to come. Wind speeds were constant at about 50 kts with gusts to about 65 kts and the barometer was falling at an alarming rate. In the photo below you can see the adjustable pressure indicator position from before Evan began to affect us at 1020. th 5.00pm ; The bow lines on a 70 + foot ketch 5 boats upwind from us have failed and apparently the anchor chain was not properly secured and its owner is now desperately motoring forward on its stern lines attempting to keep the boat from being destroyed against the seawall . The result of this for us is that the weight of it has been transferred to the boat alongside and it has caused a domino effect meaning that they are now all resting on each other and rolling heavily with the wind pressure on the masts. It became far too dangerous to try to push the fenders back down as they were pushed out of position as the rolling was so extreme that it was actually causing the cap rail to go under water and one instance of bad timing on my behalf would surely result in a crushed limb or worse,, time to retreat below and peak out of the port lights. As we rolled I could see at least half a meter of the antifoul of the boat to our starboard and 1 meter of the smaller boat to our portside. By now the fenders, those that hadn`t popped, were useless and the topsides of Red Sky and the boats around us were getting scratched, the teak cap rails were being destroyed, stanchions were bending and lifelines breaking. It was heartbreaking to have no choice but to bear witness to the sights and sounds Red Sky being punished in such a manner,, even as I write this 5 months later I become emotional. This continued for the next 4 hours or so and wind speeds at the marina entrance were reported to have exceeded 120 kts or 220 k/ph. I can say with certainty that this was the worst 4 hours of boat ownership of my life. Leanne and I just sat in the saloon, and grimaced every few minutes as the sound of splintering timbers and the boats next door bashing against our topsides all the time trying to imagine just how bad the damage might be. We couldn`t move around with any ease and even just sitting in the lounges was impossible without bracing against the floor, at one stage Leanne was actually thrown from port to starboard as she attempted to change positions. The motion of the boat was violent and was far worse than any ocean passage we have experienced. 9.00pm; Things started to calm a little; it is amazing how calm 40 kts of wind seems after 4-5 hours of 80-100kts! But the fun wasn`t over yet. Concerns about a storm surge coinciding with a high tide that was due in a couple of hours lead to speculation about the potential consequences and even more trepidation. Fortunately there was no significant surge and we were spared the predicted anarchy that may have resulted. 12.30 pm; I attempted to capture the fury on video of what we though (hoped) was as bad as it would get, rain was coming down in sheets, the noise generated by the wind as it continued to build (now constant around 65 kts or 145 km/h and gusting much higher) had changed from the familiar whistle as it passed through rigging to what I can only describe as a guttural roar,, something like the noise one that the Zombies make in those Hollywood horror movies. At this stage we still had internet and I posted the video on my Facebook Page and I was soon receiving requests from news and other media for permission to air it. 28 Storms posted it to their You Tube Channel and can be viewed at; http://youtu.be/gh6S9D6Hs8A 1.00 pm; Pressure was 970 and still falling. News reports were saying that the eye which was expected to pass by very close to Vuda Marina was still 5 hours away ! It was at this point we realized that we were in one hell of a storm and things were going to get ugly. 1.30am; – 14 hours after it began its finally over ,,, things are calming Red Sky is still afloat , a good look around with the aid of a spotlight and there appears to be no significant damage to her ( cosmetic only ) and she is now just rolling gently . We realize that we are ok, but emotional, exhausted and grateful to have survived what was later reported here at http://www.weather. com/news/weather-hurricanes/fiji-samoa-cyclone-evan-20121216 to be “The most intense tropical cyclone to have impacted Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu.” Next Month - Evan Hell - Part 3 -The Aftermath & Lessons learned. For everything Spars and Rigging related we're No1. Items that had not been well enough secured began to blow around the marina and to my surprise I could see marina staff running around chasing after them as the crashed into trees and boats that were in the shipyard. I was at the time and remain still in awe of the courage and commitment of the Vuda Marina Staff . They had been told by management not to venture outside once the cyclone started however they couldn`t seem to help themselves. email - [email protected] Opua (+64) 09 402 6280 Whangarei (+64) 09 430 0298 Next thing I see is one of the staff with dive tanks and mask on running past Red Sky headed for the marina entrance , then I see the marina tender headed that way also ! Apparently the surge protector had partially let go and these guys were going to We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 6 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 7 . . . g n i r o h c An your anchor for your boat (size and weight) as per the manufacturer’s recommendation, that goes for the chain size too. Your second anchor should be a different type of anchor from your primary but also sized to be used as a primary if required. A good choice here would be a Danforth type or Fortress anchor. Both are very good in sand, mud and softer bottoms. The secondary anchor should be set up in the anchor locker, ready to go and for weight considerations often has a chain and rope rode rather than all chain. This allows the secondary anchor to be deployed quickly in the event of a catastrophic failure of the primary. Anchoring - How to stay put in a blow. Every year during the cruising season there's a blow that tests how you've anchored. This years no exception, as I write this we're sitting at anchor with gusts to 45. Anchoring – How to stay put in a blow. You’ll often hear experienced cruisers say that good anchor and rode are your best insurance. John and Lyn Martin explore what’s needed on your average cruiser to help you stay put in a blow. It doesn’t matter if you’re out for the weekend, coastal cruising or out there exploring the world what you put on the bottom can, in the wrong circumstances, be all that’s between you and disaster. So it stands to reason this is one area that every sailor, power and sail, should make a reasonable investment in. You would of course be wrong. Anchoring can be a great spectator sport and watching what some people put down in the expectation of staying put is frankly laughable. So what do you need? Not all boats are going to need the same set up and some of it depends on the boat and some on what use you’re going to put it too. Most boats heading out for the weekend don’t need to go the whole 9 yards but should still have gear sized to the boat. You’re average production boat will usually come with a windlass that will get the gear off the bottom but may slow down a bit if you don’t motor up on the anchor while retrieving it. But if you want to head further afield then you need to plan your anchor, rode and windlass around the worst case scenario. Your third anchor has a number of uses and can be set up in a number of ways. We use a smaller Danforth and have it set up to use as a stern anchor for those rolly anchorages. It has about three meters of chain and the rest of the rode is Nylon rope. This anchor can also be used as a tandem anchor if your primary isn’t holding in soft bottom conditions by attaching it onto the front of the primary on the 3m chain only. Another choice for third anchor would be a Fisherman type if the bottom conditions where you intend to cruise are often rocky or kelp covered. Not all chain is created equal. Watch out when you are pricing chain as there is some cheep rubbish around and beware of re-galvanised chain. The process reduces strength by as much as 30%. From experience, tested Italian chain has the best performance and should be sized to the boat and the anchor you’re using. Remember the bigger the chain the better the catenary effect. We carry around 100m of tested short link chain on our primary and this sorts out 99% of anchorages. We have the bitter end secured by a length of rope and a shackle that’s long enough to come just above the hoss pipe so more rode, either rope or chain can be added if required. Bringing it up and putting it down. Rope verses Chain This is a debate that has raged for years. If you are only heading out for the occasional overnighter then rope and chain are fine, after all, of course you’ve checked the weather and a blow at anchorage is not in the forecast. Extended cruising is another matter. Sometimes you don’t have a choice and you’ll be out when it’s forecast to get snotty. If your boat can handle the weight up front then it’s all chain in my book and the more the better. Why? The word is “Catenary” and it’s the shape the chain takes as it goes from your bow to the anchor. A nice curve is good, as the boat pulls back in a gust the energy is dissipated as it straightens out the chain and acts as a shock absorber, taking snap load off the anchor, snap loading the anchor or pulling the shank up instead of along can literally “Pluck” your anchor. If you’re doing a lot of cruising then you’re windlass is going to get some work. In a six month cruise around the islands last year I calculated the average use and came up with a staggering 13 kilometers of chain pulled in over that time and that’s up only. If you use your windlass to let the chain out you can double that figure. That’s a lot of revolutions on the motor and gearbox, add to that we often anchor in depths up to 30 meters, add again that middle of the night bail out from a bad anchorage where you’re using the power of the winch to pull the boat forward, some serious gear is needed. This is one part of the anchoring equation where might is right so think about going up a couple of sizes on what the manufacturer is recommending. While you’re at it buy a spare windlass motor for good measure and service your windlass like you love her. Rope and chain gives you only a very limited catenary effect. If you’re heading to tropical waters then all chain is a must. I’ve seen 25mm rope rode sawn through on coral easier than spreading semi soft butter. You can also help improve the catenary effect by using a “Kellet”. A Kellet, a good example of which is the New Zealand produced “Anchor Buddy”, acts as a weight on your chain improving the angle of pull on the anchor. This can be of particular use in strong winds, adding a further dampening effect on the rode, or when space is limited the scope can be reduced without compromising your holding. Above or below deck. This is a preference issue, mine is above deck. Why? Your anchor locker is one of the most corrosive places on earth. Put salt water and electricity together and watch metal dissolve. We persevered with a through deck unit for a number of years and I was always chasing my tail. We swapped out for a deck mounted unit and maintenance is now simply new oil in the gearbox and plenty of grease on the moving parts. For any windlass I can recommend a liberal coating of CRC Soft Seal on the motor for a long life. How much is too much? The traditionalists would say it’s never enough when it come to ground tackle. But to be reasonable for extended coastal and offshore cruising we can start with a minimum of three anchors. Your primary should stay on the bow so you’ll need a bow roller that’s set up to handle it. The primary is your all purpose anchor so needs to be of a type that covers the largest range of bottom conditions. Over the last five or so years the “Spade” anchor has risen in popularity with Rocna, Manson Supreme and the new Manson Boss anchor the most popular and for good reason, they work. Size Snub it or break it. A snubber is a very useful piece of your anchoring kit. Usually it’s a length or Nylon or Polypropylene rope that will stretch to absorb shock loads. They’re used to take the load off your windlass by hooking onto the chain once you have enough scope out and allowing some 3 or 4 meters additional chain out before making the snubber fast to the Sampson post or a strong cleat. A chain hook or shackle can be used or if you’re good a ropes a simple bend will do. A snubber will also insulate you from chain noise as it scrapes across a hard bottom. Now that we’ve got your gear sorted the next most important factor is scope, or the amount of chain you put out. You’ll hear people say 5 to 1 or some other magic figure, for my book if it’s in your anchor locker it’s not working for you. If you’ve got the sea room put it all out, you’ll sleep better. With the right gear welding you to the bottom it’s often the other occupants in the bay that are your main worry. A medium sized boat dragging, side on to the breeze can take a lot of stopping and can do a lot of damage very quickly so choosing the right anchorage if a blow is coming can be important. Get there early and position yourself for what’s coming, not necessarily what’s happening when you anchor, can also save you some hair loss, safe sailing. We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 8 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 9 "All Points Rally" 2013 “Turn Left, it’s easy”. Make New Zealand your destination. The “All Points Rally” is a *FREE rally and departs from Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia for New Zealand in late October/ early November for festivities, free seminars and fun at Opua from 15th to 22nd of November 2013 www.islandcruising.co.nz We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 10 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 11 Doyle Sails 2013 Pacific Circuit Rally Update... The lead up to the 2013 Rallies was full on this year having only arrived in Opua 5 1/2 weeks before the start. Getting the boat ready, running the inaugural Opua Cruisers festival and then straight into the Rally briefings, meant a busy time. As usual the Opua Cruising Club was a great place for drinks and meals, and local businesses were available to assist with last minute problems. Thankfully the weather played ball and most boats made it to the official start, some even flying coloured sails as they headed out into the blue. After a couple of last minute issues, Windflower left 6 hours behind the rest of the fleet and we enjoyed a great run north. Nearly all the boats headed to Minerva Reef, some enjoying both South and North. Neil on Overdraft suggested a cricket match on the reef, so most crews gathered at low tide for the first ( and probably last) international cricket test held in the North Minerva Cricket Oval. Lots of fun was had but unfortunately the ball didn't get through more than a dozen overs, so a draw was declared. Tonga and Fiji were calling so the fleet split and went their separate ways. For those heading to Tonga, it was Sunset at Uoleva. Caravanserai First and Last boats a bit of a slog to windward. Due to problems with getting crew onto flights from the Haia'pai, half the Pacific Circuit fleet ended up clearing in Paingaimotu with the Tonga Rally, but for those that cleared at Uoleva we couldn't have had a better welcome. Clearances went very smoothly, and the cold beers and chilled wine were rapidly consumed at the Eager Beaver Beach Bar, and drinking coconuts were quickly found for those who wanted something alcohol free. David Hunt, our man on the ground, also organised for fresh fruit and veges as well as bread. With the Haia'pai showing us her friendliest side of balmy winds The Beach Bar Uoleva, Ha'apai Cricket anyone!! Nth Minerva 50 kg Tuna for Bravado We Make Cruising More Fun Spot what's behind you!! Nth Minerva. Pg 12 Kenutu, Vava'u We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 13 and clear blue skies, the first few days saw the start of fun and games, with the Pirate party kcking it all off. Thalasante took 'first boat' honours but handed the rum bottle to the good ship Carrie who were the last to anchor, but only after Claire and Yves took a couple swigs. Thankfully they left enough for the rum punch. Closest ETA went to Providence, largest fish to Bravado and after a vote from the whole group, Caravanserai took out best Pirate Costume. Malo Apito to Sam, the Tonga Tourism rep and the Tonga Visitors Bureau for the trophies. Captain Cooks put on a great feast, with lots of seafood, local vegetables, chicken and pigs roasted in the umu. My favourite as always was the caramelized tapioca. Serenity beach hosted us on the third night with Semi out doing himself with baked red snapper, delicious chicken and loads of salad, with lime cake Sharks and other scary monsters!! Found Nimo!! Inaugural "FIT" islands, some of the flotsam was interesting. On this islands we found part of a marina pontoon, a few fishing floats and untold jandals, both left and right. Barry on Centurus used the sand bank to practice his kite surfing. Uonukuhihifo called and a couple of pleasant days were spent here sorkellingand chilling out. With copious amounts of driftwood along the beach, we had sundowners with a roaring bonfire. Some of the local wildlife showed themselves in the form of cattle and a rather scrawny pig who investigated the remains for any tidbits. With the weather being so settled we took a quick trip out to Limu, on the outer reef. On the way we had a humpback breech ahead of us, first sighting of the season. Limu is a beautiful spot, with azure waters and white sand. All of us who visited circumnavigated the island on foot, then Jess and Pete from Caravanserai, and the Windflower crew, snorkelled from shore back to the boats. The fish life was awesome with everything from boxfish to a large waloo. We even had a small turtle with 5 ramorrah attached. He took off pretty fast when he saw me; probably my squeal of excitement scared him. and chocolate cake for dessert. We were also treated to fire dancing as well as some Tongan dancing. The fleet went in different directions for a few days but met up again at Foa, in the anchorage beside Sandy Beach Resort. We enjoyed pizza and burgers at Matafonoa Resort on the point, great snorkelling in the lagoon and most took part in the first Foa International Triathlon, involving a swim, a run and a paddle. This team event was only just won by the crew of Centurus over the mixed Obsession/Providence team. And people wonder what cruisers do. After 4 days we left to explore. First stop Tofanga, a small island south of Uoleva. As with all tropical Vava'u was calling so Saturday 25 saw a migration north to join the rest of the fleet that were already in the area. For the next couple of weeks, we will be exploring and enjoying the delights this area has offer. Fire Dancing at Serenity Beach Limu Island- Ha'apai We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 14 We Make Cruising More Fun Island- Ha'apai Group Nuku Namu Pg 15 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 16 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 17 . . . s k r o w t Wha Doyle Sails 2013 Pacific Circuit Rally Profile... Nick & Trudy Shapley - Seanine (C9) With the fleet now one month into this years cruising season we look at what is and what's not working in the fleet. Refrigeration. In last years October Cruise News we took a look at refrigeration systems and concluded the following. What to look out for. A/. Insulation is everything. Top opening is best but in tropical conditions 100mm side and top insulation and a minimum of 150, preferably 200mm on the bottom. B/. For DC systems, water cooled is best. Our 75 litre freezer, water cooled, set to -18C uses approx.. 80 amp hours per 24 hrs in 30C ambient. Our 40 Litre drawer fridge, air cooled uses almost the same. A total of 150 -160 amp hrs a day, hence the need to provide good passive charging. Trudy and Nick - C9 Nick came home one day rather sad, one of his good mates had died! Worse he was younger than Nick. There must be more to this life than work. We were busy with business, a farm and Trudi had two part time jobs as well. Things needed to change. A long time friend, Paul, had a yacht and was sailing around the Philippines, Nick decided we were going to do something similar. Logistics!! First sell the business, not an easy task in the GFC, then what to do with the farm? Nick started looking at different yachts new and Failures this year have been related mainly to power with many turning their freezer into a cooler or turning off their fridge unit. Our Waeco chilly bin type unit has been used by a number of the boats so far. Also two engine driven compressor systems have failed, one to degassing and the other to a pulley failure. Power Generation. Having put much higher loads on the charge system here in the tropics we have seen a number of alternator failures this year. Add to that the number of wind generators that are out of service and there are many in the fleet struggling to keep up with power issues. This year we replaced our Balmar alternator on the engine and fitted an "ElecroMax" 160 amp alternator with serpentine belts. It's got less than 200 hours on it so far so the jury is still out but it has a number of great features. 1/. it's externally and internally regulated. This simply means if your external three stage regulator fails the internal reg will take over, pretty cool. 2/. There is no fan on the front of the unit, instead there are 2 internal fans one at the front and one at the back which sees the unit running at significantly lower temps. 3/. Serpentine belts. Knowing what I know now I'd have changed to these belts much sooner, there is ZERO slippage even at extreme load, therefore cooler operation and no belt dust. The engine bay is cleaner and there is no fouling of the interior of the alternator. This year is the first bit of maintenance in five years we've done on our Superwind, I replaced the brushes on the mount, it took less than 5 minutes. The unit has produced countless amphours and is still tight and rattle free. Battery capacity is also important and on Windflower this is one area that time has finally caught up on. This year we swapped our engine driven watermaker for one of Open Ocean's new 12v power units. WOW, fantastic is all I can say. Again the jury is out as the unit is only a month old (also a sister unit on one of the other boats has had issues), but it's already produced over a thousand litres, no, Lyn and I usually don't use that much but a couple of the boats in the fleet have had watermaker failures. It has however pushed our power consumption (it produces a whopping 50 litres an hour for just 25 amps) past what our current bank can handle so it looks like another two house batteries (400ahr) is on the cards. The new 12 volt Open Ocean watermaker is a step up from our old engine driven unit. We've more than proved the effectiveness of the old unit in the seven years since we installed it and there are many other ICA boats using the same set up. This new unit is a very polished system and will give many boats that have not got the capability of mounting the pump on the front of the motor another alternative at a very good price. We'll put the unit on Windflower through it's passes and report over the next months. We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 18 old but Trudi didn't like the idea of healing over so a cat sounded like a good idea. After a trip across to Australia and a test sail on a Seawind they settled on a SeaWind 1250 which was duly delivered to NZ, used in the 2011 boat show in Auckland. The delivery skipper then finished the trip to their home port of Whangamata with Nick aboard. After we,d done some sailing up and down the Coromandel coast and Trudi was getting comfortable with the boat, despite the odd bout of sea sickness they decided to take the next step. Checking on the Internet Nick came across the ICA site. We went to the seminars that John and Lyn ran, came home excited and decided this was what we were going to do, having no blue water experience the idea of going in a rally seemed reassuring and fun. Fate stepped in, the business sold, the farm leased and the stock sold all that was left was for Trudi to give up working, a big step for her which took her out of her comfort zone. Getting the boat ready took time, it's a four hour round trip from Rotorua to Whangamata which took a big bite out of every trip, plus we took a trip up to Sandspit for Tim Clissold, our cat 1 inspector to have a preliminary look at the boat. We finally we moved aboard full time on the 12 th of April this year provisioned and headed north to Opua with a stop on the way for Tim to sign off on the cat 1. The lead up to the rally was full of seminars, briefings and lots of fun. We Met and made lots of new friends and our crew joined us for the passage, Nick,s son Bryce and a friend Hugh who was an experienced offshore skipper and had sailed before on more than one ICA rally. Sea sickness and perhaps some apprehension laid Trudi low until she took a couple of the magic Paihia Bombs. the passage was reasonably benign, Hugh's experience was invaluable, a stop at Minerva reef was a highlight and our arrival at a tropical paradise instead of a smelly port was a huge bonus. All in all a positive experience. Pg 19 We Make Cruising More Fun Ponder this... 1. Can you cry under water? 2. When I was young we used to go skinny dipping,” now I just ”chunky dunk.” 3. How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered? 4. If money doesn’t grow on trees then why do banks have branches? 5. Why do you have to “put your two cents in”... but it’s only a “penny for your thoughts”? Where’s that extra penny going to? 6. Once you’re in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity? 7. Why does a round pizza come in a square box? 8. How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage? 9. Why is it that people say they “slept like a baby” when babies wakeup like every two hours? 10. If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing? 11. Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground? 12. How come we choose from just two people for President and fifty for Miss America? 13. If a 911 operator has a heart attack, whom does he/she call? 14. I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loosefitting clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn’t have signed up in the first place! 15. Wouldn’t it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press ‘Ctrl Alt Delete’ and start all over? 16. Stress is when you wake up screaming and then you realize you haven’t fallen asleep yet. 17. Just remember...if the world didn’t suck, we’d all fall off. 18. Why is it that our children can’t read a Bible in school, but they can in prison? 19. If raising children was going to be easy, it never would have started with something called labor! 20. Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever!!!! We Make Cruising More Fun We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 21 s e p i c e R Ponder this... Ginger Crunch - Trudy - "C9" Safety Equipment Huge Range Whole meal ginger crunch. Helen O'neale's recipe. 150 gr butter 2 tbsp golden syrup 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup coarsely shredded coconut 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 3/4 cup whole meal flour 2 tsp baking powder 3 tsp ginger Preheat oven to 180 c Line a 20 x 30 slice tin with non stick paper In large saucepan melt butter,golden syrup, and brown sugar Mix in the other ingredients then press into the prepared slice tin. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven Ginger icing 100 grms butter 2 1/2 cups icing sugar 6 tbsp golden syrup 3 tsp ground ginger Melt butter and golden syrup together then beat in the icing sugar and ginger Spread onto the warm slice. Allow to cool before cutting into pieces. Great Showroom Buy Direct Prices With ICA VIP Card Contact Jonathan or Brian Showroom 79 Gaunt St Westhaven Auckland Ph 09 3099 111 Clothing Wet Weather Gear [email protected] Marine Insurance for sailors by sailors Enjoy.... Any Craft - Any Use Any Age - Anywhere Two Person Crews Cover is not normally subject to any survey. . Marine Communications Specialists S S S S S S S SSB Installation and Repair Pactor Modem Iridium,Mini V & Fleet Broadband Satellite systems Small format marine computers Onboard networks Wifi & Cellular Solutions Marine Electronics unit 29 Orams Marine Village 150 - 160 Beaumont Street Auckland (09) 373 2400 [email protected] www.insurancemarine-online.com [email protected] Trans pacific Marine 121 Beaumont St. Westhaven AKL Ph. +64 (09) 303 1459 For an Offshore Quotation request Click HERE For a Coastal Quotation request Click HERE Charts,Guides, Publications, Etc. Sea Pro Navigation Software, Electronic Charts. www.transpacific.co.nz We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 22 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 23 PACIFIC ZULU ‐ for sale Designed for Pacific Cruising 12m Bakewell-White Offshore power Trimaran built 2006, exoxy glass over marine ply. 54hp Yanmar diesel new 2010, cruises 10/14 knots, 1125L fuel. Floscan fuel computer. Fuel consumption approx 0.5 lit/nautical mile. 6'1" headroom in chart and galley with 1 double or 2 single berths. Electronics include VHF, Furuno Navnet + radar+GPS, autopilot x 2, chartplotter, depthsounder/ fishfinder, stereo and CD player. Liferaft, dinghy, fridge/freezer. Vessel professionally built to approved plan by Kevin Johnson. Built to NZ Govt. survey. Has been Cat.1 and NZ registered. All Cat 1 gear. 11.95m, beam 4.6m extends out to 5.3m and 0.5m draft. For sale at around half of the build cost. $169,000 – Call broker Russell Hobbs – 0272848121 or owner Barry Young - (09) 4739506 Alternators to suit all motors High output belt kits available Phone Open Ocean +64 9 402 8449 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg 24 We Make Cruising More Fun Pg Pg2425
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