Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2017 i Boating NZ

Only disturbed, cold-hearted viewers will have remained impassive to the hundreds of pilot whales committing mass suicide on the beaches of the ominously-named Farewell Spit. This recent iteration of what has become a depressingly common event along the New Zealand coastline ranks as one of the worst ever. And the most distressing part of it is that the whales’ motivation for mass suicide continues to elude the experts. Theories abound. Anything from: rookie navigational errors by the whales; geomagnetic anomalies interfering with their in-built GPS; sick whales just ‘wanting to end it all’; healthy whales foolishly following a pro-euthanasia whale into shallow water in a show of solidarity; frightened whales seeking refuge on land (really???); seismic activity; vibrations from passing ships causing navigational confusion; low-frequency signals from submarine espionage frying…

A REMOTE SIBERIAN beach once used as a dumping ground for millions of glass bottles has morphed into a tourist attraction following years of the sea’s gentle caressing. Located on Ussuri Bay, near Vladivostok, the beach was formerly a Soviet dump for old wine, vodka and beer bottles – together with waste from a nearby porcelain factory. Large trucks formed a daily procession, depositing tonnes of glass on the beach. Apart from the eyesore the debris created, the shards of broken glass also proved a danger to anyone attempting to visit the beach – and it remained off-limits for decades. Over the years, though, Nature patiently got stuck into the mess. The constant action of the waves has smoothed the broken glass into a vast kaleidoscopic vista of smooth, coloured…

WATCH IT! www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvGXFlsVubA Nearly 100 yachts competed in the racing, while more than 30 launches provided a magnificent parade. The event continues to grow each year and is widely considered New Zealand’s largest classic and old boat regatta. Though celebrating the 40th milestone, the Mahurangi Regatta is, in fact, much older. The modern iteration is a revival of the old Settlers’ Regatta. The reincarnation took place in 1977 thanks to the efforts of the Mahurangi Action Group (formerly ‘Friends of the Mahurangi’), supported by the Mahurangi Cruising Club. The Regatta remains the main event on the Cruising Club’s sailing calendar. The restored scow, the Jane Gifford, served as start boat for the racing. Conditions were perfect, with a fresh sou’ easter providing for exciting sailing – and plenty of jostling…

If you’ve always wished for electric winches but can’t afford them or don’t have sufficient space, you might be interested in a portable alternative. WinchRite is a cordless electric ‘grinder’ designed to supplement muscle power – and it’s particularly useful for halyard winches. Powered by a hefty lithium-ion battery, the unit offers more than 110Nm of torque (around 80 ft-lbs in old speak) and delivers it at variable speeds. It rotates at between 50 and 110 rpm, is reversible and fits all standard single and two speed winches using an eight-point socket. Weighing around three kilograms, it is quickly charged with 220-volt shore power, but can also be revitalised with 12-volt DC trickle charging. Reviewer Sarah Ell used the Winchrite during her test on the Grand Soleil 43. “It certainly…

When the alarms start screaming and clouds of steam erupt from the engine, the first reaction is often to shut it down completely. This is generally NOT the best option. If you immediately turn off the engine, all water flow (no matter how inadequate it may be) immediately stops. The areas around the cylinder heads will continue getting hotter with no water movement, and serious damage (a cracked cylinder head) can result. The best option is to throttle right back to idle and take the engine out of gear, but leave it running. This will allow what water is left to continue to flow around, and at least distribute the heat evenly. In most cases you’ll find the engine temperature drops below the danger zone within a minute or two.…

Undersea sculptures SPAIN HAS JUST opened what is being billed as the first underwater contemporary art museum in Europe and the Atlantic Ocean – and it’s geared to divers. Museo Atlantico – Atlantic Museum – is located off the coast of Lanzarote, Spain. The facility lies 14m beneath the surface and features some 300 sculptures by artist Jason deCaires Taylor. He has installed similar sculptures at underwater museums in the Bahamas, Mexico and the Antilles. Real-life models were used to make casts for his sculptures. The eerie human figures will help form part of an artificial reef, acting as a breeding site for local species. The sculptures are made from environment-friendly concrete, and depict scenes from everyday life. Taylor says the work aims to raise awareness about the ocean. “I…

With each new edition of the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show the gate prize seems to be even more impressive than the year before. The prize for this year’s show, May 18 to 21, is an awesome boating package comprising a new Surtees 700 Game Fisher on a deluxe, dualaxle, alloy-wheeled Epic trailer with Balex Automatic Boat Loader system. The hardtop rig is powered by a pair of 115hp Yamaha four-stroke outboards and features the latest Garmin electronics package. All up, including a comprehensive range of equipment and safety gear, the prize is worth more than $150,000. Boating New Zealand picked up the gate prize from Surtees dealer Fishing Boats NZ on Auckland’s North Shore, towed the rig to Gulf Harbour where we put it through its paces. Sevenmetre boats…

LIFEJACKETS – we have several different PFDs for the kids from brands like RFD, WestMarine, Salus and Plastimo. They’re all very similar, just check weight limitations and that infant ones have an extra-large collar support for the head. HARNESSES – we really like Baltic harnesses for using on very small children (http://www.baltic.se/en). Edelrid’s Fraggle (www.edelrid.de/en/) climbing harnesses are great once they’re a bit bigger. GUARDRAIL NETTING – we use knotted nylon black UV treated netting by Gourock (www.gourock.com/), designed for batting cages. It withstands the sun far better than standard marine netting. PLAYPEN AND HIGHCHAIR – Phil & Ted’s ‘Traveller’ playpen / travel crib and the ‘Lobster’ portable highchair (www.philandteds.com/) BABY CARRIER – again, we have several onboard such as Tula, Ergo and even simple bits of cloth from Guatemala.…

“The by-law sets an alarming precedent for mooring owners.” While the first two could be put down to the vagaries of democracy, the third was the result of decisions made by government-appointed commissioners far removed from any hint of democracy. In 2010 regional authority Environment Canterbury, or ECAN as it is known, had all its democratically-elected councillors sacked and replaced by commissioners appointed by the then Minister of the Environment, Nick Smith. The Canterbury plains have become one of the largest areas of dairy production in New Zealand, so democratic process was sacrificed to speed up the resource consent process and gain faster access to the underground aquifers of Canterbury for the dairy farming boom. One of the commissioners’ last duties before the end of 2016 was to review the…

This has nothing to do with any localised testosterone explosion – the drinking water is quite safe. Instead, the story starts with an invasion threat from Emperor Hirohito’s submarine fleet during WW2. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Imperial Japanese Navy had 60 submarines, including the mighty I-class subs which displaced 2,000 tonnes and carried mini-subs and a seaplane. In May 1942, submarine I-21 had hove to in the Hauraki Gulf and launched its seaplane for a leisurely dawn reconnaissance flight over Auckland city and the Hauraki Gulf. Mines laid by the German raider Orion had already claimed RMS Niagara off the Hen and Chickens in 1940. Prompted by the US Navy Command, the War Cabinet approved funding in 1941 for a submarine defence net, or…

VINTAGE PERSPECTIVES The caption told much of the story. Admiral Field’s dispatch boat, or C.M.B. No. 123, as she was known to the officers and men of the Special Service Squadron, was racing at top speed off the Prince’s wharf. A single step hydroplane, she was built for Admiralty service by Messrs. John I. Thornycroft and Co. Ltd, of Southampton. At 40-feet long with a beam of eight feet six inches, she was driven by a 250hp, 12-cylinder engine. She was capable of a sustained speed of 35 knots, equal to 40 land miles. The speedy little craft could accommodate 14 passengers in a comfortable, covered cockpit. She consumed 15-18 gallons of petrol an hour when going at full speed. This particular vessel was built in 1917 and did constant…

RETROS AND CLASSICS Photos courtesy Philip Wilson and John Macfarlane Born in 1951 in Feilding, Wilson was attracted to boats from an early age. He bought his first, a Plylite 2.4m pram dinghy, aged nine for £18 earned from delivering newspapers. When his friends began sailing P Class dinghies, he converted his pram into a sailing version before building his own P which he raced at Manawatu Sailing Club. Wilson wanted nothing more than to be a boatbuilder and prior to leaving school in 1967 he wrote to a number of Auckland facilities seeking an apprenticeship. He didn’t get a single reply, which disheartened him a bit. Following a suggestion, he approached the late Geoff Woodfield of Fleetcraft Marine, who took him on and the pair became good friends. Fleetcraft,…

Powerful swimmers like kingfish, kahawai and trevally put more strain on fishing tackle than slower, weaker swimming fish such as john dory or red cod. Some of the recognised ‘game fish’ species, such as kingfish, large tunas and billfish, combine size with strength and speed, making them extremely challenging to catch. They are usually taken on specialised heavy tackle, though very skilled anglers enjoy success using much lighter gear. Of course, light or heavy tackle is relative: light tackle for kingfish fishing would be considered heavy if you were fishing for snapper or kahawai, while a heavy trout spinning outfit may be too light, or at best just adequate, for sea fishing. For the good of the fishery and ultimately your own fishing success, it is better use appropriate tackle…

Photos by Lawrence Schäffler and Supplied HOW IT’S MADE At night I go out on deck and watch the LED Anchor light. It sits up there at the top of the mast doing its work, but asking very little of the batteries. It is a marvel of science. It is also a marvel that I shouldn’t have to climb up there to replace it for quite some time. Electroluminescence as a phenomenon was discovered in 1907 by the British experimenter H. J. Round of Marconi Labs, using a crystal of silicone carbide and a cat’s whisker detector. Russian inventor Oleg Losev reported creation of the first LED in 1927. His research was distributed in Soviet, German and British scientific journals, but it was consigned to the category of “useless invention”…

1. True or false? A halo around the moon is an indication that bad weather may be on its way. 2. How many U-boats did Germany commission during WWII? a. 354 b. 754 c. 954 d. 1154 3. In which harbour is the Onerahi Yacht Club situated? 4. What would you do if you heard the word “SECURITE” (say-cur-etay) on your VHF? a. Switch channels as someone is sending a secure message? b. Ignore it as it only concerns big ships c. Listen carefully as an important meteorological or navigational message is about to be broadcast 5. Turning your boat hard to port or starboard then turning hard the other way to bring the boat back the way you came is known as a Williamson Turn. During what type of…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAEp3ZgMkNM Garmin GPSMap 7412 It’s possible the Garmin GPSMap 7412 is packed with more features than most owners will ever make use of. But as Kieran Andrews from Garmin NZ points out, modern marine electronics are more userfriendly than ever before, so it’s much easier to take advantage of their features. The touch-screen GPSMap 7412 aboard the Hutchwilco Boat Show Gate Prize is intuitive to use and can supply a dizzying array of data from a variety of sources. The 12-inch Garmin MFD displays dual Chirp sonar, XHD high-definition Radar with a nominal 42nm range, top of the line mapping and navigation functions, GPS data and Garmin’s SideVu and ClearVu sonars when the appropriate transducers are fitted. Charting includes separate navigation and fishing charts, the latter with more detailed depth…

• A properly-fitting lifejacket and/or harness for everyone on board appropriate to your kind of sailing are essential. It helps if you allow your little ones to be involved in choosing. • A playpen or baby pod can be useful to keep your baby safe down below when both parents are needed on deck. A baby sling or soft-structured carrier are great for times when they have to be on deck with you but you need to keep your hands free. • Invest in the highest quality lifeline netting available with knots at every junction rather than glue as this can degrade in the sun. • Give cloth nappies a go. They’re much better for the environment and mean you always have a fresh supply on board. • A clamp-on…

While the name Grand Soleil might be French, this range of cruising and performance-cruising yachts is manufactured in Forli, Italy, by Cantiere del Pardo. It also produces the Sly range. This 43 is the first of the Grand Soleil performance-cruisers landed here by Flagship Marine, following in the footsteps of its larger cruising sister, a Grand Soleil 46 LC (‘long cruise’), now based at Westhaven. The 43, at 13.25m LOA, is one of the smaller boats in the range, with a 47, 50, 54 and 58 also available, as well as a smaller 39. The yacht offers a combination of comfortable cruising, with sailing systems simplified for short-handed sailing, and a measure of performance for those who want to head out on the racetrack on evenings and weekends – or…

Hall Spars builds PAC 52 rigs HALL SPARS & RIGGING New Zealand is designing and building masts for three new USAbased Pac 52 racing yachts – Invisible Hand, Rio, and Bad Pak. The rigs represent the next generation in mast design, with improved performance. Established in 2016, the Pac 52 class uses a TP 52 hull but has been modified with a taller rig, deeper keel and lighter engine for a reduced total weight. Some of the boats, including Invisible Hand, are designed and built for offshore races such as the Transpacific Yacht Race (Transpac). Existing TP 52s can be modified to the Pac 52 box rule to race with the new boats. “The Pac 52 rigs represent our next generation of mast,” says Dave Ridley, Hall Spars & Rigging’s…

PRACTICAL BOATING Most inboard engines have two, separate cooling components: the internal system, which circulates coolant in a closed loop within the engine; and the raw-water system, which pumps seawater through a heat exchanger to absorb heat from the internal coolant. The heated seawater exits the boat through the exhaust. Both systems have a water pump for moving the fluid around. The raw water pump generally uses a rubber impeller to provide a steady volume of cool water, while the internal system has an embedded coolant pump inside the engine. The two water streams come into thermal contact with each other through a heat exchanger. It’s fitted with numerous thin copper tubes for transferring the heat from the coolant to the colder raw water. In addition, a thermostat adjusts the…

OUT OF THE OCEAN We anglers regularly catch fish weighing many times the breaking strain of the fishing line. But it’s not just weight that determines how easy or difficult a fish is to subdue on a rod and reel: swimming strength/power, swimming speed and how quickly a fish changes direction are other important factors. A properly functioning reel drag is vital to fishing success. When large or particularly strong fish are hooked, they pull line off the reel against the resistance of the drag. That’s okay: set correctly, the drag is designed to release line before the line’s breaking point is reached. So when a fish pulls line off the reel, resist the temptation to clamp down of the spool or to tighten the drag: these are rookie mistakes…