Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i Boating NZ

As John Macfarlane explains in this issue’s Reflections column, New Zealand’s traditional boatbuilding industry finds itself in a bit of a dilemma. Our maritime heritage is richly endowed with fine, functioning examples of boats built in the early part of the 20th century – some in the closing years of the 19th century – but restoring and maintaining these vessels is becoming increasingly difficult. Mainly because the required knowledge and skill is itself disappearing and is in danger of being lost forever. New recruits are, well, non-existent. The world of scarfing, lap joints, steamed planks and caulking has limited appeal for a 21st century school-leaver. Should we be worried? Or do we simply accept that this is an inevitable part of progress? We’ll leave the responsibility to a few senior…

CHARLES DUNCAN STUART 1942 - 2018 Cookie Stuart gave his spiritual blessing to a cake ride of a Coastal Classic yacht race this year. Charles Duncan Stuart, sometimes known as Duncan but mostly as Cookie, died the week before the annual Labour Weekend race from Devonport to Russell which had his presence stamped upon it. His funeral was delayed until the week after the race so his Multihull Yacht Club mates could race and return to pay their respects. Cookie owned and sailed his yellow trimaran Krisis – usually on what he called the fine line between ‘extreme sport’ and ‘disaster’ and was hugely instrumental in the evolution of the Coastal Classic. He and a few other multihull speed freaks in the Auckland Multihull Sailing Association, as it was then…

For the uninitiated, Sail GP is a new series of regattas on the professional sailing circuit, beginning in February next year. Readers may remember that before the 2017 America’s Cup, Ellison & Co asked all the competitors to sign an agreement specifying the rules of the 2021 AC, regardless of who won. This would keep the yachts in the AC50 format (foiling cats) along with many of the rules, and all would be committed to enter for the 2021 event. Everyone was keen and there was a big event to announce it, with one notable absence – Emirates Team NZ. ETNZ said “No, thank you. If we win we will be setting the rules for the 2021 America’s Cup.” And so it came to pass. Ellison, still keen to see…

It was wet season at River Bend Marine, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and rain was a perpetual dismal drizzle. Not the spirited rain of the subtropics but a windless dump of high humidity. Our boat was freshly relaunched and we were ready to head north to the Arctic when, one morning I noticed a damp ball of grey fur huddled, tightly-furled in a corner of the cockpit. As I gingerly reached towards the kitten, it opened one big black eye and lifted its head slightly to meet my eye with an imploring stare. The small body shivered uncontrollably as I carried it below. We soon had it slurping warm milk from a saucer then snuggled deep into a blanket, heaving a contented, full-belly sigh. As the feline waif fleshed out…

GMS GETS CLOSER TO HAMILTON JET After many years working on vessels with Hamilton Jet propulsion systems, General Marine Services (GMS) was keen to be more closely affiliated with the iconic brand. Now that goal has been realised. A couple of years ago, Grant Bayer of Bayjet Technical Services, which for 22 years specialised in servicing Hamilton Jet systems, started discussions with GMS. This year, with the blessing of Hamilton Jet NZ’s management, GMS purchased BayJet and blended it into the technically diverse range of services it already offers. Grant Bayer has joined the GMS team as Hamilton Jet trainer and consultant, ensuring his extensive product knowledge is passed on and that GMS can continue to deliver exceptional support to the Hamilton Jet brand. www.generalmarine.co.nz GREENLINE 45 FLY With sporty…

A lot of pre-planning goes into a boating trip and at the start of the season, or when preparing for the Christmas cruise, your focus should be on checking that everything’s ship-shape. As the skipper, you obviously need to ensure that your boat’s appropriately equipped and ready for any eventuality. What’s also important is that you include your crew in the process of getting the boat ready: you shouldn’t be the only one who knows how to operate the boat. It might be unreasonable to expect someone else to proficiently berth the boat back at the marina or winch it on to the trailer, but should something happen to you, it’s a good idea that other crew members know how to call for assistance and how to keep the boat…

THERE ARE VARIOUS ITEMS TO EXPLORE, BUT SAFETY IS THE FIRST PRIORITY. TYRES, WHEELS, BEARINGS AND SUSPENSION If any of these fail you’re not going anywhere, but if they fail at speed the results could be catastrophic. Tyres are easy to check: ensure they have the road-legal tread, that there are no cuts, bulges or cracks and they are properly inflated. Be wary of tyres that have lost air while unused – standing even partly deflated for a while can cause permanent damage to the sidewall. Tyres are quick and relatively cheap to replace – but make sure they’re rated for trailer use. Low-profile car tyres, for example, generally can’t support a boat’s weight. Bearings are harder to check, but just as critical. Chock one side and the jockey wheel…

Reading the water is a vital part of river craft, especially for the fly-fisher who, to be successful, must factor in how the river flow affects the way his flies behave on or under the water. To a lesser degree it’s important for lake fishers as well. But what about sea fishers? We’ve become increasingly reliant on electronics to map out underwater features and do our fish finding for us, but the ability to ‘read the water’ can still be extremely useful. You can tell an awful lot about tidal flow, water depth, underwater structure and the presence of fish from the sea surface. Indicators of underwater structure and depth can include variations in water colour, ‘disturbed’ water – swirling currents, over-falls and upwellings – or areas where the sea…

Auckland-based McMullen & Wing, acclaimed for its 50-year history spanning commercial vessels and award-winning yachts, including the victorious 1995 America’s Cup boat NZL32 (Black Magic), joined forces with a Bay of Plenty iwi and a local mussel farming company to build Kukutai. Commissioned by Whakatōhea Mussels, New Zealand’s largest offshore mussel farm, Kukutai was constructed with help from local Opotiki youth. The mussel farm is part of the Whakatōhea Maori Trust Board’s long-term vision to create prosperity and sustainable employment for the region and its people. As part of its partnership with Whakatōhea Mussels and the Whakatōhea Maori Trust Board, McMullen & Wing developed a trainee programme to give Opotiki school leavers a pathway into a life-long career. With a build-time of just over nine months, Kukutai’s standout features include…

As befits a premium model, Haines Hunter has specified a top-of-the-line, heavy-duty DMW Premier Series tandem trailer under the boat. Featuring classy-looking alloy wheels and a central walkway, the trailer is braked on both axles with stainless steel calipers and rotors. On the road, the rig weighs in at around 2,600kg, so an electric-over-hydraulic Sensa-Brake system gives peace of mind when towing it. A prominent feature of the trailer is the Balex Automatic Boat Loader, a piece of equipment that’s increasingly requested, explained Seacraft’s Dennis McCorkindale. The Balex makes launching and retrieving the boat a breeze, as Dennis demonstrated during our review. The 2018 model SP725 is an open hardtop sedan model with overnighting capacity. The interior layout has remained largely unchanged since the model was first released in 2011,…

CHART CUSHIONS It’s well-known that cushions are essential equipment on boats, as extra pillows for unexpected guests, or propping up seasick crew. These, by My Heart Sings, feature charts of the Marlborough Sounds, but according to the website, can be sewn featuring a chart of your choice. Could be useful if the chart-plotter packs up. They add a homely touch to the most austere interior. But don’t buy these for serious racers, the type who cut toothbrushes in half to save weight; they have no truck with comfort. FLEXIBLE CHOPPING BOARDS AND SILICONE MATS A well-priced useful gift for the galley, which take very little room, and like all good boating equipment, serve a dual purpose. Chop meat and vegetables on different colours, then pick up and slide food into…

KEEPING IT SIMPLE Navico Information Displays (IDs) combine a sleek design with a configurable interface that simplifies monitoring and control of onboard systems. An advanced, configurable graphical user interface acts as the heart of the information display. Experience-based software features pre-defined contextual modes that display all relevant data for the current boating situation. Modes include System Checks, Cruising, Anchoring and Water Sports. Custom modes can also be configured to builder specifications to suit an individual vessel or complement any boater’s passions (e.g. cruising, offshore sport fishing, day sailing, passage making, tournament fishing and more). Consisting of a bonded-glass display and a powerful integration hub, information displays will be available with a choice of Lowrance, Simrad or B&G electronics. Each solution consists of one or multiple displays bridged together to function…

Completed in 1957 and given sail number 65, Julie was one of an early batch of the Townson-built Zephyrs. She was bought for £65 17s by Auckland’s Brian Cole, a keen sailor who’d gained his experience on Arrows, Frostbites, mullet boats and 18-footers, and eventually went on to represent New Zealand in the Interdominion Champs in Brisbane. For the late 50s the Zephyr was a fairly radical design – her monocoque hull, formed from three glued layers of 2.5mm timber, eschewed stringers and ribs. Townson’s novel design and construction kept the boats light and agile – when it became a recognised class, the Zephyr’s ‘measurement’ certificate specified a minimum 58kg weight. Townson’s early Zephyrs – he crafted around 220 of the 302 that were eventually built – used layers of…

Distillery babies, Reid & Ritchie Whitaker, are growing up among the Whisky casks at the Cardrona Distillery. The pair are ageing alongside Cardrona’s spirit, developing depth of character and richness with the passing years. This Christmas season marks a milestone. The “new make spirit” turns three, like Ritchie, and in that moment, transforms into true Cardrona Single Malt Whisky. Three long years maturing in traditional oak casks - the required observation of time complete to gain the title. To mark this momentous occasion the family are releasing a first snapshot of this precious nectar - “Just Hatched” - a small taste for Cardrona’s guardian angels. “Just Hatched” is a glimpse of the adult Whisky to come. Ageing together, Reid, Ritchie and The Cardrona Single Malt Whisky will go on to…

Just for fun, next time you’re walking along the marina dock check out how many pricey boats are secured with budget ropes. Truth is, there are precious few marinas anywhere in the world where you won’t see at least a few big-money boats tied up just like this. And in many cases this situation arises from simple ignorance. After all, a rope is a rope is a rope – right? Not exactly. Like so many other things in life, rope comes in a huge variety of types and styles. But not all of them cut it as dock lines. Taking a few minutes to learn the differences between them allows you to choose wisely – no one wants to be that guy whose boat broke free in the storm and…

The boatbuilders featured in this column have fallen into two generations; those who completed their apprenticeships during or shortly after WWII – and the generation that followed them. Both groups learnt their craft from those who’d made a successful career building traditional, timber vessels. Once qualified, these boatbuilders initially built traditional timber boats, then from the late 1950s, changed to glued, laminated timber and plywood. Methods changed again after 1967, when many of this group began building boats in GRP from production moulds. Experiencing such a spectrum of boatbuilding methodologies in one career gave these boatbuilders an unprecedented depth of knowledge. Paralleling the changes in boatbuilding, as laminated multi-skin timber and moulded GRP boats grew in popularity, so the demand for traditional timber boats softened. Many fell into disrepair, others…

…a complete generation of our young men were physically, emotionally and politically altered forever by the time the survivors returned. Over the last four years Vintage Perspectives has dealt with many events of the Great War – the invasion of Samoa in 1914, the heroism of Kiwi yachtsmen at Chunuk Bair, at Zeebrugge and on the Dover Patrol, our Hospital Ships, Jack Cornwell at the battle of Jutland and Lt. Cdr Sanders of the Q Ship Prize. Now – exactly 100 years since the guns stopped firing after four years of unprecedented, brutal conflict, it’s a time to reflect on that war and the profound effect it had on our society. A 100,000 New Zealand men fought overseas, 10% of our population. Over 18,000 of those men died, and 45,000…