Innehållsförteckning för May 2016 från Boating NZ

ED DUBOIS, WHOSE designs played a major role in the New Zealand superyacht industry, died recently in England aged 64. Passionate about yacht racing and life under sail, he designed more than 65 superyachts of which 37 were built in New Zealand. Alloy Yachts built 24 Dubois yachts including the largest built in the Southern Hemisphere, the 67.2m Vertigo, plus Janice of Wyoming, Red Dragon, Tiara, Drumbeat, Mondango I and II, and Kokomo. Fitzroy Yachts built nine including Salperton IV, Zefira and Ohana; Yachting Developments built three composite superyachts by Dubois: Bliss, Silvertip and Intrigue. Managing director Ian Cooke thoroughly enjoyed working with Dubois. “He had some great vision early on in creating fantastic cruising boats. He was very innovative in terms of his ideas and his concepts.” Collectively Dubois…

A majestic 22m waka is the centrepiece of a new initiative offering New Zealand youth a life-changing experience that weaves ancient tradition with new technology. Hinemoana – a double-hulled voyaging canoe – is part of the Tauranga-based Hawaiki Rising Voyaging Trust. She’s scripted to play a central role in a new series of Youth Development Voyages aimed at teenagers 14 to 18 years old. The voyages, says Project Leader Pat Mohi, are about the experience of living and working together on a waka, creating connections and bonds that can last a lifetime and change one’s perspective forever. “The crew will encounter diverse sea-life and learn to fish from the sea, dive for kaimoana, sail with the wind, work as a team and experience camaraderie. They will discover New Zealand’s cultural…

Spaghetti wiring is depressingly common on old boats. It’s also a problem that gets worse as a boat ages and connections start to fail. Salvation is at hand in the form of a digital switching system to replace the mess. Based on a similar concept to that used by computer networks, digital switching sees a common set of power and data cables shared between all devices, replacing the traditional dedicated wiring running to individual devices. A major advantage is far less cabling – which makes it relatively easy to install. Comprising digital signals and control boxes, the shared cables carry messages for turning lights on and off, transmitting sensor information and conveying engine monitoring data. Additional control panels can be installed to control the devices from multiple places around the…

The prize boat is filled to the gunnels with extra goodies, including top-of-the-line Garmin electronics, a Fusion entertainment system and a full complement of Hutchwilco safety equipment. The rig is covered by a comprehensive 12-month insurance policy courtesy of Yamaha Marine Insurance. Boating NZ recently took the prize Surtees for a spin on the Waitemata Harbour, putting the boat through its paces and appraising the many extras that are part of the package. Whoever wins this rig will be very spoilt indeed. The very first thing that came to our attention was the Balex Auto Loading system fitted to the Surtees single-axle trailer. The Balex launched the boat from Takapuna at the push of a button and later in the day really proved its worth by retrieving it again when…

Sailors who still use the stars for navigating are probably unaware of the rich myths that relate to the various constellations: almost every group of stars was perceived in ancient times as forming a figure such as a lion or bull. And there was always an associated tale, usually involving the gods and what they got up to in their more frivolous moments. Take Taurus – sailors will know its brightest star, Aldebaran. Zeus, ‘father of gods and of men’ to the ancient Greeks, always had a roving eye, much to the dismay of his wife, Hera. One day, having spotted a particularly beautiful young woman, Princess Europa of Phoenicia, on the seashore, he was overtaken by desire for her. As so often in his dalliances, he adopted a disguise:…

From her home at Okupu, using a repeater station at Te Ahumata/White Cliffs, Pratt keeps contact with pleasure and commercial boat operators from Bream Head (Whangarei) to Whitianga and up to 150km eastwards over Channel 01 VHF marine radio. “The Great Barrier Island Marine Radio Association is a not-for-profit trust with about 600 members,” she says, “and most days in the season I talk to more than 200 boaties. They let me know how many people are on board, where they plan to spend the night, their ETA ... or if they need anything…and they call back when they’re settled in for the night.” And nothing is impossible in the requests she fields. “One guy got on board at the marina in Auckland, loaded his mates, gear and provisions and…

Marwin Racing Team– one of the participants in this year’s GC32 series – has just packed up and left our waters after spending the summer here practising and preparing for the European tour – a six-month schedule of five regattas which begins at Italy’s Lake Garda in May. Each regatta comprises four days of fleet racing over a standard upwind/downwind course. A major part of the down under exercise was trialing and selecting a new crew – a process which whittled 65 hopefuls – from all over the world – down to a core team of 12, before the final crew of five was chosen. So what exactly are the ideal attributes of a GC32 sailor? “A lot more varied and unusual than you might think,” says team manager Sharon…

Launched earlier this year, the 30-foot Baby Thunder is magnificent from every angle – her gleaming brightwork and meticulous workmanship the mark of a gifted craftsman. As one of only a handful of similar replicas worldwide – she’s somewhat unique – and eye-wateringly fast. More about this in a minute. She was built by Harry Nordberg (Calibro Marine), a Whangamata-based boatbuilder, for Wellington businessman Bruce Judge, a man with an eye for the unusual and an appreciation of maritime history. Her New Zealand debut at the recent Classic Boat Show at the South Island’s Lake Rotoiti drew plenty of attention and admiration, and earned her the award for the Best New Craft. But for you to appreciate the ‘point’ of Baby Thunder I need to provide a little historical context.…

In the corrugated iron shed adjoining the house, Dierking designs, builds and experiments with the range of proas which has built him a worldwide fan base. Strange surroundings for a farm boy brought up in Wisconsin, USA – but one, near the heart of Oceania, that has become his turangawaewae (home of his soul). “I started playing with model boats on the farm pond when I was about eight years old. I couldn’t get them to sail properly – so I built some plywood outriggers and realised that they sailed a lot better – and steered more directly.” He did what many boat crazy boys from inland USA do – joined the Coastguard – and was posted to Wake Island in the North Pacific where he worked in electronics and…

Auckland sailmaker North Sails has boosted production after moving into new premises in Wairua Park on the city’s north shore. The company’s loft was previously located in Westhaven. It was forced to find new premises after the area was rezoned, but the move actually did the company a favour, says managing director Burns Fallow. “It gave us the opportunity to design our new loft from scratch, customising the layout to optimise production. And it was a true collaborative approach, with all of our 40 staff contributing to shaping the final design. The people on the floor know better than anyone how the space should work.” The result is a streamlined facility that has seen the company produce more with less. “We produce around a thousand sails a year, and having…

Empirbus NXT is an advanced marine digital switching solution distributed by Lusty & Blundell. Operating through an NMEA2000 backbone, the Empirbus system interfaces to Raymarine MFDs or their own dedicated touchscreens. The Empirbus NXT Master Control Unit forms the hub of the system. In addition to controlling the configuration logic, this module provides an NMEA2000 network interface, drives the display units and includes an integrated GSM module for full mobile connectivity. A port also enables a GPS receiver to be connected for tracking or as an anchor alarm. The system is can be expanded with one or more Empirbus NXT DC modules, connected to the master control unit over the NMEA2000 network. Each DC module contains 16 channels which can be independently configured for either input or output. Each DC…

Tristram grows hardtop sales to Australia SALES OF TRISTRAM Marine’s hardtop models in Australia’s eastern and southern states have recently experienced unprecedented growth, setting a new record in the company’s 30-year history for international sales. Tristram Marine’s decision to be the sole retailer for its highly respected brand has brought Australian customers to New Zealand to view the range, choose colours and options and experience first-hand the ‘Tristram Difference’. The fifth annual Tristram Marine Expo this May has sparked further interest in the brand with a number of prospective Australian buyers booking flights to attend the Expo this year. Tristram Marine’s General Manager Kingsley Fink suggests the growth has been driven by Tristram’s brand name gaining traction in a market where cockpit space, practical design, cockpit-based cooking stations and blue…

Scary sharks, Kiwi star Riley “The Shark Man” Elliott and must-be-won prizes (including a $100,000 Surtees/Yamaha Grand Prize Package) – it’s all happening at this year’s Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds on May 12-15. The Husqvarna Shark Man Experience features Riley Elliott, with remarkable never-before-seen video and stills of sharks in action. Visitors will hear about Riley’s close encounters with Great Whites, Tigers and Makos, discover little-known facts about New Zealand’s shark species and have a go in a Shark Cage Dive Simulator. They will also be eligible for great prizes, including a Husqvarna Ultimate Outdoor Package worth over $5,000, as well as Kelly Tarlton snorkelling and shark diving experiences. THE GRAND PRIZE The Surtees/Yamaha Grand Prize is worth over $100,000 and comprises a fully-featured Surtees…

“Unlash the oars,” came the command from Paula, our skipper of a 9.75m admiralty cutter at Outward Bound, Anakiwa. We were supposed to repeat her commands. “Unlash the oars,” I said, feeling a little silly. “Stand the oars!” Paula commanded. Next to me Steph had her oar balanced vertically in her hand, like a circus act; her other hand held it steady. The oar was only 5kg but at 3.9m it was a free spirit. I stood it in the cockpit sole. “Splash the oars!” Everyone’s oar splashed into the water. Except mine. I lowered it awkwardly. “Make way!” Oh for Pete’s sake, I hadn’t even got my oar in the rowlock. “Dip, two, three… Dip, two, three…” The term ‘admiralty cutter’ suggests precision… a visual flow of white-tipped wings…

Voyaging across thousands of miles of ocean in an open waka is a remarkable undertaking – but perhaps more remarkable is using only the stars and nature’s cues to find your destination. One man who knows all about that is Jack Thatcher. After 30 years and almost 50,000 nautical miles, Jack is one of only a handful of master navigators left around the Pacific. And, at 55 years old, he is passionate about passing his skills on to a new generation of ‘natural’ navigators before the art is lost forever. To that end he runs a school from his Tauranga base, teaching students the secrets of navigating by stars, clouds, sea- and birdlife and wave formations – all without ‘modern’ technologies such as sextants, nautical almanacs and sight reduction tables.…

“The hull likes plenty of horsepower and this engine is a good fit.” The hull’s extra length equates to more cockpit space while the interior reflects subtle changes in materials and layout that make every new Southern boat a bit different from those that came before. For example, the next XP726 will feature pipe footrests instead of bolt-on Tenob examples and the carpet lining will be eliminated from the side shelves. UPPING THE ANTE The incremental changes Southern makes to every new boat means each one ups the ante ever so slightly on previous boats. Between them Southern Boats and Lazercraft, which share the same manufacturing facility, produce around 45 boats a year. Hunter II has been set up to its owner’s specification with a Yamaha 225hp four-stroke outboard providing…

25 in a row for Burling & Tuke Peter Burling and Blair Tuke have secured the 2016 49er European Championship – as well as their 25th consecutive 49er regatta victory – while Alex Maloney and Molly Meech closed out the regatta in 5th place in the 49erFX. The 49er win was in the bag before starting the medal race yet again. The 49er fleet squeezed a total of 19 races into the six-day schedule in Barcelona, Spain. The Kiwis made a banging start to the regatta with a couple of race wins, and then never relinquished their lead, only extending on points as the regatta progressed. “We’re pretty stoked to go out there and take another title,” says Burling. “We’ve been doing a bit of work over the summer, tidying…

“...comfortable for the entire family on overnight trips...” “It caught our attention straight away. We liked the spacious, light-filled interior and the elegant exterior design. We expect certain build quality standards from the German Hanse Group and so far our new boat hasn’t disappointed,” says Carsten, who has an engineering background and is currently working in the yacht racing industry. Sealine motor yachts were manufactured in the UK for many years before the company was acquired by the Hanse Group in 2013 and manufacturing shifted to Germany. Carsten was inspired by his friends, fishing mates and colleagues. “It’s a very Kiwi thing, the sort of boating they do, and my family and I really enjoyed our outings with friends,” he explains. His boating mates, with their years of life experience…

Puzzle no. 223 Across 1. _____ __ Adventure – NZ trust offering sailtraining for young people (6,2) 6. Narrow gap between planks in wooden-hulled boat (4) 8. Old two-masted Dutch sailing boat historically used for fishing (6) 9. _____ knot – used for tying fish hook (5) 10. Backward motion of boat (8) 11. Pitch and ____ – move like boat in rough sea (4) 12. First name of Laser dinghy designer in photo (5) 14. Common NZ name for local marine lobsters (5) 16. ____ weather sailor prefers calm conditions (4) 18. Bollard with horizontal arms forming shape of cross as means of belaying lines (8) 21. Turn to face wind despite efforts of helmsman (5) 22. Large fish-eating crocodile native to Indian subcontinent (6) 23. Metal point fixed…