Yeah it's me in this forum...again...

[rtbates]

Holy moly is all I can say.

I've often heard that you NZers are some of the best sailors around. Now I know why!

Glad your story had a happy ending

[unbusted67]

I think everyone can relate to Alan's story: you hop aboard a boat for a daysail or a short cruise, you take a look around at all the stuff that could be done, but would never warrant being done unless you were planning on severe conditions and well jeez...it's just a daysail right? I do this myself.
And it's like everyone says on this forum and elsewhere if you waited until your boat was in "perfect" shape for a sail you may never leave the dock. It's a real balancing act and we all do it to a degree.

[Alan Wheeler]

OK, so I am about to tread on shakey ground here with my next comment. But can readers now understand where some of us come from when we make comments like the famouse "painting the MOB pole grey" comment in another topic. (lets not go into that here) But some of us live in area's of the world that sea's like this are regular. OK, so we don't all go out in extremes like this. But several Kiwi's here do. Pete Wederell has purposly gone sailing in this area in ruff seas. Seafox and Marauder has to cross the gap just north of here on regular occasions if they want to sail at all. We don't purposely go out into this stuff, but the more often we go out, the more chance of getting caught in something like this. Hence the reason I and many of us make comments like the MOB comment. It isn't bashing anyone, it is that we know all to well what it can get like out there. This place is no different to many other pieces of coastline in NZ. And even the Tasman sea can get plain nasty. Don't get put of now. For you cruisers, It's not always like this down here. But you do have to take care.

[cooper]

My partner met a couple a few weeks back here in the land of Oz from New Zealand. Aged in there very late 70s they where doing a bit of sight seeing.(Seeing the bits they missed when they did it on their motor bike!) A bit of a change from the circumnavigation that they did of both islands of NZ in a 24 foot trailer sailer !! They have also writen a book on their adventure. (Starlight around New Zealand) Interesting reading . The point is though, exactly what Alan is saying. You can do it ...but do it carefully.

[seafox]

There are days when you have to motor across the Strait as there is no wind and the water can be like glass. They are usually the days when everyone has to be at work. When the weekend or a holiday comes it is usually crap. Those nice days are few and far between.

[NoTies]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

But several Kiwi's here do. Pete Wederell has purposly gone sailing in this area in ruff seas.

Yeah me,the original hard bastard. I actually did it to test the admiral's mettle and she acquitted herself exceptionally well, though still mentions it from time to time and always insists on having a large bar of chocolate whenever we cross.
The important thing to realise is everybody has their own level of comfort & confidence. I have been full time at sea in small boats professionally and recreationally for 25 years (except for 3 odd years in Antarctica) in the most inhospitable areas of NZ and some of the worst in the world so have a wealth of experience and learning to call on in rough situations.
That being said, there are still times when I clench lots of muscles simultaneously and after it's all over think "yep Pete, still a bit of learning to go yet.

[Alan Wheeler]

Interestingly, back last Christmas, Dawn and I sailed in another rather "challenging" area. I told the story here somewhere. We rounded Cape Stevens and had a short duration of 3m breakers around us in 355ft of water. Really awesome to see such tidal forces at work. But anyway, I had to go forward to fix a line and I handed Dawn the helm. A big wave broke right beside us and it frightened her so much, she screamed. The scream was half audible and the other half had gone ultrasonic. Anyway, after the Wellington trip, she came out with a comment, "what the heck was I so worried about with those little waves around Stevens". She thinks she could handle that with no worries now. So I guess the old saying, "what doesn't destroy you, will only make you stronger" can apply. I don't want to go out in that straight crossing type weather on purpose again, but I have learn't a lot of good positive knowledge from the trip. I know what both I and the boat can endure and I know the boat will get me safely through much worse than that. I know how to prepare both us and the boat better before I undertake a trip like this again. I know what and where Dawn's and my own current limitations and skills are at the mo. I know what I would like to do different with the layout of deck gear and running rigging on the boat. One very important lesson I found was, there was simply no way of going forward to either raise, lower, reef the main in sea's like that. I had not worried about running lines to the aft, but now I think it is important I head that direction with layout. If I could have raised the main, I think the boat would have sailed this stuff very comfortably.

Another pitch for downhauls or roller furling. Having experienced the bow sprit dunk, I would go with the furler. Same for the main, but that is just my opinion.

[Alan Wheeler]

I have the Furling headsail and find it invaluable. But the main is using old slugs on a riveted on slide track. It is hard to raise and lower in the best of conditions. When I fit the new mast, I want to change the main over to cars. I think that will solve some big issues.

Upgrade part, upgrade all. Couldn't agree more. Of course, you could always just get in the boom furling. It's only money, right?

[southernman]

Hey Pete you still over at Bayswater? We've bought a new yacht - it's over in Aus - going to New Cal this year for 6 weeks and then back to NZ in it. Goes like a cut cat - I'll come over sometime when I get a moment and see ya and give you the low down.

You still planning to get away this year or is it next?

Tim - ex Romper

[NoTies]

Yep. still here on A21. Just caught up with Tony & Mary price today (you may remember them). They're over in the ghetto (Westhaven) but shifting back here shortly.
We've had John Lidgard down doing a pre Cat 1 and things are looking good but have decided to head away next May as the extra 6 months income will give us another 2-3 years cruising after crunching all the numbers.
Sooooo, is it a cat??? or are you staying conventional?

[migot1]

we were saing near Crete when a NW became Beaufort 8. the waves were realy big, we ran before with a small jib 1 by 1 meter...our boat was a 28 ft Mirage, and hell was all arround us . we could hear another boat on the VHF calling for help...over the horison..we took 30 min each on the wheel, and for 24 hours ran making 180 nm that day.. twice we came off a large wave and broached and all the equipment for the port side went over to the starboard side....maps, food cans, pots were everywhere..in a great mess...salt in our eyes and spray all over... after 24 hours it got a little better, and we got some hot water on the rocking stove and had a cup of instant soup..I shall never forget the hot soup..ever.there was a small crack near the rudder, water was coming in the boat at a rate of one bucket per hour..the boat was in a mes , but we were alive...we got to the marina 3 days later, and kept away for 4 weeks before we set sail again..

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

I have the Furling headsail and find it invaluable. But the main is using old slugs on a riveted on slide track. It is hard to raise and lower in the best of conditions. When I fit the new mast, I want to change the main over to cars. I think that will solve some big issues.

My Dragonfly 1000 came with recirculating ball mainsail track cars.
I'd NEVER go back to slugs or non furling sails unless they were spinnakers in a sock!

Steve B.

[seafox]

we were saing near Crete when a NW became Beaufort 8. the waves were realy big, we ran before with a small jib 1 by 1 meter...our boat was a 28 ft Mirage, and hell was all arround us . we could hear another boat on the VHF calling for help...over the horison..we took 30 min each on the wheel, and for 24 hours ran making 180 nm that day.. twice we came off a large wave and broached and all the equipment for the port side went over to the starboard side....maps, food cans, pots were everywhere..in a great mess...salt in our eyes and spray all over... after 24 hours it got a little better, and we got some hot water on the rocking stove and had a cup of instant soup..I shall never forget the hot soup..ever.there was a small crack near the rudder, water was coming in the boat at a rate of one bucket per hour..the boat was in a mes , but we were alive...we got to the marina 3 days later, and kept away for 4 weeks before we set sail again..

Yep, cetainly scares you off for a short time. And then like an amusement park ride you can't wait to get back into it.