10 years on the Woodenboat forum, Waione to Riada....

[John B]

Funny you should say that Larks! I was just thinking that we need more 'weather' to balance out the view, so much of our sailing is in 20 or 30 knots or more, often it pours and we get a subtropical storm or two go through ( especially in the month we go away in late dec/ jan).
This sequence was photographed by my friends on Contour.. maybe 30 knots and lumpy as all heck.. hard work . It was just off Tutukaka harbour in an easterly which had come up fresh.. Tut's is open to the east and at only 200 m or so wide at the entrance , pretty fraught!


hey it worked!.. clickable thumbs...


that night though was lovely

[John B]

and one on Riada..





I tell you why I include that. My good friend Mike and his daughter and myself 'delivered' the boat north where they jumped ship and I picked up my family. I loved the sail, double reefed and only a bit of jib unfurled but we shouldn't have gone. It was way too rough and very hard work in Riada and thats saying something. However we'd sucumbed to the dreaded 'sailing to a schedule'.
One more day it would have been a lovely sail , that day the poor little thing threw up the whole way.

[Larks]

and one on Riada..

SEE!!!! Pre cunning digital enhancement!! Don't go there, you'll hate it!!

[Robbie 2]

and one on Riada..





I tell you why I include that. My good friend Mike and his daughter and myself 'delivered' the boat north where they jumped ship and I picked up my family. I loved the sail, double reefed and only a bit of jib unfurled but we shouldn't have gone. It was way too rough and very hard work in Riada and thats saying something. However we'd sucumbed to the dreaded 'sailing to a schedule'.
One more day it would have been a lovely sail , that day the poor little thing threw up the whole way.

For those that don't know this is approaching Cape Brett from the south and that is Piercy Island/Hole in the Rock ahead.
The roughest weather I have been in was in this area in 1982 with my brother Terry who was a commercial fisherman operating out of Opua.
We were in his 28 ft Launch coming back from a Hapuka trip out deep and got called up to get back due to the deteriorating weather.
Anyway the swell out of the NE was breaking above the "Hole" and onto the grass above the cliffs below the Lighthouse.
We followed a large US yacht in that had been damaged in the storm and water had got below so the motor was running rough and they were afraid it would cutout.....but it didn't.
As we both crossed the swells we actually lost sight of the light on the top of their mast.
I don't usually get sick at sea but that trip went from feeling so bad that I was scared I might Die to feeling scared that I wouldn't.
Only got into calm water as we came round Tapeka point and up the channel to Opua.
I don't want to be out in seas that rough again.

[martin schulz]

Has it really been just 10years???

I don't even remember when I first had a look on these pages, what I do remember though is the expert knowledge I stumbled across here. And I remotely seem to remember that it was you who gave me the best information how I should design/set up a Topsail for SIONNACHAN.

I have met Andrew twice and we sailed together and I am sure we both would have met as well, if, well if we were not living so far apart.
This leaves us at looking at each others summer pics, always with a little feeling of envy, because we are posting summer sailing pics, while the other one is sitting in front of his screen freezing and living a worthless winter-sailing-free time

Everyone tells me that NZ is the place to see (just 2 weeks ago a friend of my wife came back from an around-the-world trip and guess which place she liked most...) and perhaps I will someday find the time/money to get there. In that case (I am sorry) I will definitely get on your nerves until you agree to take me sailing *

*all I can offer in return is a trip on the comparatively boring BalticSea/Flensburg Bay

[skuthorp]

Thanks for the Journey John, I've enjoyed your photos very much.

(Have you seen my thread re a very sad Logan 30 rater?)

[davidagage]

What a great celebration of the years past and heres to the years future...
Thank you John for the walk down memory lane.

DG

[paladin]

Thanks for the memories, John. I always enjoy your postings....pretty soon you have to start a new generation of crew.

[Tom Hunter]

Wonderful thread John, thanks for posting the old photos, it's good to see them again.

[Ed Harrow]

Thanks, John, for a nice look back.



'Are you sure these people are OK?'
'Ewwww, did I make a mistake...'

[John B]

I'd definitely take you sailing Martin, you never know .. one day we might even make Flensburg (going by boeing).
Thanks Tom, David ,Jeff, my pleasure.
Chuck , you're one of the first people I spoke to here and I often think of you and your adventurous life like many here do. New generation eh( yes I saw that comment earlier too)... That'd be nice but not till they've moved out and we've sold the house and moved into an apartment too small for guests LOL.

Thanks for the background on Cape Brett there Robbie. You certainly learn a bit about boating when you round a cape eh. They all have a confluence of some sort going on . We've gone around there usually between the island and the cape, many times. One midnight racing we lost the wind as you do and were being backed down onto Piercy by a small swell. The torches were out big time.
Another time in Waione we rounded the island in 10 or 12 knots , the sea breeze turned off like a tap and we were being shunted down onto the coast by the leftover 3 or 5 ft swell from the wind the day before...
No motor , no wind .... I did. not. like . that.

[John B]

Ed! What a buzz that was meeting you guys.( looking for a photo)

I think this shot is from that day...



ah yes...





great day , shame we didn't win, but still a great day.
kinda loaded to the gunwhales.

[L.W. Baxter]

Can you believe that .. 10 years...

Funny how it happens.

This is my son just 6 years ago, the spring after I joined the WBF:



And only yesterday on our way out for tuna. At 12 he is my height and what I ought to weigh...



Thanks for the kind and keen good humor all these years, John B.

[John B]

A fine looking young man he is too Lee. I know all too well what you mean about 'ought' too. .

Did you get some Tuna?.. being the lousy fisherman I am every fish we catch is a great source of wonder.. mostly we pick up little uns like Skipjack and occasionally an albacore trolling to a destination. Snapper and kahawai with occasional Kingfish when we're seriously trying to fish. 3 barracouta this year , which is odd.

I'm seriously lusting after a decent boat rod and reel this year.. a lever drag shimano tld25 maybe.. BIL reckons it should be smaller.. tld 15 but I dunno, I need the help I reckon.

[Concordia...41]

They're on the old computer, but more than a few of the above pictures are saved to my hard drive. In fact, I have a whole Waione folder

My favorite though is the kids in the cockpit in a damp cold rain all sporting looks of utter misery and dejectment. I believe your caption was "Thanks for taking us sailing Dad."

Here's to ten more years!

Cheers!

-M

[John B]

Ah yes here we go.. those are 2010 fush.

These are 2001 fish, caught upon the dreaded Fork lure and Pink clothes Peg lure..





there's a dinner knife lure as well... I still sometimes throw them over just to see although I've proved my point.. I can catch fish with my knife and fork... or the clothes peg.

[Paul Pless]

In fact, I have a whole Waione folder

me too!

[John B]

They're on the old computer, but more than a few of the above pictures are saved to my hard drive. In fact, I have a whole Waione folder

My favorite though is the kids in the cockpit in a damp cold rain all sporting looks of utter misery and dejectment. I believe your caption was "Thanks for taking us sailing Dad."

Here's to ten more years!


Cheers!
-M

Do you Margo!. There's a few of those damp kid photos around somewhere.. always good for a laugh eh.

Are you getting some sailing in yourself Margo.. you've got a fleet to choose from haven't you....

[John B]

One more Fush... this un whacked Kirsty in the shoulder/back.. she said it was like getting hit by a soccer or rugby ball booted from the other side of the field

[L.W. Baxter]

Did you get some Tuna?...

Indeed we did, a years worth. We've been canning and vacuum packing all day today.

Here's my daughter keeping her distance from her first tuna. She's a great fish battler and a lucky angler but not much for drawing blood. Notice I thoughtfully turn the bloody side away from her.



And I agree, we've caught a few, but every fish is a wonder. Here's the kids, summer of 2004, on the North Fork of the Malheur, the girl showing off her first fly caught cutthroat trout. Oh my aching heart.



As for fishing gear, we have nothing so nice as a lever drag tld, but then again, we rarely troll the flatware. This was the weapon of choice yesterday, a rapala plug on an Ugly Stik and a 3/0 Senator from ebay.

[paladin]

Mmmmmmmfried flying fish.......those used to come aboard when I was charting the Caribbean...the only problem was the two cats I had at the time were faster than I getting them on deck....cats would hear a thump and would be out of the cabin in a flash.

[Mike Field]

.
Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane, Johnno. A great ten-year photographic history.

As to when the Forum started, I'm not sure now. But I am sure my 'join' date was about 1998 (earlier than it now says,) and equally sure that join dates and numbers got well and truly muxed ip in the last-but-one Great Forum Meltdown. (The only constant is change, isn't it?)

And so you didn't get that boathook when I floated it past you? And I even told you in advance when it was coming. Butter-fingers....

Lots of good people on here, some regrettably now sailing other-world seas. I think Norm was the first person to reply to my first post, way back whenever-it-was. Ian McC chimed in too, I remember. (It was a question about a balance reef, which was something I'd read about but had no experience of.) And ever since, when I've asked questions here, arcane or otherwise, they've always been answered. What a wonderful resource the Forum is.

Threads like this one serve to remind us just how wonderful. Thanks, mate.

[John B]

I'm told the variety of flying fish we have here is about as large as they get.. that right Chuck?

Your girl reminds me of my youngest Lee...
My penn reel looks just like yours (black though)but the rod is a big thick ole fibreglass thing.. I lost a favourite Rapala on a Kingfish at christmas . My mate had seen them just off the beach so I dinghy trolled through them and hooked up straight away. Then I had the outboard/ drag/trip over the thwart fumble and the thing took it to the rocks and bust me off. I was in a bad mood the rest of the day and didn't cheer up until the evening walk, when I found a fresh solar shower just a lyin there on the beach.

Got to be just about the longest running joke on the wbf hasn't it Mike.. even if its just between you and me.

[paladin]

Yup, John...that's about it.....clean 'em, some olive oil and crushed garlic, and on the grill. I had a pair of Ocelots that were raised from kittens and they loved those fish....They would sit and finish the "leftovers" after cleaning, then sit and wait, then beg, one on either side of me. They would get more than me. Very good times.

[ramillett]

Thanks John

Brings back memories , we raised 2 boys and 2 girls and there critters on Olinka .

[Hwyl]

That is a big flying fish. Interestingly when I did the transat in the motor boat we got bigger flying fish than I'm used to with a sailing boat, but still 3/4 of the size of that specimen

[PaulC]

Since you always send such great pictures, I always try doubly hard when I see something interesting!

[Stiletto]

All the best for the next ten John.

[paladin]

Well........I sprung for a new Nikon camera with all the bells and whistles, 12.8 mgapixels, and an Ikelight case to keep it dry to 350 feet down, need something to tke piktooor for ebay

[John B]

Cheers Paul, and thanks Grant, same to you too.. You're out the other end then Ramillet.. we've got one who's dropped off a bit last year.
Chuck , my cameras are a bit of a laugh. My first one I used here was a 2.1 megapixel Canon ixus , second a 3.2 and now I'm up to the dizzy heights of something with 7 init.

Now , I am not a photographer.. I live in awe of people like Emily or pretty well any of our local marine photographers who can go out day in day out and capture the magic. I don't have the passion. Digital means you can point and shoot though, and sometimes catch something by accident almost.

I particularly like this shot ,again from about 2001.



she just plain doesn't go much faster than that on that point of sail.

[paladin]

I have a photo somewhat like that taken in the North Sea....freezing my fanny off......nice photo by the way.

[dhic001]

Excellent stuff as usual John. Looking forward to the next ten years. your input on the forum, and your support on the water is greatly appreciated.
Daniel

[PatrickXavier]

I particularly like this shot ,again from about 2001.

I'm glad you posted that, John, because it allows me to confess that it sat above my desk as inspiration for some years until I had my own similar photo to replace it. Inspiration is something you do particularly well. Keep it up.

[John B]

Thanks Chuck and Daniel.

You must have been lurking for a long time then Patrick? I'm currently thinking 2002 for that particular snap. Steve H used that photo as a mahurangi yearbook cover but I seem to have mislaid my copy to look for the year. How he got an A4 magazine cover that looks reasonable out of a 2.1 megapixel photo is still a source of amazement to me...

[Phil Y]

I always enjoy your posts and your photos John-you seem to enjoy your boat so well. I always seem to want to be doing what you are doing, but so often it seems the weather is wrong, or something on the boat needs fixing, or other things get in the way. I bet you have all that too-but you take it in such good humour and get on with the good stuff. You seem to have a great attitude. I'm envious.
Phil
PS-I joined the WBF when I was living in PNG, 1998 I think, so its been around at least since then. That was before the bilge was invented-I even remember a sweep being run on exactly when misc non boat related would overtake misc boat related for total posts. So long ago!

[Phil Y]

PPS:1-2 months on the hard very year. That does make me feel better. I always try to keep it to a week max. And then keep up with maintenance and upgrades that can be done while afloat through the year. Maybe I need to spend more time on the hard each year getting everything tickety boo?
Phil

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

I joined the WBF when I was living in PNG, 1998 I think, so its been around at least since then. That was before the bilge was invented-I even remember a sweep being run on exactly when misc non boat related would overtake misc boat related for total posts. So long ago!

Yes, I certainly remember that too, Phil. In fact, I seem to remember Misc existing only in its own right, before it was even split into Misc Boat and Misc Non-Boat. So I reckon that helps confirm me in my thoughts that I too joined in 1998 (or maybe even earlier.)

Ah, the good old days....

Mike

[John B]

I definitely recall the bilge split off as well. Phil did you have a different log in back in then?( of course you did.. was it just Phil?)
Yeah Waione lived on a swing mooring when we had no motor and there was always a project to get ahead as well as the maintenance so she needed that long hardstand time. She needed painting every year top to bottom. There were rig projects , a motor in in about 1995, numerous mini refits of bunks/ galley head areas etc. A deck and cockpit rebuild/ refurb in the early 90's( workshop for that). Endless work. The pile moorings cut down wear and tear dramatically and the last 2 years she was in on a marina ,.... that was just a revelation.
Riada is on a marina so most of the maintenance work except bottom work gets dealt to there. I've only hauled her twice though and that was 1 week the first time ( cheapest haul in 25 years) and recently about 2 weeks because I found a problem with a skin fitting.

[John B]

pretty much as we bought the boat

how she ended up for comparison


doghouse off and new cockpit



another in the workshop early 90's with my 39 coupe( I always wanted one of those.)

[John B]

One of 'the rig projects'

involuntarily.



jury rigging at Great barrier

[John B]

lifting the jury rig in.. a glass Mobjack to stbd and Lidgard Regardless to Port


In one of those funny little quirks, I forgot the name of the Regardless. A couple of years ago I realised that it was Destination , a boat subsequently bought by my good sailing friends and a boat which lives literally right next door to Riada right now, this minute.I'd sailed hundreds of miles beside it , on it , raced the coastal classic on it .....

[Phil Y]

Certainly lotsa work there over the years John. I'm interested in your comments re swing vs pile vs marina berth. I understand you to be saying a pile mooring meant a lot less wear and tear than a swing mooring. Why is that? Marina berth I reckon is slightly harder on the boat, but more than made for by ease of access? A penny for your thoughts/experience on all 3. (And yes I think I'm in my 3rd re-incarnation now. I got struck off once, I think for making an offensive comment about Bill Clinton, and once I just forgot my password and changed my email all at the same time so had to start again.)
Phil

[John B]

Moorings?.. its the old cost benefit sum I guess Phil. The swing mooring was exposed to a wind direction which would typically bring long periods of good weather and short periods of violent. So a lot of physical strain on the boat and more on my brain.
The pile mooring meant she was behind a breakwater wall and although it meant one prevailing weather side, there was so much less movement that she was secure and safe and that translated as less wear and tear generally too. Moving to a marina berth was a leap up on that however, where not only was the topsides paint longer lasting but the antifoul life was radically extended. To me now , looking back, I would say that the premium on the marina berth would have paid good dividends in fewer paint jobs and endlessly better peace of mind. So the cost of the berth is mitigated by not only access but a kind of self underwriting/ insurance factor as well as a true physically better environment.

[P.L.Lenihan]

Where has the time gone!? My God,10 years.......wow.....I'm reminded of my horrible years lurking and lusting at all the fine boats here but especially your posts John! They always appeared to arrive just as we were being seduced by the still arctic embrace of another lovely snow filled frozen winter up here. I(we) would then be showered with some glorious warm and wet sailing pictures and not a spot of ice anywhere except for perhaps in large glasses. My gf continues to remark how good I look in green while showing her your posts.......


Continued happiness and fun on the water Mr.Bertenshaw!


Cheers!


Peter

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Bertenshaw? BERTENSHAW? My god, now I know why he calls himself just John B.

[John B]

Yer a bit slow there Mike, I even have an alternative log under my full name.. back when we were all going through that phase.

Waal Peter me old mate, the whale ( metaphorically speaking of course) of the wooden boat forum himself, I'm pleased to hear you like em.

PS , the hat will be unshrined in a month or two .. ready again for another season of boating and questions about polar bears .Also , in an almost mystical way, self adhesive random orbital sandpaper discs folded in half seems to be appearing all around the place.Dang things are breeding.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

I akshly remembered that quite well, smatterofact. Along with your disparaging comments on your surname (the reasons for which I've never understood, BTW.) Got to have a dig at our mates occasionally though, don't we, broomstick-user?

[John B]

I'm going to whittle 'Proudly made by Wooden Boat Fittings' on that broomstick boathook just for you Mike. I hope I don't scratch it when I'm doing it because that silver grey patina takes a lot of time to acheive.

[Robbie 2]

[/QUOTE]
Don't know if this is the best place to put this but I will anyway.

This is my brother Terry (he passed away as a result of an accident in 1984) on his Commercial Fishing boat in the BOI.
This was the boat we were on rounding Cape Brett.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
Johnno -- don't even think about it, mate. Send it over here and I'll have it gold-leafed for you. (And you might even get a free turks head or two if you're lucky.)

Robbie -- sorry to hear about your brother. I'm guessing that BOI is the Bay of Islands, but can you tell this Iggerant Aussie where is Cape Brett please?

Mike