Antipodean Boats Connection

[RFNK]

There was also an old Ferrari and a Jensen. I'm guessing they were travelling back from Targa Tasmania so yes, the tape looks like it's there to avoid stone chips. No apparent damage so I'm sure that's what the tape's for.

[johnno]

I'm guessing they were travelling back from Targa Tasmania

Very watertight concrete block ferry for crossing the Strait.

[WX]

I have a spare boat trailer with the mast attachment sitting idle he could borrow. In good order, Mini wheels and spare and new wiring and lights. Not registered though…………..

Big, spectacular thunder storm under way here, lightning and heavy rain. Lovely!

Boy! is it coming down hard!

He's found trucking company looking for a backload on the 21st.

[RFNK]

Very watertight concrete block ferry for crossing the Strait.

Yes, berthed in Bathurst.

[skuthorp]

Here's a dinghy for it…….

[WX]

Someone went to a lot of trouble there...nice lines.

[WX]

Thunder in the distance, 15 to 30mm predicted and the radar is showing a big storm cell angling in from the north west.

[WX]

Ever have one of those days where you think you know what's happening for the day, but it turns out you don't?
The plan for the day was to borrow a trailer and do a load of rubbish to the tip, then head up to the boat and hopefully get the mast lifted out. On the way home it was drop into a timber yard and get the timber for the boat cradle...well none of that happened beyond borrowing the trailer and getting it loaded up. The mate I borrowed it from can't find the power plug adapter.
Fingers crossed he will find it tonight...gosh lucky I had a whole bunch of jobs to do around the yard eh.

[johnno]

The mate I borrowed it from can't find the power plug adapter.
Fingers crossed he will find it tonight...gosh lucky I had a whole bunch of jobs to do around the yard eh.

Luckily you're adaptable.

[WX]

Luckily you're adaptable.

Well the alternative was drive to town and buy the adapter....which I may end up doing anyway tomorrow.

[WX]

Decommissioning takes one more step, one of the guys on the wharf has a truck with a small HYAB. He dropped the mast for me gratis...think I'll buy him a nice bottle of West Oz red as a thank you.
20210507_133936.jpg

[WX]

Eyecandy.

[WX]

Thanks for the sail Tom, picked it up today.

[skuthorp]

Saturday solo sailing: Good Brisk breeze took me and the sabre well out into Western Port on an incoming tide. One other boat out there in deeper water to the west. Sailed about, had a lot of fun and found a lot of places where the old sand islands seem to be resurfacing. Wind dropped, no wind on a slack tide….. for about an hour then a gentle SWester wafted me home slowly against the tide but quickly enough not to get stranded on the sand sans trailer.
Nice out there but no company, you don't see many boats at all down our end except fishing kayaks.

[auscruisertom]

Thanks for the sail Tom, picked it up today.

No problem.

Good to see you managed to get help to drop the mast.

[Hallam]

Saturday solo sailing: Good Brisk breeze took me and the sabre well out into Western Port on an incoming tide. One other boat out there in deeper water to the west. Sailed about, had a lot of fun and found a lot of places where the old sand islands seem to be resurfacing. Wind dropped, no wind on a slack tide….. for about an hour then a gentle SWester wafted me home slowly against the tide but quickly enough not to get stranded on the sand sans trailer.
Nice out there but no company, you don't see many boats at all down our end except fishing kayaks.

Where in Western Port did you launch?

[skuthorp]

Very shallow local beach at Grantville. I know the timings and how long I have before having to return. But I'm usually in my sailing canoe, I can sail that in about 8-10 cms of water and if the wind fails there are oars or the paddle. The Sabre with a centreboard requires considerably more but with careful planning I can usually end up close enough to the trailer to walk it up in the shallows, it used to be mud but now, thanks to millions of shore crabs, it's sand. But I have found myself amongst the mangroves before.

[WX]

For some reason I thought Grantville was at the head of the bay. That nature reserve looks a bit threatened.

[skuthorp]

Um yes, it's all sand underneath and the quarry next door wants to expand. All that sand is going into the construction of several tunnels under Melbourne and the state government may well allow it. Of course its about the best and most prolific native ground orchid territory in the state and is also home to Xanthorea Major and Minor several hundreds of years old at least.

[WX]

Craig.jpg

[auscruisertom]

Craig.jpg

About time someone converted you.

[WX]

About time someone converted you.

Neva.

[johnno]

Had a lovely sail today on a friend's Bolger-designed Otter.

Bolger Otter sm.jpg

[pelagos]

Nice looking boat! How do the leeboards go?

[johnno]

They are easy to deal with and work very well. We sailed the last half hour or so downwind with the boards up, as in the photo, with no issues. They become a good backrest! Tacking, we actually sailed with them both down but really that was just old bloke laziness.

[pelagos]

People are normally fairly down on leeboards, good to hear some positive thoughts. I can see it has some good shallow draft ability

[RFNK]

Most people think they're ugly and clunky but is there a better option for really shallow waters? I like many of the Dutch boats that have them.

[johnno]

I'm no expert, but there were a few things that were notable.

Firstly, in what was anyway a small cabin space, it was made livable by having the boards outboard. I think that's the biigest advantage by far.

Secondly, there is no penetration of the hull, and no hidden inaccessible centreboard or daggerboard cavity. That means a much longer life without major hull repairs in my book. And of course the boards themselves are much easier to maintain.

We were also using them to balance the helm. I think they probably have a larger surface area than a typical centreboard for the same size boat so rig balance can be easily manipulated through a little adjustment.

On the other hand it would have been a pain raising and lowering them if you wanted to frequently tack and maintain efficiency and minimum wetted area. In this boat leaving them both down I don't think would have affected anything much.

We were easily doing 3.5-4.5 knots on all points of sail in about 5-8 knots of wind.

[WX]

The outboard motor is working and Redwing exits the water at 12 noon Friday.

[WX]

20210514_133209.jpg
I've found a number of soft spots in hull, so right choice I think.

[WX]

I did level her up given we are sleeping on board.

[skuthorp]

Very sad Gary, very.

2c and hail here this morning………….

[skuthorp]

People are normally fairly down on leeboards, good to hear some positive thoughts. I can see it has some good shallow draft ability

It's not quite applicable, but a lee board allows my canoe to sail in less than 10cms of water. I even made a special board longer and shorter, for this purpose.

[WX]

Very sad Gary, very.

2c and hail here this morning………….

The crane operator kept saying how he had seen boats that looked far worse, and it did make me wonder. Later in the day I looked closer at the hull and I found more than enough soft patches to justify my decision.

[auscruisertom]

I feel for you !