Antipodean Boats Connection

[auscruisertom]

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[Chris.]

Hi all,
after a long time I'm revisiting the thread. Its been a busy time and i remain boatless, but I'm now (semi-)retired and have a lot more time on my hands.
I shall try to participate and contribute when i can.
Thanks!

[Hugh MacD]

Welcome back! Fair warning...now that you're retired you only think you have a lot more time on your hands Others will see to that shortly.

[RFNK]

Hi Chris, you no longer have the cruiser?

[Chris.]

No, we sold that in 2019 as at that time I was in Singapore more than I was in Sydney. Then COVID happened…..
So boatless since then, but regularly scanning the For Sale ads.. Since stopping the full-on work we’re now evaluating where we can live as a big house with a huge garden with a pool that’s never uncovered is unnecessary and just a lot of work.
It may be that I go back to small boats sailed on a lake….
Time will tell. Until then I will make do with crewing on a friend’s beneteau 41.


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[WX]

No, we sold that in 2019 as at that time I was in Singapore more than I was in Sydney. Then COVID happened…..
So boatless since then, but regularly scanning the For Sale ads.. Since stopping the full-on work we’re now evaluating where we can live as a big house with a huge garden with a pool that’s never uncovered is unnecessary and just a lot of work.
It may be that I go back to small boats sailed on a lake….
Time will tell. Until then I will make do with crewing on a friend’s beneteau 41.


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So, slumming it then.

[RFNK]

How small, Chris? And do you have a particular lake in mind?

[skuthorp]

Hi Chris, we too have a big bush garden, acres of it, and are in the beginnings of a move to something smaller. The work involved is beginning to outweigh the pleasures it offers, like bird life and native orchids.
I sail a 12ft Sabre dinghy and a Macgreggor sailing canoe. Never really wanted anything bigger, though I was tempted by Mike Fields Eventide bilge Keeler. Useful in a mud berth.

[Chris.]

How small, Chris? And do you have a particular lake in mind?

Every time we talk about moving we have no idea where we want to live next. Moving after 30-something years is a difficult thought. I’ve just got my workshop nicely organised…
So no decision or lake yet, but there’s a goodish chance we will move away from the coast. But if it all gets too hard we’ll stay where are and save the stamp duty.
The suggested Sabre is a good one.. something like that would be good.


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[Chris.]

So, slumming it then.

The power winches and bow-thruster are nice to have features….


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[skuthorp]

Best things about a Sabre are that it will handle close to 30kts, planes well, is not bad in light airs, has reasonable sail tuning, is available easiliy second hand, and if bottled comes up dry.
Used boats from $12,000 to $300 on Gumtree alone. Mine is wood, about 45 years old, and I find maintenance easy. Of course if you want a competitive race boat the price will be higher.

[Chris.]

Thanks.
That sounds like the sort of boat I could handle, and importantly, doesn’t require a crew. I see few Sabres in the Sydney area but I’ve been out of dinghies for some time so may just have noticed.
What’s the range for crew weight? I’m biggish - 186 cm and close to 100kg. That puts me in Finn territory but my age is about 3 times the ideal.
Anyway, I first have to work out where it will be sailed.


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[skuthorp]

Hmm, a 14 footer might suit you better. A two man dinghy with some rearrangement of the cordage so it can be sailed one up.
Maybe a Cat. would suit? Harder to store though.

[Chris.]

Thanks, I thought that would be the case. And ive considered a cat and its a strong maybe, though until we decide where we are moving too its all a bit nebulous. Perhaps I'll look at trailer sailers....
Perhaps I'll just buy a boat and then decide what living location suits it best.

[skuthorp]

Most clubs have a club boat or two if you join. That may tide you over. Nacra's are the cat of choice at our place though the diversity in speeds mean that in my Sabre I have to keep a close eye out when nearing a marker. They do seem a bit eggshells to me, collisions at their speed can caus serious damage quite easily.
We do sail a diverse fleet in club races, usually in 3 divisions but over the same course. In our estuary at low tide there's not much choice.

[WX]

Thanks, I thought that would be the case. And ive considered a cat and its a strong maybe, though until we decide where we are moving too its all a bit nebulous. Perhaps I'll look at trailer sailers....
Perhaps I'll just buy a boat and then decide what living location suits it best.

Hartley 16s come up at reasonable prices from time to time.

[Hallam]

Not sure if i have already posted that Ive had a change of plan regarding the next engine for Warana. I have sold the pair of Perkins 4108 engines, one new and the previous old one from Warana as a spare for a few reasons. Mainly because at the prop they are around 25 Hp ( 50 Hp unloaded on the test bench at 4,000 rpm ) and no one runs them under load at those revs. My plans are for coastal cruising with regular trips to Tassy so more power for a 30 ft 6 ton motorsailer is advisable. The catalyst for the decision was the opportunity to purchase a very good low hours Yanmar 4JH 2 DTE that has had a thorough top to bottom going over to ensure everything is in top condition. This model is 83 Hp and about the same size as the old Perkins so we have taken the old engine beds out, and I'm removing for inspection the fastenings for the floors and replacing with silicon bronze at a larger size and adding two through bolts per floor. As they are there is one bolt through the floors centre and through the keel. An additional through bolt port and starboard is advisable. The job these school holidays is to prepare and fit the new engine........Ive got some work to do before casting off bow and stern lines for a trip to Hobart in Feb 23 !!

[Chris.]

.... Nacra's are the cat of choice at our place though the diversity in speeds mean that in my Sabre I have to keep a close eye out when nearing a marker. ....

The NACRAs are too fast for me. I was thinking Paper Tiger.

[RFNK]

There's a fleet of Taipans here. They seem nice to me although I haven't sailed one.

[RFNK]

You should buy this and go sailing, Chris:

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/drum...ghy/1288555946

[skuthorp]

He has a point, a mirror with some weight aboard can be a fearsome thing in a big blow.

I had a Paper Tiger, it did not age well.

[brucemoffatt]

It's ten years since you lot convinced me that writing a book was a compulsory entry condition for this forum topic. In a miraculous coincidence I got a royalty payment yesterday! $0.33

Self unfunded retiree!


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[RFNK]

I hope you're bloody grateful then!

[WX]

A mirror can take you a long way, and you can write a book about it.

[Mike1902]

A mirror can take you a long way, and you can write a book about it.

Yeah, just ask Alice, she knows ...ghost written by Lewis Carroll

[Chris.]

He has a point, a mirror with some weight aboard can be a fearsome thing in a big blow.

I had a Paper Tiger, it did not age well.

A Mirror is too small for a bulky almost 70 bloke like me. Truth be told, I’m not much into racing. Midweek twilights are likely to be as close as I’ll get to sailing round the buoys. In semi-retirement I have the chance to get out on the water when I feel like it, whether it’s to sail or to just potter with a paint brush in the after sun.

I must be sounding fussy but with some major variables yet to be defined, eg where are we going to live in the future and are we even going to my very - narrowing the boat search can’t proceed very far. I’ll have to get f the fence sooner or later.


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[Chris.]

It's ten years since you lot convinced me that writing a book was a compulsory entry condition for this forum topic. In a miraculous coincidence I got a royalty payment yesterday! $0.33

Self unfunded retiree!


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As a recipient of a free copy I’m glad you wrote it!


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[Chris.]

Being in need of a change from citing inside listening to rain and lots of wind we made a small expedition to North Head to check out the evidence of the east coast low.
Wild, but exhilarating.
A day that made me glad I don’t have a boat on a mooring to worry about.


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[skuthorp]

Chris, there's always the Miracle, Mirrors bigger brother,

But the step up beyond that starts to cost money, or money and time to take on a fixer-upper.

[peter radclyffe]

Building the Rosehill Packet | Let's welcome our new members: | Facebook

[RFNK]

I'm guessing, wildly, that it be a model, Peter?

There are times when I think that having a RC model that I could operate while perched on the jetty, would be a much wiser choice than dealing with all the crap that goes with boat ownership. But that's really only when I'ma sittin' and athinkin' about all the things I need to get off my bum and do. It's not what I think when I'm out there sailing ...

[RFNK]

Tom, we want photos and reports.

[WX]

Today's surprise, opened a tin of white paint...and it's not.

[skuthorp]

I'm guessing, wildly, that it be a model, Peter?

There are times when I think that having a RC model that I could operate while perched on the jetty, would be a much wiser choice than dealing with all the crap that goes with boat ownership. But that's really only when I'ma sittin' and athinkin' about all the things I need to get off my bum and do. It's not what I think when I'm out there sailing ...

That's the big advantage of a dinghy, and dare I say a Mirror? From where you are just trundle it down on a beach trolley, 10 minutes, on the water, Mirrors can look after them selves if sailed conservatively giving you time to think on a long reach. My Sabre is one step up from a Mirror evidently.
Take care up there, sounds horrendous, again.

Bulk carrier lost power of the NSW coast it seems, tugs on the way.

[RFNK]

My sailboats is a hell of a lot simpler than that. They all have their advantages and disadvantages.

We'd be sailing our yacht a lot more if we didn't have the MIL to accommodate. Until she dies or T's sisters grow something like a conscience, that's not going to change. So it's all philosophical meandering at this point and using available time to keep boats in shape. In a month, I intend to put Masina on the marina and build the new dodger.