A Boat for the Tasman

[RFNK]

Introductions first:

This is Masina, our new boat







Launched in 1973, designed by John Brooke and built by Noel Barrott in NZ. She's cutter rigged, 38', and strip-planked kauri. She has quite a history of cruising - if you do a search on Noel Barrott and Masina, you'll find most of that.

We just bought the boat in NZ. She's been cared for exceptionally well and we're pretty thrilled about it all! Now we're getting set up to sail across the Tasman to our home in Port Stephens, Australia. So, life at present is all about customs, insurance, quarantine regultions, registration, mooring options, and so on, with just a little bit of time spare to figure out what we really need for the trip. It's quite a list!

If there's a bit of interest, I'll treat this thread like a blog and run a bit of commentary over the next month leading up to the trip.

Rick

[Ian McColgin]

Wow!! Finastkind.

We shall expect many pix of your adventures.

G'luck

[RFNK]

Thanks Ian, appreciated! And I'll try!

Rick

[Larks]

If there's a bit of interest, I'll treat this thread like a blog and run a bit of commentary over the next month leading up to the trip.

Absofrigginlutely!!!! Good to see this thread finally up and running!!

[RFNK]

Thanks Greg - but give us a break, we've only really owned Masina for a week!

Rick

[johnno]

I'm pressing the 'like this' button

[Larks]

Thanks Greg - but give us a break, we've only really owned Masina for a week!

Rick

A week is a long time over here in the west mate!!!!

[RFNK]

Well, thanks to you both!

I'm getting fairly excited about the trip but I reckon the next month is going to fly as there's so much to do!

Rick

[chas]

Congratulations, Rick! Enjoy the excitement surrounding the prep for your First trip in Masina. This brings back sharp memories for me, as it will be five years next month since we found Accolade in Pt. Townsend and prepared her for the trip to a new country.

I too look forward to the pics of your boat and her adventure. She looks slippery; should be a quick trip. Good luck! / Jim

[RFNK]

Thanks Jim!

Rick

[The Bigfella]

Excellent... just make sure you turn left after you leave the harbour, or its a long way to Port Stephens

[RFNK]

Yes, well, I've been appointed Navigator so there's a good chance it'll be a very loooong trip!

Rick

[skuthorp]

I look forward to your trip blog and our next trip north even more now Rick, with Duncan's resto. yard on a virtual island, Redwing afloat and sailing and now you two have a fleet.

[M. J. Notigan]

Rick,
Best of luck to you and yours on your boat and voyage! Should be a fun time for both sailors and readers alike....
Take Care,
Mike

[Phil Y]

Im watching

[RFNK]

Thanks everyone, I'll post some more pictures of the boat later today or tomorrow.

Rick

[WX]

I'm watching as well, talk about exciting times.

[PeterSibley]

Interested ? More like fascinated !! She's beautiful Rick ,slippery and lovely .

I'll be watching all the way .

[Portland]

Well done Rick.
After this first adventure , what is next ?.
What are your plans for her ?.
Rob J.

[John B]

Yes, well, I've been appointed Navigator so there's a good chance it'll be a very loooong trip!

Rick

Your job is to miss things.

[Larks]

Your job is to miss things.

Except for the one big thing.....

[johnw]

What a great adventure, and what a great looking boat!

[brucemoffatt]

Yes, as Frankk would say, turn left then head along and up a bit until you hit Port Stevens.

[John B]

Except for the one big thing.....

No , I'll stick with missing that too, get the skipper to take her in the last bit.

I wrote up my 'recent' trips to the islands in the mahurangi cruising club yearbook with the JB70 reference included,( my aversion threshold to rocky things at night in a gale) and now I have people who ring up or text and ask for jb70. I get emails addressed the same way.

" heyyyy JB70 , take the long way round eh...."

[Dryfeet]

Introductions first:

This is Masina, our new boat







Launched in 1973, designed by John Brooke and built by Noel Barrott in NZ. She's cutter rigged, 38', and strip-planked kauri. She has quite a history of cruising - if you do a search on Noel Barrott and Masina, you'll find most of that.

We just bought the boat in NZ. She's been cared for exceptionally well and we're pretty thrilled about it all! Now we're getting set up to sail across the Tasman to our home in Port Stephens, Australia. So, life at present is all about customs, insurance, quarantine regultions, registration, mooring options, and so on, with just a little bit of time spare to figure out what we really need for the trip. It's quite a list!

If there's a bit of interest, I'll treat this thread like a blog and run a bit of commentary over the next month leading up to the trip.

Rick

That's my kind of boat! I'll be watching. Tell us more about it dimensions, layout, etc etc.

[gilberj]

She is really a beaut..... Looking forward to a virtual passage. Almost as good as a real one and I don't get wet.....

[Breakaway]

Congrats! Bring on the posts and pics.

Kevin

[RFNK]

Thanks again everyone! I'll post pictures and dimensions soon. But, looking for other things, I just came across this excerpt from a Martha's Vineyard newspaper from about 2002 when the Barrotts had their newer boat, Sina, on the slip. There are two pages so click to the second one. Sorry, no pictures! http://www.svbetsy.com/clips/sina.htm

Rick

[RFNK]

Here are some more pictures:













Rick

[RFNK]

And a couple more:





It's an Aries self-steering system.

No toilet - that'll come later.
Just a 24 hp engine - Bukh
HF receiver, VHF, sounder, handheld GPS, single burner gas stove, no refrigeration.
It's a very simple boat and at this stage, I plan to keep it that way.

For the trip, we'll have a sat phone and I'll try to hook up the iPad so we can interpret HF weatherfax data. The boat only carries two batteries so we'll keep power usage to a minimum - hopefully we won't need to run the engine much.

Rick

Rick

[Robbie 2]

Yes please.

[johnno]

No wind generator or solar panel as yet?

[RFNK]

It's interesting. TBH (as in The Better Half) is very keen on a hard dodger, in concept. If we build a hard dodger, I'll put a solar panel on it. But the Barrotts sailed Masina all over the planet with a soft dodger and then put a soft dodger on their new boat. So, we'll sail Masina across the Tasman and then do a bit of local cruising, and then decide whether we want a hard dodger.

No targa.
No wind generator.

So we'll see!

Rick

[Portland]

Rick , what about this type of solar panel ? .http://www.energymatters.com.au/flex...8nqgllf4n49ki3 .
Regards Rob J.

[RFNK]

Yes, they're good Rob. But not yet!

Rick