Ahoy Cruise News June 2024

Ahoy Cruise News

Photo of Wainani departing the Bay of Islands by Jamie Dormer

In this issue

June 2024

Boats for Sale

From the Helm

The latest update from Viki

Go East & Pacific Rally 2024

The Rally gets underway!

Citizens of the Sea

Upcoming Events

Boating Etiquette

ask our Pirate panelist your curly questions

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From the helm

Phew what a month! I was having a wonderful time exploring New Caledonia and getting things all set up for the incoming Australian rally boats heading that way. Luckily I had a flight booked out on the day before things really got crazy. The drive to the airport was pretty scary, driving around blazing fires blocking the road to the airport...

I still don’t think I fully appreciated what was about to happen next! The rally yachts had departed Southport Marina on the Gold Coast heading for Noumea, on the Sunday, by Tuesday they were almost half way to New Caledonia, but the situation was rapidly deteriorating

My local contacts and a couple of rally boats who had already arrived were keeping me informed with what was happening on the ground and it didn’t sound great! The airport was closed, the town was on fire, rioters causing havoc, six people dead...!

I fed the information back to the boats on passage and rapidly started making Plan B...

Meanwhile on the other side of the SW Pacific, the NZ departures were off to Minerva Reef, and with a geomagnetical storm creating some incredible skies, the same storm threatened to fry the satellites delivering precious GPS and communications transmissions down to the boats.

The perfect weather window north developed an ugly trough which made life really uncomfortable for the boats on passage bound for Minerva Reef.

` Meanwhile back in New Caledonia, all the officials offices were understandably closed, so I set to work to find out how we could evacuate the boats we already had in New Caledonia out to somewhere safe without the right paperwork. Thanks to the amazing work of Clementine and Alex at Noumea Yacht Services - their help and support of the stricken yachties has been incredible.

We quickly re-routed about half of the rally fleet to Vanuatu - a slightly more challenging heading with the SE trades a bit harder on the nose. Two boats chose to return back to Australia, and the others in need of some rest and repairs chose to make a temporary stop in Noumea.

They’re all in safe now and Vanuatu Tourism and Yachting World Marina in Port Vila hosted the boats for a welcome dinner to celebrate their arrival.

Back in Minerva, the NZ fleet had a surprise visit from the Tongan Navy, who were super friendly, visiting all the boats and checking paperwork and generally catching up with everyone. The boats enjoyed a few days exploring this incredible place and taking a break on the passage.

We’ve already had some amazing acts of kindness between the rally fleet. Giselle managed to deliver a head gasket from Opua to a stricken yacht half way to Minerva, we ’ ve got a new set of batteries on board another boat bound for Tonga. There’s been lots of sharing of tips and ideas, helping each other fix various bits on boats, a very competitive passage cooking competition, socialising pre-departure and at Minerva Reef. It really is a fantastic fun community of awesome people

It also goes to show you really never know what is going to happen on a passage, be it a civil war, COVID, breakages, bad weather, some other kind of natural disaster - you really do need to be well prepared for not only your planned passage but also backup plans B, C, D, E & F too! Having a well prepared boat with plenty of food, fuel and water on board for any unscheduled events along the way is essential.

Most of the NZ fleet have now arrived in either Tonga or Fiji and we ’ ve got some welcome events being held at Nawi Marina and Big Mama’s Yacht Club in Fiji.

We’ve also still got around 20 boats yet to depart NZ, so if you’d like to join in with all the fun there is still time to join us. We are also shortly launching our Sail South and Go West Rallies later on this month too. These rallies are aimed at International Cruisers who’d like to join us on the last leg of the Pacific Rally and get access to all the information and support they need for entering either New Zealand or Australia at the end of the season.

Over the next week or so, I’ll be on board Bella Vita sailing her north to Tonga too. I can’t wait! Thanks so much to my amazing boat partners Richard & Libby for doing all the hard work getting the boat ready while I’ve been tearing around Australia, Opua & New Caledonia getting everyone else away

I’ll hopefully still be in touch with everyone on passage thanks to Starlink meaning I can stay connected from the middle of the ocean. So cool to think that this time last year we weren’t even sure if Starlink would work in the Pacific, and now it is a complete game changer! It will mean that lots of people running businesses or wanting to stay connected with friends & family back home can now get away and still work remotely while they go cruising! Another great reason why you should plan to join us next year! Until next month - happy sailing!

Cheers Viki

Sailors to revolutionise our understanding of Pacific biodiversity

A new conservation charity is empowering sailors to deepen our understanding of biodiversity in the Pacific Ocean using cutting-edge technology.

Citizens of the Sea, a charity recently co-founded by Cawthron Institute (NZ) and New Zealand Geographic, has recruited sailors in the 2024 Pacific Rally to help understand the health and function of the world’s biggest ocean.

Through a partnership with global genomics leader Illumina, samples collected by the sailors will be analysed to provide an unprecedented amount of data about biodiversity in the Pacific, and the impact of climate change.

Erin Bomati, Field Operations Lead for Citizens of the Sea, said that over the next fortnight, 25 boats would depart Opua in the Bay of Islands for a four- to six-month sailing passage through the Pacific Islands.

“We’re empowering Pacific Rally sailors to become citizen scientists by equipping them with digital tools and stateof-the-art devices that enable them to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) data during their voyages,” Bomati said.

“The boats taking part in the Rally will tow Cawthron’s cutting edge ‘TorpeDNA’ sampling devices on offshore passages, collecting eDNA samples at up to 12 knots (22 kilometres per hour).

“We’re running this project in close partnership with leading local scientists and conservation groups in each island.”

The samples will later be analysed using the latest genomic sequencing technology from Illumina. This is a more comprehensive and considerably faster way of assessing biodiversity in marine environments than the physical surveys traditionally used to map and sample species.

CoTS co-founder and publisher of New Zealand Geographic, James Frankham, said collecting physical samples at ocean scale had long been an impossible endeavour for science.

“But understanding this massive ecosystem and the effect it has on our climate and maritime economies is a more urgent priority than ever,” Frankham said.

“To help, the team made sophisticated tools that were easy for sailors to deploy, and separate the tasks of data acquisition and data analysis.”

Cawthron Institute’s Dr Xavier Pochon, Citizens of the Sea’s Founding Scientist, said one of the best ways to survey the world’s oceans at scale is to collect and analyse eDNA data – the traces of biological material that all species leave behind in the environment.

“If we continually collect hundreds of water samples across large geographic scales, we can quickly isolate this eDNA in the laboratory, analyse it, and identify which species are present and how that distribution shifts in space and time due to climate change.

“With over 10,000 boats traversing our oceans at any given time, sailors on board cruisers, racers and commercial vessels represent an enormous untapped resource to help map ocean health. “The Pacific Rally is the starting point for Citizens of the Sea’s vision, but with the support of new partners and funders, we’d like to take this initiative global so that we can provide a new level of data for scientists, conservationists and decision-makers worldwide.”

Evgeny Glazov, Regional Manager at Illumina said as leaders in the development of next-generation sequencing technology, samples can now be analysed very quickly.

“Before the arrival of eDNA and metabarcoding methods, obtaining the same information would have been very laborious and cost-prohibitive,” Glazov said.

“We’re proud to be partnering with Citizens of the Sea, which will help to provide humanity with data to inform decision making about how we protect and manage our precious oceans in the face of a changing climate.

“Water covers 71% of Earth’s surface, yet we hold relatively little data about the biodiversity and health of ocean ecosystems or the impact of climate change.”

The Pacific Rally will commence during the first clear weather window after May 6, with many vessels returning to New Zealand from October 2024. The data they collect will be publicly accessible via www.citizensofthesea.org in late 2024.

Citizens of the Sea

VHF In Niue

‘The Niue Government has recently concluded a project to increase the maritime VHF coverage around the island. In the past coverage has been confined to Alofi Bay on the western side. It now extends around the entire island, out to at least 12 nautical miles. VHF channels 16 (distress and calling), and 11 (working) are available to vessels approaching the island. Telecom Niue operates a 24/7 manned radio watch on these channels from its Alofi office. Call sign is ‘Niue Radio E6A’

Cruising Preparation Online Course Content

Our Comprehensive Offshore Cruising Preparation Course is available online and on demand

The course content is broken down into easy to digest 1 hr sessions, View the course content as often as you wish.

View when it suits you.

Learn at your own pace.

Pause / Rewind at any time.

Contact the course presenters via email or telephone at any time with questions.

Preparing the Vessel

Ship Registration: Guide to ships registry

Category 1: What is ‘Cat 1’and how does it apply to you and your vessel

Safety Gear: Vessel specific – EPIRBS, MOB devices

Rigging: Tips for extended cruising & safety including deck layout, preventers and more.

Sails: Selection, balance, tuning, maintenance, furling systems.

Anchors & Anchoring: How many, types, warps, windlass

Water treatment: Filtration, purification, disinfectant, watermakers.

Vessel Systems: Plumbing, gas, fuel

Battery Systems: Capacity, measuring power consumption, troubleshooting, preventative maintenance and charging systems

Power generation: How much do you need to generate and the pros and cons of various options including wind, solar and mechanical

Electronics: Radios, charting, GPS, Radar, autopilot, AIS, etc.

Steering: Tiller, wheel, wind vanes, autopilots & emergency systems

Diesel Engines: Troubleshooting, spares

Fuel systems: Filters, injectors, avoiding ‘bugs & bad fuel’

Navigation: Basic equipment requirements

Charts: Tables, filing, requirements

Preparing the People

Sea Survival: Coastal and Offshore

Watchkeeping & safety protocols

Safety Gear: Personal EPIRBS and MOB devices, personal AIS

Seasickness: Remedies, management & avoidance

Log Keeping: How to keep a ship log and why plus basic record keeping

To Crew or not to crew: Pros and cons of having crew aboard, where to find crew and your responsibilities.

Sailing to a schedule: A recipe for disaster

Medical Kits and medicines

Money Matters: Credit cards, foreign currency, Power of Attorney

Insurance: Vessel & Travel

Staying Sane: Identifying roles, communicating aboard & sharing small spaces

Offshore Communications

Voice Communication options including Satellite, Radios – VHF/ SSB/ HAM & Radio Schedules

Electronic communications including email at sea: why is it important?

Vessel tracking and position reporting

Computer’s, Tablets, Phones and apps

Weather Forecasting: Coastal & Offshore

Weather information: Sources of weather info, how to interpret and use weather info.

Weather routing for Passage Planning & Passage Management

Personal Health

Preparing and maintaining the Mind & Body

Search and Rescue

How to Contact, Response times, authority & scope of SAR.

Provisioning

What to take, where to put it & what is available when you get where we are going.

Sourcing Products & Services

Where to get great discounts and deals on marine and cruising lifestyle products and services

Cruising Guides & Reference Books: Recommended, pilots, reference manuals, cruising guides

Book Review

It was lovely to hear from Raffaella Marozzini recently and to get an opportunity to read and review her lovely memoir of her sailing adventures.

The story starts when she discovers sailing as a child, which sparks a dream to sail around the world. She sets up her own boat vacation business and meets Giovanni, with whom she decides to make her life's dream come true. They equip their sailboat Obiwan and leave everything behind to set sail. From Greece to Colombia, from Panama to French Polynesia, from Fiji to Australia including joining the Down Under Rally to sail in to Australia.

It is a delightful story that explains the adventures they have, the incredible places they visit, the people they meet and friendships made along the way. I loved it!

After two ocean crossings and several years of sailing, Raffaella remains barefoot, windswept and sunkissed, as she always dreamed of being.

You can purchase the book on Amazon here.

Free webinar: How to identify a marine pest

Learn how to identify some of the marine pests scientists are most worried about in New Zealand’s North Island. Join the Clean Below? Good to Go team for a live webinar at 10am on Thursday 6 June to learn about how to detect pests in marinas, marine farms and natural coastal environments.

The Yacht Sales Co. Wins Rising Dealer in

Asia Award

The Yacht Sales Co. has been recognised at the recent Yacht Style Awards winning the Rising Dealer in Asia award.

The accolade was presented at the prestigious awards in Singapore in April and acknowledged The Yacht Sales Co.’s successful expansion in the region with its new and pre-owned yacht sales.

The company represents many of the world’s leading brands throughout the Asia Pacific region, including Fountaine Pajot, Dufour Yachts, ILIAD Catamarans, Maritimo, Absolute Yachts, Cora Catamarans, NEEL and LEEN Trimarans, and Tesoro Yachts.

The Yacht Sales Co. now has sales centres and representatives in 11 countries throughout the region and is continuing to expand to cater for increasing demand for its premium yachts and outstanding client service.

Managing director Mark Elkington said the award was a great honour for the company and a testament to the hard work of the entire team.

“We are thrilled to be recognised as the Rising Dealer in Asia as we have invested a great deal in the region to offer new and pre-owned yacht buyers and sellers the finest service in the industry,” Mark said.

“As part of our strategic growth in Asia, we have expanded our team of experienced and professional sales consultants, opened new sales centres, and have an exciting plan for further growth and activities,” he said.

The company had an extremely successful Singapore Yacht Show in April with a huge number of visitors to its display and a number of orders taken at the event.

The Yacht Sales Co. has a strong commitment to assisting the positive growth of the Asia marine industry and is a supporter of various regattas and events. www.yachtsalesco.com.

Join Us in Vanuatu!

Boat expressions of interest for 2025 AWBF now open

Embark on a maritime odyssey unlike any other as the Australian Wooden Boat Festival (AWBF) announces the opening of expressions of interest for the prestigious showcase of vessels ashore and afloat at the AWBF 2025. Held 7 - 10 February 2025, this grand event, held in Tasmania, stands as the largest celebration of maritime culture in the Southern Hemisphere.

The AWBF, renowned for its magnitude and cultural significance, transforms the historical Hobart Waterfront into a bustling hub of maritime festivities over four captivating days. Notably, the 2023 edition of the festival witnessed an attendance of 60,000 patrons, while garnering expressions of interest from over 450 wooden boat owners.

The 2025 theme is 'New Zealand and the Pacific Ocean', and the AWBF 2025 aims to shine a spotlight on the rich maritime legacy spanning from Japan to the west coast of the USA, and across the vast expanse of Pacific Islands leading to Australia. Anticipating an international influx of vessel expressions of interest, the organisers have already begun fielding inquiries, with 49% of expressions in 2023 originating from beyond the borders of Tasmania.

Organisers extend an invitation to wooden boat owners of all classifications to submit their expressions of interest by September, as berthing opportunities are limited.

Once again, vessels ashore will be thoughtfully curated across the festival grounds, including within the stunning City Hall, which, following its successful integration in the 2023 program, offers a secure venue for the exhibition of dinghies, kayaks, and sailboats in all their rigging.

The AWBF 2025 promises to be an exceptional gathering of maritime heritage, culture and community. Organisers encourage enthusiasts to seize this opportunity to partake in the celebrations. For further details and registration of expressions of interest, please visit the official website.

The next Australian Wooden Boat Festival will be 7 – 10 February 2025.

For more information please visit the AWBF website – awbf.org.au

The countdown to the Go East & Pacific Rally is on and the Pacific Rally participants will be participating in the Sea Lovers Gin "Why Are You A Sea Lover? Competition"

A reminder that we’d also like to offer special goodies exclusively to crew taking part in the rally. If you use the code ‘PacificRally’ on our website it will be noted on our side that you are a crew member and you receive a free goodie!

1x bottle of gin = A stainless steel reusable straw pack. 3x bottles of gin = A special burgee flag to use during the rally.

The Sea Lovers Gin Burgee for crew members can be used at anchor - fly your burgee flag to show other rally members that you are open for socialising! i.e. when the burgee is flying, other crews are welcome to come aboard for a drink/sundowners Cheers to that!

How To Enter the "Why Are You A Sea Lover? Competition"

Whilst docked for the day, perhaps enjoying a glass of Sea Lovers Gin, we challenge the crew to simply take a snap of what's going on, tagging us @sealoversgin and answering the question "Why Are You A Sea Lover?". The photo or video can be of anything you like - from enjoying sea lovers gin, a snap of big smiles from your crew at the end of a big day or anything you think captures the wonder that is being out at open sea! We'll be keeping a firm eye out on socials we're tagged into on Instagram (entries are valid via Instagram story or Instagram post!), no limits on entries. Enter as many times as you like. The lucky winner will score their boat a branded chilly bin full of exclusive Sea Lovers Gin merch. RRP over $400 NZD. *T&Cs.

GRAND PRIZE INCLUDES:

SLG branded chilly bin

Beach towels

East Imperial Tonic

SLG tote bags

SLG t-shirt

Stainless steel straw sets

Pacific Rally boats enjoy Half price beer for the first drink when visiting Mounu. Have a night ashore! 3 Course fine dining experience dinner, accommodation in beach side fale and yummy breakfast - Special for Cruising yacht group only TOP$380 per person. Contact: mounuislandvavau@gmail.com

HYDROVANE IS BOTH:

A Self Steering Windvane System:

A completely independent mechanical system (ie. non-electrical) that steers the boat on a wind-based course. Easiest to operate, with no lines in the cockpit, and excellent on all points of sail and in all conditions.

It is an Auxiliary Rudder type of windvane system – the Vane drives its own Rudder via a sophisticated Drive Unit linkage.

An Emergency Rudder/ Steering System

Inherently a second Rudder and Steering System for your boat.

It is the strongest Emergency Rudder and Steering System available today. Always in place, nothing to set-up – takes the fear out of losing your rudder or breaking your vessel’s steering mid passage or close to shore.

We are very proud to be a part of the South Pacific Sailing Network - a group of like minded businesses and countries around the South Pacific who are all committed to promoting sustainable yachting tourism and advocating on behalf of cruisers exploring the South Pacific.

Our Pacific rally is the pathway that connects the islands and sailors together

Read more about the aims of the SPSN here.

A Saviour For Mooring Owners and Sailors Alike

Mooringbnb is a new platform designed to allow mooring owners to maximise their earnings while making it easy for sailors to book a mooring from anywhere. It’s the ultimate win-win set to take off this summer.

Mooringbnb for mooring owners

Often,mooringssitunusedforextendedperiodsoftime. Mooringbnb.co.nzmakesiteasytohireyourmooring outwheneveryou’renotusingit.Itworksalongsimilar linestoAirBnB,allowingsailorstosearchforan availablemooring,bookitandpayforitonthespot.

Mooringbnbautomatesalltheadminwork,from marketingtotakingpaymentsandevennotifyingthe harbourmasterwhenthemooringisbeingused.It’sfully customisable,soyoucancontrolitsavailability,and chargewhateverrateyouwish.

Registeringyourmooringcostsnothing,andyouget paidtherateyouset.

It’savailableinNewZealandatthemoment,butissetto expandintoAustraliaandthePacificIslandsin2024.

Formooringowners,it’sauniqueopportunityto generateincomethatrequiresminimaleffort.Itmakes morelocationsavailabletosailors,includingwhenthe weatherturnsbadandtheyneedasafeplacetostayat shortnotice.

Thenumberofmooringsareincreasingmonthlyand sailorsarealreadymakingbookingsforthenextfew months.Withthesummersailingseasononthehorizon, it’stheperfecttimetolistamooringandgenerateextra incomewhileyousailoffelsewhereyourself.

UPDATED CRUISING GUIDE FOR QUEENSLAND

Greg Luck has been a frequent contributor to the Down Under Rally Magazine He has released a new third edition of Cruising the Queensland Coast, his guide for yachts cruising from the Gold Coast to Lizard Island.

While cruising in 2023, Greg was struck by the number of cruisers who had adopted Starlink. The cheapest way to use it is on the Roam plan, designed to work over land. At sea, the very expensive Maritime plan must be used. Starlink “land” includes many islands and some reefs using a hexagonal tiling system. It can be hit and miss as to whether an anchorage or mooring is on “land” or sea for Starlink. New in the 3rd edition, each anchorage and mooring includes a Starlink icon to indicate land or sea.

Along with a print edition, the book comes as an eBook for tablets. However, the big players support a limited number of countries, and usually not the overseas territories of those countries such as Noumea or Tahiti. This has been a problem for some cruisers. The 3rd edition adds Rakuten Kobo, which supports 244 countries and overseas territories with excellent coverage for the Pacific.

The third edition is fully updated with:

•many new public moorings for the Townsville, Discovery and Cassowary coasts and the Whitsundays

•new anchorages, taking the total to 503 anchorages and moorings

•new public pontoons

•updates to the K’Gari Coast for the new Great Sandy Marine Park management plan

•Starlink land versus ocean status for each anchorage, mooring and marina along with the Telstra mobile reception

•digital TV reception strength for each anchorage

•latest marina changes including comprehensive information on super yacht berths and resultant marina berth layout changes

•S63 official Hydrographic chart references for each coast and how to use Australian

Hydrographic charts on apps and chart plotters along with other navigation data sources

•expanded coverage of the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay

•recalculated wave roses for recent Waverider buoy placements such as the Wide Bay Bar

•higher-resolution aerial images and photos in the print version

•numerous other changes and updates

Down Under Rally and Island Cruising members get a 10% discount on the print book and a 20% discount on the Google Play Books eBook. Contact Greg at book@curlewescape.com.au with your member number to get a discount.

The Ultimate SOUTH PACIFIC SAILING ROUTE

TherearesomanyoptionsforInternationalCruiserswhenitcomestocruisingtheSouthPacific.Oftenwesee peoplewhozoomstraightthroughandmissoutonsomeofthebestbits!Ourrecommendation-don’trushand makethemostoftheprevailingwinds.Here’sasuggestedSouthWestPacificitineraryforboatsheadingfrom Panamainthisdirection-Watchthevideoanimationhere

Year 1

March CrossfromPanamatoFrenchPolynesia

April ArriveFrenchPolynesia(unlessyou’vegotalongstayvisaoranEUpassportyou’veonlygot 90daystoexplorethisincredibledestination).

JointhePacificRallyforheapsofinclusionsasyoustartyourpassagewest.

July CookIslands

August SamoaandorNiue

September Vava’u-Tonga-checkouttheBlueWaterCruisersFestival

October Ha’apai,Tongatapu,Minerva,NewZealand

Stop in NZ to escape cyclone season - enjoy tax free repairs on your boat, Or Join the South Island Rally to sail south to explore incredible Fiordland or head home for Christmas.

The Ultimate SOUTH PACIFIC SAILING ROUTE

Year 2

May JointhePacificRallytosailbacktoFijiorbacktoTonga

August Vanuatu-jointherallyeventsthroughoutVanuatu

September NewCaledonia

October BundabergAustraliaontheGoWestRally.

December SydneyHarbourtowatchthestartoftheSydneyHobartRaceandfireworksonNewYears Eve

Australia is another great place to stop for a while with great boat repairs and places to leave the boat while you explore ashore or head home and of course some excellent cruising grounds too!

Year 3

January Tasmania-JointheVDL-CCruise

February CruiseslowlybackuptheEastcoastofAustralia,enjoythestunningWhitsundaysandthen OnwardstoAsiaoralternativelycrosstheTasmanandheadbacktoNewZealandto enjoyexploringwiththeSouthIslandRally

May OrreturntothePacificontheGoEast-PacificRallytorevisittheplacesyoumissedor . enjoyedthefirsttimeround.

October BacktoNewZealandorAustralia-bothgreatplacestoendyourjourneyandsellyourboat. Or carry on doing circles in the Pacific or continuing on around the world!

Love great wine?

Say goodbye to heavy, breakable bottles onboard!

Greenskin Wine presents a premium wine experience in a convenient 750ml soft pouch, ideal for those who want to enjoy fine wine without the hassle of cruising with heavy, bulky, breakable bottles onboard.

With 8 varieties to choose from, they have a superb choice of whites and reds from the worldrenowned Margaret River and Great Southern wine regions of Western Australia. You can pre-order through their website and nominate to have your wine delivered anywhere within Australia for just $4.95 per 6-pack (3 or more cases FREE delivery).

Greenskin Wine pouches hold 750ml but are around half the size and weight of a standard bottle of wine, which will save on weight and loads of fridge and storage space onboard. They are also unbreakable, making them ideal when on the water. And once the joy is over, they fold flat, so you do not have to lug bulky empties with you!

Another fab bonus. If you just want a glass or two, simply squeeze all the air from the pouch and reseal, and your wine will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks, saving on wasted wine and money!

Sip Sustainably

Not only is the wine great quality, but Greenskin Wine pouches take 80% less energy to produce than a glass bottle, and due to their lightweight, compact nature, they take a lot less energy to transport.

The ultimate kicker is that the pouches are 100% recyclable. They even take care of the recycling. Every 6-pack comes with a postage-paid satchel, making it super easy to return your empties via AusPost for recycling.

SPECIAL OFFER - Enhance your sundowners with Greenskin WIne! Greenskin Wine generously offers our Island Cruising & Down Under Members 10% OFF all orders.

Simply visit: https://greenskinwine.com/

Use your member's discount code for use at the checkout to receive 10% OFF each, and every six-pack of Greenskin Wine ordered.

Dear Captain Jack,

BOATING BOATING ETIQUETTE! ETIQUETTE!

Got a question? Ask a Pirate...

I tied my dinghy up in the middle of a jetty the other day only to come back and find someone had moved it!! There was a big boat tied up where I was parked. Can’t I just park my dinghy wherever I like?

Yours Sincerely

K Frog

Ahoy there Mr Frog,

Dinghy docks are public use spaces In many places around the world (where such an idea as a dinghy dock is not a reality), they’re really the docks for working boats. In any case, a dock where you tie up your dinghy is NOT your own private, personal space! As such, it’s a good idea to understand how best use the space

Think about where you are parking, are other boats going to be using this dock too - and for what purpose, can you tie up at one end or on the other side of the dock instead of right in the middle to leave space for bigger boats to come and go?

Leave your engine DOWN Sure, tipping up the engine helps keep growth at a minimum But that propeller is sharp. Most people have inflatable dinghies. Sharp prop + inflated rubber = punctured dinghy and VERY unhappy neighbors. Leave your outboard motor in the water. Leave LOTS of slack in your line/lock. Yes, tying up close to the dock makes it easy for you to get on and off But when you leave slack, it allows for more dinghies to access the space at all Worst of all is when you have a short locking cable fixed to one point on the dock and a tight bow line tied to another point on the dock, effectively taking up parallel parking when it needs to be bow in Tie with a long painter (or lock with a long cable) In some places, you can deploy a stern anchor to help keep our dinghy far away from the dock and stop it drifting underneath There may be times when you have to step onto and over other dinghies to be able to access either the dock or to get back to your own dink. Take care when stepping on other people’s boats. Be mindful of what might be on the bottom of your feet and try not to leave marks

As pirates, we still need to be mindful of how our decisions affect others. Understanding why it’s a good idea to do things like leave your engine down and leave a long painter at a dinghy dock might help with that mindfulness Good luck!

YoursCaptJack

Offshore Marine Medic

Two-dayOffshoreMedicalCoursecustomisedtoprovidestudentswiththebasicsrequiredfor OffshoreCruisingCoursealsocoversahandoveroftheOffshoreMedicalKit(CAT1)andhowto useit.

For Sailors

Thefreedomofbeingabletosailwhereveryou wantisoneofthegreatestthingsabout cruisingthissummer.Youcanfollowweather patternsorcoastlines,meanderyourwaytoa setdestinationorjustfollowyournoseandsee whereyouendup.

Justaslongasyoucanfindamooringora placetoanchor...

ForPeterKershaw,atriparoundtheBayof Islandspiecingtogetheravailablemooringson thefly,postingonFacebookpagesandasking localsforhelp,madehimthinktheremustbea betterway.

Peterdecidedtocreateanonlinebooking platformthattookcareofallthedetailsand madeiteasierforyachtiestoplansailingtrips.

WithMooringbnb,youcanseeavailable mooringsanywhereinNewZealand,andbook themwithoutneedingtogoonshore.It’sa much-neededupgradeofthetraditional bookingsystem,givingsailorscertainty, convenienceandcompliance.

There’snoneedtocheckmooringsizelimitsor notifytheharbourmaster-alltheconditions andlogisticsaretakencareofwithinthe bookingplatform.

With a friendly boating mad team always on hand to offer practical advice, tips, and make product recommendations, we’ve got the answer for you. Our chandlery will ensure you get back out on the water, faster!

For any boating problems, come see the team at All Marine.

Always on hand find that hard-to-find boat part you’ve been searching for – even if it’s not on our shelves – we’re sure to know where to find it. Priding ourselves on stocking our great product range and having fantastic service, shop online or come on down in store and have a yarn. Don’t see what you need? Give us a call, we’ll be happy to help. 09 438 4499 Check out our website here.

NEW ZEALAND

IT’S EASIER THAN YOU MAY HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE……

CRUISING THE SOUTH PACIFICONE SEASON IS NOT ENOUGH

With 8000 miles from Panama to Australia and thousands of unique islands and atolls to visit along the way, one season is simply not enough time to truly explore the South Pacific Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia are destinations in themselves and deserve much more than a fleeting visit.

We strongly advocate spending at least 2 seasons in the South Pacific to really experience all the variety that the region has to offer It’s a long way to come and for many a once in a lifetime opportunity

TAKING A CYCLONE BREAK

Irrespective of how fast or slow your pace, when November approaches most cruisers will be considering their options for the cyclone season. Some cruisers spend the summer in Pacific Islands, but they are playing with the odds as well as enduring the heat and humidity of the wet season.

Many more look forward to a break from the islands for a while, and New Zealand is the logical destination for a cyclone break, especially if you are returning to the Pacific Islands for a second season

AOTEAROA - NEW ZEALAND

As an island nation, New Zealand's maritime traditions are deep rooted - from the earliest Polynesian settlers who migrated across the mighty Pacific, and the Europeans who voyaged from the other side of the world

Dependent on the sea for trade and communications, New Zealanders were forced to build seaworthy, reliable boats and to develop a deep understanding of seamanship No part of New Zealand is far from the coast and, from its thousands of bays and coves, New Zealanders venture forth from an early age in all manner of boats.

Our largest city, Auckland, is known as the 'city of sails' and is the host city for the next America’s Cup Regatta The oftenquoted statistic is that there are more boats per capita in New Zealand than anywhere else in the world In 2014, Auckland had over 135,000 registered boats, or one boat for approximately every 11 of the 1.45 million people living there. Unlike other parts of the world, sailing in New Zealand has never been an elitist pursuit.

Many of New Zealand's top sailors began their careers in

boats

that emerged from hours of devoted labour in garages and backyard sheds

The late Sir Peter Blake, for example, whose sailing successes included the America's Cup, Whitbread Race and Jules Verne trophy, tested his mother's patience and ruined her flower beds by building his first boats in the family garden Boat designer Bruce Farr, whose yachts have won most of the world's top yachting silverware, first produced lightning fast dinghies and skiffs in the family shed

“New Zealand is a wonderful country for sailors. The Bay of Islands Is a world-class cruising area, and many folks never get any further. Whangarei is also a large cruising center, and there are excellent haulout yards “

Jim Corneman – Letters from the South Pacific

THE PASSAGE TO NEW ZEALAND –CORRECTING THE MISINFORMATION

Naturally the voyage from the Pacific Islands to New Zealand is always taken with a bit of trepidation, especially for firsttimers For most cruisers, it is the first time sailing out of the predictable trade winds for many months, these concerns can be exacerbated by a lot of the misinformation that tends to circulate in cruising circles.

A common one that is often heard being repeated is; “to get to New Zealand you have to face the notoriously dangerous Tasman Sea twice”

We would just like to take this opportunity to correct this misinformation by providing some navigational re-education to those that disseminate this

The Tasman Sea is in-fact a section of the southwestern Pacific Ocean, between the south-eastern coast of Australia and Tasmania to the west, and New Zealand on the east Most cruisers heading to the East coast of New Zealand from the Pacific Islands will not encounter the Tasman Sea.

With modern forecasting and a flexible timeframe, the trip from the Pacific Islands to New Zealand and return can be spectacular, with many yachts opting to stop at North Minerva Reef for an incredible mid ocean reef experience

MINERVA REEF - A UNIQUE MID-OCEAN EXPERIENCE EN ROUTE TO NZ

Weather develops in two areas that will affect the passage this time of year One is from the south west; systems form to the east of Australia moving up and across the Tasman Sea The other is from the north west; in the Coral Sea off the north eastern Australian coast where tropical depressions form, possibly growing to cyclones.

Therefore, it is important like with all ocean crossings, to wait for a good weather window before departing on the 1200-mile journey.

MARINE SERVICES – WORLD RENOWNED

New Zealand boasts some of the most creative and dynamic marine industry professionals in the world, our boatbuilders are world renowned and we pride ourselves on using quality products and providing exceptional service

It is a great place for major projects with sailing-oriented marine services of all descriptions available at an affordable price

As international cruisers Customs will be provided with a temporary import permit for your vessel which will also enable you to get many things GST free automatically saving you 15% You don’t have to request a GST refund on departure or prove that your projects were completed less than 60 days before you leave!

CRUISING NEW ZEALAND

The northern part of the North Island is geographically subtropical and the southern part of the South Island is very close to the Southern Ocean and the sub-Antarctic islands. For this reason, New Zealand offers a unique cruising experience contained within only 1000 miles of coastline between the two islands

Coastal cruising is very easy with thousands of excellent sheltered anchorages within a short distance of one another and plenty of very affordable marinas throughout New Zealand

Take the opportunity to do short day hops between anchorages and explore some of our fantastic hiking, safe in the knowledge that our wildlife cannot harm you…… shoes optional!

Our sub-tropical waters also offer excellent swimming, snorkelling and diving with unique marine environments to experience and no need for stinger suits here!

For the New Zealand summer – November though to April –large high-pressure systems tend to dominate the country, giving settled weather with light north-easterlies

INDEPENDENT INFORMATION CHECK OUT THESE LINKS

You don’t have to take our word for it, there is plenty of independent and unbiased information available online from fellow cruisers

Read the following report from cruising family who have recently completed the Tonga to New Zealand passage and had a fantastic stop in Minerva Reef with 11 other cruising yachts:

https://sailingmirabella com/2019/05/12/passage-to-new-zealand/

If we could do it again, how would we do it?

This is a great retrospective article from cruisers who spent 2 seasons in the Pacific:

https://outchasingstars com/2017/11/07/cruising-south-pacific/

North Minerva Reef – A once in a lifetime opportunity for a mid-ocean reef stop:

https://www facebook com/pages/MinervaReefs/139017926117334

For some great information on passage planning to New Zealand, see this informative article on Noonsite

https://www noonsite com/report/passage-planning-from-the-swpacific-to-nz/

Join our Sail South Rally or Pacific Rally in 2024 and enjoy all that New Zealand has to offer!

Ariki is is currently back from the Island Cruising 2023 Pacific Rally and wouldn’t take much to get back to Cat 1 for 2024. If you’re not into cruising she makes an excellent coastal cruiser and cheap live-aboard. She is very roomy!

Check out all the details on Trademe Here https://www.sailingtraveller.com/

For Sale

50' Beneteau - all ready for the rally!

Lagoon 440 In Montenegro

Step aboard this well maintained and well-appointed 2008 Lagoon 420 priced at just €280,000 Currently based in Montenegro, its four cabins will provide ample room for family and friends to join in on unforgettable voyages There is a spacious saloon for indoor gatherings and a massive cockpit which can seat a big crowd The smart (custom-made in 2020) sunshades can be rolled down to fully enclose the cockpit or rolled up to enjoy sundowners or when sailing Custom made Bimini clears were made at the same time from Strata Glass and are still in mint condition

The two three hundred litre capacity water tanks provide loads of water for the three showers and two cockpit showers. With a reliable 120 litre per hour Rainman water maker (120L/hr) powered by a new Honda portable generator 22EU running out of water is never an issue.

This vessel is loaded with extras, including a set of bronze three-blade fixed propellers installed in 2020, 4x230Ah AGM batteries with Victron battery monitor and two of the latest Cristec 12 volt 90 amp chargers installed in 2020 plus a 2,000 watt battery inverter.

Recent upgrades include a Lagoon-designed strengthened bow sprit and a 70 square metre code zero made of Dacron with UV protection on a Selden top-down furler, as well as newly replaced running rigging in 2023. There is a new supercomfortable captain’s seat in the cockpit from which you can view the GPS Raymarine Axiom 12-inch chart plotter installed in 2022 Recent upgrades also include new hull windows in all cabins, new monsoon shower heads, and high clearance taps in all en-suites

Other notable additions include a new three drawer Vitrifrigo 110 litre freezer and new rear deck bar fridge with a 110 litre fridge in the galley There is a top loading 6kg automatic washing machine plumbed in, an air-fryer and most importantly, a fabulous Magna rail mounted BBQ The newest addition to this vessel are two new bow trampolines just installed

Take off for the land in the Gala 310 RIB with custom-made chaps powered by a 2020 6hp four stroke Mariner Safety is paramount with a Spinlock life jacket featuring personal AIS for night watches along with four self-inflating life jackets and Class B AIS wired into the chart plotter showing your position 24/7

There is a built in Onan Generator 17.5KVA which provides more than enough power to run all five reverse cycle air conditioning units with plenty of power to spare. There is no need to tie up to shore power. Anchor in safety with the Rocna 33KG anchor with 110 metres of 10mm short link chain attached to an 1200w beefed up Quick windlass.

The 420 is heavily built comfortable ocean voyager – perfect to bring to New Zealand!

Don't miss your chance to own this excellently kept and well-loved vessel, ready to embark on your next adventure on the open waters. For more information follow this link https://www.ydyachts.com/yacht/lagoon-420/

For more on this vessel’s adventures since 2019 go to https://saltytalesfrombalihai.com/2019/11/28/buying-sunday-on-amonday-a-tuesday-a-wednesday/

For sale - Hydrovane windvane self-steering

New out of the UK 2016, been to the tropics and back to NZ 2018-2023. Was sitting unused over COVID period in Vanuatu from Nov 2019- Sept 2023 during which time it was covered, and the boat was on the hardstand.

The unit was mounted offset on a walk-through transom Beale 33.

It is a very reluctant sale due to ill health and therefore no further offshore sailing for the boat. This extra crew named ‘Albi’ on our 2 handed adventures was our best investment for open water passage making, so simple and totally reliable.

This unit has a ‘stubby’ windvane which suited the backstay set up We also had the autohelm able to be attached to its tiller for motoring

‘Albi’ comes complete with pictured brackets and unit cover plus new spare pins and the original red Hydrovane vane cover which we didn’t use Instead, I made one and kept this as a spare

www hydrovane com are super supportive and will give advice all the way You can also check out www.hydrovane.com/our-product/specifications/ for more details.

$5,500 ono, unit is in Waikawa Marina. This price is for pick up.

Contact: felicityloncar@gmail.com

I have been based in New Zealand for the past 5 years after cruising on and off for 8 years, having sailed the East Coast of Africa, the West and East Coasts of Australia as well as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. My wife and I live on our boat and are still fully involved in the cruising lifestyle. I am a Licensed Immigration Adviser for New Zealand and, as a yachtie, have a particular interest in helping yachties with their immigration issues. Island Cruising NZ Members get a 30% discount

Radix makes delicious meals, ideal for when it's rough or when you need to refuel on the go. Quick, easy, nutritious, delicious. Discounts for Island Cruising members

Click here to order - discount code SAILNZ10

ARE YOU OFFSHORE READY?

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally members receive weekly emails with tips and suggestions on how to go about getting prepared for a long coastal or offshore voyage. There are webinars, videos, templates, downloads, and in person get togethers.

Suitable for boat owners or crew members, experienced sailors or beginners alike

You can start any time, and work through the topics at your own pace. Join in any time. Just NZD$129.00 per year and take advantage of our great sponsors deals too!

Workshop topics include:

Getting organised - a system for storing all the information for your Passage Plan, Safety

Manual, Maintenance log, Important

Documents, Boating Qualifications and more

Your vessel information - a template for collating all the specifications of your boat

The Cat 1 & 2 Regulations

Boat Registration

Reporting Incidents

Insuring your boat

VHF & MMSI

Meteorology - Forecasts

Communication options at Sea

Rig - rules for Cat 1 & 2

Sails for offshore - the Cruising Wardrobe

Fire Safety

Anchoring

Your Maintenance Records

Provisioning

EPIRB's

Your sailing resumé

Navigation

COLREGS

Passage planning

Provisioning

Safety gear

Diesel engine basics

Fuel systems

Servicing winches

Checking your rig

Anchoring tips

Sailing at night

EPIRBs

VHF/AIS

Communications

Man Over Board

Fire

Flooding

Abandon Ship

Preparing a Grab Bag

Meteorology

Tides

Docking

Plumbing

Electrics

Batteries

Charging systems

Keeping healthy

Sail trim & new sails

Boat registration

Taking on crew

Dinghy tips

Fog signals

Biosecurity

Seasickness

Coping in emergencies

Security

Skipper responsibility

Log keeping

Search and Rescue

Steering

Heavy Weather Sailing AND MUCH MORE!

Island Cruising & Down Under Rally

Providing cruisers with support, education & connection

SocialConnection

RunningyachtralliesaroundNewZealandandtheSouthPacific

Organisingsocialevents,activitiesandsocialmedianetworks

Learningaboutandbeingrespectfulofthecultureswevisit

· Promotingpositivesocialimpact,communityengagementand long-lastingconnectionswiththepeoplewemeet

Support

· Beinganinclusive,diverseandsupportivecommunity

· Advocatingforandassistingsailorsinneed

· Adviceonimmigrationclearances&formalities

Yachttrackingandshorecrewsupport

Education

· Assistingsailorstopreparethemselves,theirvessel andcrewforlongcoastaloroffshorevoyages

PromotingSaferBoatinginitiatives

Beingarichpoolofknowledge,supportand resourcesforcruisers

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Collaboration

· SupportingthestrategicdirectionofYachtingNewZealand

· Formingstrongrelationshipswithyachtclubstopromotelongcoastalandoffshoreraces,ralliesandcruisingeventsandactivities

Environmemt

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