First day of winter? and the harbour to myself .. nearly

[John B]

This can be my friday pic post even though its thurs here.
A friend has hauled for a job ( remove old teak deaks)and I get to use their marina berth for a month. Naturally, on a sparkling no wind day one has trouble travelling the 100 metres from the piles to the marina and I hopped across the harbour to see if I could find that boat I've been looking for for Meerkat for two years.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/p030b4bb3110be44c47da6efdce0ff73b/eebb2f77.jpg
a day sailer of some sort, suspiciously wooden looking
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/p5d64403f177faba7e57c7de3deeed4d0/eebb2f7b.jpg

heading across the harbour to Northcote point moorings area
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/pb0ec2110afea0a4d04cc84187b968382/eebb2f7d.jpg

Gale circa 1949 I believe. Interesting boat . A Bailey; designed by the same man who designed mine in 1907. I heard that it was an old design that was simply not built until '49.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/pe33169c4ff6e6e1bb2c774e5f46aac06/eebb2f7f.jpg
She's coming on nicely .. ready for next season no doubt.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/pc9d5e296cd0643f13d0bf5d2bcfea39d/eebb2f36.jpg
quite a few neglected boats there. I don't know the area well so I don't typically go in....
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/p977aa68df8786733e93653449fe51b32/eebb2f34.jpg
a yw diamond.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/pc797b81edfab23f5be89626d27cb525e/eebb2ee9.jpg

[John B]

and then back into the berth next to all those expensive boats...
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/pf3ef7d36687ee61927df3585945a51f9/eebb2ede.jpg

and a quick play around to trial out what I'm trying to accomplish.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid207/p89190d0c47e60655fb6f1db63bd262ec/eebb2ed7.jpg

[Jase]

The green Day sailor is "slyboots" built by Herbert whatsisname out at Kumeu... wood strip and glassed I think.

[John B]

Thats exactly what it was called.

So, whaddaya think?

[Jase]

Looks like you are trying to dodge the marina managers attempt at calling a 41 footer a 50 footer :D cunning little hoary.

[Jase]

Slyboots was apparently designed by the owner.... I saw her sailing up at greenhithe just after she was launched... cute enough little boat.

[John B]

I did call out and ask but they must have a noisy motor.

I'd quite like it to be a couple of feet longer too. That would help satisfy my feelings of inadequacy and shift the c/e a bit forward.

[Jase]

I have tried to speak to them before and they were equally as forthcoming as they were with you...... I saw Tara out sailing last weekend too.... do any of their sails fit? or are they using a hotchpotch??

[John B]

They spent everthing on the boat and had nothing left to finish her off ( sails) so they bought some second hand ones. the main is OK but the jib isn't a fit.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid202/p7392449d2be616b05ec200826e090142/efde9a98.jpg
I came back from that weekend a month or 2 ago and searched for something to give them but the sail I had in mind wasn't there. I must have sold it I suppose.
Got an old staysail or jib for them ?

[Jase]

I gave my only spare jib to a guy refurbing an old E class up at Herald island a month or so back..... I swap the good head sails between 2 boats as it is :)

[bamamick]

Do you think that the rig on the 'Gale' was built for her or was it salvaged? The width of her spreaders is huge for the narrow beam of the boat, or is it an optical thing with the pictures?

It's funny how an old boat man can look at pictures of derelict boats and think, 'hey, that could be a nice looking boat', whereas 99% of humanity can only see something that needs to be broken up. That Diamond hull was probably a thing of beauty at one time. I wonder if it could be again?

Mickey Lake

[martin schulz]

I always forget that when we start having fun you guys start berthing your boats for the winter.

If you are desperate to sail just come over and I fix you up with a proper boat.

[Dan McCosh]

If you stand on your head, it will be spring.

[John B]

I did that Dan , but now everything's gone red.

Martin, its always summer somewhere in the world eh.
Mickey, I've no doubt that YWD could easily be tarted up. IIRC she had a big job done a few years ago and she looks original as far as layout. Usually they get a cabin stuck on them.

[Ocean Spray]

John, what does winter in your part of New Zealand consist of? Could you compare your winter to some part of the U.S. East coast?
I always enjoy your posts and your photos!

[martin schulz]

Martin, its always summer somewhere in the world eh.


Well perhaps I will (sometime) earn enough money to come over to your place in the winter time.

[John B]

Thats kind of you OS.Thanks.

winter here . um.. well today is shorts and t shirt with a sweatshirt to hand but its gone warm for a bit. 17C.We'll get a southerly system which will drag cold air up from antarctic soon and then we'll be generally miserable in about .... 12 down to about say 8C in the middle of winter with the occasional frost on the lawn in the AM.
sort of generally 'not summer'.
Summer we only go about ooooo 25 ish say so you could say we're pretty temperate. Not very extreme as far as climate goes. Quite a lot of rain. some nasty gale and TC systems come down off North Queensland/New Caledonia way periodically typically in summer more. Winter is the season for cruisers to take off for the pacific islands.

Skiing snow available about 4 hours south of Auckland for about 2 or 3 months and much more in the South Island.

[JimD]

Thanks for the story and pics, John and others.:)