Friday pics: draggin for Mickey

[John B]

We were up at Kawau island on sunday night( got in at midnight from the bay of islands) and next morning we tootled up the harbour at my insistance to look at the dragon moored there. Still don't know its name sorry Mickey , although I have put a call in to ask.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/pa0ed0932fc98e9cb8e64384beda9131a/ec64ef93.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p946791cf47f39a336c48bc2bd6285a7f/ec64ef80.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid217/p24ef63b082af1bdbc25d4742a478c372/ec64eea6.jpg

[bamamick]

And thanks, John. I needed that this morning.

I bet that that anchor thingee on the nose is hell on spinnakers :).

Mickey Lake

[Zane Lewis]

Hey I've got one of those parked across from my lounge window and a "5 Ply" as well. Parua Bay Whangarei Harbour. Took the little Mistral out for a spin with the joung fella this arvo as well.
5 pt's for the first person who knows who designed the 5 Ply.

There's also at least 1 in the Whangarei town basen just now as well.
Cheer's
Zane

[bamamick]

Lovely place. Lovely boat. Makes me feel a little better about the world.

Mickey Lake

[John B]

I have to say, it was a miserable wet windy day.
We rolled our guts out for 4 hours going home LOL.

but its getting better soon!!.Didn't get a call back but my dragon man has been a bit sick so I'm not pressuring him.

[John B]

I got my call back today.Mickey, the boat is a mystery even to the dragon guys here... Apparently many people have asked for information over the years but non forthcoming.
" its an overseas boat" is all we have.

[Paul Pless]

5 pt's for the first person who knows who designed the 5 Ply.
Zane

Crocker, its design number 325, an enlargement of an earlier smaller keel sharpie he designed. The early boat was one of the first boats designed and built for plywood, there was a small class of them for a yachtclub downeast somewhere. Some twenty years later Crocker scaled those drawings up, by a factor of two (?) for his boat 5 Ply, which gave tyhe dimesions of 39'7" x 28' x 11'7" x 6'7". Reputedely it was very fast but did have some weather helm issues. I thought it was still in the Crocker family. So apparently more than one was built?

Five points, huh?! How many points do I need to win?:D

[eleseus]

That is one sexy boat. Great lines and the water looks green and clean. :-)

[Zane Lewis]

Thanks Paul, I know someone whould know. Now I will have to get a picture and remember my image station password.

[bamamick]

Hm. That makes me feel pretty sporty this morning :). I own a 'sexy' boat. lol. Sadly, the vast majority of sailors today would not consider the Dragon as being sexy. Stately would be more the like, but I do appreciate the compliment.

Now I have to go down and try to pull the rudder out of my sexy boat. Didn't think that this was going to be necessary, but to repair the keel split it is something that I have to do. May or may not be a long day, since I have never done this before. I'll let you know how it comes out.

Mickey Lake

[John B]

found another for you, dragon man.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p6f9d71b99b9f0284daa79ea837446aa8/ebe365e3.jpg
even got a name:D
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/pd37bf16b17b5e46338af5dda7807b1ef/ebe365de.jpg
she's up at Sandspit yacht club haul out yard at um,
sandspit.

[bamamick]

Things have been pretty slow around here lately, as work seems to be catching up with me and boat projects are on hold.

I did get the rudder out of the Dragon, but the friend who repairs the boat hasn't begun the work yet. Shouldn't take but about two days. I did get and e-mail from Finland that my new kite should ship this week. Once I get it all put back together it'll be time for practice for the spring and summer season.

I did get out in the Finn this week with two other guys. I am getting more comfortable in the boat all the time. I used to be a lot more tentative than I am now. I am not sure what to do about the Finn. Next year when I get my new(er) Dragon I probably should just sell the Finn and concentrate on the Dragons, since the Stars seem pretty much dead right now (around here). I am the Dragon guy, after all. But I don't want to sell my Finn and won't unless I just need an extra $4K for something. It is a lot easier to give something up than it is to regain it, and I like sailing the Finn.

The Dragon business is kind of slow in North America right now, but it'll pick up. It usually does.

Mickey Lake