Saturday 24th February 2007, Sam, Eve and Ben spent the afternoon clearing out the boat including the swabs and random tanks. At about mid-tide we motored around the sandbar and anchored about 40m off shore. Sam rowed back and forth with the gear while Ben and Eve cleaned and cleared.
Eve plans to recover the swabs and paint the interior wood work white. Ben pulled out the stove and a new galley will be planned. The boat looked to be in great condition. The fibreglass is watertight and any mildew present wiped off with a sponge and water. A small leak was found in the rear storage compartment and will be fixed when antifouling occurs in the coming weeks.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Destination Islington Bay
Thursday 22nd February 2007, Becci, Eve, Ben and Sam all ignored our commitments and went for a sail to Islington Bay, between Rangitoto and Motutapu. We let go of the mooring at 12.10pm and sailed in pretty fluky wind until about 1.30pm when we cranked the outboard for some motor sailing into Islington Bay. We also saw a private ship with a helicopter on the stern. Nice.
We anchored at around 2.30 about half way into Islington Bay and 75m off the east coastline. About 15m of chain and rope was dropped, which was probably way to much but we didn’t seem to drag at all. Eve and Becci were keen to crank some pasta salad and set up a make-shift table out of the main hatch cover. There was a mix of sunshine and light cloud cover, but a nice warm day overall.
Lunch consisted of Eve’s pasta salad followed by a cheese board of Port Cheddar, Blue Brie and budget crackers. Everybody then went overboard for a swim, where we found the bay to be much shallower than expected and also very muddy. A chart would be a good investment. Eve suggested that she take the camera for a swim but couldn’t prove to Sam that she could keep a hand out of the water for more than a few seconds, so no photos were taken. Sam cut his foot on some crap on the seabed and got back on board. He was then taunted until he jumped back in. Ben had made a rope ladder too for only $13.00 but it turned out to still be very difficult to get back on board. We also found another rope ladder with alloy rungs, which came with the boat. Unfortunately, it was better than Ben’s ladder. We will find a use for it soon though. Another cool thing on the day was that we brought Eve’s Mum’s Solar Radio, which we cranked Radio Hauraki from.
Ben and Sam rigged the spinnaker so that it would be ready for a quick hoist and lifted the anchor. The boat started to drift dangerously close to shore and when the outboard was cranked, the painter fowled the prop and stalled the engine. Ben hopped overboard quicksmart and untangled the painter as we headed for shore and jumped aboard just in time to run her aground. Ben, followed by Sam were then back in the water to give the old heave ho, while Becci cranked the outboard full ahead. Simple Image rode off with no trouble at all and Sam and Ben jumped back aboard. All this happened much to quick for the camera to join in.
We departed Islington bay around 5.00pm under sail and tacked our way out for almost an hour. The wind was against us sailing back into Auckland and we managed an average speed of one boat length in 5.2 seconds (2.56 Knots). Under motor and sail we cranked out one boat length in 3.5 seconds (3.81 Knots). Becci took the helm for much of a home stretch until it started to get a bit chilly. Ben manned it out while Sam actioned the high tech wet weather jacket.
We moored around 8.30 and with the boat all ship-shape, headed to shore for Pizzahut.
We anchored at around 2.30 about half way into Islington Bay and 75m off the east coastline. About 15m of chain and rope was dropped, which was probably way to much but we didn’t seem to drag at all. Eve and Becci were keen to crank some pasta salad and set up a make-shift table out of the main hatch cover. There was a mix of sunshine and light cloud cover, but a nice warm day overall.
Lunch consisted of Eve’s pasta salad followed by a cheese board of Port Cheddar, Blue Brie and budget crackers. Everybody then went overboard for a swim, where we found the bay to be much shallower than expected and also very muddy. A chart would be a good investment. Eve suggested that she take the camera for a swim but couldn’t prove to Sam that she could keep a hand out of the water for more than a few seconds, so no photos were taken. Sam cut his foot on some crap on the seabed and got back on board. He was then taunted until he jumped back in. Ben had made a rope ladder too for only $13.00 but it turned out to still be very difficult to get back on board. We also found another rope ladder with alloy rungs, which came with the boat. Unfortunately, it was better than Ben’s ladder. We will find a use for it soon though. Another cool thing on the day was that we brought Eve’s Mum’s Solar Radio, which we cranked Radio Hauraki from.
Ben and Sam rigged the spinnaker so that it would be ready for a quick hoist and lifted the anchor. The boat started to drift dangerously close to shore and when the outboard was cranked, the painter fowled the prop and stalled the engine. Ben hopped overboard quicksmart and untangled the painter as we headed for shore and jumped aboard just in time to run her aground. Ben, followed by Sam were then back in the water to give the old heave ho, while Becci cranked the outboard full ahead. Simple Image rode off with no trouble at all and Sam and Ben jumped back aboard. All this happened much to quick for the camera to join in.
We departed Islington bay around 5.00pm under sail and tacked our way out for almost an hour. The wind was against us sailing back into Auckland and we managed an average speed of one boat length in 5.2 seconds (2.56 Knots). Under motor and sail we cranked out one boat length in 3.5 seconds (3.81 Knots). Becci took the helm for much of a home stretch until it started to get a bit chilly. Ben manned it out while Sam actioned the high tech wet weather jacket.
We moored around 8.30 and with the boat all ship-shape, headed to shore for Pizzahut.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Destination Devonport
On Saturday 17th February 2007, Eve, Ben, Frenchie and Sam set sail at 10.00am for Devonport. The forecast was for 15 knot winds gusting to 25 knots and was a cloud-free, great sailing day. Sam had filled the petrol tank the previous evening from a 10L petrol can so motoring was an option in the event of the wind dying out. We set sail around Passage Rock and proceeded through the Waiheke Channel towards Halfmoon Bay.
We then relaxed and good times were had.
We sailed goosewinged with the wind aft and the sky blue for about two hours before the wind died out close to Browns Island.
With the wind low, Skipper capital SAM made the decision to put the Spinnaker up. Lack of wind and knowledge aside, it still seemed a good idea. After three attempted hoists, there she blew…..long enough for a photo opportunity.
Spinnaker down and stowed, Ben cranked his home made muffins. They were literally awesome. Note here the excessive use of the word crank. This word replaced any verb on the day, except by Eve.
Ben’s muffins only entertained for so long, and were followed by Ben doing questionable things at the bow and Frenchie at the stern. Frenchie finished with the tiller and drank from a dirty old cup like a LADY while Ben spent ages trying to get back on deck.
Sam and Frenchie then decided to cool off with a swim behind the boat. A frayed, old rope was trailed from the stern and disintegrated quickly. Frenchie attempted to get back onboard but failed due to the lack of a ladder. He then tried to get into the dinghy…and failed that too.
With the dinghy fast approaching its demise, Frenchie hanging off the side of the boat and sharks circling, things were looking bleak.
So Ben decided to crank the head for a while, with the rest of the crew retching in disgust. It didn’t seem to want to pump water in or out, so the toilet is off limits until that’s sorted out. A good scraping from below should sort her out. Evacuation to take place from the stern until further notice.
With that out of the way, we climbed back on deck and just missed being crushed by this nasty beast.
No not that one. This one.
It was quite big and dwarfed the wussy Queen Mary 2, which was berthed at Jellicoe Wharf.
The camera was then obviously stowed away because the photos ended, but the good times kept on rolling. We cranked on towards Devonport on a 45 degree reach. Water was splashing onto the gunnels and we lost the steering many a time. We cruised on up to the mooring, cranked the outboard and put down the sails. A stupid 50 footer was circling our mooring. It was called ‘Prowler’ so you get the idea. They almost stole our mooring but we scared them off with our more manly yacht. Turns out they were looking for a friends mooring, which they never found, so we got there just in time. With Ben at the helm, Sam pulled EY015 on board and we were home at last.
We then relaxed and good times were had.
We sailed goosewinged with the wind aft and the sky blue for about two hours before the wind died out close to Browns Island.
With the wind low, Skipper capital SAM made the decision to put the Spinnaker up. Lack of wind and knowledge aside, it still seemed a good idea. After three attempted hoists, there she blew…..long enough for a photo opportunity.
Spinnaker down and stowed, Ben cranked his home made muffins. They were literally awesome. Note here the excessive use of the word crank. This word replaced any verb on the day, except by Eve.
Ben’s muffins only entertained for so long, and were followed by Ben doing questionable things at the bow and Frenchie at the stern. Frenchie finished with the tiller and drank from a dirty old cup like a LADY while Ben spent ages trying to get back on deck.
Sam and Frenchie then decided to cool off with a swim behind the boat. A frayed, old rope was trailed from the stern and disintegrated quickly. Frenchie attempted to get back onboard but failed due to the lack of a ladder. He then tried to get into the dinghy…and failed that too.
With the dinghy fast approaching its demise, Frenchie hanging off the side of the boat and sharks circling, things were looking bleak.
So Ben decided to crank the head for a while, with the rest of the crew retching in disgust. It didn’t seem to want to pump water in or out, so the toilet is off limits until that’s sorted out. A good scraping from below should sort her out. Evacuation to take place from the stern until further notice.
With that out of the way, we climbed back on deck and just missed being crushed by this nasty beast.
No not that one. This one.
It was quite big and dwarfed the wussy Queen Mary 2, which was berthed at Jellicoe Wharf.
The camera was then obviously stowed away because the photos ended, but the good times kept on rolling. We cranked on towards Devonport on a 45 degree reach. Water was splashing onto the gunnels and we lost the steering many a time. We cruised on up to the mooring, cranked the outboard and put down the sails. A stupid 50 footer was circling our mooring. It was called ‘Prowler’ so you get the idea. They almost stole our mooring but we scared them off with our more manly yacht. Turns out they were looking for a friends mooring, which they never found, so we got there just in time. With Ben at the helm, Sam pulled EY015 on board and we were home at last.
New Mooring EY015
Friday 16th February 2007. Devonport mooring EY015 purchased from David Pritchard.
Location: Devonport, Mooring 280 metres south east of Devonport Yacht Club outside line.
Description: Swing - 1 large fly wheel
Last Inspected: 18 August 2005
Licensed for: Length: 9 metres, Draft: 2 metres, Type: keeler.
Buoy rope and buoy replaced 8 February 2007.
Location: Devonport, Mooring 280 metres south east of Devonport Yacht Club outside line.
Description: Swing - 1 large fly wheel
Last Inspected: 18 August 2005
Licensed for: Length: 9 metres, Draft: 2 metres, Type: keeler.
Buoy rope and buoy replaced 8 February 2007.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
One Dollar Boat
On Saturday 3rd February 2007 Ben and I went out for a 10 minute sail with Nick Holford to check Simple Image out and learn the tricks to making her go. We bought her for $1.00 and signed the deal that evening.
She was left moored at Mooring 11 in Otakawhe Bay, Waiheke.
She was left moored at Mooring 11 in Otakawhe Bay, Waiheke.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
