tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298387522024-03-14T08:19:22.746+11:00Sailor Harry on MaluaThe blog of HarryWS and my yacht Malua. We sailed Australia, the Pacific, Europe, Caribbean and USA. I built Malua in Canberra then cruised the Pacific through New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu during 2004. Malua was in the Mediterranean in 2007 at the start of a cruise westwards round the world. After a trip up the French canals we crossed the Atlantic, cruised the Caribbean including Cuba. From the east coast of USA through the Panama canal to Galapagos then the wide Pacific to Australia.Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.comBlogger266125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-10850091715449766782024-01-08T13:11:00.001+11:002024-01-08T13:11:41.103+11:00Two Hulls not one<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Tomorrow I climb aboard the big bird to fly to fly to Cebu in the Philippines to assist a very good friend bring a Lagoon 420 catamaran - yes two hulls, to Australia.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jim purchased this vessel his last was a trimaran (will the next have only one hull) in the Philippines at a very reasonable price. The sales material looked good so he and his partner flew to Cebu to inspect the vessel. A survey indicated it would make it to Australia - with a little work so Jim purchased it thinking he would sail it to Australian within the month. He invited me to accompany him but I put my foot down and said I wanted to have our usual family Christmas at Malua Bay so he delayed the voyage until January 2024.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here is what it looks like.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LEkj8cviLaH_7VVjeG2cknvC8parmz1vUCPPt0UVowlWe9wu5-SQtthqlugy7pttLY1OsbxqAJzwcpEReMxohWKxrA6hnN2iZFFTYikTcKAhWF4ta6w8ZeF2SX3ZcKeyXzSyzHapOd2TIZ1bNWqbhg_OLGO0v9Xs76Wx4onCQJIRYQl9oO__/s192/DroneundermotorCropped.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="147" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LEkj8cviLaH_7VVjeG2cknvC8parmz1vUCPPt0UVowlWe9wu5-SQtthqlugy7pttLY1OsbxqAJzwcpEReMxohWKxrA6hnN2iZFFTYikTcKAhWF4ta6w8ZeF2SX3ZcKeyXzSyzHapOd2TIZ1bNWqbhg_OLGO0v9Xs76Wx4onCQJIRYQl9oO__/s1600/DroneundermotorCropped.jpeg" width="147" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I will post a blog at www.seadragon2.blogspot.com <a href="https://seadragon2.blogspot.com/2023/12/">Blog</a> so you can follow our passage.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our route is <a href="https://seadragon2.blogspot.com/2023/12/" target="_blank">Route</a></span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-76838776736440672572023-11-19T12:53:00.001+11:002024-01-08T12:58:46.201+11:00The final sprint home<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmBID5YlUg-zyc6ZRIK7BnBFZCXR3l8bHzYDfVsSANCqb1LTNgjqYWZp9xY0yFzYhk_hzcKzYM2SssaIZNxuEGiRabYXkmmraGB2gt5DSfh8C012wPbDVadgZ7-SX65QL5xijVtVNE6C8ARDRj9UVmYnbqBGUGKfxdXaJrmhyvTZiICVarWHw/s4032/Malua2Reefs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRmBID5YlUg-zyc6ZRIK7BnBFZCXR3l8bHzYDfVsSANCqb1LTNgjqYWZp9xY0yFzYhk_hzcKzYM2SssaIZNxuEGiRabYXkmmraGB2gt5DSfh8C012wPbDVadgZ7-SX65QL5xijVtVNE6C8ARDRj9UVmYnbqBGUGKfxdXaJrmhyvTZiICVarWHw/w181-h241/Malua2Reefs.jpg" width="181" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This sprint to the finish I have sailed more than 25 times so I knew my way home but did I know the weather and what was waiting on the route?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The weather forecast showed that a good NE wind would be blowing on the Saturday and reach 25 to 30 knots during the nights but it was with me and the current was also in my favour. The speed to beat was 9.5 over the ground set off Port Stephens in the last leg and I knew I would easily do this on this leg.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now this is 160 nm at about 6 knots that would take a day and a half at most. I moved from the Fish Market and sailed over to Middle Harbour and picked up a mooring right along the shoreline. The local yacht club was having a sponsors race so it was filled with yachts and very smart crew not sitting on the rail but holding a glass of the local bubble stuff or on some real champagne.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had prepared a few nights meals and tucked into one as the sun set. Again I set the alarm for before dawn and when it went off I was off and running with one reef in the main and a poled out genoa.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I soon cleared the heads and set a course past Port Botany and directly to the Sir John Banks banks to the north of Jervis Bay. Now my normal course going north is inside the banks and under normal conditions I would go 5 nm out to sea from the banks to get round the very rough conditions associated with the great East Australian current hitting the shallow banks which come up from 120 m to less than 12 meters. You can imaging the turbulence as this stream of water flowing from 2 to 4 knots hits the shallow water of rocks.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have passed this point many times before and in many wind conditions but this time was an a different experience. The wind had increased and the waves while not ocean swells size were quite big but nothing Malua’s autopilot could not handle but the confused seas were something else to behold. They seem to come from every direction. Breaking over the bow, stern and even jumping on board from the port side. A tug steaming north call on the radio a similar company tug seaming south to have a chat then asked why he was so close to the banks and he should turn more out to sea. I was tracking him on the AIS all the way down the coast and immediately after the communication he turned and headed out to sea for calmer waters. I staid my course.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was committed so I continued knowing Malua was on a roll and I had beaten the top speed record when I reached 10.8 knots SOG. Decision again. Should I continue and reach Bermagui during the night because now at 5:30pm I would arrive at dawn or even predawn and I would have to wait till the sun was up to enter the Bermi river mouth with a raging NE wind and swell. I, as always, took the prudent decision and jibes at the entrance to Jervis Bay in the lee of Point Perpendicular and steamed into 25 knots of wind to the northern shore of the bay at Long Beach to take a break. I arrived after dark to find a catamaran with all lights on and a much smaller sailing vessel anchored near the shore. I have thrown the pick in this area before so I knew that one had to drag the anchor in because it often got fouled on sea grass. With the strong wind and a depth of 10 meter I let out the normal 40 meter and started to pull back on the anchor but it kept coming. So up anchor and I immediately noticed the SQR had speared a cockle shell right at the tip so it would not hold. Up to the bow with the hammer to release the shell and start again. Down went the chain and I pulled back. The SQR and 50 m of chain held and I set the anchor alarm and proceeded to get Malua ready for the next leg of the journey.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Alarm went off at dawn – no point in early start as I only had about 80 nm to run to Bermagui. I checked the latest weather forecast and BOM indicated that the wind would reach 35 knots along the Batemans and Eden coast. The temptation was to wait and see what the next day would bring. On this occasion prudence did not make a planning decision but when I set sail I did put two reefs in the main and furled the genoa on a pole well before I exited the calm but windy Jervis Bay.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I flew out of the Bay and headed for a straight line for Montague knowing I would be about 10 nm off shore and well in the southern flowing current and the ocean swells that accompanied two days of strong wind. Little did I know what the ocean had in store for me off Batemans Bay and further south.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had kept the boom on the starboard side as the wind was from the NE but as I sailed further south the distance from the coast got more and more as I tried to not have to jibe in the current conditions. Malua was handling the swell and wind well although it was obvious that I had too much sail up and I was about to do a jibe. I prepared to jibe by undoing the preventer and moving it to the port side then started to pull the main in via the electric sheet winch. At the critical point I turned the auto pilot to turn to starboard and the wind got behind the sail and it came over – not with the bang I expected but with a genital flop. Out went the sheet, correct the course and connect the preventer and we were off and running again but this time the waves had built to 4 or 5 meters . I know it is difficult to estimate the height of the sea as one faces down a water slope with the horizon almost completely covered in spray but on this occasion I knew the sea was big as a crest rolled down the hill and right into Malua’s cockpit. No water down below (washboards in) but it wet my granny seat!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The autopilot alarm went off as I sat in the captain chair and watched the dials and wind speed indicator. On the second occasion even with two reefs in the main and no sail for of the mast I knew we were over-canvased. What to do with only 40 nm to go to Bermagui. So I stepped into the cockpit and took control of Malua as we surfed down the face of the waves and swell. I have not done this oftem and had not realised the effort it takes to keep a long keeled boat on trach with too much sail up. Malua wanted to round up into the wind as we reached the botton of the swell so one has to anticipate what will happen. With all my effort on the large wheel I lent on the spokes and kept the bow on course and down the waves. This continues for a while and then the wind started to ease and the autopilot took over. We settled down for the final straight to the finish but there was more to come.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What to do was the decision to be made. Continue to head for Bermagui and a potentially dangerous bar entrance with seas breaking over the entrance or slow down and wait for either the wind to drop or sail on to Eden. Now I am a great supporter of technology but my confidence in NSW Maritime is very very low so when I fired up the computer and switched to the NSW Maritime Bar camera for Bermagui and saw a small swell with about 17 knots of wind I thought they must be playing yesterdays video. I stuck my head outside and yes the wind indicator showed 35 knots of wind and the sea and swell big SO what was going on. I again checked the Windy app at a more detailed resolution and saw that there was a patch of calm wind along the coast which I had never seen before. What is going on?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I set a course close to Montague so that I could drop the main in the lee of the island but as I approached the island the wind started to drop from 35 knots to 20 knots and then in the 15 knot range. The Maritime bar camera could be right. I phoned a friend. “Can you tell me what the Bermagui bar is like?” Sorry I am 20 km away. My second lifeline did not answer so I thought maybe windy app was right. there is a pressure difference along the coast as a system moves north. Take a chance and go for it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">About one mile off the entrance I turned up wind into 12 knots of wind and a moderate sea and swell and took the main down, furled the genoa and staysail and put in the washboards again to cross the bar. I have a course I use which takes a curve towards the beach then moves west of the leads and come in as close to the western break-wall as I feel safe. I adjust my speed to try to time a lull in the swell. I saw my chance and increased the engine revs and held the wheel with both hands as I aimed for my entry course. As I passed the headland I looked up and saw a few people standing watching me enter. Peter S holding his camera. The below photos is thanks to Peter. One of the most dramatic shots of Malua that has been taken.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I entered the harbour, lowered the fenders and made sure all the prepared docking lines where ready and headed for my berth. A group of friends: Jim, Keith and Peter were ready to take my lines as Malua nosed into her berth. We were home. The whole trip had been a sailing success with nothing on the boat breaking. A great result. Malua had lived up to the reputation of the great thoroughbred horse from Tasmania.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01iniSNZgWPCYYYoxWs-nTa3z3PVyFZuwQU3Z2AIFmHagu6wzye2w9DRtaZ4gWURqOkoga3RKY3mYs3HqUvezKVhMS5TqF6k1cQMGACgpAhcHHLqSaKw7OJUXmz2KZbIRMAwuwdVILN95b3IfH77NDYx4-uGa3BC0Y8kzzUGW9oYgURUqPtga/s1424/MaluaEnteringBermi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1424" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01iniSNZgWPCYYYoxWs-nTa3z3PVyFZuwQU3Z2AIFmHagu6wzye2w9DRtaZ4gWURqOkoga3RKY3mYs3HqUvezKVhMS5TqF6k1cQMGACgpAhcHHLqSaKw7OJUXmz2KZbIRMAwuwdVILN95b3IfH77NDYx4-uGa3BC0Y8kzzUGW9oYgURUqPtga/s320/MaluaEnteringBermi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-78374022025829803342023-11-08T12:44:00.001+11:002024-01-08T12:52:20.538+11:00Malua the Thoroughbred<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ae0mS0vWnomG2O9Uj0R1Kk1RXqR1Tj-BmJ9m16ZDnzmHUTFaEivUuXFwTiPVnvVl_C429TCKwvooDztmDZCFtE5UvpQSrVPQYQY0258YNyNDIIWms-4LoEN8muZLJfB_7wGkgeGMILB_dvVkvVk740nA2HPsG8iH1SujT81ADES7AY2Mkxf2/s440/MaluaThe%20Horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="440" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ae0mS0vWnomG2O9Uj0R1Kk1RXqR1Tj-BmJ9m16ZDnzmHUTFaEivUuXFwTiPVnvVl_C429TCKwvooDztmDZCFtE5UvpQSrVPQYQY0258YNyNDIIWms-4LoEN8muZLJfB_7wGkgeGMILB_dvVkvVk740nA2HPsG8iH1SujT81ADES7AY2Mkxf2/w214-h144/MaluaThe%20Horse.jpg" width="214" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Malua, as you may well know, is a famous Australian horse born in Tasmania. The horse Malua was the most versatile Australian thoroughbred racehorse in history. Malua won over distances ranging from 5+1⁄2 furlongs to 3+1⁄4 miles (1,100 – 5,200 metres). The term "Malua's track" was coined to name that portion of the Flemington Racecourse where he showed excellence and speed.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 1884 he won the Melbourne cup. Carrying 9 st 9 lb (61 kg; 135 lb) In 1888 he was switched to jumping, not so unusual in those days and he won the VRC Grand National Hurdle. He then had a very successful stud career.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Malua was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2003. In the suburb of Ormond in Melbourne, there is a street named after the great horse (Malua Street). A memorial to Malua was erected and opened in October 2009 in the Deloraine Museum, in the town where he was born.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With that pedigree front of mind, I set off from Bundaberg on my way home to Bermagui. To say Malua had the bit between it's teeth would be an understatement as we flew south with the wind behind us.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I left Bundaberg at about 4:30 am to try to make the tide at narrows in the north of great Sandy Strait to the south of Fraser Island. Eye Candy also left Bundaberg early and was in hot pursuit but fail to catch me as I entered the shallows at Sheridan Flats just one hour after the top of the tide.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had my track going north as a guide and tried to follow that as best as I could but turned to port when I should have turned to starboard and nearly went aground. When through the shallow it was on with a race towards the entrance at the wide bay bar. I had to stop for the night to wait for the next mornings tide. The following morning the high tide was at 1300 with the tide rising or flowing into the great sandy straits. Not the best scenario for a quick exit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I arrived at the sea entrance of the wide bay bar near Tin Can Bay at about noon and immediately hit the incoming stream full on. My speed dropped to 2.5 knots and Malua battled against the wind and short chop. It was a battle to make headway to the virtual way-points some miles out to sea but still behind the bar. The wind at about 20 knots at this time was almost on the nose, the swell small but short so Malua took every hurdle in her stride as we made our way towards the finishing line of the bar.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On reaching the bar we turned to starboard and up came the main as we started to lengthen the stride for the next finish at the Gold Coast Seaway entrance. That was about 135 nm or 24 hours at 6 knots.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The sun set but no moon rose as we continued south. The wind started to head south so by 2:00 am it was a full on beat into very confused sea and many large vessels wanting to come inside me (shoreside) as I raced south. About 3 hour before dawn the wind and rain started – not a light rain but a full-on down pour which reduced my visibility to a few miles.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was now abeam of Brisbane with large ships entering and exiting the seaway and five trawlers steaming north. With all their lights on it is easy to sea them but one can not make out their steaming lights (Red and Green) so you don't know in which direction they are travelling. They do not have any AIS signal and don't listen on VHF Channel 16 so there is no response to calling them. It is just get out of their way.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was keeping a good watch but out of no where a well lit trawler appears not 100 m from my port bow. I turned the wheel and held my breath expecting to catch the keel on the net towed behind but thankfully Malua continued to race south averting that fence and off to the finish line. Here the tide was in my favour but the sea was very confused as it crossed the shallows of the Seaway entrance. I made it through and turned to port towards the Seaworld anchorage. Bums Bay I understand, but I dropped the anchor attached to a nice shiny galvanised chain in sand with about 4 m of depth under the keel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">After stowing the sails in the cover and clearing up it was time for a shower and a well deserved beer. Food then off to bed….</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">No need to go ashore and re-provision, I just had to wait for the right from the north to sail south. This leg would be the longest but easy if the wind was from behind and the current running south.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I did not have to wait long for the right weather forecast for this leg to sail to the next resting stage which was 400 nm away – that is almost 3 days at 6 knots.</span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-16073299367753326672023-10-26T13:21:00.001+11:002024-01-01T17:55:47.186+11:00Winter is here and I sailed north<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> When the temperature in Canberra get to -6 C Yes minus six then it is time to get on Malua and sail north to warmer waters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That is exactly what I did but the wind Gods had not got the change of seasons right so the wind continued to blow from the north. The direction I wanted to go. This delayed the trip by some weeks while I spent a lot of time looking at the weather forecast. On the days that I was able to sail north I made the best of the wind and made miles north.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Denny arrived at Mackay via the big bird and we set off for points north</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kkWqHKe6n1XR47dusvIDpeq2xRTep67lyKN0NZjAGvgNJ9MtID-C7UDOWAq_wI86xlyWRewxJkq_teMfRSzPz9l2IaOzrOnmOeKcvrmirrJoLKq8HczvwCUy8jIqCuZh1wCoMN595FCIJuDmvDC2Uduvuw-TwSdMu61tmyo__t8KAOOW-Uvp/s4032/Denny%20arriving%20Mackay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kkWqHKe6n1XR47dusvIDpeq2xRTep67lyKN0NZjAGvgNJ9MtID-C7UDOWAq_wI86xlyWRewxJkq_teMfRSzPz9l2IaOzrOnmOeKcvrmirrJoLKq8HczvwCUy8jIqCuZh1wCoMN595FCIJuDmvDC2Uduvuw-TwSdMu61tmyo__t8KAOOW-Uvp/w145-h193/Denny%20arriving%20Mackay.jpg" width="145" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our first stop was at Brampton Island which we had flow into in 1972 with 8 other Armidale friends during our flying circuit of Australia. We walked on the airstrip and visited the now closed resort. The resort was hit by the tropical cyclone a few years ago and the sand and water came right up into the bedrooms. The furniture has been removed but the sand still remains. The current owners can not get planning permission to rebuild because of all the regulations.</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52C4MCh3kU5QcgqaPiGjn_DL9XQVVxt-RFzZdGDB8kw_zBXYmgiXqye-A7X2Wrfhk5FC6RnPj6DFBq2DA11KJh2vYnes9fJ4Bl7euBcQFBIaT4MYfO6QL4-ziGmP8uWHwizzWCrwI4xKcfQzROs9qht6N-C1wxboSA51acNAYaKKs7PIupHqE/s4128/20230916_101538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52C4MCh3kU5QcgqaPiGjn_DL9XQVVxt-RFzZdGDB8kw_zBXYmgiXqye-A7X2Wrfhk5FC6RnPj6DFBq2DA11KJh2vYnes9fJ4Bl7euBcQFBIaT4MYfO6QL4-ziGmP8uWHwizzWCrwI4xKcfQzROs9qht6N-C1wxboSA51acNAYaKKs7PIupHqE/w149-h199/20230916_101538.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We left Brampton and day sailed along the island chain towards Airlie Beach because it was obvious that the RIB I had so carefully restored was coming apart and filling with water. Furthermore the two outboard engines - one two stoke the other four stoke objected at being associated with the sinking RIB and refused to start or restart when we were on the beach. They came very close to joining the previous outboards in Dave Jones Locker but saved themselves for the time being.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Airlie Beach I purchased a new 4 stroke 8HP Yamaha outboard and had it delivered to the wharf but I could not collect it because of the RIB was not totally coming apart. Next was the purchase of a RIB. Now I have to admit I made a significant mistake in my choice of supplier. Marine.co The MD assured me it would be in Airlie Beach within in 7 days. Three weeks later after a great effort tracking it down It was delivered to my nominated address BUT the sender had not put my name on the unit so I had to go to great lengths trying to convince the owner of the yard that it was for me. The suppler had by now taken off with my funds and washed his hand so was not answering his phone.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6hcLVFz8V6Ef7b0exb_cE5DrUAnLIYEKaQqVLLsCJmg1dR77dEGHJVhyphenhyphenfHluAGh62d5j91oJ9TcghYkQ2sLQ03ambmg9r1YWzS52fEEfpsOWrqwaeWP4q98sxAyTtV5Nc3vH0Ujn389JIGoSPn7cIqnkwXLizWG3_AdUpaMJwzA6QmdMnywW/s4032/PXL_20231005_044751901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6hcLVFz8V6Ef7b0exb_cE5DrUAnLIYEKaQqVLLsCJmg1dR77dEGHJVhyphenhyphenfHluAGh62d5j91oJ9TcghYkQ2sLQ03ambmg9r1YWzS52fEEfpsOWrqwaeWP4q98sxAyTtV5Nc3vH0Ujn389JIGoSPn7cIqnkwXLizWG3_AdUpaMJwzA6QmdMnywW/w192-h144/PXL_20231005_044751901.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">OK Have outboard and inflatable RIB so we can now visit the islands and enjoy the "Best cruising grounds in the world" Oh no they are not. Crowded with charter catamarans with people who think that it is a large RV and no seamanship knowledge. The moorings are in the best places so a normal vessel has to anchor outside in the deep water.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The wind blew and it rained for almost 3 weeks as we tried to put on a brave face and enjoy the sunny tropical paradise of Queensland. In the end Denny decided rightly so she would return to the warmth of our Canberra house and flew out on the big bird (Jetstar) after a significant delay back to Canberra.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I the set off for Bundaberg to haul Malua and get the 100 m of Australian chain galvinized. The haul-out went well with a 3 coats of anti-foul and a top side polish I was back in the water in 3 days but no chain. The local Chandler had stuffed up the delivery of the chain and it would only be delivered the next week so I was left in the water no marina berth and no chain to attach my anchor to so I could anchor in the river.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJuyoVPgw6aZsNqYn3mpwqQ2emmffdj2Cfk3bNp_UoUg26xid-twfJqp2gToCpfB5afDrKL4epX8c3FgmnoPS77MMEeIZlbjDUAXYU5qL5gEBHjAfF9p9IxjdfCeQqdBRyC2f9fT-73CvTAP9pEIXmfScQWBKRY-6O1RNntqI6ufZHwvgIpoh/s4128/20231027_085824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJuyoVPgw6aZsNqYn3mpwqQ2emmffdj2Cfk3bNp_UoUg26xid-twfJqp2gToCpfB5afDrKL4epX8c3FgmnoPS77MMEeIZlbjDUAXYU5qL5gEBHjAfF9p9IxjdfCeQqdBRyC2f9fT-73CvTAP9pEIXmfScQWBKRY-6O1RNntqI6ufZHwvgIpoh/w178-h134/20231027_085824.jpg" width="178" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I took my 28mm nylon rode and attached it to my very best 35kg Brunzel anchor. It lasted the first night but then at dawn on the second the wind had come up to 20 knots the tide was running in and the anchor alarm went off. I was drifting up river with the current and the anchor was dragging through the mud. At some point the anchor got round the keel and the full force of the water was side on to Malua as the rode strained against the sharp edge of the keel. I did not start the engine expecting the nylon rode to get round the prop so I sat and waited for the tide to turn. I did not wait long and bang the nylon snapped</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and I drifted towards the river bank. I haul in the the short line and motor up river to potentially the calm of the river at Bundaberg city.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have three other anchors on board but no chain so what was I going to do? The Danforth was the best option for the mud but after a few minute it too started to drag. I picked up someones mooring and set the Danforth over the stern with some dive weights to keep the rode along the bottom. This held while for the next few days I worked out how to get my chain from the factory to the boat.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I selected a wharf and asked the owner if I could come alongside at high tide to load the chain which he kindly agreed. Now to get the chain from the factory. As we say in Australia the chandelier came good and delivered the chain to the wharf. I loaded the chain and attached my big SQR and Malua was again fit for the sea.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftFfc6Qe3UzDmHs02PZhv-A4gif7DRK4lUKZlLcVq_Ashu4RPIrSTPKkrAvJODAmKLJ_IWv5RXJhYhhX72_4un0SHP5pukCO9w0EIxHsyW9RDZldn14-wM-ETII_aqAeEHvQbleic8peqRcVs14cVnrzCSo0K1VrsdEgG5g9VjDVvIFfnL7Za/s4032/PXL_20231030_210039610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftFfc6Qe3UzDmHs02PZhv-A4gif7DRK4lUKZlLcVq_Ashu4RPIrSTPKkrAvJODAmKLJ_IWv5RXJhYhhX72_4un0SHP5pukCO9w0EIxHsyW9RDZldn14-wM-ETII_aqAeEHvQbleic8peqRcVs14cVnrzCSo0K1VrsdEgG5g9VjDVvIFfnL7Za/w199-h149/PXL_20231030_210039610.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now the trip home. That will have to wait for another day.</span></p></div>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-45924547667032766582023-06-10T12:36:00.001+10:002024-01-08T12:42:53.753+11:00 Preparations<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD75xcs1Fc8uRe_wBJhvOyM-SGFRoqKgA6CXJmKG0UqzbPMwOBkWteLGolvYIU-sND8BiXbxEdZKYf1zr2a5WN_z3vwWN_FyVIhJZrlOvv-1Hy1PHX5dZuXdSRRvTEXivAofvhsswiKONvzCQIiWKAqLXP498pHSbBJrlJp73bdBG83aRJCOBG/s4032/HarryTopof%20Mast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD75xcs1Fc8uRe_wBJhvOyM-SGFRoqKgA6CXJmKG0UqzbPMwOBkWteLGolvYIU-sND8BiXbxEdZKYf1zr2a5WN_z3vwWN_FyVIhJZrlOvv-1Hy1PHX5dZuXdSRRvTEXivAofvhsswiKONvzCQIiWKAqLXP498pHSbBJrlJp73bdBG83aRJCOBG/w143-h191/HarryTopof%20Mast.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Somehow COVID changed the settings on adventure and journeys because when I thought about sailing north to Queensland during the winter in New South Wales I found the Malua needed a few extra things and some testing to make sure that she was ship shape like Bristol.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first obvious one was the wind indicator. The years spinning at the top of the mast in rain, shine and in some cases snow, the unit was giving intermittent readings. It would work for weeks on end then stop. So I had to reset the relay and hope it would come up and give me the vital piece of information - the wind strength. I had been up and down the mast so many times I lost count so in the end I took it down, collected the wind digital display and installed it on my workbench at home along with a 12 volt fan to turn the cups. The instrument after a good overhaul work perfectly on the bench in Canberra. OK so it it did not work when installed at the mast head then it must be the cable from the top of the mast to the navigation station. I tested that and found that all wires were good BUT when I connected the wind instrument it did not register even a breath of wind.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Simrad had long discontinued the top of the mast wind indicator and moved to the more modern NMEA 2000 so that avenue was closed off – even the second hand market gave no results. The search was on for a unit which would interface to my instruments and the chartplotter without a full time conversation unit. I found one at Digital Yachts which according to the specifications met all my need. I looked to source the unit in Australia and found CJ Smith, a chandler in Melbourne according to their web site had one in stock and ready to ship the next day to arrive If I paid a little extra within 5 days. Out with the cc and purchased the unit. Wait, wait, then phone calls. “Where is my unit?” I will get back to you…. Sorry it is not in stock, we have your money but will not refund it but it will be shipped to you next week. Wait, wait. “Where is my unit?” Sorry there has been a mix up and we are expecting it in a few weeks. “What? Cancel the order and refund my money.” Sorry we cant do that at this stage because we have ordered it via the agent here in Australia from the UK. “Why did your website say it was in stock?” That is only and indicative position…..</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I will not bore you with the details because we have all gone through this before where Australian chandlers say they have the goods but in fact they are just an indent agent ordering from the over seas supplier. If you had cone to the original manufacturer you may have got the unit within a week. So how long did CJ Smith take to deliver the wind instrument? One month? Two months? No there is more... They took more than three months to deliver the unit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thankfully when the unit arrived I tried it on the workbench and it worked and then off to Malua to install it at the mast head. A local live-aboard helped push the electric winch to pull me to the top of the mast and scoffed all my chocolate biscuits as he waited for me to come down. Thanks mate “You own me big time” Oh yes why? My time. But that is another story.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The unit fitted as per specifications and worked first time I connected it to the network, display instruments and to my Raspberry Pi and was able to display wind reading on all units. I was happy and ready to set sail.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You may ask why it took me so long to prepare to sail to Queensland that is just one example. There are others but finally Malua was ready and a weather window opened along with a full moon and Malua set off north. I had Jim G on board for the three day trip to the Gold Coast.</span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-30762065810508513842022-03-27T16:56:00.129+11:002023-04-08T07:57:07.771+10:00Cruising the Lakes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDkWIrT_GJ4gSdljfylevQ7OM4IiU2rgEeeIF3V-Ej7W651gkL-alIO_ztXKbjgv4U1bhQUc1cLQ_h8MBmzf7_8dVIAdxhl-bas4paPjVO0_ZSpJ1IEtI0i0auxHWP8t0JaWW_zSRHk8CDOJRrWQRlwknUGkTAyTvyEGMTvT__Y4pGqUB7A/s4032/Gippsland%20Lakes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDkWIrT_GJ4gSdljfylevQ7OM4IiU2rgEeeIF3V-Ej7W651gkL-alIO_ztXKbjgv4U1bhQUc1cLQ_h8MBmzf7_8dVIAdxhl-bas4paPjVO0_ZSpJ1IEtI0i0auxHWP8t0JaWW_zSRHk8CDOJRrWQRlwknUGkTAyTvyEGMTvT__Y4pGqUB7A/s320/Gippsland%20Lakes.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Malua has travelled in may waterways around the world from the high seas of the southern ocean to the canals of France and also the brown waters of the inter-coastal waterways (ICW) of the east coast of the USA. Maybe the most amazing waterway was the Hudson River flowing down the shores of Manhattan where we stayed opposite 48 St for almost a month. Now this last location was right in the bustle and noise of down town New York so to set off up the placid water ways of the Victorian Gippsland Lakes was what Denny and I needed.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPif7Xsa5Gm49sJJHmpKjmyHJQlPr9zDGsw3G6oyjmXACsBVcu2EZY8F9IMso03FK2tgaINXEUFI54OxElOAxVvPoQo2oYm-7X0gg82G4JE6i8tXz4j19YDGqSs9FzlnuUpxGvCPVuCzxhUM8qqEOlUgtn8cjNvluRjJGl7P3oeQasMJjdw/s5312/Chinamans%20Bay%20Gipsland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="5312" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPif7Xsa5Gm49sJJHmpKjmyHJQlPr9zDGsw3G6oyjmXACsBVcu2EZY8F9IMso03FK2tgaINXEUFI54OxElOAxVvPoQo2oYm-7X0gg82G4JE6i8tXz4j19YDGqSs9FzlnuUpxGvCPVuCzxhUM8qqEOlUgtn8cjNvluRjJGl7P3oeQasMJjdw/s320/Chinamans%20Bay%20Gipsland.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The passage westwards up the entrance area is quite easy and very well buoyed. We entered the Bancroft Bay which opens up to a wide lake and headed for the northern shore and Chinaman's Creek. Here we stayed the night and the following day exploring the creek and the surrounding bush land - a bit different to downtown Manhattan or even Lyon. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03udKwBw87Aeu9QbSqS85uZ3yFtkMsK9QPfU3rv3k20qrFnNjzQOMjKWTyLS7_VCgDcQolQDL_8okY1nebzC8KmWMObMUIT6i7NxUkrBG1Ta_99DhiO63kHS2YNxTO7gH2N26uceVlDcUTOLNDjw86l9xJ6nPLULrgyyqVBzujQSMO2d7IQ/s4032/Metung%20along%20side.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03udKwBw87Aeu9QbSqS85uZ3yFtkMsK9QPfU3rv3k20qrFnNjzQOMjKWTyLS7_VCgDcQolQDL_8okY1nebzC8KmWMObMUIT6i7NxUkrBG1Ta_99DhiO63kHS2YNxTO7gH2N26uceVlDcUTOLNDjw86l9xJ6nPLULrgyyqVBzujQSMO2d7IQ/s320/Metung%20along%20side.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next day up the anchor which was covered in mud and off to the local pub at Metung for a drink and some food. This is a great place to walk along the shore and look into the many holiday homes overlooking the water.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Where to next? Well you dont have to look for a weather window or even consider the swell or wind. It is just cast off the lines and off one goes to the next destination which in our case was Paynesville.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_O4AkoAXfuBa0OZBXu3eaSqiP_w1guBw2HbW8kFQ2bdQxeXbsREKvVHIkGVIzh3X5xYeJkColToCyuHbnPaVZXlzr-53zHIH7f1aA3iMPSoPK3pHMjJwfuAbpz46879Shb0pNmrAyOws_CAieKRBxfP0itFl1OSo7UcN6RswsShSkSvfiw/s4032/Paynesville%20Malua.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_O4AkoAXfuBa0OZBXu3eaSqiP_w1guBw2HbW8kFQ2bdQxeXbsREKvVHIkGVIzh3X5xYeJkColToCyuHbnPaVZXlzr-53zHIH7f1aA3iMPSoPK3pHMjJwfuAbpz46879Shb0pNmrAyOws_CAieKRBxfP0itFl1OSo7UcN6RswsShSkSvfiw/s320/Paynesville%20Malua.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We pulled alongside and tied up to a very accessible dock and walked the water front before preparing one of the gourmet meals Malua is famous for. No French truffles and Brest chicken at the local market here but still good food.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I unpacked my folding bicycle and rode to the local marina and boatyard. Only to find it was up a creek and not easy to access or to find a local motel so Lakes Entrance was a good choice.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">After a long walk on Raymonds Island we returned to Malua and a good sleep. Next day it was off to the upper reaches of the lakes into Duck Bay and the bush surrounds. Unfortunately it rained and rained for a few days so we were constrained from doing any long walks but did see a few tracks. All well signposted and easy to follow - where has the adventure gone in the modern world?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcF67likcwSiyled1OB4ogvA4RtTLa3BKlzsR9pjocLYosPXD1WNa0RDkKfmmgFcfbE3VrqIqpRmFUWSiyTwNfLwmveHUmRAWtXU1TM-p-jGP1IIyrWHDFpuOtHkxqJ4tlpowhc5BLDBgBA5th1wKgaT3dMVM9rbN3YlU95AM5khxW5mqcg/s4032/Duck%20Bay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcF67likcwSiyled1OB4ogvA4RtTLa3BKlzsR9pjocLYosPXD1WNa0RDkKfmmgFcfbE3VrqIqpRmFUWSiyTwNfLwmveHUmRAWtXU1TM-p-jGP1IIyrWHDFpuOtHkxqJ4tlpowhc5BLDBgBA5th1wKgaT3dMVM9rbN3YlU95AM5khxW5mqcg/s320/Duck%20Bay.jpg" width="240"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was now time to head back to Paynesville and towards Lakes Entrance. No planning required just up anchor or in this case let go the mooring line and point the bow along the track to the next waypoint and there you go - we are on passage.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We stopped at Paynesville for a few provisions and at Metung for an evening G&T then head back to Lakes Entrance. The water outflow was with us and we made quick time back to our spot at Lakes Entrance waterfront along with the fishing fleet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thankfully our VW Golf was still in the parking spot we had left it next to a few fisherman's vehicles who had also gone to sea - quite a relief.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0sbn9oZ0ajnIgtdkJ8jbFhNcwfCICIhozi8jjABYYUb_L6N9obj_pfvcfTD1FYC07PdO5x_mWVVlZacoHyiSpsqwjPTJB8gNphRGCmFt9_-0H-Bfj1eW9lHugZ_iMKMqiEJb9jtEjCBj3kBdddJ9_Kfq7vETJaT9U1j07jEXcnpVO2-rsA/s100/VW%20Lakes%20Entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="75" data-original-width="100" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0sbn9oZ0ajnIgtdkJ8jbFhNcwfCICIhozi8jjABYYUb_L6N9obj_pfvcfTD1FYC07PdO5x_mWVVlZacoHyiSpsqwjPTJB8gNphRGCmFt9_-0H-Bfj1eW9lHugZ_iMKMqiEJb9jtEjCBj3kBdddJ9_Kfq7vETJaT9U1j07jEXcnpVO2-rsA/w158-h118/VW%20Lakes%20Entrance.jpg" width="158"></a></div>A magical moment on Malua<br><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br></span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-59172745914111566462022-03-25T16:19:00.000+11:002023-04-07T16:56:10.994+10:00On the hard - Anti-fouling<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_GsoIgQGTuHkpN8HbI9YnEtR3gCmFp8iNd5GJjY8TrEuK4iBIviKAlGSk23-j6vmSAou_Xt8SUBjRyzXWBWNdAQd6z3wkUiNcvRtbyHpv742EfFxsnI8xoW7BTCfKDVscJjzBV7-kSGvkWn075BCVu9Y_-25MDn9fccJ76fY5iUZhERFVA/s4032/Malua%20ready%20for%20the%20water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_GsoIgQGTuHkpN8HbI9YnEtR3gCmFp8iNd5GJjY8TrEuK4iBIviKAlGSk23-j6vmSAou_Xt8SUBjRyzXWBWNdAQd6z3wkUiNcvRtbyHpv742EfFxsnI8xoW7BTCfKDVscJjzBV7-kSGvkWn075BCVu9Y_-25MDn9fccJ76fY5iUZhERFVA/s320/Malua%20ready%20for%20the%20water.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Bullocks Island government hardstand is a very well run facility with safety and security featuring very high. One has to do an online safety course before they will take you out of the water with a well managed travel lift. It was done very well but they sure know how to charge for extras you did not ask for.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finally get Malua on the ground with scaffolding all around. and ready to start the work.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">An aside. One of the reasons I had chosen this location was that I had been negotiating with a potential purchaser of Malua who lived near Melbourne and we had agreed that as a condition of purchase he would organise an out of water survey to occur after the anti-fouling had been applied - about Wednesday.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">He arrived on Friday evening just as I had docked Malua at the new location and asked to come aboard. After some hesitation I said yes and he came down below. From the instant he stepped aboard I knew he was not interested in the purchase because he took little interest in the vessel. I answered his questions and then asked him to leave but he again insisted to see the vessel on the hard on Monday - what could I say? On Monday he arrived and looked at the bottom and prop. I asked when would the surveyor be arriving and he came out with the statement: I have not arranged one! Well that left me up in the air with very little time to organise one at this location in two day. My full persuasive power where brought in to bear as I asked a local surveyor to do the job. Thankfully he arrived on the appointed time and undertook a very comprehensive and detailed survey. Malua passed with flying colours.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now on with the work. I have completed a wash, sand and two coats of anti-fouling in less than 8 hours along the east coast of America when cruising in that area. That was hard work and good organisation but it is possible with a night to dry before splash down the next morning.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our labour laws only let the locals work from 7:00 am to 3:50 pm four days a week - Fridays is early knock off. Here they want to lock up so you cant stay on board or work after hours. Most days I had to rush to pack up before they close and find a motel to stay the night in - just a short walk away.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">No one afternoon I forgot a vital item on board as I hurried to close up Malua for the night and only realised that I had left it behind on reaching the motel. As they say in Australia "No worrys" This would not be the first or even the last marina with high fences I have entered after it was secure for the night. It would not be good protocol to reveal my modus operandi but I can tell you at low tide the security goes out with the water. I was able to walk - shoes off right into the compound and get my item then approach the automatic gate which opened for me to exit - easy </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is the first time I have ever used Prop Speed anti-fouling on one of my propellers. While in Queensland at Boat Works I was able to walk up to the counter of a chandler and order a small pack of the valuable covering - no questions asked. In NSW they will not sell you the product unless you go on a course with a very high price tag and the people who have undertaken the course are not allowed to sell you the product.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">After reading the instruction more than once, watching the videos and finally doing the preparation in fine detail it was time to paint on this golden magical covering. Well it was simple and definitely not worth the cost of the course but wait will it work? We will have to wait and see.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaQevwGrtMNPMnhcTutuOivINvJLrlpl4_jZZ24F0n_htsenn0N9DGVET8qSyO2Ws1UIe3L9NCw1xyH0MR02Q-oRELmUCYRGYTjJGeZJGzdjjgSNB65Mxa9xJKyov6DTn4bkcFvvrWUG5Otg29nLmuEjN25U14OZJiz1FfY4JEozaFvUD0g/s4032/Propspeed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaQevwGrtMNPMnhcTutuOivINvJLrlpl4_jZZ24F0n_htsenn0N9DGVET8qSyO2Ws1UIe3L9NCw1xyH0MR02Q-oRELmUCYRGYTjJGeZJGzdjjgSNB65Mxa9xJKyov6DTn4bkcFvvrWUG5Otg29nLmuEjN25U14OZJiz1FfY4JEozaFvUD0g/s320/Propspeed.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Splash down happened rather easily and I motored up river again to find a spot along side a floating pontoon waiting for Denny to arrive - this time in our car for a few weeks cruising in the lakes</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-66001995355214992592022-03-21T15:42:00.046+11:002023-04-07T16:14:03.519+10:00Haul out at Lakes Entrance<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUEdoLa5OOwrtf7auIjl7thE5mEfRzN_k5VuPRyNbm1yZWBiLHm9TfM_IdB7zSMRLaGWxUi417TGAPR3Yhr815ap3lWyCsCx6W9Zf98yIm2B4VZqL7zrYm8iO09AEHu-9AHBhYqhytDc9yLgyix9Up6K65W_yNO5SjIIvQ0Yoc54E0eps6g/s2048/Up%20in%20the%20air%20at%20bullocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUEdoLa5OOwrtf7auIjl7thE5mEfRzN_k5VuPRyNbm1yZWBiLHm9TfM_IdB7zSMRLaGWxUi417TGAPR3Yhr815ap3lWyCsCx6W9Zf98yIm2B4VZqL7zrYm8iO09AEHu-9AHBhYqhytDc9yLgyix9Up6K65W_yNO5SjIIvQ0Yoc54E0eps6g/s320/Up%20in%20the%20air%20at%20bullocks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is the first time I have been to Victoria on Malua and the first time I had experienced the marine infrastructure. What a wonderful contrast to New South Wales where the government seems to not care about the potential to use the wonderful water ways for boaters and those people you enjoy a day next to a lake, river or river mouth. Here facilities are good, plentiful and well organised so all can use them. They appear to be well maintained and more importantly located in the rights place.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">After a short nap and a shower I walked shore and over the sand dunes to have a look at the river mouth and bar. As always, it does not look so daunting standing with two feet on solid ground but I was able to see the path I had taken. - not bad.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next, was to move upriver to come alongside the shops and other facilities. Again the wharf was easy with a floating pontoon right alongside an enclosure for the charter vessels and upriver from the fishing fleet. I was able to wander along the dock and look at the fishing fleet. I came across a ex-skipper of one of our vessel -Derwent Adventure working on his boat. Always with a beer in his hand which was his downfall with the owner.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was due up on the slip on Monday so on Sunday night I relocated closer to Bullocks Wharf ready for the early morning lift onto the hard and the start of the work.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-42604550335298893292022-03-18T15:05:00.003+11:002023-04-07T16:16:49.815+10:00Arrived Lakes Entrance<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8xObH0TyQQIr7z9_zRee9QDNGlyvh_koKPHh7wQlX7EVnQmGRbRM3v__RcmdF5HkuFtWi0LzPe0Z5tWRLcNymwi6OKGPfD6LPNLk78a2gbcVX5kPfLJWiCTDSkgTurQqn2UM4NrUwYrZ_Bw_JHKDDlKMdA9CKUXdwcw7CJQimXSc5oxRcg/s2048/Lakes%20entrance%20tides.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8xObH0TyQQIr7z9_zRee9QDNGlyvh_koKPHh7wQlX7EVnQmGRbRM3v__RcmdF5HkuFtWi0LzPe0Z5tWRLcNymwi6OKGPfD6LPNLk78a2gbcVX5kPfLJWiCTDSkgTurQqn2UM4NrUwYrZ_Bw_JHKDDlKMdA9CKUXdwcw7CJQimXSc5oxRcg/s320/Lakes%20entrance%20tides.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Arrived Lakes Entrance after a voyage with more motoring than sailing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was able to rest and prepare for the entrance. This entrance has had a very bad reputation as a very dangerous river bar however thankfully the Victorian Government has stationed a large dredge at the entrance and it dredges the bar almost every day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">However every bar must be taken seriously and this one in particular because it is the mouth of a large river and lake system which means that the catchment area for rain is vast. If it rains in the upper reaches the water has to flow out to the sea and therefore the outflow over the bar can be very swift. In fact it can reach more than 7 knots. Malua at full speed under power can match that speed but the speed over the ground is very modest and the directional stability is very very critical. One can land up on the rocks before you have time to turn the wheel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The port authority knows the dangers. The large fishing fleet also know the danger not on the way out to sea but on the way back into port when the vessel is loaded and the gunwales are close to the water. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">There is a very good web sit that tells you the real time flow speed of the water and when the tide turns and if the predicted flow will turn with the tide. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The local weather forecast was for a strong wind warning for South West to South East winds to arrive before I was across the bar. This would have made the swell to build and the waves to increase so I took the decision to cross the bar on arrival with a fast flowing outgoing tide.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not a prudent seamanship decision.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The bar is deep but as you can see from the photo the outflow can run at 4 to 5 knots and cause standing waves. These standing waves as opposed to waves from a swell are not as dangerous as a breaking swell wave but can dump a large volume of water in the cockpit. I always close the companion way opening with washboards and secure them when crossing a bar and ensure I am secured to Malua having experienced a massive wave over the stern on the way into Tonga. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As is always the case one must get the timing right. In my youth I have spend many a day watching the wave for the next big set to surf to the shore. Located outside the channel - offshore I watched the sets and positioned Malua ready for the entrance. The leads at this entrance are good but they change just at the rock-wall entrance so one has to choose either up the middle or some other path against the outgoing current.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With the the right timing I put the throttle down and Malua started for the entrance with white water breaking on the starboard side and the potential for a shore break on the port and ahead breaking standing waves. As you get closer to the rock-wall opening the standing waves look even larger than from afar but they were not that steep and not that dangerous but let me tell you even for the most experienced seaman would not take them lightly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now the outgoing current question - what speed was it at and what route should I take. It turns out that it was only 5 knots so with Malua travelling at 7 knots we actually were making 2 knots over the ground. To travel the 600 m from entrance to the turn it seemed to take forever with my hands gripping the wheel and thinking of the many options if the engine stuttered.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Turn to starboard and one is in the quite water of the Entrance tributary and a white wharf in sight. Out with the fenders and lines and I went astern into a pen and secured to the piles. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another uneventful passage completed. Now for a shower, some hot food and a good sleep</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFznZuq1oZzHEQVFjeChSFBm4gofIWUhV_pOXqMEnTN5dXM7EdKVBBZJD4FG54CtCIcntqZ2aJV0CRc8dN3vPqDl2i4fxvImuj8EalU9MS_g-dA3FQcoQ2Lmhf-l3mJbahRA7XwEa2Nayh9_USLLbLHNSNq9c9e8t0Sbf30NWZ8N_rZkl9lQ/s4032/Malua%20Lakes%20entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFznZuq1oZzHEQVFjeChSFBm4gofIWUhV_pOXqMEnTN5dXM7EdKVBBZJD4FG54CtCIcntqZ2aJV0CRc8dN3vPqDl2i4fxvImuj8EalU9MS_g-dA3FQcoQ2Lmhf-l3mJbahRA7XwEa2Nayh9_USLLbLHNSNq9c9e8t0Sbf30NWZ8N_rZkl9lQ/s320/Malua%20Lakes%20entrance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another magical moment on Malua</span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-1417125245197780842022-03-17T14:54:00.038+11:002023-04-07T15:05:08.591+10:00On passage towards Lakes Entrance<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FMc_HRGh2zormv12oUBHfjb05GV6c_hMn8RskmI67hIgyeVDTaCnCv2gKCxhxOvOQHx1zts1Dz0F-jfCY4diwQUAZqwL2UKnclpur1f2_lm52CoRpdoC2k-l3Kwba-g8bVNXCRbMQk4RufJtS7wHki-e--zQj27kiChFw9OTb6NCjNaJRA/s2048/Cockpit%20abeam%20of%20Eden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FMc_HRGh2zormv12oUBHfjb05GV6c_hMn8RskmI67hIgyeVDTaCnCv2gKCxhxOvOQHx1zts1Dz0F-jfCY4diwQUAZqwL2UKnclpur1f2_lm52CoRpdoC2k-l3Kwba-g8bVNXCRbMQk4RufJtS7wHki-e--zQj27kiChFw9OTb6NCjNaJRA/s320/Cockpit%20abeam%20of%20Eden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">All set and in its place, some pre-frozen food for the passage and a good forecast for the wind to come from the stern - North to help get us round the corner at Green Cape and into the wide open spaces of Bass Strait.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As is normal I left as the sun rose expecting the forecast high to move off the coast and the prevailing wind to come in from the North-East but the wind Gods did not help neither did the waves and swell.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The passage south particularly abeam of Eden was very rough with a big swell echoing off the land making the sea very confused. In these conditions with little wind to fill the sail the best strategy is to drop the sails and to switch on the engine to get you through the uncomfortable area. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On went the engine and I settled down in the cockpit to watch the miles pass by hoping that the wind might pick up as the sun set but it was not to be. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It got dark and all the alarms were set for a few cat naps as we steam towards Lakes Entrance </span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-80819377181919037942022-03-15T14:42:00.001+11:002023-04-07T14:53:33.847+10:00Winter is coming and it is getting cold<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0AH05_sukJj7zxTd9tduuW8O1Q8aX0bU9QzpPXHXMW_8GeAJEeRi0-mzCSpxGiq1btTuGDO8eLmL5QHc42A7slP9sYOYV5tYMWxpv7BDwLI1yJgUXuKQIsNYVQjumfCYzhZv7t8hkT_wVbVP7_-ooDrE4atwVMv57zNfhcOV7kNvr8GkhA/s2016/Malua%20exiting%20Bermi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0AH05_sukJj7zxTd9tduuW8O1Q8aX0bU9QzpPXHXMW_8GeAJEeRi0-mzCSpxGiq1btTuGDO8eLmL5QHc42A7slP9sYOYV5tYMWxpv7BDwLI1yJgUXuKQIsNYVQjumfCYzhZv7t8hkT_wVbVP7_-ooDrE4atwVMv57zNfhcOV7kNvr8GkhA/s320/Malua%20exiting%20Bermi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">We live in the nations capital and during the winter there are a few nights that the temperature drops below freezing. Our house was built in the 1970s so is not that well insulated. The mornings getting out of bed can be quite bracing.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now this inconvenience was not a problem when Malua was in the Mediterranean and we flew to the norther hemisphere after Easter just as the first frost were predicted. I had 11 summers in a row with this type of rotation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So why not sail north again to warmer climates closer to the equator and the sun?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Malua has almost 2 years growth on her bottom and that need to be cleaned off and new antifouling put on before any extended cruise is contemplated.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I usually use the local slipway for this but that is not an option in Bermagui nor at Batemans Bay so that leaves only a few slips where you can work on your own vessel. Lakes Entrance is a very good options and that is where I have booked.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But first a few shake down cruises to see that all systems are working and all equipment is in place so off I go for a cruise out and back just to see how far it is.</span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-15785048671856907962021-07-18T14:38:00.000+10:002023-04-07T14:39:58.850+10:00What Next<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJsXUkdnqPtp1ltqjq1VSqyO16pa6QuNuIuK-AXkLPgUKmKNMoX60gZfIjA9KHGGMIEJbrbB6imqS0VqnNGieu0VfKh6bzXmi1s57aUhwVhZ3WMX-Wcv2NYv6MqYSax4E6Rwpho6TYOZFu1LpCmENrqLGrXS-SfrASAwhdafbQdhx9VouxA/s1440/Bermi%20with%20fishing%20boats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJsXUkdnqPtp1ltqjq1VSqyO16pa6QuNuIuK-AXkLPgUKmKNMoX60gZfIjA9KHGGMIEJbrbB6imqS0VqnNGieu0VfKh6bzXmi1s57aUhwVhZ3WMX-Wcv2NYv6MqYSax4E6Rwpho6TYOZFu1LpCmENrqLGrXS-SfrASAwhdafbQdhx9VouxA/s320/Bermi%20with%20fishing%20boats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">COVID lock-down has come and gone. Most of us older folks have more than one jab to try and keep the virus away and our vessel rote in the harbours and marinas around the world.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have spend a few days on Malua in my home port of Bermagui but tonight I retreated to the coast house because of the weather </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">An East Coast low is off Bermagui this evening and the fishing fleet is in Bermagui harbour after landing a very good tuna catch. One shot pulled in 630 tuna of average weight of 40 kg. More than half of these are off to Japan for the Saturday morning market.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The wind is strong (up to 50 knots at Montague Island this evening) and the swell is predicted to be up to 5 m so if you own a vessel stay at home for the next few days. Then think of the crew - mostly foreign nationals going out in the cold wet and dangerous sea to keep our economy going.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I will no go cruising this winter because of the potential of a lock-down and being stuck in some marina in NSW or Queensland.</span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-91249261751567574752021-05-06T15:46:00.001+10:002023-04-08T07:58:39.263+10:00Time passes and we achieve little<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Time Passes and we achieve little</span></h2><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkF7DC4LMCw/YJN5AK1ubxI/AAAAAAAA41I/dqnVNGD2CK4Wg34HUE5eIcyy6JQRl14nwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/MaluaBermiMay2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkF7DC4LMCw/YJN5AK1ubxI/AAAAAAAA41I/dqnVNGD2CK4Wg34HUE5eIcyy6JQRl14nwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/MaluaBermiMay2021.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">BUT there have been bushfire along the south coast of NSW with Bermagui being enveloped in a thick cover of smoke and black ash. Malua was almost black from the deposit falling from the sky. Thankfully live embers did no damage although some vessels had holes burn in their canvas. Cleaning the ash off Malua took weeks and weeks and I still find a burnt leave under some part not yet properly cleaned.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The smoke had a serious impact on me personally and I lost 8 hours one night. I was lucky to wake up and drove immediately to Canberra Hospital emergency ward but that is a story in itself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yes then there was the COVID-19 lock down when the state borders were closed and even our national border prevented us leaving or reentering not to mention the shutting down of the Pacific island boarders. So what did we do? well started to undertake the rejuvenation of Malua that had been started previously and try to tick-off the to-do list starting with the most difficult.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I will not list the jobs but it is extensive and thankfully did not cost a lot of money because I did most of the work. The major milestones where a survey, gas certificate, new saloon upholstery, new starter battery and new instrument panel at the steering wheel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The replacement cockpit canvas has always been a major diplomatic battle to try and get the tradie to actually start and then finish the job not to mention just do it right.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">After all the above I think it is time to reevaluate the joy of cruising as the world gets back to normal. Malua will do a cruise north along the NSW and Queensland shore to again see if this is the lifestyle. Part of the evaluation is to test the market regarding the sail of Malua an ocean cruiser against the market which appears to want a saleable asset that they can determine the value from some red book and sell the next weekend plus it must be large like a unit and not rock in the swell!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Malua is therefore sale. <a href="https://www.adamsbluewatermalua.com.au/" target="_blank">Malua For Sale</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have created a web site with all the boats features and an extensive photo library. A broker has been chosen but not appointed. So watch this space as I cruise noth with a big FOR SALE sign on the side of Malua.</span></p>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-31716220995164230262018-09-09T05:29:00.001+10:002018-09-09T05:29:18.849+10:00Musket Cove Regatta<p dir="ltr">Let the sailing begin and the fun and socialize. It is great to meet friends from the past. Windflower was at the 2004 Regatta along with a few others. You soon realise that your sailing experience is just average when you talk to some of the others here at Musket Cove. They have sailed the world. There are still the wet behind the ears group but all have sailed at least one ocean.<br>
A magical moment on Malua</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ky7BgtMvzm4/W5QjDOzJgYI/AAAAAAAAn98/IE3wBma_visA_YA5yLE6F12T0ZKyD0LZQCHMYCw/s1600/1536434884525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ky7BgtMvzm4/W5QjDOzJgYI/AAAAAAAAn98/IE3wBma_visA_YA5yLE6F12T0ZKyD0LZQCHMYCw/s640/1536434884525.jpg"> </a> </div>Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-82292599852555104802018-09-04T08:39:00.001+10:002018-09-09T05:20:56.005+10:00Malua in FijiMalua arrived Vuda Point Marina in Fiji after a fast 5 day passage from New Caledonia.<br>
What a change of atmosphere. Warm happily people who greeted us at the dock.<br>
The weather is hot.<br>
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Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-55577339582415183572017-01-09T09:36:00.003+11:002017-01-09T09:40:04.547+11:00Plans written in the sand at low tide2017 is upon us but it would not be right to let 2016 go without a review of some of the milestones of the past year.<br />
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My beloved V6 3L VW combi came to a halt in the heat of December on the way to the coast. It has carried our family across the plains of Africa, through the Okavango delta where we did a head over heels and stopped for three days, to the far north of Queensland where a large cow stopped us in our tracks. That kept the VW off the road for 14 months however it rose again to ride again but maybe not this time.<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R6lg0K42lr4/WHK6Uwn3D8I/AAAAAAAAei4/FnRgH5wNwugraIOogVi3xg9Mp8AMYbIewCLcB/s1600/Caddy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R6lg0K42lr4/WHK6Uwn3D8I/AAAAAAAAei4/FnRgH5wNwugraIOogVi3xg9Mp8AMYbIewCLcB/s200/Caddy.jpg" width="200" /></a>A new VW Caddy Maxi has taken it place. Not as strong but currently more reliable.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQue_UAkWTk/WHK6vmUW4kI/AAAAAAAAejA/p3h6GzrPkLAcBeSqkobYSxV1BnbCfrNXACLcB/s1600/LeeseNevilleNew.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQue_UAkWTk/WHK6vmUW4kI/AAAAAAAAejA/p3h6GzrPkLAcBeSqkobYSxV1BnbCfrNXACLcB/s200/LeeseNevilleNew.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vQ4wstOW4f0/WHK6vc_utqI/AAAAAAAAei8/XNY7KjE09LkZhU_1m-LHk7xRyGCScicGACLcB/s1600/Gen%2Bcomming%2Bout.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vQ4wstOW4f0/WHK6vc_utqI/AAAAAAAAei8/XNY7KjE09LkZhU_1m-LHk7xRyGCScicGACLcB/s200/Gen%2Bcomming%2Bout.JPG" width="143" /></a>The early part of 2016 was focused on the garden and rejuvenating some of the major internal element of Malua. The generator had a major overhaul with new rings, electrics and upgraded alternator system. It now puts out more than 100 amps of DC when it is in generator mode. The attached water maker is next in line.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQd-JtlJX8Q/WHK7AR3fTPI/AAAAAAAAejE/HY5-wYciJJ4Ov8R4VRitgipz_6XzyghGQCLcB/s1600/Returned%2BPropeller.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQd-JtlJX8Q/WHK7AR3fTPI/AAAAAAAAejE/HY5-wYciJJ4Ov8R4VRitgipz_6XzyghGQCLcB/s200/Returned%2BPropeller.JPG" width="183" /></a>The feathering Autoprop dropped one blade after the many hours of motoring across the Pacific. I had to remove it, pack it up and send it back to the UK to fit a new blade and then balance it. It was returned bright and shiny but that uncovered a new problem, a bent shaft. That was replaced and on went the propeller. All good again.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhwHezp-dgo/WHK7RH9L1fI/AAAAAAAAejQ/1xykGZdXsN466JF1wkOmGaAWcFyXxd3lACK4B/s1600/01-Red%2BReef%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QhwHezp-dgo/WHK7RH9L1fI/AAAAAAAAejQ/1xykGZdXsN466JF1wkOmGaAWcFyXxd3lACK4B/s200/01-Red%2BReef%2B1.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rp0xMYO7KSY/WHK-NPN_G8I/AAAAAAAAeko/8pk1NDGxIHkIFcAN8FNO_eoASb8bbja7wCK4B/s1600/Red%2BReef%2Bsailing%2BNorth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rp0xMYO7KSY/WHK-NPN_G8I/AAAAAAAAeko/8pk1NDGxIHkIFcAN8FNO_eoASb8bbja7wCK4B/s200/Red%2BReef%2Bsailing%2BNorth.jpg" width="200" /></a>The timber ketch Red Reef was sold after Phill's death but I was unable to transfer ownership because the local boating officer seized the vessel under dubious reasons. He paid the price later in the year. I helped the new owner sail the vessel north to Sydney where it will undergo some well deserved TLC.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bo2iPf3ZfZY/WHK7umpsV6I/AAAAAAAAejc/G9MGsmmnOvoRYNfzA_3j1YkEaBCIBP-LwCK4B/s1600/Malua%2BTowed%2Bout%2BMarina%2BSmall%2BDSC00297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bo2iPf3ZfZY/WHK7umpsV6I/AAAAAAAAejc/G9MGsmmnOvoRYNfzA_3j1YkEaBCIBP-LwCK4B/s200/Malua%2BTowed%2Bout%2BMarina%2BSmall%2BDSC00297.JPG" width="200" /></a>The first of July came with the disturbing news that Malua had been "stolen" from my berth in the Batemans Bay Marina by a transport contractor and the marina manager. It was placed on an inappropriate mooring in the Clyde River fairway. The criminal matter is still in the hands of the police while civil matters are developing as the file expands in size.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hgNJJ25VHc/WHK8PxCRkII/AAAAAAAAejs/qtekjQjlKmcH-Ns5RFo1JqHeU6sccKYmwCK4B/s1600/Bermegui.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hgNJJ25VHc/WHK8PxCRkII/AAAAAAAAejs/qtekjQjlKmcH-Ns5RFo1JqHeU6sccKYmwCK4B/s200/Bermegui.jpg" width="200" /></a>I sailed Malua south to Bermagui and secured a long term berth in the new marina. A friendly, secure, safe and well built facility. There is a great community of people in the marina and the passing vessels add a new face weekly. I cant be happier.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vvTmZCHNY0Q/WHK9FylXWMI/AAAAAAAAekQ/gXpUW3_xqbIFjBNK3cIzIB5E6TUAVwzxACK4B/s1600/South%2BCardinal%2Bmark%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vvTmZCHNY0Q/WHK9FylXWMI/AAAAAAAAekQ/gXpUW3_xqbIFjBNK3cIzIB5E6TUAVwzxACK4B/s200/South%2BCardinal%2Bmark%2B.jpg" width="200" /></a>A group of concerned boat owners formed the Batemans Bay Boaters Association which has has some success in the Bay and the wider boating community. I now sit on the Recreational Vessels Advisory Group which is part of Maritime's consultative forums. I also visited the Crown Lands Minister in Sydney on marina matters and look forward to reading some recommendations from an in depth report on our local.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ob2dVUjCPRs/WHK8b1prK7I/AAAAAAAAej0/57ekmwsZW_wzRngjFMj9i0VsB1li7Mp4ACK4B/s1600/Pied%2BOyster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ob2dVUjCPRs/WHK8b1prK7I/AAAAAAAAej0/57ekmwsZW_wzRngjFMj9i0VsB1li7Mp4ACK4B/s200/Pied%2BOyster.jpg" width="200" /></a>Local shire council elections came and went with a few new faces. The bureaucrats are still the same however transparency and accountability are now more on the agenda. I look forward to some accountability in respect of DA. Which reminds me that the mud-flats to the east of the marina have been dredged not in June and July but well outside the allotted time window. The pied oyster catcher chicks died in the construction netting - a great loss.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lRPJZzwteCs/WHK8oc4h6dI/AAAAAAAAej8/YTTCuEpCTKEgSs5Ar-CyZO-RVCmkTQmIwCK4B/s1600/20161010_115518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lRPJZzwteCs/WHK8oc4h6dI/AAAAAAAAej8/YTTCuEpCTKEgSs5Ar-CyZO-RVCmkTQmIwCK4B/s200/20161010_115518.JPG" width="112" /></a>In October 2016 a new crew member arrived on schedule: Ruby Louis. The family are thrilled while Theo has to compete for attention.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yX1CqVXQI_U/WHK8y-ViTuI/AAAAAAAAekI/kzk4N-HYQMMmyFw0WIOiG7YpFuUw1PpwgCK4B/s1600/20160902_094239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yX1CqVXQI_U/WHK8y-ViTuI/AAAAAAAAekI/kzk4N-HYQMMmyFw0WIOiG7YpFuUw1PpwgCK4B/s200/20160902_094239.JPG" width="200" /></a>Malua has a new floor in the saloon, a chart table upgrade, a saloon table varnish as has the granny seats and cockpit table. The "glass" has been replaced in all five portlights and the hatch surrounds given a new coat of varnish while the headliners taken down and the dust of many a sand storm cleaned from behind them.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQ-PGt8M120/WHK9Zs06CMI/AAAAAAAAekc/yRZaV6UecaEUPqU4pmeE8kKraWHtZtx5gCK4B/s1600/Cockpit%2Btable.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQ-PGt8M120/WHK9Zs06CMI/AAAAAAAAekc/yRZaV6UecaEUPqU4pmeE8kKraWHtZtx5gCK4B/s200/Cockpit%2Btable.JPG" width="200" /></a>The chartplotter, auto helm and instruments have been replaced, serviced or fitted with new screens. All are ship shape and Bristol fashion.<br />
Ten years of stores, spares, books, odds and ends have been removed.<br />
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What does this all mean you ask? Well Malua is almost ready to put to sea again. To set out into the sun rise for distant shores. It is proposed that Malua visit the cruising grounds of Tasmania during the best part of the summer. So watch this space as our wake moves south to the best cruising grounds in the world. That is the plan until the tide comes in.<br />
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<br />Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-50716946394896335812016-11-06T11:52:00.000+11:002016-11-06T17:59:11.305+11:00Take the Drama out of the DreamIt has been a long time since I posted because I have been battling the local environment so to speak. The post was to be called "Who is behind bars now?" but I refrained from writing about my tribulation with the local marina manager. I decided to take a different tack and have been working behind the scenes to achieve a much better outcome that will benefit all boat owners in the area......<br />
Back to the topic <b>Seamanship for Shorthanded Cruisers</b>. I was asked to give a talk to the local Batemans Bay Sailing Club and decided to look back on the time spent cruising the 45,000 nm I have covered since I launched Malua in 2003 and see if I could distil a few points to share with potential cruisers. It was not about sail setting, managing your vessel or even setting it up but more about preparing the yacht and yourself for ocean cruising.<br />
The lessens learn could be applied to coastal cruising but I chose long distance based on the oceans I have crossed alone and how I had prepared and learn many things about how I handle the ocean, the beauty and the danger. Below are a few slides I used as a backdrop to the talk. I will put a link to more pictures used.<br />
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Added a link to more slides https://goo.gl/photos/6BATkko9JXjQqmUT8<br />
and some more photos https://goo.gl/photos/UALRQFwE1dJjyvwJA<br />
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Hope you enjoy<br />
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<br />Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-28971645888648081972016-04-18T12:13:00.002+10:002016-04-18T12:13:56.396+10:00Locked behind the Bar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Clyde River enters the ocean at Batemans Bay where Malua is currently in the marina. I have to cross the bar to get out to sea. It is quite a benign bar as sea bar go with little swell and very few breaking waves BUT the bar is shallow. And when I say shallow you can see from the above photos taken just after crossing the bar it was less than 1.7m over the datum of .9 which leaves Malua who draws 2.1m very little water under the keel. A slight swell and we touch bottom.<br />
The bar has been a limitation for the development of Batemans Bay for years especially the on-water activities. I made my first presentation to the NSW authorities in 2003 when they where developing an estuary strategy for the Clyde. Unfortunately I left to go sailing in the Pacific before the final draft was published and there was a big gap between cup and lip and the importance of dredging the bar was hidden in the detail of the report.<br />
The battle continued for years with submissions to Council, the local politician and finally the issue came to a head and the Council along with Department of Lands let a tender for the dredging of the bar. The contract as in most cases was won by the cheapest bid and a small river dredge appears at the start of winter to remove the sand from the end of the breakwall. The sand was pumped on to the local beach but the dredging came to a halt more often than it was working either from a broken pipe or bad weather. The operation was a farce.<br />
Some sand was removed but actually all the dredging did was remove the lip at the end of the shallows and stirred up the sand over the width of the bar. For a time the bar was deeper but as soon as the infamous bad weather of an east coast low appeared so did the sand and we are back to what it was before.<br />
The issue is that the breakwall that was built some years ago was designed incorrectly and has a curve towards the sea side of its length so the river water containing the silt turns just before it reaches the sea water and the Ph changes and it drops its load. Furthermore the speed of the flow changes as it is hit by the cross current flowing at right angles to the river mouth within the bay and the sand is deposited right at the end of the breakwall. The solution is to extend the wall towards Snapper island some 800 m from the end. This would improve the river flow and hold the sand in suspension and stop the lateral drift of sand on the bottom.<br />
You may ask why have the authorities not modelled this river mouth to determine the optimum solution? These days it can be undertaken on a computer for a few dollars. Way back in the days of old when I was at Stellenbosch University they modelled a river mouth as a real model along with water, waves, sand and small boats. It was a delight to watch the sand move in the bay then see the result when they placed a proposed breakwall in the bay and what would happen to the sand. The final result was tested under many sea conditions and the results passed to the builders. The outcome a breakwall and a safe harbour for ships and yachts.<br />
Oh no it is too expensive to do a study on the Clyde River mouths so we will again throw good money after bad and let another tender to dredge the bar this winter. Well, it will be too later for me to take Malua out sailing except at the full moon spring tides which is just once a month. So Malua is now trapped behind the Clyde River bar and I watch as other set sail for distant shores at the end of the cyclone season.<br />
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<br />Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-33480815106932585842015-11-20T12:11:00.003+11:002015-11-20T12:11:44.139+11:00Malua Finally on the Hardstand<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming out the water</td></tr>
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While cruising in Europe and the USA I would take Malua out of the water for the winter and return to Australia for the summer. This worked very well in that the boat only spend six months or so in the water and the anti-fouling worked quite well. Traveling in the colder climates also helped but when in the Tropics the anti-fouling took a beating from the many things that wanted to hitch a ride either across the oceans of in the sheltered waters inside a coral reef.<br />
While I was in Fiji I took the opportunity to put a coat of anti-fouling on in anticipation of not spending the money to haul the boat the following year here in Australia. Well things changed. Firstly, the one of the three blades fell off the self aligning propeller. This may have caused the shaft to bend or more likely the shaft bent when I hit some piece of wood during the 12,000 nm trip from the east coast of the USA back to Australia. The result was that I made it into the marina in Batemans Bay but even with a new fixed prop on the shaft I could not venture out of the Marina.<br />
<h4>
Planning</h4>
The time had come to take Malua out of the water. The stars and moon where aligned in that we had a full spring tide in the morning. I arranged to take the boat out and then four days later to put it back in the water before the tide waned towards the neaps. That meant that everything had to go according to plan and nothing delay the splash back in the water.<br />
The day arrived and Kevin had adjusted the cradle to suit Malua according to a photo take 10 years previously. I inched the boat forward between the cradle arms expecting the keel to touch bottom before I was right on the cradle but everything aligned correctly and we secured the boat to the arms . With a jerk and a bump Malua started to move forward and rise out of the water. This is always a scary moment as more of the boat and keel is revealed. Is the keel on the cross members correctly? Is the boat upright? Will the boat tip either forward or backwards as the cradle moves up the rail tracks? All questions I have been through many time and as always Malua with it long wide keel sits steady on the cradle. Batemans Bay marina has a series of rail tracks and cradles firstly to lift the boat out of the water on a inclining cradle, then a transfer to a horizontal cradle and the lastly to a cradle or transferrer that moves the boat across the hard stand. Finally the boat cradle is pulled off the transferrer on to tracks on the hardstand. It is quite an operation but Kevin and Mick are now quite skilled at the task.<br />
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The first operation is to wash off the growth from below the waterline in a way that does not totally remove the existing ant-fouling. Unlike many other boats Malua has travel many miles through the water in all sea conditions so the ablative anti-fouling was well worn off and the bottom smooth. Furthermore I have almost every year sanded the excess paint off the bottom so there is no inactive build-up of useless anti-fouling. Once that job was complete I was then able to tackle the main task of being on the hard.<br />
<h4>
The Propeller Shaft</h4>
I had sent the Brunton's Autoprop back to the UK to have a new blade fitted and for it to be balanced. As expected they did a very good job and not that expensive – less than a quarter of a new prop supplied here in Australia. The next element in this puzzle was the new prop shaft. I could not take it out to measure it while in the water nor could I rely on the plans because David was not know for his compliance to specifications. I had obtained from him a certificate that the supplied shaft was 316 grade stainless steel in the form of an invoice from the suppliers. I used this to go back to J H Porters to ask them to made a shaft exactly the same as the one referred to in the invoice. They looked up the workbook of 2000 and found the shaft dimensions. I was confident that they would make the same shaft again but was I confident that the invoice supplied to me was the correct one?<br />
Previously I had made a number of pullers and pushers to draw the propeller off the shaft, pull the shaft out of the boat and to pull the shaft bearing out of the skeg. I had undertaken the skeg bearing replacement in 2011 so I knew the procedure. Out came the shaft and the bearing without a hitch but when I lay the new 1 ½ inch shaft next to the new one I found to my horror that the new shaft was 20 mm too long. What was I going to do in the three days I had left. Stuart, a good friend who lives locally had a large lathe and was quite able to turn the shaft down to the correct length and to create and extend the 7/8 inch thread for the end nut. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New shaft too long</td></tr>
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We spent an hour or so getting the dimensions right and testing the engine flange and end nut before I return to the boat to slip the shaft through the skeg bearing, through the drip-less watertight fitting and on to the engine shaft. I then had to connect the rubber vibration coupling and all was good. Just as the sun set and the call of a cold beer came, the last nut was tight and the shaft was in place. A well executed plan. Thanks Stuart for all the help. I would not have been able to get it right without your skills.<br />
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<h4>
Spit and Polish</h4>
The last time I put any polish on Malua was some years ago when I took the boat out the water for two days for a lick of anti-fouling and a quick polish. I am not a great supporter of some odd-job fellow hanging around a marina hard stand claiming to be able to polish a yacht. I either do it properly or not at all. So this time I had a full day, the equipment and all the polish and cleaners I required. It is not an easy job even with a good electric polisher. You will all remember: Wipe on – wipe off. The same principle applies with a fiberglass boats. First start with a good wash down to take any salt and grit off. Then with a foam pad apply cleaner and restorer which may have a bit of abrasive compound depending on the amount of oxidation. This should be applied liberally and polished in until all is gone. Then a soft cloth to wipe and polish the excess. The next step is the wax polish with a high content of Carnauba wax. This is applied with a lambs wool buffer at a slow speed. Only take on a small area always in the shade and buff until the wax is well applied. Then wax-off with your hand and a good lint free cloth. At this point Malua was shining better than new.<br />
<h4>
Anti-fouling</h4>
The preparation of the underwater surface of the boat is always a challenge. Take off the unused portion of the anti-fouling, give the surface a good grip for the new paint but don't take too much off to touch the undercoat. In areas that the anti-fouling has ablated off back to the gel coat then it is time to apply some undercoat. Malua's underwater surface is in excellent condition with only the aft part of the rudder with any build up of old anti-fouling. You are required to sand the old coat to give the new covering a good grip but not too rough to spoil the finish. It is a horrible job because one get covered in anti-fouling dust, so you have to wear a good filter mask and cover your body with a overall. I have perfected the movement with my orbital sander so I don't strain my arm and don't get dust in my eyes but at the end of the job one is covered from head to toe in blue dust. Next a good wash down of the hull and oneself to get the dust off then let the surface dry before applying the new anti-fouling.<br />
The application is very dependent upon the temperature. Too high and the paint evaporates as do all the active ingredients. Too cold and the paint wont set. I had to wait in the USA for the temperature to rise above 10 degree C to apply the last anti-fouling but I can say it worked a wonder unlike the coat applied in France where the temperature was well over 35 C and the wind was blowing. Deadlines are never good in sailing!<br />
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I had purchased two tins of Micron Extra from West Marine when I was in the USA. I have found the local Australian stuff suits the environment but is next to useless. Furthermore the only blue available here is light blue and I had previously used Dark or Navy blue. It suited the boot strap and looks good. I was faced with the challenge of using the three liters of dark blue remaining however the boat requires five liters to give the bottom a good coat. The strategy was to paint the water line and then paint down the hull as far as the dark blue would go. I covered the bottom to almost a depth of one meter before I ran out of paint. I used the old tin and poured the light blue in to attempt to darken the new paint. So the process proceeded for the next four hours as I rolled on the anti-fouling. I had finished just after lunch, leaving time to touch-up the bootstrap and other small scratches. A multi-shaded ant-fouling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shades of blue </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooth bottom</td></tr>
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Now for the launch to go back in the water. The high tide was at 11:20 am with a 1.71 m above datum. That would give us about 10cm to float off the cradle. The launch cradle slowly moved down the incline into the water. The water rose around Malua and to my great relief lifted off the cradle and floated again. No pulling lines and no revving astern to move the boat. Malua was free with new anti-fouling, a top-side polish, new shaft and the great Autoprop back in place. Now all that was missing was sufficient water over the bar for me to go sailing.<br />
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Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-81407942449529103752015-11-09T19:15:00.002+11:002015-11-09T19:17:14.380+11:00Malua in MarinaMalua has not moved for many months not because I did not want to put to sea in a sailing boat but the propeller was not secure and I cant sail across the Clyde River bar.<br />
Things have been progressing on the upgrade of Malua. The three sails have been taken to the North Sail loft for routine maintenance. The Genoa and Staysail received the usual treatment and came out looking good. The main received a poor report. The sail cover had not been doing its job properly and the UV had entered through the sail bag and harmed a strip of about half a meter along the luff of the sail. Not serious but concerning. The loft also restitched the few hand stitching that needed repair. Anyway all three sails are now Ok to sail.<br />
The generator which will receive a post for itself is now running beautifully after a major upgrade. The 150 amp direct connected alternator has been replaced. The major problem was not mechanical but electrical..... can you believe that on a diesel engine but yes the battery cables of about a meter in length had corroded and would not take a full load to start the engine. After many months of going through the problem I decided the cables and connectors needed replacing and bingo the power to the starter was 100%. The engine turned over at the correct speed and the engine fires up immediately. The glow plugs work, the automatic choke opens and stays open and the cuff-off/stop solenoid stays open when the engine is running. Who said all you need in a diesel engine is fuel, air and compression?<span id="goog_107703452"></span><br />
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The floor hatches have been reconditioned and new working latches installed. Not that the hatch come out even during the knock down but I never got round to installing them so now is the time to finish the fiddly bits.<br />
The deck hatch surrounds have been rejuvenated and look as good as new with more than a few coats of varnish. They have to be installed after the headliners have been cleaned and reinstalled.<br />
The major project is replacing the cockpit table. This has been a great wood working project. The original is just a standard wooden table with two flaps that swing out to widen the table. The wood was ply with solid surrounds. Malua now has a beautiful myrtle table with two flaps and an extension for seat six people. The wood I specially selected from the remaining wood stack I used to fit out the interior so it matched the interior, the companionway steps and surrounds as well as the granny seats in the aft of the cockpit. I have given the table about eight coats of the best French marine varnish and it sparkles. I cant wait to fit it and put the new canvas cover on to protect it.<br />
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<br />Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-26843110000523814932015-04-05T16:14:00.001+10:002015-11-19T15:21:59.423+11:00Malua on Slip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a short sail in the bay I dropped anchor in Chain Bay for the night to wait for the morning's high tide to cross the bar. I dived over the side to clean off some growth from the bottom and propeller and I noticed that the one blade of the Autoprop was a bit loose. I had serviced the prop during its haul-out in the USA in February and added grease to the ball bearings in the self aligning three blades. All seemed OK but I guess the cold had made the items smaller and the locking nuts where not as effective as I had thought but I would have believed that having traveled almost a quarter way round the world the prop would have developed some symptoms prior to this but no.<br />
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I motored slowly across the bar and into the marina. I booked in to be pulled out of the water for a short haul right on the high spring tides. I had serviced my fixed blade prop and put anti-fouling on it. All was ready for a quick turn around. Off with one and on with the other.<br />
We motored to the cradle and started to go onto it but the upright arms had not been set well enough apart so the cradle had to be taken out the arms adjusted and the wood plank on which Malua was to rest removed. I, mean time, was going forward and astern trying to keep my place just off the slip. I moved forward and onto the cradle. The tide was almost at the top and the fit very snug but OK.<br />
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We waited as the cradle was dragged up the railway lines and Malua came out of the water. I climbed down the ladder to find one of the three blades of the Autoprop missing. What a blow. All I could see was $$$$ thinking of replacing this prop.<br />
I set about pulling the prop off with my pullers and tools. The new three blade prop slipped on as designed and I put the nut on. Tightened it up and looked for the hole for the split pin to go through to hold the nut in place and low and behold there was no hole. The Autoprop does not require one and I have never drilled a hole in the original shaft. What could I do? nothing because time and tide waits for no man and the tide was going out and the water around the cradle dropping at an alarming rate. So give the instruction to let the cradle go back in the water and hope we have not left it too late to get Malua off the cradle.<br />
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Back in the water Malua is wedged between the two forward uprights and the water is not up to the boot strap so Malua was not floating but sitting firmly on the cradle. Out came the rescue line - a 28mm polypropylene line of 120m which I keep in the back locker for just these occasions. Out is went to a solid pillion down the fairway and I took a turn round the two electric Anderson winches and pressed the button. The line gets taught but Malua does not move. Been there done that. Well rock the boat and as was the case previously hope a large French canal barge comes by and creates a big wake to rock Malua off the hard ground.<br />
With a few turn of the winch handle and a few more revs astern Malua slowly moved off the cradle and into deeper water. Now back in the pen I need to don scuba gear and search for the lost blade.<br />
Three hour later after scouring the bottom on the marina I could find no trace of my propeller only a electric motor housing off a fellow's submarine who the set about helping me with the search. No luck.<br />
Now to send the Autoprop back to the UK to have a blade added and balanced. A small price to pay seeing I paid more than $5,000 for the original prop ten years ago. Wait for the update.<br />
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Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-18010045005024663932014-11-12T14:53:00.000+11:002015-04-05T15:39:24.430+10:00Malua returns to Batemans Bay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I entred Sydney Harbour on 7 November after a interesting sail south along the NSW coast. A severe thunderstorm off The Hawksbury reminded me how dangerous it can be close to shore. The rain came down so hard I could not see the bow and the winds as always in these conditions came from the south then switched to the north. As the wind and rain started I dropped all sails and started to motor off shore. Thankfully it only lasted less than an hour but I had run before the wind to enter Pittwater. I decided not to go in to The Basin but shelter behind the headland in America Bay. A lovely quite anchorage.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZX2dCIno7UI/VSDJt25MyII/AAAAAAAAP68/DEAdLYv_wfY/s1600/Malua%2Bin%2Bthunderstorm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZX2dCIno7UI/VSDJt25MyII/AAAAAAAAP68/DEAdLYv_wfY/s1600/Malua%2Bin%2Bthunderstorm.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>I went round to The Basic to meet Sundancer ii when they arrived after a very wet ride south along the same NSW coast as I. Good to see them again after last meeting in French Polynesia.<br />
It was now time for me to enter Sydney Harbour; the start of this adventure sailing around (not round) the world. It was a slow sail into the southerly and I entered through the heads on the 7 November 2014 and back to the Fish Market. I was welcomed by the family and the youngest crew member Theo who enjoyed a short sail on the harbour.<br />
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Iain came on board for the cruise south down the coast back to Batemans Bay. We had to wait for the high tide before we crossed the river bar to enter the Clyde River and the marina. I have been allocated a place in the rejuvenated marina. I did not have to bribe anyone nor did I have to approach the Registrar of Cooperatives to investigate the managers. What a refreshing change in the ten years I have been away. I do hope the new owners have success and are able to break the strangle hold of the vested interest which have held the marina back for more than 20 years.<br />
The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/maluayacht/photos/a.652873574822312.1073741830.652862528156750/654223798020623/?type=1&theater" target="_blank">Bay Post</a> came to interview me which was an experience. All they wanted to know was the dangers faced and the disasters. Mine was not a great story but got printed anyway.<br />
Malua is now undergoing a major refit and upgrade to all the little things I did not complete when I set off in September 2004 sailing south to Tasmania Hobart then on to New Zealand and the circumference of the Tasman Sea.<br />
This blog will be updated as I achieve some mile stones with Malua. But keep in touch either through my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HarryWatsonSmith" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="http://www.malua.com.au/" target="_blank">Malua web site</a> or Malua's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/maluayacht" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-37812691249416152662014-11-05T21:16:00.000+11:002014-11-06T10:16:22.210+11:00Australian Arrival New Caledonia to Coffs Harbour<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">Malua's position 30 18.250S 153 08.652E at 17:00 on 2/11/2014 Nil to go </font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">The passage from Noumea New Caledonia to Coffs Harbour Australia was 868 nm and took six day six hours about 150 hours or about 5.8 knots average speed. I motored for 100 hours or 66 % of the time. Not a great passage but I arrived on schedule with slightly less and rather more wind that was forecast.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">I was called into the inner harbour at 8:30 and two Customs and Border Protection officers came aboard. One sat at the table and completed all the forms while the other asked the usual question regarding where I had been and what food I had on board. He snooped around the cupboards the opened the fridge with his bright yellow plastic bag at the ready. He took all my cheese three blocks of American vacuum sealed cheese, plus butter, milk and mayonnaise. The he started to look for meat and veg but found nothing. Again looking for honey, and any form of seeds. He had to ask advice from his senior regarding the nuts in my breakfast mix; that was Ok.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">Have I any wood product. Nothing of interest except the model outrigger canoe that had been given to me by the school at Malua Bay Vanuatu. I did not give it a thought but he felt that there where some bora beetle holes and I would either have to give it up to be destroyed or have it irradiated. I took some pictures and reluctantly gave it up to be destroyed.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">After a quick zap of my credit card for $380 they gave me the completed paperwork and welcomed me home to Australia. Easy, pleasant and as always in Australia expensive. When the Departments moved to a cost recovery model I argued against it as an Australian Tax payer. I said limiting the Department budget via Government allocations in the budget would force them to become more efficient and not have the fall back of just raising their fees for service every year unilaterally with out a debate in the Parliament. For foreigners I don't mind but for taxpayers it is just not on. I am pleased to see that the public servants next pay rise will below the cost of living increases.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">All I have to do now is reach Sydney and then on to Batemans Bay and finally Malua Bay Australia.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">A Magical Moment on Malua</font></p> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="LibreOffice 4.1.3.2 (Linux)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; direction: ltr; widows: 0; orphans: 0 } P.western { font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-AU } P.cjk { font-family: "Arial"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: zh-CN } P.ctl { font-family: "Lohit Hindi"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: hi-IN } --> </style> Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-88382765063552633072014-11-05T21:13:00.000+11:002014-11-06T10:14:04.602+11:00On Passage to Oz Day 6 And the wind Blew<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">Malua's position 30 10.401S 154 21.455E at 06:30 on 2/11/2014 62nm to go</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">And did the wind blow. From three days of no wind the wind increased quickly to 25 knots all from behind then at sunset it was blowing 30 to 40 knots from the NW. The seas came up so I had to run before the wind with two reefs in the main and the small staysail. This course was well off my rhum line but it did take me off the coast and out of the way of any shipping. I was happy to just settle down for the night. Malua was handling the conditions well although we would get a wave or two over the deck or along the side deck. The course would also put be in a good position when the southerly change came through in that I would be able to tack and then either reach in to Coffs Harbour if I was that far south or beat into the harbour.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">The wind continued most of the night at about 25 knots then at 3:00 am it dropped. I started the engine and turned Malua's bow towards Coffs Harbour only 75 nm away. I expected the southerly front to arrive within an hour. I was not disappointed. It came upon me with steadily increasing wind from the SW at only 25 knots. I had an apparent wind angle of 120 an easy reach. At first light I had 62 nm to go and racing along on quite a flat sea at about 6 knots. Great I would reach Coffs before sunset.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">The trip in was easy with a dropping wind and slight sea. I the went through the freezer. I had to through a lot a frozen meat away plus the onions and the last of the vegetables. I called Marine Rescue. Did a turn of the outer harbour and dropped the anchor just outside the inner harbour entrance. The boat was covered in salt spray but I was able to pack the sails and lines away and wait the night out. I had kept three pieces of beautiful French steak (new Zealand) and a large potato. I made French fries, onions and steak with a wine, mustard and mushroom sauce plus a great bottle of French wine. A great welcoming meal then went to bed in the main cabin to sleep till dawn.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">Tomorrow I will enter the harbour and clear customs.</font></p> <font face="Verdana"> </font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Verdana">A Magical Moment on Malua</font></p> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="LibreOffice 4.1.3.2 (Linux)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; direction: ltr; widows: 0; orphans: 0 } P.western { font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; so-language: en-AU } P.cjk { font-family: "Arial"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: zh-CN } P.ctl { font-family: "Lohit Hindi"; font-size: 12pt; so-language: hi-IN } --> </style> Harrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29838752.post-85284203891319093482014-11-01T21:38:00.000+11:002014-11-02T21:39:40.296+11:00On Passage to Oz Day 5 The wind cameMalua's position 28 31.965S 156 43.785E at 08:00 on 1/11/2014 220nm to go
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<br>The wind finally came at midnight Friday. A bit after the forecast but I must be off their forecast area. I soon had the main up with one reef and the staysail flying. With glee I turned the key on the engine and the noise stopped. It was an strange feeling to glide through the water with only the sound of Malua and the waves outside. The sea was not the best as it was from the north on Malua's beam so we bounced around quite a lot. No waves over the side but I had to move far down into the trotter locker of my quarter berth to find a snug position that I was not rolling from side to side but that was why I made the berth almost 8 feet long. I was soon relaxed and watching the miles fade away.
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<br>I have a decision to make: follow the direct line to Coffs Harbour or go for a position 20 nm off the coast so when the southerly comes through I can tack towards the land and make the harbour entrance. At the moment (Saturday morning) I am heading for the waypoint off the coast but I will listen to the NSW weather forecast at 10:30 am today from BOM to establish their forecast for the Southerly change, its wind strength and direction. The next decision will be if I can make it into the harbour before dark. The quarter moon is up until almost 2:00 am so I will have the light of the moon and I do know that the loom from the town lights will help me see the breakwater and Mutton Bird Island. I wonder if Coffs Harbour Marine Rescue actually listen to the HF radio. If they are anything like the crew at Batemans Bay that technology is well beyond their competence so you have to use the VHF.
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<br>Not much happened yesterday on Malua. Almost finished the biography of Moitessier. I had forgotten that he sailed a number of times to Suvorov from Papeete to spend time with John Neal (an Island to Oneself) and that he tried to start a garden on the Tuamotu atoll of Ate. He left Polynesia disillusioned by the lack of drive of the locals to improve their conditions.
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<br>I can almost smell the land.
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<br>A Magical Moment on Malua
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<br>At 10/30/2014 10:03 PM (utc) our position was 28°43.45'S 156°25.87'EHarrywshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10294425929792767967noreply@blogger.com0