Bilgewater July 2021 - Waikato Yacht Squadron
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Bilgewater
July 2021
“All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by…...”
From the famous poem “Sea Fever” by John Masefield, 1902
119 years later, perhaps it should read
“All I ask is a trailer yacht and a chart plotter to steer her by!”
Bilgewater July 2021
DIRECTORY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
2021/2022
Committee Member Portfolio Contact
James Hepburn Commodore 021 477 324
Race Officer Trailer Yachts
Wayne Johnstone Vice-Commodore and 027 623 6366
Compound Convener
Jim Pasco Treasurer 021 143 1199
Greg Reeve Secretary and Handbook 021 507 809
Murray Pearce Race Officer Keelers, 027 495 1223
Sponsorship and
Gulf Classic Liaison
Flip Rayner Website and Facebook 021 354 773
Tim Hayward Bilgewater Editor 027 444 5902
Andrew Jones Handicap Administrator 022 326 1993
Non-Committee Portfolios
Dean Herrmann Seamanship Training 027 437 4001
David Whitburn Compound Site Manager 09 292 2073
Brett Goddard NZTYA Liaison
Website: www.waikatoyachtsquadron.org.nz
Email: waikatoyachtsquadron@gmail.com
: Waikato Yacht Squadron
PO Box 4263, HAMILTON 3247
Our first and foremost objective is to encourage and support
safe family sailing – both cruising and racing
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Bilgewater July 2021
COMMODORE’S COMMENT
Last month we had our club's AGM. During the AGM we decided to implement some changes to
how our sailing programmes are run; of particular note were the adoption of the Halsail
handicapping program, and a switch from two to one division of Trailer Yachts.
This year your committee are:
• Wayne has stayed on as Vice Commodore and will also continue looking after the
compound.
• Jim will continue as Treasurer and will take over as Race Officer for Keelers.
• Greg continues as Secretary.
• Murray continues to look after sponsorship along with taking the lead with the Gulf
Classic and working with Andrew to manage the club handicapping.
• I am continuing as Commodore and as Race Officer for Trailer Yachts
• Philip joins the committee this year and will be looking after our social media and
website.
• Andrew (AJ) joins the committee and will be working with Murray on handicapping.
• Tim joins the committee and will be looking after Bilgewater.
This is a great team and should help with the continued smooth running of the club. There are
also other members who have volunteered to help from outside the committee which is most
appreciated.
The Season Ahead
We are now ramping up our preparations for the new season. Hopefully, we will have a
provisional race calendar available shortly. Once this is available we will be looking for volunteers
to be Race Officers of the Day along with members to manage the social gatherings. It will also
be a good opportunity to make sure we haven't clashed with other events.
Many people are working on getting their boats ready for the new season. These days the boat
lift lives at my place and I currently have a boat here that the owner is doing some work on the
keel and trailer. If you do need to lift your boat, let me know and I can explain the process and
costs involved.
What Have I Been Up To?
I am continuing to work on the rebuild of my Ross 780 project boat. Currently I am in the process
of ripping out and replacing the cockpit. I have an optimistic goal of having the boat on the water
this summer, let's see if that happens.
I have also finished working at Hamilton Boys’ High School and have shifted to Rototuna Senior
High School. This is an entirely different kind of school which has so far proven to be a thoroughly
enjoyable challenge.
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Bilgewater July 2021
As always BOPTYS are running their winter series and I have entered my Ross 780 Ghost Train. To
say my results have been poor would be a bit of an understatement. While the results have been
a bit disheartening, it has been a great learning experience and I feel I am slowly getting to grips
with the quirks of sailing a Ross 780.
During the school holidays I also went on an overnight sail on Rotoiti with my eldest. It was pretty
cold but we turned it into a movie night and I think we both really enjoyed ourselves.
Upcoming Events
Besides the BOPTYS winter series (which I thoroughly recommend), we also have the upcoming
John Dixon regatta at Ngaroto. This will be taking place on the weekend of the 21st and 22nd of
August. I can't recommend this event enough. Ngaroto is a great place to sail and the short
course racing is an excellent way to sharpen your skills.
Subs
Finally, a quick reminder that subs are due at the end of the month. If you have not received your
invoice contact Greg so that this can be completed in time.
James
What More Could You Need – A Yacht, A Quiet Anchorage, A Bar of Chocolate,
Chocolate Chippies, A Movie …………. And Oh Yes, Dad of Course!
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Bilgewater July 2021
A SHOUT OUT TO OUR MOST RECENT NEW MEMBERS
A shout out to the new members who have joined the Squadron in the past few months. They
will all have boats based at the Kawakawa Bay Compound this coming season, so do make yourself
known to them.
And to our new members – a big welcome, we hope to see you all out on the water with us in the
coming season, and do let us know if there is anything the Squadron can do to help you with your
sailing.
We welcome and introduce:
Allan Geddes
Much as Allan has been out on the water since a young age, that was mainly on launches and it is
only fairly recently that he took up sailing. Around 3 years ago he purchased his Bonito Aquarius
called Wind’s Up. He sailed in the last event of our season, the night race. Night sailing is nothing
new to him, as over the past couple of years he has often sailed across to Coromandel in the dark
after work. Before having a space in the Compound, Wind’s Up has either been housed at Allan’s
home in Manukau, where he works as a mechanic, or at his parents’ home at Orere Point.
Alex and Jenny Ross
Alex and Jenny had a launch for 4 years based at Pine Harbour but have now purchased a
MacGregor 26x called Amethyst. They live at Glenbrook where Alex is an engineer and Jenny is
a teacher. Sailing is new to them but they have been spending plenty of time out on Amethyst
since the time of the America’s Cup races. They purchased Amethyst from Christchurch and had
an initial 2 days learning to sail her in the Marlborough Sounds before bringing her across on the
ferry and then towing up to Kawakawa Bay. Some of their initial sailing ventures have been posted
on the Squadron’s Facebook page and they are looking forward to progressing further this coming
season, including joining in the Squadron’s Great Barrier cruise.
Amethyst: 2 days sailing in the Sounds, then the Cook Strait Ferry and up to Kawakawa Bay
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Bilgewater July 2021
Jeff Norrish and Mandy Searancke
Jeff and Mandy live on the outskirts of Hamilton and have recently purchased a Farr 6000 called
Farr-out. This is the second Farr 6000 that Jeff has owned and provides the opportunity for him
to introduce the world of sailing to Mandy who is new to sailing. Jeff himself has a long track
record of sailing that includes a period living on a Carpenter 29 keeler at Waikawa Bay in the
Marlborough Sounds. Over the years he has undertaken several keeler deliveries and has even
circumnavigated the North Island in a Beneteau. After several years away from sailing, the Farr
6000 is the start of the next chapter. As an aside, if anyone is looking to buy specialist golf
machines, then Jeff is the person to call!
Clive and Marie Tarry
Clive and Marie live at Te Kauwhata. They used to own a trailer yacht 20 years ago and have only
recently come back to sailing with the purchase of a Bonito Aquarius called Uhuru. Clive, who
describes himself as being semi-retired from a concrete pumping business, says he is actually a
powerboater at heart, but Marie insisted that they have another trailer yacht. Go Marie! They
are looking forward to eventually extending their cruising to the Bay of Islands and Marlborough
Sounds.
Peter Davies and Kim Parker
Peter and Kim have recently relocated from Whangarei to now live in St. Johns Auckland. Peter
has retired from being a helicopter pilot with Northland Emergency Services, and Kim is studying
at St. John’s Theological College. They have a Farr 7500 called Kimiora. They originally purchased
her from Kawakawa Bay a few years ago when she had a different name. Peter sailed Kimiora
down from Whangarei with a friend recently and they described it as a fun voyage despite a big
leak that took out all the electrics and threatened to fill the boat with water! However they made
it. The electrics have now been repaired and they believe the leak was via a through-hull fitting,
also hopefully now sorted. Kim describes her best sailing as sitting back in a quiet bay (don’t we
all love that), while Peter has an extensive sailing record that includes sailing in Wellington when
he was a student, and sailing from NZ to Hawaii and also from Hawaii to the US mainland.
Frans Naude
Frans is a retired electrical engineer and maths/science teacher from South Africa who is making
New Zealand his main home. He lives in Pukekohe and has a Coronet 20 called Panacea 2. Back
in South Africa he owned various yachts over the years, including a 24 foot wooden Swedish yacht
whose previous owner had sailed her from Europe to South Africa. Frans says he is a cruiser rather
than a racer, but he is looking forward to taking part in the Squadron’s sailing events and
barbecues. Frans usually heads back to South Africa to escape our winter months, but with Covid
precluding that, he is keeping himself occupied over the winter restoring an 18 foot Kestrel that
he says needs a lot or work.
“A sailor’s joys are as simple as a child’s.” —Bernard Moitessier
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Bilgewater July 2021
WINTER MAINTENANCE – Stainless Steel
Yes it’s that time of year again, and among other maintenance tasks, a chance to check over our
running rigging. But how often do we inspect all our stainless steel fittings?
Stainless steel is a metal alloy that was “invented” (apparently an accidental discovery) around
100 years ago. There are several grades which are primarily composed of differing proportions of
steel, chromium, nickel and various other materials. Marine grade 316 stainless steel, which also
contains molybdenum (whatever that is), is generally the best grade for marine applications due
to its high level of corrosion resistance.
Initially described as a miracle metal that resisted corrosion, stainless steel has at times also been
given names that are much less complimentary. That is because it can suddenly break with little
if any warning. There can be several reasons for the breakage. Crevice corrosion is a frequent
culprit. This is where the stainless steel is starved of oxygen and exposed to moisture, which can
occur in enclosed or hidden areas such as the swages of rigging. Another culprit is stress corrosion
cracking. This can occur from a combination of tensile stress and corrosion within cracks that
originate on the surface, often at welds, pits or rough areas, and then slowly spread. Regardless
of the reason, the sudden breakage of stainless steel can have dire consequences, including the
loss of a rig. Here are two recent examples I have encountered that you may like to ponder.
While sailing back from the Bay of Islands a couple of years ago, I had a knockdown in an
unanticipated squall off Whangarei. In the ensuing commotion my mainsail tore, almost in half,
which necessitated quickly dropping it. At that stage I had a stainless steel halyard (which I very
soon after replaced with Dyneema). When I lowered the sail, I found that all but one of the strands
of the stainless steel halyard had broken.
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Bilgewater July 2021
Note that all the strands were intact when I had hoisted the mainsail at Tutukaka that morning.
While the ripped mainsail seemed a moderate catastrophe at the time, I decided I was the luckiest
person out on the water because, if the last strand had broken, the halyard would have completely
disappeared down inside the mast. So, a detour was made into Whangarei for sail repairs and
halyard replacement. I kept the broken end as a reminder of the potential fragility of stainless
rigging wire.
Then just last week I decided to check and lubricate all the stainless steel shackles on my running
rigging. One shackle pin was particularly difficult to undo, but then it came free. And guess what?
Yes, my shackle pin had simply sheared in half!
I have even heard of someone who thought it would be a good idea to replace all the galvanized
bolts on his trailer yacht’s trailer with stainless steel bolts. His trailer subsequently dismantled
itself bolt by bolt while being towed to Lake Waikaremoana with the boat on board!
So you may like to add to your winter maintenance list an inspection of your various stainless steel
fittings.
Bilgewater Ed.
Please support Burnsco, Hamilton, the Squadron’s main sponsor. They provide the prizes for
all our sailing events and are also a sponsor of the Gulf Classic
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Bilgewater July 2021
DID YOU KNOW….……
We hear that James Hepburn is proposing to base his Ross 780 “Ghost Train” at Kawakawa Bay
this coming season. Racing-wise that should prove a run for the money for “Barometer Soup”,
“Signs of Life” and “E-Type 2”! Meantime his Joker 6.7 “Kittiwake” will likely be based at Rotoiti
so James can race her “on his days off” in the round the buoys BOPTYS races there.
Dean and Nola Herrmann are now the proud owners of a lovely Moody 42 foot keeler, built by
Plymouth Yachts in England and having been with the same NZ owners for the past 24 years. More
on this from Dean below. Meantime their Joker 820 “Jury’s Rig” is now available for purchase –
details also below.
A big thanks to Darren Johnson and David Whitburn for their ongoing input at the Compound.
While we are all required to weed spray our own boat spaces, Darren often sprays the weeds
around the perimeter and when the recent working bee was cancelled due to the weather, he
took it on himself to do another full weed spray. Meantime David, a Kawakawa Bay local, keeps
an eye on the Compound almost every day, making sure everything is safe and secure. He attends
to any obvious issues with boats as necessary, such as covers or foiled jibs that may have come
undone. Thanks guys, it is much appreciated!
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Bilgewater July 2021
Bilgewater is one of the Squadrons’ three communication and promotion media. The other two
are our Facebook page and website, with each having a different but complimentary role to play.
Following the AGM and formation of the new Committee, Bilgewater has a new editor (that’s me).
I would welcome contributions, photos, information about who is doing what and feedback. You
can contact me by email at tim.hayward@outlook.co.nz or phone 027-444 5902. If you have
something to contribute but don’t consider yourself a confident enough writer to put it together,
just give me the messages and I’ll help you with it.
Ross 780 “Skywalker” has been purchased by Peter Klinkhamer. It is great news that she will stay
in the Squadron and still be based at Kawakawa Bay. We hope to see Skywalker back out in the
club events, and it will be interesting to have her battling her compatriot “Ghost Train”. Peter
also says he sold his Trojan 750 in just 3 days.
9Bilgewater July 2021
Nigel McCarter (aka “master boatbuilding tradesman”) has kept himself busy recently by building
a stunning timber sailing dinghy. Currently just awaiting a lug rig and sail prior to launching.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Next Nog ‘n Natter
Squadron Winter Dinner
WHEN: Tuesday 27th July from 6pm.
WHERE: The RSA club at 50 Rostrevor St Hamilton. Car parking available at the rear of the building.
FORMAT: A la carte menu with full bar facilities available. Followed by a social evening of pool,
snooker, darts etc.; or just a chance to chat.
Note: The RSA is a community club. Please sign in on our squadron register on entry to the club.
Seamanship, Safety and Sail Training
Dean Herrmann is proposing to hold another seamanship, safety and sail training event. This
usually consists of an evening tuition session and/or practical training with a day out on the water.
To assist Dean to work out a programme that will be of most benefit to participants, can you
please contact him if you are interested in attending and also let him know what you would find
most beneficial to have covered. You can contact Dean by email at noladean@xtra.co.nz or phone
027-437 4001.
10Bilgewater July 2021
ISN’T IT GREAT WHEN A “MASTERPLAN” COMES TOGETHER
By Dean and Nola Herrmann, “Grateful new owners of Masterplan”
We bought Jury’s Rig in early 2012 and she is a superb yacht – whether participating in squadron
races or taking us cruising the Hauraki Gulf, Coromandel, Great Barrier and as far north as
Whangaroa Harbour. The trouble is that the trips only made us want to go further and see more
and so we started looking for a bigger boat.
The search started some years ago as we searched TradeMe and national and international
brokers’ websites, looking for something suitable. As we kept looking we learned about different
makes and types of yacht, the sizes available, the internal layouts, the keel configurations and the
good and bad things about each. About that time we put together a list of what the boat must
have, what would be nice to have and what it must not have.
We soon learned that every boat is a compromise and it only depends on what you are prepared
to compromise on. Each of us had things that we wanted in our next yacht and it turned out to
be very hard to find something that met all our needs while staying in our price range. About 2
years ago we decided on a Moody 38 as the closest match. However, they are few and far
between in this part of the world and it seemed that we would have to travel to Europe to find
one or settle on another type. Covid then put an end to any travel plans.
With a greater focus on local boats we investigated a wide range, from Hallberg Rassy, Westsail
and Chieftain, to Farr, Cabo Rico and Cavalier; from steel to timber to fibreglass; from Opua to
Wellington. In each case something just did not quite feel right. Since wiser sailors than us had
said that when we saw the right boat we would know it, we just kept looking.
Things changed a bit when some possibly suitable vessels appeared on the local market earlier
this year and we got onto first name terms with a few brokers. However, buyer beware, what it
says may not be what it really is! Recently we did find a yacht that we liked; an immaculate boat
that has been well cared for, but the owner rejected our offer, which was a bit disappointing. We
weren’t going higher!
The very next day we saw an advertisement for a Moody 419. Only an hour after talking to the
owner on the phone we were on our way to see her. After a good look over the boat it all felt
right and we began the buying process, ending up with a yacht with which we are very pleased.
Yes, there are a few compromises, but not too many. What is evident though, is that we have a
lot to learn! We bought the boat privately, without a broker, and found the process to be simple
and certainly easier than some of the interactions we’d had with brokers.
We would like to say a special thanks to Jim Pasco who was not only a willing source of knowledge
on boats and bits but also made time to research boats for us and looked at various yacht
advertisements that we sent to him. He even travelled with us on a number of occasions to view
a yacht and share his thoughts during the journey home.
11Bilgewater July 2021
“Masterplan”
WEATHER – There are Signposts in the Sky
As small boat sailors, we are very dependent on the weather, particularly as it affects the wind
and sea conditions. While we obviously rely heavily on marine forecasts, it is prudent for us to
also be able to read the weather signs we see around us. One of the most helpful signs we are
given comes in the form of the various cloud formations. They can act as signposts in the sky
telling us about the weather that is to come. Did you know there are 10 main cloud types and
each one tells us something different?
Weather Spot Quiz 1
How many of the 10 main cloud types can you name?
Here are some clues to help you. 3 are high level clouds (altitude above 6,000m), 2 are mid-level
(2,000m to 6,000m), and 5 are considered predominantly low level (altitude less than 2,000m).
Also, the prefixes/suffixes give us further clues. Clouds with the prefix “Cirro” have a wispy form.
“Cumulo” have a puffy, heaped form. “Strato” form a layer. “Nimbo” means rain. And “Alto” are
mid-level altitude clouds.
Answers at the end of Bilgewater
12Bilgewater July 2021
Weather Spot Quiz 2
What is this cloud type, and what does it tell us about the coming weather?
Answers at the end of Bilgewater
13Bilgewater July 2021
Joker 820 For Sale “Jury’s Rig”
Honda 15hp 4 stroke motor 40L 12V compressor-driven fridge
Plastimo bulkhead compass Garmin chart plotter 2 solar panels
LED lights throughout Boom tent Headsail furler
Manual and electric freshwater pumps New sail cover
Price $27 000
For further details contact: Dean Herrmann 027-4374001 noladean@xtra.co.nz
14Bilgewater July 2021
Our Gulf Classic Sponsors
Pine Harbour Electrical Top Catch, Beachlands
WEATHER SPOT QUIZ ANSWERS
Answers to Question 1 – the 10 cloud types
3 High level clouds ………………. Cirrocumulus, Cirrus, Cirrostratus
2 Mid-level clouds ……………….. Altocumulus, AltoStratus
5 Low-level clouds ……………….. Stratocumulus, Stratus, Nimbostratus, Cumulus, Cumulonimbus
Answers to Question 2
These are Cirrostratus clouds.
Description - translucent, veil-like, wispy clouds that cover most or all of the sky. They are thin, with the
sun (or moon) always visible. The best identifier being a halo or ring of light surrounding the sun or moon.
Forecast: Cirrostratus clouds usually indicate approaching rain within 12 to 24 hours. Any thickening or
appearance of lower cloud can indicate an advancing depression or trough of low pressure. Watch for a
falling barometer. This cloud often invades the sky well ahead of a frontal system and may ‘thicken’ to
Altostratus as the front approaches.
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