Ahoy - December 2021 by Island Cruising & Down Under Rally

AHOY! Newsletter

December 2021

CONTENTS

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COVER IMAGE Christmas Lunch s.v Maestro

Isla Contradora, Panama 2011

Published by Down Under Rally Pty Ltd Contact John Hembrow - Director Website: downunderrally.com Email: admin@downunderrally.com

Cruising Through Christmas As another year draws to a close, I found myself thinking about all the different places we have celebrated Christmas over the last 13 years and the people we shared those celebrations with. Our first Christmas away from home, (by home I mean Australia and more specifically Brisbane & The Gold Coast in Queensland), was back in 2009 when we found ourselves in The Bay Of Islands Marina, Opua, New Zealand. We had sailed Migaloo to New Zealand after spending 5 months cruising New Caledonia & Vanuatu for the first time. At the time we intended to spend the 2009/10 cyclone season cruising New Zealand before heading off again in May 2010 to cruise Tonga & Fiji with Island Cruising NZ. Until 2009 Christmas Day for us had been a time to gather with the family and spend the day together so this was going to be a very different Christmas indeed. The next few years would see us spending Christmas as Cruisers in the company of new friends on the other side of the world! So I thought I would share a few stories about some of our Cruisers Christmas's in the Pacific in this December edition of...

Ahoy

Arriving in New Zealand Waters from New Caledonia s.v Migaloo- November 2009

On Passage New Caledonia to Opua, New Zealand s.v Migaloo- November 2009

Maritime Borders Covid Update

SW Pacific & Australia

Australia. Australian Maritime Borders remain closed to all except AUS Citizens/Permanent Residents and holders of travel exemptions. More information HERE

New Zealand. New Zealand Maritime Borders remain closed to all except NZ Citizens and Permanent Residents and those with Approved Vessel Exemptions. More information HERE New Caledonia. New Caledonia Maritime Borders remain closed. Entry to New Caledonia is only permitted for essential reasons. It is anticipated that borders will re-open in 2022. An update in this regard is expected in January 2022. More information HERE

Vanuatu. Vanuatu Maritime Borders remain closed in line with the countries State of Emergency for Covid 19 Pandemic prevention and control measures from 1st August 2021 to 31st December 2021. An update is expected in January 2022. More information HERE Fiji. Fiji opened its borders on 1 December to fully vaccinated travellers. All yachts wishing to enter Fiji must declare their interest directly with a Fiji Yacht Agent and Fijian Border Agencies, at least 3 working days before departure. More information HERE

A Cruisers Christmas - New Zealand 2009 On arriving in Opua in late October we soon realised that whilst we were only a short flight from Australia we were foreigners in a foreign country. We also realised that we had become part of the international cruising community as many other yachties from all over the world were circumnavigating that had also chosen to spend cyclone season in New Zealand. We now know this is not unusual but at the time it was quite a surprise as was the fact that we had now become a part of this eclectic & very social community. There was no end to the invitations to attend gatherings that ranged from impromptu get-togethers to well-planned and well-organised events culminating in The Cruisers Christmas Party at the Opua Cruising Yacht Club. The following is an extract from the Sailblog of Migaloo we kept at the time about our Cruisers Christmas in Opua. “Christmas day we went to the Opua Cruising Club where we had Christmas dinner. It was all organised by the cruising community and was themed as an International Christmas Dinner, we were the only Aussies among the 50 or so attendees who came from America, Canada, Germany, Brazil, France, New Zealand, and the UK. The food was plentiful & fantastic, Turkey, ham, mountains of mash and all sorts of salads and veggies. Desert was catered for by the owners of each yacht and was a taste of the type of traditional desert that they would have if they were at home. Leanne made trifle which was well received along with Pavlovas, brownies, cakes, chocolate mousse, fruit salads and more, all of which was washed down with a few beers and some wine, needless to say, we were all very full at the end of the evening. Everyone that attended was required also to bring a gift. The twist however was that the gift had to be an unwanted item from the boat. These items were wrapped up and put under the tree then each of us was given a number. As our number was called, we could go up and choose a gift from under the tree however you could select not to pick a gift from under the tree but instead "steal" the gift from someone who had already chosen one. If this was what you chose to do the person from whom you stole the gift then had to choose another gift from under the tree or steal someone else's gift, lots of laughs were had as those who thought they had a great gift found that they didn't get to hold onto it for long those who went last had the advantage. We were one of last few numbers called so rather than steal a gift we decided to get one from under the tree which turned out to be a 110v electric lead plug and as such useless to us! It was very entertaining to watch and was mostly done in the spirit of fun however there we a few who were not too impressed about having their gift stolen, needless to say, no one stole our plug so we gave it away at the end of the night.”

POST SCRIPT: It would not be until several months later when we purchased Red Sky in California that I realised I should have kept that bloody 110v plug!" 😂

Rally News Response to our announcement of the proposed 2022 OZ to NZ Rally has been encouraging with enquiries and expressions of interest being received from 26 vessels. This response would suggest there is sufficient interest for the rally to proceed. Last week the New Zealand Government announced their plan for reopening the country's borders. In a nutshell, the announcement about the opening of New Zealand Borders to international visitors states: "From 30 April, fully vaccinated foreign travellers can travel to New Zealand. This will happen in a staged way." The full announcement along with a summary of the relevant information can be found here: www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/456430/covid-19-major-miq-changes-from-early-next-year Soon after the announcement and at my request, Viki Moore of Island Cruising NZ made contact with a Senior Customs Officer in the Small Craft | COVID-19 Maritime Response division seeking clarification as to how this announcement relates to international small craft arrivals with Australian or other nationalities aboard the vessel. The response we received is as follows: "At present, we have had no official guidance around the maritime border, and what the announcement means to small craft entering N.Z from January 2022 from Australia. So it is business as usual until we hear otherwise. If we have any updates I will advise you accordingly." Unfortunately, this is not the news that we had hoped for and based on the current policy as it relates to New Zealand's Maritime Border it would seem it will be unlikely that the 2022 Oz to NZ Rally will proceed. We intend to offer the OZ to NZ Rally again in 2023. If you are interested in voyaging from Australia to New Zealand and onwards to Tonga & Fiji you can learn more about the OZ to NZ Rally and the ICNZ Pacific Circuit Rally that departs New Zealand each year HERE

As soon as we receive official advice from the New Caledonia Government regarding the opening of the countries borders and what if any conditions and or restrictions will be imposed we will be in a position to confirm if inthe 2022 Go East Rally to New Caledonia will proceed. Those who have submitted an expression of interest in voyaging to New Caledonia with the 2022 Go East Rally will receive an update from us as soon as we receive any official notification of the opening of New Caledonia borders. More information about the Go East Rally to submit an obligation free expression of interest in joining the rally should it proceed can be found HERE

Rally News 37 Expressions of interest have been received from vessels for the 2022 Beyond The Barrier Rally. Once again this would suggest there is sufficient interest to once again offer the rally. It is therefore likely that the rally will proceed. At this stage, we intend to make an announcement confirming the dates, rally itinerary, route, duration & entry fee in late January / Early February 2022. More information about the Beyond The Barrier Rally can be found HERE

We are looking forward to a time when as the organisers of the Go West Rally and we can once again welcome the international cruising community to our shores without the need for applications and hotel quarantine stays. Let's hope that will be in 2022! More information visiting Australia by yacht & why it makes sense to Go West with the Down Under Rally can be found HERE

As soon as we receive official advice from the Vanuatu Government regarding the opening of the countries borders and what if any conditions and or restrictions will be imposed we will be in a position to confirm if the 2022 NC2V Rally will proceed. More information about the NC2V Rally can be found HERE

As soon as we receive official advice from the New Caledonia & Vanuatu Governments regarding the opening of those countries borders and what if any conditions and or restrictions will be imposed we will be in a position to confirm if the Loyalty Islands Rally & The Mystery Islands Rally will proceed. More information about the Loyalty Islands Rally & The Mystery Island Rally can be found by clicking the relevant image above.

Gone Sailing

Neil Bailey of Baileys Insurance Brokers announces retirement Neil was the founder of Baileys Insurance Brokers, formerly known as Bailey & Associates, which was established in April 1986. Neil sold his interest in the company and retired in October 2021, after 40 years in the insurance industry. Neil tells us he is looking forward to spending time cruising the SW Pacific. We wish him all the very best and thank him for the support he has provided to us and our rally participants/members over the years. Neil's retirement marks the end of an era and the end of the relationship between The Down Under Rally and Baileys Insurance Brokers. The Down Under Rally is now seeking to form a new relationship with a marine insurance provider that can provide our members with options for marine insurance & personal travel insurance that are relevant to our member's needs. Discussions with potential partner businesses whom we have identified as being a suitable match for our members are ongoing at the moment so stay tuned for an announcement very shortly.

Down Under Rally Members Offer! 10% Off All Above & Beyond Boating Courses that feature on our website at: downunderrally.com/preparation-training

Rally News The Sailing SeaSmiths arrived in Brisbane last month after a non-stop voyage from Fiji. The Smith Family are one of several yachts that have benefited from the considerable efforts during 2020 & 2021 of The Down Under Rally, The Ocean Cruising Club (Guy Chester) and Aus Visas (Greg Bowler) in lobbying for the creation in 2020 and continuation in 2021 of a Safe Haven Travel Exemption category allowing foreign nationals who qualify for the exemption to enter Australia by sea rather than having to remain in the south pacific during cyclone season. Several of our Rally Partners including Scarborough Marina Queensland Australia, The Boat Works Gold Coast, Bundaberg Port Marina, Bato Flags, Multihull Solutions & DBY Boat Sales have also contributed by providing support for the multiple appeals that have been made to both the federal & state governments on behalf of the international cruising community. The process of lobbying for this exemption category has been a VERY time consuming and at times extremely frustrating one but a worthwhile one when I see unexpectedly see posts like the one below by the SeaSmiths pop up on social media. Our thanks to all who have been involved in this process including the Australian Border Force, Queensland Health and the Department of Home Affairs and last but not least the SeaSmiths for mentioning us in their post and supporting us by becoming Down Under Rally Members and joining the Down Under Dash. We hope you enjoy your time in our Land Down Under!

LINK

Membership News

Who will be NUMBER 100?

We are very pleased to announce that the next person to join will be our 100th member! Thank you to everyone who has chosen to support us by becoming a member and to our rally partners for embracing & supporting our membership program. Being a Down Under Rally Member is about more than getting discounts from our rally partners. The view counter on our Offshore Cruising Preparation Course videos tells us that our members are engaging with the content. The feedback we are receiving from members who have completed the course has been very positive indeed with many saying they "love the fact that they can watch the videos and take in the content at their own pace". Several have also said they are also "pleased that there is no time limit on how long they have access to the videos" and that they "intend to watch them again in the future as a refresher". In addition, the articles and information we have shared in the members portal are also proving to be popular with members contacting us and asking questions about the information shared and with suggestions for information they would like us to add in the future.

So, after just 11 weeks, we are off to a great start and we are looking forward to expanding the benefits of membership and welcoming many more new members

Members Home Port

Members Vessel Type

QLD: 39 NSW: 32 VIC: 12 SA: 2 TAS: 1 WA: 3 ACT: 1 NT: 0 INTERNATIONAL: 9

43 x Sail Monohull 42 x Sail Multihull 3 x Power Monohull 1 x Power Multihull 1 x Motor Sailor 9 x No Boat ATM

Reaping the Rewards

Beyond The Barrier Rally veterans, Ian & Helen joined as Down Under Rally Members last month. During their recent haul out Ian dropped us a message saying they were well looked after by our rally partners Australian Boating Supplies, Everything Marine and of course by the awesome team at The Boat Works. Ian went on to say they have already saved much more than the cost of membership! Thank you guys, we appreciate your support and are happy to hear you are enjoying the benefits of membership!

Helen & Ian doing 'sundowners in style' - 2020 Beyond The Barrier Rally

Dignity returning to water at The Boat Works

Member Profile Introducing Kim & Mike, Down Under Rally Members & the Owners of Greenskin Wines! When they are not cruising aboard their Catana 42 Catamaran on the East Coast of Australia Kim & Mike are residents of Fremantle Western Australia. Kim owns and operates Kee Marketing and creates websites for all manner of SME’s with a strong background in the marine industry.

Mike is a veteran of the Wine Industry having spent most of the last 30 years filling bottles of wine by day and emptying them by night! While we recognise that we have likely caused more problems than we have solved, one of the problems we have solved is the issue of storing, drinking and disposing of heavy, bulky, breakable glass wine bottles while boating, (or pursuing any outdoor activity), hence the advent of Greenskin Wine. We have sourced some great small parcels of premium WA wine and packaged them into 750ml pouches and packed them into 6-packs that are 60% of the size and weight of a standard 6-pack of glass bottles and when they are empty they are flat and weigh only 17gm each. The pouches are 100% recyclable, unbreakable, re-sealable and we even supply a reply paid satchel for you to put the empties in and post them to our recycling partners. We can now stow 1.7 times the amount of wine on our boat and we have no heavy, bulky bottles to dispense with. The wines can be seen and purchased on our website, www.greenskinwine.com We hope you enjoy! VIVA La #GlasslessRevolution Mike Davies and Kim McKee PS: If you are liking the sound of the practical benefits of Greenskin Wine but are thinking, "eek more plastic in the world", here are the reasons why Greenskin Wine pouches are more environmentally sustainable than glass. A 750ml Greenskin pouch takes LESS THAN 20% of the ENERGY to produce, compared to a 750ml glass bottle. Emits far FEWER EMISSIONS to transport due to its lightweight, compact nature. eg: Transporting one truckload of empty Greenskin pouches is the equivalent of freighting 26 truckloads of empty glass wine bottles! Greenskin pouches are 100% RECYCLABLE! More than 60% of glass ends up in landfills (unfortunately)! Plus, we are making it too easy to recycle them. Each six-pack of Greenskin Wine includes a PRE-PAID post-pack for you to place your empty pouches into and mail back. Thanks to our partnership with REDCycle, every part of the pouch enjoys a second life as something awesome. See more here: www.greenskinwine.com/recycling-program

Benefits of Membership Discounts & Special Offers all year round on a wide range of marinerelated products & services from participating rally partner businesses & sponsors. Unlimited Access to our Offshore Cruising Preparation Course. Watch the course content as often as you like for as long as you are a member. Access to our Members Only Portal. This is where we share articles and stories that we believe to be of both interest and use to anyone that owns a cruising yacht. Down Under Rally Burgee. e-Help. Contact us via email, telephone or even via video conferencing as often as you like for advice on anything related to your vessel, your cruising plans and goals. Plus assistance and support when cruising in the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia. Priority Rally Registrations. Our rallies have a maximum number of participants. DUR Members will get advance notification of rally registration opportunities to help avoid disappointment. Discounts on all Down Under Rally Registration Fees Access to our Members Only Facebook Group. Being a member of this group will provide you with the opportunity to interact with other Down Under Rally Members, many of whom will have a wealth of knowledge and experiences to share about all things sailing & cruising!

Full Membership $125.00 AUD Per Year downunderrally.com/membership

Gift Certificates

Give the Gift Of Membership! A Down Under Rally Membership makes a great gift for someone that already has everything!

Purchase a Gift Certificate

Funny things sailors say......

by Leanne Hembrow Yoga4Yachties

I like to bring humour or laughter into class when I teach, I think it is a great way to relax students, and likewise, students often reciprocate with humour by sharing funny experiences or thoughts with me during or after class. A few that come to mind are: “Yoga in person is so different to playing Wii Video Game!” exclaimed a sailor, during his first in-person yoga class. "I am good at this one!" said a first-time student whilst in Savasana. "You're kidding me, right? Not in this lifetime!" - When I show students how deep the body will fold after months/years of practice, touching my head to my knee in Janu Sirsasana. “How can you not fart doing this?” Yes, yoga often allows you to break wind, certain poses help your digestive system or if you're prone to bloating yoga is a great release. “How can I not Breathe?” Yells a student from the back of class after my saying during a pose "don`t forget to breathe". My response was “Mindfully, take slow deliberate inhalations and exhalations, not just relying on your automatic breathing".

Hi, I’m Leanne, I have been introducing yoga and sail wellness into the cruising community for several years. I would like to invite you to join my Yoga, Health & Sail Wellness Program. This is the perfect way to practice whenever yoga calls you to the mat with the option to also join in on the live classes when they are scheduled. As a subscriber, you will be able to join me for live-streamed classes, and access my growing yoga library with over 55 yoga classes to practice at your leisure whenever & wherever you choose be it at home, on the boat, in the caravan, or when you are away on holidays. I also have guest teachers, who offer a variety of Yoga classes from gentle vinyasa flows, namaste ocean yoga easy practice onboard, yin yoga, yoga nidra and many more. Can't wait to share in your journey, Namaste Leanne x Special Introductory Offer For Down Under Rally Members Only! YOUR FIRST YEAR YOGA, HEALTH & SAIL WELLNESS SUBSCRIPTION FOR JUST $85.00! Learn More & Subscribe at: www.downunderrally.com/health-wellness-for-cruisers

Welcome Aboard Buoycatcher The Down Under Rally is excited to announce that we have partnered with Buoycatcher - The Stress-Free Mooring Solution! If you have been Sailing & Cruising in New Caledonia, Vanuatu & Beyond then you would be aware that the use of moorings is commonplace especially in New Caledonia. You would also be aware that the moorings in New Caledonia are often short scoped AND they have no pickup lines attached. That makes it VERY DIFFICULT to attach the boat and often leads to some interesting banter between captain & crew! Click the following link to visit our website and see a video of Buoycatcher in action. downunderrally.com/buoycatcher

PREDICTWIND'S NEW WEATHER ROUTING ALGORITHM WITH COMPLETELY NEW CODE OFFERS UNPARALLELED PERFORMANCE

Faster Routes The new routing algorithm finds the faster routes 70-90% of the time, compared to our competition. We tested the new PredictWind router against the competition, by using the same boat polar, the same wind field and then evaluated the optimal routes through a sailing simulator to see which routing algorithm sailed the boat fastest to the destination. The new PredictWind router was a clear winner! Faster routes are typically the safest routes. Accurate Weather Every PredictWind route is calculated using the highest resolution ECMWF/SPIRE/UKMO/GFS/PWG/PWE forecast data. ECMWF is proved to be the most accurate global weather model. The high-resolution PredictWind models that are run at 1km/8km resolution are the highest resolution models available with proven accuracy in the short term. Getting 6 forecasts for every route gives you additional confidence in the forecast. Speed & Ease As the PredictWind router is run on cloud computing off the boat, it is not essential to download GRIB files to calculate a route, and in some circumstances, this will save you at least 50 MB of GRIB downloads. The PredictWind router has access to the highest resolution GRIB data for wind, wave and current. To download this data on a mobile or satellite connection is very slow and expensive. With the click of a button, the forecast information, including routes for all 6 forecasts are quickly and easily displayed to help make informed decisions.

Long-Range Forecasts We have added the ECMWF ensemble forecasts with an incredibly longrange 4-week forecast. The ECMWF ensemble is unequivocally the leader in long-range forecasting and will let you plan your trip well in advance, with better accuracy than traditional climate forecasts.

Reliable The PredictWind router simply works. No failed routes, or issues with the router crossing the land, so you can concentrate on sailing the boat, rather than troubleshooting why the router did not work. Additional new features Move the start waypoint to your device's GPS position with a single click New user interface for the weather routing map display Boat Polars now displayed in a polar plot to check your boat performance curve Boat Polars can be set up in the Offshore App Boat Polars can be imported/exported in various formats User-Defined Boundaries now available in the Offshore App Port & starboard waypoints now available in the Offshore App Route comparison tool now available in the Offshore App Course import/export feature is now available on desktop apps. Simply share the exported gpx file with friends/competitors, so they can add the same course to their PredictWind Account All boundaries, saved courses and routing parameters are synchronised between the Offshore App and Website/PredictWind App

A Cruisers Christmas - Mexico 2010 The following year having sold Migaloo in New Zealand early in 2010 and purchasing Red Sky in California we voyaged south to Central America and found ourselves spending Christmas about as far away from Australia as you can be in Mexico at Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz. Once again, we were foreigners in a foreign country at Christmas time. Like in Opua we were the only Aussies in the bunch. I became a source of entertainment and friendly banter for many of the USA & Canadian cruisers we spent time with as I attempted to communicate with the locals in what would become known amongst the cruising community as “Spangozlish”, a mixture of my very poor Spanish and Australian version of English. Below is an extract from the Sailblog of Red Sky we kept at the time.

"Well we have spent our 2nd Christmas away from home and whilst we missed our family and our old friends we still had a great day. Christmas Eve here was spent in the marina. The 30 or so boats that are on the dock all brought out their chairs and some makeshift tables were set up, ours was Red Sky's upturned dinghy! Each boat contributed a plate of finger food to share. We enjoyed some music, lots of tasty food and a Cerveza or three..... Our boats were decorated with Christmas lights and a piñata in the shape of a reindeer was strung overhead between two boats. The 10 or so kids all had turns beating poor Rudolph in the hope of spilling the bounty of candy he contained. After each of the kids had collectively struck Rudolf 30 or so times he still refused to part with the majority of his offering so it was decided that Matthew (our son) should finish the job. To a chant of BAM BAM, BAM BAM,(Matthew's nickname) Matt wailed on poor Rudolf, first breaking a leg then decapitating him and finally the mother lode of candy poured from a sorry looking reindeer all over the dock. This rainstorm of candy caused a brief free for all as the kids (and a few adults) climbed over each other in a desperate bid to secure some of the treats... Lots of fun. Christmas morning dawned and brunch was once again held on the dock, tacos, Swedish pancakes and scrambled eggs were consumed which were washed down with a glass of 1999 Dom Pereion Champagne thanks to our mates from s.v Perfect Wave. Who said cruisers were cheap! " Bringing in the big guns BAM BAM aka our son Matthew prepares to free the bounty!

A Cruisers Christmas - Mexico 2010 continued "After an afternoon siesta, we headed up to the Sky Bar at the Puerto Vallarta Yacht Club, the venue for our Christmas dinner which was provided free of charge with compliments of the Marina. What a venue it was with million-dollar views over Banderas Bay and the coast where tables and chairs complete with white chair covers and Christmas table cloths had been set up. At 5.00 pm all the yachties arrived and we feasted on Turkeys, Hams and a variety of side dishes and desserts all of which were prepared aboard the various boat of the group. Later in the evening, the fun began with the traditional giving (and stealing) of gifts that each boat had brought.

The Sky Lounge Puerto Vallarta Yacht Club From left to right Matthew, Leaane & John Hembrow

As was the case last year in Opua some gifts were highly desired, such as a gift certificate to have a hand-drawn sketch of your boat done by an artist in the fleet. At the other end of the scale is a napkin holder. Our contribution, which I chose as in the hope they would cause a stir was a set of "Knee Pads". They had the desired effect and as well as being the topic for some R-rated suggested uses and was the subject of considerable desirethat is the desire not to be stuck with them at the end of the night!"

Dinner is served As they say in Mexico "Feliz Navidad" Merry Christmas!

Leanne selecting a gift

sistershipmagazine.com

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Dacron, Cruise-laminates, Radial woven, Hydra -net, Pro-Radial ........ As is the case with many things these days we are spoiled for choice which is a good thing but it can also mean that making a choice, or more to the point the right choice for you, can become a little overwhelming. I must admit on occasion being a little like Homer Simpson when someone is talking to him about something other than food or beer, the monkeys start playing symbols in my head, especially when the conversation is about material choice for sails or as I like to call them, white flappy things!

With this in mind, I decided to ask Caedric Reader from our rally partners Evolution Sails Gold Coast to help me to understand the difference and the benefits of the various sail materials on offer and how to make a choice based on my intended use which is extended coastal and offshore cruising. Unfortunately during the early part of our conversation, the monkey started playing the symbols again and I had to ask him if he would write down a few of his thoughts that I could use for an article on the subject of .....

Sail Choice For Cruising Yachts. When it comes to sails different materials address a range of requirements, so it is important to have an idea of what you’re expecting and also to have realistic expectations of the products you end up choosing as all products have their strengths and weaknesses. When talking to cruising sailors it seems the three main considerations, but not necessarily in this order, are: Performance (low stretch and weight) Durability Cost Finding the right balance between these considerations is the trick. So to make that process a little easier let's break it down and talk about the 4 criteria below that are relevant to the above: Budget Cruising Sails Mid Range Cruising Sails Performance Cruising Sails Sail Design

Sail Choice For Cruising Yachts. Budget Cruising Sails Dacron is a proven material for sailors on a budget. Dacron is a woven polyester that can be very affordable, forgiving and generally outlast any laminate material. The downside is that because it is a woven material it is not great at holding its shape and will stretch under load, therefore, compromising its use as a performance-orientated product. It is important to know that not all Dacron’s are the same or are designed for the same use. Race Dacron’s have a tight weave and a resin coating that produces a sail that holds its shape better, but the hard finish makes the sail stiff and therefore brittle compared to some of the more cruising orientated Dacron’s Cruising Dacron’s also vary a lot in their weave and finish which determines how the sail will last both in terms of sail shape and UV stability. It is always important to use a good quality material even when on a budget as some of the cheaper Dacron’s will not last in the sun and have poor tear strength.

Sail Choice For Cruising Yachts. Mid-Range Cruising Sails For sailors looking for better performance and who have a bit more money to spend the next step is a radial-cut sail which orientates the cloth to address the load in a sail better. The materials that are often used include Cruiselaminates and Radial woven materials such a Hydra -net and pro-Radial. Over the past 5-6 years we (Evolution) have preferred to use Pro-radial over the more traditional Cruise-laminates as it seems to perform similarly to a laminate sail but without the issues of delamination and mildew to a lesser degree. The Shape retention is it appears to be significantly better than Dacron or Hydra-net.

So what is Pro Radial? Visually the Pro-radial looks identical to Hydra-net and is constructed in the same radial method but instead of using a spectra fibre for the warp, they use a Polyester Crimpless warp, which DimensionPolyant claim is a revolution in sailcloth and makes a fabric comparable to polyester laminates in stretch and weight whilst keeping the woven polyester durability. It might be interesting to know that Dimension‑Polyant is the only vertical producer of sailcloth. Our Pro Radial compositions are accompanied by our very own UVi® Technology to ensure the highest possible UV stability of our premium weaved polyester sailcloth styles. What are the pros and cons of Pro Radial? Pros: • Good shape retention. • Good chafe resistance. • Price is cheaper than Hydra-net. • No issues with de-lamination. • And fewer issues with mildew. Cons: • Does not have the same tear strength as Hydra-net. • Material is quite stiff and therefore packing mainsails into tight bags can be challenging.

Sail Choice For Cruising Yachts. Performance Orientated Cruising Sails Carbon membranes. While for most cruising sailors the idea of carbon fibre sails would seem an unnecessary expense, they do offer three very important characteristics that become a greater consideration as the sails get bigger.

1. Weight. While boats under 50ft can have sail made out of panel cloth without too much concern; as sails get bigger the weight start to escalate exponentially and before you know it you need bigger blocks, lines and winches just to handle the sail not to mention having to overbuild the sail to cope with its weight. On some boats, especially multihulls, weight is crucial both for safety and performance which is why you often see membrane sails on boats over 45ft

2. Strength. Again, as boats get bigger the loads on everything escalates which is why carbon fibre is great. The membrane construction method allows the loads to be individually addressed through a custom fibre layout as opposed to panels where every piece of material is the same. In laying up the material we can increase the amount of fibre in the corners to be far greater than any panel product and reduce the fibre content in areas where it is not required thus saving a lot of weight.

3.Performance. Having a sail with minimal stretch means the design shape can be optimised for speed as well as the added benefit of weight-saving making the sail easier to handle as well. To achieve durability the cruising membranes, have a taffeta outer skin which is a light Dacron finish, this gives the sail some chafe resistance and Uv protection. While membrane sails are considerably more expensive than panelled sails, they do have a place on a cruising boat especially on larger boats where the price difference becomes less.

Sail Choice For Cruising Yachts. Design Sail design is however possibly the most important of all considerations when it comes time to replace your sail wardrobe. At Evolution Sails Gold Coast we aim to understand our customer's expectations of their sails so we can design sails that take into account sail material properties, how those materials will react throughout the life of the sails, the way the sail will be used and how we can translate this into forward momentum through sail shapes which varies depending on the style of boats. For instance, when designing race sails, we are purely interested in sail shapes and how they can be manipulated and controlled through rig setup and sail trim. In the case of a cruising sail that needs to last a lot longer and as such requires the use of materials where stretch is an unavoidable characteristic of the sail material used an entirely different design approach is required. For instance, it is very important to design sails for cruising that will still support themselves in a slightly stretched state. As an example it is quite common, especially in large roach multihull sails, to see the leech’s falling off creating an 'S' shape in the sail (which is not fast). These types of issues can be either exasperated or avoided with the correct sail material choice, design shapes and construction techniques.

We hope you have found the information in this article helpful and that when the time comes to replace your sails or even just the next time the topic of sail material comes up at sundowners you are not just able to understand the terms being used to describe sail materials but that you can also contribute to the discussion if you choose. We would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you reading this article who are already our customers and to encourage those of you we are yet to meet to get in touch with any questions at all you might have and to keep us in mind when the time comes to replace, repair or modify your sail wardrobe.

PERFECTING PERFECTION Just when you think a boatyard cannot get any better...... For those of us who call our boats home, the prospect of living aboard on the hard whilst undertaking those tasks associated with the annual haul-out is not something, we look forward to. Many boatyards don`t allow us to live-aboard on the hard which adds to the anxiety, expense and inconvenience. At The Boat Works, they not only welcome liveaboards they go above and beyond when it comes to catering to our needs and they just keep adding more facilities. The addition of the BRAND NEW HARDSTAND & LIVE-ABOARD PRECINCT dedicated just for our cruising community offers 5,000-square-metres of fresh newly paved hardstand which can accommodate up to 16 cruising catamarans & monohulls has been created with live-aboard cruising yacht owners in mind who wish to undertake their own antifoul and refit work, in their very own private workspace in the company of likeminded sailors. When speaking about this new addition The Boat Works’ owner and CEO, Tony Longhurst said:

“It's the ideal 'Cruising HQ' where our customers can meet other cruisers from around Australia and the world, take advantage of the fresh produce grown on-site, bathrooms, laundry, cafes, restaurants, BBQ areas and easily access all the trades and resources in the Marine Precinct. We aim to create an oasis for owners, crew and the local community through environmentallyfriendly enhancements. This ethos underpins everything we do here, our customers, owners and visiting crews are the beneficiaries of this commitment to the highest standards, but it’s the River and the environment that benefit long-term.

DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS OFFER!

10% OFF YOUR ANNUAL LIFT AT THE BOAT WORKS* (I.E. HAUL OUT & RETURN TO WATER) *TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY

The Boat Works 1 Boatworks Drive Coomera, Gold Coast QLD 4209 www.theboatworks.com.au Email: admin@theboatworks.com.au Ph: Within Australia: (07) 55 000 000 Ph: International: +61 7 55 000 000

Sydney Harbour - New Year Eve. Sydney Harbour is a truly unique and alluring destination that is on the bucket list for many an international cruiser yet I am surprised by how many Aussie cruisers have not spent time cruising here. I admit that despite having owned cruising yachts and motor sailors for many years it was only recently (2015) that we ventured south and discovered just how special Sydney & The Pittwater cruising grounds are, especially if you have time on your side. We have since been several times. I must however admit that the prospect of being on Sydney Harbour on New Year's Eve was a scary one. We have all heard the horror stories, boats dragging, drunken skippers and so on. But like most things that have a risk attached to them, there is also a reward and in our experience, the reward of experiencing New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour on your own boat is a big one. So if you would like to experience all that New Years Eve on the harbour has to offer you can minimise the risks. Here are our tips for doing so:

Watch the weather closely. ⛈ Anything less than a perfect forecast will likely result in a less than perfect experience. If the forecast for the entire evening (meaning dusk till dawn) is settled with <15kts of breeze, no wind shifts and no thunderstorms you are halfway there. Have a plan B. 🤔 If the weather does not cooperate or you are just not comfortable for any reason having an alternative anchorage and a plan to get there, perhaps in the dark, is important. Make sure that anyone who is joining you understands that there is no guarantee that you will be going and that even if you do go you may have to leave prematurely. Arriving & Anchoring.⚓️ Arrive early in the day, well before sunset or maybe the day before & keep the scope to an absolute minimum when you anchor for it is inevitable that other vessels will be anchoring close to you. If possible anchor your yacht with other yachts. Ensure you are 200 metres clear of submarine cables or pipelines when you anchor.

Rules & Restrictions: 😩 Download & familiarise yourself with the event exclusion zones & restricted movement maps from RMS NSW which are normally published in early December on the RMS website at: nsw.gov.au/topics/using-waterways/restrictions-andclosures/marine-notices/current-notices You cannot have too many fenders. Whether you choose to hand these fenders and have your boat resemble a dodgem car or you have them ready to hang is up to you but take as many as you can get your hands on. Borrow extras from your mates if you need to and have a couple stowed that can be quickly assessed and used as roaming fenders in case you need to fill a gap between the ones you have deployed. Below 0.05. 🍷 Given that your vessel may have to move at any time the vessel master must remain below the legal limit. The consequences of not doing so are significant especially if there is an incident that results in personal injury or damage to a vessel.

Stay Calm & Be Nice. 😊 Someone is going to anchor much closer than you would normally be comfortable with. Abusing them when they do will not make for an enjoyable experience.

Athol Bay Anchorage, Sydney Harbour 2016

Code Flags

Are they still valid?

An article by: David R Stone (Bato Flags)

Some might remember during your time in the SCOUTS we were introduced to the use of flag semaphore as a means of coded communication? In my experience, this was presented as being an ancient methodology that harked back to ancient times of wars both on land and sea. Like so many things in life, the truth had been bent a little as semaphore was not invented until 1866. Little did I know in 1952 that the system was so young! However, it is true that semaphore as a further development of coded flags most certainly did play a large part in battles at sea creating an ability for the Admiral or battle leader to give instructions to other vessels in his fleet. Originally code flags were individualized as between members of the same group which whilst great for security was quite useless when it came to warning other vessels of dangers at sea. Ultimately a common ‘language’ of code flags was introduced that is still internationally recognised and used by both military and civilian vessels that ply the seven seas. During the last 30-40 years the development of electronic communication systems has certainly simplified and, indeed, improved safety at sea and social communication between seafarers. Sadly a byproduct of technology only a few members of the international cruising community still embrace the use of the colourful and useful system of communicating with other vessels with whom they share the ocean waves.

Some of the code flags however are still very relevant today. For Example, most seafaring sailors are aware of the need for a Q FLAG (Quarantine flag) to be flown upon entering international waters to indicate that you need “free pratique” (clearance by the health officials at the upcoming port of entry). Another example is the 'A' flag which communicates that there is a 'diver down' in the vicinity of the vessel flying the flag.

Code Flags

Are they still valid?

An article by: David R Stone (Bato Flags)

Further examples of code flags that might commonly be used in this day & age, especially if our electronic means of communication were rendered inoperable, perhaps in the case of a lightning strike at sea, which I believe happened to one of the vessels that participated in the Down Under Rally Beyond The Barrier Rally this year are those below: F I am disabled communicate with me M My vessel is stopped (international) V I require assistance (not distress) W I require medical assistance

Looking at the image on the right can you tell what the message this boat is sending? (see the next page for help to decipher the code)

Of course, it doesn't have to be all about the serious stuff! You can have "Fun With Flags!" For instance, you might be in Fiji and want to do something fun when anchoring off a village like spelling out a welcome.

Code Flags

Are they still valid?

An article by: David R Stone (Bato Flags)

Detailed below are the designs of the Alpha & numeric code flags which apart from being used to construct a simple word, for example, the name of your vessel, or they can be used to convey clear and concise phrases that are widely recognised by merchant and military seamen throughout the world. A listing of these attributions is also provided below.

Code Flags

Are they still valid?

An article by: David R Stone (Bato Flags)

KEEP THE TRADITION ALIVE WITH CODE FLAG BUNTING! A SPECIAL OFFER FROM BATO FLAGS In the spirit of continuing a tradition as mariners, our code flag bunting displays all 40 Code flags. This bunting not only serves as a means of “dressing” your vessel whilst in port or on anchor it also serves as a conversation starter amongst cruisers and a form of entertainment during those obligatory sundowner sessions by seeing how many of the flags you and your guests can identify & explain the meaning.

What a great gift idea! RRP $265.00 Less 30% discount = $185.50 Place your order NOW to receive this special offer & FREE SHIPPING

Scan the QR Code or click on the ORANGE URL below and use the coupon code 4U2DAY at the checkout

batoflags.com/shop/code-flags/dur-bunting/

Proud to be a Down Under Rally Partner

Website: batoflags.com Email: david@batoflags.com

Love Me Tender

by Mike Orsmond

Maintenance of your tender’s tubes starts at the time of purchase. Purchasing a quality tender with tubes made from good quality CSM (aka Hypalon), PVC or TPU is essential if you are looking to get longevity and reliability from your tender. The next step is to get sound advice at the time of purchase as to the right products to use that are both relevant and applicable to the material your tender is made from. Beware when buying a used tender. Often when people sell their used RIB they will knowingly or unknowingly use products containing destructive chemicals to clean the tubes in an attempt to make them look good. Unfortunately, it is not good for the purchaser so asking the seller what products have been used to clean and maintain the tender can be a worthwhile question to ask before you make a purchase. The biggest threat to the longevity of your tender? This would be how you go about cleaning the tubes of the tender & what you use to clean them with. When that seagull poops on your tender or you leave it in the water and a film of scum forms on the water line doesn`t attack the tubes with the scouring pad from the galley or use any products that contain harsh chemicals such as Acetone, MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone), Toluene etc. These products will clean your tender tubes but they are doing unseen terminal damage in the process. I know of some ‘professional’ boat detailers that use degreasers to clean RIB tubes and then apply a car product to make it look shiny. The problem here is the degreaser takes the oil out of the tubes and the car shine products while making it shiny, are causing damage.

Tips to protect and prolong the life of your tender. Have a cover made to keep out the dirt and protect from UV. Have the tubes treated with a sealer that seals the tubes and adds UV protection. Sealer is like sunscreen for your tender! Reapply the sealer once a year. When you are cleaning your tender use a suitable cleaner without heavy chemicals. After your tender is clean apply another coat of sealer. AB Navigo VS 10 'The Ultimate Cruisng Tender'

Love Me Tender

by Mike Orsmond

What specific products are not to use to clean your tender. I recommend doing a simple google search using the phrase: ‘What cleaning products contain MEK' and then repeating the same search but substituting MEK for Toluene & again for Acetone. I expect you will be surprised and maybe even a little horrified to learn how many cleaning products that you have used on your tender contain these chemicals. What product to use on your tender. Having spent over 25 years in the business of selling & repairing inflatables & RIB's I have used a lot of products. I my opinion the product range from August Race is the premium product available. Learn more about August Race and their product range here: august-race.com/pages/about-us I recommend using the following August Race Products as part of your tender maintenance program: Tender Wash - August Race Boat Wash Pro – Complete Wash & Wax Tube Cleaner - August Race Liquid RIB – RIB and Inflatable Cleaner Mould & Spot Remover - August Race SPOT OFF – Mould Spot Remover Treatment Tube Sealer / UV Protection - August Race Liquid RIB UV- RIB Tube UV Protector Wax

See it in action youtu.be/PMp4_Z-Ij5U

Tips to protect and prolong the life of your tender. Have a cover made to keep out the dirt and protect from UV. Have the tubes treated with a sealer that seals the tubes and adds UV protection. Reapply the sealer once a year. When you are cleaning your tender use a suitable cleaner without heavy chemicals. After your tender is clean apply another coat of sealer.

Down Under Rally Members! Contact Rib Force Inflatables for Special Offers on August Race Products

PH: +61 7 5573 7265 E: mike@ribforce.com WEB: www.ribforceinflatables.com.au

A Cruisers Christmas- Panama 2011 Having spent an extraordinary and very memorable 12 months cruising & surfing the entire west coast of Central America whilst experiencing life in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua & Costa Rica we found ourselves in Panama for Christmas 2011. Below is an extract from the Sailblog of Red Sky we kept at the time about our Panama Christmas. "Christmas Eve was spent aboard the beautiful 68 ft Irwin S.V Maestro with hosts and friends Len & Erin and the Wells family Eric, Dawn, Whitney & Tommy from S.V Perfect Wave. The girls had been cooking for 2 days, Lobster, Crab, Prawns, Ribs, Pasta, Salads and more, it was a wonderful feast with Christmas tunes in the background and everyone well into the Xmas spirit. Later we exchanged gifts, ate some Pecan Pie & Apple Pie and enjoyed each other’s company, It was a great night, thanks, guys."

"Christmas Day. This must be where all the fish come to celebrate Christmas as Red Sky was surrounded by hundreds of fish all morning. I went for a snorkel and was treated to a display like no other I have seen. So many schools of fish and so many different varieties were just hanging out all about the boat there was even a school of what looked like small manta rays, it was awesome. At 11.30, as planned, it was time to head to a nearby tiny island that almost completely covers at high tide (the tides are 5m). We had chosen this a couple of days ago as the venue for our Christmas Day Cruisers Cricket Match. This was to be the first time our new friends had played cricket! Tommy and Whitney were team captains, the teams were chosen and the game commenced. After explaining the rules and the objective of the game we were into it. Team Tommy won the match with 35 runs, Team Whitney thanks to a late rally by Len made 24. A local fisherman stopped when he saw what was happening and appeared very amused by what I expected seemed to be a strange game being played by some even stranger people-"Stupid Gringos"😂

The Pitch that disappeared at high tide 🏏

World Series - Beach Cricket 😄

"Stupid Gringos! " 🙃

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