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Miss April 2009

Equipment

 

  • Engine - Volvo 40HP

  • Sails - main (now with added third reef, Vanuatu Aug 06), furling headsail (Furlex), cutter staysail (new 07), spinnaker, spare headsail, storm gib, storm trysail

  • Anchors -  2 x CQR, 1 x Guardian

  • Para anchor sea anchor   lost at sea May 06

  • KISS wind generator

  • 60 watt solar panel

  • JRC radar/chartplotter

  • Garmin GPS

  • ICOM SSB & tuner

  • Uniden VHF radio

  • Pactor 3 modem

  • Stereo/iPods

  • Broadwater stove, oven & 2 burners

  • Isotherm fridge

  • Katadyn/PUR watermakers (x 2)

  • 406 EPIRB

  • Viking 4 person self-righting liferaft

  • 2 x Stearns Inflatable Kayaks

  • Aquapro Dinghy & 2HP Suzuki Outboard - refitted with new tubes & outboard upgraded to 5hp Yamaha Jan 08

  • Cap Horn self-steering windvane

  • Raymarine Autohelm 4000

  • Seabrake Drogue

Stuff we bought & love/hate:

Just a list of things we didn't think too much about and are now indispensable

  • Topclimber mast climbing device. Takes the fear out of going aloft  (Bruce) and the fear of being kicked in the face whilst winching Bruce aloft (Jill). Brilliant device.

  • Deckwash pump. No need for buckets to get the mud off the anchor now! Also useful for quelling rebellious crew and cooling down in crocodile-infested waters.

  • iPods. All your music & audiobooks in one small space. Ahhhhhhh. The necessary accessory is a LiliPod, a waterproof, submersible case to protect the iPod for those wet watches.

  • Hardtop dodger. Can't believe how good this is for hiding under and for handholds whilst moving about or steering.

  • Mast sissybars. Great for working at the mast, security when moving about forward, easier access for our belaying pins/halyards and a place to stow loads of stuff.

  • Inflatable kayaks. They draw virtually nothing so you can navigate shallow creeks and bays. They take up very little space & inflate quickly, and are very stable, easy to paddle, track well and are comfortable. UPDATE: One split its covering while we were in New Caledonia. The one we bought in NZ is far superior to the one we imported from the USA, even though they are the same brand & model.

  • KISS wind generator - AKA "Jennifer". Supplies heaps of power and is very quiet in winds under 30 knots

  • Cap Horn windvane - AKA "Jim". Bloody brilliant once initial teething problems were sorted out. Never touch the tiller again!

  • Pactor modem/Sailmail - being able to send/receive emails makes it less of a lonely lifestyle.

  • Chartplotter: hadn't planned on this, but it came with the radar. While you had to allow for large errors in Fiji, it was spot on in New Caledonia. When we got back to NZ where we didn't have a CMap for, we were totally paranoid and down plotting on the chart every 10 minutes. We got over this, but still adore CMap, but with the usual proviso that you also use charts, eyeballs & bearings to confirm the readings.

  • Isotherm fridge: we seemed to be only only cruisers not cursing their refrigeration system. Long may it stay that way.

  • Anchor alarm on the GPS: Sleep at night without the perpetual "are we dragging?" nagging worry. WARNING: Can cause cardiac failure when the alarm goes off in the middle of the night due to "poor GPS coverage".

  • Magma cookware: a whole bunch of pots, a frying pan & a stockpot that nest inside each other & take up very little space. They are expensive, but are great to use. The detachable handles are sturdy & work well & the pans are very good quality and very sturdy. The frying pan is solid enough to brown meat well.

  • Device from Milly's cooking shop which goes in the oven under whatever you are cooking to even out the heat and stop stuff burning on the bottom. It really works - my bread is now evenly golden & crusty rather than black-bottomed.

  • Crocs. I refused to buy these shoes on the grounds of extreme ugliness (theirs), but have finally come around to them and wear them constantly. Extremely comfortable, quick draining for paddling around in and waterproof. We have both found we can walk long distances in them without a) back pain (Bruce) and b) shin splints & sore knees (Jill) I now covet the Mickey Mouse variety.

  • Peter Jacobs at Ovlov, Auckland for assisting with panicked email enquiries regarding our engine. He was spot on each time. You rock!

Things we hate:

  • Para anchor: difficult to deploy, periods of very unpleasant motion while it was set, impossible to retrieve in windy conditions (30+ knots) and the strain on the line was frightening.

  • Vodafone NZ: the world's most customer-unfriendly website/voice prompt customer service system. And their Australian counterpart.

  • Inverters: we seemed to be buying a new one every week. UPDATE: Now have a small Zantex and it has worked well for a year. We had a problem with the faceplate/plug but it was repaired under warranty.

  • Simrad Tiller Pilot: made wild whirring noises and broke the second time it was used. Common fault, apparently. UPDATE: Not all is lost! We told Advance Trident about it and they fixed it under warranty, despite us having bought it on Trade Me and it being over warranty age. Great stuff, guys. We love you.

  • JRC Radar - died on third use. However despite being out of warranty, JRC agreed to pay for parts. UPDATE: It has been at the agent for repair for the last 3 months, they can't work out the problem & US won't answer their emails. Rubbish service! LATER UPDATE: All is sorted! The NZ agent had a new unit sent from the USA and replaced ours, so all working. Thanks, Advance Trident!

Recommended Reading:

Boatowner's Mechanical & Electrical Manual - Nigel Calder: Indispensable manual for just about all on-board gear.

World Cruising Handbook and World Cruising Routes - Jimmy Cornell: Great for route planning & finding out entry requirements and information on all countries with a coastline. Updates are posted on his www.noonsite.com website.

The Voyager's Handbook - Beth Leonard: Great reference for people preparing to cruise. Heaps of really useful advice & hints. I lived by this for the first trip.

Bluewater Checklist - Rory & Sandra Burke: Probably the most comprehensive list of things to take/check/watch/do that I have ever seen! If you think you have forgotten something, run through this and you'll be fine. 

The Shark God - Charles Montgomery: Excellent book about magic & spirituality in Vanuatu. On first reading i thought it was a bit far-fetched, but when we visited the places he had been to and met people mentioned in the book, I re-read it and it is pretty spot-on. Highly recommended. UPDATE: After our kastom ceremony we are related to pretty much everyone in the Secret of Western Vanua Lava chapter, from Sabine the anthropologist on through. Chief Eli Field (Ali Malau) is second from left in the photo of Bruce & his family.

Last updated April 08, 2010