If anybody has any questions, off topic comments or wants to contact me you can do so by leaving a comment here, I check this pretty frequently so will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Alternately try emailing me at bensnowpetrel(at)yahoo.com.au but I as I get lots of crap in the email this page is probably better.
Cheers
Ben
Ben,
ReplyDeleteGreetings, got your comment on my blog from yesterday. I've been poking around yours ever since. I am sending you an email with the word documents of two articles I wrote about Dux for Ocean Navigator and DIY Boat Owner magazines, pretty much sums everything up. The only real downside is that in cold weather, the metal in the mast contracts and the rigging loosens up a bit - it's only a problem in the spring and fall when the temperature difference between day and night can be big. We're setting off for Sweden this June, so that will be the real test. Cool website, by the way, and I love the boat - steel is next for me. I actually have David Lewis' Ice Bird laying on the floor in front of my, just finished it for the third time. Let me know if you have more questions after you read the articles.
Andy
Hi Ben,
ReplyDeleteCould you drop me a note from your normal email at info AT morganscloud.com when you get a moment. Just want to bounce an idea around.
Best
John
Ben, I only recently came across your pages. Great site with lots of information and advise. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteAndreas
Come on Ben keep it coming I am looking forward to the chapter on safe gas bottle storage Jokes aside some good work here Cheers Adrian
ReplyDeleteHa, will talk about my "unsafe" gas storage one day, but only after I have got it all fixed... Thanks for the help with the heater design and sails and all the rest over the years, cheers Mate
DeleteHi Ben,have just found this great site and am wondering if this is a boat I used to own.Do you know if it was NZ256?
ReplyDeleteregards Graeme.
Hi Graeme, I think she may be, originally she was called Obsession, and was built in christchurch. Then she was based in nelson, If you are who I am thinking of you worked for dicksons? would be great to talkj to you, cheers
DeleteBen
Hi Ben, I should have had more of a look before I asked if the boat was NZ256 as it obviously is. The boat was built in Chch and was named Caleb by the builder. He then changed it to Pearl, and I renamed her Obsession when I bought her in Picton in 1998. The owner/builder had sailed her to some Pacific Islands (two trips, I think), delivering missionary books. I sailed her to Fiji from Nelson in 1999 and after five months there, I sailed her to Sydney and imported her into Aussie. My wife and I lived aboard her and sailed to the Whitsundays for about nine months. I remember seeing New Zealand Maid on the Ausisie East Coast sometime in 2000. I was a builder in Nelson but of houses, not boats and have never worked for Dicksons. The yacht was pulled out in Dicksons yard though. I'm going to buy your father's book and look forward to reading of your adventures.
DeleteRegards Graeme
Thanks Graeme, I had a vague idea of some of her history, but I didn't know that she was launched as Caleb. The guy I had bought her off must have bought her from you. He had taken off and old quite alot of the good gear, the radar, achilles dingy, and ditched all that treadmaster decking... Ohh well. She is a great little boat.
DeleteBen,
ReplyDeleteAs a fellow web site owner, I know how hard it is to build traffic and that to Google, links are the key to success.
I would like to exchange web links with your boating site.
My site is : www.sailtrimguide.com.
Sail Trim Guide is a handy, on water, "How To" for getting maximum power from a sailboat's sails. Great for Guests and New Crew Members.
I am in the process of adding a "Boating Sites We Like" page and hope I can include your site too. http://www.sailtrimguide.com/ boating_sites_we_like.htm
By all means, feel free to link to this site, It looks like a handy guide you have there. Cheers
DeleteHi Ben Mate
ReplyDeleteNice Blog. I see Reiger is up for sale. Regards to John and Barb.
Jim Dilley.
harbourmaster@ecan.govt.nz
Hi, stumbled across your blog while researching hard dodgers on the internet. Regarding chainplates, I am replacing my 316L (for cap and twin lowers) chainplates with nickel aluminium bronze. The stainless chainplates on my boat (Rustler 36), and on an identical boat have both suffered serious corrosion. A test recommended by a contact in the heavy lifting industry is to suspend the chainplate from the clevis pin hole with a steel rod (eg screwdriver) and tap with a hammer. A clear ring means ok, a dull clang means corrosion. Reversing the holes (ie hanging from the bottom bolt hole) shows how it should sound. NiAlBr costs a little more than stainless but is almost free from crevice corrosion - and is stronger and more fatigue resistant in to the bargain. Why isn´t it used more in? Innate conservatism in the industry? I look forward to further reading of your excellent blog.
ReplyDeleteSounds like damn good stuff. I also guess Stainless Steel looks Yachty.. Bronze looks like it doesn't belong on a modern yacht? Me I go for function over appearance...
DeleteCheers
Hi Mate,
ReplyDeleteI hope you are enjoyng your new boat! I enjoyed reading your blog on anchoring, I felt a little nerdy reading it, but it was useful info....
My project is taking much longer than I thought and Ive had a major set back after my yacht went down in the Bundaberg Floods last month. The engine has been salvaged, but she was rolled a few time down the river bed and the mast and rigging where torn off. She will need a total re-fit, and a new electrical system, which is quite frustrating, seeing as she was ready to launch after two years of hard work. Oh Well.....
It is not such a bad thing, as the mast and rigging where oversized, and I wanted to reduce them anyway before test sails and journeys South started. So looking on the bright side, Ive been spared the crane hire needed to take them off.
Anyway I'm after some advice on rigging and mast construction.
What aspects should I be looking for when replacing my mast and rig?
Apart from having a double sail track (to help with changing sails) is there any thing else I should be looking for in construction and materials for a new mast, boom and rig?
I know that for Snow Petrel you put a lot of work into strengthening chain plates, but is there any other project that I should be looking at doing, whilst the rigging is down?
Any advice is much appreciated mate!
Cheers
--
Daniel Kelton
www.heard-island-solo.com
Mobile: 0438799105
Hi Dan, very sorry to hear of the damage to the boat, but at least she is now back on dry land.
DeleteRigging wise, I like galvanised, but it's hard to find the high tensile stuff for bigger boats, mind you I haven't looked very hard yet. Most yacht riggers hate it, it doesn't look yachty... Most will treat you like a moron if you even mention the concept to them. Go to an industrial rigger.
Oversize tangs and tang bolts is a good start. Strong spreader bases is also important, as is a really secure way to lock the spreaders onto the rigging.
I like tall masts, even for deep south stuff. Plenty of light winds even in the 40's and 50's so make sure the rig is big enough. It can even make the boat safer, more roll moment of inertia. it's a big topic, maybe I need to put it in a post rather than here. If you email me some more specfics I might be able to address them.
Cheers
Ben
Oh, forgot to mention, continious rigging, sleeved lower sections up to just above the lower spreader, Runners and inner forestays on a boat like yours.
DeleteAnd check out the hunter gooseneck stuts. These are a great way to add strength to a highly loaded area, and reduce the panel length.
Cheers
Hi Ben
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit yesterday(Sunday 10 June)
The link to the logbooks of Phillip Parker King is at
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3879
best of luck with the impending arrival of the new crewmember!
Tom -Yogamada Kettering
Hi Ben,
ReplyDeleteJust thought I’d say hello. I recently read your Dads book, documenting your Antarctic trip – very inspiring. I really enjoyed reading it and then went onto discover your blog which has some great info too, so thanks for sharing!
I think you may know my friends Heidi and Steve, living on Narama? They told me you’d recently been looking around for a new boat and purchased Sunburst. I’m also in the market for a boat. I’m looking for an strong offshore boat in the 35-40ft range and leaning towards steel. Since you obviously know a fair bit about such things, I was wondering if I could be cheeky and quiz your knowledge of what’s on the market around Tassy at the moment as you’ve probably been considering similar boats to me recently? I don’t suppose you have any knowledge of a steel Adams 40 near Launceston called Tiller Music? I’d be interested to hear of any boats you’d suggest a look at.
Anyway, thanks again for the good read – please pass on my appreciation to your Dad too.
Cheers,
Matt
matthew.cameron@utas.edu.au
Hi Ben
ReplyDeleteI am in Cairns now with a new project;
http://trredston.blogspot.com.au/
I am planning to re-rig with galvanized as well as a whole stack of other modifications.
The plan is still retrace the voyage of Phillip Parker King in the bicentenary of these amazing feats. but I lack the competence of doing this using the original navigation and other techniques.
Anyway If you could condense your knowledge on the changeover from stainless steel to galvanized I would be very grateful...and you may be starting a revolution!
Hi Ben
ReplyDeleteI was internet chatting to you in August 2014...
Prior to my leaving Brisbane in my then newly purchased 10m steel EbbTide.
.
Shit happens.
.
I was rescued midTasman.
.
The yacht ...sadly abandoned, drifted for ten months, was found near Norfolk Is. & craned up onto the land.
.
I went there in December and sailed her to Opua.
.
Steve.Collins@clear.net.nz
Hi, I'm a french sailor and I'm refiting my steel sailboat, a 38ft Damien IV, J.F.ANDRE design, 1985 with the idee to rally France from United states by Greenland and Iceland... I'm very interested in your hard dodger (I have no dodger for now) and I have some questions:
ReplyDeleteIs your dodger only glued by sicaflex on deck or are you using bolts through the deck?
What about the welded stainless steel tabs on the cabin top?
what about the external laminated beamand the aluminium boltrope extrusion to take the canvas flap, to close in the dodger?
Thanks a lot for your answer
Kristell
Oh sorry I forgot to write my adress
ReplyDeletegwenael.faillard@gmail.com
Hi Ben, wondering what happened with Sunburst, I used to sail her in the days she was a competitive racer in Melbourne. Interesting game to here where she’s ended up.
ReplyDeleteRegards Matt
Hi Ben
ReplyDeletewas pointed to you by Henk and Bunny from Tiama as I got some questions regarding Antarctic sailing... towards Davis of all places.. linked to this -> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/31/a-real-bad-precedent-australia-criticised-for-antarctica-airport-plan
if oyu have a moment could you drop me an email? carola at bobbrown dot org dot au
Cheers Caro