Going For A Walk: Te Henga Walkway, Bethells Beach {Or What's That Plant Called?}

After our last attempt to go for a proper hike in the Waitakares, my friend and I decided not to ask the park ranger for advice this time and instead we picked a trail ourselves. Smart move on our part - much better walk and we didn't get our feet wet. The whole wet feet thing might not be important to you, but it is to us. We headed out to Bethells Beach and took the Te Henga walkway past O'Neill Bay and then up to Raetahinga Point on the headland. Great picnic, sunny day, lovely weather (around 24°C!) and sea views. Overall roundtrip around 8kms. What more could you want. And we even had time to name the various plants we saw along the way. We're both pretty useless when it comes to knowing the "official" names of various plants, so we decided to give them new ones. You might want to get your New Zealand field guide out so you can cross out the old names and write in the new ones. We've got some pictures below so you can easily identify them.
 


You cross over the Waitakare River on your way to O'Neill Bay. Fortunately, they have a bridge so no one needs to get their feet wet.

 

The Te Henga walkway is part of the Hillary Trail (as in Sir Edmund), which is a four day 77km tramp. We didn't have four days, so we just did part of it.

Some folks have carved their names into the cliff, as well as some pictures like this cute smiley face. Not that you should ever deface nature, but if you're into the whole vandalism thing, then make it something cute like this. There are also some naughty pictures but my mom reads this so I'm not sharing those ones.

 

This plant is now known as "vanilla fingers". If someone calls if flax, they would be wrong. You should correct them.

From this point forward, this plant will be known as "snow angel". We think it looks very pretty, just like a snow angel.

This is the "kitty cat" plant. When you touch it, it feels soft like a kitty cat. There was some discussion about how we could save minks from being turned into coats if we made coats out of this plant instead because it is so soft. But then we realized that it falls apart if you touch it too much so we've told our R&D department to try to solve the whole falling apart problem so that we can make coats. They have a month to make it work or someone is going to get fired.



On a sunny day, it is good to stop and take a break in the shade.








We didn't know what to call these. If you have any suggestions, let me know.



We even renamed this one. It is now known as "yellow sunshine goddess".

Danger, danger...fortunately it was a very dry day.

This is what they meant. Erosion and landslides all over the place.

View from where we had our picnic lunch out to the "ditch" aka the Tasman Sea. And of course we reapplied our sunscreen. Because it is smart to be sunsmart.

Getting The Boat Ready For Cruising: Our Checklist

Scott gets back to New Zealand next week and the first thing he is going to want to do, after taking a nap (those 28 hour flights are exhausting), will be to go see the boat. Because I like to be super organized (but rarely put any of my plans into action), I've put together a handy-dandy checklist for getting the boat ready to start cruising full-time this summer.

1.  Check that the dinghy doesn't have any holes.

The dinghy has been sitting in the dinghy racks all winter and looked a little sad and deflated last time I saw her. So we'll need to blow her up again and hope that she stays inflated. It would be a real bummer if our summer plans were held up because we couldn't actually row out to see our boat on the pile moorings. It is a new dinghy so it shouldn't be a problem. Unlike our old dinghy which tried to drown itself by letting air out of its seams. Leaving the bung out of the bunghole out didn't help either. There was rum involved. That's all I'm saying.

2.  Check to make sure the bad guys haven't broken in and stolen anything from our boat.

We've heard that there have been problems with this in the past at our marina, but as ours isn't the flashest boat in the marina, hopefully, if there are any bad guys out there (or gals - I'm all for equal opportunities, even for criminals), they'll have skipped right over Rainbow's End and targeted a flash launch. For the most part, we did take anything tempting out of the cockpit lockers and from inside the boat before we put the boat away for the summer, so fingers crossed what we did leave in the boat is still there.

3.  Check the mooring lines.

This is assuming the boat is still attached to the mooring lines and hasn't drifted out to go say "hiya" to the neighboring boats. I imagine the marina would have contacted me if our boat had gone rogue? I think we're responsible for our mooring lines, so we should do a once over and make sure everything looks secure. Mooring our boat when the wind isn't in our favor is hard enough as it is (which seems to happen 80% of the time when we come in), the last thing I want to worry about is that our mooring lines are shot and we don't have any lines to pick up to moor our boat.

4.  Check the bilge for water.

Maybe this should be higher up on the list as water inside your boat is bad. Basically you take up the carpet and the floor boards and have a peek inside.

5.  Check that the engine turns on. 

Please let it turn on. We really don't want to put any money into this boat as we'll be selling her at the end of the summer, so fingers crossed the engine enjoyed her winter slumbers and is ready to come out and play this summer.

6.  Check her bottom and get her cleaned up.

I've already got the boat booked in at the Floating Dock at Westhaven marina next weekend to get her hauled out and cleaned off. I'm sure everything is fine down below, but it is always comforting to have a look and make sure some naughty dolphins didn't swim by and chew a giant hole in the hull. And it is just way too cold here to dive in and check ourselves.

7.  Check our LPG tank and connections.

I can't remember when we last topped up with LPG and if we need more. Maybe Scott remembers. I think last time we just waited until it ran out and that was our clue that we needed more. We probably need a better system. Because a morning without coffee on our boat is like a little glimpse into what hell must be like. We'll need to check to make sure the LPG still works and I think you're also supposed to check the connections to make sure there aren't any leaks as this stuff is dangerous. Apparently, you make up some mix of dishwashing liquid and water and paint it on the connections. I'm not really looking forward to this as it requires crawling into the quarter berth area which makes me a little claustrophic. But as Scott is the one that has to carry the tank to the petrol station to get it refilled (we don't have a car), then I guess I have to do some icky jobs too. {Sigh}

8.  Check to make sure the systems are working.

We aren't a high-tech boat, so we just need to check the VHF radio is still working and that the Navman chart plotter and fish finder are still operational. We had some problems with VHF reception in certain areas last summer which we'll need to do something about. And the transducer for the Navman is a bit fiddly and Scott will need to give it a once over. We have it in a plastic ring in some water set on some rocks in the bilge. Quite a bizarre set-up but it works (most of the time anyway). And probably most important is checking the CD player. The boat actually came with a pretty good sound system and cockpit speakers which was a super-duper bonus.

9.  Check the water bladder and pump.

We'll need to fill up our water bladder and make sure everything is working okay with it and the electric pump which pumps water to the sink. I actually have no idea how we would get water from the bladder to the sink if the pump broke down. Must investigate.

10.  Repair the mainsail.

We have a small tear in our mainsail so I'm going to try to do some patchwork on it. Requires a lot more research on my part as I don't have a clue how to do this. But I figure rather than pay someone a lot of money to put a patch on for us (and we're definitely not buying a new sail), I should at least try to give it a go.

11. Check for funky smells and clean the boat.

When we bought our boat she had been sitting for quite some time unused and it was a pleasant surprise to find that there wasn't any problem with mold. Hopefully, it is odor free again. But I'll do the usual cleaning routine with vinegar and bleach.

12. Check for ants.

We had ants last year. We killed them. Hopefully, they haven't returned. At least they don't have cockroaches here. I hate those. Ants are positively delightful in comparison.

I'm sure there are a million other things we should be doing, so all suggestions welcome.

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This is our old dinghy - the one that tried to drown itself. It had a hard bottom which was nice and made it easier to row. Not that I know anything about rowing. But that's what Scott says. He also says things like, "Don't you want to take a turn rowing?" And then I say, "My, what strong biceps you have. You're so manly. Must be all that rowing." And then he happily rows me around. A little flattery goes a long way. By the way, don't be deceived by the outboard on the dinghy. We rarely use it. It is a real pain to lift down from the boat.

Dear Santa, Here Is What We Want For Our Boat (Pretty Please)

Via The Graphics Fairy

Many folks monetize their sailing blogs by putting up Amazon links, asking for PayPal donations or getting sponsors to give them stuff. Personally, I think it makes far more sense to go directly to the source - Santa Claus! Here is a copy of the letter I just sent off to him at the North Pole.


Dear Santa,

Scott and I have been very good this year and should be on your "nice" list. Well, to be honest, sometimes Scott is a little "naughty" and leaves his clothes on the floor instead of putting them in the laundry hamper, but he's working on it. Because we've been such good little sailors this year, we have an extra special wish list of things we want for our boat. I even put in links for you so you can go shopping online and give the elves a little bit of a break from having to make everything from scratch.

Head Torches - It would be great to have some head torches so that we can see what's going on out on deck when it is dark and have our hands free at the same time. Plus I think we would look really cool in them. And we could play games where we try to blind each other by aiming our lights at each other. If we had cats on board, I think they would like to chase around the light too. Can we have three of these please? One for Scott, one for me and a spare because I sometimes accidentally drop things in the water. (Sorry Santa, Scott wants me to clarify that kittens are not our on Christmas list. Well not on his list anyway.)

Marine Toilet - The seat on our toilet is currently held down by twine which doesn't really work that well when the boat gets all tippy. We probably don't need an entire new toilet, just a new seat would do. And maybe you could send one of your elves down to help fix the toilet so that we can flush it using the pump rather than pouring water down it from a bucket? You could do it as maybe some sort of incentive program for the elves - the elf that makes the most amount of toys wins a week on our boat. That sort of incentive would really increase production.

Gloves - I would really like some gloves to protect my hands when I'm pulling on the sheets. You're probably thinking it sounds a bit selfish to just ask for something for myself, but it is also a present for Scott. If I have gloves, then I'll stop complaining that my hands hurt. Win-win for everyone.

Waterproof iPad Case - I live in fear that our iPad will get wet and stop working. And as we're on a budget, I don't think we could easily replace it. So a waterproof case for our iPad would be a really swell present that you could bring us Santa. And if you want to throw in a really great data plan and easy access to wireless wherever we are through some sort of special Santa satellite that would be really appreciated.

Thermal Cooker - Although it doesn't get very hot on our boat as we sail in New Zealand, it can get a bit stuffy down below if you have something bubbling away on the stove for a long time. It would be super to have some sort of thermal cooker where you start your meal on the stove and then stick it into a thermal bag to continue cooking during the day. Plus it reduces the amount of propane we have to use which is good for the environment and the cruising kitty.

Go Pro Camera - Scott really wants a waterproof camera that he can use to take pictures of all the marine life and action in the water. I love the pictures he takes and it would be great if he could take more photos without worrying about the water damaging the camera. He mentioned that he likes this one but if you know of a better one, let us know.

Wet Suits - The water is really cold in New Zealand and we only went in it a couple of times last year for fun. (Scott went in a couple of other times to do things like rescue our swim ladder, but that's another story.) If we had wet suits we would be far more likely to get in the water and then we could use Scott's new Go Pro Camera. Someone told me that you can tell who the Aussies are in New Zealand - they're the ones with the wetsuits on. The Kiwis seem to happily splash around without them and never seem to get cold.

Handheld VHF Radio - There is nothing worse then when I have to helm the boat in bad weather while Scott goes down below to use the VHF to call the marina for a berth. Wouldn't it be great if we had a handheld one? Think of all the freedom that it would give us. We could talk on the VHF anywhere on our vast 26' boat! No idea what models are good and what we should look for, but Burnsco is having their Christmas sale and this one is on offer. But if you're feeling generous, we'll happily take a better one Santa.

So that's our list this year Santa. I'm sure we'll have a bigger list next year once we buy our new boat so we promise to be extra specially nice so that you'll bring us even more goodies next Christmas. Say hello from us to Mrs. Claus, the elves, Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer.

Sincerely,

Ellen & Scott

PS Is that horrible Abominable Snow Monster still bothering Rudolph? He scared the crap out of me every Christmas when I watched Rudolph's movie. He still does to be honest. I hope he is being a nice snow monster instead of a naughty one now.

Mom - if you're reading this letter to Santa, do not buy us any of this stuff. The last thing we need is to accumulate more stuff that we have to ship back to the States when we head back there to buy a bigger boat. Scott says to add - do not get us a kitten.

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10 Steps To Becoming A Full-Time Cruiser

The clock is ticking down and we're just weeks away from becoming "official" full-time cruisers. I was chatting with someone recently about what's involved in making the transition from land to boat and thought it was a good prompt to jot down our 10 steps to becoming full-time cruisers. It is always good to document your moments of insanity.

1.  Get yourself some passion (and brainwash your partner).

For us, the passion started with Scott when he helped a friend move a boat in the Mediterranean years ago. He fell in love with this whole sailing thing on that trip. After that he began his brainwashing campaign to convince me that this sailing thing is even better than sliced bread. Often the sailing dream starts with one partner and then the other person embraces the madness later. The important thing is to make sure it is something you both want to do and be clear why each of you wants to do it. For Scott it is the sailing and the traveling. For me, it is more the traveling and the chance to do something completely bonkers.

2.  Learn how to sail (and keep learning). 

This seems like a no brainer, but everyone has different ideas about what level of sailing experience and knowledge you need to get out there and start cruising. Scott has much more experience than I do. He has probably sailed close to 9,000 nautical miles (both cruising and racing) in New Zealand and Europe, has taken the Yachtmaster Offshore Theory course and has his VHF certificate. And he has been thinking and reading about sailing for years. But Scott would be the first one to say that there is so much to learn and he is far from an expert and much more in the beginner camp. And that's what is great about sailing, there is always something new to learn. You won't get bored and your brain won't shrivel up from lack of stimulus. 

Next to Scott, I know nothing about sailing. Next to experienced cruisers, I know even less. Early on, before we first started chartering boats, I took a four day practical sailing class which gave me basic knowledge about sailing and enough confidence to be the crew to Skipper Scott. But I still have lots and lots to learn and I'm currently putting together a list of specific skills that I want to develop and practice this summer when we're out cruising. Any suggestions on what I should have on my list would be warmly welcomed.

3.  Buy a boat (it doesn't have to be your forever boat).

For us the next big step was to buy our very own boat. We bought a small, older boat in New Zealand which we used to sail around the Hauraki Gulf last summer whenever we could get away. We know she won't be our forever boat, but she has been a great boat to cut our teeth on. She was relatively inexpensive (a lot of people might spend more on a car) so we didn't think we could go too far wrong buying her. However, when we buy our next boat, we'll be spending a lot more money (well a lot of money for us), so we've been doing a lot of research on boat buying and different types of boats. Frankly it is overwhelming and we do worry we'll get it wrong. So maybe our next boat won't be a forever boat either, but just a bigger boat. Lots and lot more research and thinking to be done.

4.  Figure out what your high-level plan is (don't worry, it isn't set in concrete).

You need some sort of plan, but for us, I think it should be a high-level kind of plan. Because things change. And they change again. If your plan is too detailed and fixed then you might get hung up on the detail and not be able to go with the flow when things change and new opportunities present themselves.

At the very least you need to figure out when and where you're going to start cruising. For us, we're starting off cruising full-time in New Zealand because that's where we live and where our boat it. We'll spend 3 to 3-1/2 months sailing here on kind of an extended shake-down cruise to figure out what works for us and learn lots and lots of stuff about boats, sailing and ourselves. After that, our plan is to head back to the States, buy a bigger boat and then start cruising again. The current plan is to buy a boat on the East Coast and then head down to the Caribbean, but maybe we'll start on the West Coast or in the Great Lakes instead. All we know is that we'll start cruising again in North America, everything else is still up in the air.

It also helps to have a "get out" card. We've been talking about trying this out for a couple of years and seeing how it goes. I think you need to do something crazy like this for at least a couple of years so that you can experience all of the highs and lows and make an informed decision about whether you want to carry on. I imagine the first year of cruising is one of the most challenging ones, so I think calling it a day after just one year probably isn't sensible. And even if you just do it for two years, what an incredible two years of adventure that would be.

5.  Share your plan with the whānau (family), your friends and colleagues (and then quietly freak out).

I recently read a post on Wright Away Sails Away which talked about how they just "spilled the beans" about their cruising plans with their work colleagues. It is such a turning point when you tell people about your crazy plans. It makes it real and in some ways there is no going back. We started telling folks earlier this year and it was a strange feeling. Our family is really supportive and not really too surprised about it. But I guess when you take a job in New Zealand and move there, having never actually been to New Zealand before, then you might get a reputation for doing strange things. But my mom worries - about the tsunamis, the boat capsizing, pirates, hurricanes etc. I don't think it helped when she saw All Is Lost and Captain Phillips in the space of week. Heck, I worry about those things too! But she hasn't tried to talk us out of it and it has been fun sharing our plans and preparation with her. She always has some good advice and/or thought provoking questions.

When it comes to friends, some of them think it is fantastic and wish they could convince their partner to do something like this (these are generally the people Scott races with). Some people think we're weird, but they probably thought that before. I can't think of any negative reaction that we've gotten from anyone. Or at least they haven't said so to our face. So, telling people went well for us. It just made it really, really real. And it is okay to freak out quietly from time to time once you realize what you're about to do. Because only a truly crazy person wouldn't occasionally think they were crazy.

6.  Figure out the money side of things (because this is the one thing everyone asks you about).

Unfortunately, cruising costs money so you do need to get your financial house in order. While we were definitely impacted by the global financial crisis aka "GFC" (like so many people), we're more fortunate than others and have some savings which we can use to fund our cruising. If you had asked me a couple of years ago, I might have really hesitated about chucking in the job in corporate la-la land with its regular pay checks due to our current post-GFC financial position, but I've recently realized that we're middle aged and we're only getting to get older. So, why not do it now while we can. Because, it could all go to hell again anyways with another GFC or worse.

We don't know how much cruising will cost us, but we've certainly read everything we can find about how much it costs others. It is so much fun to be nosey that way! We've been tracking how much we spend at a very detailed level for the past several months to get a handle on where our money goes and where we can cut back. We'll keep doing that, try to live a frugal cruising lifestyle and see how it goes.

On a related note, I like this post on This Rat Sailed which talks about money being "freedom chips". He talks about how many of us trade money away for a new car, nice clothes etc. all to keep up with the Joneses. But if you turn things around and think of money as "freedom chips" then you are much clearer about why you are earning money and what you are spending it on - in this case "freedom" from the rat race and all of its materialism. (Interestingly, they don't give any personal details on their blog as their family doesn't know about their plans yet. Not sure if they have done Step 5 yet?)

7.  Get rid of everything (well almost everything).

You can only fit so much on a 26' boat, so I've been on a mission to get rid of everything in New Zealand. I really don't have too much here to begin with (most of our stuff is still in Scotland which is a really long story), but it has still taken me a while to go through it and pare down to the essentials. The things I have found the hardest are getting rid of my books and clothes. I love books, but I have millions. They're heavy and they take up room so they have to go. I've also found it hard to get rid of the last of my work clothes. I think somewhere in the back of my head I've been thinking, "What if this doesn't work out and I have to go back to work?" What a depressing thought. But the clothes are gone now and I won't be going back to work anytime soon unless it is the type of place where you can wear shorts, t-shirts and jandals.

8.  Prepare and prepare some more (and then realize you can never fully prepare).

Oh my goodness, there is so much to think through when it comes to getting ready to live on a boat from provisioning (how much food storage do we really need), storage (where is everything really going to fit), water (how much water do we need for drinking and cooking and how bad will we start to smell without a shower), medical kits (what do we need to stock up when we leave New Zealand), how would you anchor under sail if your engine died (and how do you fix an engine)...and the list goes on and on and on. Too much to think about, let's move on.

9.  Figure out how you're going to work and play together as a cruising couple.

Scott and I have been married for coming up to 22 years, but we've never really worked together professionally or lived together 24/7. So moving onto a 26' sailboat and cruising together full-time may take some adjustments. Personally, I think we'll do fine as the basis of our relationship is humor and fun and we get along really well. But, even if you've been with your partner for ages and you like him/her, you still really need to figure out how you're going to work and play together as a cruising couple. And talk about it some more. Because, let's face it this is the biggest team-building course you'll ever do together. You can read some more on our thoughts on cruising couples here.

10.  Just do it!

This isn't a Nike advert. We used to live in Portland and some of the folks in that town had drunk way too much of the company Koolaid and had little swoosh tattoos on their ankles. I thought that was just plain crazy, but you have to admit their slogan "Just do it!" makes sense. So that's the final step in the plan - just get out there and do it. Things will go wrong, things will go right and there will be surprises and adventures along the way. But you do have a blog to update, so unless you get out there and do it, things will get pretty boring in blogland.

So what have you done (or are in the process of doing) to get ready for full-time cruising?
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Boat Review: Catalina 36

We’re working through various options for when we buy a new boat next year. I imagine sailboat shopping can be tedious and a bit overwhelming, so we want to try to narrow things down to a few potential boats for our short-list. At this point our high-level criteria are (which I'm sure will change considerably as we do more research):

• Cost – Despite our best efforts we haven’t won the lottery, so ideally we’re looking for something in the US$50-60k range. This is just a ballpark figure at this point and very much depends upon what the boat comes kitted out with and what work and upgrades it needs. We still buy lottery tickets from time to time so maybe this will change. Here’s hoping.
• Size – We’re looking for something in the 35-38’ range for two reasons – cost and ease of sailing. We currently sail on a 26’ boat so I’m sure anything larger will seem palatial at this point. And depending upon budget constraints, we may even go with something smaller than 35'.
• Configuration – We’re only interested in a sloop (only two sails to worry about) and we want a shoal draft as we’ll be initially exploring the Caribbean (at least that's our current thinking).
• Interior – We want two cabins so that we can have guests come and visit and a U-shaped galley aft. Scott is on the taller side so we need decent headroom. Other than that, we’re not too fussy.

So first cab off the rank (or boat in this case) in our boat reviews is the Catalina 36.

Construction

The Catalina 36 is one of the most popular boats of this size with over 3,000 built between 1982-2006. The original version (MK I) was replaced in 1995 by the MK II which has has a larger cockpit and a more roomy and comfortable quarter berth cabin. With the MK II, Catalina also moved to using vinylester rather than polyester resins in the outer layers to reduce osmotic blistering. I have no idea what vinylester is (the term makes me think of some guy named Lester with a lot of tacky gold chains wearing a vinyl suit saying, "Hey baby, what's your sign?"), but anything which prevents osmosis is a good thing in my book.

Both versions are solid laminate with fiberglass and plastic resin – you won’t find any balsa or foam inside their cores which I find reassuring. (Balsa wood is what you make model airplanes out of and which a 4-year old child can easily snap in two. Intuitively, doesn’t seem like something structurally sound. I’m sure it is or else it wouldn’t be used, but I just can’t get my head around it.) The decks and cabin, however, are cores with balsa wood and plywood sandwiched between fiberglass laminates.

There are two options for the keel – a standard fin keel with 5’10” draft or a swept back delta wing keel with 4’5” draft. The wings are meant to make up for the shallower draft through some sort of “hydrodynamic” effect when the boat gets tippy. I don’t know what that means but I also didn’t understand how the AC72 catamarans flew on top of the water either in the America’s Cup. All I’m interested in is the shallower draft so we have less chance of running aground.

Up Top

The Catalina 36 has wide side decks, double lifelines and a molded toe rail. I like this set-up as it means you can easily move forward and do so more safely. There is an anchor lock and stainless steel roller at the bow. The mainsheet traveler is mounted forward of the companionway and the halyards are led to winches at the companionway so everything is kept out of the cockpit. The Catalina 36 is steered by a wheel at the stern. There are differences in the transom with earlier boats having a solid transom and later ones having a walk-through one along with a nifty swim platform.

The Catalina 36 is rigged as a simple masthead sloop which ticks one of our major requirements. You have a choice of two sail plans – standard rig with 555 sq ft of sail area or a tall rig with 601 sq ft (and which has a mast that is two feet taller and a boom which is a foot longer). I guess people who like to race in areas with lighter winds prefer the taller rig. I’m planning on taking things slowly so I’m sure we would be happy with the standard rig.

Down Below

Overall, the Catalina 36 has good set-up down below which ticks our basic requirements, including:

• V-berth forward
• Head with sit-down shower to port
• Hanging locker and storage to starboard
• Main saloon with U-shaped dinette to port and two seats separated by small table to starboard
• Aft galley on the port side with double stainless steel sink, two burner stove and oven, top loading icebox and decent storage
• Navigation station on starboard across from galley
• Quarter berth cabin with double berth aft

In his review of a Catalina 36 in Sailing Today, Jake Firth describes the interior as well suited to Americans, “Without being too cruel or clichéd about America’s obesity epidemic, everything below on this boat smacks of being designed with the larger girths in mind.” I feel reassured that I can eat as many cookies and cakes as I want and still fit into the Catalina 36. Girth wasn’t on our original list of criteria, but maybe we’ll add it on.

Engine

Although I find engines boring, they are pretty important things (unless you are the Pardeys and can maneuver and anchor your boat expertly without one). The Catalina 36 comes with a Universal/Westerbeke marine diesel engine which can be three or four cylinder models ranging from 21-30hp depending on when the boat was built. Although they are supposed to be reliable engines, there was a recall in 2002 of some of the 1997-2000 model engines which affected a large number of boats. I’ll let Scott worry about this one.

What To Look Out For

Some potential issues to look out which are flagged up by Jack Horner in his 2012 review in Boat U.S. include:

• A less expensive shoebox style deck-to-hull joint was used in the build instead of a more substantial flanged joint with heavy-duty rub rail. This makes the boat more vulnerable to damage from minor docking incidents. (“Minor docking incidents” has our name written all over it, so definitely something to watch out for. And I wouldn’t rule out “major” ones either.)
• The fiberglass liners used for the interior compartments are tabbed in place in a way that is structurally sound but can be difficult to access for inspections or service.
• The stainless steel steamhead fitting which the forestay attaches to can corrode so this needs to be periodically inspected and addressed if any corrosion or cracking is found.
• You need to watch out for leaking deck-to-hull joints, windows and hatches in older models. (Although I imagine you need to look out for leaking in most older boats?)
• And you may find some osmosis, particularly in the MK I version.

Jake Firth also points out that if you’re looking at a wing keel boat, you should look for grounding damage to the rudders especially the earlier versions where the rudders were deeper than the keel.

Summary

The Catalina 36 is a very popular boat with a proven design and track record. Overall, this is a plus as there is an active owner’s association who are happy to share their expertise and experience and resale may be easier as it is a well-known boat (although we know you don’t expect to make money selling your boat on). On the other hand, there are a lot of them out there, so if you’re hoping to be unique, this isn’t the boat for you. It is one of the more affordable options out there in this price range (they seem to be averaging around US$50-70k based on current Yachtworld listings), but affordability does mean trade-offs in design and finish. The set-up is good down below and relatively spacious, although in an ideal world, I would like a separate shower cubicle. The one big downside of the Catalina 36 is that it is a coastal cruiser and while I’m sure she has been taken out on blue water passages, it would probably require quite a bit of modification and that means money. So overall, the Catalina 36 looks like she meets our basic requirements and we’re putting her on our shortlist of boats to check out more thoroughly.

We may also check out the Catalina 34 as well. The folks over at Sail Far, Live Free just bought one and it looks great. They gave us some good pointers about the differences between the Catalina 34 and 36 in their comments section on their blog and it sounds like the 2' difference between the two boats might not be that big of a deal. I have a feeling it will be like this - constantly adding new boats to the list to look at and potentially becoming completely overwhelmed by choice!

We would love to hear from your thoughts on the Catalina 36, as well as any suggestions of other boats we should look at.

If you're interested in other slightly eccentric posts on how to buy a sailboat when you know nothing about sailing or boats, check out this page.

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!  

Notes: If you're interested in finding out more about the Catalina 36, some good resources include Jack Horner's review in Boat US, Jake Firth's review of a Catalina 36 from a British perspective in Sailing Today, the Catalina 36 International Association and the Catalina Owner's Association. You can find the specs for the original Catalina 36 here and the MK II here. If you're a fan of the whole Tumbleweed tiny house movement, check out this video of living aboard a Catalina 36. You can also check out Catalina's website for info about the company in general, as well as their current models.


Via The Graphics Fairy

Penguins, For No Particular Reason



Boat Buying Tips Without Too Much Salt (Pt 8) - Galleys, Heads & Beds

Ah...sleeping and eating. Two of my favorite pastimes. So, I'll be paying close attention to galley (or kitchen) set-ups and berths (or beds) when we go boat shopping next year. I'm not that interested in toilets, but if you're going to eat and drink, well then knowing something about heads is probably important as what you eat has to end up somewhere.

So, let's start off with galleys because it is usually easier to fall asleep in your berth when your belly is full and happy. Galleys are basically the same as the kitchens you have on land. The big difference is that they're smaller, which impacts on what appliances (white ware) and equipment you have. You also need to think differently about power consumption and energy sources. I've found the "Kitchen-Sink Galley Checklist" on the Women & Cruising site to be a great resource for learning what to look for when it comes to galleys. Here is what I'll be looking for when we go boat shopping:

1.  Layout - I want a U-shaped layout so that it will be easier to cook when underway by wedging myself in. We currently have a bench set-up with the galley running the length of the port side. It works fine as our current boat is small (26') and I haven't been really cooking underway. It will be interesting to see how it works out when we do move on our boat full-time this summer and cooking takes on a more real-life flavor, rather than feel like camping.

2.  Location & Ventilation - The key takeaway for me from the Women & Cruising checklist is to be wary of the location of the galley relative to the engine. If they're near each other, you want to make sure that you can still cook while engine maintenance and repair are being undertaken and you want to make sure it doesn't get too hot in the galley when the engine is running. We sail in New Zealand where is doesn't get very hot so ventilation hasn't been a critical issue for us, but as we hope to be sailing in warmer climates we'll need to pay more attention to making sure there is good air flow, venting etc. And of course, most importantly, we'll want to make sure the galley is convenient to the cockpit so we can snack while we sail.

3.  Counter & Storage Space - You will generally have less counter (bench) and storage space on a sailboat than on land. Unless you have a mega-yacht of course. But then, you probably have a chef preparing your meals for you and you never need to step into the galley. That's not us so we'll need to look for clever things like cutting board tops you can put over the sink to give you more space when needed and fold-down counters. And one thing to look for in counters on a sailboat are fiddles. These are railings along the edge which keep things on the counter when the boat gets tippy. Something you would never think about having on land. Fortunately (or not depending upon your perspective), we currently have a small apartment in Auckland (roughly the size of a shoebox) and it probably has the same amount of counter space (if not slightly less) as we have on our current boat, so I'm quite used to food prep in a confined space.

4.  Appliances - The three basic appliances I'm looking for in our next boat are a stove (hob), oven (cooker) and a fridge. As there are only two of us, we can live without a dishwasher (and did so for many years in Scotland) and while a freezer would be nice (think ice for gin and tonics) we can do without. Appliances in a boat the size we'll be looking to buy (somewhere between 35-38') will be smaller than those on land. The stove is likely to only have two burners (maybe three) and the fridge will be tiny (like something from those days living in a dorm at university). But Scott has been very cunning by getting me to live on our 26' boat this summer with no fridge and no oven so that I'll be thrilled to get an oven and a fridge, no matter what size, on our next boat. He is a devious one - it pays to keep an eye on him.

The other big difference in boat vs. land appliances is how they're powered. I imagine the stove and oven will likely be fueled by propane or something similar which adds that element of danger which makes cooking so exciting. The fridge will be likely be powered by electricity. I've learned that electricity is a precious commodity on a boat so no standing with the door open staring into it for ages trying to figure out what you want to snack on. Evidently, there is a game that boaties play called "Amp Up the Amps", which is apparently more addictive than Candy Crush (I am currently stuck on level 86 - help!). I worked in the energy sector for years but didn't pay enough attention during all those training courses and still don't really understand how electricity works. Fortunately, I found this - it all makes much more sense now.

5.  Water & Sinks - Water is one of the most important things on your boat. You need it to stay alive, brush your teeth, wash your dishes and cook your pasta. So when I'm looking at galley set-ups, I'll be checking out how the water is pumped into the kitchen (electric or manual), how many taps there are and what kind (hot, cold, freshwater, saltwater), if there is actually a hot water heater (assume I can live without one?) and how many sinks there are (two would be ideal). And I'll want to make sure there is sufficient headroom in the galley so Scott can comfortably stand and wash the dishes (hopefully he isn't reading this part).

6.  Safety - This is the scary part of the checklist. It asks questions like, "Can you safely get out of the galley if you had a flare-up at the stove?" and "Do you have a safety strap to hold you in place in rough conditions?" After reading this, I'm thinking we'll only eat cold meals that require no cooking and sail in calm seas. Probably not realistic though.

So once I've gotten over my fear of cooking on the stove while we're underway in rough seas and I've cooked us a fabulous, gourmet nutritionally balanced, edible meal, our full bellies will make us sleepy and we'll need to have a lie down. And that's where berths come in. If you have a larger boat, then your berths might be very similar in size and shape to that of your bed on land. But for us, we're likely to buy a boat that has those weirdly configured berths which you can't find ready-made sheets for. There are a number of different types of berths you'll encounter:

• V-berth - This is named for its shape. It looks like the letter "V" and is located in the forward end of the hull where the boat gets all pointy and turns itself into a V-shape. We have one of these now. Works well for me as I'm short, but the only way Scott can sleep in it is if he turns himself into some sort of pretzel shape. And when the two of us are in there it becomes really cramped and people end up getting elbows and knees jabbed into them.
• Settee berth - This is basically like falling asleep on the couch that runs the length of the boat. Depending upon your configuration, you might have a set-up where you can drop a table down and turn two settees that face each other into a large bed. If you're sleeping in these while underway, you need to have a lee-cloth which is basically like a railing made out of cloth that keeps you from falling out of bed when the boat gets tippy.
• Quarter berth - This is a single bed which is located near the cockpit. We have two of these on our current boat. They are like sleeping in a little cave-like pipe as you slide yourself in with your head peeking out into the saloon. I find them creepy and claustrophobic. We use ours to store stuff. However, they are good if you're sailing at night and want to be close to the cockpit. You also won't fall out of them when the water is rough and choppy. I can see why people like catamarans, no tippiness and worries about falling out of bed.

For us, the important thing when considering new boats is to make sure the berths are long enough for Scott to sleep on and that I don't end up feeling claustrophobic because I'm cramped in some weirdly shaped bed underneath the cockpit.

In addition to galleys and berths, the other big consideration down below is the head. They're generally pretty compact on the size of boats we'll be looking at and might require some sort of contortions to move about in them, but that's one of the trade-offs when you're restricted in the size of your boat. Ideally, we would have a head which has a separate shower compartment. In many of them, you shower right there next to the sink and toilet which means water is splashing everywhere. When we're sailing in warmer climates, we would probably be happy showering in the cockpit and keeping the head tidy and dry, but when it is cold out I guess we may have no choice but to shower in the head or play the "stinky game" where we see who can go the longest without a shower. Scott will definitely win this one.

The other thing you have to think about when it comes to heads, is how the toilet works. Does it have a manual pump or an electric one? How does the holding tank work? Does your toilet have a macerator? It's all too icky to think about and I can't even begin to imagine how gross it will be if it breaks (or when it breaks as everything on boats appears to break all the time). So, I'm not going to think about it anymore.

Okay, I'm off to fix a snack and have a nap now. And, of course, dream about our next boat.

If you're interested in other slightly eccentric posts on how to buy a sailboat when you know nothing about sailing or boats, check out this page.

Thanks for stopping by our blog - we love it when people come visit! We're also on Facebook - pop by and say hi!  

This is our current galley. One sink with a fresh water tap (hooked up to the water bladder with an electric pump), two burner stove and a broiler (which is great for making toast). We usually have a jerry can filled with water with a spigot on the counter behind the sink  which makes that area unusable. The counter space to the right of the stove isn't huge but it works out okay with a bit of juggling around of things. And a fair amount of storage space for a relatively small boat. You can also see the tiny V-berth which is way too small for Scott to sleep in comfortably.