Issue date
When I was asked to write a regular blog on safety, dry Weetbix sprang to mind, however, on canvassing some opinions the general consensus was positive and encouraging. So here goes my first attempt at communicating what’s been happening in my space.
Angus Willison at the helm of AJ Reid's Anarchy.
Category 1 Safety Certificates – boats going overseas
It would be fair to say yacht inspectors and many people in the industry have breathed a sigh of relief and there has been some discussion over a thank-Frank-they’ve-gone party. I haven’t done the final tally, however, I’m expecting more than 100 cat 1 safety certificates will have been issued this season which highlights that there are around eight times the number of cruisers - sail, power and ocean voyaging - than ocean racing.
On the whole, the safety inspections I undertook saw well prepared vessels and crews with a positive attitude to the system. Perhaps I saw only the brave ones who were prepared to use me as an inspector. I took a limited number of calls complaining about certain aspects of the system, however, I’m pleased to report that, after discussion and being told about options to sail under a foreign flag, therefore avoiding the inspection process, I saw their completed safety inspection certificates come through from the local yacht inspector.
Requiring crew to undertake the sea survival course run by Coastguard Boating Education or Seawise has been well received. The wet drill certainly highlighted issues for people to instigate systems to cope if required. Some who undertook the course were experienced offshore cruisers, however, decided to do the course on the basis they might learn something and were also in a position to contribute to others in the course. I review the courses every two years in order for the training providers to maintain their World Sailing (ISAF) accreditation and I am halfway through the process. The training providers are engaged and keen to maintain a high standard, which is pleasing. As of July 1, 2017, Yachting New Zealand will be recording this qualification on the database so the record is accessible for members when they are required to produce it.
The weather played havoc with the timing of some departures this year, meaning inspectors were having to revalidate the safety certificates. In most instances this was a simple procedure however with some boats crew changes and issues surrounding the actual boat (grounding, rig failure) meant that a whole new certificate had to be issued. One year my wife and I waited five weeks in Sydney before crossing the Tasman to the Bay of Islands, watching system after system thrash the Tasman. Despite leaving on the best three-day forecast available back then we had our worst trip ever so I tell people to ‘hurry up and wait’, go to the café, read a book and kick back. When the right weather comes, it’ll be fun. Bad weather isn’t fun. I am in discussion with Maritime New Zealand about streamlining the revalidation process and will communicate it when confirmed.
As always, there is a mixture of boats going offshore so no standouts here. When my wife and I started cruising in the early 1990s, we had a 10m ex-race boat which, when we bought it, I felt was a respectable size to go ocean sailing. Everywhere we went we were one of the smallest, if not the smallest boat. Roll forward to the mid-2000s and we are in the same situation with our 12.8m boat. There’s no question people are cruising bigger boats made possible by more elaborate sail handling gear, power generation and the lower cost of modern production boats. Personally, I favour a smaller, conventionally built boat that we can manage, however, I guess it comes down to preference and budget. Please always remember that a big boat is a big boat when managing it in seaway, not to mention tight spaces. Sails are big, loads are great etc.
More and more we are seeing the HF/SSB radio being replaced by satellite communication at sea and, quite frankly, having just delivered a boat to Fiji which had an Iridium phone on board, I am a convert. Several boats I inspected this year had the Iridium Go system and I was lucky enough to have a ‘play’. In the not too distant future we are off again and will be investing in this, or a similar, system. During our last cruise we miscalculated the requirement for two things 1) reading material for our three kids and 2) the need for instant communication. When we were away in the 1990s, we made one phone call per country, not now. If people don’t get a reply to an email within 24 hours, they are calling the cavalry. Times have changed.
AIS is a game changer for ocean voyaging and this is another thing I will be using myself. Vesper Marine is a New Zealand company that is a world leader and, after having their technical director speak at the inspectors' conference, I would recommend looking at their products
Hopefully we get through this season without any disasters. So far, one boat on the reef but the crew were all safe so hopefully we won’t be having to answer hard questions in Wellington.
Platino disaster
Many of you will be aware of the situation with the sailing vessel Platino where two well-known sailors lost their lives. I have been involved with Maritime New Zealand and their investigation and have just read the draft report before it is finalised and sent to the coroner. In the fullness of time, I understand that it will be released to the public, however, in the interim we need to be patient.
Yachting New Zealand have instigated a number of changes in the inspection process as a result of the investigation and some of the rule changes are as a result of what we learned.
Safety Regulations of Sailing 2017 – 2020 – changes road show
We’ve been trying to arrange a road show to the major organising clubs on the changes in the Safety Regulations of Sailing 2017–20 and have so far been to Royal Port Nicholson in Wellington. It was very well received and supported by the RPNYC members and the members of the other keel boat clubs around Wellington. There will be future dates for Northland, Auckland, Tauranga and the upper South Island.
Safety Boat MOSS exemption
We are in the final stages of confirming a system with Maritime New Zealand that manages the MOSS requirement for club rescue boats. I am in discussion with a number of clubs who will be trialling the system before we roll it out across the country. It has taken seven years to get to this position, so hopefully once the final details are ironed out we’ll be able to roll it out as quickly as possible.
Category 3 safety certificates
We are starting to get enquiries for cat 3 safety certificates with people wanting to race the longer SSANZ events and in preparation for the Coastal Classic. I’m sure it will be a last-minute rush like every other year but we can live in hope.
Other category 1 events
Next year is the Auckland to Noumea run by Royal Akarana Yacht Club which looks to be a great event. The boats will need a cat 1 certificate for this.
April 2018 is the Solo Trans Tasman race from New Plymouth to Mooloolaba and I understand the interest has been high from New Zealand and Australia. These boats will all need a cat 1 certificate and I will be involved in last-minute scrutineering.
