NZ Preps and Chinese Gybes
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Position: 33 52.3 S 151 13.95 E The last two and a bit weeks has slipped by quite quickly as Kate and I catch up with Sydney friends and do a bit of maintenance on Sylph. We are trying to get everything in order for Sylph’s next voyage to the land of the long white cloud, i.e. New Zealand. The main hiccup is NZ’s complex and strict biosecurity laws. From what I can work out, the bottom line is that we need to haul Sylph out for a bottom clean either within thirty days prior to arrival or 24 hours post arrival. Unfortunately, slipways in Sydney are at something of a premium at this time of year especially with a large Sydney to Hobart fleet all getting ready for the boxing day departure. So they are mostly booked up and also very expensive. In the meantime we have been doing a bit of sailing on other people’s boats at my sailing club, the RAN Sailing Association. Last Monday I sailed on a go fast sports boat, Like A Lizard. The winds were gusting over thirty knots and we managed to do a rather spectacular Chinese gybe with the large asymmetrical spinnaker set. Someone from ashore managed to get some video footage which they posted to Facebook. I have copied it over to You Tube. I think I will stick to the much more forgiving old Sylph. All is well.
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