Recent content by Rob_Webb

It’s obviously an academic calculation but if you wanted to be practical yes I’m sure you would need to rig a harness (to both ships) to spread the load. Didn’t they once talk about towing icebergs to areas of drought? Surely some big loads there too?!

So today I had an attack of school-boy scientific curiosity and wondered what would happen if you got another ship the same size as the Ever Given when it was still stuck and tied their sterns together and tried to pull it out using the bigger power of another ship (59,000 Kw) vs the biggest...

There’s some good advice here but the problem is that it’s all generalities or experience relating to people’s own specific setup. I have decades of experience with 12v systems as a user and I’ve learned a lot but the most important thing I’ve learned is that if you are a novice to get the best...

There is an added complication I didn’t mention earlier. 2yrs ago (on my previous boat) I had the identical AGM Full River batteries installed and after only 6 months they died. After testing by the NZ importer / distributor the reason was found that the professional marine electricians who...

Recently I replaced my house bank with 4x 105Ah Full River AGM new batts. The product spec says: 1. Bulk charge at 14.7v 2. Absorption charge at 14.7v 3. Float charge at 13.7v Which seems higher than most batts but hey that's the product spec so that's what we should do, right? Then soon...

From the waterfront rumours here in Auckland we think: 1. ETNZ sponsorship budget slashed by Emirates (Covid and all that) 2. Ineos / Ratcliffe got the AC bug and super keen to continue participation but 4yrs a loooong time to wait for another try 3. Therefore a cash inducement from UK to NZ to...

If you don’t want a spoiler don’t go on the internet 4hrs after the event!!!

Which it now is. Question is whether the next event will be in 4yrs time in Auckland again or - as rumoured - next year in the Isle of Wight against sole challenger Ineos???!!

Yes during L3 (which we’re in) they seem to be allowed out on the water much to everyone’s surprise - the rest of us are told “no recreational boating” so maybe they regard AC boats as somewhere in the twilight zone between recreation / sport and commercial. But hey it’s NZ so despite the “clean...

Yes instead of a 2 day delay we are now looking at a 5 day window - possibly longer. That could help the Brits explore possible tweaks for extra boatspeed. Plus to remind themselves how to win a start.

As a dual-passport citizen (born in UK but naturalised kiwi) living in Auckland I’m obviously in a state of mixed emotions. I love having the event on my doorstep just an hour from my marina berth but I also still love my country of birth and reckon the super-tough last couple of years of “BBC”...

Have decided to try 3-D printing a cover...

Just replaced my sun-damaged Maxpower switch unit (model 318200 in case it matters) and amazed to find the new product does not include any form of rain/sun cover - unlike all my other cockpit instruments! Anyone found an after-market cover that fits nicely or worked out any other solution?

With the looming legislation to ban sale of new petrol & diesel vehicles in many countries (dates vary) what’s the goss on boat engines?

Yup the Vesper guys are pretty good. Admittedly I live in Auckland but I logged a tech query one Saturday evening and I got a phone call from a technician Sunday morning - and he came to my boat on the Monday morning to help resolve. They are one of the best in the marine services industry -...