The only specialised marine publication in Oceania that focuses on the maritime industry, from super yachts to small craft to large commercial ships, including coastal shipping, tugs, tow boats, barges, ferries, tourist, sport-fishing craft
Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/172326
letters COBAR CAT RESPONDS Dear Sir I have just read the letter to the Editor in your last issue regarding life jackets and life rings taking a dig at the Cobar Cat. Personally, I hardly think it is newsworthy enough to warrant publication but that aside, it does irk me that a guy like that, who holds himself to be knowledgeable in these matters, can take the time to inspect and travel on the vessel and get it so wrong. First up, there are two additional life rings on the top deck accessible to all passengers on either side of the entrance to the top deck from the gangway area. He seems to have missed these in his detailed report on our vessel. Every passenger using the gangway to the top deck walks past them. We also have an additional 20-person Carley float easily accessible to crew and passengers, if required, on the back transom area accessible through the sliding stern windows behind the stern area transom seats. The life jackets are under the seats in the main cabin and also in the stern seat area at the bottom of the stairwell to the top deck (which area is separated from the main cabin). Passengers are informed of the life jackets being under the seats during the safety briefing, which Mr Vowles heard. These are easily accessible, to be taken quickly up the stairs to the top deck and distributed if necessary. I would also point out that many passenger vessels have a single width stairwell access to a top viewing deck. Ours is double width for ease of access! Jeremy Ward, East By West Ferries, Wellington PROLIFIC EDITOR Dear Sir I'm a dairy farmer from Karaka, South Auckland and I've always been interested in boats. My father was the starter/ handicapper for the Royal Suva yacht club for a few years in the early 70s where I sailed P-class yachts. I spent two years on prawn trawlers in the Gulf of Carpenteria, Australia in 1976–77. I currently have a Ganley Avatar 52 at Westhaven. I first saw Professional Skipper in a dentist surgery four years ago and have subscribed ever since. I noted that most of the articles in the latest edition were written by you [Keith Ingram]; you are a busy man, keep up the great work. Craig Staunton, Auckland RADIO SILENCE Dear Sir There seems to be more and more articles about ships bashing into each other in your magazine lately, so I presume that this is a serious and ongoing problem. This may sound quite a naive statement because I am not a skipper – just an admirer of boats in general and the thrill of sailing. One thing that stands out in my mind (boats bashing into each other) is the lack of communication between vessels. It seems to me that the skippers of these vessels always assume that there is some incredible force that reads the minds of approaching vessels and automatically takes appropriate action to avoid a crash. The "I thought he could see me syndrome". So, while I don't know a great deal about boats, I do know a thing or two about aviation. And my only question on this subject is to ask: "How often do planes bash in to each other?" The amount of radio traffic for a routine aircraft flight from departure to landing and during flight track to a destination is, well, pretty much full on, and the obvious reason for this is to stop them crashing into each other. I can't put it more simply than that. I am not for one minute suggesting that shipping adopt this practice, but the bottom line here is that radio communication works. 4 Professional Skipper September/October 2013 Why is there this reluctance for skippers to use a radio? Is it pride? If one listens to working channels on an average day in most harbours around New Zealand – you will get silence. Try that with Auckland Airport! That's the difference, it's called communication. Marine activities are no different to aviation. So why are the incidents so much more common in marine? I would suggest that marine radios are meant for skippers to communicate with each other. Allan Weeks, Manukau INDUSTRY ASSET Dear Sir I thought I should let you know that we have just been given a $100,000+ contract to rebuild a barge for Westpac mussels. The owner said that he reads your magazine every issue and that's where he saw our story and details. Thanks for producing such a great asset for the boat building industry. Terry Forsbrey, Director NSR OUTRAGEOUS FEES Dear Sir Have you had a look at the latest charges being imposed by Maritime New Zealand on seafarers and the wider industry? Before you start, be prepared to spend some time on their site, as it is one of the most cumbersome websites to navigate. I mentioned this to an MNZ official and she said it was designed to be informative and difficult in the same breath. When questioned, my responder said it was designed to meet MNZ statutory requirements and not to be an easy informative site for mariners. It needed to provide the information, but some of it is hard to find because MNZ do not want a backlash from the industry. Surely this can't be true? But I will leave you to find out for yourself. Have you had a look at the seafarer licensing fees and charges? This is before you do any training or sit an exam. The charges are just over the top and will deter many from even getting into the industry. Then take a look at the new marine safety charges and levies if you can find them. I hear that the shipping industry has convinced MNZ to reduce fees to the foreign shipping companies who incidentally pose our greatest risk (Rena) in favour of increasing the domestic fleet charges. MNZ is increasing its fees it charges by stealth and won't front up to the industry. My guess is that they will be blaming Government. For me, I am retiring and getting out, but for those locked in, it is time to question and push back. Either that or suck in and pay up. You publish a great journal and as such are a true independent voice of the maritime industry. B Williams, Auckland CLOSE QUARTERS Dear Sir It is pleasing to read your articles in the New Zealand Herald, and your journal's March/April 2012 issue regarding the appalling standards of Maritime New Zealand's legal processes. You and many others have highlighted the legal nonsense of the Gypsy/Anteaus case and its rapid local handling to avoid court processes for the skipper of Anteaus. However, you omitted to use the most obvious and extreme case for comparison – the case that has been covered by Mike Pignéguy in your issues with enthusiasm: 'Yachty learns to give way – the www.skipper.co.nz