Professional Skipper Magazine from VIP Publications

LETTERS Letters to the editor are encouraged from readers who wish to say nice things, raise an industry concern or even get something off their chest. Letters are published in good faith and may be abridged if too verbose or on the edge of being libellous. In fact, in 15 years we have only refused to publish two letters. For this reason, while we will protect an author's identity if requested by "name withheld on request", letters must be clearly marked by name and address, signed or emailed as verification of authenticity. Letters not clearly signed may not see the light of day. BRIDGE BUILDER Dear Sir In the November/December issue, Baden Pascoe detailed vessels that were used in the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. One of Subritzky's towboats mentioned was the Romo. She is presently domiciled in Wellington and is still alive and well. The Romo is currently owned by an overseas person who visits Wellington once or twice a year. Recently he commissioned me to take her across Cook Strait to Havelock and also return her to Wellington after he and his family had cruised much of Pelorus Sounds. Further to this, the Romo was recently lifted out of the water for antifouling and returned to her marina berth at Evans Bay. The photograph of her in Subritzky trim on the hard at the Evans Bay Yacht and Motor Boat Club shows her exterior has undergone very little change. A few home comforts in the way of a galley and electric toilet have been added to her accommodation. She is still powered with a very reliable and grunty GM, but I doubt if it is the same 110hp GM that was in her back in 1954. Incidentally, the Romo is up for sale and being of historical value to New Zealand's maritime history, a caring owner is desired. Ron Palmer, Koloa Yacht Charters & Marine Consultants RENA GROUNDING Dear Sir The MV Rena grounding set me to thinking. When I joined the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1956 – and for decades afterwards - we used paper charts, fixed our position by astro nav or by compass bearings and radar ranges and used echosounders as a further safety measure. Radar, in service for little over a decade, was not universal - many small vessels did not have it. Our instructors drummed basic, seamanlike safety into us. In particular, we were not to rely on radar as a "magic bullet" to solve all our problems. Their favourite expression was, "radar-assisted collisions", as exemplified by the sinking of the liner Andrea Dorian off New York. She and the Stockholm could see each other on radar and still managed to collide. I was privileged to observe a British master using it correctly in thick fog over the Grand Banks in 1961. Sounding his foghorn and proceeding at slow speed, he watched the radar blip of another vessel, also at slow speed, passing several miles clear of us, before resuming cruising speed. Chatham and Stewart Islands are fairly large and paint well on radar. This did not stop the Oyang 77 and the Dong Won, respectively, steaming straight ashore onto them. Now we have GPS to lure us into more trouble. An Australian fisherman showed me photographs of a colleague's boat after he used GPS alone to take him through the maze of the Recherche Archipelago. Fortunately, he hit a very steep cliff, which stove in his bow but left his vessel afloat. These days, I gather, there are electronic charts and plotting systems. They are only as good as the person using them. Even if you do everything right, someone else can ruin things for you. One of my crew disregarded my order to call me before entering a strait. When I woke up and stepped into the wheelhouse, I was in time to hear him say, "Look at that! There's surf ahead." I looked at the echosounder and saw it go from 30m to 2m below the keel. We turned back just in time. To stay safe at sea, use the mark one eyeball, all of your gadgets, a bit of common sense and heaps of caution. R Lea Clough Dear Sir I've been appalled by some of the media comment on the Rena casualty – including a call to lynch the person responsible! In contrast, your well-balanced article in the November/December issue is clearly written by someone who knows what they are talking about. This island nation which once had a relatively large SUBSCRIBE NOW! Be sure to get your copy of Professional Skipper direct by mail Please include NZ Workboat Review for 2007 @ $10.50 available now Please include NZ Workboat Review for 2006 @ $5.00 available now ■ Please include NZ Workboat Review 2008, 2009 & 2010, 2011 @ $5.00 each, available now Visa/Mastercard (other cards not accepted) Card Number __________________________________________________________________ Card Name ___________________________________________________________________ Signature _________________________________________________ Expiry date _____/_____ ■ $65.00 1 year – includes NZ Workboat Review 2013 ($105 Australia + Asia, $145 Rest of World) ■ $125.00 2 year – includes NZ Workboat Review 2013 & 2014 ■ Please include NZ Workboat Review 2012 @ $11.50 available now $65.00 1 year – includes NZ Workboat Review 2009 ($98 Australia + Asia, $135 Rest of World) $125 2 years – includes NZ Workboat Review 2009 & 2010 Please include NZ Workboat Review 2008 @ $10.50 available now Please include NZ Workboat Review 2007 @ $5.00 available now The winner of the oil painting of the Trading Top Sail Schooner Huia by marine artist Paul Deacon with an artist value of $1000 was drawn by Ian McDonald JP. GST No: 68-684-757 Congratulations to Stanley Cammell of Auckland. www.marineartgallery.net.nz January/February 2012 Professional Skipper 3 Name _______________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Postal code ________ Email _______________________________________________________________________ ENCOSE A CHEQUE FOR __________________________________________________________

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