Professional Skipper Magazine from VIP Publications

#85 Jan/Feb 2012 with NZ Aquaculture Magazine

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

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WATERWAYS – Waterfront Business In brief… Grounding was "business as usual" The brief grounding of the Schelde Trader at the port of Tauranga was a regular operation for the harbourmaster, said Eddie Grogan of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. The 133m ship was heading for New Caledonia at 1030 on October 28 when she lost propulsion and went aground just north of North Rock, near the base of Mount Maunganui. "When that happens she's at the whim of the tides and wind," said Grogan. According to Maritime New Zealand there was no sign of damage to the Schelde Trader and she was refloated 20 minutes later. She was towed to the port for an inspection before resuming her voyage. Grogan said a similar case had occurred about 18 months earlier. "It's never great but fortunately in this case there was not much damage." New Greenpeace sets sail The Greenpeace III, just launched from the Fassmer Shipyard near Bremen, Germany, made her maiden voyage on November 10 before undergoing sea trials. The brief voyage under the command of her American captain, Joel Stewart and a Thames river pilot was from West India Dock in London's East End to a mooring alongside the Design Museum on the South Bank. "I'd love to take her under there," said Stewart, gesturing at Tower Bridge, "but that's a battle we would not win." Even with the bridge open, the ship's enormous 55m mast is more than 10m too tall to journey any further up the Thames. This is the third Rainbow Warrior to sail under the Greenpeace livery. The first, notoriously, was sunk in New Zealand in 1985 by French commandos to prevent her from hampering nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll in French Polynesia. The second has been retired to Bangladesh and serves as a hospital ship. The Rainbow Warrior III is bigger, greener and, for the first time, purpose- built, which Greenpeace says will showcase green shipbuilding technology. She is 58m long and features two 50m A-frame aluminium masts, built by Rondal. Befitting her green charter for environmental protection and sustainability, her sail area of 1300m2 ensure her engines will not usually be required. The launching ceremony coincided with the 40th anniversary of the founding of Greenpeace. 48 Professional Skipper January/February 2012 TRAINEE WINS MAJOR AWARD THE SECOND MATE on the Spirit of New Zealand, Luke Galuszewski, has won the International Young Sail Trainer of the Year award for sail trainers aged under 25. He was competing against nominations from sail training organisations around the world. The announcement was made at the International Sail Training Conference in Toulon, France in mid-November and the chairman of the Spirit of Adventure Trust, Stephen Fisher, accepted the award on Galuszewski's behalf. Luke, aged 24, became involved with the trust after completing his trainee trip in 2004 and joining the Voyagers Club for past trainees a few months later. In 2007 he was selected to be a cadet, a two-year internship offered to young people looking for a professional career at sea. His first professional appointment with the trust was in March 2009 as third mate/bosun. After 19 months he was appointed to his current regular position of second mate/navigator. Concurrently, he studied for the Inshore Launch Masters Certificate in 2009 and his Basic STCW-95. He is currently studying for his New Zealand Coastal Skipper and Ocean Yacht Masters Certificates, as well as Mechanical Engineering Certificate 6. The trust's chief executive, Dean Lawrence, said Galuszewski had Luke Galuszewski become a role model to thousands of volunteers through setting an example of hard work, persistence and ability to overcome challenges. "We are absolutely thrilled for him and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his outstanding achievement." Drownings baffle water safety head THE HEAD OF Water Safety New Zealand says he is "baffled" with the high number of drownings this year. "I can't believe the number of drownings we've had for the year to date. We're sitting at 102," said the general manager, Matt Claridge. By comparison, up until October 27 last year there had been only 71 drownings in New Zealand waters. His comments followed the death of a man who drowned after falling from Kaikoura's new wharf on November 2. Claridge said the increases were mainly around boating, diving and a lack of supervision of pre-school children around water. "They're the three we can put our fingers on. There's too much complacency, not enough preparation and a lack of matching one's ability with the environment." Claridge said the government needed to address the problem of an increase in the number of New Zealanders who could not swim. "We're fortunate that we have some good support, because the government doesn't prioritise it as a major. "For $1200 you can teach a kid to swim and be practically safe for the rest of their lives. "Our biggest problem is the school curriculum. The schools are really good - I'm not beating up on them, but the curriculum doesn't make it happen like it should. The kids don't have to be in the water learning to swim." Claridge said Maori were disproportionately represented in drowning statistics, followed by Pacific Islanders.

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