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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LETTERS CONTINUED… manned and lift both the manning and safety standards. Pay proper wages and then you will attract Kiwi crews to come home. Professional Skipper is brave and gutsy, so well done, not like those SeaFIC and Seafood wimps who are trying to defend the indefensible. Keep up the good work. Dan Galbraith, Pacific Tuna, Australia OLD SAYING Dear Sir In reference to the letter from Barry Thomson in your last issue (January/February), I must assure him that I have all my "pins in my shackles." He is right. I was at the forefront in the design stage for the owner, then tasked with overseeing the building of the Spirit of Adventure at Vos Brij's yard. I went on to do 50 10-day voyages as records will show over 27 years as relief master. My letter before referred to the Gardner-powered Spirit of New Zealand. Over those 27 years I clocked up over 50 voyages on her, as well covering on both ships a total of 50,000 sea miles, which included as crew and trainees 5100 souls, with very few incidents apart from galley fires, water egress and a few broken limbs. True, I've had to hove-to in inclement weather for the safety of the ship and crew. After all, we were a "wind engine" vessel. Now, for Barry and Jim, may I quote an old sailor's saying: "Big ship captains worry when making landfall." "Us others", brought up on yachts, fishing trawlers, tugs and offshore rig standby vessels, etc, worry when we are out of sight of land. Now that's the crux of the matter. I rest my case. I would like to thank all of the volunteers from Bluff to Opua who made up my crews over those years and who made my job a lot easier. The Spirit of Adventure Trust would not work without their input. I hope the new engine gives the reliability the Gardner did. Remember, the safety of the ship comes down to the crew, and those in command, making the right calls with the tools they have to use. I wish the trust all the best for the next 40 years. J "Pony" More, Kaeo WORKBOAT REVIEW Dear Sir Naturally I am very much in favour with your article in Workboat Review telling anyone who chooses to listen that the shipbuilding industry has lost all its waterfront to the developers by whatever means was open to them. Force if needed. Whangarei is no different. Thank you for the write-up in Workboat Review of the PT May. By the end of February we have another to launch to the same owner in Australia. Keep it up, Keith. Pat Ganley, Whangarei RENA GROUNDING Dear Sir Just some thoughts on what possibly could have happened … 1.Five minutes past daylight, Wednesday, day 1. Mobilise the Skookum, Forest Lady and Deliverance with two bitumen tankers on each. Begin shuttle transfer (100 tonnes) per round trip of oil to shore, equals 2.5 days to complete oil evacuation. 2. Five minutes past daylight, Wednesday, day 1. Port of Tauranga oil spill response team mobilised and deploys a boom right around the Rena, which would have shown incredible competence and been a major public relations coup. 3. Five minutes past daylight, Wednesday, day 1. Instruct the 6 Professional Skipper March/April 2012 captain to run all engines main and auxiliary at full noise (main engine uses five tonnes per hour), equals 120 tonnes per day for 14 days, to burn oil off up the funnel. This process would also have kept the oil hot in the tanks. 4. Five minutes past daylight, Wednesday, day 1. Before the ship listed excessively, a team of local container stevedores release the sea lashings and the twist-locks from the bottom of each container stack, have tugs secured to the top and pull overboard up to seven strings of containers and tow ashore. 5. Make provision to cut the remaining steel where the split has occurred and tow the stern section away. The for'ard section, begin surface cutting and removal of the superstructure and only six percent of this hull is underwater, which could be dealt with when calm conditions prevail. Name withheld on request PORT RECLAMATION Dear Sir The idea of having a further 18ha of the Waitemata Harbour reclaimed is certainly not good news to both small commercial operators and recreational users. It will certainly help make an ugly waterfront even uglier! But, looks aside, extending the current Bledisloe Wharf a further 250m into the harbour decreases the width of the harbour between there and Stanley Point to around 945m, which is approximately the same width of the harbour between the Fergusson Container Terminal and the Navy Base wharf. By decreasing the harbour width, but having the same amount of water to flow in and out of the Upper Harbour, the rate of the tidal flow will undoubtedly increase from its present maximum of around two knots and take on the characteristics of a river. This is not good news to any harbour users, especially those who participate in regattas and week-day afternoon races. Trying to sail in light winds may mean having to drop anchor to await the turn of the tide! A case in point is the recent Anniversary Regatta, where there were hundreds of yachts mingling in light airs between Princes and Bledisloe Wharfs and Stanley Point. Having another 18ha of land to work on at night will require a further high number of bright lights, ensuring the sparkling waters of the Waitemata will also sparkle at night, and the residents of Stanley Point will be able to read their newspapers without their own lights turned on. The current light pollution from the Fergusson Container Terminal is a real problem when entering the harbour at night from the east, and a doubling of light will certainly add to that hazard. The decision makers have to realise that by increasing the port's footprint, they will be further destroying the looks and characteristics of the harbour, putting a lot more container trucks on our already overcrowded roads and certainly ensuring Auckland's slide down the list of being one of the world's most liveable cities. Mike Pignéguy, Auckland PRIZED PAINTING Dear Sir Thanks so much for personally delivering and presenting the painting by John Deacon of the Huia I won in the subscription draw. It looks great on my wall. My sons and I enjoy your magazine with its interesting maritime features. Stan Cammell, Auckland