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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OUR PEOPLE EXTENDING HIS LIFESPAN BY CAROL FORSYTH W ith a father who liked messing around in boats and a mother who enjoyed camping, it's no wonder their five children also liked doing the same. Roy Purvis was born in Waihi in the early 1950s. His early boating trips were on Tauranga Harbour chugging through the tidal rips at Bowentown with a little Seagull outboard. They would gather cockles and pipi to cook on the beach over an open fire. n e e r h One of his early memories is when they stopped the boat and he got out one side. His brother got out the other. "The water on my side was ankle deep and my brother disappeared into the deep channel. That taught me that things aren't always what you think they are," he says. During his student years in Auckland Roy would sail on other people's boats. When the opportunity came to bring a fishing boat from Samoa to Tauranga he was in, boots and all. As Roy held a ham radio licence, he went as the radio operator. "It was a good trip except just after we departed from Tongatapu the rudder coupling on the shaft broke!" Roy got on the radio and called up the Tauranga owner who confirmed that there was no spare on board. "Another lesson to learn – bits wear out and you need spares." When they were offered a tow by a small island tramp cargo ship into Suva they passed over the lines and settled down for a three- day tow. "And yes, the part was waiting for us when we got into Suva," remembers Roy. ey de. ter her hat you Roy When boat Another time they were approaching a low-lying island at night. The skipper and crew were in the wheelhouse looking at the charts and discussing the lights they could see. Roy was in the galley drinking coffee and decided to go on the bow to have a look. "For some reason or other I went outside and there, just ahead of us was a line of white breakers! We managed to alter course and didn't hit but it taught me that behind a piece of glass you can't see particularly well. The best lookout is definitely someone on the bow," he says. Roy's major seamanship training was as a Greenpeace volunteer sailing on the 32m 1912 traditional gaff-rigged Baltic trader Fri. In 1973 the Fri had sailed from New Zealand as a protest vessel to Mururoa maintaining a 53-day vigil within the test zone just outside Mururoa atoll and within sight of the test island. On her return she became the flagship for Greenpeace New Zealand and Roy joined for her voyage to Hiroshima, Japan promoting a nuclear-free world. His role was radio operator and watch captain. "It was wonderful trade wind sailing except when we were almost to Japan, a typhoon ripped the main sail to shreds in the middle of the night." Roy says that doing long voyaging on this type of vessel is a lot of work but the skills gained are invaluable. Roy trained as an electrical engineer and has worked in radio. He now works with solar energy and has always made sure to maintain a good work/sailing balance in his life "I skippered a rich man's yacht in the Med for a little while. By 38 Professional Skipper May/June 2012 today's standards the 14m Swan wasn't a superyacht but it was flash to us!" In 2005 Roy helped a friend set up Walking Legends, a company that takes trampers around the shores of Lake Waikaremoana. When a vessel was required to transport stores and luggage for trampers they chose a 7m alloy Jim Young power cat. This enabled the trampers to tramp all day without carrying their gear. She required a ticketed operator as she was classed as a passenger vessel. today super In 2 Lege arou Whe stor a 7 ena wit a ti pa The vessel also needed to be in safe ship management. "I remember wondering where on earth we were going to put our two fire buckets, two round life rings and two big fire extinguishers and all the gear a 15m ferry has to carry under SSM rules." "We were doing two things – getting our Local Launch Operator's licence at m w tw a t S the same time as putting the same time as putting the vessel into SSM. It was a catch 22 situation: "How many hours have you done on this boat?" we were asked, but as it wasn't in survey yet we hadn't done any! Luckily, my high recreational hours were enough to get an LLO." Another challenge was carrying a chart in the area of operation. "The only thing there is a Lands and Surveys land map with lots of detail of the shoreline. Nobody seemed to know how deep the lake was, but we worked around it and got a temporary certificate to operate the boat." Roy believes the new Maritime Operator Safety System requirements will be much more user-friendly. The main attraction to this area is the picturesque ancient forest, Maori legends and clear fresh water. Sometimes the mist lies low all day and in certain winds they get a very sharp, choppy sea. Roy often worried about the lack of emergency support in this area and kept good supplies of first aid, an EPIRB and Sat phone. "One time we had to take out someone who had broken their knee. There was no cellphone coverage or Coastguard rescue craft but we did have the other boats from the Department of Conservation, and pleasure boats." Since 2008 Roy has sailed on Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum's 17.4m ketch-rigged deck scow Ted Ashby and their 18.3m square-rigged brigantine Breeze. Before coming to the maritime museum Breeze had also sailed to Mururoa and Tahiti to protest against French nuclear testing in the Pacific. "It's a joy sailing on the museum boats because I love traditional vessels and the comradeship with fellow seafarers. Although I'd had traditional vessels' sea time, I never had formal training until I came to the museum." Roy currently owns a 16m steel cruising ketch and has sailed her to Tonga, Fiji and the South Island. 'Time spent sailing is not deducted from one's lifespan' is Roy's theory on life. He has plans for more offshore voyaging and will continue to skipper small passenger vessels while increasing his lifespan! www.walkinglegends.co.nz www.maritimemusem.co.nz Roy Purvis