General interest Links and Videos

[Ozzie]

Sorry Peter, I sincerely apologise for raising that issue again. I had forgotten your connection with the ‘98 disaster.

[Peter T]

Nothing to be sorry about Ozzie. It is what it is. One learns through such events who can and can not be trusted. I guess it shows me just how deeply the media's lack of integrity can effect us at such terrible times and that one never forgets. As you say, at least some good came from it in the form of increased safety requirements now in place. Thank goodness for that mate.

[Andrew]

http://www.shortypen.com/sailboats/sail ... ag-coffin/

Another one here folks with outside the square boat design. And another square front Peter!
He calls this boat Queequags Coffin I know Queequag’s coffin saved Ishmael’s bacon but this boat boat could have cooked his goose given he was doing a 120 mile sail event. Half of it in not so ideal conditions. Props to the man for accepting a tow at the appropriate time. Better a good sailing story than one you don’t live to tell. He mentioned that this course was too rough for pd racers, which are another mini sail boat, some with shoebox cabins for cruiser use, mentioned on USA sailing sites frequently.
9FC7B761-D34E-45E1-8C08-CC2EF8D88F09.jpeg
Pic from above site by owner
I have found a series of videos showing a mini cruiser group on my sailing grounds on Lake Mac on YouTube. Included is a locally constructed “Paradox” another well known construction on US sites. Did a quick check and there was one on gummy in WA for sale so obviously they are around. Love to see one sailing past in the flesh. I’ll post link when I find it again. These little boats make the 563 look like Royal Caribbean’s “Oasis of the Seas” lol .

As I’ve said before, I’ll never built one but these homemade mini cruisers are quite fascinating.

Those micro-campers are interesting ozzie, but definitely designed for quite smooth waters. Certainly easy to camp on a calm beach or river bank of a non marine reptilian habitat. Imagine Lake Mac would be good for these, as there's always a lee shore and ramp there. Yes investigators are huge by comparison to "lidded dinghy's". I came across an interesting 14ft micro-cruiser online in tsv,(asking $1200) dont know the design but it has a small sleeping cabin up front. (but the mrs will definitely never approve another boat!). The sharp bow and size could allow it to go to nearby islands here. cruising dinghys are not very popular up here in croc country (mangrove estuarys/rivers), and the crossings to the (croc free) coastal islands sometimes get too rough for them too (hence Investigator sized better)..but this could be solved be adding sail reefing down to these. At least the cabin keeps all the camping gear dry, so could beach it and tent camp ashore at nat park islands..sleeping aboard in rivers here could be a bit nerve wracking tho

[Ozzie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEN822pjlbk

Here’s the link I mentioned earlier. Sailing down to Pt Wollstonecraft. I’ve done overnights off the point there years ago in my Swiftcraft, but prefer the west of Pulbah in the 563. Great to see the Paradox in the mix

Here’s the link to the one for sale in WA. Junk rig and all. Gotta love the design.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/shoalwa ... 1310274873

Paradox on the water.

Yes crocs must be a constant worry up north mate. I loved the waterfront at Cooktown and the estuary and would love to take the little orange cat up there for a putter around, but I think it would not be a real safe boat if they decided to visit. The little forward cabin dinghy also looks practical, but guess same issue up north. You’re sleeping comfortably in the cabin and get up in the middle of the night to answers natures call and find 8 feet of nature has called on you first in the cockpit

[Andrew]

That's a nice paradox at a good price,
They are a very niche design, solo cruising in a wide range of environments. Not sure if they could take anyone else aboard for a day sail or beach tent campout? Like the junk rig and water ballast tank too. Easy to control and reef down without leaving the cabin hatch. Would be great if there was a dinghy cruising association to do trips with, but also it can go solo safely.

About the croc's. It's still ok to use 8ft tenders in Townsville, as crocs are reported, captured and relocated when they get to around that length here. But it's a different story away from cities and in out of town rivers. Yachties dont seem to have small dinghy croc trouble at coastal islands or big towns rivers as yet. But remote area incidents/attacks are continuing and upward trend...

Best to have a bucket and chuckit aboard so dont have to hang over the side at night

[Ozzie]

Years ago my daughter got a job in Ingham in Nth Qld. I took her up and stayed with her for a week before coming home. We bought some fishing gear for her and went out to the coast a couple of times. A few weeks after she arrived it flooded and there we’re supposed to be reports of crocs in the Main Street flood waters. After it all cleared I asked her if she had been fishing again. She told me the local boat ramp near the jetty we’d fished off before had been closed for a week as a big salty had taken up residence on the ramp.

Guess you just learn to live with it all Andrew. Crocs, irukandji, jelly fish and the like, much as we do down here with sharks.

[Ozzie]

Mokum refurbishment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrJixqz2blE

Mokum #144, which was one sail after mine has just featured on the you tube channel for the Raid Dinghy Cruise group. A lovely restoration and nice plug for the Investigator. This was sold by forum member johnw810 last year. .

[Ozzie]

Actuality Mokum was #145 (from the video), two after Spritzig II. The new owner, Clive thought it was #144 in the interview. “Sailing Kate Louise” has quite a few good YouTube clips .

Ray, the new name of 145 is “Inarmasalo”after the letters in his Grandchildren’s name

[Andrew]

Years ago my daughter got a job in Ingham in Nth Qld. I took her up and stayed with her for a week before coming home. We bought some fishing gear for her and went out to the coast a couple of times. A few weeks after she arrived it flooded and there we’re supposed to be reports of crocs in the Main Street flood waters. After it all cleared I asked her if she had been fishing again. She told me the local boat ramp near the jetty we’d fished off before had been closed for a week as a big salty had taken up residence on the ramp.

Guess you just learn to live with it all Andrew. Crocs, irukandji, jelly fish and the like, much as we do down here with sharks.

Just had a croc story/video from Rollingstone creek fresh waterhole on all the news channels. 3 meter salty was lying quietly on the bottom of the swimming hole, just meters from families swimming there. (The actual location is not clear, but assume its the waterhole just above the highway bridge) The mum filmed it by accident and only noticed it later, and submitted a report. Qld wildlife officers sent a drone up next day but the croc had swum away (probably back to the estuary) and hasn't been seen again. One wildlife officer mentioned that crocs are more active in the wet seasons.

Downloaded the "Qwildlife" app (and and it has good information about crocs (and koalas). Also checked out this website for croc management https://environment.des.qld.gov.au/wild ... management. There are management zones A-F. A is where any croc is removed on sight (Townsville/ boatramps here are zone A) Rollingstone and allot of the coast is Zone E (only dangerous behavior crocs get removed, all the "friendly"/"good" ones can hang out). There are zone maps too. Different councils have different zone maps (and risk assessment levels). It's worth checking these out before entering any new croc habitat area.

I've also had some interesting conversations with local fishermen in some creeks here (Taylors beach, Saunders creek.."resident" 3-4m crocs in those! Pet dogs are "early warning systems/crocbait"). Mangrove esturies are their habitat north of Gladstone, don't ever swim or kayak in these areas. Dawn, Dusk and night are croc "dinner times" too)

For kayaking in Townsville. Ross River freshwater sections above the 3 weirs are quite safe (occassional freshie about, the zone is "remove any croc if sighted"). The strand beach probably ok to kayak along but i would swim only in beach patrol areas (almost impossible to trap a croc in the sea/beach) Magnetic island coasts are reasonable ( In the "transition zone", adventurous crocs might sometimes swim through, but hardly ever aggressive/hungry)

[Ozzie]

That’s bloody scary stuff Andrew. It’s way back now but we found it was tourists in the North of WA, the NT and Nth QLD who were fairly lax with croc safety. Locals far more sensible. Although, we, like others, waded underground through waist deep water dragging the kids in a tyre tube at Tunnel Creek on the Gibb River Road. The creek itself is supposed to be full of fresh water crocs. I know that they don’t eat people …but how do they know that you’re off the menu in the dark?

There is a camping reserve that’s part of an old airfield in Kakadu, or was in ‘94. The warning was, do not go near the river’s edge anytime and careful everywhere at night. Dim bulbs were wandering around like it was the Gold Coast. We kept safe distance at all times and battened the kids and ourselves down in the Kombi at night with all the doors shut. Stuffy but secure. There are more crocs now than ever…and more tourists.