Rogue Wins Line7 Classic Race!

Rogue won our race in the Line7 Regatta! While I'd planned to hold back on the start sequence with so many other bigger faster boats flying up and down, we managed to 'pretend' to veer off behind one of the markers and luff there until a minute before the start and then throw in a quick tack to get in ahead of boats a hundred years younger and their egos to boot.

Every boat that passed, including the 60 foot long super yachts flying their dreamy genaker sails reminiscent of a massive 80' tall white cloud preceding these wind manipulating machines, they'd all wave and say "Beautiful yacht mate!" Today she became the darling of the fleet. Pictures from the race hopefully to come soon.

What cruising is all about...

Excellent summer's day sailing Rogue. Gavin, Mike, Anna, and Hellen came out for a tool around the harbor where we then moored up off of Oriental Parade for afternoon sun and a swim next to the fountain. At one point I had to swim ashore to buy more champagne but a good swim was in order.

Tacking Rogue

Have been practice sailing with the crew for the upcoming Line7 Regatta. Tho when we first brought Rogue up through into Wellington for the first time in decades and I had thought she was MUCH more difficult to tack, turns out I just needed to understand her a little better.

When going into a tack with such a classic boat, the tiller just can't be slammed over. I tried to imagine what the tiller looked like at the base of this huge keel and gently pushed her over all the way, the sails came round, she stayed out of irons, set in her new tack, and then I eased off and we were away in a matter of a few seconds. It's really so much more graceful than on a glass boat.

Tiller time!

Spent the weekend sailing, painting, and varnishing. Also carved back all the black wood on the tiller and revarnished, beautiful!

More revamping.

Gavin helped me install copper strippings on the inside of the cabin. She's sparse but echos the ethos of a classic racing yacht. I also built new hardwood floor boards and a side bench today.

Somes Island Sailing

Went out to Somes Island for the night with a few people and a few bottles of wine. We moored up around sunset and enjoyed chatting away into the evening. Rogue looked beautiful.

Rogue, now home in Wellington

Most sincere apologies, the laptop was on the fritz but am back up and running and so is Rogue. She's now located in Evans Bay Marina, Wellington, waiting for a berth in front of the yacht club at Clyde Quay.

The journey across Cook was made at the last minute waiting to see if the weather would change. At 4PM the decision was made; Gavin, Lawrie, and Rob accompanied me on the 2AM ferry to PIcton after which we boarded Rogue and quickly set sail for Wellington.

The crossing itself couldn't have been much better. Leaving Tory we decided to test the mainsail before heading into the actual Cook, and it's a good thing too because anything more than a strong breeze and the huge sail plan has you leaning over without restraint. To cross the strait on a boat this old in what looked like building winds we put in two reefs which worked like a charm and more than sufficient.

There was a moment crossing that deadly piece of water, when I wished my field of vision were wider. This moment of surfing the swells on such a beautiful yacht, looking up to try to take in the entire wooden mast, long boom practically extending beyond the counterstern, and an enormous sail plan on the same sail used in the 20's as the tail end of the boom would occasionally slap another swell on the other side of us, and then we'd drive on through climbing another swell with ease.

After a good hour of sailing along but not going anywhere in the Wellington rip, we began to tack up Wellington harbour. It took a bit of practice but after four tacks we had it down. Being an older beauty she takes a bit of momentum to get going, so cheating into the wind is counter productive, however when she gets going steadily racing along with the water swishing by on this massive white national treasure, there is perhaps no better feeling.

Over the past couple weeks I"ve been real busy with work but on the weekends I have started restoring the inside. Gavin helped sand everything down by hand and I've put down a coat of internal anti-foul, primer, and three coats of white epi-gloss on one side. The comparison looks incredible.

I'm currently in Southern California but can't wait to get back to Wellington to continue the good work with Rogue. More updates and pictures of her now sailing to come soon.

For those interested, the Classics Regatta has been schedule for February to coincide with Line 7 and is looking to be a great day in the water. This will be the culmination of my hopes of raising awareness of these incredible national treasures and one I hope you can come along to and enjoy.

Update: New Paint Job

Simon and I flew down to Picton to spend a day in the sun repainting Rogue with a case of beer and sandwiches. Couldn't have been a more enjoyable day and I'm blown away at how good she looks repainted. Franklin's is currently signing off release form and loading her up for hopefully sailing back to Wellington this weekend provided the engine turns over.

Update: Back in the water

Rogue has been relaunched, the mast is back in, and all the new rigging has been put in place. She looks mighty fine and is currently in Picton. We are waiting on a new alternator for the engine and for the new caulking to reseal so she'll stop weeping. It has been a long and painful process getting her to this stage, and though she looks almost identical to when purchased, she's now solid as a rock, rot free, and ready to go for another hundred years.

Word is spreading about Rogue. While in a hardware store in Picton I overheard two men talking about her. Dennis, the man in charge of baggage check in at the ferry visits her daily. A woman at the Picton museum asked if she could sail Rogue back to Wellington with me. Unfortunately, I had to tell her she was about number 32 on the waiting list to do so but I apprecaited her enthusiasm. It is a sincere hope that as Rogue is further restored, awareness of these classic yachts as a cornerstone of New Zealand history increases.

Update: Correction to the facts

I would like to thank Robin Elliott at Classic Yacht Association for pointing out:

Rogue was not launched in 1894, but on November 26, 1892!

While I'll eventually change the site name to reflect this, in the meantime I wanted to mention it here in the restoration process to reflect the contribution of others adding to the story. Thank you Robin. (And thank you Phillipa Durkin for the idea!)

Update: Return to Picton

Received the call today from Franklin's Boatyard that Rogue has arrived in Picton. Not surprisingly, there was a degree of excitement in the boating community as to her return including that of the newspaper who did the last article on Rogue's restoration.

While the trip across the Cook was planned for this weekend, it is unlikely the mast and rigging will be set up in time. Next weekend I'll be in Pelorus Sound for a week which may be a great opportunity to test her integrity before heading back to Wellington. New pictures to be posted soon!

Update: Rigging and then ready to go

Getting very close now. Thursday or Friday Rogue will be put on the back of a truck and brought back to Picton from Christchurch to be put back into the water before the wood dries out too much. Also this week, Treleaven Rigging will redo the entire rigging aside from the four lower stays John from Ropetek did such a good job on already in Nelson. We're anticipating Rogue to be shipped back to Picton for launching in just over a week. The galvanized stainless steel rigging to be done includes:

• two cap shrouds: 502.00
  
• a new backstay: 157.00
  
• a fore upper and lower stay: 178.00
  
• fork end and nut: 89.00
• two diamonds up top: 80.00
  
• two side bob stays onto the bowsprit: 66.00
  
• and a new bobstay connecting to the bowsprit made of wire instead of chain: 133.00
• labour: 337.00
  

Total cost including labour: $1,542

Update: Costs to date and no further aside from the rigging required to get Rogue back to Wellington

Costs from Franklin's include as follows:

• Derigging: 336.00
• Remove antifouling: 840.00
• Pad sanding bottom to expose rot: 840.00
• Sanding hull: 1,291.00
• Sanding, scrapping, stripping of mast, fittings removal: 3,868.00
• Rot repair on inside of hull: 1,176.00
• Bowsprit scraping/sanding/repairing/varnishing: 750.00
  
• Motor repair: 420.00
• Recaulking: 1,953.00
• Refit and overhaul keel: 2,552.00
• Varnish mast: 1,680.00
• Paint hull: 3,381.00
• Antifoul hull: 336.00
• Materials: 2,561.00
• Rerigging: 840.00
• Relaunching and stepping of the mast: 1,000.00

SUBTOTAL: $23,824
TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS TO DATE INCLUDING HULL REFITTING: $47,831

Update: Classic Races Currently in Planning

It has become more official and planning has begun. The racing secretary at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club in Wellington and I are pushing forward to put together a Classics Regatta this side of Christmas involving all the surrounding yacht clubs.

This is the first step in the right direction to increase awareness of these yachts and the important role they play in New Zealand maritime history furthering the cause to ensure they are not lost to neglect.

Simultaneously, Archives New Zealand contacted me yesterday requesting more information about Rogue, that they had heard by word of mouth that she was coming back up to Wellington to race once again, and that they were excited to see more interest in this aspect of New Zealand history take place. It's a good sign.

Update: Restoration Pictures

Update: Restoration Pictures

Final coats of paint applied. You'll notice the top looks different from the bottom. The reason for this is that the bottom half has what's called anti-fouling which protects the part of the boat that is constanstly underwater.

Long view of the refinished mast with varnishing yet to take place. The two 'spots' you see above are pieces of Oregon pine flown in to replace rot on the original mast. These will visually blend with the mast once varnished.

Here you can see where the old keel was reattached to the hull. This picture can be compared to the one further below where you can see the keel dropped. To reattach the keel new bolts were required.

Update: Pictures of Restoration

Here is a picture of Rogue sent up Friday with the first layer of paint on. The boatyard is sending more through Monday and provided the rigging isn't disasterous or anything else wrong with the engine she'll be up in a few weeks.

It's funny, we went out sailing on Gavin's boat last night under the full moon to anchor off the island and we were mentioning, all this money time and effort won't be seen by anyone! It's all below the waterline, but let's face it, it's the stuff below the waterline that really matters most. Restoring the topsides will be a breeze in comparison.

Update: Restoration at Franklin's Continues

Assuming the engine gets fixed with no further problems, she's not far away from being done.

Work done since last update includes:

• refastening of the keel (every bolt but one was broken!)
• the naval gland is apart awaiting repacking (the old packing was totally rotten)
• repairing and revarnishing the mast and bowsprit with new orgeon pine
• rot repair on the inside of the hull and hull refastening
• derigged and rerigged
• all planks recaulked
• painted the hull
• antifouling the hull

Update: Pictures of Restoration

Restoration continues on Rogue.

Franklin's sent through some pictures today of her current state.

Update: Restoration Continues at Franklin's

We now seem to be back on track and over half way done.

What's been done since the last post:

• All the paint on the hull has been removed, the planks realigned, and recaulked,
• All soft wood has been replaced on the inside,
• Keel is being reattached with new keel bolts made from scratch,
• New Oregon wood is on its way to restrengthen the original mast and then revarnish,
• Mast step has been refastened,
• Elbows in the hull have been refastened,
• Area around the propeller shaft being refastened to stop additional leaks

Still to be done:

• Engine repair,
• Painting and anti fouling,
• Rigging required for safe sailing to Wellington

Update: Newspaper in Picton does a full page spread

A newspaper in Picton did a write up about the restoration of Rogue, click on the above right photo 'Rogue in the Press' to see the clipping.

Update: on Restoration

Ian Franklin comes back with an update:

• The obvious interior repairs have been done.
• Quite a bit of refastening has been done.
• The exterior below the waterline has been totally sanded off to expose the suspect areas.
• The exterior above the waterline has had the high spots sanded off and is now being prepped for paint.
• The mast step has been removed and has exposed the front keel bolt that is being addressed now.
• An injector tube has been split and this will be a start to finding the sole course of the engine problem.
• The mast has been stripped and scraped and partly sanded and some new Oregon has been purchased to replace the soft spots.
  
• A start has been made on the bow sprit, sanding, scraping.
• We have dropped the keel and she needs some serious attention.
• The aft keel bolt is broken so nothing holding up the back end!
• She would have been leaking aft and forward.
• It is a terrible shape in its forward entry, it must really hamper the boats performance.
• You need a new keel cast, I have been talking to Bruce about it and he is going to do a bit of home work
• On a good note it appears all the timber down there is real good.

Update: Anskew's explanation of the leak

Update: Franklin's takes a personal interest

The story continues to take interesting turns. Flew down to Picton at the top of the South Island on Tuesday to get a look at Rogue on the hard at Franklin's Boat Builders. We've identified the leak, in which the caulking job done a few decades ago used a brittle black substance that is not flexing with the wood, thus causing warping and peaking to occur along the seams of the hull. The biggest of these leaks is on the starboard side just behind the mast which ties into previous indications pressure on the mast that caused increased leakage. After seeing the seams with my own eyes, I am so glad we did not try to sail her when the engine died in French Pass, she would have possibly come apart.

Bruce Anskew, previously mentioned, faxed through three pages he wrote up including a detailed drawing (to be posted soon) of how the hull was constructed. He agreed with the caulking replacement approach and found an article which mentions during World War II Rogue's lead keel was removed to turn into bullets for the front and replaced with a disgusting lump of rod iron which will explain the reason for possible rust on the keel bolts. First fix is the caulking, then will look further into the bolts.

Ian Franklin, the owner of Franklin's, flew up from Christchurch to meet me in Picton and go over Rogue with a fine toothed comb. The admiration he expressed for Rogue was almost expected but as always wonderful to hear. Yesterday, he called to ask if he could put Rogue on the back of a semi and truck her to his main boatyard half way down the South Island in Christchurch. He said he wanted to ensure she was seen to properly where he could work on her and keep an eye on her at his larger yard.

At first a bit taken aback, it was only a few weeks ago we barely got her to Picton from Nelson in one piece, I've decided to agree as the situation of having the founder of a 35 year old boat building operation with personal and professional connections to Anskew taking a personal interest in ensuring the job is done right is more than fortuitous. I’ll speak with him on Monday and then confirm if Rogue’s bound for Christchurch.

For those who wonder if I'm yet tired of the worries associated with a 112 year old racing yacht, not on your life! The experiences had, friends made, things learned, and appreciation gained are priceless. Looking forward to what happens next.

Update: Now relocated to Franklin Boat Builders

Rogue is now safely relocated from Nelson to Picton. The engine seized up just before French Pass and she had to be towed the rest of the way.

Jock from Franklin Boat Builders called to say he'd feel better if she was put on the hard tonight so that she does not take on any more water. We agreed the way forward would be 1) fixing the leak, 2) repairing the mast, and 3) repairing the engine.

On the topic of the leak he believes at this time after a discussion with Bruce Askew, prior to a survey they will do, the problem is more of a caulking issue. If this is all it is I'm thankful but not so foolish to be too hopeful. It's up to Franklin's now to get her back up to scratch.

Narrative: Relocating from Nelson to Picton

Sleeping on the steel cold floor of last night's midnight freight ship from Picton to Wellington, the adventure just had began to sink in. My eyes are sore, my lips feel like leather, can't get the black grease out from under my nails, and my shoulders ache from pulling up chain anchors. It feels real to be alive as if I’ve taken a vacation from my life. Rogue is now safe in Picton.

Starting the trip off, Gav and I left Nelson an hour before dawn. Since Rogue leaked with the sails up, we knew we had to diesel motor the entire way. Loosing sight of civilization after the first hour, the sound of the howling wind, the sight of barren roaming distant cliffs, and an occasional dolphin became our only company.

Along the journey to French Pass, threatening swells from the coming storm towered far overhead before washing over the deck and now harnessed in with life jackets on, we meticulously logged each hour exactly how much we had to bail from the leaking hull. It took us exactly seven hours to reach French Pass, the third most dangerous pass in the world. On the horizon Gavin pointed out the dark monster of a storm coming that we would soon have to wait out.

As we made the approach to French Pass, we could see the tides starting to push and pull. Only a few times a day do you have exactly 20 minutes to make it through at slack tide. Our window would begin at 2:50pm and the new realization we were still 20 minutes away at 2:40 was not good news. Ten minutes late. We decided to quickly find a sheltered mooring just before the pass hoping we could get through it in the morning before the storm hit. And it was at that point, when the engine died.

Gavin and I quickly exchanged looks. Looks not of panic. No, they were looks of determination against all odds. Running to throw the anchor over, we drifted swiftly towards the rocky shore and the anchor did not hold. Plan B was for Gavin to row ashore and find a farmer's phone with which to call the Coast Guard. Giving him the most valuable items, he began rowing for shore and I prepared myself to jump. Soon I understood, my beloved 112-year-old ship would be turned to match sticks on the upcoming rocks.

Keeping a sharp eye on the impending destruction, after what seemed like a lifetime and the rocks neared, I heard a strange sound in the distance. Turning around I saw a fishing boat rounding the corner and speeding to the rescue. Tying onto us just in time, they towed us to a mooring further out in the bay. They explained they were fishermen who got a call from the Coast Guard, that they couldn't take us through French Pass until the next morning's tide went slack, they'd be back to get us, and good luck.

That night, after I took apart and put back together part of the diesel engine with no success due to a cracked fuel injector pipe, we still had a surprise in store. As we were cooking dinner, the GPS alarm went off. This expensive navigation toy other people had made fun of me for buying declared "Proximity alert!!" This toy was telling me our anchor mooring had broken and we were headed once again quickly for the rocks. Gavin leapt into the rowboat and began against the tide for the second and last mooring as I tried to get the anchor to take hold on the sandy sea floor. We managed to tie up to the second mooring not long after and finally hooked the anchor on some unassuming rock. Gavin and I looked at each other, too exhausted to speak, deciding we were up the creek without a paddle so to say, and began the only thing you can do in these situations. Like any good pirate we went through six bottles of grog.

It was on this night when the eye of the storm came through, the clouds cleared, and for a few hours the bay redefined my understanding of tranquillity under the light of the full moon. Bioluminescent rings grew outward from the places where fish jumped, hot soup under a starry sky, and realization we were living life on the same boat Charles Bailey Junior had lived life aboard was overwhelming. It felt as if someone’s giant invisible hand had brought all of life into focus transcending the daily worries that in the grand scheme of it all don't matter one dusty iota.

Next morning, Craig and Tex the fishermen came back and towed us to the seven family village just on the other side of French Pass. Most of the morning was spent trying to fix the engine, followed by accepting we'd be stuck there for the next few days to sit out the storm. Gav decided to not bus back to Picton but instead stay with me to lend a hand as I'd need to stay on the boat through the storm to bail her out and in case the mooring broke again.

The brunt of that storm made itself known in the middle of that night. Out of nowhere a horrible sound like a cry ruptured through the air moments before 65 knot winds came knocking the entire yacht flat on her side, knocking me out of my berth and onto the other side of the cabin despite the good effort Gavin made to ensure I'd stay in my bed with his sail. After banging my head I vaguely remember hearing my friend quietly saying to himself "mmm, that was a good one.."

Looking up through the chaos of falling objects, I could see the feint light of the night mixed with driving rain and the sea covering the cabin top windows as we readied to possibly abandon ship when she came right. Weary of also coming loose on the mooring again, it was a restless rocky night but Rogue survived and proved though she was old, she's still strong.

The fishermen of the village came out the next morning to see if we were still alive. Apparently, we had unknowingly proved our metal to them. So we weren’t slickers from the Capital city after all. Not that they couldn't help enough before the night of the storm, now they couldn't do enough. One of them arranged a homestead nestled in the valley with huge fireplace and sense of eternal timelessness like a lost paradise under huge oaks for the night while another insisted we join him, his friends, and family at his place up the hill from where we could keep an eye on the boat and share in the village gin.

Trading stories with real people you knew when they smiled, they were really smiling. When one slammed his fist on the table, bellowed out a comment, or gently kissed his wife, it was real. All with a different story to tell they now had come together to live in this place with their children and beautiful wives. Craig, the D'Urville Island ring leader fisherman was a grand man and told a story of fishing up a dead friend's leg. His blue eyes flashed reminders of a cold arctic sea and when he spoke, the words came from his round bearded face like a gust of wind not unlike that of the night before. Tex with the short red hair was a kind of industrial cattle butcher and had built this house on the hill overlooking French Pass with his best friend of 30 years. The kids went to bed on the floor to be near the grown-ups as we poured glass after glass of gin on the other side of the room.

Refusing a glass of their generosity would have been an insult and offering a fresh face to talk to was welcomed. We talked story and laughed long into the night after which Craig rolled down to the shore, into his boat, and motored across the Pass in the dark back home. This was his backyard afterall Gavin pointed out. Wandering back to the homestead by the light of the moon we couldn't help but chuckle at what a wonderful and unexpected experience the task of relocating Rogue had become.

The next morning I found Gavin asleep on the floor in front of the fire. He had been a true friend through the thick of it, always willing to step up to the line and over the edge if necessary. He had never wavered in the face of adversity and was great company for the entire journey. The storm subsided exactly when I had predicted and the seas were calming themselves, but with no engine there was no way of getting to Picton. Moments later Craig pulled up to the wharf and bellowed out, "How bout I tow you the rest of the way?" Paying him for the fuel and time in thanks we set out for the seven-hour trip towing back to Picton. I felt altered, like a different person, coming back into civilization after such a short time away. Changed. The ferry had been cancelled and talking my way onto a freight ship I arrived home at 5:30 this morning, put on the suit and tie, and took my time going into work today.

How quickly I had forgotten how much I love the top of the South Island. Rogue is now on the hard in Waikawa near Picton with Franklin Boatbuilders and will begin undergoing restoration this week. I can't thank Craig and Tex enough for their generosity.

A few pictures from the trip can be found here: Click here.

Update: Getting Ready for French Pass

Everything is packed to take Rogue around from Nelson to Picton this weekend, starting early Thursday morning. Current forecast is calling for 55 knot winds off the top of D'Urville which was the original course. Though I'm not crazy about doing it with an 8/hp engine, French Pass is the new course and will be hit just before slack tide.

Have spoken with the Marlborough harbour master for advice and he said they'll be waiting to hear from us as we make our approach. Once through the pass, I'll anchor in the shadow of D'Urville and wait for Friday's gale to blow through before leaving Saturday morning to try and clear Cape Jackson before the second storm front comes through.

At the end of the day, it has to be done. Someone apparently tried to steal a few antique bronze fittings off Rogue last weekend, it's costing an arm and a leg to keep her there, and the people who can fix the leak are in Picton. Picton is also half way home to Wellington.

Update: Meeting with Bruce Askew

Back Story:
Since over a week ago, there’s been no pressure on the mast and there has been no leak. Rogue is still dry inside.

Upon telling Nelson Marina that Rogue needed to be put on the hard to investigate the keel bolts and have the mast removed to put on a new track, they bluntly said the only fix was to pull off all the paint and fibreglass the entire wooden hull for about $18,000. These were the same people who surveyed the boat and forgot to mention the leak. I thanked Nelson Marine for their time, that they were jumping the gun, and I'd get back to them.

Going further with the keel bolt theory and a bit of research, I started calling around to inquire about the price of getting copper bolts made. Barton's Marine here in Wellington put me onto a man named Bruce Askew, suggesting he would be the only man in New Zealand to talk to.

This afternoon, meeting him for the first time as a total stranger who brings a box of chocolate as a gift, I had a three hour lunch with Bruce at his beautiful house as he shared volumes of knowledge about classic wooden yachts. Last in the family line of classic New Zealand yacht builders and in his late 70's, his knowledge is hard to come by and something I value. It reiterated to me life is about the journey, not the end point.

While laughing about how fast the good classic yachts can still go compared to their modern counterparts, he drew diagrams, opened dusty books, and pulled out old photos to show me where to start investigating.

Though the currently rigged backstay according to Bruce does put unnecessary pressure on Rogue, he believes the primary problem lies where the hull is attached to the keel. Gavin’s hunch was right.



Moving Forward:
Providing names and phone numbers of his contacts who could help fix Rogue, Bruce convinced me the problem can be fixed for no more than a couple thousand by a few old friends.

Sunday I'll be flying back down to Nelson to clean out the engine and photograph the hull knees, mast step, and any visible bolts. These will then be sent to a shop in Piction belonging to an old friend of Bruce's for review.

In a couple weeks I'll plan to motor the 43 miles from Nelson, around d'Urville Island and the mouth of the Sounds over to Picton where, if needs be, the mast can be repaired and the keel can be reattached with new copper bolts by people who know what they're doing and have an understanding of boats like this. Along the way from Nelson to Picton, Bruce gave me the names and numbers of friends who have places on the water I can pull into if serious trouble starts to happen along the way.

As soon as I mentioned Bruce's name to the Picton shop, things became dead serious in fixing Rogue and in "calling in the old boys who still know how to help." He ended the conversation in anticipation of the pictures with "good on you for saving Rogue, you're doing the right thing by not letting those people in Nelson butcher her."

Back to Nelson Sunday morning.

Update: Staying Optimistic

Status:
A friend in Nelson has gone down to the marina every day to see if Rogue’s still afloat. He says she's dry as a bone.

This suggests the first instance of water in the hull was rain from the ripped deck cover. It suggests the second instance of a leak discovered when the rigger was up the mast was caused by loose mast bolts or rotten wood in the mast base causing the hull to leak when pressure is applied to the mast.

This aligns with the story of the previous owner having to motor back into port due to a leak caused with the sails up after being moored in the water for three years without any previous known problems.

Ever since mentioning the illegality of not disclosing a known previous existing leak, that I know the name of a woman who was on her last time she was sailing and leaking, and a request for the name of surveyor's insurance company, things appear to be in motion again.

Moving Forward:
This week Rogue will be put back on the hard to remove the mast, investigate the leak, check out the mast bolts, replace the mast track, and varnish the mast. While hopeful, if the assumption above is true, two issues could be addressed simultaneously, the integrity of both the hull and mast.

Update: Challenges to Overcome

Let the fun begin. Remember the previous post’s summation of the poor quality survey done by Danny Phillips at Haven Marine? It was right on the mark. Fortunately, I saw this coming and was shocked it hadn't already happened.

The Pros: The boat is becoming famous again, word is travelling fast she's being repaired and a piece of New Zealand history preserved. In addition to the City Museum of Wellington and the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, I've received a number of calls from other people thanking me for making the effort to save Rogue.

The Cons: She's taking on salt water. Not a good thing for any boat. Apparently, the previous owners Ken and Robin took her out for a last sail, had to take the sails down, and immediately motor in because she was taking on so much water. They then sold it without disclosing this information.

The Proposal: Consensus is I'd be crazy to sail her across the Strait in the state she's in. Either I should box her up and freight her, in which I believe there's a 90% chance she'll get damaged further, or tow her to Wellington in which there's a 75% chance she'll just sink half way across the Strait. Both are expensive proposals that do not guarantee the safety of the boat.

The Plan: Going to put her up on the hard again this weekend to strip back the paint, check for cracks, and most likely get her re-corked, re-painted, and anti-fouled. While she's out, take out the mast and remove the mast track to clean out rot, re-varnish the mast, check for rot under the mast base, check for rot in the mast frame, re-raise the mast and finish rigging. This plan beats the proposals because it achieves the original objective of saving Rogue.

Moving Forward: Only three things concern me (ie the worst possible things that can happen aside from loosing someone overboard, running aground, or broaching) is; 1) a leak caused by rot, 2) the mast falling, or 3) the mainsail ripping in half. This plan will address the first two concerns and the sail can be stitched if it rips while crossing the Strait.

Costs and photos from this 'piece of mind' plan will be put on on the Restoration part of the website. It's important the restoration is done right the first time.

Ropetek's honesty and integrity in calling to tell me their newly discovered concerns about the state of the boat today, instead of finishing the rigging and asking for a check, is to be commended. I hesitate to think of what would have happened if I had not chosen Ropetek to do the job.

Photos: Unplanned visit

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So Friday morning, John the rigger calls from Nelson with the sound of a storm raging in the background and says Rogue is taking on lots of water, that he's pumping the bilge, and it doesn't look good. Flying down to Nelson the next morning, I picked up a rental car, bought a dingy, waterproof car cover, and rowed over to her.

Upon first inspection, nothing seemed to be the matter, getting down into the damp cabin though there were obvious signs of a problem as about four inches of water remained. I pumped and it came spurting out of the bilge tube a dark red colour. The dark red was from the next problem, the loose ballast that had rusted out and was submerged with all the water she took on.

Taking a long look at the situation though, I'm 90% sure that it was not a leak that caused the water but it was the boat cover that had been ripped in the storm. The water (and there was a lot of it coming down) pooled in the cockpit which badly redesignd by a previous owner drained into the cabin.

The rigger came out so we moved her to the dock where she'll be re-rigged and I tied a waterproof car cover over her. Lots of moisture had built up inside so I left the cabin hatch off covered by the car cover above to dry out a bit. She's absolutly fine now and there's been no sign of any other water inside. The sooner she's brought back to Wellignton where I can work on her the better. Though I'd never let any harm come to her, it's still a good feeling to know she's fully insured.

These may sound like problems but half the enjoyment is in figuring out how to solve them and the joy that comes with taking care of something you love. Many people in my life feel compelled to tell me what a money bucket boats are, I don't really care and once Rogue is restored it won't matter. It took all of thirty seconds for us to bring her to the dock when hoards of people started walking over to look at her and compliment the boat. I have a clear vision of how beautiful she will soon be.

Update: Rigging dates confirmed

Ropetek has confirmed the re-rigging can begin the week of June 26th and is 'estimated' to take about two weeks. She'll remain without a gaff for now as I'd like to take this one step at a time but it will be good to have sturdy traditional rigging nonetheless. Once the rigging is fit, she'll be taken out along the coast of Nelson for a day test run to pull the slack out of the new rigging, retightened, and then prepared for sailing to Wellington.

Update (15-June): Ropetek has been able to bring the re-rigging dates forward by two weeks, work is to start this weekend and is estimated to take three to four days.

Survey Completed.

The survey recently done on Rogue was unfortunately not up to scratch or as good as it could have been. Anyone could have stated what was said. There is also a reality to face with a boat like this as there are only a few simple things designed in the late 1800s to inspect.

At the end of the day, knowing hull integrity is sound is enough to convince me she's not a lemon. Unless it's blatantly obvious, things most always look fine until they break anyway. That’s where insurance comes in.

At a high-level, in order of importance the items needing work includes: replacing and securing loose ballast, new antifouling, refinishing the mast, overhauling the cabin, upgrading the sheets, touch-up repair in the cockpit, replacing the bowsprit, gold leaf on the bow decoration, reinforcing the deck and considering laying teak.

Photos

Above decks April 2006

Starting to think about the journey

The purchase of Rogue has been completed and preparations are underway to bring her back up from Nelson to Wellington once the rigging has been replaced. Upon inspection it became clear much of it had been oxidized. If a heavy wind came up while crossing the Straight and the rigging gave way the mast would surely fall. John Fowl at Ropetek has been great in quoting to do the work without taking her out of the water or removing the mast.

Our supply list so far is as follows: food, beer, sleeping bags, cell phone, toolbox, charts, first aid kit, flares, Cook Strait paper charts, 2 led torches, handheld vhf radio, handheld gps w/ chart tracking, heaps of rope, bolt cutter, handheld compass, thread and needle for possible repairs required on the sail, life raft. Will plan to go down the weekend before to empty out and refill diesel, clean up the births for sleeping, and pick up a new dingy.

Gavin's been helping out heaps. He copied me on a reply from a a classic yachtsman up in Auckland about how to secure the loose iron balast. The fellow in Auckland aslo suggested allowing seven days for the journey instead of our two. Aside from problems that might arise from slack in the rigging after a fresh re-rigging, it's hard to imagine seven days to cross Cook Straight but there's nothing wrong with taking more time off work to sail.

First things first though, getting the rigging done.

Rogue Undergoing Survey

Rogue undergoing survey by Danny Phillips 2006

Rogue moored in Nelson 2003