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> From: Bill
> At the risk of being a real pain in the a-s, do you--or any other members
> --have a higher resolution copy? 240 dpi or Vector graphics would be
> swell.

Bill, it wouldn't be too difficult for a bloke of your many talents to draw
up a nice fresh one, would it?

Its mostly straight lines, plus a repetitive curve. Any drawing program
(that almost every desktop computer comes with) could be used. Plus
Photoshop, of course - specifically by creating a curved path using the Pen
tool. Once you have one you're happy with copy/paste the others.

If you, or anyone else, takes this up the result could be posted onto the
newish place provided for attachments on this List, thus would be available
when needed.

It won't be me, though - am off to Tasmania soon. Wineglass Bay, Port
Arthur, Bruny Island - here we come.

A friend flew to Hobart early in the New Year to join a crew bringing back a
racing yacht after completion of the Sydney/Hobart. On the first night out
they sheltered behind the complicated peninsula of Port Arthur, almost an
island. In that protected place they had 45 knots of wind and water sweeping
across the low hull so they were glad they weren't outside. One boat that
didn't huddle behind the land and stood out to sea with sails set had a
Swedish crew, who were tossed about until eventually the boat capsized and
filled with water. Although it was still floating the crew declined to empty
it and took to the liferaft; so then they had the full drama of being
winched up one by one into a hovering helicopter at great risk to all
involved.

We were taught that you only ever step up into a liferaft, never down. So
long as the boat is still floating it's the safest place to be and affords
far more options than an emergency inflatable. Apparently this brave lot
flew out of Australia the next day. I guess the boat owner wouldn't have
been too impressed.

There is a good demand for crew to bring boats north after the fleet arrives
in Hobart. Many of the racing crew fly straight out, sometimes to catch
another yacht going north in the Pittwater to Mooloolabah race (it now
begins in early January). This crew's boat was a harbour racer of 36' with
an enormous red helm and no transom - they tied lines across the gap to give
the semblance of something behind the helmsman. It also had no safety lines
around the cockpit or deck. The skipper, who had sailed down as a member of
a racing crew, announced before leaving Hobart that he had every intention
of arriving in Sydney with the boat in the same condition they found it, and
that if the wind went over 30 knots, or if two crew or more were seasick at
the same time, then shelter or the nearest port would be sought.

Going across Bass Strait was like a passage in a washing machine, pitching
into a confused and bumpy sea. Although only one of the crew got seasick,
they decided to put into Eden. As they got closer they got onto the radio to
inquire about fuelling hours and the local RSL club (Returned Services
League) which apparently is about the extent of Eden's nightlife, and were
told that the RSL was unavailable, being booked for a private function. My
source thought that Eden was tiny; one main street about 100 metres long and
not much else. They found the RSL all lit up with doors open so they went in
to find the locals were enjoying a bikini competition. It seems they
preferred to keep this entertainment to themselves, and leave all the
presumed-to-be randy sailors down on the jetty, all the yachts rafted up
together. This tale sounds like the basis for a story by E. Annie Proulx -
the small, dank, insular town; somewhat inbred, the outsiders kept at a
distance from their strange rituals ...

They came back safely with crew and boat in fine condition, although it took
longer than expected. It seems they were fighting a current of 2 to 3 knots
the whole way back to Sydney, with mostly north-easterlies not helping
progress. Both are fairly standard.

   

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