Last month our Pitufa was AllAtSea’s cover girl, this month it is Birgit’s turn! Download the magazin for free at allatsea.net.
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2023
02
Jun
2023
02
Jun
Boatyard pics!
In May we spent one and a half weeks on the hard in Vuda Marina, here are some impressions!
2023
18
May
Marina life in Vuda
We have successfully avoided marinas over the past 10 years–the last time we had to go in was in the Cape Verde Islands to have a shroud replaced. It’s not just a matter of saving money, we just don’t enjoy being in a berth: creaking lines, noisy neighbours with clanging and banging halyards, it’s hot, you can’t go swimming, the wind’s never from the bow… Continue reading »
2023
12
May
No fish no reef, no fish no reef!
Scientific models predict an El Niño period for the next (southern) summer, meaning that we can expect rising ocean surface temperatures. The consequences here in the Pacific will be most likely more severe cyclones and bleached coral reefs (and many other types of catastrophes around the world). Coral can only recover from storm damages and bleaching when lots of herbivore fish keep the weak reef… Continue reading »
2023
06
May
The oceans are protected–at least in theory…
Have you read the news? The High Seas Treaty aims to turn 30% of the seas into protected areas by 2030, to safeguard and recuperate marine nature. The president of French Poly announces one marine reserve after the other, browsing through the news about other Pacific nations one can be happy to see that most of the waters around the Marshall Islands are protected and… Continue reading »
2023
03
May
Pitufa as Cover Girl on All-At-Sea Magazine!
Birgit Hackl, Christian Feldbauer: Choosing a Cruising Boat, All At Sea Caribbean, May 2023, p. 36–38. download the whole magazine for free.
2023
02
May
Splashed!
Yippieh, after 1 and a half weeks of sanding, painting, replacing stuff, sweating, swearing, running, searching, shopping, 13 steps up the ladder to quickly fetch stuff, balancing on rickety scaffolding, swampy puddles to work in, constantly muddy feet, mosquito-ridden bathrooms and more sweating and swearing (oh and some more sweating and swearing, did I forget to mention that?) we are BACK IN THE WATER!
2023
02
May
How to replace an all-rubber cutlass bearing
We spent a week running after mechanics to help us remove the cutlass bearing, were strung along and advised impossible solutions until Christian finally decided to build a make-shift pusher himself: only 2 pieces of wood, 1 piece of steel tube, 2 threaded bars, 4 big washers and 6 nuts were necessary to makeshift this ingenious gadget! When we replaced our cutlass bearing 3 years… Continue reading »
2023
02
May
Read Online: Article on Atoll Navigation in Boating NZ
Birgit Hackl, Christian Feldbauer: Mind the Reef, Boating New Zealand, March 2023, p. 88–92. Read the online version of this article.
2023
28
Apr
Great antifouling for aluminium boats
Finding an antifouling that actually helps against growth is tricky for the owners of aluminium boats. After lots of disappointments we finally got a great product in Tahiti: Carboline Sea Barrier Alloy 100. We had it on for 3 years, never had to haul out and when we did last week it still looked good! We couldn’t find Carboline in Fiji, so we had it… Continue reading »
2023
24
Apr
Shitty project
Christian had a fun day yesterday exchanging the hoses going to and (worse) from the toilet. After 20 years of use the job was overdue and pumping the toilet should be much easier now In the meantime I was sanding some corrosion bubbles on the bow–climbing on scaffolding with angle grinder and orbital sander is not what the physio therapist suggested, but I can’t stand… Continue reading »
2023
23
Apr
On the hard in Vuda marina
We hauled out last Thursday in Vuda to do some jobs on Pitufa: antifouling, little paint jobs, changing thru-hulls and some plumbing, etc. Much to our surprise little Pitufa didn’t fit into the 63 t travelift: her high stern and radar arch exceeded the limits and Christian had to climb up to quickly to remove some bits before we could be put on the hard… Continue reading »
2023
15
Apr
No twisting, no lifting, no pushing, no pulling
It’s easy to avoid all those motions, especially on a boat, right? In the beginning I counted myself lucky that my ribs were healing quickly and I thought I’d be back to normal in a jiffy. Now it’s been two months since we had the accident and my ribs still refuse to get stable. I’ve been cautious all the time, only tried some gentle exercises,… Continue reading »
2023
14
Apr
Battery monitor
Our friends arrived loaded with spare parts for Pitufa–one of them was a replacement for the battery monitor that got fried when we were hit by lightening in Suva. Yesterday Christian finally got round to installing it and the little job turned into a full day project as the shunt wouldn’t fit into the battery compartment and Christian had to remake the whole mounting. One… Continue reading »
2023
02
Apr
Back in the water
My ribs are still causing me some pain and trouble, but snorkeling I hardly notice them! The Yasawas have been a bit disappointing underwater. We had assumed that islands that rely heavily on tourism would protect the underwater world for the sake of their attraction on visitors, but most places we have seen are heavily overfished and the coral is also not in great shape.… Continue reading »