Sailing experiences:
My parents were sailors and we usually had a boat. Sailed Mirrors in teens in UK. Wife Daphne was a Sea Ranger. Had several weeks sailing on the Norfolk Broads. Traditional sailing boats can still be hired, well worthwhile, lovely area.
Came over to NZ in '78 and went tramping. Started a family and bought a Sunburst which came on every summer holiday for 15 years. Rented yachts a few times in Sounds and Bay of Islands.
When back in UK for a few years we sailed a 19' SeaWych bilge-keeler 'Lillie of Pinmill' on the Thames Estuary and East Coast rivers. Like Farr 6000s, SeaWych have unusual - but surprisingly good - accommodation. SeaWychs have a sink in the companionway! You step over it (it has a cover) every time you go on deck or below. The advantage is that you have full headroom (with the sliding hatch open) when cooking & washing up. Unlike Farrs they didn't sail especially well, but they were stable forgiving, proper little yachts - complete with hawse pipe at sharp end and jackstaff at the blunt end. https://seawych.org/
Coming back to NZ, we considered getting a keeler but decided we get to more places with a trailer-sailer. SWMBO insisted on standing headroom; the Farr pop-top was the compromise.
We sail 'Lady Stardust' Farr 6000, T857, ZMT 8985 white top, red hull. Belong to Lowry Bay YC, Petone, Wellington. Cruisers rather than racers, we kept 'Lady' at Tokaanu for a couple of years and sailed Taupo many times (brilliant), Rotorua Lakes, Bay of Islands. This year we've been sailing in Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sounds. Next year hope to sail Abel Tasman and southern lakes.
Currently desperately looking for a secure marina boat park near Wellington; been on Seaview wait list for about a year...
We're delighted with Lady, though find her closer to a dinghy than a yacht to sail - especially with the genoa up.
Notable boats we've spent a few days sailing on: Centaur (Thames Sailing Barge), Steinlager 2 (another Farr!), SS Tenacious (full rigged 3 masted ship).
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