PWT - News & Views

Abby Sunderland, it appears, is in trouble in the Southern Indian Ocean - My view

And Abby has been found alive and well - I kinda thought she would be.

Climate change - Marty's view
I've just about had enough of hearing the the two words "Climate Change" and those other two "Global Warming". I don't know if it's all true or not, i'm no scientist, but I do reckon there's a lot of rubbish flying around about it and I do reckon the politicians are doing their level best to cash in on it.
Rightly or wrongly, this is simply my view of the whole thing.

www.crystalsolar.com.au

We would like to wish Jessica Watson safe voyage in her attempt to be the youngest person to sail around the world non stop and single handed. As with anything like this, much of the battle is won with meticulous preparation prior to departure - and I know there has been much of this in the Jessica Watson camp.

I have a special attachment to Jessica's attempt because the boat she is using is my old boat. Now named "Ella's Pink Lady", she was once named "Shanty". I purchased this boat as a bare hull and deck from Swarbrick Brothers WA back 1982. She was fitted out by myself and a shipwright in my Melbourne front garden and launched in October 1984. I did some local sailing, local sailing being Bass Straight and Tasmanian waters, and club racing before heading off cruising the South Pacific in 1990, the cruise was intended to last one year but lasted for 6. After my long and passionate attachment to that boat, she was sold in 1999. In my opinion, there is not a better boat afloat in which to make this attempt. With a lot of Bass Strait and ocean miles under her belt, this boat has seen hard conditions and never gave me a moment of worry.

Shanty arriving in Opua, New Zealand July 1990.

As with any serious ocean going boat, you need a reliable power supply, Jessica has fitted a couple of solar panels and a Rutland 913 Wind Charger, organised for her by Precision Wind Technology and Crystal Solar. www.pwt.com.au and www.crystalsolar.com.au . This is a hard call for any piece of equipment, especially electrical stuff, but I consider the Rutland to be the up to the task and the best turbine for the job. A major problem with some brands of wind generator are the blades. These can be quite flimsy, too long for comfort, and hence vulnerable to damage from topping lifts, truant halyards and waves. Rutland has quite short, very robust, blades that are more likely to survive than many other brands. The fact that the electronics can be by-passed to maintain power supply in the event of failure is a big plus - also not easily possible with some other brands.

Jessica is taking two Rutland 913, one fitted and one spare. In the event of a complete failure of the unit - for whatever reason - like getting carried away by a wave, she can simply swap it over. She is also taking a spare set of blades. However, I suspect the spare parts and spare turbine might stay in the locker for the entire voyage.

Ella's Pink Lady - hard to believe she is the same boat. I mean - PINK! Well, she is a girl.

Good luck Jessica, we'll be thinking of you all the way.

PWT will no longer be dealing with SWWP products

After 13 years of selling and servicing Southwest Windpower product in Australia, SWWP, in their infinite wisdom, have, without prior notification, been selling goods directly to at least one of PWT's dealers in this country and, apparently, intend to continue to do so. We consider this to be about the lowest blow they could deliver and a grossly unethical act on their behalf and, as a consequence, we will no longer be handling their products in Australia. PWT will also no longer be available for trouble shooting or warranty service on SWWP products and, unless there is a significant change in attitude, product quality and ethical standards from SWWP, this situation will not change. However, we do still have a significant amount of spare parts in stock and will be happy to supply wind generator parts for, or repair or service out of warranty wind turbines for so long as those parts remain available.

As for PWT, the company, we will continue to supply quality marine equipment,
solar equipment and other, better quality, wind turbines than Air, like Rutland.

PWT has already reinvented itself for other activities,
watch "Feature Articles" for details.

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It is intended that this page will provide you with a range of practical product reviews and general discussion. It is hoped that in this way, PWT can provide further value to you by demonstrating the practical applications as well as technical specifications for alternative power and lifestyle products. Also, any news that come to hand and my views on it.

Well, the victorian government did it.

The new PFD legislation is in place.

Submissions placed by clubs and organisations were dismissed as: "We felt they had not read the paperwork". They felt!? Just what is that supposed to mean? All us boating people out there are brainless idiots, taking the time and effort required to write letters, to get together a petition together and submissions to the government against the proposed legislation without reading the paperwork. I don't think so. I spoke to a lot of club representitives and club members and I believe they did read the paperwork. This legislation was coming in regardless of whether or not it was wanted, or needed, by the boating public. All the waste of time and taxpayers money on the proposals were all a sham to make us believe we have a say in what our government does that effects us. I asked the specific question as to how much all this cost the taxpayers but, "surprisingly", there was no answer forthcoming. I suppose that's democracy for you.

From my point of view, my personal safety at sea is still my responsibility. If I am on deck, quite legally in an enclosed area, and there is an unexpected emergency on an unenclosed part of my boat, I will be, quite illegally going to fix it without my PFD. Any boating person knows that some things need to be done - right now. So, all I can say to the legislators and the enforcers is, fine me, I will not pay it. Lock me up, if you can catch me. But, my safety at sea is my business, not yours. The water is one of the few places remaining where we can get a bit of freedom from the rampant bureaucratic nonsense with which we are surrounded these days and that is not going to be taken away from me.

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The starting point for any and all power systems is knowing
eactly how much power you need. This will help.