Thanks for this JB. Good to know my 20 year old SM 299 is not even half way yet. Your comments about the quality of the interior wood work and the finish are what we in later models are still experien

Good clip Nick. I have been in 50 knot plus quite a number of times and I remember one squall of 65 but I was coastal and the wind was off shore so there was no sea. When it gets nasty is off shore wh

Hi Nick. Couple of things. You never have to tether a super wind. The geared feathering blades are cdesigned for and are capable of handling hurricane force winds, so top of the mizzen is the safest p

Hi Nick. Your comment that had you bought a super wind first is the telling one. The expense and failure associated with the model you bought is critical in how you see wind. Consider how you might fe

Hi Alan, simple fellow that I am, I see valuable input from my super wind 350. Anything over 15knots apparent my super wind keeps my autohelm, radar, chart plotter and instruments functioning. Don't w

all good Danny

Well JP that's your opinion and you are entitled to it. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl

Hi Alan, no I cant, I don't have that capability. My system has an ammeter that shows amps net of input and out put. Regards Danny

Hi Ron and all. Wind generators are not created equal. There are low price models that are what you pay for. Noisy, fragile and unable to cope with high winds. There is one the Duo 400 which is not ch

Hi Bill. Sorry for the lack of reply. Just found a stack of your messages in my spam folder. The product I used was Marine polytrol gel coat restorer. I have given detailed product information in othe

Good humor Bill Danny

Hi Mark and Ian. The attach a cord and tug is the best removal method I have used. Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl

Thanks Brent for remining us again of the truth that if you aren't there you have no idea what the crew are going through. One thing I want to pick up on. If I had had things stored on deck, fuel and

Hi again JB. Just to.pick up on your promise to never go to sea again. A friend and I on a light displacement 6 tonne 42 ft racer cruiser got caught in a weather bomb 200 miles out from New Zealand on

Well said JB. Danny

The photos seem to suggest that. As someone else commented with 170 miles sea room and a boat floating to its lines a failed engine seems a moderate problem. However as has-been said we were not there

Yes it is interesting that in stress situations the boat is often more resilient than the crew and bad decisions are made. But unless you are there experiencing what they experience it is difficult to

Hi Ross, yes it is New Zealand made but in 2008 when we bought Ocean Pearl in Florida the previous owner left a bottle on board. Kind Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl

Sorry Eric. fat fingers. Neopol Original Creme furniture polish. When I bought the boat in Florida there was a bottle of it on board and any grocery store in NZ has it. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pear

Hi Elja, the polytrol time is easy. Less than one hour to apply. Sanding the grooves with the part file, one or two hours. Painting the grooves. As I said in a previous because I was working in our wi