# Arahura



## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

One of 3 (now 4) vessels connecting the South and North Island in New Zealand.
NZ Railways sold 85 percent shares to Toll Shipping.
For more particulars on Toll Shipping and their counterpart in Australia, go to Ferries -- Stena Challenger ----

Arahura was built in Denmark 1983 , 148.3 x 20.25 x 5.47 metres. DWT 2500
The photo here was taken in Nelson June 2000 when I took a trip on her.

Next to her : Purbeck (Bahamas flag) also managed by Toll Shipping.
Built at Ateliers and Chantiers Havre in 1978 .
125.5 x 17.5 x 4.26 metres. DWT 2058


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## flyer682 (Nov 20, 2004)

Surely you mean Picton, Jan. (Thumb) 
The ship next to her is actually SUILVEN of Strait Shipping, ex Caledonian MacBrayne. She was sold in 2004 and is now sailing in Fiji still under the same name.
ARAHURA is due for replacement around 2008/09.


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## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

Yes it is Picton, I did write Picton, then changed it back to Nelson.
Must have had a heavy day.

Then thanks for your correction on the other vessel. I was not quite certain about that one and it looked like the smaller Purbeck.


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## flyer682 (Nov 20, 2004)

Yes, there are similarities between the two.
PURBECK has gone back to Europe now with the introduction of CHALLENGER.


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## Ngaio 62 (Jul 9, 2005)

*Mysterious Purbeck*

That's interesting I saw her yeaterday alongside at Kaiwharawhara.
The Kaitaki's new berth is coming along well. HIKITIA was employed to lift the new linkspan into place

Martin


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## flyer682 (Nov 20, 2004)

Is PURBECK laid up there Martin? I thought she had gone back to the UK/Europe, but obviously not.


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## daveyjones (Mar 27, 2006)

The Arahura was my swansong vessel before retiring in 2004. I joined her in 1999 after 23 yrs on the Aratika, which was sold to Philippino interests.
The Arahura is an intelligently designed vessel unlike the Iberic disaster Aratere) that plies the Cook Strait at present. I was also on the old Aramoana for 4yrs in the early 70's.


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## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

Then Dave you would surely have some action pictures which we would like to see (borrow them from your book....)
Jan


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## daveyjones (Mar 27, 2006)

Vic Young the famous ships photographer has kindly flooded my book with every vessel both UK and NZ that I was on. The DM will form part of the front cover. There are many more pics of the Arahura in drydock Auck. plus crew photos. Keep you in suspense Jan till mid August!


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## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

I inspected the vessel just prior to her docking and took photos too, however, they are in Auckland with the company I was involved with.
The vessel docked in Brisbane as far as I remember.
Probably go over to "the land of the long white cloud" soon, so see if I can get them back.
Jan.


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## daveyjones (Mar 27, 2006)

Are we talking about the same ferry? Arahura 2002 dry dock in Auck. I think she has had another dry dock since I retired. Brisbane, and then down to Hobart I believe?
Dave


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## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

Dave,
Yes correct, docked in Brisbane first quarter 2004, thereafter did some shore work in Hobart alongside as they appeared to be most competitive.
They completely sandblasted the underwaterpart in Brisbane and applied a Fouling Release System instead of standard Antifouling.
A very expensive treatment, however, with this system you require continious speed and very low idle times.
Jan


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Jan Hendrik said:


> Dave,
> Yes correct, docked in Brisbane first quarter 2004, thereafter did some shore work in Hobart alongside as they appeared to be most competitive.
> They completely sandblasted the underwaterpart in Brisbane and applied a Fouling Release System instead of standard Antifouling.
> A very expensive treatment, however, with this system you require continious speed and very low idle times.
> Jan


Forgive my ignorance Jan, but how does that work?


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## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

There are two under water systems in the maritime world todate.
A. Application of an Antifouling system, 2 to 4 coats depending on trade, idle times, speed etc., this can all be calculated to have vessels docking up to 5 years cycle which in fact is the norm.

B.The other system is called Fouling Release and can only be applied from scratch, i.e. blasting off all previous coatings and build up with 4 coats of a new protective system. This is based on silicone technology and the theory is that this coating is so "slimy", that barnacles and weed won't attach themselves to this slippery surface.
However, when a vessel is moored alongside, especially in warmer waters, then barnacles would still adhere, in turn (in theory) these should fall off the soonest the vessel takes up speed again.

The average cost of a proper Antifouling today is around USD 15.- per litre.
The average cost of a silicone Release system is around USD 100.- per litre
On top of that you have primers and of course the surface preparation and application costs,
The costs of the paint alone for the Arahura would have been some USD 100,000.-, then add another couple of hundred thousand for the prep. and application.
Note: Just a ballpark figure.
By the way the current ratio worldwide is 99.5 percent of vessels use Antifouling and 0.5 percent uses Fouling Release (or about - no dispute over 0.5 to 0.9 percent please)
Cheers
Jan

p.s. Fouling attack basically only takes place when the vessel is idle and NOT when she is sailing.


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

You learn something new everyday, thanks Jan!
Going by the name "Fouling Release" it conjured up pictures of a fluid, or something, which was constantly being released whilst in port etc and I was trying to puzzle out how on earth it could be made to work! DOH!!


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## mermaid (Mar 26, 2006)

Its really interesting reading all about the Arahura my friend and I went on the Arahura while we were backpacking a few years ago. Well, we wanted to go backpacking but Daddy wasn't keen and paid for us to stay in nice hotels instead, he said it was safer. but we thought New Zealand was very safe anyway and the boat was lovely.


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## daveyjones (Mar 27, 2006)

Note you worked 3yrs in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Went ther many times in the 50's and 60's to bunker at Caracas Bay. Captain Morgans fort, and huge rats the size of cats running around the wharf...and then there was Happy Valley...say no more. I pulled into Willemstad twice, once for Passengers to explore what the capital had to offer and the other reason is in my book. 

Dave


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## Jan Hendrik (Feb 14, 2005)

Dave, there have been different threads about Curacao incl. an item "Famous watering holes", just type Curacao in your search forum and you can look forward to some "happy" reading about the "happy" camp (Campo Allegre)
Also type Curacao in the search button in the Gallery and you find a bundle of photos here too.
Jan


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## PhilColebrook (Aug 7, 2006)

I remember being taken over the Arahura on her arrival in 1983 and she struck me as the epitome of Scandinavian chic. Compared to the staid (but loveable) Aramoana and Aranui that I was familair with, she was a breath of fresh air. Her interior was refitted in the 1990s under the guidance of a non-naval architect and they removed many of the wonderful fittings. I wonder who got the lovely leather and wood bench seats. The materials used were terrible, and I remember how quickly they rusted and perished. I suppose they have removed all of that junk.


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