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Welcome to the adventures of M/V Iron Lady! Iron Lady is an ocean going motor vessel designed by Steve Dashew. She is 64 feet long and constructed of aluminum. Actual construction took place at Circa Marine and Industrial in Whangarei, New Zealand. Iron Lady is hull number 3 of the FPB series. Hull 5 (Tiger) was just launched and 6 thru 9 are under construction at Circa.
The FPB fleet is soon to have a new member – called Wicked – she is a 97 footer and is now under contract. For the time being anyway, there will be no more FPB 64′s released for production.
Launched in February of 2011, we took possession in early March after the completion of extensive builder’s trials. Following intensive on board training by Todd Rickard and other members of the FPB team, we were off to tour the east cost of the North Island, Fiji and Tonga. In 2012, we have focused on cruising the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
Having completed a full circumnavigation of both the North and South Islands including Stuart Island (some 3000 plus nautical miles), Iron Lady is on the hard at Circa for the installation of a Get Home drive.
In the year since her launch (roughly 8 months of actual cruising time) we are over 1000 hours on her main engine – some 9700 nautical miles at our normal cruising speed of 9.7 knots.
Next year brings new adventures – we are currently in the planning stages. We do intend to get back in October to test out the new Get Home Drive (just an excuse as we already miss our gal).
Pete and Debby Rossin
PS For more a lot more about the FPB series, visit setsail.com
Thank you both for sharing your travels and wonderful commentary with the world. I so much look forward to your blogs every day.
Hi Bob
Thanks for your kind words. A blog is a fair amount of work and I was doing it to create a record of your journey for our kids. It is gratifying to know that others are enjoying it as well.
Best
Pete
Thankyou Debby for the contact. Would love to follow your adventures.
My friend on Great Barrier is Gae Macown near Tryphena if that is where you are heading.
Thanks so much Lesley
Thanks Lesley!
Hope you have found a save haven for the predicted weather bomb/storm whatever.
We are battening down the hatches here tonight in case of gales, luckily from norwest and not nor east which is our worst direction for damage!
Happy travels.
Hi Leslie
We left Barrier yesterday AM and made Marsden Cove Marina around 1 PM. Turned out to be a good weather window and we are tied up nice and tight to good floating docks. Have seen 40 knots so far in the marina.
Best
Great progress, well I hope you are somewhere to enjoy the wonderful autumn conditions of yesterday and today. Its picture perfect here, not a cloud, not a breath, about 22degs. Nice swimming conditions still.
Best wishes Lesley
Hi Pete,
Please update my email
My email address is changing to full.displacement@gmail.com
My last email ending in ntlworld.com will stop shortly.
Thank you for your interesting posts, always look forward to them.
Best
Graham
Hi Graham
I am not sure that I have the capability to make that change. I think if you resubscribe using your new address, notifications will then be sent to that address.
Thanks for the call and reminding us about your blog.Wow. How amazing this all is! What an adventure! Doug and Helen
Thanks Doug. Much more to come as my posts only cover 1/2 of the trip so far.