Thanks Nic, I did try to be on my best behaviour so as to appear normal, and noted you lot were quite reasonable for 'tothersiders 
Cheers for the beers!
Select to expand quoteneedsalt said..
While waiting for the other strays, we had the pleasure of icy cold beers with Seabreeze icon Mark_australia. He looks surprisingly different when he doesn't have his finger jammed up his nose. Thanks so much for visiting Mark! Pleasure to meet you and look forward to catching up for a sail on our return trip 
Select to expand quotedecrepit said..
Bugger Matthew, that's not fun.
Dot says, that's worse than a prang in Murry Bridge, at least out insurance bought us a new vehicle, and we only got to Sandy Point 3 days late.
... if you try to "make sure your vehicle is in tip-top condition" -> the mechanic may forget to tighten-up the gearbox-sump-plug, only to have all the oil drain out of it.
Apparently lots of little bits of metal sitting on the bottom of the box... and not a drop of oil in sight, and no hope of a rebuild. So a whole box is being sent.
I may eventually meet up with everyone !
Select to expand quotemathew said..decrepit said..
Bugger Matthew, that's not fun.
Dot says, that's worse than a prang in Murry Bridge, at least out insurance bought us a new vehicle, and we only got to Sandy Point 3 days late.
... if you try to "make sure your vehicle is in tip-top condition" -> the mechanic may forget to tighten-up the gearbox-sump-plug, only to have all the oil drain out of it.
Apparently lots of little bits of metal sitting on the bottom of the box... and not a drop of oil in sight, and no hope of a rebuild. So a whole box is being sent.
I may eventually meet up with everyone !
Bugger. Hope you can get some compo..and get to sail!
Select to expand quotemathew said..
... if you try to "make sure your vehicle is in tip-top condition" -> the mechanic may forget to tighten-up the gearbox-sump-plug, only to have all the oil drain out of it.
Apparently lots of little bits of metal sitting on the bottom of the box... and not a drop of oil in sight, and no hope of a rebuild. So a whole box is being sent.
I may eventually meet up with everyone !
That's nasty Mat, had it happen with an engine sump plug, but got just in time warning when the hydraulic lifters started collapsing. With a gearbox, I suppose it's nothing.
Best revise
"make sure your vehicle is in tip-top condition"
to
"If it ain't broke don't fix it for at least 6 months before a long trip."
I better not tell you how it's been for the stay-at-home east coasters.
Select to expand quotemathew said..
... if you try to "make sure your vehicle is in tip-top condition" -> the mechanic may forget to tighten-up the gearbox-sump-plug, only to have all the oil drain out of it.
Apparently lots of little bits of metal sitting on the bottom of the box... and not a drop of oil in sight, and no hope of a rebuild. So a whole box is being sent.
I may eventually meet up with everyone !
Bugger again, I guess you're running out of fun things to do as well!
I went to a job once where a guy had rolled his van on a roundabout, turns out he just picked up from mechanics, sump plug not in right and came out, he ran over his own oil.
Sorry your trip turned to crap Mathew, better luck next time, don't give up 
I assume you put the beers on needsalt? Mark spends all his spare money on scrounging windsurfing bits and bobs, there's barely money left over for beers and definitely no money for ice!
He said you're a friendly lot (for poleys ), if you need somewhere to camp up on the return trip from SB I've got plenty of room in my back yard.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
^^^35kn cross shore and head hi waves Ian?
www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/nsw_last7.asp
www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/wa_last7.asp
Well maybe not head high waves. ( Don't look Mathew)
Ended up going out yesterday arvo at Seperation point. It was honking. We were hoping that storm was going to fall away. Was out two minutes and it dropped out. Got chased up the beach by lightning. Killed it instantly.
Sounds like shouldve made the trip up to Corros. Whats the local rules up at Corros, poleys vs teabags Mark?
Too right it was honing. For the breeze to come back after that troughy crap was miraculous. Anyway it is segregated there and pretty obvious where to go.
Only other rules is poleys have wave priority but that is the whole of WA
Hi need salt .
im way up at shark bay ..not much happening today but sat, late sea breeze ,Sunday Monday are looking good .
slalom conditions here but you can sail for every ..without pulling a gybe .
very warm .haven't had to use a wetsuit yet .and a day off today ...means beer .
Tardy .
Sorry we missed you Tardy! We sailed the left boob on Tuesday but are back in Gero for now. Had a great sail with Mark at Corro yesterday while the ladies went kiting in town. Cracked out the goat boats down south today for a fun play in small waves and some much appreciated rolling tuition from Sailquik. He paddles as impressively as he sails. I love it here. I understand even goat boats have priority over kites in WA Chris? I shouldn't knock kiters - they make sensational cooks!! 
Yes Corros, is close to the ultimate play ground. There's even a half decent speed strip if the tide isn't too low. Run out through the waves, head upwind and come in downwind over the southern reef. There can be the odd small wave to jump over the back of as the only obstacle.
Select to expand quoteneedsalt said..
Sorry we missed you Tardy! We sailed the left boob on Tuesday but are back in Gero for now. Had a great sail with Mark at Corro yesterday while the ladies went kiting in town. Cracked out the goat boats down south today for a fun play in small waves and some much appreciated rolling tuition from Sailquik. He paddles as impressively as he sails. I love it here. I understand even goat boats have priority over kites in WA Chris? I shouldn't knock kiters - they make sensational cooks!!
No worries ..we had a great day today ..sailed for 3 hours ..we where on 7.0 ..but that's ok ..
most days have been on a 5.8 ..100 litre board ..looking for Cervantes Tuesday and a thirsty point pizza .
we head for safety bay next .wednesday Thursday .
west .love it 
8 times in a row now .blowvember.
Geez can you people stop outing all the secret spots, nobody has heard of "WA"
mmm. boobs huh... where is that one?
(.)(.)
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
Geez can you people stop outing all the secret spots, nobody has heard of "WA"
mmm. boobs huh... where is that one?
(.)(.)
No waves Mark! But there are sea snakes, plenty of waist deep mud, and it's very tide dependant, although I think someone may have hit 45kts there.
Select to expand quoteratz said...
nanga.?
Mandurah. Highly recommend all windsurfers take a kiter on their road trips to cook for them
Select to expand quotemathew said..mineral1 said..
Mat, not sure up there who can help you out re Sprinter repair. Have left a message with mate who lives in Kalgoorlie. Soon as he calls I can let you know.
PM me your mobile number so I can talk direct
If we have to skull drag you to Perth, no bigun, I have a 105 cruiser to do the drag to Perth. Is it rear wheel or front wheel drive?
Mike
Just spoke to Mike - he has offered to drag me kicking and screaming to Perth - thanks !
-> will see how the Kalgoorlie mechanic fairs...
Windsurfing community to the rescue !
I think my first decision to "just get it fixed in Kalgoorlie" was the right choice. It certainly wasn't cheap - but it was about what I expected. The mechanic got to work on it on the first day of it being there - they ordered a replacement gearbox on the first day.
With delivery coming from Sydney - their best guess of "late Monday or Tuesday next week" was pretty accurate [ if only other people were so accurate ]. Whether it was fixed in Perth or Kal, wouldnt have made too much difference - Kal only added an extra day of no vehicle due to the extra distance.
A specific thanks to Mineral whom offered to tow me the 700+ Km's - that is what I'd call "pretty awesome". Mineral *also* did some ringing around for repair costs - that helped confirm the choice.
And thank to Crasher whom offered a troopy for a lend - again "pretty awesome".
... I at least did a tour of the super-pit. 250 Tonne Tonka trucks - a person stands to the height of the centre of the wheel... and those ants you see, are these trucks -> gives a relative size of the pit.
