It seems to me that there is not much idea around here as to what
constitutes seaworthiness. Here in NZ the conditions are more
challenging than in many other places and to sail offshore requires
great attention to detail and sound knowlege of your vessel. Many people
here might consider their vessels "seaworthy", but let me remind you
that seworthiness is a state of preparedness and safely for major
passages and suitabiliuty for storm conditions.

Here in NZ we have to get vessels inspected every 2 years for their
seaworthiness and without a CAT1 clearance the vessel is not allowed to
leave (if owned by a NZ resident). The inspection takes up to ~2 hours
and the inspector also questions the skipper on hisd seamanship (it
helps if you already have qualifications like Ocean yactmaster or even
Coastal skipper) for it is also the application his knowlege that makes
the vessel seaworthy (or not). In many cases vessel arrive here from
overseas which are patently unseaworthy and these days they are allowed
to leave -after a strong talking to by the inspector as to why their
vessels are unsuitable and what will likely happen to them in bad
conditions. For that reason, it would seem that many US and EU vessels
arrive but never leave.

When the real sailor thinks about his vessel he thinks about how she
will cope if hit by storm force winds in the open sea if he wishes to
call his vessel seaworthy. If the vessel is not seworthy then it is just
a toy for amusement on nice fair wind days. The question is, to you
have a toy or a seaworthy vessel? How many people here even have a strom
jib?

Cheers MC