RECOMMISSIONED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 297, 15 December 1936, Page 9

RECOMMISSIONED.

STEAMER WAHINE.

NEW BOILERS INSTALLED

BIG TASK COMPLETED,

After a spell of six months, during which she has been thoroughly repaired and overhauled, the Union Company's turbine steamer Wahine resumed running in the inter-island express service last night, in place of the Rangatira, which has been docked for cleaning and painting. The latter ship will take up her regular running from Wellington to-morrow, and the Wahine will then remain at Wellington until Thursday j night, when she will replace the Maori for the summer months (states the

Dominion")

An immense amount of work, involving a large expenditure, has been done in the Wahine since last June. All the damage to her bow caused by her collision with Pipitea wharf on June 5 has been made good, and advantage has been taken of her long lay-off to give the ship a thorough overhaul.

A major work was the renewal of six of her eight water-tube boilers, the greatest operation of its kind ever carried out in the Dominion. It involved the dismantling and removal of the whole of the ship's original eight boilers and the reconstruction of six boilers, which are now virtually new.

The old boilers had done good service for more than 22 years, including four years of hard steaming while the Wahine was serving under the White Ensign as a commissioned ship of the Roval Navv. The wo'-k

and dismantling tliom in the confined space of tlie ship's boiler-room was mi arduous one. The new boilers are designed to work at a pressure of 2201b to J *ie square inch, that being the maximum working capacitv of the ship's turbine engines. The boilers, which are oil-fired, embody a number of improvements designed to give greater economy in operation. ,

Engines Overhauled. During • the time the ship has been laid up the main engines and all the auxiliaries have also been thoroughly overhauled and refitted where necessary. Although they have been doing duty since 1913, the main turbines, when opened up, were found to be in almost perfect condition, only a few fittings having to be renewed.

The Waliine's hull was found to be in I excellent condition. Repairs have been' made where necessary, and tlie whole ol her extensive passenger accommodation, as well as the officers' and crew's quarter, has been cleaned and repainted throughout. The ship was docked last week for the repainting of the underwater part of her hull and the adjustment of her bow-rudder, which has been resheathed with new timber. A trial run in the harbour on Thursday when she was swung for compass, adjustment, showed her boilers and engines to be in fine order and that the Wahine was ready for the strenuous summer running in the inter-island service.