COASTAL SHIP COMPETITION

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29894, 7 August 1962, Page 21

COASTAL SHIP COMPETITION

Pennant Suggested For Record Trips Captains ■ and officers engaged in the LyiteltonOnehunga coastal trade are hoping someone in Auckland or Christchurch will present a flag for friendly competition between vessels engaged on the run. The merchants of Hamilton once presented a flag to the fastest ship in the Ragland - Lyttelton trade, known as the “Mooloo Pennant.” and this was held by different ships. Many years ago. sailing ships vied with each other tor records on the OnehungaSouth Island trade, and the Huia. well known to many seamen of those days, was a notable example. Passage times have rapidlyadvanced since then. Recently, for instance. Holm and Company’s modern. 890ton motor vessel, Holmburn, averaged 11 knots from Lyttelton heads to Onehunga heads, making the trip in 40 hours, which is believed to be a record for this trade. An even faster journey was made by the Holmburn in 1958 She left Onehunga on a Saturday afternoon and was discharging cargo in Dunedin on the Monday. Her average speed for the 617mile journey was 12$ knots. Canterbury’s direct links by sea with Waikato and Onehunga have been well forged and the trade is growing A pennant, or modest trophy, to stimulate interest in this trade, now served by such speedy vessels as the Holmburn snd her kind, would be of benefit to merchants of Christchurch. Auckland and Hamilton, according to shipping men.