Launch Reaches Akaroa At Second Attempt

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30219, 26 August 1963, Page 10

Launch Reaches Akaroa At Second Attempt

Mr G. Walker, a boatbuilder, of Shortland street, Christchurch, on Saturday morning sailed his 18ft. cabin cruiser Champagne from the lifeboat slip at Scarborough to Akaroa. The trip took two hours and three-quarters. ' Champagne, powered by a Bel-Air engine, averaged about 16 miles an hour. R. Jones, aged 17, an apprentice boatbuilder, accompanied Mr Walker.

The previous Saturday Mr Walker attempted the trip to Akaroa, accompanied by Mr D. Churchill, of Travis road. Champagne, damaged on the road to Sumner, sprang a leak and the two men beached the craft at Laverick’s Bay, almost half-way. They were assisted by Mr P. Delatour, a farmer at Laverick's Bay, and his family and farmhands. Mr Walker said that on Saturday’s trip a slight southerly swell was encountered until the boat was off Okains Bay. For this part of the trip Champagne was doing 20 to 25 miles an hour. “From Okains Bay to the

Akaroa heads the southerly increased and the sea had a nasty chop. We were travelling about eight to 10 miles an hour. It was very. cold. We passed three crayfishing boats and it was reassuring to see somebody else out there,” Mr Walker said. “From Akaroa heads the. going was easy. Champagne was doing 40 miles an hour over the last five miles. She passed five fishing launches in the run from the heads. “Mr Churchill, who was unable to make the trip this Saturday becouse of a previous commitment, brought the boat trailer over to Akaroa and we came home by road in the afternoon,” Mr Walker said.

“It is definitely a trip to be done in warmer weather. It would be very pleasant in the summer, and next time we hope other pleasure craft will accompany us.” Eight gallons of fuel was used on the trip, of the 18 gallons carried. The boat had a two-way radio, lifejackets, compass, maps, food, and buoyancy floats in the hull.