HYDROFOIL SERVICE

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30348, 25 January 1964, Page 16

HYDROFOIL SERVICE

Craft Due In April (N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 24. New Zealand’s first hydrofoil—a 68ft Italian-built PT2O which carries 70 passengers at a cruising speed of 35 knots —will arrive in Auckland on April 22 in the Port Lyttelton. Sir Robert Kerridige said tonight that a representative of the Kertridge Odeon-con-trolled Waiheke Shipping Company had made shipping arrangements and the hydrofoil would arrive fair earlier than anticipated. _ The shipment would be subject to a check by Lloyds of London for the New Zealand Marine Department. Soon after arriving in New Zealand the hydrofoil would be cruising on the Waitemata harbour—at the hands of an Italian captain and engineer. The Italian crew will stay in Auckland for three months to check the foil and to teach local crews. In the hydrofoil the service to Waiheke will take 25 minutes.

The company intends to buy a 130-passenger hydrofoil and readings of water depths on the Waiheke run are ■ being token at present to see if the larger craft could be operated. It requires nearly 12 feet of water when the hull is in the water but only five feet when the foil is under speed.

The PTSO will operate on long cruises to Hauraki Gulf resorts for which the organisation is at present negotiating. The foil will travel to the Great Barrier in an hour.

Car On Fire.— A car owned by Daphne Lorraine Maguire, of 17 Glade avenue, Avonside, was badly damaged by a fire in the vehicle at 12.42 p.m. yesterday. Two units from the Central fire station were called.