Wahine To Be Launched Today

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30802, 14 July 1965, Page 8

Wahine To Be Launched Today

The new vehicle and passenger ferry Wahine, for the Wellington - Christchurch senace, will be launched on the Clyde today by Mrs F., K. Macfarlane, wife of the chairman of the Union Steam Ship Company, Ltd.

The 9700-ton Wahine will carry more than 200 cars, and 927 passengers accommodated on six decks. She will come into service next February. The Wahine was built at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Ltd’s Govan yard on the Clyde. She is the second vessel to bear the name. The first Wahine was on the Wel-lington-Lyttelton run and saw service in both world wars. She ended her career when she struck a reef in the Arafuna sea when carrying troops to' Korea in August, 1951. She broke in two and sank, although troops and crew were taken off by a rescuing tanker. Speed of 22 Knots The new Wahine is a twinscrew turbo-electric vessel with a speed of 22 knots. She has a well-raked soft-nosed stern, two raked-shaped masts, and a modern funnel. Special attention was given to the funnel design to eliminate grit and smoke falling on the after decks.

Although specially designed for the carrying of motor vehicles, the Wahine has ample open deck space for passengers. Part of the promenade deck is fitted with large windows to form protected space in bad weather.

Vehicles will be driven into the Wahine at the stern, through a hydraulicallyoperated door. The main car space runs the full length of the main deck, carrying cars, trucks or four-wheel trailers with a maximum headroom of 14ft 3in.

An auxiliary space for about 50 private cars is provided at the forward end of the upper deck. Access is by fixed ramps from the main “garage” space. A portable deck for about 25 more cars has been arranged at the aft end of the main car space—a deck which stows under the promenade deck, and is lowered hydraulically. Modern Cabins

Cabins for the passengers—on A, B, C. and D decks, -and E and F decks forward—are compactly arranged and of modern design. There are several special cabins with private toliet facilities. On A deck aft there is a general lounge (without bar service) for passengers with children. On B deck aft there is a cafeteria, and an adjacent smoke-room seating about 150. These public rooms, and

their interior decoration, have been given special consideration in design. They have large windows, and specially arranged seating. The ship’s officers will be berthed in single cabins on A deck. The crew will be accommodated in two and threeberth cabins on C and D decks aft. Ventilation throughout the ship is by a mechanical supply system, with combined heating

and cooling units to supply a standard temperature throughout. A separate supply-and-exhaust system has been fitted to clear the car spaces of fumes. An automatic fire-alarm, fire-detection, and sprinkler system is fitted throughout the ship, with an additional firedetection system in the car spaces. Up-to-date navigational aids —radar, direction finder, echo

sounder, and radio telephone, —are supplied. Quick manoeuvring is essential for the vessel’s service, and a bow rudder is fitted, as well as twin rudders aft. Two transverse propellers, one forward and one aft, have also been fitted to help bring the vessel alongside the berth. It is unusual for a vessel of the Wahine’s type and size to have thrust units both forward and aft.