Smooth progress in ambitious sailing venture

Press, 28 August 1980, Page 32

Smooth progress in ambitious sailing venture

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Progress is going surely and smoothly towards completion of Ceramco New Zealand, the yacht which will represent this country in one of the most ambitious seafaring adventures embarked upon — the 1981 Whitbread round-the-world race.

'The skipper of the first New Zealand entry in this big race, Peter Blake, of Auckland, was in Christchurch yesterday and reported that no problems had been encountered in the construction of the yacht, and said that Ceramco New Zealand was expected to belaunched at the end of October.

Blake said that the bulk of the work had been completed and it was only details such as fittings and bunks for the crews that needed finishing. Blake, who has sailed in both previous Whitbred round-the-world races, is one of the world’s most experienced offshore yachtsmen. He was a crew member of Condor, the yacht which took the line honours in the 1977-78 Whitbread race.

He was skipper of that yacht for some time after the race but was no longer aboard it when it had the misfortune to run on to a reef after leaving Tahiti recently. The project will cost an estimated $500,000 and is jthe biggest sponsorship undertaken in New Zealand involving a single craft set specifically for one race. Ceramco New Zealand, the first New Zealand yacht to take part in the world famous race, was designed by Bruce Farr— an . Aucklander who has won wide acclaim in recent times — and will (be crewed by 12 blew Zealanders. Blake said that he had received 140 applications from yachtsmen throughout the country seeking positions as crew members. About 40 of

these applicants were interviewed and the number has now been whittled down to 18. This final squad will assemble for the first time in late September and will disappear into .the Urewera mountain range for several days. The dozen crew members will be determined after that expedition. The financing of the construction of the yacht is being partly underwritten by Ceramco, Ltd, but because of the exorbitant expenses, yachting enthusiasts have been given the opportunity to take syndicate shares. Yachting clubs have been quick to purchase $5OO shares and Blake said that more than 100 shares had been bought throughout the country to date. After the race, the yacht will be sold to repay those who had contributed finance, and any profit — and Blake is anticipating one — will go to the New Zealand Yachting Federation and be used to sponsor youth projects and help New Zealand yachtsmen to compete in international events.

The 20.7 m yacht is the biggest to be designed by Farr, who worked to parameters laid down by. the New Zealand Challenge committee. The yacht is being built of aluminium with the purpose of meeting the requirements which call for a fast yet light yacht which will be strong enough to withstand the rigours of the voyage. Blake considers that the yacht, which is expected to be one of the larger boats in a fleet of between 25 and 30, has a very good chance of

winning handicap honours. The race will begin in Portsmouth, England, next August, the first leg taking the fleet from England to Cape Town. The second of four legs has the yachts sailing to Auckland. From there, the yachts sail to Rio de Janeiro via Cape Hom and return to England, the leaders expected to arrive back in late March or early April, 1982. Blake said that the best speed of Condor was 33 knots although the average was considerably lower. “This boat will be no faster, but it has been built especially for this one long race, no other, and it might have a better average speed.” Blake said that during the voyage, New Zealand listeners would receive two live reports a week. He added that maps were being prepared for school classrooms so that pupils could plot the progess of the yacht. “It will be a useful geography lesson.” The challenge is one which Blake is eagerly looking forward to. “It is a project which you live, eat, sleep, drink 24 hours a day,” he said. Before the Whitbread race, Ceramco New Zealand will compete in the Sydney-Ho-bart race in December and will return to New Zealand and visit east coast harbours to allow New Zealanders to see the finished product.

In April, the yacht will be shipped to Europe and be prepared for a racing programme in British waters, including Cowes . Week and the 1981 Fastnet classic, before setting out on the long journey.