Dismasting ruins N.Z.’s hopes

Press, 20 February 1986, Page 1

Dismasting ruins N.Z.’s hopes

PATRICIA HERBERT

in Wellington

New Zealand’s hopes in the' Whitbread round-the-world race were dashed yesterday when the mast broke on N.Z.I. Enterprise. , The maxi racing yacht was running second and looked to have a chance of winning but is now dismasted 375 nautical miles east of the Chathams. She has only enough fuel on board to make 250 nautical miles but the Government has offered a special Air Force diesel drop. The Minister of Sport, Mr Moore, made the offer yesterday by telephone from his Beehive office to the NZI Enterprise skipper, Digby Taylor. The news media were invited.

Mr Moore said the delivery could be made today if Taylor wanted it and that, if he did, he could give the necessary details that night. “If you don’t want it.

that’s fine with us,” he ..said.. /'■ in New Zealand is heartbroken, of course.” The rest of Mr Moore’s side of the conversation went: “Nobody hurt?” “Oh, thank God for that.”

“You reckon you’ll be able to stay in the race?” “Yeah. Sure, well you make a decision today. If you feel you’d like this done, it will be done. Good luck, mate.” Mr Moore said afterward that Taylor had told him it was possible under the Whitbread rules to take diesel to the nearest port from the point of difficulty. As to whether they could fix a new mast and stay competitive, that looked unlikely but they were studying it. “They’ve got a ton of guts and I think every New Zealander, if the power of prayer works, have then hydro-planing

in,” Mr Moore said. He also said Digby Taylor sounded . extremely confident, that he was tough and smart and that if there was half a chance, he would still lap the other competitiors. The gung-ho patriotism aside, Mr Moore defended the fuel drop saying he thought most New Zealanders would think it a proper use of resources. He suggested also that the exercise would be good for staff morale. “If they have the skills, they like to use them,” he said. An Air Force spokesman, Wing Commander Peter Faulkner, said that if required the fuel would be dropped in 200 litre (44 gallon) drums with flotation collars and parachutes attached. Mr Moore said Taylor was under no immediate pressure in deciding whether he wanted the

drop as he had diesel for a day and a half left.