Crossing of Tasman Sea by kayak planned

Press, 21 February 1987, Page 1

Crossing of Tasman Sea by kayak planned

PA Nelson The marathon canoe adventurer, Paul Caffyn, and a companion, Ron Allnatt, are in Tasmania preparing for a Tasman crossing by kayak.

The two New Zealanders plan to paddle their 6.2 m kayak 1500 km from Tasmania to Milford Sound in 10 days. They are now in Hobart waiting for a favourable longterm weather forecast. They are prepared to wait a month for the right conditions, which include the advantage of the prevailing current. The Tasman Sea has * been crossed only once by man-powered craft — in 1977 Colin Quincey rowed a dory from Hokianga Harbour to Queensland. Two other attempts to row the stormy passage, including one this year by a West Coast man, John Elcock, failed. Caffyn, of Greymouth, and Allnatt, of Gisborne, are experienced canoeists. Caffyn is one of the most experienced sea canoeists in the world. He has paddled more than 32,000 km, which includes circumnavigations ofNew Zealand," Britain, Japan, and Australia.// When not. canoelng, he is a coal exploration geologist based at Runanga. Allnatt had made several yacht cruises through the / Pacific and has canoed numerous North Island rivers. He is also an experienced moun-

taineer and has been working in Gisborne as an instructor in climbing and canoeing. Their craft is a specially designed kayak, Southern Light, built by a Nelson canoe maker, Grahame Sisson. He built the kayaks used by Caffyn in his other marathon voyages. It features some hightechnology materials and techniques, / including kevlar fabric, the cloth used in sails for America’s Cup yachts. Southern Light is designed for big seas. Its below-water hull is based on the design for a Canadian cruising canoe. Its bow is similar to a Nordkapp, a craft designed for rough sea. It has four .watertight compartments for buoyancy and storage. A strengthened rudder has pedal controls, and spray skirts are designed to keep the vessel watertight, both when the men are paddling and when they are sleeping below deck. Southern Light has a hatch where they can cook on a gas cooker developed by Allnatt. They are taking enough freeze-dried food for a month and a hand-worked water rieoalinntnr tn nrn-

vide about four litres of water a day each. The canoeists have sleeping bags, thermal underwear and clothes for all conditions. The kayak has a 1.5 m mast fitted with a radar reflector designed to be located by any radar-equipped ships. They also have an emergency beacon, which could be picked up by aircraft within 200 km. Allnatt has considerable navigating experience, and they will carry compasses, sextants and specialised calculator-like navigation aids. The kayak carries no radio. Once the pair set out, Mr Sisson, with help from the Meteorological Service, will estimate the paddlers’ position each day by assessing information on weather and sea, together with what he knows of their capabilities. Caffyn and Allnatt calculate that they will be able to paddle about 160 km a day. They have the advantage of a prevailing current which should account for about 48km a day. They plan to paddle up to 12 hours a day and at night to take turns sleeping while the other paddles.