YACHT RAKANUI ARRIVES

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 166, 10 April 1926, Page 10

YACHT RAKANUI ARRIVES

A COMFORTABLE CRAFT CRUISING FROM WHANGAREI TO DUNEDIN The full-powered auxiliary yacht Rakanui, of 24 tons gross and 6 tons register, which is on a cruise of the' New Zealand coast, arrived at Wellington at 4.30 p.m. yesterday from Whangarei, via the East Coast. She is owned by Mr. W. R. Patterson, of Whangarei, and also on board are Mr.- Patterson’s wife, son, and daughter, Miss Shoebridge, and Messrs. W. Reynolds and A. Lacey, all of Whangarei. The Rakanui is a fine smart little craft, and was built at a cost of £-1000 by Messrs. Bailey and Lowe, of Auckland, being completed .on March 6 last. Her principal dimensions are: Length, 50ft.; beam, 12ft. 9in.; moulded depth, sft. Gin She is full yacht rigged, and has twin screws, her power being furnished by a pair of Widdop seuii-Deisel 30-h.p. engines. Electric light is fit--ed, and the capstan fot hauling up the anchor is driven by an engine.

With her engines the Rakanui makes 8 knots, and using her sails, as veil she docs from 9 to 10 knots in a fair breeze. Three tanks have a capacity of 370 gallons of oil, and the little craft can carry a further 430 gallons of case oil stowed forward. The main cabin is quite large, being 9ft. by 10ft., with full head room. It has sleeping accommodation for four and a ladies’ cabin forward has sleeping accommodation for three. Wardrobes, piano, and wash basin, and all the usual conveniences of an up-to-date cruiser are installed. Four hundred and seventy gallons of water can be carried. There is a full set of navigating instruments, and. also an excellent 5-valve wireless receiving set.

The Rakanui left Auckland on March 13 for Whangarei, and cleared the latter port at 4.45 p.m. on March 25. Then Trypbena (Great Barrier), Mercury Island ‘ (where bad weather was encountered), Tauranga, and Gisborne were visited The Rakanui arrived at Napier at 7 p.m. on April 5. She left there cn the afternoon of April 8 and experienced fine weather on the run to Wellington until Cape Palliser was reached. Here a strong north-westerly breeze was encountered and the Rakanui shipped a good deal of water. The Boat Harbour was readied at half-past 4 yesterday afternoon. If the weather continues fine the Rakanui will leave for Lyttelton and Dunedin to-morrow. Mr. Patterson’s original intention was to sail right around New Zealand, but the season is now too far advanced, and the Rakanui will return to Auckland by the same route. Mr. Patterson expects to be home again in about a month.