STORMY TRIP

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 187, 7 December 1920, Page 8

STORMY TRIP

YACHT WAITANGI AT AUCKLAND,

The keel yacht Waitangi, which was recently purchased by a party of Auckland yachtsmen, arrived from Wellington on Saturday (states the New Zealand Herald). She left Wellington at midnight on Saturday, 27th November, in chafge of Mr. C. Harrison-Smith, who had with him the following vachtamen for. his crew:^-Messrs. T. M. Alexander, B. W. Beaumont,'W. Alexander, V. Pearce, and' A. Scott.

The Waitangi experienced a light breeze from the north-west until ronnding Cape Palliser at 3.30 a.m. on 28th November. She was then becalmed for two hours, and later a light. north-west wind was again picked up. As the day advanced the wind freshened and it was necessary to i»ke off the big jib and replace it with a „one. Two reefs were put in the^mainjHal,.:which eventually blew oiit owing to-";the'hard breeze. A big sea was rnniung and/Shatters became very uncomfortable, for* all^hapds. The yacht shipped a quantity of water, which found its way into the cabin, owing to a leaky skylight. The" P wind:feH"away late at night and the nexti'twenty-f onr hours saw the Waitangi becalmed. ■ '

late oh; Monday night the Waitangi pick?d up a west-north-west breeze, which Brought her to within- 35 miles of Cape Kidnappers. . Here a course was set to clea£-;Blili;Boclc, off Portland -Island, by three miles: - On Tuesday afternoon the wiiidiwenttrpund to south-south-west, and blety'/yery^hard, resulting in the staysail being badlyjripped. The East Cape was rounded &t 7 o'clock the same evening, and''when off the Cape thfe yacht experienced a very heavy tide rip,.. which made it impossible for anyone to stand on deck to reply to the lighthouse-keeper on the Cape, who had asked for the name of the yacht. Calriis were again experienced untiL Wednesday, when the yacht encouitf£r.e!tD#r^erly ahd. ? afterwards w'estote^^"Ji¥^£lfland';i«?asfsighted on Wednesday; and a course was set outside the Aldermans for Cape Colville. -As the weather became very thick and threatening on Thursday it was decided to put ;into. Mayor Island, where the night was. spent. On Friday morning the voyage was resumed, and after meeting with head winds the. yacht reached Onetang;i at 9 p.m. and remained there overnight, coming into port on Saturday morning. ■.',

The Waitangi was built in Auckland by the late Mr. R, Logan, sen., in 1895. and was sailed in Wellington by her biwlder shortly after Deing launched. Her principal dimensions are:—Length, 55ft; breadth, lift; and depth, 9ft. Hernew owners are Messrs. T. M. Alexander N L. Mackay. J. W, Prater, J. B. Johnston, and K. Eutherford