YACHT ROVER

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 5

YACHT ROVER

SEEN OFF CAPE PALLISER

After a voyage of over a week from Auckland, the auxiliary keel yacht Rover was reported to be lying off Cape Palliser at sundown last evening. The Rover, which left Auckland at 3 p.m. on November 23, has been purchased by Mr. W. Buckland, of Wellington, and is being navigated down the coast by Mr. D. Wellington, who has had considerable experience in navigating small boats on ocean voyages. The crew consists of Messrs. D. Ashton, C. Wilson, and A. H. Milbourn, of whom Messrs. Ashton and Wilson are members of the crew of the South African yacht Land's End, at present at Auckland.

After leaving Auckland the Rover was towed as far as Coromandel] Peninsula by a fishing trawler. Continuing the voyage under sail, she ex-1 perienced variable winds on her three days' passage to Gisborne. On the second day out the boat was becalmed for several hours while her course took her close to White Island which the' crew inspected from close in. About 7 p:m. on Saturday the yacht arrived off Tuahine Point, Poverty Bay, and she* came into the bay but owing to the fading light the crew were uncertain of the harbour entrance, and put to sea again, heading for Napier. Running into head winds before she reached Mahia compelled her to turn back to Gisborne, which she reached on Sunday. After taking stores aboard, the yacht sailed on Monday morning for Wellington.

Last night the Rover was reported to be lying close in, and reports received from the lighthouse keeper at Cape Palliser this morning stated that she was about four miles off the land, and drifting away from it. She was becalmed, and was not using her auxiliary engine, which seems to indicate that she has run out of petrol. There is hope of her being towed in tonight as a fishing launch which left Eastbourne this morning is looking out for her and will tow her if she is not too far away. If a breeze springs up she may arrive at Wellington tonight or early tomorrow morning.

The Rover, which was built about 12 years ago by Mr. B. S. Woollocot, a naval architect, of Stanley Bay, Auckland, -has changed hands on several occasions. Her most recent owner was Mr. J. B. Ferguson, who sold her to Mr. Buckland. Of the square-bilge type, the Rover is a very roomy craft for her size and carries the Bermuda sloop rig. She has an overall length or 26ft, with a beam of 9ft and a draught of sft, and her tonnage is approximately s_.