YACHT TAWHIRI

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 9 May 1939, Page 6

YACHT TAWHIRI

ARRIVAL FROM AUCKLAND PURCHASE BY NELSON OWNER MIXED WEATHER CONDITIONS ON EAST COAST The B class keel yacht Tawhiri, with her smart lines and tail mast which carries a modern Bermuda sail, will in future grace Nelson Harbour. The Tawhiri, which has been purchased by Mr Noel Brown, of Nelson, arrived at about 8 o'clock last evening after a trip down the east coast of the North Island. The skipper for the trip was Mr D. Wellington, a well-known and widely experienced deep sea yachtsman, who had with him Messrs W. Smith and D. Culpan as crew. The yacht experienced all kinds of weather on the trip, from storms to calms, and the crew were very pleased with her perform- 1 ance, describing her as a good sea boat i easy to handle. The Tawhiri was built in Auckland I about five years ago by Mr C. Wild, and three years ago won the ocean race from Auckland to Tauranga. She has a modern Bermuda cutter rig, and carries about 600 square feet of sail. The overall length is 39 feet, the waterline length 28 feet, beam 9ft 6ins., and draught sft 6ins. Her mast is 41 feet from the deck. The skipper. Mr Wellington, has done a lot of deep sea yachting, including a trip to the South Sea Islands, and he proposes shortly to leave Auckland on his own j’acht Seaward, with Messrs Smith and Culpan as crew, on a cruise to the Western Pacific and Great Barrier Reef. EXCITING EVXPERIENCES The Tawhiri (pronounced tafiiri) left Mechanics Bay, Auckland, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, 20th April, after a last minute replacement of one member of the intended crew owing to his suffering from influenza. The night was spent at Islington Bay, Rangitoto Island. Here the yacht was given her final overhaul for the coastal cruise to Nelson. Mr Culpan and Mr Smith looked forward keenly to the trip, as unlike the skipper, their previous yachting had all been done in the harbour. They left Rangitoto on Friday, 21st April, with a fresh following breeze, all extra sail being set. Two hours out the helmsman secured three fine kingfish, and so a plentiful supply of fresh fish was assured. That evening the wind dropped, compelling the yatch to ancho rin Pinnacle Bay. Cape Colville. However at night a wind enabled resumption of the trip. Two hours later the wind veered ahead* accompanied by blinding rain. It quickly developed into a violent storm, the only sail possible being a small storm sail. Green seas swept the yacht continuously. It was in that storm that the skipper was nearly lost overboard. Hearing a shattering report forward the skipper groped his way forward in the pitch black night to investigate the damage. Several minutes elapsed before the other two members of the crew became anxious for his safety, and while one remained at the tiller, the other went forward and found Mr Wellington over the side clinging to the -staysail boom. With great difficulty he was pulled on board. The sail had broken loose from the boom. At daylight the yatch reached Tryphenna Bay, Great Barrier, and put in for shelter. T\yo-days later the wind abated and light winds took them to Napier. When it was‘time to leave Napier there was such a. strong southerly that they could notjjet out, and it was necessary to remain in port for five days. Two unsuccessful attempts were made to get out to s'ea. ‘ After some light south westerly windS, a calm set in'about Cape Kidnappers.

From Cape Kidnappers to Nelson the winds were light and moderate, and the weather fair. From Wellington the yacht had head winds and tide against her across the Strait all the way to The Brothers. After that there was a race to beat the tide at French Pass, and the yacht reached there just in time to get through, but there was a tidi of about five knots. They were through the Pass at 11.30 a.m. yesterday, and after a short calm a very light north-wester-ly brought them to Nelson.