LONG OCEAN VOYAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21457, 3 April 1933, Page 11

LONG OCEAN VOYAGE

JOURNEY OF FRANGIPANI experience in storm VENTILATORS WASHED AWAY Further details of the voj-age of the Auckland-built launch Frangipani from Auckland to Papeete are contained in a radio telegram sent to the Hehat.d yesterday by Mr. A. J. Codings from tho steamer Makura, which is due at Wellington to-morrow. Mr. Codings is the son of the builder of tho Frangipani, Mr. C. J. Codings, and ho went to Papeete on tho launch as engineer. The only damage which occurred throughout the voyage, states the message, was the loss of three ventilators which wero washed overboard from tho deck during a storm, and the chafing of paintwork below decks caused by a case of petrol. Tho sails proved of very little assistance on the voyage owing to continued head winds. Tho Frangipani, which loft Auckland on March 3, arrived at Papeete at 1 a.m. on March 1/, thus completing the journey in less than 13} days. Both motors ran smoothly and continuously throughout tho voyage. A day was spent at Rarotonga for refuelling and provisioning. Rarotonga was left at noon on March 13, the journev of 620 miles from there to Papeete, taking three and a-half days at an average speed of a little under seven and a-half knots. It is believed that the 1633 miles which tho Frangipani covered between Auckland and Rarotonga constitutes an ocean non-stop record for power boats. The message states that all members of tho crew were very well upon arrival and were highly gratified at the launch's performance. The Frangipani, which was built for Mr. Zane Grey, was taken to Papeete under the charge of Mr. Peter Williams. of Russell, and will be used by Mr. Grey in fishing the waters of Tahiti. Other members of the crew, in addition to Mr. Codings, were Captain A. Pyper and Mr. C. R. Bowman, of Auckland, and Mr. C. Jackson, of Russell.