SCHOONER LAUNCHED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20786, 3 August 1929, Page 16

SCHOONER LAUNCHED.

VESSEL BUILT IN AUCKLAND. (Special, to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, August 2. The new auxiliary schooner Foxton was launched from Mr •G. NiCcol’s yard at Freeman’s Bay this afternoon. The vessel has been built for the Canterbury Steam Shipping Company, and it will be employed in the trade between South Island ports and Foxton. The launching occupied about threequarters of an hour, the cold weather having hardened the grease on the slipway. The timber to which the winch cable was attached broke and caused some delay in coaxing the vessel into a smooth slide. Once over the first few feet the vessel slipped smoothly into the water. She was towed to the Central wharf for the stepping of the masts, and should be ready for sea in about a fortnight. The Foxton is -110 ft in length and she lias a’ 28£t beam, and capacity of 326 tons, with a draught of 7ft Cin. Twin Fairbanks-Morse Diesel engines of 100 nominal horse-power each are fitted. There are two Fairbanks-Morse oil-driven cargo winches, and electric light is installed, with special provision for cargo operations at night. A speed of about nine knots is expected.