ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3754, 23 February 1926, Page 11

ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE.

YACHT RESTLESS ARRIVES. Quite unostentatiously, the graceful Wellington auxiliary yacht Restless was towed up to Dunedin shortly before midday on Thursday from the lower harbour, where the boat arrived ou Wednesday night after a lengthy but uneventful passage of 11 days from Wellington. The Restless, with her finely-shaped bows, tall foremast, white hull, and square-cut stern made a striking picture when she appeared in the steamer basin after the towline had been cast off from the tug. The visitor was moored at the Rattray street wharf, where her crew of three received a hearty welcome from Mr C. W. Sundstrum and Mr C. J. Hook. The owner, Mr J. M‘Lean, kindly supplied an account of the little vessel’s voyage down the coast. The Restless, said Mr AlTiean, left Wellington at 7 a.m. on Sunday, February 7. She reached Cape Campbell at midday, and ran into a heavy southerly. It was deemed advisable not to continue the voyage south, as the wind and sea were against any progress being made. The yacht, therefore, ran for Port Underwood, where Bhe arrived on the Sunday night. During the following three or four days several attempts were made to continue the voyage, but the strong southerly still prevailed, and the Restless w r as compelled to return to her anchorage. The weather was very favourable on Saturday, February 13, and the yacht was again put on her course at 9 a.m. She was favoured with light to moderate winds, and was abreast of Kaikoura shortly after sunset the same night. A strong southerly then set in, and the Restless stood out to sea. The weather improved during the night, and the yacht put into Kaikoura at daybreak on Sunday, February 14. She remained there until Sunday evening, when she sailed for Akaroa with a fair wind, arriving there at 4 p.m. on Monday. The crew spent several hours ashore, and the Restless commenced the final stage of her voyage at midday on Tuesday. The weather was very changeable on the run through the South Canterbury Bight. Strong winds prevailed, with occasional rain squalls. The boat entered Taiaroa Heads at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, and as the crew was not familiar with the channel she anchored in Deborah Bay for the night. The Restless was boarded by one of the Harbour Board’s pilots yesterday morning, and was later taken in tow by the tug Dunedin and thus completed her 341mile voyage. The yach 1 - made the run from Wellington to Akaroa under sail only, and averaged six knots. Owing to the adverse weather met with after leaving Akaroa the auxiliary plant was requisitioned, and with tho aid of her canvas she averaged over six knots. The Restless is owned by Mr J. ALLean, who spends all his time in cruising. He is probably one of the keenest boating men in Wellington, and consequently get 9 a great deal of pleasure from his visits to the various resorts. “We have made this trip for the purpose of witnessing the Sanders Cup races and to visit your Exhibition,” said Mr ALLean. “Of course,’” he continued, “we hope to see Wellington’s representative, Peggy, win the cup.” Air ALLean said he was very grateful to the Harbour Board officials for placing the pilot and the tug at his disposal. “I appreciate the harbourmaster’s kindness very much, and it shows that Scotsmen have a kindly thought for strangers,” concluded Air ALLean. The Restless was built at Auckland in 1920. She is a fine type of boat, and was designed for cruising. Her gross tonnage is just under 10 tons, length overall 40ft, beam lift 3in, and draught sft Gin. Her owner describes her as a very fine boat in a sea, and stated that he had never yet seen her ship one heavy sea. The Restless was purchased by Air ALLean in Auckland 18 months ago. In company with Airs ALLean, he spent two months cruising north of Auckland, and then sailed the boat to Wellington last season with the assistance of his wife, who is as keen as her husband as regards boating. It was only recently that Air ALLean installed a small powered AilsaCraig engine, fitted with reduction geai, in the Restless. This engine, which has proved very satisfactory, gives the boat a speed of five knots. The yacht is ketch rigged, and is well but not lavishly appointed. She has a large cabin, with six feet of head room. There are eight full size sleeping berths, while the boat is equipped with sail locker, a small pantry, a benzine cooker, and an adjustable oven and a swinging Primus stove. She is also fully equipped „ with all necessary nautical instruments, and is thus ready to undertake a long

cruise to any latitude. The boat'* interior furnishings give her a most comfortable and homely appearance. Fresh water is carried in a 35-gallon tank, and an additional supply in other receptacles n akes between 50 and (50 gallons in all. Light is provided for the cabin at night time by a swinging 100-candle power benzine lamp, which gives ample illumination. The cockpit is almost boxed in, thus providing shelter for the man at the wheel. Throughout the trip two men were on watch at night time and one during the day. The watches were divided into four hour shifts. On the passage down from Akaroa Air ALLean suffered a set-back in the loss of the rotator from the boat’s patent log. The log line was attacked by a big shark, and severed, the log thus being lost. The crew was left without any means of ascertaining the position of the yacht until Air ALLean obtained sightings and got his position at noon on Wednesdaj\ A straight course was then steered for Taiaroa Heads. Air ALLean is accompanied by Alessrs A. Scott and P. Barrow, both of whom are experienced boating men. Afr Scott is part owner of the Wellington first-class yacht Ailsa, and has made several longdistance cruises with Air ALLean. Mr Barrows is making his first trip to southern waters. The Restless flies the flag of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club. The cruise will occupy a month, so that Air ALLean and his crew will spend over a week in Dunedin. They will be the quests of the Otago Yacht AKb and other uoating clubs during their stay here. When she leaves Dunedin the Restless will call at Oamaru, Timaju, and the various bays at Bank’s Peninsula before returning to Wellington. The Restless is anchored in the boat been provided for her. Mr ALLean said that any little hardships which he and his crew may have undergone were worth while, as they were all keenly interested in the Sanders Cup contest, and were anxious to explore the wonders of the Exhibition.