HOME-MADE YACHT

Southland Times, Issue 22188, 2 December 1933, Page 10

HOME-MADE YACHT

FINE WORKMANSHIP LAUNCHING OF KETCH TO-DAY. Considerable interest on the part of boating enthusiasts will centre around the launching at Pleasure Bay about three o’clock this afternoon of what is claimed to be the largest locally-built auxiliary ketch in Southland. For some three years past, two young members of the Invercargill Boating Club, Messrs W. Johnson and N. Blair, assisted by a friend, Mr A. Neilson, have spent all their spare time in building the yacht and when she takes to the water to--1 day they may well regard their efforts as in the nature of “something attempted, something done.” In the backyard of Mr Blair’s home in Elizabeth street, the builders have worked away enthusiastically at the ketch, snatching two or three hours whenever possible of an evening. Week-ends and holidays saw greater progress made, and latterly the trio have managed to get in some four hours labour each night. A day or two ago a traction engine pulled the craft along to Crinan street near the Estuary, where the finishing touches have been applied in readiness for to-day’s launching. The work has been, of course, a labour of love, but it has necessitated industry, intelligence and perseverance. Now, however, the owners have the satisfaction of seeing their labours consummated in success and the ketch is certainly a credit to their workmanship. The yacht, which will be named the Southern Light, was designed by Mr G. C. Dickson, of Invercargil, who prepared the plans of the Spindrift, which won the Southland restricted class championship at Bluff last Regatta Day. Last evening Messrs Johnson and Blair showed a Times reporter over the ketch and he was very much impressed with the pleasure craft. Her length overall is 37ft 6in, her beam 10ft, her draught sft and her displacement 9 tons. The materials throughout come from Otara and Waipapa, the builders spending one of their Christmas vacations at the last-named place seeking the most likely-looking timbers. It took six men to carry the natural from which the stem alone was fashioned.

The Southern Light makes a fine picture in her attractive colours of green and white. Her lines are along those of the Dorade, the winner of America’s big ocean event to Bermuda last year, and she would make an ideal craft for a race across the Tasman. An iron keeler, she is the only ship in Southland with outside ballast.

The builders have spared no expense in catering for the comfort of their friends and themselves when making a trip. The engine-room provides plenty of space for the “engineer” and a “Kelvin Ricardu,” developing 15 horsepower was imported direct from Scotland. On each side of the engine-room are two 40-gallon tanks which supply water through pipes to all parts of the boat. A bulkhead has been constructed between this room and the cabin to prevent fumes invading the stateroom portion of the ketch. Ample space is provided in the stateroom or cabin proper, the head room of which is 6ft. 3in. There is a patent collapsible dining table and the upholstered settees can seat with comfort a dozen persons. In one corner is a coal-burning stove which will enable meals to be cooked to perfection on long trips, while the other- corners, too, have all been utilized, there being a library in one, a Red Cross cupboard in another and a pantry in the third. Everything is spick and span. Aft of the stateroom are two bunks.

One of the main features of the ketch is its self-bailing cockpits, the drains being so constructed above the water that no matter how heavy may be the seas the water will just run out again. The actual cost of the Southern Light runs into some hundreds of pounds, the 525 square feet of sail purchased locally alone costing about £4O. The owners told the reporter that it is their intention to sail her to Bluff and to Stewart Island while later on they contemplate a tri pto the Sounds.