LONG VOYAGE IN YACHT

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1933, Page 7

LONG VOYAGE IN YACHT

YOUNG MAN’S AMBITION. OPOTIKI TO ENGLAND. Gisborne, June 14. A voyage to England in a 30ft. yacht which he has built at Motu is planned by a young Englishman, Mr. Stanley Ward. The boat was trucked through the Waioeka Valley, and is now at Opotiki undergoing final touches. Mr. Ward has been with Mr. Ellis Fisher at Motu, on whose property the boat was built. It has a beam of 10ft. 10in., and a draught of from 6ft. to 7ft. An interesting story attaches _ to the construction of the vessel. Mr.' Ward arrived in Motu about two years ago. He proved himself a good mechanic and secured a number of repair jobs. Among them were some adjustments required at sawmills, and in exchange for' his services he secured the wood with which to build the vessel. All the work was done as quietly as possible. Mr. Ward’s object was to avoid publicity, and sail, from Opotiki one evening without-any-one being the wiser. However, once the vessel was seen on the road it was impossible to prevent news of it travelling quickly round the countryside. Elaborate preparations were made to take tins unusual load on its journey of approximately 60 miles. It was slung on a trailer, which was pulled down to Matawai and through the Waioeka Valley. Great care had to be exercised in taking the boat over such a road, but it arrived safely in Opotiki, where the mast, rigging, sails and keel are to be added. No information is available as to when Mr. Ward will be able to set out on his trip, but work yet to be done is expected to take some time. j Mr. Ward is the second young man who has been in the Gisborne district recently with aspirations of reaching England in a small vessel. The previous attempt was made by Mr. W. C. Valentine, who resided at Taruheru for a time, and later set out from Auckland with the object of reaching England, but he was forced to return owing to bad weather. The vessel he had was a 22ft. mullet boat, in which lie set out alone and which he purchased at Auckland.