Small-Craft News

BACHELOR’S WIFE, sailed from Honolulu to Australia and thence on to the rocks of Lord Howe Island, was successfully sal vaged during November.

Acquired by Mr. Roy Wilson (of Lord Howe) in partnership with Mr. Bill Mitchell of Sydney, as she lay in what seemed to the former owner to be a hopeless condition, she was patched up, floated off, and sailed to Sydney. When visited by PIM she was sitting snugly in a cradle at Lavender Bay, completing repairs and looking little the worse for her misadventure.

Reports in Sydney, forecasting use of the vessel in a Sydney-L. Howe cargo service, were denied by one of the owners. He pointed out that, with an overall length of only 36 feet, the yacht obviously could not carry a payable cargo over the 480miles route.

Formerly valued at £6,000, the yacht was a won derful bargain at £3OO. However, even at that price she would have been worthless had the weather failed before sal vage was com pleted.

Catwinchar, a 32-foot English yacht with a crew of three, dropped anchor in Neutral Bay, Sydney, in mid - November.

Strangely named by a former owner after his three children, Cathleen, Wini fred and Charles, the yacht crossed the Pacific by

way of Nuku Hiva (Marquesas Apia (Samoa) and Suva. The crc were high in their appreciation hospitality along the route, and e pecially grateful to Mr. B.

McKettrick, Donalds’ representati in the Marquesas, who supplit them with much-needed stor though he was unable to acce their travellers’ cheques as paymer “Just send the money from Apia or Suva— or Sydney, whenever y( can.”

Catwinchar is now preparing f the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Rac Then the crew intended to sell tl yacht and settle.

Inspire (PIM, October, page 4i still lying in Berry’s Bay, Sydne has two very home-sick Ran tongans aboard—Patrick Poi Manu and his brother John Pepe Manu< Glad of the opportunity to ta with someone familiar with the home island, they complained the PIM representative that thoug

ON LEFT: Bachelor’s Wife, on the slip in Sydney. ON RIGHT[?] Mr. George Hunt, formerly of Tahiti, with crew of Catwinch[?] on their arrival in Sydney. LEFT TO RIGHT; Mr. Hunt. Denn[?] Tanner, Eddie Mossop (skipper), Bert Bartlett.

ley write home regularly by air lail, they receive no replies. They re hoping that Mr. Williams will gain abandon his Sydney cafe in ivour of some further cargo-carry ig in the Cook Islands.

Siren (PIM, October, page 118) recked near Avarua. Rarotonga on ictober 2, and abandoned to the nderwriters, was purchased by Mr. >. C. Brown, local ship-owner and

trader, for £6O Without waste of time “Dicky” and about 300 of his cousins laid skids across the reef and succeeded in hauling the Suva built 45-foot ketch to safety. Though extensively damaged, it is believed that she will sail again.

“Dicky” and his team performed a similar feat a couple of years ago with a smaller yacht, which was

later taken to Manihiki and is now in use as a pearl-shell diving ten der.

Mrs. Arthur Jewell, of Port Moresby, was in Sydney on holiday in December.

Mr. Bill Tebb, of Port Moresby, was in Sydney on leave in Decem ber.

On Sunday afternoon, November 16, the [?]rge and attractive residence in Lae. New [?]ulnea, of Mr. and Mrs. Geoff Griffith (he Regional Works Officer of Department Works and Housing) was totally des [?]oyed by fire. Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths [?]ere away golfing, at the time, and they [?]st all their personal effects. Damage is timated at £6,0000. As there are no [?]ater mains in the town, yet, there is no [?]e-fighting service worthy of the name. —Len Harrop photo.