News Of Small Ships

Assessors Survey Vega

Two insurance assessors, Mr. H.

L Warkman of Vancouver, BC, and [r. Bruno Schauman of New York, isited Tahiti by TEAL early in ugust to survey damage sustained st November by the luxury yacht ega (reportedly renamed Te Rame).

Mr. Cornelius Crane registered a fmpany in Tahiti last year under ic name of Compagnie Generate b Voyages Polynesiens, to establish , regular passenger service between ipeete and Honolulu. Some hours ter clearing Papeete on November 1, on the maiden voyage of the new rvice, the vessel was dismasted and [tensively damaged in a squall.

MM, Dec., P. 127). Since then ihe g steel yacht has lain idle in ipeete awaiting insurance settle ent.

E Aroa Finally Wrecked

Ending her unhappy career as an ands trader, the former American icht Te Aroa, belonging to Messrs, gger & Harvey, Ltd., of Raro nga, was wrecked on Mauke Island, the Lower Cooks, on August 8, The 12-tons schooner went ashore the Tanganui landing in an on ore breeze. It is believed that her

engine was not functioning at the time and the vessel was under sail alone.

Captain Donald MacLeod and his crew got safely ashore but efforts to haul the vessel off the reef were unsuccessful and she rapidly broke up.

The Te Aroa (formerly Ornant ) had been frequently in the news since she was acquired by her present owners some two years ago.

Late in August heavy seas swept the wreck right across the reef, de positing the remains in the shallow coastal lagoon. A member of A.

B. Donald & Co., Rarotonga, repre senting Lloyds of London, travelled to Mauke Island in the lower Cooks per Charlotte Donald to view the wreck ¥

Miru Reaches Peru

The yacht Miru, owned by Dr. T.

R. A. Davis, of Rarotonga, arrived at Callao, Peru, from Rapa Island and New Zealand on August 27.

The 48-foot ketch is believed to have sailed from Rapa on July 12. (See PIM July, p. 125).

A letter, posted at Rapa Island, and received in Christchurch by Mrs.

Neil Arrow, wife of a crew member of Dr. Davis’s 48-foot ketch Miru,

told of a terrific storm which the yacht met soon after leaving Welling ton on May 31. She was hove-to for days; took aboard a heavy sea which swamped the cockpit; and sails were blown out. They were glad to reach

Rapa on June 26; and there D Davis busied himself with medic work on the island.

Santa Teretia Lost In Fi

The Catholic Mission in tl Gilbert Is. suffered a severe loss c August 2, when its vessel San , Teretia struck the Vuna Reef, c south-western Taveuni, and becan a total loss.

Santa Teretia was under commar of Brother Gautier, MSC, and h£ just undergone a two-months’ rel in Suva. She had sailed with a fu cargo and passengers for Tarawa c August 1.

Burns Philp’s Yanawai went to tl assistance of the vessel, but was ui able to do more than take c passengers and crew.

Santa Teretia was purchased Sydney two years ago, replacing former vessel of the same name.

New Hebrides News

M. Charles Graziani had the mi fortune, recently, to lose his sh on the reefs on the northern sho; of the island of Aisse.

Close inshore, the ship did n have much of a chance when h engine failed suddenly. M. Grazian; vessel was one of the better types t small ships here, Mr. Tom Lowe now has the Ai wave in good running order. Th ship was blown ashore during tl Christmas 1951, hurricane, cornu to grief at Craig Cove. Mr. Lov bought her as is, and found tl damage to be less than expected.

A twin screw vessel, she is vei comfortable, being equipped wil refrigeration, hot water, showers ar

be usual conveniences found in a lodern home.

The El Retiro is again due to

leave for Cairns, Queensland. She left at 4 a.m., August 17, but re turned before she cleared the Segond Channel owing to a heating main bearing.

The Sydney yacht Jay is due to sail for Port Vila via Pentecost, Ambrym, Epi and Paa-uma Islands.

It may then go on to the Solomons.

Isa Lei Joins Navy

The former bait vessel Isa Lei, of the now defunct South Seas Marine Product Ltd., of Suva, was purchased in August by the Royal New Zealand Navy for use as a dock-yard ammu nition carrier and dumping vessel in New Zealand waters. She replaces Endeavour, which will become a

(Continued on Page 139)

The luxury converted Fairmile launch [?]HILANTE II, with square sail rigged, [?]hich arrived at Papeete from England [?] July (see July “Smallships”). This hoto was taken from ship’s launch while [?]00 miles from Papeete. There is a [?]umour that she may be bought for Government use in French Oceania.

lighthouse tender. Isa Lei was to be taken south by a civilian crew from Suva, for a refit in Auckland.

Smack From Norway

Captain and Mrs. A. Finseth and Mr. O. Jensen plan to sail from Oslo

in September, for Panama, San Fran cisco and Hawaii, for New Zealand.

Their vessel, a fishing smack, is of the well-known Colin Archer double ender 41 foot cutter type, similar to Erling Tambs’ Teddy. They plan to reach Auckland, where they may settle, by next June.

Captain Savoie Buys

Another

The Northern SS Co’s 290-ton steel motor vessel Hauturu became, in August, the third of that NZ company’s coasting veterans to be purchased by Captain Emile Savoie, of Vila, in the past three years.

First was the Kapiti, which Cap tain Savoie renamed El Retiro and

sold to another New Hebrides firm last year. He then purchased the Margaret W, and renamed her Maria del Mar, and now operates her be twen Sydney and New Caledonia/ New Hebrides, himself in command.

Hauturu, built in 1927, will no doubt also be given a Spanish name in the interests of Condominium neutrality. She is unusual in that her after hollow steel mast is also used as a funnel—or exhaust—for her diesel motor. She will probably undergo a refit before entering the Islands trade.

The Tiare Taporo

Due to the absence on refit in Auckland of the Makatea Phosphate

Crew of English yacht STORTERECKER III, Frank Jensen of Norway, Aucklander R. Lamb, who has now joined the com pany, and Dr. John Franklin-Evans, owner.

Captain Savoie’s latest acquisition HAUTURU on the Auckland slip prepar ing for her new life.

The Rev. Father J. Wall, MSC, master of the Solomons Marist Mission vessel HAMBIA, on leave in New Zealand in August. Captain J. McKenzie Arnot, Irish Sweepstake winner, who now goes to command MB’s recently purchased ALTAIR at Suva.

The ex-Brixham trawler INSPIRE which arrived at Rarotonga via Nukualofa from Sydney on August 24.

Co’s schooner Oiseau des lies,

Co. in August chartered the schoo

Tiare Taporo from Etablissemc

Donald, Tahiti, to repatriate labc

ers to Mangaia (Lower Cool Tiare Taporo made her first visit Rarotonga, her former home p

after several years’ absence. A 1

ations have been made to her accc

modation since she left the Coc

to fit her for the Tuamotu trade fr

Papeete.

Islands-Cruising Yacht

The Auckland ketch WAKAYA, ow by Mr. “Teddy” Hayes, was scheduled clear Suva for Tonga and the C Islands in mid-August. WAKAYA Auckland for the Cooks earlier in year but, meeting fresh contrary wii decided to square away for Niue. Fi there, she went down-wind to Suva.

Mr. Edward Sheehan has been awaii a navigator to bring his LADY STIRLI (PIM, June, p. 131) back from Suva Auckland. The yacht had been on li to the Catholic Mission in Fiji si May. Equipped with an excellent ra transmitter, she was frequently he: working direct from Fiji with NZ telephony.

The very attractive English-bi schooner PITHEACH BAN (White Lad owned by retired Captain Watchlin, Auckland, was in Suva in August, on leisurely voyage to NZ. With Capt Watchlin is his niece Laura, and i Italian crew members. PITHEACH B was three years cruising in i Mediterranean before heading for 1 Pacific via Panama. The yacht is 52 tons gross, 83 feet overall and with beam of 14V2 feet. She carries a squa sail yard on the foremast and is cquipj with automatic steering, power for 1 latter—installed at Panama—is provic by two small generators operated fn the propeller shafts. These are allowed rotate as the vessel runs under ss Captain Watchlin is reported to be higl pleased with this gadget as a ere saver.

After acting as navigator on the Auc land scow SCOT’S delivery voyage Suva, Captain J. Arnot returned by i to arrange the sale of his 40-foot ket KIMBALA, before again returning Suva late in August to take over t command of Morris Hedstrom & Co recent acquisition, the ALTAIR.

The ALTAIR is an American-design war-time built cargo vessel of a ty known as a “powered lighter”. Carry!] 300 tons of cargo, a crew of 14 and fo officers, she is 135 feet overall ai powered by twin 140 hp Fairbanks diese Cargo handling is by electric winch< The vessel was recently purchased fro a New Hebrides firm.

From Sydney the converted Brixha trawler INSPIRE sailed, early in Jul for Rarotonga. Intermediate calls wou depend on how the winds served, h owner Mr. H. Williams reported. C deck, when the yacht sailed, was z ancient Austin Seven. The crew include three Cook Islands boys who had be< with the yacht since she left Rarotong

I route from England to Sydney late ist year. (Later: Inspire arrived Earn ing a August 24).

From Auckland, late in August, sailed ie beautifully kept German-built yawl rORTEBECKER 111, for San Francisco, lie had been in Auckland since she nne down through the Islands from mama to NZ in 1950. Her owner, Dr. dm Franklin-Evans, and his Norwegian unpanion, Frank Jensen, have now been lined by an Auckland yachtsman. Dr. ranklin-Evans, between periods of work l a doctor in Auckland, found time to f back to England—and Frank Jensen i Norway.

Another yacht to clear New Zealand r the Islands in August was the 88-foot oop MANU MOANA, owned and crewed r Mr. W. S. Holder and his son, H. J. older, former resident of Kaitaia. r. Holder Jnr., plans to fly back from iva, but his father will gather a crew i Fiji and carry on.