[?]Estored

[?]ama of "Solace"

[?]Recked Yacht

[?]T Palmerston

ROM about March to June each ■ year a fleet of little ships slips I by one through the Panama nal to head south and west. Some nplete the voyage; some do not, f some have temporary setbacks. ace was one of the latter, he movements of these craft are i erned by the seasons, bmmander Victor Clark, RN, ltd.), and his West Indies com lion, Stanley Mathurin, were run g a little late last year, he Cook Islands, with their lack sheltered harbours, are an un- Jthy place for yachtsmen from [y November to, early April. Fail [ actual hurricanes, there are in northerly gales—and such a [ caught the 30 ft ketch lying off berston Island on November 14, jng her on to the encircling reef, lalmerston is a bad place for Iter —but it is a good place for bg he Ipe r s and skilled Centers.

IE task of hauling the badly [damaged yacht across the

broad, shallow reef waters to the inner lagoon beach, with the aid of log rollers and oil drums, was a considerable undertaking, but it was achieved by early December, Solace finally being chocked up on an even keel and a shelter built over her.

Then the major surgery began.

The original stranding and the

subsequent hauling across the reef resulted in almost all timbers and ribs on the starboard side having to be replaced. But this was noth ing to the Palmerston men, headed by Ned Marsters.

Two huge tamanu trees were felled, pit-sawn by hand, and all ribs actually cut to shape, as there was no means of steaming and

"Solace" at

Palmerston

Commander Victor Clark (on right) sur veying "Solace", with repairs almost com pleted, as she sat in her shelter on Palmer ston's lagoon beach in August. With him is Mr. Ned Marsters, head man of Palmerston, who was in charge of the brilliant repair work on the yacht. —Photo by Gordon W.

Brereton.

bending in the ordinary way.

Then there was the question of fastenings—rivets, bolts, etc.

No ship was expected to call at Palmerston for many months, but there was valuable co-operation from another source.

The Cook Islands Administration found that it would be necessary to

drop medical supplies from the M Zealand Civil Aviation Departme:j DC3, which passes over the atolll its routine quarterly flig between Faleolo (Western Samr and Aitutaki. The fastenings w ordered from Rarotonga by mes of the Palmerston radio, and March 25, thanks to official

"Solace" moored off the end of Avarua jetty, Rarotonga, a few days before she was stranded at Palmerston Island last November. —Photo by W. H. Percival.

operation, a successful air-drop was made. When the Cook Islands trading vessel Charlotte Donald paid the atoll a visit on August 25, the job (vas nearing completion. Planking aras finished and caulking was well mder way. there is the delicate task of [i relaunching, and of working the little ship through the intricate, hallow reef passage, with the aid if flotation drums. [All hands will be working against Ime, with another hurricane season list ahead (and Palmerston is often he target of the most destructive lows in this area), but if all goes rell the ketch will be rebuilt, re fcunched, and heading towards a afe haven by late October.