She Sails Closer To

The Wind, Now

The Betio (Tarawa) ketch "Nau taka", which was built at Vaitupu, Ellice Islands, in the 1920'5, was recently re-rigged in the GEIC Whole sale Society's boatyard at Betio as a gaff-rigged sloop. She now sails much closer to the wind and is much faster, according to reports.

"Nautaka" sailed in Fiji waters in pre-war days, and was sailed single handed back to Tarawa in 1944 by Captain Langdale, a legless man.

Since then she has been employed as a copra collector in Tarawa lagoon.