Cruising

Yachts

• GIT AN A DEL MAR , 42 ft tri maran ketch, arrived at Roi-Namur Island, Kwajalein atoll, on January 16 from Honolulu. Formerly the ANDROMEDA , she is now owned by “Mac” MacDonald, who was on his first trip, with Dennis Thompson as his crew. In their 20-day voyage they experienced conditions from near calm to heavy gusts. A leak in one of the wings made continuous pump ing necessary in the last week. While at Roi-Namur, “Mac” will complete preparations for extended cruising abroad. As the Andromeda, the Ghana del Mar became well known in the South Pacific, where previous owner.

Dr Tim Tiemroth, Kwajalein missile range dentist, spent two years cruising. • SUSIE 11, 36 ft sloop, with Swedish owner, Ulf Peterson and fox terrier, Suzie, was in the Solomons in mid-January. PlM’s last report of Susie II was in October, 1971, when she was at Rarotonga. Since then she has called at Tonga, Fiji and the New Hebrides. Mr Peterson plans to sail to New Guinea from the BSIP. and to set out across the Indian Ocean in May-June. • The Kwajalein Yacht Club has launched a programme to establish cruising contacts for members. Com modore Thom Nelson would like to hear from other yacht clubs in the Pacific willing to exchange burgees on a reciprocal privileges basis.

Although Kwajalein is off normal yachting routes, the club is active and keen to develop friendship with kindred clubs. Yacht clubs interested should write to Commodore Nelson, Kwajalein Yacht Club, PO Box 1928, APO San Francisco 96555 US. • TAU, 90 ft steel ketch built and owned by architect-designer, Mr Colin Philp, of Suva, is at the Patton Carrin slipway in Sydney to be fitted with two new aluminium masts and finish off various fittings.

Mr Philp and his workmen crew sailed Tau (Fijian for friend) from Fiji in October, 1972, and arrived in Sydney on November 1, via Noumea.

The voyage took nine days. It is believed to be the largest privately owned twin keel yacht in the world.

Weighing 50 tons with a beam of 7 ft 4 in. and 6 ft 4 in. draft, she is powered by a 200 hp Gardner marine engine. Tau was built at a special shed near the Tradewinds Hotel marina outside Suva and took 2i years to complete. Adi Lady Lala Mara, wife of the Fiji Prime Minister, launched it last August. “The cost of the two masts and the rest of the fitting will be over $5,000”, Mr Philp said. Mr Philip’s wife Anna, Mr Arthur Evans partner in the Princess Shipping Co in Fiji and his wife, and Mr Tony Philp, manager of the Trade winds Hotel were to fly from Fiji to join Mr Philp and his crew in sailing Tau back to Fiji sometime in February or early March. The yacht’s interior includes 6 two-berth cabins and a single cabin, 3 shower/toilets, main saloon, deck saloon and magnificently

equipped galley.

© ON THE LOOSE, a 30 ft sloop, has arrived at Rarotonga from American Samoa with American, Greig Booth on board. The yacht was built in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1971, and has no engine. Mr Booth sailed from Auckland last October with a companion for American Samoa. After a month in Samoa he sailed single-handed to Rarotonga.

On the Loose was hauled out of Avatiu Harbour for careening. A student at the University of Hawaii, Mr Booth plans to return to Honolulu via Tahiti after which he will resume his university studies.

O MOKSHA, an American cement hulled ketch, arrived at Penrhyn on January 13 for repairs after storm damage to the mainsail and mainmast shrouds. On board were skipper George Gaskill and 11 crew members.

Moksha was out of Tahiti and bound for Honolulu. 9 NATASHA, a ketch which spenl several weeks in Suva in late 1972. cruised for six months among the South Pacific Islands. Writes owner skipper James Bercaw to the Sever Seas Cruising Association, “We’ve loved every place, but especially Pit cairn, Rarotonga and Vavau”. The Pitcairners, he said, were “some o] the greatest people on earth.” © ICE BIRD, 32 ft sloop skipperee by famous yachtsman scientist D David Lewis, reached Palmer Station the US Polar base on the Antarctic Peninsula on January 28 on hi 17,000 mile voyage around Antarc tica. David is now half-way on hi lone voyage which began out o Sydney on October 19. It’s been ad venture all the way. Twice gales cap sized Ice Bird, which is likely to sta at the US base for some weeks a there is plenty of repair work to b done. David is not unscathed. H lost his gloves and had his hand badly frost-bitten when clearin wreckage during the gales. Even whe he dropped anchor at Palmer Static he wasn’t safe. Drifting pack ic threatened to crush Ice Bird befor he moved her to another mooring. H was last reported to be making a ne’ mast.

Mr Colin Philp with his yacht Tau at the slipway in Sydney.