Cruising

Yachts

The first Auckland-Tonga /acht race will start on May 12 , : rom Auckland. About 25 12-16.6 m yachts are axpected to take part. The first yachts are expected to cross the finish line in Nukualofa about a week later if winds are favourable. The organisers are the Nukualofa Yacht and Motor Boat Squadron and the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron. • SEA SWAN, New York registered. Skipper-owner Arnold (Miles) Corener built this 14.50 m schooner himself, felling the trees in Connecticut and working for eight long /ears on his dream boat in a yard on Long Island. In 1970 he took off, down the east coast of the US to the Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles, Dutch islands off Venezuela and

Panama. Along the South Pa cific tradewind route he visited the Marquesas, Society Islands, Suwarrow, the two Samoas, Tonga and Fiji. Pre sent crew: Mark Mowery and Patricia Ray.

• BENN GUNN, Wellington registered 9.8 m sloop. Tony Roy and Kevin Oliver, both 27 and lawyers, were in Suva in October preparing for the last leg of their round-the-world voyage which began from New Zealand in 1974. Their travels have taken them to Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, West Indies, east coast US, Nova Scotia, Bahamas, Haiti, Panama and across the Pacific. Kevin, in the US, mar ried American Lee McClamroch but because there was not enough room on the small boat, Lee has been island-hopping by air. For warding: 22 Puriri Street, Eas bourne, Wellington, NZ. • THYME, 11.6 m sloop, was a recent forced visitor to Samarai, PNG, while en route to the Solomons. Skipper Doug McAlpine said he had to change course when a damaged wire in the rigging, securing the mast, was dis covered. With McAlpine were Colleen and Pater Halsey and Jeff Lynex. • TIARE 11, 12.21 m ketch from Christchurch, with Johnny Bell, Pip Strack and Dave Dickey on board, arrived in Vila in September. After

leaving New Zealand at Eas ter, Tiare II has visited Raoul Island in the Kermadecs, Tonga and Fiji. They plan now to sail onto New Caledonia be fore returning to New Zealand. • TRITHEAM, trimaran crewed by German family Enrique Daehler, his wife Geb Berthold and their son Marius (PIM, Yachts, December), was apprehended in Honiara in November and the family detained for illegal entry. The

Fiji Government considered asking the government of Solomon Islands for their ex tradition to Fiji. However, Fiji’s Director of Public Pros ecutions Kulen Ratneser, advised Fiji’s police against extradition because of the high cost factor, and said no further action would be taken in the matter. However, if Mr Daehler returned to Fiji, he said, charges could be laid against them. Mr Ratneser said that the owner of the yacht also was not prepared to bring the boat back because of the cost involved. • RENETER, from Mel bourne, Australia, is a 13 m ferro-cement cutter, owned and built by Peter and Irene Jol. They sailed from Mel bourne to Townsville, Cairns, before crossing to Honiara.

They were in Rendova Har bour in September. Irene is expecting a baby in March so plans are to return to Queensland in time for the new arrival. Peter and Irene are diving enthusiasts. • WIND ROSE, a homebuilt 13 m Piver Victress trimaran from San Diego, arrived in Rendova Harbour, Solomons in September. John and Sally Wishovich have been cruising

since June 1973 and are now accompanied by their small son, Vinaka, aged two. Vinaka whose name means ‘thank you’ in Fijian was born in Suva. ‘Tonga was our favourite island group for diving oppor tunities,’ said John. Plans are to sail to Papua New Guinea then on to Australia. • OCARINA, Westsail 13 m from Pago Pago, American Samoa, arrived in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, with Ken and Rica Laymon and Ray Chipman. Four boats travel ling in PNG waters SUN

Day Morning, Arion 111,

INTERMEZZO and Ocarina plan to meet in Rabaul or Madang for Christmas and the hurricane season. • HAGAR, Sydney-registered, 12 m sloop, is skippered by Hans Gunter Gross, a chef.

First stop was New Zealand and then Tahiti, Society Islands, Cooks, Suwarrow, Tonga and now Fiji. He plans to return to his adopted Aus tralia this year. His crew are Kornelia Klein and Werner Glocke, both German. • AMINADAB, Santa Barbara, California-registered, a 13 m cutter, arrived in Fiji after a 2.5-year voyage from Califor nia with Perry Auchinclose as skipper.

• Pink Molamola, Tokyo

registered, arrived in Suva.

Skippered by Yukio Hasebe (40) who hopes to become the fourth Japanese single handed circumnavigator. He left his job in an advertising agency in Tokyo, sailing late in 1977 from Japan to Hawaii in 51 days where he had a great reception. Heading south, he

Photos Jimmy Cornell

Sea Swan and Arnold Corener . . .eight years to build a dream

Tony Roy on the Ben Gunn . . . preparing for the last leg

Yukio Hasebo on Pink Molamola ... cyclone season in Fiji

sailed to Christmas Island and then to French Polynesia. It was then on to American Samoa, Western Samoa, Vavau and Fiji. He plans to spend the cyclone season in Fiji before heading west. For warding: 1-24-15 Kohinata Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. • KEMANA, Vancouver registered, 10 m. Crewed by retired couple Nick and Brita Zeldenrust who set off nearly three years ago on a voyage ‘with no end’. Nick, a former Dutch merchant navy officer, had spent 15 frustrating inland years in Canada before sailing out of Vancouver. Along the way they have visited Califor nia, Hawaii, Tahiti, the Tuamo tus, Society Islands, Suwarrow, the Samoas, Tonga and now Fiji with New Zealand next stop.

• RUNESTAFF, Whangarei registered 9.5 m cutter, upped its crew by one on September 6 when Tristan James was born to skipper lan Hancock and Derry. Tristan was sailing within five days. lan (26) and Derry (26) left New Zealand in June 1977 for Rarotonga in the Cooks where lan had a contract tiling job on a hotel.

They sailed twice from the Cooks to French Polynesia be fore setting off in the opposite direction for Niue, Tonga and Fiji. Runestaff was planning to leave Fiji for New Zealand in November. Forwarding: Box 513 Whangarei, NZ. • JOCELYN, Newport Beach, California-registered, 10.50 m sloop, arrived in Fiji from Vavau with Jay and Kathy Becker and son Rodney Blan ton on board. The Beckers left home in June 1977 bound for Hawaii. Crossing the line to

the South Pacific, they visited the Marquesas, Tahiti, So ciety Islands, American Samoa and Tonga before sail ing to Fiji where they were get ting ready for passage to New Zealand. Jay, a retired aviation engineer, hopes eventually to sail around the world.

• CORYPHENA, San Diego registered 11 m ketch.

American skipper John Mathias got his boat in Toulon, France, 15 years ago, and has been sailing ever since. After crossing the Atlantic, he entered the Pacific via the Panama Canal, sailed down to Ecuador and then across to the Galapagos. The Marquesas and the rest of French Polynesia followed, then a stopover in Suwarrow.

The two Samoas, Wallis and Fiji came next. John's plans are just to keep sailing. • After three years cruising in the Atlantic, the 10 m ketch HIRI, Contessa 32 class, crewed by Charles and Gail Williams, passed through the Panama Canal in August 1977 and has since been cruising in the Pacific: Galapagos, Marquesas, Tahiti. At last re port Hiri had left Tahiti for Bora Bora, made a six-day passage to Rarotonga, Cook Islands, and was headed for Fiji. The Williamses left Papua New Guinea in 1974 as crew on the

Red Boomer.

• WINDROSE, Vancouver registered, arrived in Suva from Vavau with Canadian Mik Madsen (31) aboard. He took delivery of Windrose in England and sailed to his native Denmark before taking the tradewind route to the West Indies, Panama, Galapagos, French Polynesia, Cooks and Tonga. D’Ann McLain of Chicago joined the Windrose last year.

John Mathias of Coryphena . . . and Castor and Pollux

Ian Hancock and Derry with young Tristan on the Runes taff ... sailing five days after birth