yachts

Judith Sellars

reports from Suva.

• Wa Wa The Wayward

Goose.

All the way from Victoria, Canada, Trevour and Flo Anderson recently cruised into Suva Harbour aboard their 54 ft ketch Wa Wa The Wayward Goose After seven years in the buil ding, Trevour and Flo launched their new “home” and cruised Canadian waters extensively before venturing out on their first Pacific cruise from Neah Bay almost a year ago.

The passage along the Un ited States west coast to the Hawaiian islands was to be their longest 22 days and, looking back, they agree it was a challenge they feel satisfied to have confronted.

From Hawaii the Andersons,

with a couple of friends, headed for Fanning Island which pro vided their first and fascinating coral atoll experience.

Then on to Pago Pago where their son and his wife joined them for a cruise to Tonga and then on to New Zealand’s Bay of Islands where they waited out the hurricane season for six months.

In New Zealand the Ander sons took on their Swiss crew, Franz, after their son and friends departed for home and headed directly for Suva where more friends were to join them for the return leg to Hawaii.

Their passage from New Zea land was enjoyable but un eventful, cruising in 40-knot south east winds in a good time of ten days.

A Garden Porpoise design, Wa Wa The Wayward Goose is built of wooden strip planks

while the decks are teak laid.

The twin masts are Canadian sitka spruce timber which is better known for its long fibres that bend rather than split when put to the test.

For auxiliary power she car ries a British Perkins 4-154 diesel while, for navigation, Trevour relies on his sextant and a Walker satellite navigator.

The yacht’s interior, although roomy enough to sleep seven, was specially outfitted to cater for the Andersons’ needs.

The galley has a microwave oven and a kerosene stove which Flo uses while cruising in the tropics, and a Dickenson diesel stove which she says proves very valuable in the cooler Canadian waters.

Both Trevour and Flo agree that their reliance on the auto matic pilot system and the recently installed hood furling gear helped make their voyage a more pleasant and relaxing one.

• Avid Hobie Carters from all over the world will assemble in their hundreds at Pacific Harbour, Deuba, Fiji for the 1986 6th Hobie 16 world championships to be held from August 3 to 10.

A total of 420 competitors (210 crews) from as far afield as Germany, France, Thailand, United States, Great Britain, Hawaii, Australia and New Zea land as well as Pacific island countries are expected to take part.

The event is expected to generate over $1 million in foreign exchange for Fiji.

Fifty yachts will be bought from an Australian manufactur er and will be sold off at well under retail price to local and overseas sailors after the event.

Pacific Harbour has been chosen as the venue because of its easily accessible beach fron tage and the favourable wind conditions.

Wa Wa The Wayward Goose rides at anchor at the Royal Suva Yacht Club.