McBride sets sail for Auckland

Press, 11 February 1986, Page 40

McBride sets sail for Auckland

PA Dunedin A minor delay did not dampen the enthusiasm of Dick Mcßride and his yacht Kiwi Express which left Dunedin yesterday morning bound for Auckland. Mcßride, New Zealand’s only entrant in the 8.0. C. round-the-world single-handed yacht race, motored out of Port Chalmers at 11 a.m. yesterday after an initial problem with the mainsail caused the departure time to be put back. Felicity “Fizz” Mcßride, Dick’s sister-in-law, said from the challenge’s headquarters yesterday

that the mainsail problems were soon corrected by Dick Mcßride. The yacht left the Port Chalmers harbour under motor, but soon went under sail after leaving the port. Mrs Mcßride said the yacht was doing an estimated speed of seven and a half knots in a light 10-knot wind, which was “up to design expectations.” The send-off for the yacht was low-key, according to Mrs Mcßride, because of the uncertainty of the departure time and the fact that it was a Monday. Nevertheless, it was a

relieved Dick Mcßride who at last got his yacht in the water after six months of exhausting work at the Port Chalmers base. There were initial problems with the pouring of the keel, which caused the launching of the yacht to be delayed, but now everything is expected to go according to plan for the big race later this year. j The 60-foot Bruce Farr designed yacht is expected to arrive in Auckland on Saturday, depending on the weather along the way, where it will begin a New Zealand-wide fund-raising tour.