A NOVEL LAUNCHING
YACHT TIPPED SIDE WAYS
SUFFERS NO HURT
Dominion Special.
Auckland, November 22.
A novel but highly successful method of launching a yacht was employed at Stanley Bay to-day on the occasion of the launching of Winstone Bros.’ new keel yacht Ngatoa. Although there was a spring tide there was not sufficient water over the cradle to float the vessel, and the highly spectacular expedient of allowing her to fall over sideways to clear the cradle was adopted. The Ngatoa is a large craft of handsome appearance. She has a total length of 56ft. Sin.; her beam is 9ft. 7in. and her draught is 6ft. 2in. When the yacht was run to the bottom of the slip this morning she was still standing well out of the water. The only way to move her from the cradle was to float her off sideways, and this was done by removing the chocks on one side and allowing the vessel to topple until the bilge took the weight of the hull. At a signal from the builder, the guys from the mast were released, and the yacht moved over and lay on her side, hardly wetting the decks. The keel, with its tour tons of lead, was still resting on the cradle. The main boom was then rigged as a derrick with ample stays to the mast, and the 14-footer Rangi, with a number of men aboard, was attached by means of bridle and block and tackle to the end of the boom. The boom was then hauled down almost to the water-level, compelling the Ngatoa to lay on her side. In this position she was towed off the cradle and into deep water, where the vessel righted herself. The yacht was then taken to moorings near the Calliope Dock, where she was greatly admired. A most striking feature about the boat is the height of her mast, which is 59ft. high, enabling it to carry a Marconi rig, a distinct departure for so large a yacht as this. The lower part of the mast is made from a solid spar, but the topmast is hollow and extremely light. Two spreaders, well spaced, give the necessary stability to the mast.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19261123.2.91
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Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 50, 23 November 1926, Page 10
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370A NOVEL LAUNCHING Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 50, 23 November 1926, Page 10
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