LONG OCEAN TOW

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 92, 12 January 1935, Page 8

LONG OCEAN TOW

Komata and Kaimanawa to be Broken Up BOUND FOR JAPAN The Japanese steamer Komata is to leave Auckland to-day on a long voyage of over 5000 miles to Japan with the Kaimanawa in tow. Some months ago the two steamers were sold by the Union Steam Ship Company to Japanese shipbreakers to be broken up for scrap metal. Both vessels had been laid up for several years, the Komata at Wellington and the Kaimanawa at Auckland. After being sold tlie Komata had her engines thoroughly overhauled, while other repair work was also done to make her thoroughly seaworthy. Tlie only work done to the Kaimanawa was (lie cleaning of her hull to rid it of the many tons of marine growth which had accumulated during the long period she was idle. The Komata is fully manned by a Japanese crew, but in the Kaimanawa there is only a skeletou crew. On December 29 the Komata left 'Wellington for Westport to take iu the large quantity of bunker coal necessary for her trip, and on January 5 reached Auckland to make final preparations. The gear used for the tow will consist of a long hawser with one end made fast to the Komata’s stern, the other end being shackled (o the end of one of tlie Kaimauawa’s cables from which the anchor will be removed. Until (hey are well clear of the Auckland harbour only the hawser will be used for towing. As tlie vessels near the open sea tlie Kaimanawa will.pay out the connected cable until the distance between the two vessels has been increased sufficiently to allow the bight of the cable to act as a huge spring. This will prevent the towline from tightening when the vessels rise and fall in the rough seas which will be met with.

If typhoons or other severe weather is experienced in the North Pacific it is the intention of the captain of tlie Komata to make for the Marshall Islands, where he will leave the Kaimanawa at a safe anchorage arid then proceed alone to Japan. Later, when the storm season is over; he will return to the islands, which are nearly 2000 miles from Japan, and resume tlie tow.