VICTORY’S CRUISE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 34, 3 May 1927, Page 14

VICTORY’S CRUISE

TO WHANGAROA AND BACK AN ADVENTUROUS VOYAGE Cruising in a big keel yacht up the east coast is by no means devo d of adventure, as the story of the Victory s 10-day voyage to Whangaroa and back, which was completed last week, will show*. The Victory left Auckland on Thursday, April 14, and, with spinnaker and topsail set, carried on, well out. to Cape Brett. Light winds were experienced some of the time, but a spanking breeze was picked up and a fast lead was made through the Cavallis to Flat Island. Here the wind petered out and the yacht finally crept into Whangaroa at 10 o’clock on Friday night. The Victory lay in Sussex Cove over the week-end, and visited various points of interest, notably the caves outside the harbour entrance, and had some good fishing off Stephenson Island. On Wednesday sail was made for Rewhlti, in the Bay. The wind headed, u'ith a fairly heavy sea to Flat Island. On the run through the Cavallis, a remarkable game fish was "secured on the trawl. It proved to be a “Bonito”

a brilliant blue scaleless fish, with silver stripes along the lower part of the body, and a light electric blue stripe on. each side of the upper fin. It was about 2ft long, a very fast mover, and very game. It was ascertained that this fish inhabits the same areas as the swordfish, but so far very few had been captured up North One, however, which was caught about the same spot, off Flat Island, some years ago, is reported to be in the Auckland Museum. On Friday morning a course was set to Whangaruru, via Waipiro Bay, and on Saturday, anticipating a change in the weather, it was decided to get on down the coast to Kawau. The breeze freshened past The Gables and the yacht started to smoke alone-. At dark she was off Sail Rock, when bad luck overtook her. Running dead before it, W'ith a bit of a sea, and conditions looking anything but promising aft, the gaff snapped close in at the jaws, and, of course, the peak flew over forward. It was a nasty predicament with darkness on, the wind freshening, rain and lightning and a bit short-handed (the fourth hand had t.o leave the yacht at Whangaroa). However, the crew succeeded in getting the broken gaff clear of the sail, the loose peak of the mainsail brought in to leeward, the lifts tightened, and a very fair trisail was made of the rest of the mainsail which fortunately was undamaged. Under this rig the Victory romped to Rodney, but there the wind, through the rain, took off considerably, and from Rodney to Takatu Point there was hardly enough to move her. She struggled through the rip off Takatu and made north channel, picking up a stinging breeze from the west when just clear of Maori Rock. She made Bon Accord and dropped her pick at Muddy Bay about 2 a.m. on Sunday. At Kawau the broken gaff was repaired and on Monday, Anzac Day, sail was set for Auckland. The wind was kind again and favoured her with just enough to make conditions ideal for the run home, and moorings were reached after a smooth good slant from the north-east. Cup For Outboard Motor-Boats. Considerable encouragement has been given to outboard motor-boats in the South, by the presentation of a cup by Messrs. T. Paterson and Co., to the Otago Yacht and Motor-beat Club, according to “Rudder,” of the Otago Daily Times.”As a result, it is expected that quite a number of this class will he seen on Otago Harbour when the 1926-7 season opens. , , . . The actual conditions 1 under which the cup will be competed for have not ”et been fixed. The building of at least one of the outboard type in Dunedin is under consideration already. As far r»s is known she will be a single step boat with a speed of something over 20 knots.