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Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 395, 2 July 1928, Page 2

OIL TANKER REPAIRS.—In a recent issue of the “Marine Underwriter,” some very interesting; correspondence is printed on the subject of oil tanker repairs. An inquiry was made by a. German underwriter of an English underwriter (who replies under the well-known initials of E.L.J.), asking if London underwriters bad any special surveyors for tankers, and whether they* used any special clause for protecting - themselves against claims for ordinary wear and tear of tankers. Owing to the construction of the vessels, a certain amount of straining takes place, particularly on ballast voyages, and it is difficult to draw the line and say what is an average and what is wear and tear. Before a vessel can go into dock for repairs, she has to be thoroughly cleaned by steam, which is an expensive business, and in actual practice tankers are usually run for a number of voyages, and then sent to a repairing port. where every compartment is cleaned and freed from gas, and the vessel is then drydocked to be examined by the surveyor. When damages not affecting the sea worthiness of the vessel, are allowed to accumulate, as they must by reason of repairs being deferred, the difficxilty of allocating such damage is apparent. There is also the problem of what might be considered the ordinary straining and loosening of rivets which takes place in a tanker. particularly in an older vessel. Whether this should come under the heading of wear and tear or not is one of the difficulties, but where there has been a series of voyages with a certain amount of weather, underwriters find it difficult to shoAv that the damage in question was not attributable to a peril of the sea. All this goes to show that the insurance of tankers, which make up so large a proportion of tonnage afloat, needs very careful consideration. z

A REMARKABLE YACHT. —Not only is the Savarona the largest motor yacht yet built, but she is, in many respects, | the most remarkable pleasure craft of . any type afloat, being fitted, among other j equipment, with a Sperry gyro stabiliser —the largest ever constructed for a pleasure craft—with a weight of nearly 50 tons (states the “Motor Ship”). It is understood that the stabiliser has proved effective in minimising both rolling and pitching in the yacht. During a heavy storm on the trial trip a maximum roll of twelve degrees each side was reduced 1 10 zero. The Savarona has been built for Mr. Richard M. Cadwalader, junr., a banker of Philadelphia, and was completed exactly 12 months after the ordex* was placed. On the trials she averaged 15 knots. It is stated that only 70 per cent, of the full power was developed at that speed. She is intended for prolonged cruises, and for this purpose has large fuel and fresh-water tanks forward and aft of the engine-room. The oil storage capacity is 360 tons, and gives a cruising radius of 11,000 miles at 15 knots. Two hundred and thirty tons of fresh water are carried, and there are tanks for 4,000 gallons of lubricating oil and 1,000 gallons of petrol for the ship’s launches. In a yacht of this size very large saloons can naturally be provided, and the living room and dining room are each 26fL square, the former amidships and the latter forward, on the main deck. On the same deck aft are the owner’s quarters, which comprise a sitting room, followed by a stateroom, a couple of bathrooms, a dresisng room, and a maid’s room, while right aft is the sun room, communicating direct with the owner’s flat. The owner also has a lounge on the boat deck above, and a large organ is installed in the forward end of the after deckhouse, with openings into the living room and main lobby. On the main deck there is covered space, 50ft. by 35ft., and on the upper deck, covered by an awning, there is a clear space, 2Soft. long, with 1011. between the rail and deckhouses.