Personalities Afloat

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 420, 31 July 1928, Page 14

Personalities Afloat

MR. “MICK” ENSOLL The Devonport Yacht Club is fortunate in having men who give their time and help, without limit, to make the club among the best in New Zealand. Listed among them is Mr. “Mick” Ensoll; Mick is not his real name but it i« the only one by which yachtsmen know him. Joining up with the club when it was re-formed in 1923, he filled the office of secretary for two years, 1925-1926, and was the official “engineer” for the club in the erection of its pavilion and re-arranging the hauling up site: as well as being one of the tireless 5 or t> members who have spent their week-ends toiling on the pavilion and grounds. Mr. Ensoll took up sailing on the Waitemata in 1914, with the keeler Katie. In 1917 he joined the crew of lorangi and after nine years connection with her “signed on” with Prize. In between times he has sailed in a number of other craft. In 1917 he was one of the crew that sailed the Maharangi yacht to Wellington. More recently in company with Dr. H. Chesson he went for “a bit of a sail” in the open boat Solace as far as Whangarei. Solace has been decked since and Mr. Woods had a startling experience when she was capsized in the Firth of Thames a couple of months ago. Mr. Ensoll also undertook to deliver the 14-footer open boat, Rarawai, to Thames and one Saturday afternoon started off, alone. He ended up in pitch darkness in a howling gale that made carrying even a pocket handker-chief-size sail a trouble; however, he managed to reach Thames and hand over the float. Mr. Ensoll is a well-known figure in the squadron rooms and amateur boat designers have found his skill with the drawing pen of great assistance.