News Around the World
Left: boatbuilder Chris Salthouse’s classic Gleam was drawn by his grandfather Jack Brooke over 80 years ago yet she already shows hints of the light-displacement, flat-underbody, clipper style bow look that in years to come will characterise much of New Zealand’s yacht design output. Take a quick look at the photo of the 1977 Farr Half Tonner Gunboat Rangiri at the front of issue 479 and the similarities are startling. Meanwhile (above), life ashore at the annual Mahurangi Regatta moves more slowly
NEW ZEALAND Ghosting along in a light breeze, the pretty 80-year-old sloop Gleam lived up to her name. Her white topsides and golden kauri brightwork sparkled in the bright sunshine, while the scarcely ruffled water chuckled along her wooden planking. Gleam’s pristine condition drew lingering admiration as she slid down the Mahurangi River, north of Auckland, in a fleet of 120 classic yachts of all sizes and descriptions. It was only after the eye had fully feasted on every detail of the
will also compete on the water this year with a brand new JPK 11.80 called Fastwave 6, owned by Eric Fries. It will be a comeback to the Atlantic where Eric was sailing at the top level some years ago. Talking to Jean-Philippe about the current events, he told us the
‘IRC Centre de Calcul’ has been very busy since the beginning of the year. About the arrival of the Rolex Fastnet in Cherbourg, he said he was surprised by the announcement and a bit sorry that the finish of such an iconic race had been changed and the course lengthened with a tricky final stage towards Cherbourg, passing strong currents around Alderney and elsewhere. But JP ended on a more positive note: ‘However, Cherbourg is
of course a great place to welcome such an event!!!’ About foreign crews becoming more numerous in French IRC
races, Jean-Philippe hopes that as the La Trinité-Cowes race has been put into the RORC Championship calendar it will bring some English sailors to south Brittany… The president of the UNCL also pointed out that he had already registered foreign entries for the IRC Solo/Duo Cap Martinique Transat which leaves La Trinité on the 18 April 2021. ‘We have 24 firm inscriptions right now including four foreigners
and potentially 60 interested crews. I think there will be 50 boats (at least 10 non-French) at the start.’ Please remember that the Cap Martinique is limited to 55 boats. Patrice Carpentier
22 SEAHORSE
boat that it registered the three barefoot Gleamsailors were members of New Zealand’s America’s Cup team. In command of the varnished wooden tiller was the owner, Chris ‘Curly’ Salthouse, whose grand- father, Jack Brooke, drew Gleam’s lines in 1939. Tending the main- sheet was Kevin Shoebridge, Team New Zealand’s chief operating officer, while Dick Meacham was trimming the headsail. Although their roles in the team tend now to be more managerial
and operational, between them they have amassed stellar careers in yacht racing at the highest international levels. Their day jobs surround the futuristic AC75 foiling monohulls on their quest for America’s Cup glory at speeds flirting with the magical 50kt mark. Yet here they were, latter-day Huckleberry Finns, grinning from
ear to ear as they drifted down a rural river on a light summer breeze at all of 4 or 5kt. No need for armoured body suits or crash helmets, although they did note with some alarm that, in the heat of battle, the levels of determination among their fellow competitors showed scant regard for the varnish. ‘Holy hell, they don’t hold back,’ Salthouse exclaimed afterwards.
‘We were surprised. You had these magnificent A-Class gaff-riggers, more than 100 years old, going for it on the startline like midget racecars. It was pretty spectacular.’ The Mahurangi Regatta is an annual affair on the last weekend
of January, which also marks the Auckland Anniversary long week- end. In 1840, when Governor William Hobson sailed into Waitemata
IVOR WILKINS
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