Happy New Year
by New Zealand Marine Artist Jim Bolland
"Dee" Photo © Aviva Racing
No one was happier during the New Year of 2008 than Dee Caffari. She had arrived in Wellington, New Zealand to sail her new Open 60 ‘Aviva’ which had been built by Hakes Marine during 2007.
Dee had just experienced an unpleasant dismasting in the Bay of Biscay, racing her older ‘Aviva One’ and she arrived ‘down-under’ to find summer temperatures and a brand new boat fully rigged and ready to sail. In fact, her hard working shore crew had already put quite a few miles under this latest Merfyn Owen design and when Dee took over the helm, she had a fully operational race machine waiting and ready to go.
Photo © Aviva Racing
With the ‘boss’ on board, the ‘Aviva’ team then put their new boat to the test in a variety of conditions and Wellington’s famously ample breezes allowed them to go out into Cook Strait and put on a show for their photographer.
Photo © Jim Bolland
‘Aviva’ became part of the scenery in Wellington’s Chaffers Marina and was joined at various times by damage refugees from the Barcelona World Race. First to ‘pit’ was ‘Hugo Boss’ with out board hung rudder problems. This of course carried with it a 48 hours restart penalty. Many locals enjoyed the chance to see these race boats up close.
‘Hugo Boss’ Photo © Jim Bolland
Then followed a canting keel concern for the crew of ‘Temenos’ and they decided to come ashore and have this very vital part of their yacht expertly checked.
‘Temenos’ Photo © Jim Bolland
Considering that two tonne plus hangs on the end of the canting foil, the crew of ‘Temenos’ were rightly concerned when they saw a rusty growth expanding on the foil by way of the pivot, just inside the hull. However, with the boat safely in the Chaffers Marina overhead lift, sanding of the affected area and xray of the foil completed, the problem was adjudged to be just that, rust.
Shortly after ‘Temenos’ had cleared their 48 hours penalty and Wellington Harbour, the Spanish entry ‘Matua Madrilena’ arrived in pit lane to check a rudder problem.
Photo © Jim Bolland
All this was a nuisance for the racers, but great for local sailing enthusiasts as the summer break had turned into a ‘Parade of Open 60’s’.
For the complete article, including discussions on ‘BARNEY’S BUGEYE’, RS:X boardsailing World Championships, and more, click here.
Visit Jim's website to see his paintings of the America's Cup as well as Commissioned works he has painted.
