Cruising begins on Spirit of Adventure |
| Monday, 26 January 2004 |
| Taking advantage of the summer in Auckland, the first extended cruise on the new yacht took place last weekend with a small crew including Tim Sadler, the owner and his son.
Departing on Friday afternoon with a fresh breeze, the yacht sailed north up the coast to Kawau Island, testing the MPS spinnaker with a fast reach. The overnight anchorage was at Kawau, where full advantage was taken of the outside covered dining area for dinner. The transom steps, bathing ladder and swimming platform were also put to good use for an evening swim.
On Saturday morning they continued north for another 20 miles before heading out to Little Barrier Island in 25 knots of wind, with one reef in the main and the solent. Once they reached the island they bore away and headed back to Kawau again for the night. On Sunday the wind had died down a little and the owner and his son sailed the boat back to Auckland unassisted. This proved to be very straightforward as the boat is specifically designed for short-handed sailing, as it will often only have two people on board.
The owner is now set to return to New Zealand for a coastal cruise in March after the final detailing has been completed on the boat. The first major ocean trip is hoped to be to Tonga in May. |
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