Trouble on high seas
AN American war veteran turned amateur sailor arrived in Suva after nearly losing his life in a 35-day adventure on board a 25ft trimaran.
The Fiji Times published this story on July
13, 1972.
The craft was said to be beached at Kade Village on Koro Island with the bottom of all three hulls badly holed after going on a reef in the Koro Sea three times.
His name was Richard Taylor, who was 54 years at that time.
He is from Hawaii and had set sail from the Bay of Islands in the north of New Zealand’s North Island on May 27 for Fiji.
It was his first overseas voyage in a small craft, and he had been sailing only six months after buying the trimaran.
He said that 200 miles out of Auckland a storm blew up and lasted about five days.
“When it began, I thought it would be similar to the experiences off the New Zealand coast, but I was mistaken.
“At first everything was all right, then as the seas became rougher I felt unsure and frightened.
“The storm cleared up but 100 miles later another one blew up and lasted two days and three nights.
“After this I was really sacred. There was no turning back.
“The weather was so bad I couldn’t take any readings so I could fix my position.
“It was an experience and for me this is my first trip in a yacht of all sorts and I am alone,” he said.
When Mr Taylor did get enough light to obtain readings, he found out that he was closer to Tonga than Fiji.
He had lost his self-steering equipment in the first storm and his working jib in the second storm.
“My storm jib was so small and the genoa relatively so big that it put the trimaran’s sailing balance out.
As a result, I had to steer most of the time giving myself a rest at nights by the steering of the wind,” he said.
He finally got the right wind for Fiji but had two big disadvantages — no auxillary engine and no two-way radio.
“Everything went reasonably well once I got into Fiji waters, but the seas were still very rough,” he said.
Trouble struck again on June 30, 1972 when his rudder pins broke as he was passing Koro Island, and he was left to the mercy of the wind and rough seas.
He managed to get the trimaran close to the reef’s edge at dusk and put over an anchor.
On July 3 the wind was favourable for Savusavu and he thought he would have better chance if he got there.
But the voyage ended at Namena Island, 10 miles from Koro, when the trimaran hit a reef there.
He was still on the reef on July 4, but managed to get her off it at high tides at 11pm.
The three hulls were damaged by then, but he was concerned mainly with the main one.
He finally got off and set sail once more and finally reached Kade Village at dusk on July 5.
He said that men swam out and helped the trimaran into shallow water after she had ‘bounced’ over the barrier reef.
“They (Kade villagers) were very kind to me and and gave me the best food to eat while I waited for my transport back to Suva,” Mr Taylor said.
At first everything was all right, then as the seas became rougher I felt unsure and frightened. The storm cleared up but 100 miles later another one blew up and lasted ....... – Richard Taylor