Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download
ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
109 Pahi on a beat to windward in the 2007 Stewart Championships Charles Scoones Pacquita was then owned by C. J. Fulton for a short while, followed by Richard & Annie Scantlebury. They sold to Bill and Joy Wesch, ex-Commodore of the Richmond Yacht Club who raced her under the Richmond Yacht Club flag with George Retter in the crew. TheWesch’s had owned Pacquita for only a few weeks when she slipped her mooring in Okahu Bay during a storm. Her starboard side smashed against the rocks, twisting her steel keel. She was towed to Shipbuilders Ltd., in St. Mary’s Bay, where her damaged side was repaired and a new,wooden keel was fitted. Some felt that the boat should have been written off,and theWeschs lost 15 months of sailing,mainly spent battling the insurance company, who had insisted on Pacquita being repaired. It was then that Bill added a large“dog-box” hard dodger. He renamed the restored boat Paradox and bought one of the new and safe berths at Westhaven Marina. Wesch’s alterations made Paradox ineligible for Stewart 34 class racing. He reduced the crosstrees to 3’ 6”, was using a smaller cruising mainsail to clear the dodger, and had installed electronic wind instruments and a headsail furler. In a letter from Bill to the StewartAssociation,he explains his reasons for the changes:“Paradox had been set up primarily as a cruising boat with just a little racing with Richmond to add some spice; the last thing I want is any protests or complaints by your dead keen types that my rig does not comply.” He had even gone so far as to ask if it was all right to still have the Stewart 34 logo on his mainsail. Bill Miller had insisted it was fine and in February 1978 Paradox entered Division 2 (Cruising) for the Stewart 34’s in the RichmondYacht Club Regatta. WeschsoldParadoxin1979toFredHerbert,whobecameamemberof theAssociationforthe1979/80racingseason. Boatbuilder KerryAlexander brought the boat back to her original profile for him.The heavy diesel engine was replaced by a much lighter Ford 10 hp petrol engine.Her name was changed back to Pacquita. David & Bronwyn Charlesworth purchased Pacquita in 1981. The boat was weighed in about 1982 and was issued a Stewart Association certificate. KevinHallandChrisLancasterwerehernextownersandusedherastheirweekendget-awayandforcruisingtotheBayof Islands and Great Barrier Island. Pacquita was owned by Mike Adeane, secretary of the Stewart Association, from 2000 until 2007 and raced actively. Adeane commissioned Salthouse Boatbuilders to reconfigure the cockpit to a“T”shape with an opening transom. Pacquita’s present owners are James Abbott,Richard Darrow,Tony Stewart and Steve Ward. The young group have just given her a complete refit and she is back to being one of the prettiest Stewarts in the fleet,and racing in the annual Championship series. Pahi K854 SailNo.854 Builders:LesAllen/DonaldBros Launched:1966 Construction: Cold moulded triple skin Kauri, glassed over Pahi was built in Rotorua by Les Allen, a cabinetmaker, for himself. He was assisted by the Donald Brothers boatbuilders, before they built their own Stewart 34 Pride of Islay. She was sold to Ken Allen in 1969. Don Hargrave tells thestory:“WhenKenwenttoTauranga,hehidthecrew around the corner clutching a bank cheque for the price he thought Les would take. Les agreed and Ken sailed out two hours later!” ApparentlyPahi’sperformanceleftabittobedesireduntil KenAllengotholdof her. Here-distributedtheweightbyopeningupthekeelandpouringinatleast200lbsmorelead,compensating for the extra weight by installing a lighter interior. Pahi is still considered one of the top wooden Stewart 34’s racing inAuckland.