Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download
ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
120 with a tack by tack recall of the day’s race, which could last for practically the actual length of the race, if given the chance.” Patari is quite unique among Stewarts in that she has had just one owner, and has escaped the “many owner syndrome.” This affliction can result in a mish-mash of additions, deletions and modifications when each new owner tries to adapt the boat to their personal needs. That is not to say Brookbanks hadn’t made a few modifications of his own over the years. Her original keel weight has been increased from 2800 to 3360 pounds and the skeg-hung rudder has been replaced with a balanced blade rudder to help improve stability and control, especially downwind. The original box section wooden mast, lovingly built by Brookbanks and Keith Mclean in the supper room of the Takapuna Boating Club’s Bayswater clubhouse, has been replaced by a Foster’s aluminium, non-tapered, oval spar, and she has a new boom, built by Brookbanks. Halyards are cockpit controlled, and she sports a walk-through transom. Brookbanks was an active member of the Stewart 34 Owners Association from 1966, and was its Chairman, 1975 and 1976. As written by Paul Titchener for New Zealand Marine Scene, Dec/Jan 98/99: “Over [the last] thirty years Patari has started in nearly 600 races; Harbour races, Gulf races, corporate races; Lloyd just loves racing yachts ... [one] memorable race was the 1974 Duder Cup Race, conducted annually by the Devonport Yacht Club. It was blowing hard from the south west, rounding Compass Dolphin, the Number 2 spinnaker was set to run for the next mark, the Motuihe Channel Buoy. As the kite filled, a real screamer of a gust roared down the Harbour, and Patari got up and flew, literally planning. The on board log meter hit 15 knots and jammed, and as described in a contemporary yachting journal,‘Patari sailed the fastest of any keeler has sailed on the Waitemata’ a statement verified by witnesses on North Head [who estimated her speed at 17+ knots]. On board the feeling was eerie, a sensation of windless [ness], as the yacht was propelled at nearly the speed of the wind. Two huge bow waves plumed out, from under the chain plates, while astern the wake escalated high above deck level like a huge rooster’s tail, cognate to that of a speeding jet boat. It was essential to hold a dead straight course, to prevent broaching, Brookbanks the old master on the helm, did just that, and thankfully the gust eased as we, for I was on board (Paul Titchener), approached the rounding mark and all was well. This was a rare event, when a ballasted yacht actually rose out of the water and planed across the water surface.” From Lloyd;“The Stewart 34 has proved a terrific design - great racing, comfortable cruising, easy maintenance when glassed over wood as most of the earlier ones were. The late fibreglass hulls were even easier to maintain if you are lucky enough not to have the osmosis complaint which can be a problem with some boats. One advantage the older wooden hulls glassed over using Epoxy glue have is that they don’t get osmosis. While our family was young we had some great cruises in the Christmas holidays, as during the rest of the sailing season they were sailing in their respective classes e.g. P’s, Z’s, Sunburst. 3.7 and later Javelin. After Ralph Roberts bought the first windsurfer home to N.Z. during one of his overseas sailing campaigns we all got the bug. That meant we had up to three boards and gear we had built, or other friends, stowed on board our capacious Patari and sometimes had to wait our turn while friends from other boats wanted to have a go.” “After over thirty years since launching Patari we have visited most of the main cruising venues from Whangaroa in the North to Whitianga in the South and many wonderful anchorages in between.” Lloyd,who actively raced Patari until he was in his late 80’s passed away in 2006. She is now owned and raced by his son David. A Stroll to the“Local” SimonGundryofWhitbread[RoundtheWorldRace]fameoftencrewedforBrookbanksonPatari. InaDudersCuprace,Patariwas in the lead near the finish off Devonport Wharf. It was about two hours before a dead low spring tide, and as they passed the cable beacon, they hit the mud and came to a sudden halt. There was no way she was going to get off any time soon as the tide was going out. Gundry looked at his watch while realizing that there was only about five feet of water underneath them. He then glanced up at theMasonicHotel,whichwasonlyabout200yardsaway.Ratherthansittingontheboatforanotherfourhours,twoforthetidetogo out,two to go in,he reckoned he knew of a better place. He said to Lloyd,“see you at 9 o’clock”and off he went for a drink.