Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download
ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
144 Coastal Classic which is Cat 3. The IRC nationals were Cat 4 where lifelines are not mandatory but because the boat was measured with them they were carried on the boat. Some days after the series was over it was identified to us that to comply with our IRC rating the stanchions and lifelines were required to be‘in place.’ It was not envisaged that we would take any action but I elected to withdraw on the grounds that the boat was not raced in accordance with her IRC rating certificate. I would prefer to be labelled a fool rather than a cheat!! Had our discretion been identified after the first race we could have sailed the remaining races in correct form and possibly still have won as we could maybe have dropped that race and carried our worst place of a 5. Anyway not to worry the party is over and I guess we scored a moral victory!!” Roy Dickson Playtime (ex Pua-wai then Pink Panther) Sail No. 5422 Builder: Export Yachts Launched: 1984 Construction: Balsa core fibreglass Peter Spencer would have liked to continue using the name Cotton Blossom which had appeared on his successful string of race yachts, but in keeping with tradition named his Stewart Pua-wai, which is Maori for“blossom on the water.” Spencer sent a truck from Huapai to collect the boat from Export Yacht’s factory. Jim Lawry, the hard-nosed manager had a“no cash-no splash” policy and would not let any finished yachts leave the factory until he had the final cheque in his hand. While awaiting the cheque, some of the boat builders decided to have a bit of fun. They decorated the side of the boat with toilet paper spelling out the name Purex. This just happened to be one of the brand names of toilet tissue sold by Mr. Spencer’s company. Puawai was paid for and launched. Mr.Spencer,who was disappointed with her performance in her first few races,apparently gifted the boat to his teenage son Chris. Chris, with typical teenaged exuberance, re-christened the boat Pink Panther, adorned the topsides with the iconic cartoon character and painted the mast a shocking pink colour. A few years later she was purchased by the more gentlemanly John Beck, who again renamed the boat, this time to the more sedate Playtime. He changed her colour scheme to white and nothing has been changed since. Beck had previously owned Hopscotch, a one-off 29’ Bob Stewart design. Her hull was constructed of double-skin kauri by Max Carter, and finished by Beck who sailed her extensively in Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds for 7 years before sailing to Auckland in December 1984. Beck won the Governor General’s Cup Olympic Series in 1988 but as he said,“racing takes a backseat to cruising.” During his ownership, Playtime averaged 1400 leisurely cruising miles a year around the Hauraki Gulf during the summer. Beck re-built Playtime’s interior, opened up the cockpit and transom, and moved the traveller to the coach-roof to improve comfort and safety especially for the young or inexperienced crew and passengers. He replace the 10 hp BMW engine with a 27 hp Yanmar diesel which is still in service. Equipped with a furling headsail, self-tailing winches and lazy jacks, single- handed sailing posed few problems“even for the more aged”. John, now in his early eighties, has sold Playtime and purchased a Farr MRX. He still races regularly in the Ponsonby Cruising Club’s Rum races on Thursdays, and cruises in luxury on his beautiful 40’ power-cat Phantom. In May of 2001 a partnership made up of two keen Stewart sailors, Mark Farrell and Peter Turner purchased Playtime. Farrell had done some cruising on his previous yacht, but had caught the racing bug after a few Ponsonby Cruising Club Tony Knight helms Playtime in ideal sailing conditions in the 2003 Stewart Championships Charles Scoones