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ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
164 Ratu VI (ex Palmarie 4661) Sail No.5661 Builders:ExportYachts/Rod Holt Launched:1981 Construction: Balsa-core fibreglass Rod Holt was a professional boat builder with his yard on Madden Street in Westhaven where he had previously built himself Palmyra in 1977. The fibreglass hull and decks were delivered to Holt’s home where he and his son-in-law worked, cutting out the windows and hatches, doing the interior, and building the keel. Palmarie was launched from theTeAtatu Boating Club,scraping a few sandbars on the way out, even at high tide, and motored over to Fosters’ gantry in the Viaduct Basin where the mast was stepped and the rigging done. Rod entered the first Auckland to Mooloolaba Race organised by the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club in August 1983. A crew named Mike recalled:“We didn’t do too well. We got a little bit lost when the SatNav packed up.” Nonetheless, finishing 3rd on handicap in Division 1 wasn’t too bad! The decision to sell the boat was made over in Australia. New Zealand’s tax on new boats was crippling and although Holt had to pay Australian import duty, he actually came away with more money in his hand. Palmarie was bought by Ken Peterson who re-named the boat Ratu VI and raced her actively, especially in the short-handed races with crew,Peter Zehnder. In September 1990 they won their Division in the Jupiters Yacht Classic raced from Sydney to Southport on the Gold Coast, sailing on a reach most of the way in a 30-40 knot West-Nor‘westerly. Peterson was still using the old Hood mainsail which had come with the boat but the strong winds took their toll and he had to replace it. Fifteen months later,there was another 5,000 miles on the log. Ratu VI had again won the PHS Division orArbitrary Division in the JupitersYacht Classic,held inAugust 1991 - a slow race with only 42 out of the 73 starters finishing in the allotted time. In the September Ratu VI competed in the Sydney to Noumea race, which they won on corrected time in the PHS Division. Peterson and his crew of three men and one woman had decided on sailing east to take advantage of the breeze:“We had the best speed, surfing with 15.36 knots on the log,” said Sara Tinning,“We had consistent runs of 9-10 knots before the 15 knot south-easterly trades, aided by the swell and the current.” They then cruised New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands for three months before returning to Australia. Peterson and Zehnder also competed in the Short-handed Association’s Two-handed Trans Tasman Race from Sydney to Auckland,startingon15February1992.Theywonthe1993Short-handedSailingWinterSeries,winning4of the6races,sharing 1st place in one,and having a worst place of 3rd. In 1993 they were 3rd in the two-handed Sydney to Lord Howe Island Race,having to race the last 180 miles under jib alone. The March 1994 SSAA Trans Tasman Challenge Race to New Plymouth is recorded in a letter from Peter Zehnder to the Association:“Hi from the West Island ... Ken & I entered the challenge race from Sydney to New Plymouth and after an eventful trip, where I took an involuntary swim in the Tasman and then in one storm we got knocked down to about 170 degrees getting rid of the wind instruments and other associated gear, we finally arrived in NZ. We came second overall of the three boats that Ratu VI has crossed the Tasman three times and is now based in Sydney James Davern Collection