A Yacht Called Erewhon by Stuart Vaughan Read Free Book Online Page B

sobered up, Mercedes and Jack sat down to work out the strategy for launch day. With Erewhon being the largest pleasure craft ever built in New Zealand, her launch was going to attract plenty of attention. It was scheduled for nine o’clock on Saturday, the highest spring tide for the month and the best opportunity to ensure that she floated off her cradle. With all internal ballast deliberately left out, she should be able to motor across the harbour toKing’s Wharf, where the ballast and giant oregon mast would be fitted.
    Saturday seemed to take a month to arrive, but dawn broke with the sun’s rays reaching out across the top of Rangitoto. Erewhon was standing at the top of the slipway, her hull bathed in the warm morning sun. A crowd amassed to witness the event. Mercedes had tongues wagging when she arrived in her mother’s traditional Maori costume. Mac, too, cut a dash, with his dark-blue blazer, white longs, club cravat and peaked hat.
    The scene was set.
    Toby, in his new role as club commodore, was the MC for the event, and the Navy’s brass band had agreed to provide the musical accompaniment. Jack and his team, all dressed in new gleaming white overalls, had everything ready. As the band struck up with ‘God Save the King’, the ceremony was under way.
    After speeches from Toby and Mac, a telegram from Irish Tom was read out, then Mercedes stepped forward with a magnum of Dom Perignon. Taking careful aim to hit the plate Jack had made to cover the toe-rail, she took one swing and the broken bottle showered the hull with the golden liquid. Mercedes was liberally sprayed with the foaming champagne, but was lucky enough to avoid the shower of glass and was left standing with the neck of the bottle still wrapped with a gold ribbon in her hand.
    On cue, Jack’s men drove out the wedges that restrained the cradle, and with very little sound the giant yacht glided towards the waters lapping at the slipway just a few feet away. The crowd was strangely quiet as the huge yacht eased down the ramp, but erupted as the hull floated free of its cradle. The dream was now a reality as the unballasted hull bobbed majestically in the water.
    Jack and his men guided the yacht alongside the wharf towhere a now ecstatic Mercedes and an apparently nonchalant Mac were waiting to step aboard. One of the young apprentices, who had made the stern line fast, offered his hand to assist Mercedes on board. Although she needed no help, she played the role of an elegant lady to the hilt, much to the amusement of her adoring crowd.
    As Mac stepped forward, the Rear Admiral, who was one of the invited guests, signalled to two of the band, who, to the delight of the crowd, broke naval protocol to pipe him aboard. Mac, though a little embarrassed at being the centre of attention, acknowledged the tribute and waved to the crowd as he stepped aboard. The onlookers roared again, and a steady procession of well-wishers boarded the yacht to congratulate the pair. Mac had been on board about ten minutes when he started to notice the motion of the yacht. He mentioned to Mercedes that he was feeling a little queasy, within earshot of Jack, who laughed and reassured him Erewhon would be a lot less skittery when her ballast was in place.
    Mac was happy with Jack’s explanation but decided to step back onto the wharf, as he felt that in view of the occasion it would not be appropriate to revisit his breakfast. When the crowd eventually dispersed, the admiral’s barge came alongside to tow Erewhon across the harbour to King’s Wharf. Erewhon had her own auxiliary, but, as the men from Gray Marine had said they wanted to do some further testing, Erewhon made her first voyage courtesy of the Navy.
    Over the next week, the mast was stepped, ballast loaded, engine tested, sail wardrobe installed, and all the last-minute adjustments made before the sea trials could begin. Mercedes had no shortage of volunteers. With Toby’s aid, she selected thirty-five