Page 6 - Panamuna Details Oct 5 2020

Eun-Na-Mara" (Neil McAlister/ leading winner "Panamuna" iBill Luca*) at start 0/ the race in Fremantle Harbor. “Panamuna"
created a race record of 37 hours 32 minutes and 30 second*. Pleasant condition* at the start were soon replaced by strong
variable winds which played havoc with the fleet
when the yacht fell into a hole IOOUI unexpectedly filled on the wrong side and be too risky to continue.
20 feet deep. "It was just like a lift going Norm was very efficiently shoved into the Flying Doctor, Harold Dicks, having his
down and the passen- ers not knowing water by the spinnaker pole. Luckily he first Naturaliste. had quite an adventure
when It would hit ottotn." When the was retrieved immediately. Despite these on 'Nyalla.” He was at the tiller without
butt joint sprang pen from the terrible setbacks George continued to sail "Rakoa" relief from 5 o'clock on the Saturday
fall. It broke • rough three coals of to within 10 miles of Cape Naturaliste. Yet afternoon until 8 o'clock on the following
fibreglass, and ".mediately created a when he saw that the crewmen were morning and said on his return that he
serious leak. To reduce the inflow of fatigued to exhaustion point and when the would not like to go through that night
water, crew- rnan Bob Hillier braced his weight of water in the yacht became too again.
back against the bulkhead and after the much to handle (plus the fact that they Early on Saturday afternoon, after
:rew had done some furious pumping, were not making much headway* he being becalmed off Mandurah. it was
-^ares were then fired and a powerful reluctantly withdrew from the race and decided to work "Nvalla'' seawards, so that
torch used to send out an S OB. The headed inshore. “Rakoa" was then much she would have the predicted nor-wester
HMAS "Diamentina" then went i x their easier to handle and with no more water behind her for the run to the Cape. But
assistance and towed them into coming over the side into the open when the wind changed to the south and
Bunburv. Hasty repairs were sen cockpit, the crew were able to keep the quickly- kicked up a vicious sea. "Nyalla"
effected and "Thea" was able a sail back ship dry. was in an unfavorable position. To make
to Premantle. Syd Muhling. skipper of “Flame.” matters worse, three of the crew members
The 23 foot sloop. “Rakoa." the withdrew from the race at 4 am. Sunday were seasick It was so rough that they
smallest boat in the race, also had morning, when within 50 miles of the could not reduce call without the aid of
'JO troubles. At the height of'the Cape. He said the seas were the biggest he the motor. So the motor was started and
:aow early Sunday morning, she re- had experienced in an ocean race. As "Nyalla" made for home under much re-
vived such a pounding the seams "Flame" dropped into the troughs she duced canvas.
-rider the bows opened up and skip- shuddered so badly that he thought she Don Allen, owner-skipper of the Sunset
set George Dixon and crew members would break in halves. The crew was class yacht. “Colleen Marie.” was holding
Norm Steere and Brian Guhl -ast forced to use the pumps when she sprang a forward position approaching Cape
couldn’t keep the water down as a a couple of planks. It was not until a high Naturaliste. when
safe level. wave almost knocked "Flame” fiat that it
Norm Steere also took a tumble into became obvious it would (Continued on page S6>
the sea. It occurred when he iibing SEACRAfT. July 1961 39
the spinnaker. The extra