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BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - CHALLENGE BUSINESS BREAKS MAINTENANCE RECORD Thursday 30th January 1997 During the Wellington stopover of the BT Global Challenge yacht race, The Challenge Business has broken a maintenance record by completing eight yacht movements in a day - four yachts out of the water and four different yachts back into the water. The steam-powered floating crane used for this is called "Hikitia", which literally means "to lift" in Maori. Hikitia is the oldest known floating crane which is still in service and the only one still powered by steam in the world. Hikitia was built in 1926 for the Wellington Harbour Board, by Fleming & Ferguson's shipyard in Paisley, Scotland, and the crane was supplied by Sir William Arrol & Co Ltd of Glasgow. It seems somewhat of a coincidence that she left Scotland on 29 September 1926 on her delivery voyage to New Zealand, the same day as the BT Global Challenge left Southampton (UK) on its way to New Zealand, exactly 70 years later. However Hikitia's journey was shorter than that of the BT Global Challenge, arriving in Wellington (NZ) on 21 December 1926, and without a stopover in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). In fact Hikitia's journey was an epic voyage. Under the command of Captain J Fullerton she crossed the Atlantic via the Azores, traversing the Caribbean Sea, passing through the Panama Canal to reach the Pacific Ocean, and onto Tahiti before arriving in New Zealand some two and a half months later. Hikitia has played a important role in the operation of the harbour and thus the development of Wellington as a thriving sea port. In the 1920's and 1930's she was involved in the expansion of the port and in 1931 she laid the moorings for the Jubilee Floating Dock. It also seems that Hikitia has had her own share of adventure, lifting and re-arranging cargo and equipment for Admiral Byrd's Antarcitic expeditions in 1928 and 1933, and during World War II she paid her dues by shifting tanks, assault boats and other materials for the US Marines as they prepared for the campaigns in the Pacific. She has played a significant and hidden role in history, unloading guns for the Wright's Hill Fortress (NZ) in 1944 and has even been known to get involved in a bit of archaeology, when she brought ashore sections of the wreck of the Wahine in the 1970's. During her time she has lifted and carried all forms of machinery, cargo and transport from locomotives to tanks and double-decker buses. In 1990 Hikitia was bought by Hikitia Heavy Lift Ltd, as the oldest piece of floating plant still left in Wellington Harbour. Meanwhile in Wellington the crews will be putting on their gladrags to attend the BT Global Challenge Prizegiving, which is taking place tonight at Government House and will be hosted by the Governor General of New Zealand. Tomorrow's report will cover the event and bring you the names of the winning yachts for all the prizes. These are:- · The Courtaulds Trophy - given to the winning yacht of each leg. · The Nuclear Electric Ltd Trophy - given to the yacht which completes the fastest 24 hour run on each leg. · Commercial Union Cape Horn Trophy - given to the first yacht to round the infamous Cape Horn. Remember the prizes are never won until the jury has made it's final decisions and redresses, so all the awards are still up for grabs. For updated information on the BT Global Challenge : Internet site : http//www.btchallenge.com Fax database : 0990 321123 (+44 990 321123 from outside UK) Recorded telephone information line : 0891 505550 (UK only) Public enquiry bureau : 01703 212124 (+44 1703 212124 from outside UK) Ceefax page 388 (UK only) |
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