Rahna – New Zealand

Oil on Canvas Board
12 x 16 inch

The painting depicts the 26 ft timber ketch Rahna sailing past The Poor Knights Islands en route to Auckland in 1971

I sailed on Rahna with three other crew members from Melbourne to New Caledonia and then to New Zealand arriving in December 1971. Whilst sailing between Poor Knights Islands and the NZ coast at around midnight, we encountered gale force winds, which hadn’t been forecast, with winds reported in excess of 80 knots. We sailed under bare poles with deadlights covering all the windows, until just before dawn, when we were able to set our ‘nappy’ jib which provided steerage in the moderating winds which still remained above 40 knots for most of the day.

The specifications on Rahna are detailed under the separate post of Rahna at Lord Howe Island