Pipiriki

"Pipiriki"

10,057 gross
5,785 net
9,785 deadweight
High,intermediate & low pressure turbines geared to a single shaft.
15.5 kts
481,500 c.f.R.

28/12/1943: launched by A. Stephen & Sons, Glasgow.
16/05/1944: Delivered to NZSCo.
30/11/1955: Struck the quay wall at Swansea.
13/06/1956: Suffered a fire in the insulation while under repair at Falmouth.
28/12/1966: Transfered to the Federal S.N. Co Ltd
14/01/1968: Shed a propeller blade in mid-Pacific, bound London, proceeded under auxiliary sail and slow engine speed to Suva where she arrived on 02/02/1968, she was later docked at Wellington for repairs.
03/02/1971: Arrived at Kaohsiung from Dunedin and demolition began on
the 18th.

I remember reading about her 'sailing' to Suva in an old Crossed Flags mag.

"Pipiriki"
She was me first ship, stwds boy sailed 5 Nov 1964 out of Liverpool hit the tail end of hurricane Helen had to shelter at the Azores and replace two horse boxes. Had the 2000 guineas trials winner in the stewards mess. I think it was that trip we also called into Suva.
Peter Bennett

That you did Pat, Crossed Flags No.7. May 1968.

An edited extract follows:

On the 14th January 1968 the Pipiriki was just over seven days from Apia when at 01.10 hrs a moderate shock was felt thoughout the ship followed by excessive vibration. The propeller shaft was inspected while running at dead slow and it was apparent that the propeller was unbalanced.The engine was stopped and nothing more could be done until daylight.
At 06.00 hrs Capt W.D.F. Cooper decended a pilot ladder at the stern and as the propeller was turned slowly with the turning gear it was quite apparent that one blade was missing. Of concern now was the condition of the other three blades and if any damage had been done to the rudder.
As luck would have it the both the 2nd officer and the chippy were aqualung enthusiasts and fortunately had their gear on board.
As the air bottles were too large and heavy to wear climbing down to the end of the pilot ladder Capt Cooper used only the face mask. The inspection confirmed that the blade had gone and the hole into which it fitted on the boss was clearly visible, together with some of the broken studs. The three remaining blades appeared to be undamaged and the rudder appeared to be in good order. The After Peak tank and the rudder gland compartments were inspected and found in order and the course was resumed at dead slow ahead at 07.34 hrs.
The Pipiriki was 634 miles E.N.E. of the Marquesas Islands with Papeete as the nearest port but with limited commercial repair facilities available it was decided to continue direct to Suva where most of the cargo was due to be discharged.
To conserve the fresh water supply the port boiler was shut down and the domestic fresh water was severly rationed, the hot water supply was turned off and each man was allowed eight gallons of water a day.
To take avantage of the fresh easterly wind, Tarpaulins were rigged as sails at numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5 hatches. The starboard derricks were raised at Nos. 1, 2 and 5 hatches and the main forestay was utilised at No.4; a fine jib was also raised on the fore topmast forestay.
At noon on the 17th January, engine revoloutions were increased to 50 and the ships speed increased to 7.5 knots. As the sails began to back fill with the increase in speed they were taken down.
The anchor was dropped in Suva Harbour at 19.41 hours on Friday 2nd February, 26 days out of Balboa. The Pipiriki steamed the 3,151 miles to Suva at an average speed of 7.2 knots.
After a complete inspection by a diver of the remaining blades and rudder the Pipiriki departed for Wellington on Thursday 8th February. The 1,512 miles to Wellington were covered at 6.8 knots.
On inspection once in the floating dock at Wellington the opinion was that the blade had worked loose and had been thrown.

Extract from a report by Captain W.D.F. Cooper, courtesy Crossed Flags May 1968.

Beautiful ship and fascinating stories. I was never in the Pacific with Brocklebanks and admire anyone who is willing to stick his head under the water in mid-ocean - I'd be imagining a sudden shark attack.

We also experienced a smashed horse box in the Bay of Bengal in 1956. I was the sole apprentice and caring for 6 racehorses bound for Calcutta. We hit a cyclone and took green water over the starboard after deck which left one horse standing completely exposed and surrounded by debris. We managed to get her into the passageway where she stayed, alone, for the remainder of the voyage. We were then stranded at Sandheads for 2 weeks - water and food rationing follwed but they all survived though in poor condition. I always wish that I had gone to Australia and NZ - you chaps seem to have had a great time.

Regards to all
PB

I wish I'd kept all those old Crossed Flag papers that were in the library on Somerset. The bottom cupboard was full of them. Belated thanks for the full story & acknowledgement that I did read this. Was there something wrong with her eveaporators too & cadets/apprentices had to stand 'Hugging' these to keep the right temperature? Something else stuck in the back of my mind.....I did read a lot of those papers Ha!!

Dox, a little more on the water situation, (courtesy crossed flags)

"The domestic fresh water was severely rationed. The hot fresh water was turned off, and it was arranged to fill the 2.5 ton gravity tank once daily allowing eight gallons of water per man per day.
The first efforts at evaporating sea water for the boilers were not entirely successful and dispite adding fresh water it did bot come up to the standard for the boilers.
The swimming bath canvas was rigged in the after end of the starboard allyway on the main deck and the suspect water was pumped into it. This water was used for cleaning and washing purposes.
Down in the engine room, engineer cadets, Martin Hillmansen, Michael Sheret and Alan Martin were shackled in rotation to the evaporator and by their sterling efforts produced tons of non-saline boiler water"

Tom,
I know Martin Hillmansen - he has just retired from Stena - lucky bugger. He never mentioned his escapades with evaps. I guess they were the "flash" type.
She was the first NZSC ship I ever saw - cadet visit late 1970. My first initiation to "cabin drinking!

Good old Martin - last ship Stena Lynx III, Fishguard.

Hi
Me and a kid from Hornsea joined the Pipirikki in Dec69 in Hull our home port, first trip,I remember these two bronzeid guys leaning near the gangway, saying "look at these two milk bottles coming aboard" I guess me and Dave never had a sun tan in our lives, hard to get one at Brid or Scarbough.
Iwas never keen on sun tanning, just got over skin cancer due to the "current bun"
now due to the radiation treatment I've got a perminant mohawk hair cut. still better than being "brown Bread". I try to wake up every day gratefull, cos there's alus some poor b--t--d worst off than yourself?

All the best for Hogmaney
Hughesy