Bubblicious donation catches nation's mood

For a dozen golden summers the yacht was the pride and joy of Mary and Kent MacLachlan as they cruised the Bay of Islands, catching balmy breezes and a lot of snapper.

Now, there's just the boat, tugging at its mooring chain, its hull fouled with barnacles, its mainsail brand new but never unfurled - and Kent.

And he has been doing more thinking than sailing lately.

Since Boxing Day, the Russell 76-year-old has been horrified by images of the destruction caused by the Asian tsunami. Like thousands of New Zealanders he has wanted to do his bit to help.

The retired Canadian stockbroker has also keenly followed the success of Enterprise Russell, a charitable trust, as it raised $25,000 for the Unicef tsunami appeal.
"I looked at the boat and thought, I don't need it any more, so I'll give it to the poor people of Asia."

Trust chairman John Agace was overwhelmed by Mr MacLachlan's offer. But more generosity was to come for the tsunami appeal cause.

It prompted another big donation - an anonymous gift by a family of a house-full of quality furniture, which the trust will auction along with Mr MacLachlan's boat and mooring, and other donations of furniture.

The MacLachlan gift is believed to be worth about $14,000.

"The boat needs a bit of tender loving care but there's no reserve on it and she'll go," said Mr MacLachlan.

The 7.6m (25ft) boat has a good pedigree - built by Auckland's Don Senior to a John Gladden design- and it has a 10hp diesel engine and a dinghy built by John Spencer.

Mr MacLachlan said the yacht was a Valentine's Day present for his wife, Mary, who died last year.

"We called it Bubblicious after a bubble gum of that name in Canada and the United States.

"There is lots of pink in the logo and that's what Mary wanted.

"She loved pink ... and sailing, but she liked fishing better."

From 1985, the couple divided their time between homes in Russell and Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario.

"Since Mary's been gone ... the boat is not such fun any more," said Mr MacLachlan, "and I can't think of a better place for it to go."