Yachting fever gives city landmarks a dose of blues

By Suzanne McFadden

Sir Peter Blake is helping to paint Auckland blue for the America's Cup.

The Sky Tower is getting a first-time makeover, with a huge America's Cup 2000 logo to be stuck on its northern side this week.

And the Hawaiian cup challengers, with the help of Sir Peter and the Cousteau Society, will leave a more permanent reminder of the cup on the side of the Maritime Museum, in the form of a Whaling Wall.

Almost half a kilometre of self-adhesive vinyl will be stuck on the Sky Tower, just below the lower observation gallery, almost 2km off the ground.

Four men will work from two enclosed platforms, usually used for cleaning the tower, to apply the 25m by 18m sign.

The men have spent time in the hanging platforms to get used to working at that height.

Sonya Heggie, the Sky City media manager, said there had been many requests from companies wanting to advertise on the tower.

"But we are doing this because of the significance of the event. It's a first for the Sky Tower, and I don't know if it will be repeated."

The logo should be in place in time for the cup welcome parade down Queen St on Friday, October 15.

It will stay on the tower until April next year.

The 17th man on board the Hawaiian Abracadabra 2000 yachts, marine artist Wyland, will paint the Whaling Wall as a gift to Auckland.

Wyland covered the hulls of the two Abracadabra yachts with whales, dolphins and other marine life, and will paint a similar ocean mural on the western wall of the museum on Hobson Wharf.

It will be the 84th Whaling Wall that Wyland has painted around the world.

Sir Peter, as head of the Cousteau Society, helped set up the project.

Wyland will begin the 128m mural on Friday.