Regatta can count on Colin Brown and Umeme II

By NICK SMITH

The old man and the sea will be reunited once again on January 29 in the Auckland Anniversary New Zealand Herald Regatta.

Colin Brown first took to the water 68 years ago in an 18 ft yacht for one of the world's oldest sailing events. On that particular day, 12-year-old Colin Brown was tagging along with sailmaker John Burns in what was to prove the perfect symbiotic relationship.

"I sailed the boat, while he drank beer," says Mr Brown. "He was good because he taught me to sail, how to use the wind, and it got me interested in boating."

Mr Brown is a master of understatement. His "interest" is a full-blown passion. Every year since 1974, the proud Aucklander has taken to the water for the anniversary regatta in his trusty 25ft Paul Whiting-designed sloop, Umeme II.

Mr Brown loves that yacht, number 44 off the mould with an 8ft beam and a 4ft 8in draft. It's taken him to regatta victory "five or six times," including last year when Umeme II crossed the line second but won on handicap.

He named her Umeme II, which is Swahili for lightning, because "I knew there would not be another named Umeme." Which prompts the question, what happened to the Umeme I?

The first Umeme was an 18ft sailing dinghy that Mr Brown took for trips off the Tanzanian coast when he was working for the United Nations teaching basic engineering skills in the capital, Dar Es Salaam, between 1969 and 1972.

He sold that boat before he returned home but ensured that the Umeme name would live on. The years have not dulled the octogenarian's competitive spirit. This is one 80-year-old who sails to win: "We will be doing our best."

This year will be the 161st regatta since the competition was established in 1840, predating the America's Cup and making it one of the oldest competitions in the world still running.

John Smart, chairman of the organising committee, is expecting between 700 and 800 craft on the water this year, depending on the weather.

With onshore activities, involvement from all four city councils and racing on both harbours, Mr Smart says that this year will truly be a celebration of Auckland's birthday, an event that every resident in the region can enjoy.

"We're trying to make it an Auckland weekend celebration," says Mr Smart. "Wellington has one but Auckland doesn't have a specific weekend."

He says that this year will change Aucklanders' attitude to the city of sails.

The regatta has a proud tradition. The happy relationship between yachtsmen, the Waitemata Harbour and Auckland's citizens began on 18 September 1840 when Apihai te Kawau and his tribe sold a portion of their domain for a European enclave, an occasion celebrated with three races - two for yachts, one for canoes. Interestingly, the canoes, which followed the same course, covered the distance in 12 minutes less than the whale boats. Of course, it was not until ten years later that it was decreed that a yearly regatta would celebrate Auckland's anniversary. Yachting was chosen over "the noble sport of horse racing" because Britain was at that time the greatest sea-going nation in the world.

It is an event that has always attracted widespread interest, a little controversy, not to mention the odd wager on the outcome - such was the competitive nature of Auckland yachties.

Venerable craft of all shapes and sizes have graced the harbour, from the monster 64ft Viking in 1897 down to the humble and comparatively tiny Iron Duke in 1921, a boat in which the Governor and his daughters sailed.

This year is notable for racing on the Manukau and the participation for the first time of the Waitakere and Manukau City councils [North Shore became involved earlier this decade] and the extent of the onshore celebrations.

But it is the regatta that continues to be the focal point of the Auckland Anniversary Day, with its keelboat and multihull events, passage races, centreboard and trailer yacht contests.

"It's a celebration of the founding of Auckland," says Colin Brown. "Auckland is a sailing city and I believe that the Auckland public take a great interest in it and it's up to the yachties to support it."

Indeed, there is nothing that quite matches the sight of several hundred craft sailing the harbour. "It's a beautiful sight, it's a fantastic sport to enjoy - a good, healthy vigorous sport."