'Hold the phone' says Kiwi super maxi crew

by Peter Brady on 25 Jul 2005 What do you do when you are part of an eight-man team flaking a 250 kilo super maxi mainsail and you drop your mobile phone?

Australian marine sign writer Terry Wetton has been providing signage for Australian built boats for more than 20 years and, as the boats get bigger, so does the sail signage, not to mention logistics getting harder.

Last week, one of Wetton's signage team went to the Sydney Academy of Sports Basketball court to place the letters Alfa Romeo on the mainsail of the latest in new super maxis.

A 44 metre mast requires a lot of mainsail, so there were eight strong guys from North Sails Sydney, hefting 250kg (550lbs) of 3DL carbon sail around the court.

Job done, the North Sails team has owner, Neville Crichton's mainsail back at the loft.

Then came a sheepish phone call from the Wetton's signwriter to North Sails' Alby Pratt.

‘Mate, could you please go to Alfa Romeo's sail and see if it’s ringing.’ It was.

‘Could you get my phone out please?'

'Yes sure,' laughs Alby, ‘do you want me to do that on my own, or are you and seven mates coming to help?'

Three days later, the offending mainsail was hoist on Sydney Harbour - minus mobile phone.