Congressional Cup winner also crossed Cook Strait

by Sail-World and John Brady on 23 Jun 2008
Last week’s story about 14year old Phillippa Wood sailing across Cook Strait from the South Island to the North Island, and the view that this was a new record, has generated several emails to Sail-World.

It seems that top America’s Cup sailor and match racer, Gavin Brady did a Cook Strait crossing, along with several other long distance voyages in his P-class in the 1980’s

Gavin’s father John, a professional seafarer takes up the story:

'Yes Gavin crossed Cook Strait in his P-class 'Salty Dog' after competing in the Nationals at Plimmerton. He did the crossing sailing alongside our cruising 42ft Piver tri-motor sailer.

(Back in those days we sailed to contests with both Gavin’s and his sister’s P-classes onboard, and before that we carried Optimists, onboard.)

'Gavin had often undertaken long sails alongside our boat when we were cruising as he loved sailing.

'On the Cook Strait crossing he set out in morning, in light conditions from Mana Island (near Wellington) and sailed to Cape Jackson at the head of the Marborough Sounds.

'This was a longer distance, taking from memory, taking approx five and a half hours in the forecasted fresh NW conditions - hence much of the time was spent hiking hard on his planing P. The cockpit frequently filled with water as the waves in the tide rips washed over the deck.

'Prior to doing this, the Tauranga YC wanted to do a feature on a crossing and involve media.

'I declined as it was to only happen if weather was OK or the P-class simply stayed onboard. However I did agree to phone the media if Gavin did sail over. This we did and the media flew to Picton for our arrival, and the event become headline news.

'At the time, although we didn't know it, the Blenhiem Jaycees had a record established. The previous holder was a 21yr old local, who had sailed a Moth class across Cook Strait.

'Gavin smashed that by sailing a P-class which is our smallest yacht at 7ft – from memory he was aged 10 years old , and became the smallest and youngest to cross.

'Congratulations to Phillippa who crossed recently, as an Optimist is a more open boat, and from my experience would be harder to keep water from washing over.

'Good on her - young people need challenges too.

'As you know Gavin has gone on making a career in sailing, and has just recently won the Congressional cup for the fourth time.

Many have mentioned the fact that after the Cook Strait crossing, John Brady was taken to task by the maritime and water safety authorities.

'The Water Safety Council gave me quite a hard time for allowing Gavin to do it, claimed out tri to be unsuitable to escort this', recalled John Brady.

'I disputed that and also the claim that I was the sort of person that they risk their lives to rescue. Quite the reverse in fact, as I am a professional seafarer with many years experience ... and it’s actually the reverse.

'We put on a old sail so if we had to abandon when he came alongside, we could knife it loose and bring him onboard. We could launch and retrieve while sailing. We undertook a lot of other prior planning, as I was not about to risk my son.

'Admittedly the crossing was done in the face of adverse weather, but I knew what I was doing.

'We need to beware of safety issues here. Cook Strait can be cruel and rough stretch of water, I don't want to see children start setting off without proper thought and planning and a decent sized escort vessel capable of handling Cook Strait conditions.

'I can’t emphasise how important it is to have proper safety processes and equipment available. It is certainly not the sort of adventure that kids should set off doing by themselves.'

The Cook Strait crossing was not the longest sail that Gavin Brady undertook. He did one 11 hour passage along the lower South Island coast, arriving in Port Chalmers at 7.00pm.

Another long distance passage was undertaken by Olympic Gold medallist, Bruce Kendall - who sailed from Tauranga to Auckland on a Windsurfer, while still a teenager - accompanied by his family aboard their 32ft keelboat.