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FAR LEFT John
Guzzwell and Doug
Reid working on
Trekka.
LEFT Havfruen III,
the 18.2m Colin
Archer ketch in which
Reid crewed from
Auckland to England.twice in the Cornwell Cup but, apart from the frst race,
boats are drawn – no one races their own boat. Reid and
Brown fnished second in both events.
In 1957 Reid was ofered a position on the UK
yacht Havfruen III, an 18.2m Colin Archer ketch
skippered by Group Captain Terrence ‘Batchy’ Carr
and his wife Anne. A far cry from today’s norm, Reid
had to pay 10 shillings a day to be aboard. He took
leave from his advertising job and signed on for the
Auckland-to-Sydney leg.
In those days under the Military Training Act
1949, virtually all males aged 18 were liable for
military service and Reid needed Army permission
to leave the country. Carr was so pleased with Reid’s
contribution during the Tasman crossing he was
invited to stay on free of charge.
So Reid resigned his Auckland job and remained
with Havfruen III as they voyaged from Sydney, up the
Great Barrier Reef, to Christmas Island, Cocos Keeling,
Mauritius, South Africa, St Helena, Ascension andthrough to Barbados in the West Indies – a wonderful
learning experience for a young man.
“Batchy was an incredible seaman, he taught me a
lot about seamanship. And Anne was a fantastic cook.”
Troughout the voyage, Havfruen III crossed
paths many times with John Guzzwell in his little
6.2m yacht Trekka. Reid and Guzzwell had frst met
in the Bay of Islands prior to the Tasman crossing
where they became good friends, a friendship which
continues to this day. “I went sailing with John
several times on Trekka. We even did a Wednesday
night race together in Durban.”
Reid stayed with the Carr’s while they chartered
Havfruen III out of English Harbour in the West
Indies for a season, before sailing on to England.
Carr’s sister was married to Charlie Nicholson
of Camper and Nicholson, the famous English
boatbuilders founded in 1863. Tis association
opened doors for Reid.
“When I got to England I had the best introduction