24 Oct Minister’s Wife Takes The Helm
MELBOURNE: Victorian Roads and Ports Minister Geoff Craige’s wife, Anette, stole the limelight from her husband on Sunday when she took the helm of Port Phillip Sea Pilot’s sleek new launch, Hawk IV.
Mrs Craige, who officially named the vessel, then steered the 16.5 metre Hawk IV out of Queenscliff under PPSP president Charles Griffiths’ expert guidance.
Captain Griffiths opened out the throttle to put the West Australian built launch and the two Cummins 700hp diesel engines through their paces.
Powering up to 28 knots (she’s capable of 30), the vessel passed though the heads and met the Bass Strait swell head-on.
Captain Griffiths praised the new addition to the PPSP fleet, which he described as the best pilot launch in Australia, possibly the world.