TH AN 



about the thing he loves to do most — sail. He 

 hates the cabin cover overhead, he says; he'd 

 prefer to have it open. But, in this chilly 

 weather, it is convenient, he concedes. 



Cronkite was taking the Wyntje on sea trials, 

 getting the feel of the wheel, learning the oper- 

 ation of the equipment — said to be all the latest 

 in electronics — and testing her performance. 

 "We're just getting to know each other, " he 

 says. So far, Cronkite has logged in 52 miles. 



Boatbuilder Bob Yunaska of Sunward 

 Yachts in Wilmington stands by for his famous 

 customer's comments. The Loran system isn't 

 working properly, but the twin headstay rig 

 Yunaska designed especially for Cronkite is 

 performing well. Forever the broadcaster, 

 Cronkite pulls out a small tape recorder to add 

 to his "boat notes." He records Yunaska's 

 comments about special features of his sailboat 

 for later study. 



Cronkite's trust in his North Carolina boat- 

 builder shows through. "I like nothing better 

 than to talk about this boat," he says. "Bob has 

 done some things with her that might turn out 

 to be revolutionary," says Cronkite, referring 

 to the twin headstay rig that operates on a 

 swivel, allowing for easy selection of a large 

 sail for light wind or a small sail for heavier 

 winds. The sails are operated with hydraulic 

 winches. 



Next, Cronkite invites you below deck 

 where you enter the galley (that's boat talk for 

 kitchen) and living area. Two staterooms (bed- 

 rooms) are located toward the bow of the boat, 

 and the owner's stateroom and a small captain's 

 berth are in the stern of the boat. The yacht is 

 also equipped with two heads (bathrooms). 

 The inside of the boat is finished in Honduras 

 mahogony, and the closets are lined with 

 cedar. This sailboat is nicer than most homes. 



And what is the cost of all this luxury? 

 Yunaska says prices for his 48-foot yachts start 

 at $340,000. And, that's with no extras. 



Cronkite's boat was loaded with extras. For 

 example, he wanted a centerboard, or retract- 

 able keel, added to his yacht — a feature not 

 previously offered on Yunaska's boats. The 

 centerboard would allow Cronkite better wind- 

 ward performance. Yunaska responded with a 



Incho 



R 



design that incorporated the request. 



Other features Yunaska built into Cronkite's 

 design include a special windshield that will 

 collapse outward in calm winds. In place, the 

 windshield offers protection in the cockpit 

 from stronger winds. A unique cockpit design 

 includes a table and special links to all the navi- 

 gational equipment. 



Another Cronkite request was a removable 

 dinghy, or lifeboat. It seems he's always bump- 

 ing high dock pilings with his dinghy. The 

 answer? Yunaska devised a setup that allows 

 for a removable dinghy. 



Cronkite's favorite contraption, though, is a 

 gimballed ballasted helmsman seat that will 

 adjust to the motion of the boat. Cronkite pats 

 the seat and says, "This is the piece de resist- 

 ance of Mr. Yunaska's engineering efforts. It'll 

 be comfortable on a long tack." 



Yunaska says, "Some of these designs are a 

 result of (Cronkite's) saying, T'd like to have 

 this, but the problems are this.'" Others are 

 Yunaska's. 



Of all the boats he's produced in his 10 years 

 as a builder, Yunaska is most proud of the 

 Wyntje. He pauses a moment, then repeats 

 himself. "Yes I am. I am very proud of this." 



To demonstrate the workmanship in the 

 boat, Yunaska points to the helmsman's wheel. 

 "There are 78 pieces of wood in just this 

 wheel," he says. 



Cronkite's Wyntje is one of two boats Sun- 

 ward Yachts' 16 employees will turn out this 

 year. So far, they've always had a backlog of 

 work, and they've never had to advertise, says 

 Yunaska. But then, who needs advertising 

 when you've got Walter Cronkite steering one 

 of your boats? 



And even though it's a Sunward yacht, 

 Cronkite's purchase is good news for other 

 North Carolina boatbuilders. His well-publi- 

 cized boat buy helps to put the state's crafts- 

 men in the minds of other prospective buyers. 



As the sun lowered in the sky, Cronkite care- 

 fully guided his new possession into dock. "It 

 looks like it would be a good night for a moon- 

 light cruise," he says, gazing at the clear sky. A 

 visitor resisted the temptation to say, "And 

 that's the way it was, March 24, 1986." 



'A 



Craftsman in the Sun- 

 ward Yachts workshop 



