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Issue 32 – June 2012 – Classic Yacht Association of Australia Magazine
www.classic‑yacht.asn.au
Our aim is to promote the appreciation
and participation of sailing classic
yachts in Australia, and help preserve
the historical and cultural significance
of these unique vessels.
CONTENTS
CYAA Representatives 2
New members 2
Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong 3
Return of the Tumlaren 6
Oswald Brett 8
Mercedes III 11
Return of the Twelves 14
The Leda Enchantment 4 16
New Zealand Classic Yacht Journal 22
Classics Sydney to Hobart 24
Southern Trust Regatta NZ 25
Vintage Regatta QLD 28
Vale Justus Veeneklaas 30
Membership Application 32
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
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CYAA REPRESENTATIVES
ADMINISTRATIONCYAA
65 Surrey Road
South Yarra
Victoria 3141
admin@classic‑yacht.asn.au
EDITORIALRoger Dundas
Mobile 0419 342 144
Design and Production
Blueboat
www.blueboat.com.au
NEW SOUTH WALESPhilip Kinsella
Tel (02) 9498 2481
QUEENSLANDIvan Holm
Tel (07) 3207 6722, Mobile 0407 128 715
SOUTH AUSTRALIATony Kearney
Mobile 0408 232 740
TASMANIAKelvin Aldred
Mobile 0412 108 994
VICTORIAPeter Costolloe
Mobile 0419 171 011
Steam Launch Firefly with Fife cutter Sayonara during the sail past
Phot
o: B
ob A
pple
ton
WHYTE, JUST & MOORE WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL OF GEELONG
BOB APPLETON OAM
The recent display of wooden boats at the Whyte, Just
& Moore Wooden Boat Festival held at the Royal Geelong
Yacht Club, really displayed the skills, care and attention
given to absolutely beautiful classic wooden boats that
obviously, had been carefully restored and maintained and
then, obviously painstakingly preened, polished and popped
into their pens by particularly patient owners!
The ideal weather and the perfect setting, assisted by a cast of
thousands and a small group of dedicated volunteers certainly
made this year’s Whyte, Just & Moore Wooden Boat Festival of
Geelong a smash hit!
A larger than expected fleet of wooden boats arriving at the
Royal Geelong Yacht Club during the Labour Day weekend gave
the public a mind boggling weekend over the two day festival,
10 and 11 March. It started with the arrival of absolute classic
yachts over the finishing line in the Classic & Modern Wooden
Boat Passage Race.
With well in excess of one hundred craft on display, it was no
wonder that the sleek greyhounds of the sea were like magnets
to the general public!
The Topsail Cutter Sayonara of 1897 with her 2079 sq ft of sail
and Windward II, built in 1929 are both classic examples of the
class of exhibits on display.
In the race,line honours went to Ian McFarlane’s 43ft Joubert
Black Swan Kingurra with the winner on handicap being Carl
De Fina’s 39ft cutter, Anitra crewed by Aaron, Marcus and Elise
De Fina assisted by Chris Hewitt.
What a line up!! Anita was built at Triabunna in Tasmania in 1948
with a hull and deck of celery top pine on spotted gum.
More races on the beautifully flat waters of Corio Bay resulted
in the 21ft Nellie Rose owned by Russ Watson of Drysdale
winning the Yanmar Marine Corio Bay Couta Cup. Nellie as she’s
affectionately known is described as being of the olde salt variety,
quote: ‘Nellie is a unique little girl with a plumb bow and quite a
fine transom!’ The sort of gal I looked for when I was in the navy!
Nellie has a history of once belonging to the Geelong St Augustine’s
orphanage and was built in the early 1900s in Port Fairy.
If anyone wanted a better picture than that of the twenty three
classic wooden boats lining up for the 4 Winds Marine Classic
NEW MEMBERS
John Devers
QLD Boat Owner “Christela” – 1961 Frederick Parker design, built in the Isle of Wight. 10.2m
Robin Kerr
VIC Boat Owner “Vanessa”- 1928 William Fife design. 14.8 m
Diane Kerr
VIC Crew “Vanessa”
Alexander McFarlane
SA Crew (unknown yacht)
Greg Hynes
VIC Boat Owner “Jan” – 1962 Stella Folkboat . 28’
Andrew Godwin
HBYC Boat owner
Vahine – 1952 Tumlaren
Lyndall Boyle
RYCV Crew Sayonara
John Boyle
RYCV Crew Sayonara
Anthony Wilmott
RYCV Boat owner
Huia – 1950 (approx) H28
David Ascott
RMYS Boat owner
Sunbeam – Vertue Mk II designed by J Laurent Giles, 27’ cutter, cedar strip epoxy fibreglass – admitted as a “modern classic”
Katherine Solly
RBYC, SYC Crew
Ettrick
Ian Rose RYCV Crew Cyan
Robert Evans
NSW SASC Boat owner
Celeste – 1954 Tumlaren
Caroline Mason
TAS Crew Shipwright Husband restoring a Dragon
Scott Ryrie
Boat Owner “Nomad” Arthur Robb Lion Class 35’ LOA
Mark Reid Boat Owner. Gippsland Net boat Matilda Derwent Class “Sea Wren”
Rod Caddy
Boat Owner “Athena” from Mornington Yacht Club
Andy Indrans
Laurent Giles Vertue “Corio Vertue”
COVER PHOTO: 7 TUMLAREN AT DAWN
GEELONG, MARCH 2012
COVER PHOTO BY: ROGER DUNDAS
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
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Phot
o: B
ob A
pple
ton
Packed Marina Royal Geelong Yacht Club
Winner of the Concourse d’Elegance Windward II
Boat Trophy race, they’d have to search the world. At Geelong,
it was served up on a platter!
The stately lady, Sayonara, said goodbye in Japanese to the fleet
by leading for most of the race and taking out line honours.
Never-the-less, a wily wolf named Lupa Wylo won on handicap
after stealing the handicapper’s heart!
Lupa Wylo is a 1936 classic wooden boat, built in Adelaide of
jarrah and kauri and has been magnificently restored over a two
year period by owners Lilliane Caron and Fabrizio Tassalini.
She, Lupa Wylo (not Lilliane!) has beautiful bronze winches,
traditional timber turning blocks and an oregon mast and boom
with stainless steel rigging.
She, Lupa Wylo (not Lilliane! AGAIN!) is easily managed by
a small crew under all conditions and she makes a great long
distance racer.
Wooden boats came in all sorts of shapes and sizes and the two
steam boats choof-choofed around the marina to the toot of their
steam hooters!
Firefly 2 has a great description! She’s a Scruffie (my mum used
to call me that!) Marine 16ft day boat and was built from a kit
and modified a tad. A couple of the frames were added to make
the interior larger and the decks planked to give it a little class!
She’s now about 7 years old, 18ft long, 6ft wide with a draft of
about 2ft 6ins.
The other ‘tea urn’ (which actually had an urn beside the boiler!)
was the steam driven Osborne. Classic boats, classic names! This
delightful craft is 24ft overall with a beam of 5ft. Built of Western
red cedar, Queensland beech and Tasmanian blackwood she hits
a speed of 6 knots with a steam pressure of 100psi. Let’s break
out the water skis!! A delightful craft to see and to ride in.
Many power boats were part of the Navigation Rally which was
won by Cadora owned by Chris Ackerman, Rear Commodore of
RVMYC in Williamstown.
Herons are the type of yacht that many of us grew up with and
Ralph Brown’s Heron, Sarie was the victor in the Heron series
taking out the Norglass Trophy.
Geelong lad, Rob Ballard, on board his 23ft Norwalk Islands
Sharpie Route 66, won the Corio Bay Cup. Route 66 is a trailable
and was designed by Bruce Kirby, based on the traditional
oystering sharpies of Long Island Sound, USA. Rob built Route
66 in his garage from a kit!
What’s a Norwalk Islands Sharpie you say? They are cat ketch
rigs with the masts supported in tabernacles which allow
for simplicity in raising or lowering the masts for rigging and
de-rigging. The masts and booms are carbon fibre. Built in the
traditional way, upside down on a jig, using hoop pine keelson,
chines and sheers and gaboon ply frames with topsides and deck
of 9 mm ply with 3 layers of 6mm cross planked for her bottom.
No mechanical fastenings were used in construction. Now, isn’t
that a boat and owner you can admire?
The judges had a tough job with the Concours d’elegance.
Considering that all the entrants had been built to quite different
standards and quite different design specifications, the judges
decided to judge according to each one’s unique qualifications.
The standard was so high that it was decided to award an
honourable mention to a beautifully presented, 1971 15ft
Seacraft SR motor launch Conquistador . Owned by Kerry and
Noel Palmer, they have used her to enjoy 6,482 hours of family
skiing! Successfully too, having won a total of 56 trophies at
SSBOC events which include family marathons.
The overall winner of the Concours d’elegance is unquestionably
a rare and real Classic. She is the 44 ft absolute and complete
classic, Windward II.
Designed by Norm Dallimore, Windward II was built by Percy
Coverdale in Hobart in 1929 using the finest Australian timbers,
King Billy pine on blue gum frames. She is roved copper fastened
and has a lead keel. With oregon spars, she measures 44 ft on
the deck, waterline length of 34 ft 2ins, overall length is 54 ft 6
ins. Her beam is 10ft 3 ins, her draft, 6ft 6ins and she displaces
13 tons.
While racing was progressing on the water, the onshore activities
were full of surprises. Among the highlights and willing to talk
boats with anyone were that amazing pair of adventurers, Lin and
Larry Pardey. They have been round the world, east- and west-
about, against the prevailing wind south of the great southern
capes and have voyaged more than 200,000 miles together on
self-built engine-free wooden boats! In 2010 they were awarded
The Cruising Club of America’s prestigious Far Horizons Award.
Undoubtedly, the world’s wisest wonders of wooden boat
wisdom and they were part of the Whyte, Just & Moore Wooden
Boat Festival of Geelong. Wow!
One of the greatest draw cards was Notorious. She’s an almost
brand new, full-size, copy of a 15th century caravel and is
Australia’s oldest ship re-construction! Lateen rigged, just 21
metres long and weighs 70 tonnes.
Caravels were used by Bartholomew Diaz around the Cape of
Good Hope in 1488 and in 1492 by Christopher Columbus in his
Santa Maria ! He was accompanied by two caravels, the Pinta
and Nina, both 4 metres shorter than Notorious ! Ferdinand
Magellan circumnavigated the world in 1519 to 1522 in caravels!
Notorious is Lateen rigged, a rig that can be seen off the coast
of India and on the Arab dhows in the Suez Canal today! Early
history actually unfolded before everyone’s weather beaten eyes!
Built entirely from reclaimed timber and without felling a single
tree, amateur boatbuilder, Graeme Wylie built Notorious almost
with his bare hands! Notorious was open for inspection during
the festival.
The perfect viewing site at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club enabled
every display to be close to, or actually on, shore. This made
everything easily visible to all viewers.
Children were not forgotten and their entertainer, pirate Cap’n
Jack Sparrow had them enthralled! In the theatrette, local
entertainers Colin Mockett and Shirley Power gave running
commentaries to the ancient movies showing yachting and
seaside life in the days of yore.
And – of course, the topsail schooner, Enterprize !
There aren’t many vessels that can be said to have been present
at the birth of a city. But it was from the original topsail schooner
Enterprize that a handful of settlers disembarked on the
Yarra River on 30 August 1835, to begin the settlement which
is now a capital of around 4.1 million people. Today’s replica
Enterprize was constructed in Melbourne and launched in 1997
to commemorate that event. Colonisation was already under way
in Tasmania in the 1830s, and the schooner brought settlers from
Launceston. Throughout the entire weekend, Enterprize was
kept very busy carrying out sea trips.
Onshore, a jazz band entertained during the afternoons and rock
and roll with the Hoos Bros got the sea legs working at night.
On top of all that, boatbuilding displays, featuring local
boatbuilders demonstrated chalking, laminating and steam
bending. Model steam engines chuffed away to everyone’s
delight and extremely high quality model boats were proudly
displayed by their makers.
With all this at your disposal, you MUST put Labour day weekend
2014 into your diary NOW so you do not miss this incredibly
wonderful spectacle of fine workmanship.
Now ‘Splice the main-brace’!
Phot
o: R
oger
Dun
das
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 7
RETURN OF THE TUMLAREN The 2012 Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong (WBFG), was a gathering of Victorian timber craft that included seven of the Tumlaren
Class, the first one-design displacement keel boat class to be introduced in Victoria by the Royal St Kilda Yacht Club in 1936.
ROGER DUNDAS
Galatea (Gotnum/
Ulrica)
93 Built in 1938 by Charlie Peel/J. Edwards
Avian 96 Built in 1938 by Jack Savage in Williamstown
Dingo (Dondu) 200 Built in 1948 by Clive Harrison
Vahine (Saga) 201 Built in 1945 by Ken Armstead
Zephyr (Zefir) 318 Built in 1952 by Bob Stevens in Adelaide
Ettric (Chanda) 321 Built in 1955 by Ronstan
Ellida (Sirrocco) 322 Built in 1947 by J. Williams
The ‘Pod’ entering Corio Bay, Geelong
Phot
o: R
oger
Dun
das
Ettick under her disinctive spinnaker Dingo with her colour matching (and slightly stretched) spinnaker
Phot
o: R
oger
Dun
das
Phot
o: R
oger
Dun
das
The revival of the Tums has happened over many years with a number being on the lost and found list for some time.
The returnees at Geelong were:
The Tumlaren fleet was very active from the late 1930s until the
mid 1990s. (See CYAA magazine editions 22 March 2006 and
23 January 2007.)
Momentum was maintained magnificiently through the 1990s by
Richard Downey who at one stage owned three Tums.
Kevin Read had purchased Zephyr #318 after she had gone ashore
in Elwood and recovered, then Kevin decided to do a major
restoration in his Impala Kitchens factor. Zephyr came out of the
factory as new with the added aesthetic of a teak laid deck. Tarna#91
was debarnacled and trucked to Paynesville in Victoria where James
Frecheville did a major job on her. She now races very successfully
on the Gippsland Lakes. Galatea #93 then came off a mooring at
RMYS for restoration and racing. One of her owners, George Low,
had been crew on his fathers’ Tumlaren Snowgoose #309.
Avian changed hands from Ben Thorburn to Roger Dundas and
had a three-year restoration that has given her another 50 years of
life. Dingo loitered in Jim Hutchinson’s backyard and received a lot
of love and attention and returned to the Classic fleet to take out
the Locker 57 Trophy for best Classic yacht in the 2011–12 Summer
series on Port Phillip. Vahine #201 has been loved by Craig Begbie
for many years and now has a new owner, Andrew Godwin, who
is keen to get back into Tumlaren racing as he too raced with his
father on Zea # 308. Ellida# 322 left David Allen’s deft hands to
the very able new owner Charlie Salter who is contemplating her
major revival.
Doug Jenkin, began sailing Tumlarens as forward hand on Snow
Bird (Snowgoose) in 1954, winning the State Championship in 1956,
then Galatea from 1957 to 1971 when he was given Pest (Zest) to
sail and continued very successfully until 1977. This included some
time as President of the Tumlaren Association.
In 1977 Yeoman (Snowgoose/Snow Bird) went aground at Middle
Park. Doug dug her out of the sand and removed her to his factory for
a substantial restoration. He could not allow the loss of a Tumlaren.
Again in 2012, with the same thoughts, he took the bit between
his teeth and purchased Ettrick, which had been unloved at
Sandringham for some time. With the WBFG as the date for debut
after restoration, Doug and a merry band of helpers set to, to get
Ettrick back to concourse condition. At 1930 hours on Friday 10
March 2012 the mast was installed and quickly tuned. By 0830 hours
on Saturday 11 March 2012 Ettrick joined the rest of the Tumlaren
fleet gathered at the top of Port Phillip for our ‘in company’ journey
to Geelong. Doug had made his deadline.
Another Tum lives to fight another race.
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 9
keenly observing and sketching the magnificent ocean liners and
the cargo ships that in the pre-war years made Sydney one of the
busiest port cities in the world.
In December 1935 when Captain Alan Villiers sailed into Sydney
in his full-rigged ship Joseph Conrad, the lanky 16-year-old Brett
immediately went aboard and was quite prepared to run away to
sea in her. Captain Villiers, who was to become a life-long friend,
would have taken the boy had his parents not baulked at the idea
of their only son embarking on so perilous a voyage as a Cape
Horn passage in sail.
But the sea had in a sense already claimed the young Brett’s mind.
A talented child with a natural gift for drawing, he discovered early
that he could easily make money by painting the ships he saw
on the Harbour. When he flunked out of high school, his father,
a serving army officer and strict disciplinarian, insisted that if he
was to pursue a career in art and not end up in a garret, he had
better undertake some formal training. Brett enrolled in an art
course at the East Sydney Tech and never looked back. He became
a close confidant and disciple of John Allcot, the English seaman/
Running the Easting. The full rigged ship Joseph Conrad, Captain Alan Villiers, Tasman Sea 1936
Art
ist:
Osw
ald
Bret
t
artist who settled in Sydney in the 1920s and became the most
successful marine painter Australia has ever had. Under Allcot’s
tutelage Brett completed the five-year art course in three and at
the age of 18 signed articles aboard a freighter bound for the fabled
islands of the South Pacific. It was the beginning of a lifetime of
voyaging that saw him crew aboard the mighty Cunard liner
Queen Elizabeth throughout the Second World War when in her
drab grey livery the ocean monarch took Australian troops to the
Middle East and American soldiers to England for the eventual
liberation of Nazi occupied Europe.
In England, young Brett was not backward in coming forward
where his sea heroes were concerned. He wrote to the Poet
Laureate, John Masefield who wrote back inviting him to visit him
at his home in Oxfordshire. Brett, who spent a memorable day
with the great man, still recites reams of Masefield’s immortal sea
poetry. The illustrious British war artist and marine painter Charles
Pears, was another who invited him home, this time to Falmouth,
the historic Cornish seaport where in the 19th century so many of
the great windships had anchored for orders.
OSWALD BRETT
BRUCE STANNARDAustralia’s pre-eminent marine artist, Oswald Brett, is
celebrating his 91st birthday with the publication of his
autobiography, a beautifully illustrated account of a life
dedicated to ships and the sea. Bruce Stannard reports.
Oswald Longfield Brett is that rarity in the marine art world, a
painter with a profound personal understanding of ships and
the sea.Having spent much of his long life voyaging across the
oceans of the world, he has an intimate first-hand knowledge
of the power of wind and water and their subtle and sometimes
savage influence upon the ways of a sailing ship. John Stobart,
the doyen of American marine artists, describes Brett as ‘one
of the finest marine painters of the 20th century.’ ‘Os Brett’s
ships,’ Stobart says, ‘always look as if they’re about to sail right
off the canvas. I salute him, not only as a staunch friend and
distinguished fellow artist, but also as an Able Bodied Seaman
of the Old School, one who has a natural affinity with all the
elements that animate the life of a ship.’
I could not agree more. Oswald Brett’s paintings never fail to set
my heart racing. Whether he is portraying a noble square-rigger
running full and by or a gritty coastal steamer punching into a
lumpy head-sea, he invariably captures the moment with authority
and accuracy, giving us a vivid glimpse of a way of life that has now
vanished from the oceans of the world.
Oswald Brett, who will be 91 in April, is still busy at his paint-
spattered easel. In his ship-shape studio in an upstairs room at
his home in New York, Brett is surrounded by the kind of nautical
treasures one expects to find in a great maritime museum.
Paintings by some of the most revered figures in American marine
art, Charles Robert Patterson, Anton Otto Fischer and John Allcott,
hang in a library that contains thousands of books – all of them
dealing with ships and the sea.
Although he has lived in the United States for the past 66 years,
Brett is intensely proud of his ancient Australian lineage, a family
heritage that goes all the way back to the First Fleet in 1788. He
grew up on Sydney Harbour, paddling about Watsons Bay in a tiny
cedar canoe, mooching around the towering hulk of the great mid
19th century emigrant clipper Sobroan in Berry’s Bay and always
Sirius and Supply approach Norfolk Island after a six day passage from Sydney Cove, 1789.
Art
ist:
Osw
ald
Bret
t
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 11
During the war years Brett often fetched up in New York, but
instead of roistering in waterfront bars with his shipmates he took
himself to Manhattan’s antiquarian bookstores where he started
collecting books on maritime history. His highly specialised
personal library must now rank as one of the finest of its kind in
the world.
Other great 20th century marine artists like Charles Robert
Patterson and Anton Otto Fischer invited him to their studios. The
paintings he bought off the artist’s easel are still on his walls in
New York.
It was in Manhattan during the war years that he met and married
the New York fashion designer Gertrude Steacey. They settled on
Long Island where they raised a son and a daughter. With no formal
qualifications, work was hard to come by in the immediate post
war years, but Brett was and remains a highly talented calligrapher,
a skill which was to land him a job as a graphic designer in a
Madison Avenue advertising agency. He continued to paint and
gradually a series of highly significant commissions came his way.
New York’s Seaman’s Bank for Savings ordered ship’s portraits for
its branches; the famous New York tugboat operators, McAllister
Brothers commissioned portraits of their many tugs. Douglass
Cadwallader Fonda, a wealthy Nantucket collector, commissioned
eight historic ship portraits and one day there came a telephone
Prepped ready for priming
Phot
o: M
ark
Chew
call from the US State Department. President Macapagal of the
Philippines wanted to present the United States with the iron hull
of the square rigger Kaiulani, the last sailing ship built in America.
Could he paint her portrait for presentation to President Lyndon
Baines Johnson? Yes, he could. That splendid painting now hangs
in the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas.
In 1971 Columbus Line came to him with the kind of proposal that
any red-blooded marine artist might kill for. He was told he could
travel the world whenever and wherever he liked as a guest in the
Owner’s Cabin on Columbus ships in return for a painting of each
of the vessels in which he voyaged. Os Brett made 20 such voyages
over 31 years in which he logged well over 240,000 miles.
His ocean voyaging came to an end in 2002, but at the age of 91 he
thinks nothing of travelling by air, down to Florida to spend time
with his old friend, John Stobart and out to Australia where his
paintings hang in the major public museums and art galleries and
where he still has a legion of friends and admirers. Oswald Brett’s
life serves as a beacon for all those with a dream of the sea. ‘Don’t
wait for your ship to come in,’ he says firmly, ‘swim out after it.’
OSWALD BRETT Marine Artist is published by Maritime Heritage
Press and is available online at www.maritimeheritagepress.com
The price: $60 includes GST, postage and packaging.
MERCEDES III MELBOURNE R450THEN … AND NOW
MARTIN RYAN
Then … Mercedes III was hijacked from the Sydney yachting
community via an advertisement in Trade a Boat in 1986. An
Admiral’s Cup icon for sale for $80,000?
I was subsequently advised that CYCA members were unhappy
with the method by which the vendor had acquired Mercedes III
from a sailing widow. A blow-in from Melbourne upset the boycott
and Mercedes III began her Melbourne program.
Then…The racing program began cautiously.
Our first race was the 1988 Cock of the Bay from Port Melbourne
to Mornington (then) on Boxing Day as part of the ORCV series
including the Melbourne to Hobart. Our crew consisted of me,
wife Maria and brother-in-law Mario (neither could sail nor swim),
a mate David, an ex-dinghy sailor and his mate with half a dozen
races experience. Maria had prepared avocado dip, grilled prawns,
chicken sandwiches and French champagne for the ordeal.
Two minutes into the race Maria started throwing up and stopped
around Chelsea, some 3 hours later. We later found out she
was pregnant.
Just off Sandringham we tacked onto starboard to sail through the
gate. In the 15 knot southerly with a no.1. she was heeling slightly
so to reach the windward rail Mario leaned off the life raft, literally.
It went overboard, inflated and streamed out the stern. We went
Squally afternoon Tasman Sea. The barque James Craig off Sydney shortening sail in a strong southerly breeze. The vessel is speaking Howard Smith’s steamer Burwah, circa 1920.
Art
ist:
Osw
ald
Bret
t
page 12
Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 13
Mercedes III on the wind on Port Phillip
Owner, Martin Ryan, almost forward of the mast
Phot
o: M
ark
Chew
Phot
o: M
ark
Chew
Savage’s Wharf Williamstown August 2009
Phot
o: M
ark
Chew
Then … In 1986, Mercedes III was 20 years old and cruising
Pittwater. On purchase, we fitted a new mast but most of the
maintenance waited for something to break or leak (albeit,
rainwater only). The sail portfolio at that time included a hankless
drifter and a chicken chute.
In 1993, Peter Hinrichsen suggested we have a go at the 1994 50th
Sydney–Hobart. A 12 month program of boat restoration began,
carried out almost totally by amateurs (i.e. the unpaid crew). To
quote Peter from an interview in The Age in November 1994 ‘There
was rot in the deadwood of the keel, the whole aft section needed
replacing, the chain plate bolts were suspect, and all the skin
fittings and the rudder gudgeons were also renewed.’
In 2004, the conspicuous varnish cabin coachouse was replaced
and other significant hull maintenance undertaken.
In 2009, the hull went into Savage’s shed and was stripped back
to bare timber, all fittings removed and replaced. The major work
involved deck and topsides repairs, painting and bright work. The
result is in the photograph opposite.
She is still extremely stiff and without any of the creaking noises
of the modern fleet.
The quandary of whether to make changes to improve
performance or make her easier to sail has resulted in some hot
head-to-wind, David jumped into the life raft to … (I still can’t
think why)? He called me to assist so I handed the helm to Maria
and lent over the stern. Within 30 seconds the life raft shot 10
metres out the back, with David in it, as we broad reached towards
Sandringham breakwater at 6 knots in a fleet of 80+ racing yachts.
We finished 3rd on CHS and while disappointed, felt there was
room for improvement.
Now … The racing is different.
The 2011 Cock of the Bay had 4 medium/long term Mercedes
III crew, Richard Gates from Wanita and two Mornington-based
Etchell sailors who share with us a charter at Hammo each
year. The catering had deteriorated, the experience improved
substantially and the number of opinions on tuning, trimming,
navigation exploded exponentially.
We started into 12–15 knot southerly with a no.1. heavy, changed
down to the no.3. when confident of 18 knots+ consistency, reefed
at 25 knots and shook out the reef with the tight reach into the
Blairgowrie finish. We’re learning! (Many in the Melbourne Classic
fleet will be surprised at this description as we have a reputation
for carrying too much rag).
We finished 1st on IRC Division 2 and 3rd on AMS Division 2 and
while disappointed, felt there was room for improvement.
discussion among the crew. She is still running the original genoa,
Barlow winches from the days when men were men. Where
possible the changes have been limited, however, she has modern
instrumentation and her sail wardrobe now includes a main and
no. 1 genoa of Stratis laminated with a tafeta cloth to retain the
classic look.
Then … to now.
Mercedes III has endured 5 measurement rating systems. Here are
some snapshots from her racing history on each system (gleaned
from old magazines and a few trophies left in the cabinet; the
pewter beer mugs have been thrown out).
Mercedes III has had two insurance related events, both in
1996. A port-and-starboard with a smaller RMYS yacht near the
windward mark on a Wednesday twilight race with Mercedes III
on starboard. No claim. A bump against the pier resulting in a
relatively small claim.
The no-collisions culture of Classics works.
Now … The current racing plan
With the Classics – 20+ timber yachts competing every three
weeks under a handicap system proven over time and ramped
up for the Cup Regatta with Coutas and Kiwis. If it blows 20
knots+ from the South we’ll get a win! And whether we win or
not, we read a great description from front to back markers next
day from Peter Costolloe – a special feature of Classics.
Within the Classics – Some great tussles with Boambillie, looking
forward to Kingurra and bring back Tina of Melbourne. Always
good to have a freshening breeze and catch Col Anderson
Acrospire III near the finish. The opposite happens too often.
Against the Plastics – Some suitable races like the Cock of the
Bay, Geelong Passage Race and maybe others on IRC and AMS.
Believe Classics could field a small formidable IRC/AMS fleet,
with personnel sourced from other Classics, for some of these
races. Remember the 1967 Sydney Hobart result: 5th Tina of
Melbourne, 6th Mercedes III, 7th Boambillie.
After that … At some stage we’ll need a new Custodian.
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 15
THE RETURN OF THE TWELVES
IAN KORTLANG
On a warm autumnal day in April 2012 twenty classic
sloops gather on Sydney Harbour for the fifth edition of
the Classic Rally, run by the SASC in conjunction with the
Classic Yacht Association of Australia.
The previous evening, owners and their partners had enjoyed
an elegant cocktail party with a backdrop of the flood lit Gretel
II and the 1920s 8 Metre Defiance.
Sir James Hardy spoke fondly about the 1970 Gretel II Challenge
when he was skipper, much to the enjoyment of current owner
Michael Maxwell.
Race day commenced with a traditional Concourse d’Elegance
where gleaming varnish and spotless teak decks greeted the
judges. After this hotly contested beauty pageant, uniformed
crews swarmed on to the tenders, hoisted sails and the
thoroughbreds threw off their years and descended on the
start line.
The 12 Metres of America’s Cup fame Steak n Kidney, Australia
and Gretel II hunted each other for advantage, while wooden
yachts from the Twenties to the Sixties gave each other
no quarter.
The 1907 Anniversary Cup was won by the 8 Metre Juana
(Graeme Wood) with Steak n Kidney (Hugh Treharne) second
and Gretel II (Michael Maxwell) 24 seconds behind for third!
Gretel II won the Concourse d’Elegance, with Antara second
and Carina third.
The Classic Rally is held to commemorate the 100th Anniversary
of the creation of the International Metre Rule and also as a
tribute to the late Olin Stephens, the leading designer of Metre
boats from the 1930s to the modern times.
SASC Classic Regatta 2012 - Steak n Kidney and Gretel II
Phot
o: J
ohn
Jere
my
SASC Classic Regatta 2012 - Karalee and others
Phot
o: J
ohn
Jere
my
SASC Classic Regatta 2012 - Defiance and Carina
Phot
o: J
ohn
Jere
my
SASC Classic Regatta 2012 - Weene and Hurrica V
Phot
o: J
ohn
Jere
my
page 16
Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 17
a look rarely leave without feeling the boat, rubbing their
fingers over a beam or running their palms down her planking.
Whether they know it or not, they feel her energy too…’
Dooley’s reply was just as enthusiastic.
‘My wife (Kit) and I got a tremendous kick out of your lovely
letter. Thank you very much, and thank you for the excellent
photos. You have really done us proud. It is obvious that Leda
has found an owner who is going to love her and care for her in
a manner beyond my wildest hopes. It is also pretty clear that
you are, unfortunately, in for a lot of hard work and no doubt
expense, to get her back into good sailing trim. I would like to
help in any way I can but I’m afraid I can’t do much more than
give advice, and from what you have said in your letter, you
have plenty of expertise to overcome all the problems.’
When Russ had written to Dooley he was in the early stages of
tackling his next big task – the restoration of Leda’s mast, once
70ft long, but reduced by Frank Hyland to 65ft to reduce the sail
area to a more manageable size for limited crews.
Leda’s restoration, carried out at first in parallel with the house
rebuilding, began with taking the boat a few miles down the
coast to Auke Bay, where Russ was employed, and where he
was able to moor Leda not far from his workshop, allowing
him to work on the boat as time allowed. He knew the mast
was in need of major repairs, but his first and most urgent
task was to repair the deck, after removing the mast. At some
point in Leda’s previous ownership, the deck and the cabin top
had been fibreglassed over in a largely unsuccessful attempt
at preservation. The material had not adhered properly to the
timber and water was leaking under the fibreglass into the
decking and also seeping down the outside of the hull, causing
some unsightly damage to the paint.
Russ was encouraged, however, to find that apart from some
isolated but not too serious areas of rot in some ends of the
deck planking, and some corrosion of deck fastenings which
also proved not to have progressed very deeply, the situation
was not as bad as might have been feared.
There was one major problem. Leda lay at her berth, open to
the bitter and destructive Alaskan winter weather where the
temperature can dive to -20 or -30degF. In these conditions,
moisture in the timber can freeze and expand, to cause even
more damage. Russ’s resourcefulness was equal to the challenge.
Over the full length of Leda’s hull, he built a kind of plastic tent
– he called it the ‘the cocoon’ – supported on curved ribs to a
height which completely enclosed the deck from stem to stern,
with room to work and access to the interior of the boat. Inside
this, he installed heating and ventilation which kept the deck,
now stripped of the fibreglass layer and sanded back to bare
wood, dry and warm against the freezing weather. Describing
this restoration process makes it seem short and simple. In fact,
it was slow and intricate and hugely time-consuming.
At the time of Leda’s building, synthetic adhesives were only
just being developed, and the Wilsons had used a new material
produced by New Zealand’s Department of Scientific and
Industrial Research. Russ found that this glue, based on a urea
formaldehyde formula, was no longer doing its job, and the
mast was in very poor condition. When they pulled it from the
boat, the butt of the mast simply came apart.
To house the mast from the winter weather, Russ built a
temporary structure in a friend’s backyard to allow him to get
to work on the deconstruction.
At first he tried carefully tapping hardwood wedges into the
open seams of the mast, returning at intervals to put a little
more pressure on to force the seams further apart without
doing more damage to the timber. Then, when spring came
round again, and the temperature soared to around 70degF,
the makeshift shelter began to act like a greenhouse, and when
Russ investigated, he found the lower 6ft of the mast had
completely delaminated and twisted into an interesting variety
of shapes. He decided the time had come for more drastic
action. He took a couple of cheap machetes, and drove them
the length of the seams with a hammer. Twenty minutes later,
the mast was completely apart. So much for the gentle touch.
The scarfs joining the individual lengths of spruce did not come
apart, so that Russ was left with four 61ft twisted planks. How
to straighten them out again? The answer was to build a steam
box, steam the mast sections and pull them straight on a steel jig
which he made from some discarded guard railings, and leave
them there to set. This caused the scarves finally to part, so at
least Russ now had all the pieces, and could replane them and
glue them back together. Eventually the mast was completed
by wrapping it in polypropylene cloth saturated with adhesive
and painted with a two-part polyurethane paint.
All this was a very long process, but it was only one part of
the job. The task of restoring and repairing Leda’s hull and
interior had also been going on, the engine had to be removed
THE LEDA ENCHANTMENT 4
BRYAN REID
In the final instalment of The Leda Enchantment series,
her builder, Dooley Wilson, meets her present owner, Russ
Senkovich. They discover a mutual passion for Leda, a shared
love of for craftsmanship, and a strong regard for each other,
more than 50 years after the boat was launched.
A MEETING OF HEARTS AND MINDS
About a year after Leda’s arrival home, Russ became aware
of a boat-building company in Portland, Oregon called KZ
Boatbuilding. He knew that ‘KZ’ was the prefix for the sail
numbers of all New Zealand yachts competing in international
races, and he guessed that somewhere there was a New
Zealand connection which might help him find out more
about Leda’s origins and history. He made contact with the
owner of KZ Boatbuilding, Peter Reece, who was indeed a
New Zealander and who showed great interest in Leda and
her restoration and even expressed his willingness to help Russ
with his project. Reece did not himself know anything about
Leda, but he suggested they should contact all New Zealand
yachting magazines with their query and see what turned up.
What eventually turned up in March 1993, to Russ’s great
delight, was a contact from Dooley Wilson. Dooley had read
Peter Reece’s requestion for information in a magazine and
had written with his address. Dooley also included a copy of
Sandy Wilson’s book on the building and early sailing days of
Leda. Russ immediately wrote to Dooley to tell him how he
had acquired Leda and what had been happening to the boat
since, expressing his pleasure in making contact and promising
to stay in touch. Right from the outset, there was never any
question that their relationship would endure and develop.
Born of a shared passion, this was a true meeting of minds.
Dooley, now 73, had retired from his boatbuilding business
in Tauranga. He had built many boats, both sail and power,
over the past 40 years, but for him, Leda was still his crowning
achievement and he never ceased to yearn for her and to
wonder where she was and how she had fared since he sailed
her to America. Russ wrote to Dooley on 14 March 1993 to tell
him how he had discovered Leda, the protracted negotiations
with Hyland and his eventual purchase of the boat at the sealed
bid auction. He also told him of the delivery trip from Seattle
to Juneau and ended with an account of the restoration he
had done and his plans for the next stages of the project. His
letter concludes:
‘I also want you to know how proud I am of Leda and the
manner in which she was built. Even as she is now sitting she
still turns heads and draws a crowd. It is not unusual for me to
have my work interrupted to answer questions or to conduct
a brief tour. I’ve noticed that people who come on board for
Leda on the Tee Harbour, Alaska
Dooley aboard Leda, Auke Bay, Alaska, 1995
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 19
for building new engine beds, and later rebuilt and installed.
New bulkheads were put in place and new floors and cabin
sole built. Gradually, too, all the hardware – deck and interior
fittings and equipment – was replaced. The work had extended
from months to years, but Russ Senkovich was not the man to
sacrifice quality workmanship and quality materials in favour
of time.
But even he was dismayed by a new development which threatened
to cause serious delay and expense for Leda’s restoration.
In August, 1955 Russ had Leda hauled out to address some
essential jobs on the hull, and he used the opportunity to
have the boat surveyed again. He had kept Leda insured, and
now the insurance company was requesting a new survey.
Russ wanted at all costs to avoid having the insurance lapse
because of the difficulty in getting a new policy for a wooden
boat. For this, he called again on his friend Richard Day, as
a specialist in wooden boats, to carry out the survey. After a
thorough inspection, which included much tapping to detect
places where the planking felt loose, Day announced that the
entire hull should be refastened. Russ was dumbfounded,
devastated and depressed. Refastening the hull as Day required
would have required the removal and replacement of all 9000
copper rivets from Leda’s hull. This huge undertaking would
not only take a very long time, but would also mean employing
an extra worker to hold the dolly on the outside of the hull
while new rivets were peened in. It’s impossible for one man
to be simultaneously on the inside and the outside of the boat.
Pondering the problem, and carrying out his own inspection,
Russ came to the conclusion that the few areas where the
planking sounded loose were those where it had been
necessary to use screws instead of rivets. Arguments between
Russ and Richard raged around the problem, but in the end,
Russ figured that the screws had come loose because the
planking had become wet and swelled, then dried out, leaving
the fastenings loose.
His first move was to completely remove the paint from Leda’s
hull, which was then sanded back to the bare wood and
saturated with what Russ named ‘panther piss’ – a mixture of
turpentine, linseed oil and copper naphthenate, designed to
preserve the timber and help to hold the paint. After this was
applied, they could hear a different, more encouraging ring to
the planking, but Day was still convinced that the boat should
be refastened to place a uniform stress on the hull.
Dooley, who approved Russ’s action in giving the planking ‘a
good revitalising drink,’ and completely rejected the idea of re-
fastening the entire hull:
‘If the two skins of the hull had been stuck together with glue
and hollow patches had shown up after a few years I would be
worried, but 9000 rivets were used to hold the skins together
and if electrolysis hasn’t somehow managed to get in and
attack the copper, those rivets should last indefinitely … Have
faith, Oh ye of little faith! Bung in a few silicon bronze screws,
fill up the worst of the cracks to stop the sea actually pouring in
and give her two coats of primer, two undercoats and two coats
of enamel. Then shove her in the water and go for a sail.’
This might have convinced Russ, but Dooley did not have to
satisfy the surveyor. Russ, however, is nothing if not resourceful.
He devised a new approach which was a stunning tribute to
his talent for lateral thinking. Dooley’s reminder about Leda’s
double-skin construction – an inner skin of diagonal planking
and an outer longitudinal skin – suggested a way to deal with
the problem. It was another job for panther piss!
First, alongside Leda Russ built a reservoir with ten petcocks
all leading to a number of hoses fitted with basketball inflation
needles. Small holes were drilled to allow the needles to be
inserted between the interior and exterior planking. The
reservoir was then filled with panther piss and the mixture was
allowed to seep between the two skins of planking. At each
station, the reservoir was refilled until the stuff was leaking out
into the bilge. By the time they were done they had a thick
gelatinous mess in the bilge in the engine compartment – the
lowest point in the hull. The stuff could be seen seeping out
between planks and around rivets into the frames. The process
sounds simple and straightforward but it took an entire year.
The result was that Leda’s planking swelled back up and her
hull tightened up considerably.
It was enough to cause Richard Day to change his verdict and
give Leda a positive survey result.
Over two years, the correspondence between Russ and Dooley
burgeoned into something much more than an exchange of
information, detailed though that was. Theirs became a warm
and generous relationship that was to deepen even further.
As early as his second letter to Russ, written on 27 May 1993,
Dooley suggested Russ and Ginny should take a trip to New
Zealand in late January or early February of 1994 to visit him
and Kit in Tauranga.
There was another interesting result from the efforts to trace
the history of Leda. One of the responses to the letter written
by Peter Reece to the New Zealand magazine was from Erica
Wilson. Erica had now been back in her native country for some
20 years, but the estrangement from Dooley and Kit Wilson was
permanent, and her contact with Russ Senkovich was entirely
independent. In her letter to Russ and Ginny, she addressed a
comment especially to Ginny: ‘I’d love to tell you details of the
woman’s side of the trip – my diary of the Pacific trip in 1953
is about 40,000 words long and when I get my only copy back
from where it is, I’ll send it…’
When Dooley’s invitation to Russ and Ginny was accepted and
a date fixed for February 1994, they told Erica, who immediately
invited them for a short stay with her in her Auckland
apartment. Russ and Ginny duly arrived, accompanied by their
old friend Jerry Voss, who had crewed on Leda on the first stage
of her voyage from Seattle to Juneau. Erica warmly welcomed
Russ, Ginny and Jerry and was delighted with their part of the
Leda story and the photographs that accompanied it.
The Americans had planned to see as much of New Zealand as
they could after allowing for their visits to Erica and the Wilsons.
On leaving Erica, they hired a camper van and set off for a ten-
day tour with a stop at Tauranga, about a three-hour drive from
Auckland, to meet Kit and Dooley. They stayed only a short
time, before setting off for New Zealand’s South Island where
they fetched up in Christchurch before turning back north to
Tauranga. There, Russ and Dooley, over a few beers and long
yarns together, only strengthened the close relationship that
had grown from their letters. It was not surprising then, that
before they left New Zealand Russ and Ginny had already been
invited to return next year.
The timing of the 1995 visit could not have been more propitious.
It was the year of the America’s Cup final in which the New
Zealand boat Team NZ trounced the United States defender,
Young America, skippered by the formidable Denis Connor, in
a clean sweep of the five races. Even the Senkoviches, loyal
Americans though they were, couldn’t help cheering for the
New Zealand boat as they and the Wilsons watched the live
telecasts of the race series.
After Russ and Ginny left for home for the second time, the
two couples continued their correspondence, Russ and Dooley
largely discussing progress on Leda’s restoration. Then, in
December, Dooley wrote with the terrible news that Kit had
developed cancer. She died five months later, on 12 May 1996.
Dooley was, of course, devastated at the loss of his wife of
nearly 60 years, but once again, Leda exerted her influence
in helping him recover and to regain his interest in life. He
responded eagerly to an invitation from Russ to visit Alaska
and see Leda for the first time since he left her in San Francisco
44 years earlier. Dooley set off by air for Juneau and Tee Harbor
in August 1996. Russ recalled that it was a couple of days before
they were ready to make the journey to Juneau, where Leda was
then berthed. Dooley was exhausted by the trip, and they spent
much of the first day or so playing with some remote-control
model yachts which they raced just off the front of the house,
Dooley taking part with his usual competitive zeal. Finally, he
announced that it was time they got down to the harbour to see
Leda. It was almost as if he had been preparing himself for a
moment of truth, a huge emotional hit.
They drove down to the harbour and walked down the float
to where Leda was sitting inside her cocoon and climbed on
board. Russ stepped back to see how Dooley would react. To
Russ’s surprise he sat in the cockpit and announced it was time
for a drink, that Russ might as well break out the beer they’d
brought along. They had a beer, maybe two, and talked. About
what, Russ didn’t remember but it wasn’t even really about
the boat. All this time Russ was bursting to see what Dooley
would think of his work and here they were passing small talk
in the cockpit!
It became obvious that Dooley wasn’t completely prepared
for the trip he was about to take, back 50 years in time, but
then he decided it was time to have a look around. At first he
didn’t have much to say, but eventually he started talking and
the stories just kept coming. Dooley talked about the troubles
they had keeping the project going. He talked about things he
would like to have done differently, and he talked about the
people who were involved. Eventually, they wound down. They
talked about projects the boat needed. Russ told Dooley about
his efforts and struggles and they probably had another drink
– or two.
In the days that followed, Dooley helped Russ to remove the
bulkheads from the boat, the ones he had built, commenting
with his usually sense of humour, ‘I wonder what idiot would
have done something like this? Oh! That idiot was me!’. They
took the toe rails off the boat and Dooley helped sand them
down. They didn’t get to do much work, but for Russ, it was
wonderful just getting Dooley down in the bilge with some
tools and getting to work side by side with him.
While they worked, Russ decided he needed new doors to the
companionway (the set of steps leading down from the cockpit
to the main cabin) which he was determined to build in New
Zealand kauri to keep faith with Leda’s origins. They hatched
a plan to build rough ‘blanks’ for the doors at Dooley’s house
and ship them back to Alaska as finished products, thus getting
round the much tougher restrictions on exporting kauri as
lumber from New Zealand. Clearly, that would mean another
trip to New Zealand for Russ. Arranging this was not a problem.
Interior as reworked by Russ Senkovich
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 21
With the winter of 1997 coming on, they really had their work
cut out to meet their deadline. Moving into spring of 1998 the
pace was so hot that Russ was both exhausted and excited. He
was still working a full 40-hour work week as well as working
on the boat. Early in the spring they hauled the boat out for
final paint on the bottom and hull. It was the first time in seven
years since Leda had left her berth under her own power.
There was no professional rigger in Juneau and the cost of flying
somebody to assist with the standing rigging was prohibitive.
In the early spring, Russ had once again gone to the well in
Port Townsend and scheduled a couple of days with a well
known rigger and teacher who spent two days tutoring Russ
hands-on in how to put his rigging together, how to make sure
he cut his wire to proper length, and a huge amount of other
useful information.
He faced a huge task, but to plunge ahead was the only course
as the sails were set for delivery and the Wilsons were on their
way. Finally, though, the sails were delivered and the Wilsons
arrived late in the afternoon of 10 July.
The first thing Russ did was haul the Wilson family down to
Leda’s berth at Aurora Harbor in downtown Juneau, not to
show off the boat, but because he needed some extra hands
to put the sails on. They were planning to sail around Douglas
Island to Tee Harbor the following morning. The timing was
fairly critical because first they had to get Leda under the bridge
linking Juneau with Douglas. Russ needed to be sure that they
had low enough water to make it because on a high tide the
boat wouldn’t fit. It had been seven years since Russ had been
under the bridge and all of the marks he had used in the past to
determine the height were gone.
Finally, at 10.05am on 11 July 1998, they slipped under the
Juneau-Douglas bridge and Leda was at last free of her
imprisonment. Aboard were Nick and Allyson and two of their
daughters, Libby, 15 and Nikki, 12. It had rained overnight, the
breeze was gusty, and the air was damp. It looked as though
it could get worse rather than better. Russ was nervous about
this as the first leg of the journey involved a nine mile beat to
windward in a narrow channel. It was going to be a good test
for the boat. Russ just prayed that the weather would be kind.
After passing under the bridge they hoisted the mainsail,
unfurled the genoa and killed the engine. For the first time in
seven years, Leda was under sail!
For the rest of the journey, Russ recognised Nick as a very
accomplished sailor so he acted as tactician and since Russ
had the local knowledge, he was the navigator. The boat was
moving along well. The gusts continued to abate, but luckily
the wind held steady at 5 to 8 knots on this leg of the journey
– perfect wind speeds for Leda with full sail, as she can often
match the wind speed and points high.
The local sailing club had an event that day and had left the
harbour earlier than Leda, but she began to pass other boats,
mostly a ragtag collection of cruisers, but it was still a thrill
for the crew. Nick was not accustomed to sailing in large
monohulls, his experience being primarily in multihulls and
smaller dinghies, but he was pleasantly surprised at how well
Leda was moving in the fairly light breeze. Coming from a
family of highly competitive yachtsmen, Nick regarded any sail
ahead of Leda’s beam as a target.
By the time they reached the south end of Douglas Island to
make their turn north the sun had started breaking through
the clouds and jackets were being stripped off. Beers were
opened, sails eased for a very pleasant drift up the back side
of Douglas Island, mostly on a broad reach. According to the
log, they made their turn 2 hours and 50 minutes after hoisting
the main. In that time, they made good, over the ground, about
nine nautical miles.
The rest of the day was spent mostly relaxing. The air was light,
the sun had come out and they were drifting down wind, to
arrive in Tee Harbor at 8.05pm. With the wind so slight that
they were barely moving, they finally fired up the motor and
dropped the sails for the last few miles. Russ says: ‘The total
distance covered was about 37 nautical miles, so we hardly set
a record, but I don’t think any of us were disappointed. And we
didn’t break anything! I remember being nervous about the day,
for lots of reasons. I also know that moments after we hoisted
our sails that I forgot all about it. The boat sails well, even when
we don’t!’
For Nick Wilson the experience was, in his own words, ‘awesome
– finally seeing and sailing “our” beautiful yacht, having grown
up with all the stories of the Pacific cruise, the Tasman and other
races and the constant thumbing through the photo albums of
her building, launching and sailing.’
The family spent two idyllic weeks in Tee Harbor, staying with
Russ and Ginny in their home on the water’s edge with Leda
moored in front of them. They went for several day sailing trips,
one of which included the ‘christening’ of the new gennaker
with the stylised swan in all its glory.
When they returned home, Dooley was ‘very jealous’ of their
sailing on Leda. He pressed them for every detail, and eagerly
watched over and over the video they had made of the trip.
Less than three months later, he died.
FOOTNOTE: Terry Hammond, Leda’s navigator in the 1951
Trans–Tasman race, also sailed aboard Leda for the first time in
60 years when Russ Senkovich invited him to Tee Harbor early
in 2012.
Russ and Ginny had already planned the 1997 New Zealand trip
and February was again the favoured month. Russ also wrote
to Erica to tell her of the forthcoming visit and they were again
invited to stay with her, a date being fixed and accommodation
arrangements discussed.
The Senkoviches arrived in Tauranga on 31 January 1997. With
them for a few days was Russ’s nephew Matteo, who had been
travelling in Australia and was invited by Dooley to join them
from there in Tauranga. The old atmosphere of camaraderie
had not faded and if anything, it strengthened during Russ
and Ginny’s six-week stay in New Zealand. The building of the
companionway doors was still high on the agenda, and Russ
asked Dooley how he felt about a drive to Northland to have
some kauri milled for the doors and to see some of the great
preserved kauri trees in the Waipoua State Forest. Dooley was
quick to agree, so the four of them packed up Dooley’s 1976
Honda Accord and hit the road.
It turned out to be a near-fatal excursion. O the return trip from
the mill, with the timber in a pack on the roof of the car, Russ
was relieving Dooley at the wheel, when Russ succumbed to
the strain of driving on what he, as an American, regarded as
the ‘wrong’ side of the road.
He suddenly became aware of a vehicle ahead, sitting in the
middle lane to make a right hand turn across the traffic. He did
not react quickly enough to pass the car on the left, locked up
the brakes and hit the other car with a grinding crash.
No one was hurt, and the timber, which slid off the roof rack,
was hardly marked. The police gave Russ a ticket, and Dooley
took a philosophic view of the matter, and refused to blame
Russ. Back home in Tauranga, he and Dooley set to work
building the ‘blanks’ for the companionway doors, which now
are now one of the boat’s most elegant features. Another major
project during their stay was shopping for a new car for Dooley,
at the end of which he was the owner of a new Toyota Cressida.
Now, every time Russ looks at Leda’s doors, he thinks about
those events. He never forgot how strange and wonderful it felt
to be so focused on getting Leda back on the water that they
just threw away the car and got another.
Then the time came for the visitors to pack up and head back
for Auckland, to stay with Erica. It didn’t happen.
When they arrived at her apartment, where they were to stay
in the basement flat which had its own entrance, Erica greeted
them with something less than warmth. She told them she was
not well, that she had changed her mind about their visit and
they were no longer welcome to stay. Russ and Ginny were as
mystified as they were disappointed. Russ felt the underlying
cause of the impasse might have been resentment at the
closeness of their relationship with Dooley and Kit more than
any ill-health that Erica might have been suffering.
On their earlier visit, Erica had given Russ and Ginny a copy
of her diary of the 1953 voyage to America and had later, after
their first visit to New Zealand, had written: ‘Glad you read
the diary and enjoyed it – now do you understand about my
attitude to Kit and Dooley?’ But for Russ, it was impossible to
regard Dooley as anything like the villain that she had created,
and he was convinced that Erica was disappointed that they
had failed to see Dooley through her eyes. In any case, in the
circumstances they had no recourse but to book in at a hotel
and ponder the strange quirks of human behaviour. Before they
left, there had been a lukewarm suggestion of having dinner
together before they left for Alaska, but that didn’t happen,
either. They saw Erica only once more, briefly, when they
visited New Zealand yet again in 2000.
In the meantime, however, another Wilson visit to Alaska was
being planned, with Russ working furiously on the last big task
of getting Leda outfitted with new sails and rigging, with the
important aim of getting Dooley over again to actually sail on
her first voyage after restoration. On this occasion, he would
be accompanied by his son Nick, wife Allyson and their three
children to celebrate the great occasion. Dooley, however, was
reluctant. His solo trip to Alaska, England and back the year
before, had taken its toll, and he felt he just didn’t have to
energy to return. No amount of coaxing could convince him to
change is mind. He said Nick was a better sailor and he would
be able to report well on his experience.
Now, with Nick and his family scheduled to arrive in the
spring of 1998, Russ had to pull out all stops to get the boat
rigged with a new suit of sails, including what Russ called ‘a
rather aggressive spinnaker project’. The new spinnaker was
to be emblazoned with the image of a swan. A friend of ours
from Juneau had designed the swan logo and a Port Townsend
sailmaker took on the difficult task of putting it into cloth
Leda under spinnaker
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 23
Gypsy at the Mahurangi Regatta
Recent cYA of new ZeAlAnd Activities
HAROLD KIDD
We had a lousy start to the summer sailing season,
inheriting much of your Aussie weather, with prolonged
heavy easterlies and much rain. However, the Gods began
to smile at the end of January for Auckland’s Anniversary
holiday weekend, providing a superb sailing breeze for the
Saturday’s Mahurangi Regatta, a hatful of wind for the race
back to Auckland on the Sunday and a reasonable, if patchy,
Monday for the Auckland Anniversary Regatta.
Subsequently, our own Southern Trust Regatta went off well,
with some Aussies participating as crew as usual. Sailing weather
since then has been magic, especially over Easter, so the season,
although marred by early poor weather and punctuated by drama
in the middle, is finishing up as a vintage one.
One experiment we are pursuing is the incorporation of
centreboarders in our activities. Of course the CYA has always
catered for our mullet boats, the big ballasted craft of fishing boat
ancestry whose Aussie equivalent is the ’couta boat, together with
the bigger unballasted centreboarders, mainly 18 footers, but there
is an upsurge in interest in the smaller indigenous Kiwi centreboard
classes of the 1920s onwards. Auckland is having a great revival of
the 12ft 8in Idle Along class, designed by Alf Harvey in the late 20s
for the sometimes heroic Wellington conditions. The Idle Along
is a powerful, deep-chested boat that planes well and provides
much entertainment for two or three crew. It’s a hard one, and
it will be interesting to see if the CYA can rise to the challenge of
assimilation of centreboarders as spectacularly well as it has done
with our launches and bring in a new set of Classic DNA
Collision entry point
Gypsy recovered to the Viaduct, AucklandThe mild euphoria this change in weather engendered was
shattered by an ugly accident during the Anniversary Regatta. The
late 1939 Arch Logan-designed, Arnold Couldrey-built 34ft gaff
cutter Gypsy had done well at Mahurangi for her owners John
Pryor and Jill Hetherington but a large modern yacht under power
somehow persuaded itself it could motor through the racing fleet
and tee-boned little Gypsy. It struck Gypsy amidships on her
starboard side, flinging John overboard and dragging Jill under its
bow. She suffered a damaged pelvis but, to his credit, was rescued
by the offending skipper.
Like most Logan major yachts under 35’ Gypsy has two diagonal
layers of kauri creating a monocoque structure of immense inherent
strength, but it was breached by the huge forces generated by this
collision, and she sank immediately, right in the middle of the
Waitemata Harbour. It was great good fortune that Jill did not die,
but she is still recovering from the ordeal.
Some days later, Gypsy was raised from the harbour bottom
to reveal the extent of the damage. The very virtues of riveted,
diagonal triple-skin construction militate against repair when
damage is this traumatic. Our famous Logan powerhouse gaff
cutter-yacht, Ariki of 1904, was badly damaged in a cyclone in
1917when she was blown over while hauled out. Logan Bros were
out of business by then so their erstwhile rival, Charles Bailey Jr.,
got the job of repairing her heavily damaged starboard side. With
little hesitation, Bailey built a completely new starboard side, rather
than chase up all the ends of the three sets of shattered planks,
scarf new planking in and run the risk of losing her superb shape.
All blinds closed while the respective insurance companies had
their negotiations. Understandably, some ire grew up in CYA
ranks about the rights and wrongs involved, but it was controlled
well, especially since the offending skipper is a member of the
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron with which the CYA is
closely associated and is from a well-known patrician yachting
dynasty. We have now come out the other side with the news
that Gypsy will be restored, even though the costs will be
telephone numbers. Squadron members have put their hands in
their pockets to supplement the insurance settlement, I believe.
Phot
o: M
icha
el M
arri
s
Phot
o: A
lan
Hou
ghto
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donAte to the GYpsY tRustYou may direct debit a donation to this account:
Orewa National Bank 06 0383 0214574 00 in the name of
The Gypsy Trustor, post your donation to: The Gypsy Trust
P.O. Box 430 Warkworth 0941.Please include your name
and address so we can post a receipt to you.Your donation
will be receipted and publicly acknowledged on this site.
Phot
o Ro
ger
Dun
das
page 24
Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 25
Thelma biting the bit
southeRn tRust clAssic YAcht ReGAttA, AucklAnd 10th - 12th febRuARY 2012
CAMERON DORROUGH
We arrived in Auckland on Tuesday afternoon, a couple of
days early for the start of the 2012 Southern Trust Classic
Yacht Regatta and full of excitement for the days ahead
sailing the azure waters of the Waitemata. CYANZ official
Joyce Talbot was our host for the next few days and was at
the airport to meet us.
Having toured Auckland last year and completed the mandatory
trip to the mud pools of Rotorua, the very next day Jenny and I
headed east to Coromandel. Taking in the sights of Tairua and
Coromandel Town on our journey through spectacular rainforest
and sleepy coastal villages, this was a seven-hour trip rivalling
the Great Ocean Road in both scenery and winding tarmac
(Don’t these Kiwis know how to build a straight road?).
Thursday morning we drove westwards through the Henderson
Valley and down to the surf beach at Piha where we sat on the
black sand and ate our lunch, watching the surf roll in from the
other side of the Tasman. All too soon it was time to head back
to Auckland for the Regatta briefing and Welcome Dinner and
to check-in to our home for the next few days at Latitude 37
Apartments in the Viaduct.
Much of the briefing was spent in my role as Australian Liaison,
accompanied by my NZ counterpart, James Stonyer, allocating
aussie crews to boats. But I need not have worried: James had
it all under control. After negotiating my way into the one prize
crew position on the newly-refurbished thoroughbred Rawhiti
for the first race, I allowed myself to be persuaded to give up the
spot to Roger Dundas and instead sail with Jenny on Waitangi –
the iconic 76’ Logan-designed gaff cutter, built in 1894 – that we
had been privileged to sail in last year’s event.
RACING
It was to be Old Gaffers all Regatta for me: Friday 10 February
dawned a beautiful sunny day in Auckland, and a short walk
from the apartment found us outside the Auckland Maritime
Museum for Race #1 with Captain Larry Paul and the crew of
Waitangi. In light winds and with a clear blue sky overhead, we
motored out to the start off the tail of majestic Rangitoto Island
in the company of the remainder of the Regatta fleet.
lARGe fleet of sYdneY AmAteuRs clAssics heAdinG to hobARt
DAVID SALTER
It began as a casual dockside conversation late last year between
two Sydney Amateur Sailing Club skippers and now it’s grown
into a major project that should see at least eight classic yachts
on the club register cruise “in company” to Hobart for the
Australian Wooden Boat Festival in February 2013.
Initially, only Mike Warner (Lahara, 1951) and David Salter
(Mister Christian, 1965) intended to make the passage south
together, but once their loose plan became known, the two were
quickly joined by Maurie Evans (Malohi, 1956) and Philip Brown
(Anitra V, 1956). All of these classic wooden yachts have strong
connections with Tasmania.
Lahara was built by the legendary Jock Muir at Battery Point, and
has raced to Hobart five times. Malohi, an Arthur Robb design,
also competed in five Sydney-Hobart races. Mister Christian (co-
owned by Ben Gray), was the late Peter Kurts’ first ocean racer
and has also done five Hobart’s.
Anitra was one of the Halvorsen brothers’ most successful
offshore yachts and won the race in 1957. Between them the four
yachts have competed in 28 Sydney-Hobarts, most during the
‘golden era’ of the event between 1950 and 1970.
In true SASC style, the group began to meet unofficially
over lunch at the club on the shores of Mosman Bay to swap
experiences and ideas for the trip. Before long, word of the cruise
spread and the fleet has now doubled to eight. Three of the new
participants also have strong connections with Tasmania.
The famous Alan Payne-designed Maris was built in Hobart by
Jock Muir in 1958. Originally owned by the late marine artist,
Jack Earl, the 37-foot Tasman Seabird classer is now skippered by
his grand-daughter, Tiare Tomaszewski.
Fidelis is well known to Tasmanians, having won line honours
in the 1966 Sydney-Hobart race in record time. Built in New
Zealand to a Knud Reimers design, the powerful 61-foot sloop is
now owned by Sydney businessman Nigel Stoke.
The oldest active classic yacht on the Sydney Amateurs register
to join the long sail to the 2013 festival is Martin van der Wal’s
Hoana, built in 1925. The 30-foot gaffer should take the trip in
her stride, having completed a world circumnavigation, including
a stay in Tasmania, during the 1960s.
Reverie will turn plenty of heads in Hobart. Built in 1965, the
tough little 28-foot raised-decker is co-owned by Sydney sailors
Nigel Berlyn and John Barclay. A modified Maurice Griffiths
design, she’s won many regattas and club championships on
Sydney Harbour.
The cruise has no formal structure and is not an official activity
of the SASC, but these eight yachts should make a unique sight
together at the festival, all flying the distinctive ‘Amateurs’ burgee.
Fidelis in New Zealand waters
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 27
new ZeAlAnd clAssic YAcht ReGAttA Recollections
10th - 12th febRuARY 2012
PETER COSTOLLOE
An important feature of the CYAA annual November Classic
Yacht Cup Regatta in Melbourne is the cross-Tasman
connection. Last Regatta our Association welcomed 15
New Zealand Classic Yacht members. Apart from the racing
side of the regatta, the visit provides an opportunity
for members of each Association to sit down and discuss
common issues and how each Association operates
. To sustain and build this important relationship between the two
Classic Yacht Associations an Australian contingent was made up
for a reciprocal visit to the February 2012 Classic Yacht Regatta in
Auckland. The opportunity to see and experience racing on world
class Classic Yachts in Auckland was not to be missed.
The kick-off event at the Regatta HQ set up in the Auckland
Harbour Viaduct was hosted by Steve Cranch, Chairman of
the New Zealand Classic Yacht Association. Cheers all round
when Steve announced, ‘The Aussies are here.’ With light winds
prevailing and a 90-minute postponement of Race 1, we used an
unexpected opportunity to take a close look over a slow moving
NZ Classic Yacht fleet under full sail.
Tight racing with Bruce Tantrum’s Paramour on the second day of
the Regatta, combined with the fun and experience of sail with
Bruce made this day special.
The on-water action of classic gaff and Bermudian rigged cutters
preparing for the Regatta’s second race of the day was a sight not
even Classic Boat magazine could offer.
On the third day of Regatta racing I sailed on Thelma with Tony
Blake on the helm: a Classic Yacht racing experience as it was meant
to be. Ripping along at hull speed, Thelma throwing out the chop
with no impact on hull speed, hoisting the gaff under fast running
conditions and taking out the result against serious competition.
An example of the close relationship between the two Classic
Yacht Associations is the Trans–Tasman Trophy. This trophy is
awarded to the person from the visiting Classic Yacht Association
who aggregates the most points based on the Regatta race score
points awarded to each yacht they sail on. For the 2012 New
Zealand Regatta the trophy went to David McKenzie.
Congratulations to David and also to the contingent of our
members who joined together to experience a Classic Yacht
Regatta in New Zealand.
Corona in Hauraki Gulf
After a largely uneventful race, with Larry and myself sharing the
helm and Jenny and Phil Morrisey helping out on runners, I was
thrilled to discover we finished first on handicap – a good start to
the Regatta indeed!
At the post-race briefing that night, I volunteered to help Iain
Valentine and his crew Neil sail the historic 36’ gaff cutter Frances
(a.k.a ‘The Pumpkin Boat’) who had only just re-launched her
after minor repairs and was keen to be part of the Regatta action.
Jenny had decided instead to make the most of our apartment
location in the Viaduct and spent the next two days amidst the
bustle of downtown Auckland instead.
The first race on Saturday brought rain and far-too-light winds,
but we had a great tussle with the very classy little gaff cutter Jessie
Logan, skippered by James Stonyer. A moment’s inattention on
my part during the run to the finish allowed Jessie to edge ahead
and beat us across the finish line – but only just. Must have been
quite a sight from the Committee Boat.
The rain had cleared away by race’s end and after crossing the
line we hove-to for a quick lunch of sandwiches and snacks and
drank in the sight of the Classic Fleet milling around within sight
of the start of Race #3. The sound of their crews enjoying a post-
race swim drifted to us across the warm waters of the Waitemata.
All too soon we were lined up for the next race in winds still far
too light for the heavy Frances. Having vowed not to let Jessie
get away again, after a reasonable start we tried to cut across
the shipping channel, but the outgoing tide pushed us out of
contention and we watched Jessie and the remainder of the fleet
sail off towards the distant Auckland shore.
After a lap of the course, depressingly accompanied much of the
way by Shane Appleton’s tiny sloop Happy Days skippered for
the day by our very own Roger Dundas, we reached the finish
line just in time to see the Committee Boat up-anchor and head
home. It has not been a good day for poor Frances!
THE LAST RACE
The final day of the Regatta found me on Wairiki – Jason Prew’s
beautiful 34’ gaff topsail-driven speed machine designed by
Logan Brothers in 1904 and the worthy subject of Rodd&Gunn
clothing advertisements on billboards and in magazines across
Australia and New Zealand.
It was raining and blowing hard out of the east for the start of the
Round Motuihe Island Race as we towed Happy Days out of the
Viaduct and down the harbour, punching into the steep-sided
chop. With only Jason, myself and crew James on board we were,
unfortunately, a little short-handed for the conditions.
For this race, Jason had the helm. Being more accustomed to
modern Bermudan rigs and having little experience with smaller
Gaffers, it had not occurred to me before how many ropes there
were to handle; all of them the same colour – and no winches!
(Note to self: Make sure I eat my Weeties before doing this again.)
Inevitably the waves proved too much for Happy Days and so,
only half way to the start line, we reluctantly cast off the tow and
Shane and crew Glen Crawford headed back to the marina. The
first ones back to the bar!
With two reefs in the main and making slow progress to windward
even under engine power we arrived at the start late enough to
engender a comment of ‘Didn’t know you were starting with the
H28’s!’ from the Committee Boat as we passed.
It has been decades since my days of wet-suits and racing dinghies
and I’d forgotten just how wet a small low-freeboard racing yacht
could be in heavy weather. With the decks awash from bow to
stern from the time we departed the Viaduct, we were all soaked
through well before the end of the race. Fortunately the water
was warm!
One memorable moment while surfing toward the finish line
was watching the remains of a wave break over Wairiki’s curved
stern and rush forwards along the deck only to meet a similar
wave from the bow and the resulting heaped-up pile of white
water crumble against the side of the cabin like it had been
poured from a bucket.
For us, the race was largely uneventful, battling the waves
and peering ahead through the rain. Frances revelled in these
conditions – we could see her in the distance – but were unable
to catch her before the finish. Wairiki proved herself capable
though, taking away the ‘B’ Class trophy by Regatta’s end.
REGATTA’S END
An enjoyable dinner with the remains of the Aussie contingent
followed the Regatta Prizegiving. With Mark Chew’s Fair Winds
the only contender, there was nothing on offer for the Aussies
this year. After a frenzied tally of the final placings by James
and myself, David MacKenzie was awarded the coveted Trans-
Tasman Trophy; and well earned too!
With a planned Monday cruise with the Classic Launch group to
Riverhead Hotel for lunch cancelled due to the promise of bad
weather (and the odd hangover), Jenny and I took the ferry to
Waiheke. In bright sunshine, we spent a lovely day wandering
the shops before heading back to the apartment and a promised
dinner with Steve and Megan Cranch.
The very next morning we were out at the airport and heading
home; already making plans to return next year.
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 29
The Gaff Cutter “Crackerjack”
The over 10m yachts battle to win the start with “Insheer” bravely choosinga port tack from the pin end to cross in front of the fleet.
Peter Kerr from Deagon Slipways enjoys a break between races on “Pagan”
Rush hour at the bottom mark with “Achernar II” skippered by Steve Luggeleading the pack
Phot
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Phot
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Phot
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37TH VINTAGE YACHT REGATTA QCYC SHORNCLIFFE QLD 9TH ‑ 10TH JUNE 2012
NIGEL STATHAM
The threat of inclement weather later in the weekend
loomed large over this year’s 35 entrants. For most well
found yachts, 20 plus knots is not a problem, but for some
smaller vessels, it can be, none more so than for Fiona, a 12
metre2 Heavyweight Sharpie (3 person centreboard racing
dinghy) built in 1956 for the Melbourne Olympics.
In the Jeays family’s hands since 1957, Fiona had been readied
to race by patriarch and sheethand Albert, 92, with original crew,
cousins Andrew, 82 skipper and Laurie, 76 forward hand. With a
total of 250 years of age between them, around 10 knots would
have been ideal.
Saturday dawned cloudy with a 12 to 15 knot sou’easter blowing
across the decks. Division 3 (Modern Classics) yachts got away
well with Hank Kaufman’s powerful self-designed sloop Seraya
leading the fleet from schooner Marriah, Peter Holm, Manitou
Nick Martin and the Duncanson 35 Inisheer, David Farmer.
Close racing was expected among the faster of the Div 1 yachts
and they didn’t disappoint. A halyard problem held up Peter
Kerr’s Tasman Seabird Pagan, allowing the Bluey Williams sloop
Tequila, skippered by the Walker brothers, to take the lead. Jonno
had flown in the day before to join brother Josh on the yacht,
given into their care by grandfather and noted local 18 foot skiff
and offshore sailor Kevvie Martin.
Further back, the two Dragons were dicing as Ivan Holm came to
grips with his new acquisition Westerly, but trailed Chris Roberts
in Fairwyn. Gary Bradshaw’s Randel ketch Fourwinds was the
best performed gaff rigged yacht.
Div 2 was a battle between Graham Elliott’s Flying 15 Seamist,
the classic double ender Tom Thumb Paul Aroney, and Bruce
Wales’ Hartley 16, Plan B. Meanwhile, the old salts in Fiona went
for a swim near the wing mark and after righting the old girl and
finding the gaff halyard broken, headed home for a hot shower.
Race 2, later in the day was sailed under similar conditions with
similar results. Tequila held out a fast finishing Pagan, and despite
being short handed, ‘Big Steve’ Lugge brought his Alden Malabar
Ketch Achenar 11 home third. Westerly got the better of Fairwyn,
and Plan B was 1st home in Div 2, while Seraya repeated her
earlier win in Div 3.
The usual cockpit and pontoon parties followed such a good
day’s racing. Tequila’s gathering doubled as birthday party for
‘the Heavy from Rhode Island’ Jonno, relating his recent exploits
crossing the Atlantic as part of a maxi yacht crew.
Sunday’s weather was similar to the previous day and in Race
3, Pagan took advantage of a good start to hold the lead all the
way to cross the finish line just 2 seconds ahead of Tequila. John
Richardson’s Finisterre yawl Balamara, revelled in the conditions
coming in third, and in another close finish, Fairwyn beat Westerly
home by less than a second. Carmen Mira’s Folkboat Tern, put in
a good performance for second behind Plan B in Div 2.
Race 4 started badly for Tequila with a jammed halyard. It seems
modern ropes and old sheaves don’t mix. Pagan took another win
from Westerly and Fairwyn. Plan B had a third Div 2 win, while
Inisheer completed a second win for the day in Div 3.
The trophy presentation was well attended, with all skippers
vying for the prestigious perpetual trophies up for grabs. Peter
Kerr won the Deagon Slipways trophy, one that he had donated,
when Pagan took out the Regatta’s overall Div 1 Line honours
victory. In Div 2, the Australiawide Boat Sales trophy went to
Plan B.
When it came to handicap honours, Dinah Hall was very chuffed
when her little gaffer Pingu, won the Williams Trophy in Div 2,
ahead of Tahua, Rick Humphries and Carouse, Michael Franklin.
Tequila’s success in the Ted Rice Shield for Div 1 handicap honours
was not unexpected. Josh Walker’s first call after the win was to
grandfather Kevvie who had been watching their every move all
weekend from his waterfront veranda. The third Holm brother,
Tony steered his Clansman Merrymac to second with Pagan third.
Retired local shipwright Brian Hutchison was again this year
called on to judge the best presented awards and was full of
praise for the high standards on show. Seraya was a well deserved
winner of the Albert Jeays Shield for Best Presented Overall
Yacht. Other awards went to Balamara, the Marco Polo Shield
(vintage yachts), Fourwinds the National Trust Shield (gaffers)
and Westerly the Wasson Shield (small yachts).
A beginner’s guide to racing at the Vintage Yacht Regatta
• Big boats are split into pre 1968 Classics and Modern Classics
• Small boats race in a single division
• On each of the first two race days there is a triangle course
and a windward/leeward course. These courses are quite
short but the boats go around 3 times. All boats use the
same start/finish line but with the large fleet the bigger
boats start 5 minutes earlier and the smaller boats use closer
marks for shorter legs.
• The use of different course lengths within the same relatively
small race area keeps the fleet together and adds to the
atmosphere. Boats are close enough for plenty of upwind
crosses and action around the marks.
• On the third day there is a pursuit race around the bay with
the slowest boats starting first.
• This is a great weekend and not just for old gaffers. In 2012,
there was a Duncanson, a Cavalier and a Clansman so if your
boat was designed or built before 1983 come along next year
for close quarter sailing with ‘achingly beautiful’ boats and
great festivities. But note that the Queens Birthday weekend
might move to October next year and if it does the QCYC
will move the Vintage Yacht Regatta. Stay tuned.
www.qcyc.com.au/go/vr/MediaGeneralInfo/2012Results.aspx
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Classic Yacht Association of Australia Issue 32 - May 2012 © CYAA
page 31
FOR SALE TUMLAREN ‑ GALATEA $24,000Launched in 1938 “Gotnum” now “Galatea” was built for Dr Littlejohn by J. Edwards to the original plans of Knud Reimers. She
was kept at Brighton & sailed by B. Needham & on occasions the owners’ son, W. Littlejohn. She was then sold to Dr ( later Sir)
Hugh Devine who renamed her “ Ulrica”. He installed an auxillery, then sailed her around to moorings in Westernport Bay to
use her to fish in Bass Strait during the war. Around the early 1950’s she was renamed “Galatea” and was a major competitor in
the RMYC Tumlaren races. (The Tumlaren class during this time was the backbone of the clubs fleet & provided fine racing).
She was purchased by the current owners in a state of demise in 2007 after being spotted on a swing mooring at St Kilda.
After being restored with total love & respect (and considerable expense) she now graces the waters again in total splendour,
regularly racing against other Tumlarens in the classic yacht races. She is currently located on a swing mooring at St Kilda.
For more information, prospective buyers should contact: George Low 0418 333 301 [email protected] or Chris Lawrence
0414182837
Galatea is being sold, as George Low has purchased Snow Goose, the Tumlaren built in 1949 for his father and uncle. It will be fully
restored and sailed with the Classic fleet in Melbourne.
ACROSS THE BAR
BRUCE STANNARD BIDS FAREWELL TO AN OLD FRIEND
When Justus Veeneklaas, an old and much-loved friend died
in my arms recently, the sudden and dramatic loss left me
profoundly shaken and set me thinking about the tenuous
nature of our existence. While most people naturally prefer
not to dwell on the all too brief span of our lives, very few
of us appear to be prepared for, much less reconciled to, its
inevitable ending. I was one of them, but not any more.
Justus, who would have been 70 in July, had a distinguished
career in international business. He and Marianne, his
wife of 43 years, shared a passionate interest in music, the
theatre, literature and art - all areas in which he was an
exceptionally generous benefactor and patron. He invariably
had constructive and carefully considered opinions on most
things and was never shy in expressing them. I admired his
candour and his sparkling good humour.
Justus was a tall, sandy-haired, blue-eyed Frieslander, a
native of the Netherlands’ northern-most province, but
woe betide anyone who called him a Dutchman. He saw
himself as a Viking, a descendant of the seaborne invaders
who swept out of Norway in the 10th century to conquer
the Low Countries and overrun much of Britain and Europe.
His abiding passion, which we shared, was an interest in
traditional wooden sailing boats. He was a keen yachtsman
with a long record of ocean cruising and in around-the-
buoys racing.
On the day of his death we had spent a delightful afternoon
together aboard the lovely Huon Pine Couta Boat he had
aptly named Tenacity. The name was a direct reflection of
his own indomitable spirit. Life had dealt him some pretty
tough cards: quintuple bypass heart surgery, kidney failure
and a constant regime of dialysis as of 10 years ago , but he
never complained and was always up-beat and optimistic.
Although most people of his age have long since retired,
he remained busy building a new start-up company. He
found time for golf three days a week and had even picked
up playing the clarinet with weekly lessons after a 40 year
break. So here was a man who plainly loved Life and
enjoyed it to the full.
We spent an unforgettable four hours together on his boat
on Pittwater. The autumn sun was shining out of a cloudless
blue sky. A gentle nor’easter was blowing and so we went
out to encourage his two young grandsons, Finn and Charlie,
who were off in their own little Optimist dinghies, being
coached by their father, Menno. There was an easy banter
between them all as the boys crouched in their dinghies and
watched the tell-tale ribbons in the rigging for signs of the
breeze. Justus was clearly very proud of the wee boys and he
spoke to them with respect and admiration.
We went back to the Veeneklaas family home at Newport,
made the boat fast to the jetty at the foot of the garden and
tucked into a splendid salad luncheon under the shade of a
waterfront gazebo. Here was the quintessential Australian
experience: kids in their dinghies under the eyes of a doting
Dad and their beaming grandparents. In a world full of
chaos and uncertainty for so many people, here was an
Australian family doing what Aussie families have always
done. It was reassuring to me at least, that in the midst of so
much social change, some things stay the same. But then,
just when everything seemed so blissfully perfect, along
came the killer blow.
We were attaching the cover on Tenacity when Justus
suffered a massive heart attack. He died in my arms on the
foredeck. I cannot imagine a more fitting end for any sailor.
Justus Veeneklaas was farewelled in a private ceremony
and, according to his wishes, his ashes were scattered at sea
north of Barrenjoey Head.
page 32
Classic Yacht Association of Australia
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT - BECOME A MEMBER!
Your support makes all the difference, and costs so little.
To ensure you never miss another issue of this newsletter,
why not become a member of the Classic Yacht Association
of Australia. Full membership costs just $75, or crew/
friends membership for $50 including GST.
APPLICATION FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP
I ....................................................................................(Full name of Applicant)
Of .................................................................................(address)wish to become a member of the Classic Yacht Association of Australia and apply to have my Yacht accepted on to the Yacht Register for the annual fee of $75
Signature of Applicant................................................
Date .............................................................................
Please supply the following details:
Phone Number ...........................................................
Fax Number ................................................................. Email Address .............................................................
Boat Name .................................................................
Designer .....................................................................
Date of Build ..............................................................
Construction ..............................................................
LOA ................................. Rig ................................... Sail Number ...............................................................
Details of other Yacht Club Memberships:
......................................................................................
APPLICATION FOR CREW MEMBERSHIP
I ....................................................................................(Full name of Applicant)
Of .................................................................................(address)wish to join the Classic Yacht Association of Australia as a crew member / friend for the annual fee of $50
Signature of Applicant................................................
Date .............................................................................
Please supply the following details:
Phone Number ...........................................................
Fax Number ................................................................. Email Address .............................................................
Boat Name ..................................................................
Details of other Yacht Club Memberships:
......................................................................................
Return this completed form to the following address:
CYAA Membership Officer65 Surrey RoadSouth YarraVictoria 3141admin@classic‑yacht.asn.au
