Issue 35 – July 2014 – …2014/07/02 · Issue 35 – July 2014 – Classic Yacht Association of Australia Magazine Our aim is to promote the appreciation and participation of

Issue 35 – July 2014 – Classic Yacht Association of Australia Magazine

Our aim is to promote the appreciationand participation of sailing classic

yachts in Australia, and help preservethe historical and cultural significance

of these unique vessels.

CONTENTS

CYAA Representatives 2

New members 2

QLD Vintage Yacht Regatta 2014 3

Classic Yachts Regatta 2014 6

Trim 7

CYAA Regatta 2013 in Review 9

Classic Yacht Invitational 10

Fidelis 12

Norman R Wright Poster 15

Cooee 18

Jack Savage Obituary 20

Traditional Boat Festival 22

Membership Application 24

www.classic-yacht.asn.au

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Classic Yacht Association of Australia

CYAA REPRESENTATIVES

ADMINISTRATIONCYAAPO Box 335WilliamstownVictoria [email protected]

CYAA QueenslandGreg [email protected]

EDITORIALRoger DundasMobile 0419 342 [email protected]

Peter Costolloe

Mobile 0419 171 [email protected]

Jennifer CookMobile 0400 108 [email protected]

Roz Edmond Proof Editor

NEW MEMBERS

WELCOME BACK

COVER PHOTO: SEMPER FIDELIS OFF SYDNEY HEADS IN

THE 2006 SYDNEY TO HOBART RACE

Forty years on from the line-honours

in 1966

COVER PHOTO BY: THEO SPRUIKER

COMING EVENTSSt. Helena Regatta.October 4th - 5th 2014

Wynum Manly Yacht Club, Brisbane Queensland

CYAA (Vic) 2014/2015 Summer SeriesOctober 5th Race 1Port Phillip Melbourne VictoriaCompass Invitation Regatta11th -12th October 2014

Moreton Bay Yacht Club, Brisbane Queensland

CYAA (Vic) 2014 Cup RegattaMelbourne Docklands October 31 to November 3

Festival of SailsJanuary 24 2015

Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Geelong Victoria

Australian Wooden Boat FestivalFeburary 6th - 9th

Hobart Tasmania

CYANZ Mahurangi To Auckland RaceJanuary 25 2015

Auckland

CYANZ Southern Trust RegattaFeburary 27 2015

Auckland

Pittwater Classic Yacht RegattaMarch 7th - 8th

Royal Motor Yacht Club, Sydney New South Wales

Club Marine Centenary RegattaApril 18 2015

Sandringham Yacht Club, Melbourne Victoria

Gordon Tait VIC Boat Owner ‘Ettrick’

Joy Phillips TAS Boat owner ‘HolgerDanske’

State Library NSW Crewof NSW

Alex Howard VIC Crew

Phillip Morrisey VIC Crew ‘Sayonara’

Nicholas Morrisey VIC Crew ‘Sayonara’

Robert Warden Vic Crew ‘Sayonara’

John Donati Vic Crew ‘Fair Winds II’

Nicole Shrimpton NSW Boat Owner ‘Defiance’

Int. 8 Metre

Issue 35 - July 2014 © CYAA

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Race Start, Queensland Vintage Yacht Regatta, 2014 (QLD VYR, 2014)

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QUEENSLANDVINTAGE YACHTREGATTA

Ideal weather conditions greeted the high quality fleet thatgathered over the Queen’s Birthday weekend for the 39thVintageYacht Regatta at Queensland CruisingYacht Club in Brisbane.

With good breeze and sunshine it was the warmest weather forsome time at this annual event and it certainly seemed to makefor enthusiastic crew, almost too enthusiastic on a couple of theboats in the first race who traded some varnish on the start line.Unique to the VintageYacht Regatta is the use of different courselengths within the same race area. This keeps the fleet togetherand helps add to the atmosphere and this was certainly the casefor the first race when the entire fleet finished within twentyminutes of each, no mean feat when you have boats ranging insize from the stunningly beautiful Wraith of Odin at 18m, downto the smallest boat, Moggie, at just under 4m.

To keep the navigators on their toes each race during the weekendfollowed a different course and thanks to the great conditions,the fleet was back at Queensland CruisingYacht Club in plenty oftime after race two on Saturday to enjoy the waterside restaurantand allow judge Brian Hutchinson to get to work grading the

fleet for the Concours d’Elegance competition. This is always ahotly contested event where it can sometimes come down to anumber of scratches on the mast to split the yachts.

Sunday provided another day of great racing in building swelland wind that started to challenge both crew and yacht. Oneof the real charms of the weekend is that although the racingis competitive, everyone still has the ability to see the funnyside when things don’t go quite as planned; well mostly! EuanMacDonald, skippering one of three Amity’s at the event, willattest to this fact as he recounted, to great applause, his adventurewith one of the mark buoys at the presentation back at the Club

Irex II, QLD VYR, 2014

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Classic Yacht Association of

After the event, Regatta Director commented that this yearsRegatta, had been one of the best he had been at and wasalreadyplanning for the milestone fortieth running of the event next year.

The main regatta over, Monday was an optional pursuit raceto help the crew on their journey homeward. The concept issimple, the slowest boat starts first and all the other yachts startat predetermined times after it. If the sums are done correctly,everyone finished at the same time. With the promise of morewind again the fleet for this race was far smaller than the restof the weekend but for those that did venture out, they weremet with a cobweb blowing 30 knots of wind and a great sailout towards Moreton Island and back. As the wind was gettingstronger the larger, faster boats had the advantage butevenso the fleet finished in a tight eight minute window and thenhappily set sail for home.

After the event, Regatta Director commented that this yearsRegatta, had been one of the best he had been at and wasalreadyplanning for the milestone fortieth running of the event next year.

Tahua, Winner of Division Two, QLD VYR, 2014

Dulcibella, Queensland Vintage Yacht Regatta, 2014

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2014 QUEENSLAND VINTAGE YACHT REGATTA RESULTS

Organised and hosted by the Queensland Cruising Yacht

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classic yachtREGATTA

MELBOURNE DOCKLANDSMELBOURNE CUP WEEKENDOCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 3 2014

classic-


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2013 CUP REGATTA WRAP UP.Where to begin recalling events that made the Classics 2013

Cup Regatta the marque yacht racing event on Port Phillip for

2013?

CUP REGATTA ENTRANTS

The enthusiasm to celebrate the 2013 Cup Regatta by skippersandcrews of Classic Yachts from all keelboat clubs of Port Phillip andGeelong plus the Couta Boat skippers and crews from the CoutaBoat Association was the notable feature of this ClassicYacht CupRegatta. Our first entrant of our 28 entries was none other thanour best performing Classic yacht of the Regatta: Phil Atkins with‘Trim’ .

CUP REGATTA VISITORS

What makes our Cup Regatta important to us is that it’s part ofthe process to sustain our close relationship with our great friendsfrom the Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand. Thesecloseties evolved when Col Anderson and Doug Shields, the foundersof our Association, saw how effective the work of the ClassicYachtAssociation of New Zealand was to ClassicYachting in that countryafter Waitangi was relocated to New Zealand.

To make this year’s CYANZ support of our Cup Regatta happen,Cameron Dorrough put in many hours of work preparing andimplementing the program that looked after our Kiwi friendsduring their Regatta stay here and working with Iain Valentine tosee all our NZ visitors were allocated a place on the yachts in ano-drama fashion.

CUP REGATTA SPONSORS

This Cup Regatta has been taken to a new level with the signingup of the first major sponsor, the City of Melbourne. The Cityrecognises the Classic Yacht Association as one of the manywaysand means to be used to help Melbournians redevelop and nurturetheir strong traditions and connection to the water.

Vouchers were received from UK Sailmakers to present to winnersof individual Regatta Races whilst Roger Dundas worked on theprovision of an excellent Marine Saver Inflatable Jacket fromSafety Marine Australia to award to the best performed ClassicYacht of the Cup Regatta.

To make our Concours d’Elegance happen, Karen Batson,foredeck hand on Zephyr, arranged for her restaurant, Cookie toprovide a $150.00 voucher at the Thai food and Beer Hall.

The unique sponsorship of our Cup Regatta was the framedcollage of Classic Yacht photos taken by Mark Chew duringhis time racing with our fleet. The success of Mark’sdonation was seen when $1550 was raised to assist theAssociation with their Regatta implementation plans.

CUP REGATTA GUINEAS AND THE INTER ASSOCIATIONCHALLENGE.

Friday pre-Regatta invitational events have now become a Regattaessential:

With the Guineas Cup 3-match race series, our on water rivalrywith the Couta Boat Association moved to a new level. Sad torelate, ‘Gemfish’ and ‘C97’ had the weight of the CBA heaviesand put‘Mercedes III’ and‘Pastivme II’ to bed.

CUP REGATTA @ MELBOURNE CITY MARINA,DOCKLANDS

Docklands became the venue to show Melbourne their ClassicYacht Fleet. Our flagship, the 1898 built ‘Sayonara’, supported bythe 1905 Linton Hope designed, ‘Oenone’, presented a uniquepanorama of ClassicYachting to Melbourne’s Docklands. A ClassicYachting social occasion, that lasted till the fleet’s departure onMonday morning.

Bringing our fleet together with a single Regatta berthing venue,the single venue allowed Skippers and Crews the opportunity tomeet up with members from other clubs. Guest facilities providedby the Melbourne City Marina were a welcome and well usedfeature. Many comments were received from our skippers on thetime afforded to them, to relax and enjoy a before and after racesocial occasion on their boats, while traversing the river to andfrom racing. Nothing but complimentary words on the supportand facilities offered to them by Matt Snape who headed up theMelbourne City Marina staff.

CUP REGATTA WELCOME COCKTAIL FUNCTION.

What a way to extend a welcome to our 2013 Cup Regatta!

With 70 attending the function at“Berth”, an impressive show ofour member’s Cup Regatta commitment to our principle Regattasponsor, the City of Melbourne, was displayed.

After an introduction by our President, Martin Ryan, the Cityof Melbourne representative, Cr Kevin Louey responded withcompliments to the Classic Yacht Association and their CupRegatta. This presentation was followed up with spiritedauctioneering by Jeff Richardson of C97 to bring in bidding to$750.00 for the framed collage of Classic Yachting on Port Phillip,donated by one of our original members, Mark Chew.All attendees reported suffice on the quality of finger food andrefreshments offered by“Berth”, during the reception.

CUP REGATTA RACE 1 PASSAGE RACE.

After allocating yachts for our NZ ClassicYacht Association visitorsto crew on, the fleet headed off for the hour long river traverse toour racing waters.

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With light wind conditions and a short delay, a 9 mile course wasselected by the RYCV Race Director David LeRoy for the fleet torace over. After passing through the Windward Gate, Anne Batsonskilfully helmed her Tumlare,̀ ‘Zephyr’, to a commanding andnever-relinquished position in the first sector of the race to takeout 1st overall on corrected time. After a change to the elapsedtime results, 2nd and 3rd on corrected time went to‘Sayonara’ and‘Oenone’ respectively. ‘Pastime II’ helmed by Peter McDonald tookout race line honours.

One aspect of this race was the collection of mark rounding timesby the fleet. Later analysis of this data showed the tail enders ofthe fleet making better elapsed time between marks than thoseleading fleet leaders. In the later stages of the race ‘Bungoona’led the fleet in elapsed time performance’s between marks, butunfortunately not enough to make up the time parked in windlessholes. Solid sailing between marks by Joe Tuck and the boys on‘Loama’ and Bill Chittenden on‘Cardinal Puff’, our RGYC entrant,showed no one was out for a social sail.

Mal Botterill took the RYCV RIB out and photos from the PassageRace will be available on the CYAA website.

Apres Race activity during the river traverse and at the MelbourneCity Marina continued well after the race.

CUP REGATTA RACE 2

Gale strength wind and sea conditions stopped any thought ofracing for the day. Signals were hoisted from the Marina flag staffto indicate Race 2 was held over to the following day.

No problems for our Regatta people though: Celebrations andsocialising continued in the comfort of Kent Bacons‘Renene’ withher new deck and many other classic yachts tied up at Docklands.

CUP REGATTA RACING RESULTS

Congratulations to Anne Batson with her crew for ‘Zephyr’s’winning performance in the Passage Race. This race had‘Sayonara’2nd and‘Oenone’ 3rd on corrected time.

Next, the results of the Monday Pursuit Start race, where‘Bungoona’ took out the trophy. Second and third were‘Alwyn’ and‘Loama’ respectively.

With a tied points score for second placing, a count back wasused to award Helen Lovett’s ‘Oenone’ 2nd placing overall with‘Sayonara’ taking out 3rd placing. A feature of this years’ overallresults was the 5 sets of yachts on equal placing. So that left theannouncement of who took out the overall placing and wouldhave the skippers and yacht name inscribed in the Col BandyTrophy and who would take home the Safety Marine AustraliaRoaring Forties PFD Jacket.

‘Trim’ the Ohlsen 35 skippered by PhilAtkins from the SandringhamYacht Club, took out the trophy for the best performed yacht of theseries. A big three cheers went up for Phil and Trim.

CUP REGATTA TRANS TASMAN TROPHY

The Trans Tasman Trophy based on a complex formula, evolvedfrom the combined thinking powers of Kiwi’s and Aussies. Thismeans no one else will have a chance to work out the chemistrybetween the two Classic Yacht Associations. From the NZ Team,Martin Robertson took out the 2013 award.

CUP REGATTA CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE TROPHY

For the Cookie sponsored Concours d’Elegance judging, IainValentine representing the CYANZ announced the decision washard because of the 2013 Regatta fleet presentation quality. Thejudging team had to make a decision between Windward II,Reneene, Oenone and Sayonara.

To help the decision making process, the extra factor of whichClassic Yacht as presented as close as possible to its original buildwas used. ‘Sayonara’, designed by Fife and built in 1898 andrepresented by Doug Shields took home the $150.00 meal voucherthat was presented to him by Karen Batson from Cookie.

CUP REGATTA FRAMED PRINT AUCTION

With the presentations completed, the time to conduct the secondsale of the framed Mark Chew collage of Port Phillips ClassicYachts photos he collected during his days of Classic Yacht racing.Jeff Richardson skipper of‘C97’, took to the floor in full auctioneermode to work the audience into a sale at $850.00.

CUP REGATTA MESSAGE TO OUR BELOVED CLASSICYACHTS

To wrap up the presentation and to help us remember thoseClassic Yachts of ours when racing them, David McKenzie put hispipes to work to give us the tune with those great words from theSkye Song melody“Speed bonny boat like a bird on the wing”.

CUP REGATTA BIDS GOODBYE TO THE KIWICONTINGENT

Finishing up with what was is now our way to show that our greatmates from the Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand willalways be remembered, a stirring rendition of PoKareKare Anawas given by our band, The Long and Short of It. For a partinggift to our Kiwi’s ClassicYacht Associates, our band, The Long andShort of it, will be making a studio recording of their rendition ofPoKaraKare Ana. This recording will be donated to our Associationwith the request we use it to remind our NZ visitors of their timewith us during our 2013 Cup Regatta.


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CUP REGATTA SHAMELESS SCENES.

With the Cup Regatta presentations over, a scene of music anddancing descended on to the RYCV after deck.

CUP REGATTA SAD SCENES.

A scene of sadness was the sight on Friday afternoon at theHobsons Bay Yacht Club jetty. Realization that the latest additionto our Port Phillip Tumlare ̀fleet, Snow Goose, would not be a CupRegatta starter had been reached. George Low with his team upat Mike Hurrels boat yard had worked for almost a year to bringSnow Goose back to her prime and compete with us in the 2013Cup Regatta. Sad to relate, they were done in by the non-arrivalof some necessary mast fittings. We will see Snow Goose at workduring our regular series racing.

Another sad story was the loss of Swan from our entry list. GlenCrawford weighed up the numbers or lack of, it was Sayonarainstead. A loss to the Cup Regatta, we had no Doug Beazleyrestored netboats racing with us.

CUP REGATTA ORGANISING TEAM.

So it’s goodbye from your 2013 Cup Regatta organisers headed upby Martin Ryan with assistance from David McKenzie, CameronDorrough and Peter Costolloe. The team was most ably assisted byRoger Dundas and that magnificent BBQ crew.Thanks must go outto Celia Dymond of Dingo for her creative graphic artist work thatproduced the 2013 Cup Regatta Poster. A thank you message aswell goes to Emily Fisher, the City of Melbourne project manager,who put our City of Melbourne sponsorship into operation.

CUP REGATTA SAYS THANKS TO ALL THE ENTRANTS.

We all know how much the effort all our Classic Yacht skippersand crews put in to participate in this Cup Regatta. With mostnormal series race wrap up sessions we managed to make acomment about the performance of each starter. Throughout thisCup Regatta all starters were closely watched by that handicapperwho you all know and love. Rest assured the performance (goodor otherwise) and action (good or otherwise) of all the yachts thatHaven’’’ tbeen mentioned in this wrap up were noticed. Time hasprecluded detailing what was seen and noted by the handicapper.So to all our Skippers and crews of the Cup Regatta your enteringand competing in the Cup Regatta was the main Regatta highlight.The Regatta organisers consider this to be the highest form ofthanks for making the Regatta happen.

CUP REGATTA AS SEEN BY THOSE AT ITS BEGINNINGS.

With the word’s from Mark Chew, when he and Col Bandy put the

plans in motion for our first Cup Regatta, they had no idea the Cup

Regatta would grow into what was the successful and complaint

free 2013 Cup Regatta.

CUP REGATTA 2014

We already have members volunteering to manage aspects of the

2014 Regatta. If any of our members see where the Cup Regatta

can be improved or extended your welcome to step up. Be part of

the 2014 Regatta team and make your suggestion work.

2014 CUP REGATTA NEWS RELEASE 1 TO BE ISSUED

WITH 2014 CUP REGATTA NOTICE OF RACE

To be continued August 2014

“THANKS TO OUR 2013 CUP REGATTA SPONSORS”

City of Melbourne Marina

Mark Chewwww.markchew.com.au

THAI Food and Beer Hall

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TRIM

Phil Atkins

The Ohlson 35 yawl was designed by Einar Ohlson during thelate 1950’s.

Einar was a Swedish Naval Architect who was well known for his5.5 meter yacht designs.

Ohlson was known for his fast yachts, among them the Int 5.5mclass yacht Rush, Gold medal winner of the 1956 Olympics. Hisyacht designs competed against famous designers such as Luders,Hunt, Sparkman and Stevens and Briton Chance Jr.

The Ohlson 35’s were designed as a competitive race boat as wellas a comfortable cruiser.

The yachts concept was to compete against the larger and verysuccessful timber production yachts of the 50’s and 60’s, theConcordia yawls built in Germany and sold in large numbers onthe east coast of the USA.

Built in 1961 by the Ohlson Brothers yard in Gothenburg Sweden,Trim was one of a number of Ohlson production wooden yawlswhich included 35’s and 36’s and were mostly exported to the USAbetween 1958 and 1965.

In the US George O’Day a 5.5 meter Olympic Gold medalist, worldchampion, yacht designer and broker was the agent for the design.

The Ohlson 35’s performed well in the early 1960’s on the USAEast and West coasts, winning a number of prestigious races suchas theVineyard (1st and 2nd overall) in 1961.

Trim was built of Honduras mahogany with the planking edgeglued and copper fastened on white oak frames. The keel anddeadwoods are yellow pine. Spars were and still are Sitka spruce.The external keel ballast is cast iron.

Originally fitted with a Grey Marine Sea Scout 30hp petrol engine,which was replaced by an Arona diesel, she currently has a 10hpYanmar diesel.

The original owner was Dan Thompson who launched the yachtin 1962 with the name Metero, after a 19 century Brigantineoriginally built in New Orleans.

Dan became the commodore of the SeattleYacht club and Meterowas the flag ship of the club for a number of years

Dan raced and cruised the yacht which included an extensive longterm cruise to the Hawaiian Islands and the mid Pacific.

Dan, after many years of ownership, sold the yacht to a partnershipbetween William and Marilyn Bradshaw and John “Bud”, and

OHLSON 35YAWL TRIM

LOA 35’ 6” LWL 25’5 DRAFT 5’10 BEAM 9’2DISPACEMENT 14200LBSAIL AREA 520 sq ft,MAST 42.6’’ above water

PRODUCTION NUMBER 287040 1962

Dale and Marlene Dow of Seattle purchased the yacht in 1979 and

renamed her Refuge.

Ownership then passed to William and Marcia Timms in 1982 and

they kept the name Refuge. As the yachts papers at the time state

“We kept the name to represent the refuge she is to our lives.”

During this time Refuge had a number of cruising additions

including a generator, colour TV, new wardrobe of sails, electrics

Trim, 2013 Cup Regatta



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The Timms cruised the yacht extensively including a trip to Alaskain 1987 for which a large canvas cockpit tent was fitted. The nextyear they moved to Australia and at great expense shipped Refugeto Melbourne. In 1992 she sailed from Melbourne to Adelaide. Thefollowing year she was sold to David Row in Adelaide. David wasinvolved in the Bosnian conflict and it appears that he remainedthere after for some time and as a result the yacht deterioratedbadly with little or no maintenance.

In early 1997 she was badly damaged at her mooring when apower boat lost control and rammed her stern. The stern was awrite-off, the mizzen badly damaged and hull planks were sprung.Quality repairs were made by the well known Searles boatyardin Adelaide. Mass Hannen a Swedish boat builder purchasedthe yacht from the insurance company which handled the yachtsrepair and claim.

Maas carried our significant restoration and repair work whichincluded splining the hull above the waterline, and installing anew diesel. As a testament to the quality of his workmanship 16years later the hull has not moved and the top sides with 2 pack12 year old paint is still in unmarked condition. Maas cruised andraced the yacht in Adelaide which included winning the 1997 PortAdelaide to Port Lincoln race against much larger yachts of thethen latest designs.



In 2002 Greg Campbell purchased the yacht, the hull of which wasstill only bearing undercoat from Maas’ repairs. Greg had the yachtprofessionally painted and changed the name to Trim. Namedafter Mathew Flinders cat Trim and in recognition of that years bi-centenary circumnavigation of Australia by Mathew Flinders andTrim. Greg kept the yacht in good order adding new sails, covers,rigging, electronics, fuel system, hull repairs and fittings. Hecruised Trim in the StVincent Gulf and Kangaroo Island waters.

The current custodian of Trim is Phil Atkins, purchased in 2013and returned to Melbourne that year from Adelaide. Trims canstill show a turn of speed, most likely as a result of her 5.5 meterheritage.

This resulted in Trim winning the 2013 Cup regatta. Some of thehighlights of the regatta for Trim and her crew were:

• Close competitive racing with a large fleet of varied classics

• Well organized on and off the water events.

• Good race management.

• Berthing at Docklands and Royals for after sailing socializing.

• Trim obtaining consistent results in both the Cup races

• Reaching along Beaconsfield parade with, spinnaker, mizzenstaysail and spinnaker staysail all flying.

The only negative for the whole regatta was the uncontrollableMelbourne weather on the Sunday race day not allowing thatrace to be started.

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Stradbroke II

Trophy

Recognition of

Best performance Overall.

2013 Cup Regatta

CYAA (Vic)

page 12


Pre-start Preparation, 2014

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in 10 knots of South East that was unsettled in strengthanddirection. The “gentleman’s start” required the fleet to start toaradio countdown at a line between the almost stationary‘Spiritof Koomooloo” and the southern outer harbour channelmarker.

The fleet started well spread on the long line. With ‘TomThumb’(a Chuck Paine - Francis 26 ) and CrissCross ( Ulfa Fox -Flyingfifteen) passing close to the favoured port end. The centre ofthestart line saw ‘Sandpiper” (a Colson - Amity Classic) hit thelinejust ahead of ‘Pagan’ (an Alan Payne - Tasman Seabird) ,‘Filuren( a Folkboat) and ‘Safona’ (a Robert Clarke - Favona ).‘Balamara’(an S&S Finisterre), ‘Kender’ (a John Swarbrick CapeLeeuwin)started at the Starboard end of the line in company with‘Spritof Koomooloo” (an S&S – 49) as she hoisted her headsail togetfully underway.

Early in the race Pagan was rapidly making distance onSandpiper.Sandpiper from a slightly leeward position pushed towindward

THE BOAT HOUSE BROKERAGE CLASSICYACHT INVITATIONAL 2014

GREG DOOLAN

This race was last held in 2011 and was wonthatyear by the timber dragon classyacht‘Nor’Easter’skippered by Greg Doolan.The 2014 race was held on Sunday the 3rd March. Using theinclusive definition of a classic as a boat designed 30 yearsagoor whose design heritage was closely related to designs over30 years old, we assembled a fleet of great variety. We saw

thevery compact 1947 designed flying fifteen, (a 15ft long fin keelracing yacht many years ahead of its time) sailing alongsidethevery grand S and S 49‘Spirit of Koomooloo‘(formally MargretRintoul II). All the fleet were built to pre 1975 designs withone exception. The fleet had one gaff rigged yacht, a recentlydesigned grp boat with timber spars. This 20 ft long locallybuiltAmity Class is closely modelled on New Zealand mullet boatdesigns. (First developed in the 1880s)

Re-starting the event in 2014 was part of a long term plan


page 13

A good start for Tom Thumb, a Chuck Paine - Francis 26, 2014

The fleet was sailing NNE in a ESE breeze under the leeofGreen Island approaching St Helena Island. Local changesinthe breeze just allowed Pagan and CrissCross to carry shykites.As the fleet approached the Northern end of St Helenathefunnelling of the breeze and a more Easterly tendencyprovideda long port & short starboard beat to the east. By now theverypowerful Spirit of Koomooloo had clearly overhauled thefleet.Pagan and CrissCross duelled on the southern westernsoutherndog leg home. The middle of the fleet was closely bunchedwithSafona slowly dominating. Tom Thumb and Balamarabothclosed or eased back from the bunch dependant on the angleofbreeze. Kendra took a very comfortable and steady course atthetail consistent with her design lines and intendedcomfortablecruising purpose.

Spirit of Koomooloo was first home having covered thecoursein 101 minutes, Pagan was 17 minutes behind secondandCrissCross lossing her duel with Pagan finished 3rd acrosstheline by only a 10 second margin.The middle of the fleet, asnotedearlier, enjoyed very close racing with 4 boats led in bySafonafinishing within 2 minutes. Tom Thumb was only 5minutesfurther back and Kender was our tail ender on the day.A full

Boat House Brokerage is a new venture for Mike Freebairn.Mike,

a very experienced broker, has been the owner of yachtbrokers

“MDBS Qld” for over a decade. He has sponsored theClassic

yacht invitational most years during that time. This year Mikehas

continued his sponsorship of the RQYS ClassicYachtInvitational.

The perpetual trophy pictured, is composed of an upcycled

piece of the original timber jetty that was a feature of theManly

Sandpiper, winner of the overall handicap perpetual trophy, 2014

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Speight created her, but her next skipper made her famous.Theroguish James Davern – who seems like the mostcompetitiveKiwi sailor until Peter Blake - talked his way into buyingher,ironed out early wrinkles, made some key modificationsandfinally unleashed the yacht’s true potential.

The mid-sixties was a time when ocean racing was taking offandDavern believed Fidelis, originally designed for coastalwaters,could compete out in the ocean. First he entered the AucklandtoSuva race, arriving minus one rudder but ahead of all theothercompetitors, next he showed up in Sydney for the ’66

“SEMPER FIDELIS: 50 YEARS OF THEOCEAN GREYHOUND”

AUTHOR SANDRA GORTER

BOOK REVIEW BY TOM MOULT, JUNE 2014

Some yachts spend their lives on a mooring,somehappily potter around the Harbour, some enjoyacouple of seasons with a keen owner but only veryfewyachts do what Fidelis has done. For fifty years,she’sattracted a series of great owners who’ve allsailedher hard and far and in so doing shared analmostimplausible numbers of great adventures with her.

Unusually, ‘Semper Fidelis’ isn’t the story of a sailor or ofaparticular endeavour, Sandra Gorter has penned thebiographyof a single yacht. It becomes obvious when reading it, thatjustlike every owner, she’s fallen in love with this long, lean yacht.

Launched in Auckland in 1964, Fidelis’ design origins havealwaysbeen a matter of debate but what we do know for certain isthat

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Fidelis at Mahurangi, New Zealand

Left: Book cover of Semper Fidelis by author Sandra Gorter, right.

S E M P E

T H E O C E A NG R E Y H OU N D


page 15

In the seventies and eighties Fidelis picked another coupleof

excellent owners. Peter Williams continued to race and cruiseher

on both sides of the Tasman, collecting many trophies andeven

more anecdotes. Bruce Goodhue, William’s one-timenavigator,

arrived in time to give her a well-deserved refit before puttinga

few thousand more miles under her keel.

The current owner, Sydney-based Nigel Stoke, came alongin

1994. He was looking to charter a ‘classic yacht ofdistinction’

for the 50th Sydney Hobart. Little did he realise when hefirst

gazed at the slim, sixty-one foot of hull that this was to be alove

affair of at least twenty years. A terrific yachtsman andowner,

Nigel has not just continued, but enhanced her legend.Fidelis

Fidelis crosses the line in the Sydney to Hobart race, 1966

Fidelis in Slings

“Semper Fidelis” is a great story of great charactershavinggreat adventures but always returning safely. Fidelis is Latinfor‘faithful’. Did Vic Speight know just how appropriate this namewould become when he chose it all those years ago?

“Fidelis Semper : 50 years of the OceanGreyhound”

page 16


STRADBROKE IIDesigned by Norman R. Wright

Built by Norman R. Wright Shipyards, Bulimba, BrisbaneLaunched 29th November, 1928, by Miss Joyce Wright

Owner: Mr G. W. Whatmore

Celebrating

105th Anniversary 2014


page 17

CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION OFAUSTRALIA CUP REGATTATHE STRADBROKE II TROPHYPROVANANCEThe Abrahams family, through Mr Peter Abrahams,convertedthe Stradbroke II Ships Bell into a trophy and presented it totheClassicYacht Association of Australia.

The family requested the trophy be used in a significantAssociationevent and to have the trophy permanently installed on theRoyalYacht Club of Victoria dining room wall, adjacent tophotographof Stradbroke II. To comply with the Abrahams family request,theAssociation has declared the Stradbroke II Trophy to be aperpetualtrophy, to be inscribed on attached plaques, the name of thebestperforming yacht and skipper in the annual CYAAMelbourneCup Regatta.

STRADBROKE II PROVENANCE

The Stradbroke II, a schooner-rigged motor-yacht ship, of 90tons,

In 1937, Stradbroke II was purchased by Mr LouisAbrahams,

of Melbourne, for £3900 and listed on the Royal Yacht Clubof

Victoria register, from 1937 to 1940. During this time she wasre-

engined with a 130 HP Diesel and her internal fittingsrefurbished

including the use of LNG powered fixtures andrefrigeration.

The only motor-yacht in Australia to use LNG at this time.Mr

Abrahams was a pioneering aircraft pilot. Together with SirArthur

Warner, who owned Winston Churchill, he foundedElectronic

Industries which became Astor Radio, Recording andTelevision

manufacturing organisation.

Subsequent to her sale to the Port Phillips Sea Pilots, shewas

commissioned for WWII active duty in New Guinea asSeabourne

Ambulance AH 169, operated by the 12th small ship companyfor

the 1st Australian Ambulance Convoy as a hospital ship.

Photographs of Stradbroke II, archived by the AustralianWar

Memorial, record her time on active duty. After active service

Image of Stradbroke bell

page 18



page 19

BOXER

Owned by Chris Tyquin

Desugned by Norman R Wright

Built by Jones, McKinnon, Regan

Year of launching - 2002

Measurements – LOD 37’, LOA 23’, LWL 23’, Beam8’ 2”, Draft 2’ Type of Boat - Moreton Bay Net Boat

Hull timber - red cedar

Construction method - strip plank

Sleeps 6

Boxer is a replica of one the first client comissionedboatsdesigned and built by Norman R Wright.

Historically significant as the design was the genesis of the18

The original Boxer was designed in 1905 and the currentBoxerwas built over 8 years (Red Cedar, Brazilian Mahogany andTeak)under the watchful eye of NRW’s grand son Bill Wright.

Originally intended for fishing and racing severalcreaturecomforts have been discreetly incorporated into the interiorofthe current vessel, including a drop leaf dining table , iceboxes,toilet, double sink, lighting, stereo and electronic navigation.

True to the period she can carry up to 5 sails at once(totalling1500 sq ft ) including gaff main, ring tail , water sail, balloon

jiband topsail hoist spinnaker on a 23 foot spinnaker pole.

This heritage design was for working netting boats with a crewofthree fishing the shallows of Moreton Bay. The boats were

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Boxer - Bay to Bay Regatta 2014

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Boxer heading south along Stradbroke Island for the Norman R Wrights 105 year celebration at RQYS Canaipa.


page 21

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COOEE, AN AMAZING SURVIVOR

Cooee was built by the Auckland boatbuilding firmC.& W. Bailey in December 1894. Charles Jr andWalterwere two older sons of the highly successfulCharlesBailey who had been the foremost yacht andPacficIsland trade schooner builder in Auckland since1875or so.

In 1893 he retired to be a publican, leaving the goodwill ofhisbusiness to his sons. She was commissioned by MessrsCowand Gane, fish merchants, for line fishing in the HaurakiGulf,the target catch being snapper. Typically, these “schnapperboats”followed the form and rig of the individual builder’s current racingyacht, but usually with an extra foot or so of beam to increase

1895 Auckland Anniversary Regatta race for fishing boatsover

4 tons. From then onwards she raced frequently in thevarious

Auckland regattas, often “winning as she liked, the othersnot

getting within cooee of her.” The Logan Bros Dolphin of late1895

finally displaced her as the fastest fishing boat in town.Cooee

carried on fishing for a succession of owners, gaining anauxiliary

in 1911. After the Great War, when there was huge demandfor

sound and competitive keel yachts, she was bought byPonsonby

yachtsman W.J. Davis who converted her into a smartracing

yacht, equipping her with the high quality internal fittingsof

the C. & W. Bailey 4 rater 40 footer Rangatira which hadbeen

critically damaged when she fell from her cradle.Curiously,

Rangatira and Cooee had been built side by side.

Cooee anchored at Yellow Patch, Queensland


page 23

By 1937 she was derelict and full of mud in Freeman’s Bayandwas extracted by Lidgard Bros for another fisherman forherquota, but she remained derelict until October 1938 whenA.W.Powell bought her and gave her a massive refit, new stem,sternpost, deck and cabin top. She was refastened, fitted withnewgarboards, the lead remoulded and refitted, the rig alteredtobermudan and an auxiliary fitted. She re-entered the racingfleetand raced in Anniversary Regattas WW2 in Auckland’s BClass.In 1946 Powell sold her to Con Gilmour.

Australian lass Jill Knight first encountered Cooee in 1983inMooloolaba. New Zealander Peter Cree had bought CooeeinWhangarei for $6,000 where Con Gilmour had kept her fortheprevious 35 years. Peter had entirely refitted the interiorincludinga new mast-step and several new kauri floor timbers toreplacethe softening pohutukawa timbers, had partially refastenedherand replaced the bermudan rig with gaff at the urging of TimandPauline Carr of Curlew who were in New Zealand at thetime.He made the main and topsail smaller in the interests ofeasiermanagement for offshore work and cruising, with ashorterboom and no yards on the topsail. He also restored the shapeofthe after end of the counter with a solid piece of laminated

She thinks that Cooee, being strong and seaworthy, lookedafterher for the next few years as she made every mistake therewas tobe made, broke most breakable things and travelled along averysteep learning curve.

Over a twelve year circumnavigation, 1983 to 1995, Cooeesailedto about forty countries – under Africa, through Panama –andended up where Jill met her, in Queensland. Since then JillandCooee have roamed the Queensland coast and islands andtakenone trip to New Caledonia in 2005.

Jill has asked me the question,“Is Cooee the oldest boat tohavecircumnavigated?” When her circumnavigation started in

Cooee racing on the Waitemata

Jill Knight and Cooee, 2012

The business end of Cooee

page 24


2014 TRADITIONAL BOAT FESTIVAL

WMYC AND LSC

GREG DOOLAN, OOD

Following a very successful inaugural race last yearWMYC and the LSC jointly conducted the TraditionalBoat Festival on the 3rd and 4th of May.

15 entries were accepted for the event. 4 of our fleet were the“Jubilee class” yachts that are based in the Southern Bay. It wasgreat to see boats new to our join the event. These beautiful 18ft centerboard day sailers were designed in 1935 as a class racingfleet for Port Phillip Bay. The little fleet demonstrated their robustseaworthiness on a very gusty Westerly day. The starting fleetranged from the 18ft Jubilees to the Tasman Seabird Pagan at 37ft9inches LOA.

WMYC was represented by:

Two Amity Classic class day-sailers,;

Portaewthy skippered by Euan Mac Donald crewed by DetlefBauer and,

Sandipiper skippered by Greg Doolan sailing single handed .

Tom Thumb skippered by Paul Aroney and crewed by Fred Cramer.

Fairwind shippered by Les Brown sailing single handed.

The Festival was planned including several social opportunities. Asmall group of the participants joined the club Friday social on raceeve and most of the sailors enjoyed, and appreciated, breakfast atthe club before the Saturday Briefing.

Thirteen yachts started a pursuit course from the leads keepingGreen Island to Starboard then Peel Island to port and finishingat the yellow buoy. The small boats, Amities and Jubilees, lead thefleet of at 10:00am in an average 15 knot Westerly which as usualwas gusty (to about 20 knots) early in the race. The fleet startedin batches. The back markers started at 10:24. While the handicapcommittee was aiming for a close finish at the conclusion of the14 Nm sail the start times were also designed to allow race withinrace experience for the fleet.

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The small boats kept close company across to green. Porteawthyclearly won the start. It was obvious early that the Amities and asmall but definite speed advantage over the Jubilees. Porteawthyhad a single reef in and was steadily overtaken by Sandpiper flyingfull main. By the North West Cardinal mark Sandpiper was leadingtwo boat lengths from Porteawthy as she was shaking out her reef.The jubilees in a very tight pack were about one minute behind.

The conditions suited the small boats and once around Greencarrying the incoming tide it already looked that the later starterswould have their work cut for them.

By the time the fleet were outside Green and on the long beamreach to the bottom of Peel the breeze was at 18kns to 25kns, withthe occasional stronger bullet. The two Amity class boats clearlyreveled in the conditions. Sandpiper very slowly and steadilyincreased her lead to about 2 minuets at the South-west tip ofPeel. She maintained this break to the finish. The factors that mayhave contributed to the difference between a single-handed anda double handed Amity were not surprisingly the subject of beachconversation after the race. Sandpiper completed the course at11:56. Porteawthy was second at 11:58 and third was the JubileeJason skipper by Tony Harland at 12:04. The whole fleet was homeby 12:18. The handicap committee was a little disappointed with a20 minuet spread for the fleet but consoled itself that with 5 knotsless breeze the little light weighs would have found the fleet righton their heals.

The fleet anchored in the partial shelter of Horseshoe bay and thecentre-boarders beached for the afternoon. The LSC’s pontoonwas booked for the event but it presents a lee shore mooringand was too exposed given the strength of westerly on the day.Several of the fleet headed home leaving 3 deep keel boats, thetwo Amities and our Grandbanks 36 motor cruiser (support boat)skippered by Travis Gill to carry on the socializing. Sandpiper didthe water Taxi duty bringing sailors to shore for a very pleasantbeach afternoon social. Porteawthy provided the shore to ship taxias every one gathered on motor vessel Trap E Tan for the eveningpresentation.

The boats heading home port on both Saturday and Sunday hadexhausting conditions. Pagan with 2 aboard had 6 hour slog hometo Sandgate and Sandpiper with her skipper had a six trip back tothe Gold Coast.

The consensus was that the exhausting return and the subsequentsore and sorry bodies were more than compensated for by a greatevent.

As OOD I would like to particularly thank Bob White for facilitatingthe WMYC on site catering and to Karen Mears in the club officewho looked after our entries and provided secretarial support.Thanks also to our sponsor Australia wide Boat Sales.

THE PULL OF THE SEATell me beloved tell me,You who would have me stay,What can you offer me in exchange,Of the Ocean’s mighty sway?Are your eyes as bright as the starlightAt night, where the Cross rides high?Is your breast as white as the milky foamthat churns where the breakers die?Are your lips as red as the sunsetsThat girdle Equators waist?Do you think your bed can ever keepOne whom the sea has embraced?Would you compare the black of your hairTo the black of the clouds in storm?Do you hope your arms can melt a heartthe tropics couldn’t warm?Leave me, beloved, leave meWhile it is not too late;If I have hurt you forgive me dearBut choose me not for a mate,Lest I return to my first loveLest I answer her hailLeaving you lone as a monarchless throneas an ocean without a sail.

Jules Feldman

Copyright

page 26


OBITUARY: JACK SAVAGE OAM1917-2014

PETER CAMPBELL

On 13th August 1983, America’s Cup Measurement Committee

Member Jack Savage wrote a strongly-worded message to Tony

Watts, chairman of the Committee, that included the comment:

“This is to confirm that as of now I am still firmly of the opinion

that Australia II is a development within the 12-metre rule and

rates as a 12-metre.”

Savage’s adamant stand on the status of Australia II and her winged

keel was to play a highly significant role in the Louis Vuitton Cup

Challenger Races and ultimately in the America’s Cup Challenge

won by Australia II in September that year.

John (Jack) Blennerhasset Savage OAM passed away in March

2014, just few weeks short of his 97th birthday, living the final few

years of his life with Margot, his wife of 63 years, at Orange in

Central New South Wales. He had been a member of the Royal

SydneyYacht Squadron since 1969, joining after he and his family

moved from Melbourne to Sydney after relocating their boat-

building business.

Jack had followed his father, John Joseph Savage, in the well-

known boat-building business of JJ Savage and Sons in Melbourne,

making his name as a designer of yachts and commercial craft and

an innovative builder of aluminium pleasure and fishing boats

at the Savage precinct at Williamstown, now known as Savage

Wharf.

Jack learned to sail, as did many other youngsters, aboard the

famous yacht Acrospire, later racing 14-foot dinghies, 21-footers,

Diamonds and Dragons as a member of the Royal Yacht Club of

Victoria and later Etchells with the RSYS. “He was an excellent

helmsman, he enjoyed racing but his profession limited his

activities,” recalls his son John, also a RSYS member who obviously

inherited his father’s boat-building and yacht racing skills, winning

the 1979 and 1988 world championships in the International

Etchells class and helming the Victorian challenger America’s Cup

Challenge 12 at the 1983 America’s Cup.

Among the offshore racing yachts Jack Savage designed, built and

raced were Birrallee and the half-tonner Pajen. The Savage 42,

designed and built in Melbourne in the mid-70s, became one of

the most popular cruising yachts of the time. Savages also built as

a production yacht the Sparkman & Stephens-designed Defiance

30 half-tonner.

During World War II, Jack, with his boat-building expertise, was

seconded to assist the 1st Australian Water Transport Group and

the US Small Ships unit in organising their fleet of assorted craft

for their operations in New Guinea. He was not a member of the

forces but become known as‘Captain Jack’.

In the early 1950s, JJ Savage and Sons become heavilyinvolved

in the upcoming Melbourne Olympic Games, building the Finn

class dinghies for the Games as well as the 5.5 metre class yacht

Burradoo in which Jock Sturruck was to represent Australia,

winning a bronze medal. From 1956 onwards he was an IYRU

(now ISAF) measurer with naval architect and good mate Alan

Payne.

JJ Savage and Sons also built a range of aluminium and fibreglass

runabouts and cruisers. expanding the operation to Sydney in 1967

where Jack joined the Royal SydneyYacht Squadron. Jack was an

innovative boat-builder, virtually the father of modern pleasure

boat building in Australia, introducing the latest techniques in

aluminium and fibreglass construction.

When Jack and his family moved to Sydney, the Royal SydneyYacht

Squadron had already been involved in past Australian challenges


page 27

Match, the New York Yacht Club approached he Squadron to ask

it to be the Challenger of Record and its select its challenger from

the trials, properly run, on courses off Newport, Rhode Island.

Jack Savage became the Australian representative on the

international measurement committee along with American Mark

Vinbury and Britain’s Tony Watts, who was chairman and IYRU

chief measurer.

He advised the Squadron that, as the Challenger of Record, the

Squadron should tell the IYRU, before going to the USA, that there

was a radical keel on Alan Bond’s challenger, Australia II.

His thinking was that if the winged keel were to be approved

beforehand, there would be no chance of the committee of the

NYYC eliminating the Australian boat.

Bond vehemently rejected the idea. He said that for a previous

challenge he had provided some details about a sail plan to a

member of the IYRU and that information had been leaked to the

NYYC.

Jack believed that winged keel increased the draft of the boat when

heeled and that this might be grounds for complaint. Later, when

the NYYC was desperately trying to have the winged keel banned,

they realised that he had queried the wisdom of not disclosing the

facts about the new keel.

Australia II ‘secret’ keel was very much a hot potato as the start

of the 1983 America’s Cup Challenger Series and the Cup Match

drew near and the spotlight on the IYRU measurement committee.

Pressure was being placed on the US member, Mark Vinbury, by

the NYYC and he ‘disappeared’ from Newport while chairman

Tony Watts back in London.

“Dad was left with the lot,” recalls son John.“He was not well at

the time.” (Jack actually had to leave Newport before the finals to

have a bypass)

There was tremendous pressure from the American press and

all sorts of wildly inaccurate drawings appeared. Jack arranged

a three-way phone conference between the measurers, with the

committee unanimous in accepting the validity of the keel.

Jack then felt obliged to explain to the American and world press

that, while he had thought it better to have been public about the

keel, he had never believed it was not legal. He did this with a

letter to the press.

Without diminishing the design attributes of Ben Lexcen in

creating the winged keel nor the sailing skills of John Bertrand and

his crew, it was

Jack Savage’s integrity as a member of the International Yacht

Racing Union measurement committee at the 1983 America’s Cup

that ensured the ultimate acceptance of Australia II as a legitimate

12-metre class yacht.

His views were borne out after the completion of the challenger

races and Australia II’s historic victory in the America’s Cup,

that the IYRU in November the same year listened to American

complains about the keel and Australian complaints that Liberty

had three measurement certificates.

The upshot was that the keel was pronounced legal as a

development within the 12-metre rules, but having three rating

certificates for a single boat was illegal.

Jack Savage will be remembered not only for the key role he played

in ending the keel controversary at the 1983 America’s Cup, but

for his contribution over many decades to yacht and pleasure boat

design and construction in Australia.

He will be remembered by his family and many friends as a real

gentleman, a fine sailor and a measurer of immeasurable integrity.

Jack is survived by Margot, his wife of 65 years, their daughter Pam

and twins Jenny and John.

Marie Louise III

International 8 metre Cruiser Racer

Designer Jack Savage

Builder Jack Savage

Williamstown Melbourne

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page 28

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Issue 35 – July 2014 – …2014/07/02 · Issue 35 – July 2014 – Classic Yacht Association of Australia Magazine Our aim is to promote the appreciation and participation of