CYAA Magazine July 2016 Issue 38_2

CONTENTS

CYAA REPRESENTATIVES 2

NEW MEMBERS 2

COMING EVENTS 2

GANNON AND BENJAMIN 3MARINE RAILWAY

“PASSAGE TO HAITI” 12PART ONE NAT BENJAMIN

ETTRICK at the GEELONG 21WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL

CRUISING TO GIPPSLAND 24LAKES AND PAYNESVILLECLASSIC BOAT RALLY

H28 SHAMROCK FOR SALE 29

PAYNESVILE MARITIME 30MUSEUM

PANERAI BRITISH CLASSIC 32WEEK

www.classic‑yacht.asn.au

Issue 38 – July 2016 – Classic Yacht Association of Australia Magazine

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Our aim is to promote theappreciation and participation ofsailing classic yachts in Australia,and help preserve the historic and

cultural significance of these uniquevessels.

Classic Yacht Association of Australia

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CYAA REPRESENTATIVESADMINISTRATION

CYAAPO Box 335WilliamstownVictoria 3016admin@classic‑yacht.asn.au

QUEENSLAND NEW SOUTH WALESGreg Doolan Phil BrownMobile 0418 12 12 02 Sydney Amateur Sailing [email protected] Mobile 0418 214 897http://tradboatsqld.asn.au/ [email protected]

EDITORIAL

Roger DundasMobile 0419 342 [email protected]

Peter CostolloeMobile 0419 171 [email protected]

COMING EVENTSPanerai British Classic Week16-23 July 2016 Cowes, Isle of WightBritish Classic Yacht Club

Melbourne Docklands Regattaand Blessing of the FleetAugust 28 2016

CYAA (Vic) 2016/2017 SummerSeriesSept 25 2016

CYAA (Vic) Cup Regatta atRYCV28 Oct - 31 Oct 2016

Australian Wooden BoatFestivalHobart Tasmania10 Feb - 13 Feb 2017

Trillion Trust ClassicYacht Regatta,AucklandClassic Yacht Association ofNew Zealand3 March - 5 March 2017

Queenscliffe MaritimeWeekend24 March- 25 March 2017

Metung WoodenDragon RegattaJohn Cuneo Trophy12 March - 13 March 2017

Gary Lyons Vic Crew Martini

Peter Bowe Vic Crew Mercedes III

Jennifer McKenzie Vic Crew Mercedes III

Don Sankey Vic Crew Marie Louise III

Terry Grundy Vic Boat Owner Saracen of Huon

NEW MEMBERS from January 2016

Sample of the CYAA medallions presented to skippersof Classic Yachts that won or placed in 2006/2007Victorian Summer Series.

Front Cover image

Stern port quarter of a kauri pine “FishermansBend” rowing gig. Nail lines indicate she wascoppered to the waterline. Our marine artefact wasrecovered in the 1970’s from the mud of the YarraRiver old South Wharves then known as RottenRow, located south of the existing Pier 35 marina.

Curator Eva Chmelik-Costolloe

CYAA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2016/2017

President Martin Ryan Mercedes IIIVice President Cameron Dorrough BungoonaSecretary Ian Rose CyanTreasurer David McKenzie Mercedes IIIRace Director Peter Costolloe Alwyn

Roger Dundas AvianDoug Shields SayonaraDamian Purcell ScimitarCraig Brown Cyan

Full length displayof the “FishermansBend Rotten Row”marine artefact

Colour themefor Issue 38

Issue 38 - July 2016 © CYAA

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A Distinct and Compelling Voice:The Gannon and Benjamin MarineRailway

Mark Chew

The rain slanted across the deck of the uglylittle car ferry as it surged out of Woods Holeharbor, across Vineyard Sound. May had justbegun, but the icy cold and 25 knot north-westerly was telling me that spring had not yetarrived

As the horn on the ferry sounded, the Cory’sShearwaters passed the bows with wings fixedsolid. I stood alone on the steel foredeck, andstared into the greyness wondering how thisuninspiring land on the horizon could possibly bethe famous Martha’s Vineyard, playground of therich and famous. But I wasn’t here to visit them.

As the ferry swung into the open bay at VineyardHaven on my right behind a short breakwater aselection of interesting wooden boats tugged attheir moorings in the chop, but on my left aschooner stood out proudly away from the others,looking confident and comfortable just off the endof a fragile pier coming off the beach. On her

masthead pennant was the single word Juno, and Iknew I had come to the right place.

I got off the ferry and walked the hundred yardsup the beachfront street to a wooden building.There was no name board or sign but the rack ofvarnished masts and the singing of a bandsawinside showed me the way and I slid open a barndoor and the smell of cedar and oak and thewarmth of a pot bellied stove greeted me. The firstpart of the shed was only small, big enough to holdan upturned dinghy a few bench tools and rows ofdrawers clearly labelled. You couldn’t call it tidybut everything belonged, and the mood was one ofquiet but focused intent. No radio was playing …the sounds of the tools and the sea only thirty yardsaway filled the silence. Beyond this first area I couldsee the hulls of two boats in a second larger shedeven closer to the water … but more of these later.A young shipwright invited me in to stand by thestove and said Nat would be here shortly. A fewminutes later the door slide open again and theroom lit up as an unassuming bearded man in adusty cable knit jumper walked towards me. Hemoved through the shed, feet wide as if crossing amoving deck, held his hand out and with abeaming smile and a soft Hudson Valley lilt said,

“Mark? I’m Nat … a pleasure to meet you.”

Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway at Vineyard Haven Google Maps


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In 2002 I read a small book called simply WoodenBoats by Michael Ruhlman. It’s the story of theGannon and Benjamin Marine Railway in Martha’sVineyard and it is also the best explanation I haveyet read of the fascination of making and owningtimber sailing boats. Having cherished and re-readthe text for the last fourteen years I was a littlenervous to meet the men who create such majesticvessels, but that nervousness soon vanished as Natshowed me round his sheds and yards, talking tohis colleagues about details of their work andtaking a genuine interest in my limited knowledgeand the state of wooden boat sailing in Australia.The temptation to romanticise the yard is strong.The methods are strictly traditional, not out of anyobligation or purist fervour, but because this worksbest. Its progeny are some of the most beautifulcraft sailing the oceans, and the restoration projectsare usually on boats from the most elite ofdesigners, Stephens, Rhodes, Herreshoff and yetthere is an underlying practicality to what they dothat makes the place remarkably normal. Andalthough he is best known for the three largerschooners that have sailed the world, Juno, Rebeccaand Charlotte, of his 86 designs to date, most aresmall, unassuming but perfectly formed gems.

The story of the origin of the Gannon andBenjamin Marine Railway is told in many differentways but it seems that most accurate account istold in Tom Dunlop’s wonderful account Schooner:Building a Wooden Boat on Martha's Vineyard.

They each came to Martha’s Vineyard with longexperiences of — and a profound respect for —things built the old-fashioned way. In the latespring of 1974, Ross Gannon, a trained engineerwho moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1969, wasbuilding homes using timbers saved from oldbuildings for which a suburbanising world nolonger had purpose or room. Nat Benjamin, afterspending several years with his wife and youngdaughter delivering sailboats to the Caribbean andexploring the Mediterranean on their own boat,

Ross Gannon Nat Benjamin


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had settled in Vineyard Haven in 1972. Nat foundwork at the Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard, all thewhile taking note of the small but increasingnumber of wooden sailboats that needed repair inthe harbour. The two men were casual friends,both in their late twenties and residents of VineyardHaven. Both were builders and craftsmen, andmost important, both thought there was nothingquite so useful, or delightful, than to work with agood piece of wood.

Now, on a spring evening in 1974, Ross and a fewother friends came to the Benjamin home for a bonvoyage dinner. The Benjamin's family boat,Sorcerer, a wooden, engineless ten-meter racingsloop built in 1921 in Norway, was tied up inMajorca, Spain. The sloop was being sold to anIsland man who wanted her sailed to the Vineyard.Ross made his first trans-Atlantic passage undersail, aboard Sorcerer, helping to successfully deliverthe boat to Nat and his wife Pam, who used theproceeds from the sale of the boat to buy theirVineyard home.

Four years later, Ross came to Nat’s house on a fallmorning to ask for advice about Urchin, hiswooden thirty-six-foot Casey cutter. With a friend,the late Ed Warsyk, Ross had hauled Urchin ontothe beach at the head of the harbour using a cradle,rollers, planks, and Ed’s Land Rover. The boat wasbigger than the two Ross had owned and workedon earlier in his life, and important structural partsof Urchin were in pretty tough shape.

Most crucially, nearly all of Urchin’s frames — thestructural ribs of the hull — needed to be replaced.This was a complicated process, requiring skill andswiftness. It meant heating six-to eight-foot timbersof white oak in a steam box for just the right lengthof time, then, one after the other, pounding themquickly but forcefully down into the hull with asledgehammer, and bending and clamping them tothe shape of the frames they were to replace beforethey cooled too much and hardened. The frameswere one and a half inch square, larger than anyRoss had dealt with before, and he wanted counselabout how to work with them.

By then, Nat had earned a solid reputation forrestoring wooden boats and building wooden

dinghies and dories in a workshop at the familyhome, just up the road from the harbour. WhenRoss knocked on his door to ask for advice, Natwent one step further. He offered to help. “And hedid,” Ross recalls. “I just went to ask him a friendlyquestion and get some advice, and he came downand helped me bend in almost every frame in theboat.”

As Nat and Ross worked, they discussed all theother young men and women in town who neededhelp with old wooden boats of their own. VineyardHaven, in the fall of 1978, was full of them. … Theywere part of a larger collection of youngnonconformists who were meeting in harbours upand down the Atlantic coastline and around theworld. Many of these sailors of wooden boats heardabout the harbour, some came to visit, and eachyear one or two stayed; by 1978 there were at leasta dozen large wooden boats and many smaller onesin Vineyard Haven. But like Ross’s cutter Urchin, afair number were in poor condition, and theirowners needed skilled plank-on-frame boatbuilders to help keep them on the water and undersail.

It took two days for Nat and Ross to reframe Urchinon the beach. By the end of the second afternoon,the men had decided to start a boatyard devoted tothe repair and maintenance of wooden boats.“When we started our boatyard,” says Nat, “it wasreally because of the clear evidence of this growingwooden boat community in Vineyard Havenharbour. Most of the wooden boats in VineyardHaven are owned by tradesmen, schoolteachers —they’re not people who can afford to say to theshipyard, ‘Fix it.’ Some are, but most of themaren’t.”

“So we wanted to help these people out, becausewe were part of them. We were them. And thatwas one of the main purposes of the boatyard — toprovide a railway where, if people wanted to dotheir own work, fine; if they wanted some help,fine; if they wanted us to do everything, fine. But atleast make it possible for people to work on theirboats.”

It took nearly two years to find the right waterfrontlot and secure it with a lease. Just south of the


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beach where Nat and Ross had re-framed Urchinwas a piece of land where some of the barges andre-armament boats were built during World War II.More recently, the town had fought off an attemptby a mainland entrepreneur to open a McDonald’sthere. In response to that threat, the town hadrestricted all new enterprises along the harbourfront to marine use only. During the summer of1980 the partners began to organise a shop in ashed filled with old nets and cobwebs. They built acradle and pier, acquired tools, rebuilt oldmachinery, laid down a railway to haul and launchboats, and cleared space upstairs for a sail-makingloft.

As expected, traditional boats in Vineyard Havenbegan to line up right away for rebuilding andrepair — a gaff-rigged sloop from 1904, a gaff-rigged Bahamian sloop from 1950 — but word ofGannon and Benjamin went out beyond theharbour breakwater, and soon Nat and Ross wereworking on a wooden commercial fishing boatfrom the neighbouring Island harbour of OakBluffs and on a catboat that arrived in pieces from aboatyard in East Providence, Rhode Island.

It was also clear that Gannon and Benjamin was setup to do more than repair and restoration work. In1980, there were few other boatyards in thecountry quite like it. Here was a self-sufficientoperation, attending exclusively to boats of wood,hewing frames and planks from lumber andfastening them together with screws and nuts andbolts of bronze. Most distinctively, there was botha designer and an engineer in the shop who couldbuild a new wooden boat to suit an owner's needs.

Given the Vineyard’s long, proven, and nearlyuninterrupted experience of traditional vessels, itshould have been no surprise that the first boatlaunched by a yard set up to minister to old boatswas, in fact, a new one. In August of 1980 Gannonand Benjamin christened Sally May, a twenty-five-foot Canvasback sloop, designed for singer JamesTaylor by Nat and built at Nat’s shop the previouswinter. As soon as Sally May was launched, therecame an order for a twenty-foot gaff sloop, then asecond Canvasback. As the two men beganworking together that first summer, Ross hadfigured that when the season ended, he'd go backto building houses until the following spring,

Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway with the soon to be launched Schooner Charlotte Courtesy G&B Website


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when he and Nat both hoped more boats wouldcome in for maintenance and repair. “In thebeginning,” says Ross, “we never dreamed theboatyard would be full time right from day one. Butthat first winter we had a new boat to build.Shocking!"

Nowadays the business is spread over two shedswith accompanying yards a few hundred yardsapart. There are about 30 employees at any one timewhen you take into account the specialist tradesmenand support staff. The work and attention to detail isstill the same but it’s not a cottage industry.In this part of the world the sailing season is short.Boats go into the water during May and by Octoberit’s all over. They have either been hauled and put ina shed or swathed in covers to keep the harsh winterat bay. Or the lucky ones may head south for aCaribbean season. So April and May are spentvarnishing, painting, minor maintenance andlaunching. But behind this day-to-day work thereare four major projects on the go.

In the front shed two boats lie side by side. They areboth built to a Benjamin design but the lovely thingis the one on the south side is Design Number One

and the one on the north side is design number86, Nat’s latest, Canoe Stern Gaff Sloop calledArtemis. Nat jokes in typical self-deprecating waythat people come into the shed and say “so that’snumber one and this is number 86 … strange …I don’t see any improvement!”

Design One is a 25 foot centerboard sloop calleda Canvasback built and designed in Nat’s homein 1979. She is in for a thorough makeover after30 years of day sailing. New canvas deck, newseats, new combings. A few things about herremind me of our Couta Boats. The length, thedrooping bowsprit, the centerboard and the gaffrig set high. However the transom design andnarrower beam makes her more of a yacht than afishing boat. I mentioned the similarities to Nat.He had heard of the Couta Boat. Artemis, the newdesign, was a couple of months away fromcompletion. The hull finished the final pieces offurniture were being fitted and soon the canvasply decks would be going on. Nat is a bigbeliever in canvas decks for small boats. “It’s non-skid and set with a rubber paint that makesit bullet proof.” The timbers are sourced mostlyfrom Surinam in South America as it’s one of the

In the front shed is Design 86, Artemis. South to her in the annex is another Design 1, close to completion.


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few countries in the region that has a propersustainable management program for their forests.This is a conscious decision. I asked Nat what thissolid seaworthy 31 foot double ender would beused for by her new owner. “Day sailing aroundVineyard Sound … maybe the occasionalovernighter, perhaps some coastal cruising.”Looking at her construction and lines I couldn’thelp feeling that she was already waiting to crossoceans.

Across the Beach Road at Mugwump two largerrestoration projects are underway. Both S&Sdesigns, but from different eras. Incidentally, Natdespite tremendous admiration for the work ofOlin Stephens, believes that Philip Rhodes “was afar better designer.” He says “The problem foryacht designers is that if you want to be famousthen you gotta go racing. Phil Rhodes wasn’t thatinterested in racing … he was more interested indesigning beautiful seaworthy boats.”

The larger of the two boats is called Ma Jong. Shewas built of local woods like yacal, ipol, teak andmahogany at the Cheoy Lee Shipyard of HongKong and launched in 1957, but the hull design

comes from the 1930s. When she arrived at Gannon& Benjamin it was obvious at first sight that theteak deck was finished, as well as the teakdeckhouse and hatches. The mast step was a steelfabrication, long ago rusted out, and causingdamage to the forekeel, necessitating itsreplacement. Although the hull was smooth andfair, virtually all her original frames were brokensomewhere. In addition, they had been socketedinto her centerline timbers, so the heels of virtuallyall but the forward- and aft-most frames were soft.Because of her extreme shape and heavy ballast, allher original frames had broken and been sistered inthe hollow above her ballast for the entire length ofher ballast keel. This part of the boat obviouslyneeded a strong, durable repair. They of coursedecided on a traditional approach to the restoration;a combination of double sawn full length frameswith steam bent frames between. In addition, allthe frames in the hollow would be grown Live Oakor Locust, adding strength where it was mostneeded. By the time I visited most of this work hadbeen done to the hull. The more sophisticatedjoinery was underway. Nat says that the owner is adream to work with, as the journey through therestoration is just as important to him as the

The G&B boat yard supervisor signals official approval of the keel of the Nat Benjamin Design 86 Artemis


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finished product. He understands that it’s going totake time and he’s happy for that to be the case.When Ma Jong is launched she will be amagnificent vessel. She is much more business likethan many of the S&S designs from the 50s … andwith her far eastern heritage she will tell a differentstory to Olin’s Nevins and A&R boats.

Lying parallel to Ma Jong in part of Mugwump thatfeels like a bit of an afterthought is another S&S,this one called Revonoc. Designed for HarveyConover, Revonoc (his name spelled backwards)was launched in 1946 and built by the famousHenry B. Nevins of City Island, New York. She is45’4” long but as a center boarder has a minimumdraft of 4’5”. Although Mr. Conover made hishome port in Larchmont, New York, Revonoc wasdesigned for cruising and racing in southern USwaters, hence the shallow draft. In addition tocruising, she has a commendable racing record.

Starting in 1947, she won the Miami-Nassau Racetwice, the Lipton Cup Race, the Stamford-Vineyard Race and the Storm Trysail Race. Shewas placed in 30 out of 40 races in which sheparticipated. This is an indication of Conover'sexperience and skill as a helmsman but also theStephens drive to make the fastest and best-ratingsailboats on the planet. But there is a sad sub-plotto the story of Revonoc. As Nat, Ross, and BradAbbott (the third partner in the enterprise) stoodaround a potbellied stove chatting, they explainedthat after the Conovers had sold this boat, theycommissioned another racing yawl from S&S. Thelast time anyone saw Revonoc II was 2 January1958 when the boat left Key West, Florida forMiami. The 45 footer was crewed by Harvey,his wife, one son and his wife and a familyfriend. They had sailed from Miami on NewYears Day for a trip to Key West with plans toreturn to Miami, when the boat was caught in

Ross Gannon works on a Ma Jong detail


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what was described as "the worst mid-winterstorm in the history of south Florida". The boatand the five people on board were never seenagain.

Needless to say Rod Stephens was deeplysaddened by this loss. He had become a goodfriend of the Conovers through the years. Thecurrent owner of the original Renovoc is restoringher over the winter months. In the summer shecomes out of the shed and sails again. Next wintershe will be back in to restore the cockpit to itsoriginal design with a tiller rather than the currentwheel.

So what makes this place so special? Obviously thetalent of Nat as a designer and Ross as a mastershipwright. But it’s so much more than that. Onefactor is that almost all of the senior employeesown and sail their own boats. (I’m always worriedwhen a shipwright doesn’t sail. It’s a bit like beinga skinny chef). They choose the craft they work oncarefully (or perhaps the ones they won’t work on)and they work methodically within the rules laiddown by centuries of experience. At one stage Iwatched for half an hour as Ross chiselled dovetailjoints by hand for a hatch on Ma Jong, patiently

removing spirals of timber and checking andrechecking as the joint began to form. The task infront of him had his full attention; the epitome ofmindfulness. And yet it would be easy to bedaunted by thinking of the time and effort inmaking this one joint and looking over at the hullnext to him still requiring thousands of similartasks. No one seems to get excited and there isnever a rush. They are happy to stand and talk andthink and discuss in a way you won’t find in anyASX-listed company. Incrementally andrelentlessly the task is achieved with pride andskill and rightness that is hard to fathom.

But perhaps most importantly they have anunspoken understanding that a wooden boat is anentity beyond the timber and bronze and fabric ofthe sails. I’m loath to use the word “soul” but Ican’t think of a better one to explain what theycreate in a new boat or rejuvenate in a restoration.I can see Nat raising an eyebrow at such anephemeral concept but I’m sure deep down hewould understand.

In his own words …

The Beach Road G&B Shed with Nat Benjamin working on the Artemis fore hatch

http://gannonandbenjamin.com

http://www.amazon.com/Schooner-Building-Wooden-Marthas-Vineyard/dp/0615342671


http://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Boats-Pursuit-American-Boatyard/dp/014200121X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0G87532B27GYK0EX8N59




http://sparkmanstephens.blogspot.com.au



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“After more than thirty five years of continuousinvolvement with wooden sailing craft, I am moreconvinced than ever that a plank-on-frame vessel isthe ultimate in yacht construction. Not only doesthis method produce an enduring vessel withintegrity, heart and soul, but it also requires aprocess that is so ancient and noble as to inspire thebuilder to work above his ability, to continuechallenging himself in his expression of the rarestcombination of science and art. According toWebster, the word ‘classic’ properly defines a vesseldesigned and serving as a ‘standard of excellence’with an additional caveat of equal import to be‘enduring and traditional’. In an age when ‘classic’is so grossly distorted as to encompass anamorphous range of social unconsciousness fromCoca Cola to a popular sitcom, we must remindourselves of the real meaning of the word. A ‘classicyacht’ must represent a graceful and well-proportioned hull whose individual parts are notonly enduring but are created by a traditional

process of skill and inspiration. A classic yachtspeaks to you in a distinct and compelling voice.”

Referencehttp://gannonandbenjamin.com


http://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Boats-Pursuit-AmericanBoatyard/dp/014200121X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0G87532B27GYK0EX8N59


All photos credit, except Page 6, Mark Chew

House Rules for the G&B Boat Shed

http://gannonandbenjamin.com










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“Passage to Haiti” – Part 1, TheVoyage, by Nat Benjamin ©

May 2, 2016

“Copyright Vineyard Stories. Usedwith permission.”

This is about sailing and giving, both of which theOff Centre Harbour Guide (OCH), Nat Benjamin,excels at. In Charlotte, a wooden schooner that Natdesigned and built for himself and his family, Nattakes us on a winter voyage to the south coast ofHaiti where he delivers a boatload of supplies to alocal orphanage, and learns about the people who live

there. Nat's booklet, Passage to Haiti, which hadlimited circulation, compelled us to create a GuidePost so that OCH members could read aboutCharlotte's voyage.

At 1000 hrs on December 10, 2014, 13 days afterour snowy departure from Martha’s Vineyard,MA, we sighted the steep verdant mountains ofHispaniola rising from the tropical sea, piercing thehazy cerulean sky. Landfall is a momentousoccasion aboard an ocean sailing vessel. It is awelcome reward following the continuous cycles oflife underway: standing watch day and night, andobserving the constant changing shades of water

Charlotte in Vineyard Sound


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and sky on the far horizon. All hands shared in theduties required to manage the delivery south:tending sail and taking the helm, navigating,cooking, cleaning, and mending as we drove our50’ schooner, Charlotte, through the vagaries ofwind and ocean–-living and working together withthe common goal of arriving safely at a distantland. Landfall is a time for celebration andgratitude.

However, the journey was not yet over. Aftersighting this majestic island 50 miles to the southwe now had to approach the Windward Passage,sail southwest along the western coast of Haiti toCap Dame Marie, then head east to our finaldestination: a small island called, Île-à-Vache.

With our eyes focused on this new attraction, wearrived at the Northwest coast of Haiti at twilight.Close reaching a half-mile or so offshore, weobserved, as if through an ancient lens, the

inaccessible rugged terrain plunging to the sea,shrouded in a smoky, mysterious veil. Casting andhauling nets from locally hand-built working sailboats, dozens of fisherman waved pleasantly to usas we slid silently along from one coastal village tothe next. As the light faded, I stood further offshore to avoid collision with these capable butprimitive, unlit and engineless watercraft. Haitibecame black as the surrounding night save for anoccasional fire on the beach or in the hills above,and the island's distant mountainous outlinebacklit by a waxing moon. We had sailed intoanother time zone of centuries past—a quiet, still,dreamlike place.

A moderate easterly katabatic night wind sliddown the high volcanic slopes and across thewater, making our way south through theWindward Passage between Haiti and Cuba apleasant reach with sheets eased on an easy sea.Shortly after midnight we rounded Cap Dame

Charlotte approaching Hispaniola


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Haiti” online. I contacted the author, FrankVirgintino, and, as so often happens on our evershrinking planet, we re-connected 30 years after hehad sold a large quantity of bronze hardware toour boatyard (at ten cents on the dollar). When Iinformed Frank that I wanted to return to Haiti onCharlotte, he made it very clear that if we liked thenorth coast we would love the south. “You mustsail to Île-à-Vache,” he implored.

Taking his advice, I sent an email to his Haitianfriend, Sam Alteme, in Kai Kok, the little village inPort Morgan harbor. Sam responded quickly andinformed us of the various needs of hiscommunity, the impressive work of Sister Floraand her orphanage, and what we might bring toHaiti aboard Charlotte. My wife, Pam, reached outto the database of her non- profit organizationSense of Wonder Creations.org and our boatyardoffice manager, Angela Park, notified the friends ofGannon and Benjamin Marine Railway of ourintentions. Virginia Jones enlisted local fishermento contribute a generous supply of hook-and-linefishing gear, and before long we had anenthusiastic band of donors bringing clothes,books, games, art materials and cash to bedelivered to the orphanage. I collected bags of oldsails to supplement the fishing gear destined forthe Haitian watermen as well as used tools andrigging for the local boat builders.

Marie and set our course for Île-à-Vache, some 20nautical miles to the ENE. The cooperative breezebacked a few points to the north, allowing us tomake our heading in one tack, and by 0300 we hadrounded up in the lee of a pristine uninhabitedcove and set our anchor in the white sand 20 feetbelow in clear, moonlit water. With sails stowedand Charlotte finally at rest, all hands walked aboutthe deck in quiet conversation observing thiswonder of the natural world unchanged by man.For all of us, this was a landfall like none other.

Since my first visit to Haiti in 2011, I’ve had astrong desire to return. At that time, we sailed tothe north coastal town of Labadie where myfriends Ted Okie and Tracy Jonsson were spendingthe winter while Tracy documented the classic andcrumbling French colonial architecture in CapHaitian for her master's degree in historicpreservation. My shipmates and I were struck bythe kindness and generosity of the people, theirgood nature, work ethic, and resolve in the face ofabject poverty and little opportunity. But there wasa much deeper feeling that seemed to penetrate theground itself—powerful, mysterious and soulful: amagnetic pull to the visceral texture of this Afro-French West Indian culture.

Stumbling around the Internet one winter eveningin 2013, I noticed the “Free Cruising Guide To

he Jolly Crew: Brad Abbott, NatBenjamin, Ian Ridgeway, Zoli Clarke,Malcolm Boyd - Photo: Alison Shaw

The Jolly Crew: Brad Abbott, Nat Benjamin, Ian Ridgeway, Zoli Clarke, Malcolm Boyd. Photo: Alison Shaw


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By late October 2014 Charlotte was laden with acargo liberated from America’s dumpsters, mostly,and stowed below deck in every available space,including the bilge.

Preparing for a December offshore passage fromNew England to the lower latitudes requirescareful examination of your vessel and itsmultitude of parts, all the way from the mastheadto the bottom of her keel. A long “to do” list wasprioritized and, with the help of my companions,the work was accomplished over several weekswith only a few minor projects left for anothertime.

Essential items for the journey included nauticalcharts, plotting instruments, cruising guides,nautical almanac and sight reduction tables for

celestial navigation, sextant, courtesy flags forevery country we intended to visit, pelagic birdand tropical fish guides, tide books, tackle box,first aid kit, sail repair sewing-and-rigging bag,spare parts for the engine, water pumps and othermechanical/ electrical equipment, backgammonboard, dominoes, playing cards, music, and don’tforget the toilet paper. Diesel fuel, potable water,propane for the galley stove and the provisioningof staples of food, rounded out the commissioningtask.

We hauled our wooden rowing tender aboard,using the fisherman halyards, and lashed itsecurely to the stanchions and deck house grabrails along the port side deck.

Charlotte at sea


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Jack lines were stretched taught along the deck toprovide quick access for clipping in the safetyharness lanyards. Lifelines at the rail, foot ropes onthe bowsprit, man overboard pole, life ring andstrobe light were all tested for sea. I prepared anemergency “go” bag to include the EPIRB, first-aidkit, distress flares, water bottles and some darkchocolate. The life raft was made fast to the cabintop amidships.

Selecting your shipmates is an easy task onMartha’s Vineyard given the vast pool of competentsailors who easily succumb to the lure of mysterioustropical islands and all their enticing possibilitiesover the alternative to old man winter who gripsour northern terminal moraine and its captiveinhabitants with such unbridled enthusiasm.

My first requirement was to find a mate who couldlook after Charlotte when I went back up north. Myfriend Ian Ridgeway and I had been talking about

this eventuality for several years and now theplanets were aligned in their proper order,terrestrial bonds were laid aside, and Iancommitted himself to the care of Charlotte for theforthcoming five months. Knowing that Charlottewould be in good hands when we were not aboardwas a great relief to me and Pam. Ian had startedsailing on the 108-foot square topsail schooner,Shenandoah on a 5th grade class trip andcontinued every year, working his way up “thruthe hawse hole.” At the age of 24 he becamemaster of the 90 foot pilot schooner, Alabama . Hisknowledge of the sea and the way of a ship, hismusical ability, good humor, and gracious natureput him at the top of his game. Without Ian to fillthis vital role, we could not have made the voyage.

The Gannon & Benjamin boatyard is also arecruiting station for sailors in a casual,serendipitous arrangement where shipwrightsoccasionally disappear from their usual place at the

Snowy departure off West Chop, Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts - Photo: Pat Benjamin


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workbench to a position aboard a vessel outwardbound. Usually, we (the managers) are aware ofsuch departures. To my great relief, Brad Abbottand Zoli Clarke were both willing to abdicate theirearthly responsibilities and join the jolly crew ofCharlotte, proving once again that no one isindispensable, or, to paraphrase one astutepsychologist, “the cemeteries are full ofindispensable people.” Brad, our recent partner inthe boatyard, has survived previous excursions tothe tropics aboard Charlotte as well as on his own48 foot yawl, Aurora , and brings capable expertisein all aspects of offshore cruising. Zoli, anothercharter member of the boatyard crew since hereceived his working papers at age 13, has sailed onCharlotte as first mate and chief maintenancecoordinator for six years and he knows the boat inevery detail. Both of these men are nimble sailorsand know how to cook.

While the weather service continued to advise us topostpone our departure due to a succession offrontal systems producing unpleasant southerlygales, and due to the psychological effect thosepredictions foster, I decided to take on anothercrew member at the 11th hour to ease the burdenfor the rest of us. I called on my old friend MalcolmBoyd the day before Thanksgiving to see if hewould join us—a simple request, I thought, andmuch less alarming than specifically asking him toleave his job and family for an unknown period oftime with no pay to go thrash about in the NorthAtlantic in December. He replied, “When do weleave?” I suggested, “Tomorrow,” in light of therecent and more promising weather forecast. Ofcourse no one wants to leave family and friends,turkey and yams, on Thanksgiving Day and so,weather oracles notwithstanding, we set our ETDfor the day after holiday stuffing.

There is a history of migratory sailing vessels castingoff from Vineyard Haven when the daylight shrinksto darkness before dinner and the cold north windbegins to moan in the rigging. The 65’ Gannon andBenjamin schooner, Juno is a veritable commuter tothe West Indies, missing only one season in 13 yearswhen Captain Scotty DiBiaso sailed her to Europefor a summer in the Mediterranean. My partner,Ross Gannon, and his family migrated to the islands

aboard their 45’ sloop Eleda for the winter of 2013-14. Rick and Chrissy Haslet have completed tworound trips aboard the impeccable ketch, Destinyand Todd Bassett and Lee Taylor continue to cruisesouth in their classic yawl, Magic Carpet, aftersufficient recovery from their previous escapades.Is there a pattern here? Why do we do this?

Rest assured, when the wind begins to howl, theseas build into mountains and toss your precious,varnished cockleshell like a cork in a washtub, andthe lee rail beckons for the contents of your lastmeal, suddenly all those indestructible cast bronzefittings, stainless steel wire rigging, and the basketof boards screwed to frames with cotton stringcaulked into the seams (i.e. the vessel) begins totake on an esoteric eastern philosophicalatmosphere—as in the impermanence of allthings—nothing, absolutely nothing, will convinceyou that this ocean voyaging business is a goodidea. But there is no time to dwell on the regrets ofthe unravelling situation, but rather, deal with theelemental present reality knowing that you are inyour right place to keep your vessel and shipmatessecure for the duration. Eventually, the storm ends,the sun appears, and the mercifully short memoryof the sailor allows us to carry on with impunity.

With those cheerful thoughts forgotten, we set sailon November 28th with a forecast of fresheningnorth wind and snow flurries building to what theold timers used to call a “pleasant gale” from thenorthwest, or well abaft the beam. The reefedmainsail, foresail and forestaysail provided plentyof canvas to drive Charlotte's 58,000 pounddisplacement out of the harbour and fly her alongat hull speed up Vineyard Sound with a fair tidepast the Gay Head light where we set our coursefor Bermuda, 650 nautical miles to the southsoutheast. The first bitter cold night gave way to ablustery sunny day as Charlotte charged southwardwith all hands adjusting to the rollicking motionand post-Thanksgiving digestive cycles. By the endof the second day, the wind moderated and all sailwas set: mainsail, foresail, forestaysail, jib andfisherman staysail.

That borderless river of tropical water known asthe Gulf Stream greeted us with leaping dolphins,a welcome of warm air and a favorable current.


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By the third day at sea our routine was secondnature and more activities filled our hours. Wetook sun, moon and star sights with the trusty oldsextant that has guided me across the ocean for 45years. GPS may be more accurate, but when thescreen goes blank or the batteries die, the sextantwill never fail you. From the galley a stream ofgastronomical achievements were delivered by ourcollection of accomplished sea cooks with welcomeregularity. We were well provisioned with locallygrown Vineyard produce, and rarely was theresomething delectable not bubbling and squeakingon the galley stove to nourish five ravenous bodies.

We approached Bermuda in fair weather and lightair and sailed through the cut to St. Georges harboron December 2, 2014— four days after our frigiddeparture from Vineyard Haven. We hadcompleted the first leg of our voyage with all handsin fine form and the schooner Charlotte at her best.With our American ensign flying from the taffrail,and the Bermuda courtesy flag above the “Q”

We shed our winter woolies and set our innerclocks to the rhythm of our watery world. I had seta watch system with two men on deck for three-hour shifts around the clock. A careful record ofcompass heading, average speed, windforce/direction, barometric pressure, bilgecondition, engine hours, battery voltage, sails setand the ship’s position were entered into thelogbook at the end of each watch.

The mariner’s mantra is ”constant vigilance.” To letdown your guard is an invitation to trouble, and allshipmates must be alert to the relentless demandsof the sea as she works the vessel with forcesbeyond measure. A watchful eye on deck and aloftwill detect an unfair lead, a fouled line or a chafingsail before the dreaded sound of shredding clothtells you it’s too late. Keen observation of the seaand sky can keep you clear of a waterspout by dayor merchant ship at night.

Bermuda


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(quarantine) flag at the starboard foremastspreader, we came alongside the customs dock forclearance.

The schooner rig evolved during the 18th and 19thcenturies and became very popular for its relativeease of handling by a small crew. These workingvessels were used for fishing and carrying cargo,coastwise as well as offshore. They were known fortheir good turn of speed, ability to windward, andtheir seaworthiness. The early racing yachts such asthe legendary America were schooner rigged, and inrecent years the schooner has been rediscovered byyacht designers for its desirable characteristics as acruising boat.

The larger the vessel, the more sail is required todrive its heavier hull through the water. By dividingup the sail area into smaller pieces spread out upontwo masts, the easier each sail is to set, trim andlower. Although there are more strings to pull thanon a boat with only one mast (a sloop or a cutter)there are also more options in sail combinations. Idesigned Charlotte to fit a job description thatranges from a family boat capable of cruising withas many as ten close relatives onboard, day sailingwith a dozen or more friends, chartering with sixguests having no sailing experience among them, aswell as ocean sailing to distant ports. Compromiseis the one constant in yacht design, and Charlottehas met her multifaceted purpose mission withhigh marks. She is a low tech, semi-glosscomfortable creature that sails easily and workswell for us. She's also easy on the helm and pleasantto the eye.

The courteous welcome from the Bermudiancustoms officials set the tone for our reception inthis lonely mid-Atlantic volcanic archipelago that'ssurrounded by a pale turquoise sea lapping at pinkwhite sand or colliding against rugged rock-facedbluffs and nourishing the thriving coral terrace. Weset off on a hike to stretch our legs and soak up therich variety of color and aroma along the trails ofthis gardener’s paradise. Meandering out to theFort that once protected the harbor entrance, welooked out to sea and reflected on the stunningchange from the winter landscape we had left onlyfour days ago. Voyaging under sail was man’searliest method of discovering new lands, and such

adventure stirs one’s primordial foundation like alost prehistoric memory rekindled.

Our bus and ferry ride to The Dockyard Museumbrought home the historical significance of thiscolorful pastel outpost. Dockyard is a majorfortification constructed by the British shortly aftertheir embarrassing defeat by a hardscrabblecollection of American colonial rebels in the war ofindependence. Desperately in need of a militarypresence in the western Atlantic, the onceindominatable Brits resolved to construct aningenious fortification and naval base out of locally-cut stone. A masterpiece of architectural andengineering expertise, regretfully, it was built at theexpense of countless Bermudian lives subjected tothe appalling cruelty and inhuman labor and livingconditions employed by the masters of war. Thisrecently-restored impenetrable rockbound bulwarkwill soon be the center stage for another battlenamed for the victorious schooner America in 1851:the America’s Cup. This yacht race betweencaptains of industry is slated for 2017 in the windyenvirons of Dockyard.

After a flurry of provisioning and filling tanks, andof Brad replacing a water pump and a thoroughcheck of the rig, engine and ships gear, we saidfarewell to sailmakers Stevie and Suzanne Hollis,our dear old friends and the main reason for ourvisit to this secluded emerald jewel in the westernocean. We were all eager to get underway again andride the North Atlantic another 1,100 nautical milessouth to our winter home, Haiti. It felt good to beback in our sea-rolling world, standing watch withour pals—five bonded boys in a boat.

A fair wind from the north, bolstered by a steepconfused sea, kept the helmsman alert and someappetites reduced as Charlotte boiled along, tickingoff the miles day after day. We becamereacquainted with the night sky overflowing withstars and observed the wonders above in thecoolness of the tropical darkness. For every 60nautical miles gained on our southerly course,Polaris (the North Star) slid down towards thehorizon astern one degree in altitude, mimickingour change in latitude. On rare occasions, a shipwould appear on the horizon and the watch captainwould take a bearing to determine its course. If


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your bearing doesn’t change, it’s a collision situationand time to alter your heading.

Constant vigilance!

The dawn watch is my favourite, if only for therelief of light following darkness, which in foulweather can be very nerve racking. After a long andharrowing visionless night watch, a welcomesunrise restores your ability to observe the ship andsee how this complex contraption of lumber, line,bronze and canvas has survived the thrashing andpitching in blindness—as if she needs to see. Thoselucky souls who enjoy the rosy fingers of early-morning sunshine are also expected to conduct ageneral cleanup aboard: washing down the cockpit,sweeping up below deck, organizing the galley andany other tasks required to keep the vesselshipshape.

The traditional midday ritual of calculating ourposition with a noontime sight got everyone on

deck estimating the previous 24 hour days run. Wehad some good ones, the best one logging just over200 nautical miles—an average speed of 8 knots.

At sunset we strained our eyes in search of the“green flash,” the visual phenomenon that rarelyoccurs just as the upper limb of the sun touches thehorizon before sinking beneath the sea. No flash onthis voyage, but stunning pre-prandialentertainment with the evening sky exploding withcolors and composition that painters can only wishfor. The divine fish guardians were clearly incontrol of our yellow and pink feathered lurestrolling astern, fouling the hooks with Sargassoweed and protecting the scaly creatures from ourbaking dish. No fresh barracuda, wahoo or bonitoon this passage, just a comforting sense of ourecological commitment in mitigating thecatastrophic over fishing of the world’s oceans aswe sank our forks into another bowl of rice andbeans, yet again. Hot sauce, anyone?

Dawn Watch


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The Tumlaren, Ettrick and the 2016Geelong Wooden Boat Festival

John and Dave Brodziak

Ettrick slippedsilently through thedark on a completelycalm morning on PortPhillip Bay, the glowof St Kilda pier andthe RMYS lightsblurring slowly intothe horizon.

In lieu of a morning coffee (which had been sadlyforgotten at the marina), skipper Gordon Taitoffered us a small toast to the rising sun and webegan the task of seeking out a tow from one of thelarger classics also heading south to Portarlington,hopefully to arrive in time for the start of thepassage race. The little egg-beater electric motor did

a great job of moving us along and into the path ofAlwyn, whereby Peter Costolloe kindly andexpertly swooped in out of the shadows to take ourline, and we were away. The tow was uneventful,but for the performance of twisting and dartingdolphins in Alwyn’s wake, and was certainly notinterrupted by much wind from a useful direction.Thanks to Peter we arrived in time to dash ashorefor that much needed coffee before the start of thepassage race at 1200. We took some delight innoting the range of beautiful classic boats gentlycruising around in varying levels of pre-racemanoeuvring; as some classics had arrived the daybefore they were still packing up after breakfast toready themselves for racing. For us, it was the firsttime we would race together as a crew, and for thetwo of us as father and son in the classic fleet.

The start was by divisions so Avian, Sirocco,Bluejacket and Ettrick started in the third groupafter the Couta boats and the Classic and ModernWooden boats, each having a five minute startingsequence. The wind was patchy at best andtherefore dictated to some degree who was doing Ettrick under tow with Alwyn Photo Cameron Dorrough

Course of the 2016 Geelong Wooden Boat Festival Passage race, Portarlington to Geelong


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Outer Lead. From here we shied up somewhat andspent time carrying, dowsing and resetting ourspinnaker as the wind moved around. We couldn’tcatch the boats reasonably close ahead of us andfinished a very enjoyable race first on elapsed timefor the Tumlare Division and second on handicapto Avian.

Arriving at the RGYC we tidied the boat even morethoroughly than usual, as we were in the companyof some truly beautifully kept and presentedclassics, and tried hard to look casual as wemanoeuvred into our allocated inner marinaberthing area. The place was buzzing, a realpleasure to arrive to. It was our first GWBF visit andwe thanked Gordie for bringing us along with aquick beer at the bar before offering a hand as therest of the Tumlare fleet rafted up. What a sight asthe sky cleared and the late afternoon sun rippledacross the coloured hulls and silver water.

A steady stream of admirers and enquirers askedabout the svelte Tumlare fleet, and more than a fewalready knew the name Knud Reimers.

On Sunday we joined a very stately Grand Paradeof Sail, again in light winds, and very muchenjoyed the company and proximity of such abeautiful collection of wooden boats.

Sunday afternoon saw the start of the Corio Bayraces postponed for about 30 minutes until thewind gave a reasonable impression of filling infrom somewhere around the south-east. The racetook us from a start in front of the Royal GeelongYacht Club around a roughly triangular course,going out as far as the City Channel number 2marker, and finishing in front of the Club.

The breeze was being a little reticent at the startand all the Divisions ended up pretty bunched upafter a staggered start, again with 5 minutesequences between divisions. We attempted to getclear air and be inside at the mark, and somehowthis happened, to our surprise. Ettrick was happy inthe light conditions, and we two-sail reached out tothe Channel #2, trying to ignore the spinnakersbeing set behind us so as not to put us off. At themarker, most boats including Kingurra , and with

well on the first leg across to the Steamboat Pile.The casual feeling of the pre-race changed a littleas crews became a little more intent on passing ordrawing away from their friends. Avian sailed upalongside from slightly behind at the start, then

headed away at a rather disconcerting rate. Werealised that we would really have to be on ourgame! We made up a little on a few of the Classicsand Moderns by Steamboat Pile, but the biggerboats were clearing out rapidly in the lightishreaching conditions, some with shy spinnakerswhich we didn't even try.

At Steamboat Pile most boats in front hardenedup and stayed on port tack. We followed a few onto starboard and managed to pick up somefavourable wind and then tacked onto port andlaid Wilson Spit Beacon having picked up a fewplaces, including managing to sneak ahead ofAvian in our Division. The bigger boats were nowin the distance, but we had a few, Christela,Baradene and Inspiration, that we followed in thelight square running conditions down to the Alcoa

Ettrick as observed from Serifa


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the exception of ourselves and the NIS23, Route 66kept on starboard and headed south east. Wetacked almost immediately and sailed in shore,where we managed to pick up some nice lifts.Bling and Inspiration came in from the starboardpart way up the leg, as did Kingurra , and managedto charge ahead at the mark, closely followed byRoute 66 who picked the shifts beautifully. Werounded the yellow buoy in about 5th place overalland were pleased to see the other Tumlarens a waybehind us, probably affected by the flukyconditions and the inshore bias we lucked into. Wereached down past the Geelong Yacht Club for thesecond lap. The positions didn’t really changealthough the front markers were a fair way aheadand we were concentrating elsewhere! The leg outto the Channel #2 was a square run with enoughwind to keep us all going. On the final leg on thewind to the elusive yellow buoy we raced Route 66but couldn't make an impression. We weresurprised and pretty excited to see Boambillee andWindward II behind us, and managed to hold ourposition until the finish. First over the line was

The 2016 Geelong Wooden Boat Festival Tumlare Pod rafted in their Royal Geelong Yacht Club berth

Ettrick skipper Gordon Taiit with the Best Overall Tumlaren TrophyInspiration, followed by Duco Magic Bling, Kingurraand Route 66. We were very happy to finish fifthover the line and first of the Tumlarens.

A brilliant weekend concluded on Monday with anearly exit into a calm Corio Bay, again propelled byreliable Alwyn, before a spirited run home as atimely 15 knot breeze came in from the South Westjust as we began to bear away from Outer Harbour.


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Cruising to the Gippsland Lakes andjoining the Paynesville Classic BoatRally

Rod Fuller Skipper Shamrock

We heard from our H28 representative atPaynesville, Gippsland Lakes that the locals wereplanning a classic boat rally.

Stage I - The Planning

Rod Fuller, an H28 Association Committeemember, had a ‘brain wave’ and suggested to theCommittee that we should get some boats together,cruise in company to the Gippsland Lakes andparticipate in the Paynesville Classic Boat Rally. That’s how it all started. The planning beganduring 2015. To measure the interest an outlinecruise plan was prepared and publicised on theH28 Association website. A presentation was alsomade to the HBYC Cruising group. Antares andKashmir showed interest as well as some H28s fromGeelong.

Stage 2 – The Cruise to the Gippsland Lakes

Antares set off on the Monday 22 February 2016making the most of a favourable northerly. ByWednesday the items on the Shamrock cruisepreparation list were all but completed. As the lastitems were stowed onboard, Shamrock gentlyrocked in her pen at HBYC sitting lower in thewater under the weight of all the provisions and theinflatable dinghy.

The skipper Rod Fuller and crew Brian Steinke andTerry Bower made their farewells to partners andfriends. Mooring lines were cast off and we werebound for Portarlington, our first port of call. PeterClarke’s Kashmir decided to follow the day afterand meet us in Queenscliff. There we joined 3other H28s from Geelong, however, their plan wasto only go to Westernport Bay and Deal Island.

Kashmir departed Queenscliff early Friday morningwhile Shamrock followed later in the daylightcoinciding with the pm slack water time at the Rip.

Antares had a great sail and was waiting for us inSan Remo, Phillip Island.Our original plan was to make Cleeland Bight,Phillip Island our first stop however the windfreshened and we continued on a course to theGlennies, Wilsons Promontory and Refuge Cove. During the evening the wind waxed and waned sothe ‘iron headsail’ was called into action to sustainour speed at 4 kts. Kashmir in the meantime wasmaking good progress on their course to DealIsland.

Shamrock arrived at Refuge Cove soon aftermidday on Saturday. After setting anchor skipperand crew relished this sheltered spot, consumingsome good meals, wine and catching up on sleep.

Shamrock at the Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club


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A close watch on the next few days weatherforecast drove our decision to depart the nextmorning. As we were preparing for departure avery experienced lone sailor arrived at the Cove.Bob Laughlin on Antares was having someproblems and decided not to continue to theLakes. So Shamrock set sail for Lakes Entrance andenjoyed a long spell on a beam reach; passingCliffy Island and a few oil and gas productionplatforms well off to the south of our rhumbline.The wind died in the evening as we finisheddinner and settled in for a night of the inevitableBass Strait seas, pitching, rolling and yawing theboat.

Well before dawn we sighted the Lakes Entrancechannel lights. This is when the local experience ofcrew member Terry was invaluable. He acted asour pilot, picking up the leads at the entrance thenguiding us in before sunrise. Once there we tiedup at the Flagstaff jetty, had breakfast and caughtup on some sleep. Kashmir arrived soon after.

Lakes Entrance was visible from the jetty andbeckoned us with the opportunity of a shower andsome cold beer.

After lunch the gentle easterly was too tempting toignore. We eased off our mooring lines and set offdown the Reeves channel. Carefully we followedthe channel markers to avoid running agroundand on to Bancroft Bay. There we found an idealplace to berth right in front of the Metung Hotel. A perfect spot for a night’s stay.

Editor Note: Metung is the home of CYAA memberTerry Grundy’s fleet of 12 wooden Dragons. March2017 a Dragon Regatta is scheduled. Details soonon CYAA Web site.

The wind gods were still looking favourably on usthe next day as a light easterly carried us furtherwest into Lake King along the northern side ofRaymond Island. We entered McMillan Strait andmade our way to Terry’s idyllic canal frontagehome in Paynesville. We moored at hisneighbour’s jetty.

Shamrock and her Skipper, Rod Fuller at the Metung Marina


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We had made good time on the passage arriving inPaynesville on Tuesday 1st March, seven days afterleaving HBYC.

Plenty of time to rest and clean up Shamrock so thatshe was presentable for the inaugural PaynesvilleClassic.

Meanwhile Kashmir had found a suitable berth onthe Raymond Island side of McMillan Strait.Skipper and crew headed for Bairnsdale as theyneeded to catch a bus and train back to Melbourne.

Stage 3 – The Paynesville Classic Boat Rally

The Rally began Friday afternoon when we took upour allocated berths at the Gippsland Lakes YachtClub marina. Friday night was the welcome drinksand briefing on the program for the next two days.Our partners from Adelaide and Melbourne, aswell as Dean Langford and his son Peter, drovedown to Paynesville to join us for the weekend.

By Saturday morning there were over 140 boats,comprising classic yachts, motor cruisers of alltypes and sizes including a WWII PT boat; severaldinghies, power boats, ski boats and even modelyachts which made up the land based display.

The most unusual water craft was a wrought ironPaynesville “Shed” mounted on a pontoon andbroadcasting music and commentary.

All on water participants had an entrant number todisplay on the port side of the boat. This numberwas the intended order in which we would motor/sail down McMillan Strait for the morning sail past. All boats mingled in the Newlands Arm ready forthe sail past but getting all under way and innumber order was as always a tall order for over

Shamrock all dressed up and ready dance at thePaynesville Classic Boat Rally

Shamrock on parade at the Paynesville Classic Boat Rally Sail Past


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In the evening the H28s gathered at the Asianrestaurant at the Paynesville Cruiser Club. Afterdinner some found their way to the Yacht Club toput in an appearance at the maritime dance. Wethen adjourned to Terry and Pauline’s place to jointhe crowd and enjoy their hospitality.

On Sunday a race was planned. The breeze wasvery light and flukey as many tried their best to

headed for the Strait and we all shuffled into someorder proceeding into and down the Strait.

The Commentator used the number displayed oneach boat to rattle off some relevant particulars oneach craft as they passed by the yacht club marinaand Paynesville jetty.After the sail past it was backto our allocated berth to put our craft on display andanswer the questions of some interested spectators.

The Paynesville Classic Boat Rally shed

MetungHome of Wooden Dragon Regatta

March 13 2017CYAA Members to compete with

Home of thePaynesville Maritime Museum

Nungerner

Paynesville Classic Boat Rally

Path of Sh

amrock to Pa

ynesville

Queenscliff

San Remo

Williamstown

Voyage track from Williamstown to Paynesville and return.Route to Wilsons Promontoryand to Refuge Cove

Path of Shamrock to William

stown

RoutefromRefuge CovePortarlington


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position their craft in MacMillan Strait north of theRaymond Island Ferry. Eventually the ferrypositioned itself midstream and the race starter letoff a flare to indicate the start. The fleet drifteddown the Strait and out into Lake Victoria, makingtheir way round a mark then back to the Strait tothe finish line.

Terry’s H28 Thetis was well placed to take out aposition in the results.

After the race Shamrock dropped Dean and sonPeter off at the Paynesville jetty, then made her wayround to Terry’s place on the canal.

Stage 4 – The Cruise back to Port Phillip Bay

We spent a day re provisioning the boat andevening relaxing in the balmy conditions atPaynesville. My crew for the return trip were TerryBower and Michael Paszylka . Michael knew theboat well having sailed with us many timesincluding our trip to Hobart in 2009. Terry and hiswife Pauline were expecting overseas visitors midMarch, so we did not hang around Paynesvillemuch longer. The next day we bid our farewells,cast off and set sail for Lakes Entrance. The lack ofbreeze however meant it was motoring or motorsailing all morning stopping at Nungerner. Therewe picked up a public mooring and had lunch.Our hunger having been satisfied, we resumed ourpassage along the Reeves Channel and round thecorner into Lakes Entrance. The public floatingmarina provided a good berth within easy walkingdistance to the shops, public toilets and cold butrefreshing showers.

A check of the weather forecast indicatedunfavourable conditions at the Lakes Entrance barthe next morning. So it was decided to have a layday and wait until the following morning. Theprospect of cold beer and local fish and chips fordinner helped this decision.

Slack water at the Entrance bar coincided withsunrise the next morning and conditions were calmenough for our passage out into Bass Strait. We setour course for Cliffy Island following the reciprocalof our sail to the Lakes. We settled in for ananticipated 20 hour passage to Refuge Cove.

As expected the breeze increased then subsided

shifting in direction and requiring us to motor sailat times. During darkness very early next morningwe were barely making progress passing CliffyIsland so once again it was rely on the “ironheadsail” to get us to Refuge Cove shortly aftersunrise. After setting anchor it was time forbreakfast and a few hours sleep.

Our next target anchorage was Cleelands Bight,Phillip Island. Calculating distance and estimatedpassage time meant an early departure from Refugeif we were to make Cleelands Bight before sunset. The forecast had been for easterlies so onepossibility was to sail round to Oberon Bay on thewest side of Wilsons Promontory , anchor there forthe night and cut 4 – 5 hours off the next day’spassage. It was a great idea but after we made ourway out of Refuge Cove, we found moderate southwesterlies were blowing so we discarded that ideaand returned to Refuge Cove for the night.

Next morning meant another early start at 2:00amand some motor sailing so as to reach CleelandsBight in daylight. There we found one of the ParksVictoria moorings that provided us a secure spotfor the night.

Consulting the Victorian Tide tables revealed thatthe 2 choices for slack water at The Rip thefollowing day, were 1:30pm and 7:30pm. We optedfor the earlier time which again required a 2:00amdeparture from the Bight. Unfortunately acomplete lack of wind required us to motor ourway through sloppy Bass Strait seas all the way toPort Phillip Heads. Once there our course alignedwith the Four Fingers West Channel passing manydive and fishing boats. Past Shortland Bluff wemotored and into The Cut to arrive at the beautifulQueenscliff harbour and berthed alongside theQCYC jetty.

QCYC facilities were a welcome site after a tiringtrip. All appreciated a hot shower, the bar andopportunity to cook a hearty meal in the extensivekitchen and lounge at the yacht club.

While we would have liked to linger at Queensclifffor a day or two, the forecast indicated a favourableeasterly the next day then a strong easterly the dayafter. So we set off for Williamstown the next dayarriving at HBYC late afternoon back where we hadcommenced the cruise 3 weeks earlier.


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FOR SALESHAMROCK

Date Built: 1952Built by: Built in Hobart by two cabinet makersunder the watchful guidance of Jock Muir.Shamrock was completed and fitted out at MaxCrease boatyard at Battery PointConstruction: Hull: Huon PineMasts: OregonRig: KetchCurrent Location: Hobsons Bay Yacht ClubWilliamstown, Victoria Price: POAContact: Rod Fuller, 0438529631History:Sailed in Tasmanian waters until she was sold toMichael and Margory Sullivan, who relocated her toSandringham on Port Phillip Bay. After several yearsshe was sold to Lex Bell, a member at SandringhamYacht Club. He sailed the boat in club events andundertook cruises to Stanley and Refuge Cove, WilsonsPromontory.

In February 1976 she was purchased by Dean Langford.This began a long period of her life in the care of theLangford family at Williamstown. Sailing extensivelyon Port Phillip Bay, Dean taught his two sons Neil andPeter the joy of H28 sailing. Many summer familyholidays were spent at Sorrento accompanied byShamrock moored close by. She became a familiar siteall over the Bay as father, sons and friends enjoyednumerous days sailing and weekends away on the Bay.In 2001 Rod Fuller became part owner in Shamrock andgradually took over full ownership and responsibilityfor Shamrock. Moored at Hobsons Bay Yacht Club,Williamstown, Victoria, she has been on the clubregister since 1976.

Details:Hull – Huon PineMasts & Spars: - OregonSails: Challenge Marblehead Dacron,

Doyle:-Main, Mizzen & Headsail No.2.5, 2005Doyle:- Headsails, No. 1, 2007, No.3, 2014Doyle: - Headsail, No. 2, 2016Ryan: Headsail, No. 3, 2003Storm jib (year of manufacture unknown)Doyle: Sail and tiller covers

3 cylinder dieselBatteries 2 x 12V fully sealed lead acid, (New Feb. 2016)Propellor: 3 Blade bronze, in lineAnchors: Bow CQR, 60 m of chain plus spare warp andchain Stern anchor:- CQR plus 10m chain and warpWater: 12 gallon st st tankDiesel: 12 gallon tankNavigation Eqpt.: Raymarine a Series “7” Chartplotter(new 2015),Garmin 12 GPSGalley: Stainless Steel sink Maxi two burner methylated spirit stoveHead: TMC marine toiletBerths: 2 main saloon berths and ‘V’ berth up forwardSafety Eqpt. 406MHz EPIRB, Lifebuoy, Dan Buoy, 4 xPFD1s, 2 x Fire extinguishersRegistration: H140, Hobsons Bay Yacht Club,Williamstown, Victoria

Achievements:H28 Association Sailmaster series Winner 2003, 2004,2005.Regular competitor in the CYAA Summer & WinterseriesHBYC races: Winner Bob Pilgrim Memorial Trophy 2012-2013, 2015-2016 3rd RM Smith Hot Pursuit Series 2014-2015Cruise to Westernport Bay 2008Cruise to Tasmania and Wooden Boat Festival Hobartparticipant 2009Geelong Wooden Boat Festival participant 2010, 2012


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Australian Maritime Museums

Learning from the past to go forward into thefuture

Local maritime museums throughout Australia,with support of volunteers, sustain and displayAustralian maritime heritage collections on ashore bound basis. The CYAA plays a similarrole with the Classic Yachts on their registerexcept for a small difference. These ClassicYachts, while recognised by the AustralianNational Maritime Museum as historic vessels,are dynamic objects.

Through many years of hard yacht racing,maintaining these historic Classic Yachts to becompliant to current safety standards is anexpensive but rewarding task.

The CYAA, through its racing program,provides owners (curators), of these historicClassic Yachts, the reasons to justify the timeand costs to support their part of Australia’sMaritime Heritage.

The CYAA recognises the importance ofmaritime museums. Their archival andanecdotal records are needed to understand andacknowledge how much these Classic Yachtswere part of the everyday life of Australians. Anera that is now part of Australia’s Maritimeheritage.

Through a series of happy circumstances, led byRob Cook of Paynesville Maritime Museum andCol Anderson of the CYAA, the CYAA recentlybecame a member of this important MaritimeMuseum.

Take a look at Paynesville Maritime Museumstory on the adjacent magazine pages.

Peter Costolloe, CYAA(Vic) Race Director

Paynesville Maritime Museum is dedicated toresearching, recording and retelling the maritimeheritage of the village and surrounding area ofPaynesville on the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria,Australia.

Paynesville’s early story

A major supplier of fish to the Melbourne markets

A builder of steamships for the Lakes

Port of call for the steamers

Home of the unique “Lakes” fishing boat and itsbuilders.

The Museum tells the story of a boat building andfishing industry based community evolving into animportant maritime recreational centre for thedistrict. Important artefacts donated from familiesbackyards support the Paynesville evolution story.

The Museums display centre is open on the morningof the second Sunday each month. It’s located in theshed block adjacent to the Gilsenan reserve inPaynesville.

The museum researchers use modern technologies tofind and store the stories of Paynesville importantpast and be a repository of information such as tothe fate of recreational vessels seconded by the RoyalAustralian Navy to support their operations duringWorld War II.

The Paynesville Maritime Museum through theirlink to Warren of Mt. Isa, was able to assist theCYAA with their queries about the whereabouts onesuch vessel. This was the Syme families 70’ MotorYacht, West Wind. Built by the J J Savage YarraMotor Boat Company on slips close to the ChurchStreet bridge in Cremorne, Melbourne, the home ofRichmond Tiger beer. It was the largest motor yachtever built in Australia at December 1914 andoperated as an excursion steamer for many years.After a life on the Lakes, Paynesville Museumhistorians record she disappeared during the 1950’swhile operating as a fish freezer vessel in the Straitsof Malacca.


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Paynesville Fishermans Wharf 1900’s

Paynesville Maritime Museum artefacts display centre


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The first off shore challenge to the Classic Yachting world by Australia and New Zealand Classic YachtAssociations was developed from the Inter Association Cup Regattas in Melbourne and Trillion TrustRegattas in Auckland. The final incentive to set up the challenge came fromTim Blackman, the Admiralof the British Classic Yacht Club during one of his many visits to Melbourne. After looking over thethe local Classic Yacht racing Tim was heard to think “these Aussies and Kiwi colonial classic typesmay be up to mounting a challenge to us in the Old Dart” That did it.

Martin Ryan and Doug Shields of the CYAA and Tony Blake and Iain Valentine of the CYANZ wentinto high organising gear. The outcome, 25 Classic Yacht racing sailors from the lands of the SouthernCross will be in Cowes UK to compete in the 2016 Panerai British Classic Week.

Today it’s all set to go. Tim Blackman at the UK end has looked after the chartering of the 3 MorganGiles ex Royal Navy Sail Training Yachts from Classicsail. The three yachts are Pegasus, skipper MartinRyan , Leopard skipper Doug Shields and Gryphis skipper Tony Blake with the assistance of 3 temporaryKiwis Richard Macrae from Claire plus Richard and Jayne Turner from Oenone. 3 houses toaccommodate each team have now been set up. Phil Brown (SASC Anitra V) has organised ZHIK theRegatta Clothing Supplier to outfit the Pegasus crew

Iain Valentine of the CYANZ has organised a high powered cocktail reception for the Panerai andBCYC principals. This event will take placee after the daily prize presentations on Thursday at the SirMax Aitkin Museum, right on the waters edge at Cowes West

The cocktail reception has been made possible by

Trevor Chanter NZMBIE – Immigration NZ

Andrew Pindar GAC Pindar

Paula McGeown High Trees Law

Documents

CYAA Magazine July 2016 Issue 38_2