Free Boat
Admittedly the headline sounds like clickbait but this time it’s serious!
BLUEJACKET on Port Phillip in the 2010s
A few weeks ago we ran an instagram story about the demise of DIOMEDE which reached the end of her life on the hardstand at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria after 80 years afloat. The post created a brief outburst of outrage. But outrage is free, and effective action is not! This week we heard about the imminent demise of another similar sized (and perhaps more special) yacht, at the same venue. But thanks to the quick work of the Classic Yacht Association of Australia, she has been moved out of the execution chamber back onto on death row.
Stor ECLIPSE plans 2021
Most sailors in Australia will know of Melbourne’s famous Tumlaren fleet, which is in realtive good health. Fewer will know of the Tumlaren’s bigger sister the “Stor Tumlaren” (or “Albatross” as they are locally know in Victoria). Perhaps the greatest moment of fame for the design came when Adlard Coles, the author of the seminal tome Heavy Weather Sailing, won his division in the first trans Atlantic yacht race in his boat COHOE a sister ship to the vessel in question.
COHOE sailing in Bermuda 1950 (from Adlard Coles North Atlantic)
The boat in trouble at RYCV is called BLUEJACKET and was designed by Knud Reimers to weather the storms of the North Sea. She was built by Master Boatbuilder Jack Gutierrez at 29 Elm Grove, Brighton in 1946 for a Mr Jack Underwood and originally named CORINTHIAN. With the designer Charlie Peel, Gutierrez built Joe White’s Acrospire IV in 1929 in White’s Collingwood malthouse. The local Windsor boy’s Maritime Museum citation is here.
BLUEJACKET at RYCV Williamstown 2022
Since her launch she has had at least ten owners (most of which are documented) in both Victoria and South Australia, and has won many a trophy, including the 1950 Queenscliff to Devonport race. Perhaps her most recognisable custodian was the legendary Doug Jenkin. Doug sailed her well into his 80’s with the Melbourne classic fleet, leaving us in his shadow. ’Never look behind’ was the call as he toasted us with a Navy gin and cloves cordial.
Jenkin sold her to Williamstown shipwright Phil McIntyre who started the restoration before moving back to Denmark, the spiritual home of Stor Tumlaren. While proving her offshore racing capability, the Stor was well set-up for family cruising with kids in the Baltic archipelago. The Tumlare, her 5ft shorter sister, only had room for a ‘just married’ couple. McIntyre refurbished the deck and removed the extra cab above the head to restore her original and fair lines.
The current custodian continued the work completing most of the heavy lifting. He removed the 18hp Volvo and renewed the engine support frames. All cracked ribs have been replaced with new Spotted Gum, while the good ribs have been re-nailed and roved with copper around the cockpit and stern. A new Sapele coaming has been installed.
She is not currently in sailing order but has had considerable work done on her over the last 15 years. If you are prepared to do a little more, and respect timeless design and irrefutable provenance, you could do a lot worse than take a look at this 32ft double ended gem.
Stors are still prized and cherished around the world, especially in Sweden and Denmark. Stor TULARI is being refurbished at Alkira Boatyard on Lake Macquarie NSW. She will soon be sailing with her sister Stor SKAGERRAK. After studying Reimers plans, Chris Kluck commissioned new drawings to underwrite his meticulous restoration of Stor ECLIPSE in Port Townsend WA, USA.
Oh…. and did we mention… BLUEJACKET free?
To arrange an inspection contact Nick Stone 0420 681 976 Stone_nicholas@hotmail.com
BLUEJACKET helmed by Kath Jenkin with Doug and family