NIGEL SHARPNIGEL SHARPCLASSIC BOAT FEBRUARY 2018 13Sayonara
1897The 59ft 9in (18.2m) gaff cutter
Sayonara was designed by
the great Scottish naval
architect Wm Fife III,
but she was built in
Adelaide, by A McFarlane. Her name rang
true and she quickly established herself
as a legend in the early years of
Australian yacht racing, winning
race after race and having the
Sayonara Cup named after
her. These days she is still
an active participant in
classic regattas.
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Classic racing Down Under
An eclectic fleet of 17 boats
took part in the Classic
Yacht Association of
Australia’s fourth summer
series pursuit race, hosted
by the Royal Yacht Club of
Victoria in December. The
race started in the lightest
of winds under overcast
skies, but it wasn’t long
before the sun shone and
the wind built to a steady
Force 3. Among the early
starters were two couta
boats, which are numerous
on the south side of Port
Phillip Bay, where they have
their origins in the
barracouta fishing industry
in the latter half of the 19th
century. The fleet included
seven Tumlares, the 1897
Fife gaff cutter Sayonara
(see above) and the 1946
Ernest Digby 8-Metre
Frances. Tumlare Snow
Goose won the race.
Nigel Sharp was in
Australia to report on local
classic events and boats for
forthcoming issues of CB.Bristol Marina and the neighbouring
Bristol Classic Boat Company, home
of the boatbuilding Rolt brothers,
have voiced fears that a proposed
redevelopment of the ex-Abels
Shipbuilders dry dock, by landowner
Bristol City Council, could imperil
their businesses. Davina Lund of
Bristol Marina claimed that the
council wishes to take back a 70ft
(21m)-wide strip of land for a new dry
dock tenant, which would reduce the
marina’s hoisting ability to the point
where the marina, and the Rolts’ yard
next door, could become financially
unfeasible. They have started a
petition at saveourboatyard.co.uk.
Bristol Council said: “We would like
to highlight that local boat owners
will still be able to access the water
and the slipway will remain
accessible.”BRISTOL
Save our boatyard
Zephyr, a Knud
Reimers-designed
Tumlare