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2010 – October

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2010 – October

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This Month...

Upcoming events in the calendar..

The winter seasons news.

Revisiting Fagel Grip.

Video of the month.

Upcoming events in the calendar..

The Swan river classic series is growing in popularity with square metre yachts taking to the water for the summer season in Perth.

The Square metre yacht that attend this series are Bacchante, Joyous, The Lady in Red and Sue Anne.
 
For more information visit the calenadar page.
 
In Pittwater, NSW, The Woody Point Yacht Club is hosting The Around the Marks regatta which takes place on the  19th of December.

With a good contingent of classic yachts this a great opportunity for the Sydney yachts to challenge the Pittwater yachts, Rouseabout and KA2. There is one twist to this event which makes it challenging for the visitors. The course involves circumnavigating every mark in the Pittwater area but in any order or direction! Add a few wind shifts based on the lay of the land and you have a good challenging race.
 
More information too come on the event in the near future.

Revisiting Fagel Grip Part 1.

With the anniversary of the Launching of Fagel Grip just past we take a look at her extensive restoration which took place in Thailand.
 
Fagel Grip is yacht with a fantastic history around the world and in Australia. To learn more about her history click here to visit her profile page.
 
Fagel Grip was in a tired state with her timbers and fastenings showing signs of deteriation throughout the yacht and her nice timber planking had cracks and damage in the stern section

A wooden Skerry Cruiser sailing boat is being lifted by a large boat hoist at a marina. A man in a blue shirt and cap stands nearby, and another boat is partly visible on the right. The sky is clear and sunny.
A close-up of a Skerry Cruisers boat hull undergoing repair, supported by metal stands. The hull has visible patches of fresh woodwork and filler, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background.
A close-up of the inside of a wooden boat, showing wooden ribs, loose planks, an oar, ropes, and an orange lifebuoy with white stripes—a scene reminiscent of classic Square Metre Yachts. The area appears worn and cluttered.
Inside view of a wooden Schärenkreuzer hull showing ribs, planks, and signs of weathering. Exposed timber and some tools or equipment are visible inside this classic sailing yacht structure.

Jerry Lees the owner of Fagel Grip decided to investigate the option of shipping his yacht to the Wood Work Co in Phuket, Thailand.

Exterior view of a green industrial warehouse with a blue roof. The entrance sign reads PHIRAT INTER WOOD WORK CO., LTD. Equipment and materials are visible under the canopy, known for craftsmanship in Square Metre Yachts.

A fantastic location with great facilities and a good size boat yard.

Boats and yachts, including elegant Skerry Cruisers, are moored at a marina, with a grassy area and palm trees in the foreground. Hills and a partly cloudy sky complete the serene scene in the background.
Several tents and structures are set up outdoors on a concrete surface, surrounded by tall trees. A “No Parking” sign is visible in the foreground. The sky is partly cloudy, evoking the atmosphere of a Classic Sailing Yachts gathering.

I think his biggest challenge would be having to take the yacht home afterwards.

A concrete pier lined with potted plants extends into the water, with classic sailing yachts and moored sailboats on the left, two flags flying at the end, and cloudy skies above.
A red sailboat, reminiscent of Classic Sailing Yachts, with a grey tarpaulin covering its deck is moored at a marina. The boat is tied to a floating pontoon with several white and blue fenders along its side. The sky is cloudy.

Jerry got a little distracted and understandably so.
The wood finish of Condor of Bermuda is not often seen on a yacht of this size.

The side of a wooden boat, likely inspired by Classic Sailing Yachts, with the word BERMUDA painted in large yellow letters on a reddish-brown surface above a yellow stripe near the waterline.

Needless to say the locals were more than friendly and a deal was struck to ship Fagel Grip to Thailand.

A woman wearing a hat and a blue polka-dot shirt sits at a cluttered desk, smiling widely. Among the office supplies are magazines featuring Classic Sailing Yachts, adding a nautical touch to the busy workspace.

Would you like your quote in Baht or Australian Dollars…

A steel frame structure with four parallel beams sits on overgrown grass beside a weathered metal building marked with yellow and red circles—a scene reminiscent of the careful restoration of Classic Sailing Yachts. A ladder leans against the building in the background.

Needless to say the locals were more than friendly and a deal was struck to ship Fagel Grip to Thailand.

Two people wearing hats use power drills to work on a metal frame structure outdoors, possibly assembling parts for Classic Sailing Yachts, with orange safety fencing and construction materials in the background on a sunny day.
A person in outdoor work gear examines a timber structure with blue metal supports on a dock, near classic sailing yachts and Schärenkreuzer moored by the water, with trees and buildings in the background.

Next stage was the satisfying separation of her keel and a chance to inspect the old keel bolts before dropping the hull onto the newly built cradle.

A large Classic Sailing Yacht hull with red and black patches rests on wooden supports and concrete. Two triangular wooden braces stabilise the hull, which shows signs of weathering and marine growth.
A close-up view of the underside of a Classic Sailing Yacht on land, showing a red, weathered fin keel and part of a wheel from the boat stand, with blue sky and a few trees in the background.
Two people stand beneath the hull of a Classic Sailing Yacht propped up on supports outdoors near water, with trees visible in the background. One person is partially obscured by the boat’s keel.

The 40 foot container arrives for the 43 foot yacht???

A white lorry is loading or unloading a large brown shipping container with a crane at an industrial dockyard, with Skerry Cruisers and classic sailing yachts visible near boats and trees under a clear blue sky.
A man stands next to a wooden boat hull, possibly a Schärenkreuzer or Skerry Cruiser, held in place by a large plywood support structure, with industrial equipment and fencing visible in the background—echoing Square Metre Yachts craftsmanship.

You sure you want to do this Jerry???

A close-up of a wooden boat hull supported by angled wooden braces, with a person applying sealant to the seams underneath—a careful restoration technique often used on Classic Sailing Yachts and Square Metre Yachts.

Cant say I have seen this done before but the execution was well planed and with the poor state of the stern section and considering the stern was snubbed a foot or so in her past, it was a good decision.

A person wearing a mask and glasses applies fibreglass to the side of a wooden Skerry Cruiser, which is supported on a stand outdoors under a clear blue sky.

Sawing with gritted teeth!

View of the wooden interior of a Schärenkreuzer under construction or repair, with exposed beams, cables, and sunlight filtering through openings above.

The self draining cockpit is complete…

A person stands next to and touches a large, vertically displayed piece of curved glass labelled FACE GRIP, mounted on a wooden base outdoors near a metal fence—reminiscent of the sleek design seen in classic Schärenkreuzer or Square Metre Yachts.

Its a bit big to use for a trophy…?
Perhaps we could use it like a lizards tail and drop it overboard to distract the other racing yachts…

View from the deck of a wooden boat, looking forward past metal railings, with a classic Skerry Cruiser and dock structures visible in the background.

Fits like a glove

A person sits on the floor inside a shipping container, working near the keel of a weathered pink Skerry Cruiser supported by braces and stands.

Plenty of room to spare!
The designer Tore Holm back in 1938 may have had divine intervention! If only he could see her now.

Four men stand smiling inside a shipping container with a yellow boat behind them, likely a Skerry Cruiser or Square Metre Yacht. They are casually dressed in sunhats, T-shirts, and button-downs as sunlight streams into the space.

A job well done but only the beginning of her journey down the long…  shipping lane.
 
More to come on Fagel Grip next month.

Around the Yards.

This month back in…

A newspaper cutting titled FLEET RE-CLASSIFIED listing boats and owners, including notable Square Metre Yachts, divided into racing divisions, with some text underlined in red and the word “yacht” highlighted in red at the top right corner.

2nd of October 1937

A black-and-white newspaper cutting announces the first yacht race of the season at the Royal Prince Edward Club, listing participating Square Metre Yachts and event details. Some words are highlighted in red.

8th of October 1937

A black-and-white newspaper cutting shows a large Classic Sailing Yacht with its sails catching the wind on the water, under a cloudy sky. The headline reads ADDITION TO DERWENT FLEET.

12th of October 1938

A blurry black and white newspaper cutting features the words Thirty Square Metre, built 1946, alongside good sails and gear, and 21,380. The words Square Metre are highlighted in red—evoking the spirit of Classic Sailing Yachts like Skerry Cruisers.

11th of October 1949

Newspaper cutting with the headline REFITTED MORNA IN EASY HARBOUR WIN describing Morna’s victory in a sailing race, including weather, competitors such as the Square Metre Yachts, and final placings.

5th of October 1952

Video of the month

A person in a red "The Yacht Week Skipper" shirt steers a Classic Sailing Yacht on open water, with crew seated ahead and ropes and the wooden deck of this elegant vessel visible.
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