"WARANA" for sale on Gumtree. NZ built Bailey Ketch? Historic Australian Timber Ketch

[TerryOz]

Hi All.
This is a thread that will likely apply to the Aussie and Kiwi crew here on the forum.
There is a 40' Timber boat for sale on Gumtree currently, it is called "WARANA" and it has some interesting history, in that it was a boat sailed into the Muroroa Attoll area in the early 70's as a "protest vessel", protesting against the French Nuclear tests that were being carried out at the time. There is a book that explains what went on with the boat, the cruise, the crew and the various adventures along the way. There is a book called "WARANA : The Story of an Australian Protest Yacht" that is still available. Here is a précis of what that book contains

"In 1973, Brian Crawford was a 25-year-old hippie out to see the world and have adventures. After nearly two years on a schooner in North Atlantic gales, he was looking for warmer water. He went to the Kingdom of Tonga, where his brother was training Peace Corps volunteers. Although he loved the people and country of Tonga, his tourist visa expired and he had to leave. With no money, his options were few. Then he found a yacht that would take him on as navigator – Warana, the Australian nuclear protest vessel, bound for Mururoa atoll in French Polynesia, to try to prevent the French from testing more nuclear weapons there. He joined a disillusioned and discontented crew of misfits, all of whom soon gave up and returned home. With the skipper Peter Sturgess and a crew of American hippies rounded up from waterfront bars, they began the voyage back to Australia. Visiting Fiji, New Hebrides (now Vanuatu), New Caledonia, Brisbane, Sydney, they eventually returned home to Melbourne, only to set out on the grueling 650-mile Sydney-Hobart open ocean race."

After talking to Bryce, the fellow who listed her for sale, I understand that she has been taking up room in a warehouse that is part of his factory, that it has been there 5 years or so and that the rent hasn't been paid for some time. So he is looking to clear her out of there and get back some of the unpaid rent. Apparently the most interested parties so far are people with big chainsaws at the ready! 🤕😳
What I am interested in is, whether anyone here knows this boat, who might be able to tell me more about her previous history, and what she had been up to after that 70's era.
I have what I believe to be one of her "Sisters", a 1949 "Bailey" Ketch called "Setanta" (previously called "Christine"). I was under the impression that there were only 3 of these guys, mine as well as "Solace" and "Soliloque", both of whom are in good hands and being kept in good shape. This one under discussion which looks almost identical to mine sheer, freeboard, bow and stern shape wise, is built of NZ Kauri, unlike the Aussie, "Searles" built trio, which are Jarrah and Oregon Hulls. Bailey himself was also a Kiwi and drew the original plans for a boat called "Veleda" and this leads me to believe that"Warana" was also built there.
Trove has several newspaper clippings online that fells of Sydney Hobart races and others, but I am interested in knowing a lot more about her, so if you know anything please let me know eh?
Thanks
Terry

[John B]

Charles Bailey and Charles Bailey jnr are famous boatbuilders here in the period say late 1800's to about 1940 or so, I suspect yours might be a different Bailey?
You could try our CYANZ forum , not wonderfully active any more but you never know.
http://classicyacht.org.nz/forum/index.php
or Waitemata woodies ( although I don't know how to work that one myself. )
https://waitematawoodys.com/

[purri]

So it doesn't need any more nav lights, right?

[TerryOz]

Thanks for the reply. "Solace" the oldest of the Searles Boatyard trio, was built in 1934, she was based on the drawings of a boat called "Veleda, which were off the pen of Charles Bailey Jr. So it is definitely that "Bailey".

[TerryOz]

I mention this because there may be surviving family members who can help with all of this....After looking around online, it appears that there was another sister to "WARANA", called "HORIZON" (owned and skippered by a Mr JR Bartlett as well as a Mr Sverre Berg) who as it seems was one of the boats in the first Sydney - Hobart race in 1945. It appears that "WARANA" was owned Peter R Warner and skippered by his politician father Mr. A. G. Warner, L.C.P, the leader in the Victorian Legislative council). So both of these vessels were Sydney Hobart competitors and in fact both listed as competitors in the 1953 race.

[dreyer]

I would definitely get in touch with the Classic Yacht Assoc. www.classicyacht.org.nz and post on their forum. Harold Kidd or someone with similar encyclopedic knowledge of NZ boats, and our legendary designers and builders messrs Logan and Bailey.

[TerryOz]

Okay! By way of an update, here is something that may open up some discussion and perhaps set the story a little more “straight”. I have had the pleasure of discussing the content of my post with Mr Harold Kidd, who should need no introduction here, but in case you don’t know of him, he is a highly respected authority on NZ Maritime History. His first reaction to all of this was that he was “staggered at the attribution of these yachts to Chas. Bailey Jr. He died in 1952 but hadn’t designed anything of significance since 1946.
Your boat is quite unlike anything else he designed.
How did his name get associated with her?”

Which caused me to investigate my side of this further. Turns out that the person who designed these was a “W.D Bailey, of Como New South Wales, Australia. Which I passed onto Harold, who responded with

” The W.D. Bailey could just be a grandson of Chas Bailey Jr. A son, Gladwyn Bailey, went to Sydney about 1925 and started in business there.
There was some scandal and I think he went broke.
But the Bailey is a common name!
I’ll follow up the link though. The Baileys were prolific.”

I write this, as it may help someone who knows more about these Ketches become involved in this discussion. I would really like to know as much as possible on this subject.

[John B]

Harold Kidd and Robin Elliot have put vast amounts of time and passion into our classic boating heritage, manifested in many magazine articles over a number of years and a few really nice books as well.

[RFNK]

You could send a letter and photos to Afloat magazine, a NSW-based publication freely available, monthly, at every boating-related outlet across NSW. It's very likely that some readers will know the boats.

Rick

[Hallam]

This is the book written about Warana. I have a boat called Warana 2 built in Brighton by Jack Gutierez. I don't know of any connection other than
the French protest Warana sailed from Port Phillip. I hope someone takes her on.

[TerryOz]

Hi “Hallam”. I have bought that book and will have a read over my Xmas break, likely or hopefully onboard “SETANTA”.
Interestingly, just this morning I made contact with a fellow (crew member) who is mentioned in that book. So I am hoping to see some info come my way regards my initial post.
Just a reminder! If anyone knows anything about “HORIZON” from back in the day, or currently, I’d love to hear about it. All I know is that she is another sister to my boat, that she was part of the first Sydney Hobart race fleet and that she competed in about 6 races.
Thanks
TerryO

[Hallam]

Hi Terry. I have done a few searches on the subject of Warana as my boat is Warana II (as in two), a thirty foot motor sailor built in 1956 by Jack Gutierrez in Brighton Vic. I always thought Warana was built in Melbourne by Jack Gutierez but thats just a hunch.

This seems to be the Warana that features in the book:

Viking slips anchor - MySailing.com.au

Owned by Arthur Warner, (Sir Arthur Warner)

from the article......

"So Max became the paid hand on Sir Arthur's Warana, a 40ft double-ender and sailed his first offshore race, from Queenscliff to Devonport, aboard her in 1952. The following year he sailed her in the Sydney-Hobart race with Peter Warner as skipper.

By then, Sir Arthur had bought the 52ft cutter Winston Churchill which her designer and builder, Percy Coverdale, had raced in the first Hobart race in 1945. Crafoord looked after both boats and raced aboard Winston Churchill, converted to yawl rig, in the 1955, 1956, 1957 and 1958 Hobart races. "

Read more at http://www.mysailing.com.au/news/vik...ZlHCOEU9dEf.99


Warana is mentioned in the 1956 Sydney to Hobart as coming 15th in the 1953 race and owned by P R Warner.

[Hallam]

From Trove:
29 Dec 1954 - Strait race "field" cut to three - Trove

Only three yachts left

Apollo Bay (Victoria) yes

terday afternoon in the

annual Bass Strait yacht

race. They are expected

to reach Devonport to

morrow evening if given

fair sailing conditions.


The starters were the cut

ter Warana (skippered by Mr.

Arthur Warner, M.L.C.), the

ketch Pelorous (Mr. A.

Hardy Smith), and the sloop

Fix this textTainui (Mr.. Jim Say).

[Hallam]

Sir Arthur was a Vic politician and member of the Royal Brighton Yacht Club where Jack Gutierez was the shipwright building yachts and the cadets. This is where my Warana 11 was built.

[Hallam]

There is a Go Fund Me campaign for the restoration of Warana:
Fundraiser by Bren Worth : Save the Warana

....from the go fund me page:

Hi , My names Brendon and I'm a Veteran with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD from some time spent during the instabilities of the Iraq conflict working in the fields of explosives and IED detection and later convoy escort and security.
As I can no longer work in my chosen fields or any associated duties due to concentration issues and tremors in my hands
I have decided to embark on the restoration of an old timber boat with historical significance called “WARANA”.

[gypsie]

Sir Arthur was a Vic politician and member of the Royal Brighton Yacht Club where Jack Gutierez was the shipwright building yachts and the cadets. This is where my Warana 11 was built.

My boat was built at Brighton by Jack Gutierrez as well. Commissioned by Jock Sturrock.
http://arhv.anmm.gov.au/people/12989

[gypsie]

That's a pretty boat.
Been on the hard for how long? 5 years. undercover...

Warana.jpg

The guy has raised $85. I hope that is not his only revenue source.
It's a pity he's not near me, I'd love to get stuck into that project.

[Hallam]

It was stored in a factory in Sydney and sold when the previous owner who rented the factory abandoned it. Apparently its being trucked to Geelong.

I wouldn't mind helping with the project.

[Hallam]

My boat was built at Brighton by Jack Gutierrez as well. Commissioned by Jock Sturrock.
http://arhv.anmm.gov.au/people/12989

Just read your thread. Amazing job on a great looking boat! Jack work is very highly regarded among the wooden boat community here in Victoria.

[Dollar down]

Hi Folks,
Yep I bought the Warana with a friend and we have moved her back to Lara just outside of Geelong at the current time where she is in my factory space.

So .. where to start... Shes not a Baily Ketch at all nor is she built from Kauri in Sydney , NZ or anyplace else that anyone suspected
Yeah I know right, things you find out when you take something on sight unseen and start digging.

She was built by Walter Wilson of the Wilson Brothers in Cygnet Tasmania

and launched in 1938. She is Unique in that she is constructed entirely of Huon Pine.

Having tracked back some history and a former owner we know she's been around quite a bit and one former owner circumnavigated Australia in the 90s.

The current plan is .. well it changes periodically.. to move her back to Tasmania where the Great Grandson of one of the shipwrights from the original yard is interested in working on her. I will know more tomorrow after Drew..the other 50C share in her has met with the shipwright.

As for the GoFundMe page https://au.gofundme.com/save-the-warana - we set this up for a couple of reasons .. the main one being so I can roll in all the free cash muhuhahaha .. oh right .. yeah ok the real reason is its a place -A for me to put together some history and updates and -B its quite a good contact point as a couple of former owners have managed to get a hold of me through the page. The 85 bucks is from some of my mates whom have already volunteered eskys and ice for bay cruises so there's that at least for the future.
There is some thought of getting greenpeace to share around the link with their followers to try get a couple of bucks together due to the history with them and there is currently some talk of a bit of a Grant from the Tasmanian government due to the History and uniqueness' of the Warana but mostly it will be Drew and I funding the rebuild .

Ahh yess the rebuild she's in a bad way.. the hull overall is in great condition as you would expect and just needs recalking however the stem and rudderpost both need replacing due to having spent some time on the bottom at some stage. The interior is also in a bad state of repair with half of the deck missing and well you can imagine what happens when the weather gets into a beautiful Tasmanian Blackwood/Huon Pine interior.
Bren


20190118_150215.jpg

[gypsie]

Dollar Down.
Welcome to the Forum!

Good on you taking this on. Great looking boat.
Have you watched this series?; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FhT...Us_jMw&index=1

Good luck with it.
Start a thread and keep us up to date.

[Blewett]

IMG_0073.jpgIMG_0077.jpgIMG_0078.jpgIMG_0079.jpgIMG_0080.jpg

[J.Madison]

Congrats, that is a great boat.

Will you be keeping the ketch rig as drawn? I have a boat with very similar rig, fractionally rigged ketch with no standing backstay.

She looks roomy and comfortable. I hope you keep us updated.

[Brian Crawford]

I'm the guy who wrote the Warana book. I was just watching a video about the 2019 Sydney-Hobart and got thinking about doing the race in 1973 in Warana. I googled her and hit this thread. I was very fond of Warana and sad to learn that she has deteriorated so badly. If I lived in Australia (I'm in California), I might have considered buying her. I hope the restoration project is successful. She was great fun to sail. I have an old 8 mm home movie taken aboard her during the race. I'd like to get it digitized and maybe I could post it.

I'd be interested in hearing any news about her.

[J.Madison]

Welcome to the forum Brian.

It would be super cool to see that video if you every find the chance to digitize it.

[Brian Crawford]

I have the movie in VHS (US format), so I'll need to convert it to digital. With all the conversion places closed, that may take a while. I'll see if I can find someone with the equipment to do that. If I am successful, I will post it. It's poor quality, but shows the usual crowd at the start and some good footage of a storm in Bass Strait. Also, a drunken crewman nearly falling off the boat as we approached the finish line.

Someone mentioned contacting Greenpeace about Warana. They were never involved. The nuclear protest was entirely an Australian effort. There was a lot of publicity at the time. During the voyage, we spent a long time in Suva and were interviewed by newspaper and TV reporters. At that time the French were very aggressively attacking nuclear protesters, ramming and sinking several yachts and blowing up the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior with a limpet mine, killing one crewman. Although we never reached Mururoa, years later when I visited French Polynesia, I was grilled by the authorities because my name was on a list of undesirables. Fortunately, it had been so long they couldn't remember why I was on the list and I was allowed in. I'm sure it was because of that publicity from 1973.
Warana.jpg
When I was on Warana, she was owned by Peter Sturgess and Ian Edwards of Melbourne and was at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. We did a major overhaul in prep for the Sydney-Hobart, so she was in like-new condition then. When I visited Peter in 2003, he told me Warana was in Sydney and still sailing frequently. It would be interesting to track her history after that.

[PatrickXavier]

I have the movie in VHS (US format), so I'll need to convert it to digital. With all the conversion places closed, that may take a while. I'll see if I can find someone with the equipment to do that. If I am successful, I will post it.

Ted Hoppe is a videographer and very active forum member here, located close to you in Alameda CA. Perhaps he could help. Try sending him a DM.

[Brian Crawford]

I uploaded the Warana video to Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONABZfl2ZS4

Or, just google "1973 Sydney Hobart Race aboard Warana".

It's a scratchy old home movie, converted formats twice, and there's no sound, so it's a bit rough, but there's some good shots of Warana out of the water, under way, and in storm conditions.

In my book, I said she was built of kauri pine, but I stand corrected - it is huon pine.

[J.Madison]

Thanks for the video. Tearing along with everything set including the mizzen staysail was my favorite part.

[Hallam]

Fantastic! Good on you Brian!

[Dollar down]

I have the movie in VHS (US format), so I'll need to convert it to digital. With all the conversion places closed, that may take a while. I'll see if I can find someone with the equipment to do that. If I am successful, I will post it. It's poor quality, but shows the usual crowd at the start and some good footage of a storm in Bass Strait. Also, a drunken crewman nearly falling off the boat as we approached the finish line.

Someone mentioned contacting Greenpeace about Warana. They were never involved. The nuclear protest was entirely an Australian effort. There was a lot of publicity at the time. During the voyage, we spent a long time in Suva and were interviewed by newspaper and TV reporters. At that time the French were very aggressively attacking nuclear protesters, ramming and sinking several yachts and blowing up the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior with a limpet mine, killing one crewman. Although we never reached Mururoa, years later when I visited French Polynesia, I was grilled by the authorities because my name was on a list of undesirables. Fortunately, it had been so long they couldn't remember why I was on the list and I was allowed in. I'm sure it was because of that publicity from 1973.
Warana.jpg
When I was on Warana, she was owned by Peter Sturgess and Ian Edwards of Melbourne and was at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. We did a major overhaul in prep for the Sydney-Hobart, so she was in like-new condition then. When I visited Peter in 2003, he told me Warana was in Sydney and still sailing frequently. It would be interesting to track her history after that.

Hi Brian,
it was me that had a chat to Greenpeace .. they had no clue and it took me about 6 weeks to actually find someone that remembers anything about the protests and the sinking of the Warrior. kinda sad really .. noone had any clue about the biggest travesty theat befell the organisation .. the general the response was "the rainbow what ?"
Ill make contact with you at some stage and have a chat as Id really love to hear your experiences firsthand.. might take me a while as my barbed wire canoe is taking on a bit at the moment if you know what I mean .

Regards
Bren

[Larks]

Great vid’ Brian, thanks for going to the trouble of copying it and sharing it here.

Hard to tell for sure because of the grainy picture, but at about the 6.26 minute mark, going on the hull shape, colour, deck layout and size that looks very much like the Ben Miller Ceil III which went on to win that race and which I sailed up the Red Sea and around Turkey and Greece for a while in1994 when she had been renamed LokSun.

[Brian Crawford]

Bren,
Odd that Greenpeace doesn't seem to remember. It was a big deal on the news at the time. The French also "accidentally" cut a protest yacht in two with a destroyer. They were absurdly evil about atmospheric testing long after every other country had banned it.
If you want to know more about my trip, see my book Warana, available from Amazon.

Brian

Hi Brian,
it was me that had a chat to Greenpeace .. they had no clue and it took me about 6 weeks to actually find someone that remembers anything about the protests and the sinking of the Warrior. kinda sad really .. noone had any clue about the biggest travesty theat befell the organisation .. the general the response was "the rainbow what ?"
Ill make contact with you at some stage and have a chat as Id really love to hear your experiences firsthand.. might take me a while as my barbed wire canoe is taking on a bit at the moment if you know what I mean .

Regards
Bren

[Dollar down]

I still remember it and I was tadpoles when you guys were doing it .....thats what makes me sad is them not remembering.

I have your book I found an old well read copy on the warana when I bought her.

[John B]

This is what it's about eh. Fascinating input from Brian on an already great thread. I was immature in 1973 and thereabouts, aware of the later protests but wrapped up in my own youth.Now of course I look back with astonishment and outrage at the thought of that destruction by the testing.

But our lives have revolved around a boat designed in 73, built 74 and launched 75, I now know people who sailed to Mururoa, important period for us.