Tumlare YVONNE was launched 84 years ago in the northern waters of Port Phillip.
She was built by Charlie Peel, the designer and builder of ACROSPIRE II, III & IV. For the following 50 years, Tumlaren were the premier one-design fleet in Victoria. The master of the class was Selim Nurminen skippering YVONNE. Together they became the most successful skipper and keelboat on Port Phillip, winning 17 Victorian State Championships.
After spending 15 years in a shed, a small syndicate funded her return from Adelaide in 2016. Shipwright Ferdi Darley offered his workshop and guidance to re-build the boat.
All 104 ribs were replaced with new spotted gum. The original Huon pine planking was still in excellent order. They were re-fastened with donated copper nails and splined below the waterline. New Oregon deck beams were housed into the original beam shelf and a ply and epoxy deck was laid for stiffening. The spars were refurbished with only the top 3m of mast newly scarphed. Mark Rimington lofted and cut a new suit of sails.
See more about the restoration in Selim & Yvonne #97, on Southern Woodenboat Sailing.
Two weeks after her relaunch she took up where she had left off 40 years ago by winning the 2022 Cup Regatta under the helm of Dave Allen with Kath Solly and Ferdi Darley making up an expert crew.
The importance of this boat can’t be underestimated.
English marine journalist, Nigel Sharp was in Australia last February to visit the Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart. He was commissioned by Wooden Boat Magazine to write the YVONNE story. It’s published in the August ’23 edtion.
The plan to restore YVONNE was never about becoming long-term custodians. It was about returning this special boat to Port Phillip to join the growing number of restored Tumlaren for another 50 years.
To complete the plan, she should be regularly maintained and sailed with the Classic fleet while finding a new custodian.
Charlie Salter
June 2023
Sponsor Yvonne – see the CYAA General Maintenance Fund page.
Yvonne in the 2022 CYAA Cup Regatta. Pics by Mark Chew Photography.
