Maud

Vessel numberHV000085

(not assigned)25

Sail NumberA 42

Builder Lars Halvorsen Sons Pty Ltd (1924 -)

Previous owner Lars Halvorsen Sons Pty Ltd (1924 -)

Date1927

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 8.23 m x 2.3 m x 2 m, 1.48 tonnes (27 ft x 7.55 ft x 6.55 ft, 1.5 tons)

DescriptionMAUD was launched in 1927. By this time Lars Halvorsen had become well established in Sydney with an excellent reputation as a quality boatbuilder. His sons were joining the firm as they became old enough, and Lars decided to build a small harbour racing yacht for them to use and to learn how to sail. He chose a Norwegian design for the square metre class which were popular boats in Scandinavia.

MAUD was named after one of the vessels belonging to the famous Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. It was 8.23 m (27 ft) long and had a distinctive Scandinavian appearance with its canoe-sterned hull shape and elegant overhanging stem. It has similarities to the famous Tumlaren Class which also has connections to the square metre yachts. A Bermudan sloop rig was stepped and was an early example of this rig on Sydney Harbour. The carvel planked hull was simply laid out with a large open cockpit, and the older boys Harold and Carl raced MAUD with the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club. In 1928 they had the highest point score in their division.

The yacht was eventually sold and gradually altered. It now features a small cabin and aft cockpit arrangement and is a fine recreational yacht for daysailing and weekend cruising trips. In 2000 MAUD had the honour of leading a flotilla of Halvorsen vessels organised to celebrate Harold's 90th birthday and the 75th anniversary of the Halvorsen's arrival in Sydney.

SignificanceMAUD is a wooden yacht built in 1927 in Sydney NSW. MAUD was one of the earliest yachts built by Lars Halvorsen after he became established as a boatbuilder in Sydney, and was used to teach his family how to sail, beginning the sailing and racing careers for the brothers Carl, Trygve and Magnus in particular.