WERONA on a slipway in 1918, possibly about to be launched.

Images(4)

Werona

Vessel numberHV000292

Sail Number7

Date1918

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 10.97 m x 7.92 m x 2.74 m x 1.68 m, 4.43 tonnes (36 ft x 26 ft x 9 ft x 5.5 ft, 4.5 tons)

DescriptionBuilt by owner Harry Keighley in 1918 at Prince of Wales Bay, Glenorchy, Tasmania, WERONA is 10.97 metres (36 feet) in length, has a batten-seam Huon pine planked hull. It is thought the design may have come from a set of William Fife plans, but no reference has been located to confirm the design origins of WERONA. The yacht originally carried a gaff rig.

Very early in the 1920s racing classes on the Derwent were re-formed in A, B and C Classes. The largest yachts raced in the A Class which included the pre-war One Design yachts such as PANDORA (HV000187) and the slightly larger versions of the same class such as ALWYN (HV000226). In the 1924/25 season WERONA won the A Class race to Cygnet, and in later seasons it was second on handicap in the Bruny Island race on two occasions.

The yacht changed ownership about four times between the 1930s and 1950s. It was brought to New South Wales in 1933. WERONA raced on Sydney Harbour with the Middle Harbour Yacht Club until the 1950s. When it was sold again it moved to Lake Macquarie, near Newcastle, north of Sydney. As well as racing in mixed fleets over many years WERONA was used for sail training.

The rig was changed to a Bermudan profile while still in Tasmania, and an aluminium spar was stepped when the wooden one was damaged on Lake Macquarie.

'Forecast', the journal of the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club carried a report by owner Don MacHattie, published in 1995, which noted how many people who sailed WERONA on the Wednesday sailing school outings, went on to crew and own their own boats. The yacht was well mannered with 'two finger balance on the tiller'. When the small Invincible engine that had been installed for many years 'gave up the ghost', MacHattie opted for a simple Seagull outboard installation off the stern, as the yacht was then only used on the lake.

In 2009 WERONA was being restored to its original configuration as a gaff-rigged cutter.
SignificanceWERONA is a 1918 built racing yacht from Hobart Tasmania. It is one of around ten surviving members of the post-World War I A Class fleet which raced on the Derwent River. Out of the water in 2009 it was under restoration in Victoria after a sailing career spanning more than 80 years in Tasmania, Sydney Harbour and Lake Macquarie, New South Wales.