Images(2)

Spray of the Coral Coast

Vessel numberHV000815

Date1908

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 17.68 m × 1.5 m (58 ft × 4.92 ft)

DescriptionSpray of the Coral Coast’s (SOTCC) construction began in 1908. It was originally named Spray II and was built at JB Jones Shipyard on the Maribyrnong River in Melbourne Victoria. A keel for the vessel was initially laid in 1908, however economic circumstances and World War One delayed the yachts launch until 1925. It was built for Harvey Shaw as a 35ft long 14ft wide gaff rigged Huon pine timber ketch. Following construction the vessel was taken to St. Kilda by Harvey Shaw’s nephew and became known as the ‘St Kilda Spray’.

Shaw modelled Spray II off the famous Spray, owned by American Naval Captain Joshua Slocum. In April 1895 Slocum set off on the first solo voyage around the world on his 37ft sloop. His 74,000km round trip voyage from Fairhaven Massachusetts took three years and two months, his journey documented in the book Sailing Alone around the World. Numerous replicas of Slocum’s Spray have been constructed worldwide since his global voyage.

It is claimed that the Harvey Shaw met with Slocum during his visit to St Kilda in 1896, where he obtained a copy of Spray’s lines in order to construct Spray II. Most replicas of Slocum’s Spray have been built from plans in Slocum’s book. Shaw’s model differed in that it was built of Huon pine and rigged as a ketch, Slocum’s built of white American oak and Georgia pine, and rigged as a sloop. Slocum further added a mizzen mast aft of the wheel during his voyage, making his vessel a yawl. Shaw’s replica had the further addition of an auxiliary engine.

Until his death, Shaw kept Spray II on a mooring at Hobsons Bay in Port Phillip Bay. In the early 1940s Spray II passed on to K.B Johnson who kept the vessel at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club. In late 1947 a gale blew the vessel into the pier, and it was taken to JJ Savage and Sons shipyard in Williamstown for repairs and modifications. Spray II remained out of the water for 10 years, with the only modification an extension of the deck length to 45ft.
In 1958 Jack Read bought the vessel. At this stage the hull, frames, and deck were intact, however all of the boats seams had opened up and the interior had been stripped. Reid spent six months raking out all the seams in the hull planks and the decking timbers before re-caulking with thick cotton yarn and caulking compound. He further modified the deckhouse, with the original two cabins replaced by one larger structure between the main and aft masts. The open cockpit was also partially enclosed with a small wheelhouse, and a new propeller blade prop was fixed in order to match the 30HP Coventry diesel engine.

Spray II was relaunched in February 1962 at Hobsons Bay Williamstown. The rigging and sailing for the vessel was finalised in late 1962, and Spray resumed sailing in Port Phillip Bay after a 15 year absence. In 1964 a new owner of Spray II moved the vessel to St Kilda where it remained on a swing mooring outside the yacht club for many years. Spray went through a number of subsequent private owners until the 1980s when it began operating as charter yacht out of Metung on the Gippsland Lakes.

In 1986 work was undertaken on the vessel to remove paint on the deck, deck house, and spars to return them to a more varnished form. The bright work was polished, sails renewed, and rigging replaced. Spray II primarily operated out on day trips, carrying up to 35 passengers. On October 10 1996 Spray II led a fleet of Spray replica vessels up Sydney Harbour to the Australian National Maritime Museum to commemorate the centenary of Joshua Slocums visit to Sydney.

Spray II was purchased by Diane and Randall Barrington in 2006 and sailed from Metung to Bundaberg in Queensland. Here, three years were spent renovating the boat and it was renamed Spray of the Coral Coast (SOTCC), in order to begin charter operation on the Burnett River. In 2020 SOTCC was sailed to Moololaba and sold to Simon Thornalley. The yacht is now fixed with a roller furling headsail and a Nissan four cylinder 90HP engine. As of 2021 SOTCC operates as a tourism vessel focusing on lndigenous histories of the Moololaba region. SOTCC is believed to be the oldest Spray replicas operational in Australia today.

SignificanceSpray of the Coral Coast (SOTCC) is a 35ft gaff rigged ketch launched in 1925 in Melbourne Victoria for private cruising. It was originally known as Spray II and is modelled off the famous Spray, owned by American Naval Captain Joshua Slocum. It is claimed that the original owner of SOTCC Harvey Shaw met with Slocum during his visit to St Kilda in 1896 and obtained a copy of Spray’s lines in order to construct Spray II. The vessel went through extensive restoration in 1958 and was relaunched in 1962. In the 1980s, Spray of the Coral Coast began operating as a charter vessel on the Gippsland Lakes, and in 1996 it led a fleet of Spray replicas up Sydney Harbour to commemorate the centenary of Slocum’s visit. In 2021 SOTCC operates as a tourism vessel in Queensland focusing on lndigenous histories of the Moololaba region, its hull, superstructure, and deck all original.

Vessel Highlights