ETTRICK- When Ronstan was more than blocks and shackles
The Tumlaren revival is continuing apace. YVONNE is now racing regularly with the Classic fleet in Melbourne and VAHINE is due to emerge from the shed in Williamstown soon, pushing the active Port Phillip class into double figures.
So the opportunity to purchase a ready to go, regatta winning Tum is more tempting than ever!
Nowadays, with a pristine white hull, ETTRICK was launched with varnished topsides, built in 1955 by Ronstan Marine at Advantage Rd, Highett, Melbourne, Victoria. She was originally named CHANDA, painted white below the waterline with a sky-blue boot top. She was (and still is) planked in full length Douglas Fir with same wood spars. (click to enlarge)
The Tumlaren class was adopted in 1937 by the then Royal St Kilda Yacht Club as their One Design class racing yacht and so when ETTRICK joined the fleet in 1955 she was considered to be a “young gun”. Now approaching her 70th birthday she is in a condition as good as, or better than the day she was launched.
However she’s not alway been so pristine. In 2012 the late Doug Jenkin found ETTRICK on a mooring near Sandringham in a sad state. She was purchased by and taken to Ferdi Darley shed in Williamstown where Doug and family restored her to racing condition. Peeling back through the layers of paint, purple, orange, cream and white the true history was revealed.
When Doug took on the project, she was indeed purple, flew a hot pink spinnaker with purple porpoise stitched in the centre. After a year or so in Ferdi’s shed she was launched with gloss white topsides, navy boot top and black anti-foul and went on to win many of the classic races.
In February 2015 Doug sold Ettrick to her current owner, Gordon Tait. Gordon continued with Doug’s excellent work to take the boat to another level of restoration. Gordon used this opportunity to strip the boat right back and engaging Richard Blake as the shipwright they repaired and restored her to an elevated level.
New works conducted in 2019
· Rebuild of the forward port quarter
· New deck beams, marine plywood forward of the mast, new bow roller and mooring cleats
· Complete mast restoration including new standing rigging, chainplates, sail track, bronze boom gooseneck, runners and vang, halyard blocks, mainsail sheave. 12 coats of Awlwood.
· In the cockpit a new thwart was fitted with new main sheet blocks, new Andersen underdeck winches, Servo jam cleats, A new tiller and rudder bushes were fitted.
· New paint with a new colour scheme, White gloss topsides with gold cove-stripe and black antifoul.
· All the bright work was taken right back to timber and using International Awlwood up to 10 coats of varnish was applied.
In February 2023 further work was conducted with new two pack top sides, painted gold cove line, anti-foul and varnish. A new suite of Doyle sails was also purchased including Mainsail, Genoa and Jib.
ETTRICK is ready and waiting for her next custodian. Whether you want to win the Cup Regatta in November, or the CYAA Series next Summer, with ETTRICK you have a boat that can do it!
$ 40,000
Contact Gordon Tait to arrange an inspection at RMYS.
