Boating – as it was more than 80-years ago

by Bob Wonders on 27 Dec 2008 Something came into my possession recently that I would like to share with you all.

It’s a copy of a magazine called ‘The Australian Motor Boat and Yachting Monthly’ and it’s dated July 1, 1925.

The 52-page publication is almost a mirror into the past, a look at recreational boating as our grandparents and great grandparents would have enjoyed it.

It sold for one shilling (10-cents) and was available on subscription for the princely sum of 12 shillings and sixpence ($1.25) and listed its address as The Banking House, 228 Pitt Street, Sydney.

Does anyone know – does 228 Pitt Street still stand or has it been replaced by a skyscraper?

The magazine claimed to be 'the only aquatic paper in Australia' and was the official organ of the Motor Yacht Club of New South Wales.

Its personnel were named as Phil Gell (managing editor), Arthur Andrews (editor) and W.B.Forster Joy (technical editor).

I guess we can assume those people are no longer with us, but if there are any relatives out there or anyone who knows any details concerning The Australian Motor Boat and Yachting Monthly, I’d be delighted to hear from you.

The magazine carried only one full-page advertisement, from the Shell Oil Company, but there are a number of advertisements that would ‘ring a bell’ with old timers.

For example, there’s a half-page advertisement from Chapman and Sherack, of 28 Clara Street, Erskineville and here you could purchase one of the legendary Chapman Pup engines; the ‘Famous Four’ a 4hp engine complete with clutch and all equipment could have been yours for sixty quid ($120.00)!

Or perhaps you’d go for the all-new (then) ‘Super Four’ with instantaneously Direct Reversing, absolutely complete for just seventy two pounds, 10 shillings ($145.00).

I was particularly intrigued by some of the telephone numbers in several of the advertisements.

G.Rutherford, situated in the Bank of NSW Buildings, 48 Pitt Street, Sydney was the agent for Kelvin Engines, from 3hp to 100hp and to telephone Mr Rutherford the number was B 4083.

The Milsons Point/North Sydney are was home to many boat builders in the early part of the 20th century and one of the advertisers was Pritchard Brothers, of High Street, North Sydney.

This company also sold ‘auxiliary propellers that do not effect sailing and drive well’ and listed the company as ‘launch builders, engineers and propeller specialists.’

Pritchard Brothers could be contracted on telephone NORTH 675.

Joyce Brothers, of Neutral Bay, was another of the famous north side boat builders, claiming to be designers and builders of ‘trim, seaworthy, fast and comfortable craft’, with ‘Vee-bottom runabouts a specialty.’

Telephone? No problem, just call NORTH 611.

Legendary sail maker Harry West was an advertiser, listing his waterfront premises as being at the foot of Duke Street, Balmain East, telephone W 1105.

It must be said that the photography through the magazine is very poor, no doubt due to the limited equipment of the day.

Many of the illustrations used (including the front cover) are artist’s renderings.

Nevertheless, there is enough pictorial content to show a side of recreational boating that I dare say has gone forever – gentlemen in white duck trousers, blazers and bow ties, the ladies looking for like they’re headed for the members’ enclosure at Royal Randwick or Flemington rather than a day boating.

For powerboat fans, there’s an interesting piece regarding the famous E.C.Griffith Cup.

The magazine informed its readers that a ‘Mr John Dixon, who made his debut in yachting circles as the last Victorian owner of the of the famous Sayonara, now owned in Sydney by Mr Paul Ross, ordered a single step hydroplane built in South Yarra by Savage and Co.

‘Two 12-cylinder Renault aircraft engines, each developing 220hp, are expected to give the boat speeds up to 70mph (112km/hr).’

I guess one would have to get the following issue of The Australian Motor Boat and Yachting Monthly to find out what happened with Mr Dixon’s hydroplane.

The publication’s editorial for this would bring a smile to the face of today’s boat manufacturers.

It said – 'To the intending builder, the price of boats is almost prohibitive. Labour has gone up 100 percent, and building material about 300 percent. Yachts and motor boats that cost about 200 pounds ($400.00) before the war (World War 1), for instance, now run into something like 500 pounds ($1000.00).'

Maybe things haven’t changed all that much in 85-years?