Floating art at Audi Victoria Week

by Lisa Ratcliff on 23 Jan 2011 Amongst the gleaming carbon fibre on show at Audi Victoria Week there are a number of floating antiques of the past that bring plenty of nostalgia to Australia’s most established sailing regatta.

With its stained glass windows, bronze cast fittings and polished woodwork, the interior of James Woods’ Bermudan cutter Windward II could be mistaken for the reading room at the Melbourne Club.

Windward II is a former winner of the Parks Victoria Classic Yacht Series at Audi Victoria Week (2009), and once again the stunning 44 footer, which sails from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, is gracing the start line along with a dozen of its classic contemporaries.

Designed by Norman Dallimore and built in 1929 in Tasmania of King Billy pine on blue gum frames by renowned builder Percy Coverdale, Windward is a floating piece of art. The blocks are wooden, as is the mast, tiller, deck and almost everything below. Anything modern like an icebox is well hidden behind the timberwork and the original head (porcelain bowl and toilet seat) is still in place. It even carries a matching Ye Olde World boat hook.

In 2006 Windward II was given a significant restoration following an accident during a classic yacht regatta in Melbourne. While Woods was attending the birth of his son on day two of the regatta there was a port/starboard incident and Windward II lost her back stay. This set off a chain of events that resulted in the loss of the mast and bowsprit and significant damage to the forward part of the boat, including the loss of the top half of the stem.

'What ensued was a familiar tale to anyone who has attempted to restore or rebuild something old but of value,' said Woods. 'The phrase ‘while we are doing this, you might as well have a look at that’ resulted in a full restoration.'

Restoration is a word intimately familiar to Fabrizio Tassalim, the Milan born yachtsman who has spent the last two years bringing his Herlan classic sloop Wylo Lupo back to its original glory.

The Huon Pine carvel planked boat, built in South Australia in 1936, was almost sinking when Tassalim found it at Apollo Bay in Victoria where it had sat untouched for six years. Without any formal training he and partner Lilly Caron took on the thankless task of taking the floating relic and transforming it to a gleaming antique.

'You’d never do this job twice,' said Tassalim, who moved to Australia five years ago because of the people and the good weather.

The pair launched the boat December 28 and had their first sail just a week ago, which makes Audi Victoria Week their maiden outing.

'She goes like a filly in 20 knots of wind,' said Caron.

Wylo’s features include bronze portholes that open, an oil lantern and original head, winches and instruments including a wind up clock and barometer. While they are brand spanking new, even the sails were designed to look like those from the 1930s.

The Parks Victoria Classic Yacht Series commenced their four-day series today on a near windless Corio Bay, perfect conditions for the crew of Windward II who always have a beer or glass of wine with lunch and won’t have to worry about spills on the King Billy pine deck.

While some divisions are racing others are awaiting the starter’s gun as the SE breeze lies in wait.