The beautiful wooden yacht “Waitangi” relaunched at Narooma last year has made its way back to Sydney.
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The 30-foot yacht was originally built and launched in 1920 by famous Balmain boat builder, skiff racer and rugby league player ‘Wee’ Georgie Robinson, who built and raced 18 footers.
Repairing the Waitangi was a labour of love for shipwright Rick Wood and his son Jackson, who worked to fully refurbish the yacht on and off since he acquired her 18 years ago in between his other boat building jobs at his Balmain boat yard.
Most recently they moved her down to his property at Corunna Lake, Narooma to finish her off and get her shipshape for relaunching.
The family wanted to sail her back up to Sydney so they can use her while Rick finishes up his career as a shipwright, but when he retires back to Narooma, the yacht should be based on Wagonga Inlet, other than possible trips as far away as the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania.
Long distance sailing is no chore for the Waitangi as she last century sailed as far north as Lady Musgrave Island on the Great Barrier Reef with a previous owner.
The Waitangi departed Narooma on April 17 slipping under the Narooma Bridge as it was opened for her passing with Rick and his brother Ian and son Jackson on board.
Rick said it was smooth sailing all the way with a nice southerly all the way up to Batemans Bay. “We were surfing along at 10.5 knots,” he said.
They arrived at Jervis Bay the next day at 7am spending a night at Hole in the Wall Bay and then a night at Huskisson, where they had Chinese while anchored up to the wharf.
The next morning, they sailed up to Kiama to visit his sister and pick up his wife Chrissy while dropping off brother Ian. Fellow Tilba resident Sam Simpson and family friend by now had joined the crew.
After departing Kiama, they spend a night in Wollongong Harbour before arriving in Sydney on the evening of April 21. The Waitangi is now moored at Snails Bay, East Balmain, not far from where she was built and where she will stay while Rick continues to work as a shipwright around Sydney Harbour.