Eight Bells- Doug Jenkin
Doug aboard the Stor Tumlaren BLUEJACKET
When I first arrived at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria with a wooden boat, about 25 years ago, I didn’t really know what I was doing and I certainly didn’t know how to look after it. I remember a week, when our boat was in the Yard and the beautiful ROAMA was next to us having some work done.
Built by Searles and Sons of Adelaide in 1951 to a design by New Zealander Ted Slater, she was a solid “ship” that made our S&S 40 feel like a sliver of a craft. An upright, quietly spoken gentleman in a captain’s cap introduced himself, and without any hint of self-engrandisment, made it clear that he knew what he was talking about when it came to wooden boats. He generously gave advice and encoragement over the next week or so. He invited us aboard ROAMA and I remember my co-editor saying “I want one like that!”. Well we never exactly got a boat as roomy or majestic as ROAMA, but we certainly made a friend around the Club for the next few decades.
Doug helming ETTRICK
This rather dry tribute appreared in the RYCV news letter this week, but it does provide the facts
The Club is sad to advise of the passing of Douglas Jenkin.
Doug was a Member of RYCV for over 26 years and prior to this a Member at RMYS for 48 years where he was Commodore from 1979 - 1981.
Doug sailed Cadets, Dragons and Tumlarens. Doug's sailing adventures included a circumnavigation of the world from 1987-1991 in his 54’ timber cutter ROAMA, including countries such as England, Scotland, Sweden and Norway.
A 1993-95 cruise through Asia saw ROAMA competing in the Raja Muda Malaysia then on to the Kings cup in Thailand, continuing on to the Philippines and returning to Australia via the Solomons.
1995 saw him head to Buenos Aires rounding Cape Horn and heading up the west coast of America to Alaska on a 50’ pilot cutter RADIENT STAR.
Back in ROAMA Doug then crossed the Tasman and cruised New Zealand in 1998.
1999 saw Doug return the yacht SPIRIT OF DOWNUNDER (RYCV) from Osaka to Melbourne.
ROAMA was sold several years later and not long after Doug purchased a timber H28’ JENNY WREN which he sailed to Hobart for an Australian Wooden Boat Festival.
Then followed a restoration of the Tumlaren ETTRICK, his love of old timber boats continued with the purchase of the Stor Tumlaren or Albatross BLUE JACKETDoug will remembered as a true gentleman and will be sadly missed by all at RYCV.
ROAMA in full flight
What a great history of achievement… I for one, will always remember Doug as he was when I first met him, shortly after this article from the age was written.
First published in The Age on November 4, 1991
Ringwood to St Kilda, via the rest of the world
During its circumnavigation of the world, the 54-foot yacht Roama saw three marriages, including that of the captain’s daughter, earning it the nickname “the love boat”.
Doug Jenkins is welcomed back to Melbourne by his daughter Katherine.CREDIT:THE AGE ARCHIVES
Mr Doug Jenkin, who left Ringwood four-and-a-half years ago, sailed up to St Kilda Pier yesterday. In those years, 40 countries and the seven seas passed by his yacht’s bow. Mr Jenkin lost count of the islands he visited on the 45,000-nautical-mile journey.
Two of Mr Jenkin’s four daughters crewed with him. Pamela, 22, sailed the last 12 months, homeward-bound. Katherine, 28, married a crew member and returned to settle down in Melbourne after 15 months away.
“This boat is called the love boat,” said Katherine yesterday. A family friend, introduced to a crew member in London, also tied the knot during the boat’s travels.
The Roama showed the strain of the journey: its forward lower shroud was encrusted with rust, the halyards were stitched and mended with string, and the sails were as wrinkled as the captain’s face, smiling in the northerly wind.
But Mr Jenkin, 57, said the wooden-masted Roama was perfectly seaworthy. “It only wants a face-lift and she could sail around the world again.”
Tragically, the circumnavigation had to be done in two parts.
Mr Jenkin’s wife fell ill with cancer, diagnosed in Istanbul, 15 months into the journey. They sailed to Spain, then flew her back to Melbourne, where she died. The Roama was berthed for six months before Mr Jenkin resumed his travels.
It was already halfway around the world, so it was as quick to bring it back through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific, after a detour to Scandinavia.
Mr Jenkin saw sharks and weathered many gales but no storm did more than waterlog the crew and tear a few sails.
He said the worst obstacles were the officials, Customs checks, police and bureaucracy at every new port.
Mr Jenkin sold his business and put aside five years to make the trip. “My daughters will probably feed me and water me for a while. But now,” he said, looking to the horizon, “I have got to find something to do.”
