FLIGHT of Fancy

RESTORATION

12 Jul

Thanks to our regular contributor Malcolm Lambe for this boat report from Pittwater. And look out for his upcoming comprehensive story on his own craft the 1956 Laurent Giles EOS

Classic Cruiser 47 ft MV FLIGHT was built early World War II years by C.D. Saunders at Norfolk Tasmania out of Huon Pine-including the ribs. She is now being rebuilt by Mackenzie Marine at Gonsalves Boatshed, Palm Beach NSW

This vessel has sunk several times. At the last sinking she must have been on the bottom quite a while as teredo worms have eaten into the deck and other places on the boat.

She was re-floated a couple of years back, patched and caulked in places and towed by a small trawler from Middle Harbour to Pittwater where a custom slip was built so she could be moved on to the hard-quite a tricky operation.

Ian Begg and his team have gutted her, rebuilt the keel and replaced the Huon Pine ribs with 140 new steam bent laminated hardwood timbers. The bottom Huon planks are also being replaced up to the waterline with hardwood.

FLIGHT was used as a Patrol Boat on the Tamar River in the last years of the War. Thereafter , she was used as a pleasure craft, the Flag Vessel for the Derwent Sailing Squadron and hosted the Queen and Prince Phillip during the Royal Tour of 1954

She crossed Bass Strait many times and circumnavigated Tasmania twice. In about 1998 she steamed to Sydney where she remained. Flight is listed on the register of Tasmania’s 100 most important Vessels.