Restoration of "Freydis" Sail number J1
By Paul Crosbie
FREYDIS J1 was the first Jubilee Class Yacht and was built for Jim A. Linacre, in 1934 by Charlie Peel the Melbourne boat builder and has been in the Linacre family for most of its 83 years. She was launched at Royal Brighton Yacht Club in 1935. She has won countless events including both National and State titles.
FREYDIS Brighton Jubilee BJ1. first race of the season at St Kilda after WWII
FREYDIS J1, being the first Jubilee One design Yacht has enormous significance to both the class and sailing in general.
FREYDIS is an Icelandic name. Freydís Eiríksdóttir was said to be born around 970 to Erik the Red who was associated with the Norse exploration of North America and the finding of Vinland with his son Leif Erikson. The only medieval and primary sources we have of Freydís are the two Vinland sagas; the Grœnlendinga saga and the Eiríks saga rauða. The two sagas offer differing accounts, though in both Freydís appears as a masculine, strong-willed woman who would defy the odds of her society.
This is certainly a fitting description of the Jubilee One Design Class.
In 2017 FREYDIS was gifted to the Jubilee Class Yacht Association of Australia (JYAA) by Jim Linacre’s son Bryan Linacre who at the age of 91 had retired from active sailing. FREYDIS J1 had been sailed regularly at Royal Brighton Yacht Club until 2017 on Bryan's retirement. Bryan was also the brother of J.H. (Jack) Linacre and Jack’s son Garry is the past Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Brian Linacre
The JYAA resolved that the launching of FREYDIS J1 in 1935 was a critical event in the history of yachting in Australia and therefore she should not only be preserved but fully restored for sailing at appropriate regattas as well as presentation at various boat festivals to promote sailing in general and the Jubilee One Design Class in particular.
The Jubilee Yacht Association is now headquartered in Ballarat where the Ballarat Yacht Club has the largest fleet of Jubilees of all clubs with 15 Jubilees sailing and 4 in restoration.
The Ballarat Yacht Club will provide a berth for FREYDIS J1 in their recently completed marina where she will be on display for sailors and the many guests to the yacht club's restaurant and conference centre. Her exhibition will be accompanied by story boards telling the Jubilee story.
FREYDIS J1 will be used as a training boat at Ballaarat Yacht Club for the Jubilee class and for corporate sailing events which will raise the funds for her continued maintenance and insurance.
The JYAA scoped the restoration of FREYDIS to be not only the hull, but also the sails, rigging and fittings. In gifting FREYDIS the Linacre Family requested that she continued to be sailed and used to promote and further the development of the Jubilee One Design Class.
John Brewer, Joe Luciani & Paul Crosbie have so far spent 360 hours on the restoration and expect at least another 100 will be needed before she is relaunched.. The relaunch of FREYDIS will take place at Ballarat Yacht Club later this year.
Specifics of the Restoration
Hull
Inspecting and evaluating to assess the feasibility of restoration. This will involve analysing the hull structure for loss of stiffness, dry rot damage, and developing repair strategies.
Following the initial analysis the tasks will include:
o Repair small areas damaged by dry rot
o Repairing the Structural Framework as required including hull and deck planking, frames, beams, stems, sheer line, gunnels, centreboard case, keel, flooring and rudder.
o Apply a penetrating epoxy to all timber surfaces to preserve the timbers and improve the appearance, reduce maintenance and prolong the life of “Freydis”
Rigging and Fittings
Repair or replacement of the standing and running rigging, sails, fittings and cordage.
o The condition of the mast, boom and spinnaker pole will be evaluated to assess the impact of corrosion and its resilience after a life in a salt water environment.
o The standing rigging will be replaced.
o All pulleys, cleats, deck attachments and shackles will be assessed and replaced as required.
o A new sail wardrobe will be sourced from Hooper Racing Sails
o New cordage will be sourced
History of the “Jubilee One Design Class Yacht
In 1933 a disastrous storm hit Port Phillip Bay when heavy seas, driven by hurricane winds destroyed breakwaters and tore yachts off their moorings. In a way the storm did much to change the course of yachting in Victoria. Many fine yachts foundered during two disastrous gales and fleets were so depleted that the time was opportune to plan rebuilding along popular lines.
Mr J.A Linacre, then Commodore of Royal Brighton Yacht Club, had the inspiration for a One Design yacht, moderately priced and of a handy size to facilitate slipping, launching and beaching if necessary as well as able to withstand heavy seas and hard weather. The idea aroused great interest. Yachtsmen from many clubs met at Royal Brighton Yacht Club and discussed ideas which were, a short time later, to realise themselves in the Jubilee One Design Class.
Mr W.D.Higgins of RBYC and naval architect and boat builder Charles Peel drew the design. It was conceived in the Jubilee year of King George V, 1935 and so it was called the 'Jubilee' Class.
Charlie Peel is listed as an ARHV boat builder and designer. He is regarded as one of the forefathers of modern day Australian boat builders. Among many others, Peel designed the famous Acrospire series of racing yachts, the 21ft Restricted class as well as the Jubilee One design Class.
Charlie Peel was born in Victoria in 1878. His outstanding contribution to workboat and racing boat design over a long period made him the premier designer in Victoria during the first half of the 20th century. He worked with his brother, building many craft of their own design and to other designer's plans. Charlie Peel’s enduring designs and impeccably constructed classic wooden yachts still sail Australian waters today, as living testament to his remarkable skills.
