Walking along the main pontoon in the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron Marina, you can’t help noticing a smart timber vessel with an almost plumb transom and nicely raked stem. This boat called SAGA, I’m told is the work of a Tasmanian designer called Colin Philip, however in the various historical records, his name seems to be inconsistently spelt (Philip/ Philp). According to the Australian Register of Historic Vessels, David Philp — a yacht designer from the 1940s–50s — had a brother called Colin who also designed a few classic yachts in Tasmania.

Whether it’s the same person as the Colin Philip who sailed on the 55 ft steel cutter “Southern Maid” in the 1947 Sydney–Hobart Race at the age of 12 I’m not sure but it seems unlikely as that would mean he was only 28 when he designed SAGA.

Perhaps readers could help fill some of these gaps?

What we are sure about however, is that SAGA was built in 1963/64 as a sister ship to SEAMAN by Jack Lucas at the Gladesville Bridge Marina and stripped planked in Oregon imported from Canada, with double laid teak decks.

The first owner was Lindsay Little of the RSYS. Crew member Rob Buchanan relates,

“I sailed on Saga for well over 5 years as a crew member with Lindsay out of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. We raced her in the inshore and offshore series and I was onboard in the 1968 Sydney to Hobart. I became very good friends with Lindsay and his family and had some great times on Saga. We also cruised up and down the NSW coast on a regular basis. She is a grand old boat, comfortable, spacious and easily sailed. We enjoyed so many voyagers on her. Lindsay was a real old man of the sea and as a young guy sailing with him was fantastic. Guests on SAGA over the years included Jim Hardy and Sir Roden Cutler. Lindsay called him ‘Rodes’ and made him work the winch… They are unforgettable times”.

If you like me were wondering who Sir Roden Cutler was ….

Sir Arthur Roden Cutler, VC, AK, KCMG, KCVO, CBE was an Australian diplomat, the longest-serving Governor of New South Wales and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth armed forces. A small part of his VC citation states…

At Merdjayoun on the 19 June 1941 our infantry attack was checked after suffering heavy casualties from an enemy counter attack with tanks. Enemy machine gun fire swept the ground but Lieutenant Cutler with another artillery officer and a small party pushed on ahead of the infantry and established an outpost in a house. The telephone line was cut and he went out and mended this line under machine gun fire and returned to the house, from which enemy posts and a battery were successfully engaged.

Well Rob Spaulding, the current custodian of SAGA feels that after 20 years of custodianship its time to pass her on. The boat was repowered 2023 with a Nanni 23HP. She has a new main, and the 110% furling head sail and storm sail are from 2022. Also in the inventory is a heavy and light weather spinnakers. Although primarily a masthead sloop she has removable inner forestay to transform her to a cutter rig configuration. There is a new Raymarine chart plotter, a VHF and a sounder.