The Family Reunion- VENTURA Part Three
After many years of searching, VENTURA was located by Brendan Hunt – the great grandson of the original owner Willian Hunt – in 2011. After some negotiation Brendan subsequently acquired her dilapidated hull for half a dozen bottles of French champagne.
This completed the full circle for VENTURA, as she was returned to the hands of the Hunt family who had originally commissioned her.
VENTURA became a pet project for Brendan when he entrusted her rebuild and refit to the master shipwright and boat builder, Bruce Gault from Taren Point.
Brendan’s vision was to rebuild her graceful design. And to create a yacht that would be both beautiful and very user friendly for himself and his family. A creative type, he sketched the plans above to show Bruce what he had in mind. These drawings were then interpreted by Bruce and his team and skilfully constructed using classic timber boat building techniques.
VENTURA was totally rebuilt in the ensuing four years. Each of her carvel planks from the original Huon pine hull were reattached to the original frames. To help make her drier and more comfortable, the sheer line was raised by one plank plus a bulwark plank. Below deck she was strengthened with a new sheer clamp, deck shelf, and carlins. Raising the sheer height and alterations to the transom shape had the effect of increasing her LOA to just over 43’, with her beautiful lines being retained.
VENTURA’s hull was further stiffened with new full-length stringers. Her original steam bent frames and grown-transverse floor timbers were substantially supplemented with modern timber boat building techniques. This included the fitting of laminated timber ring frames in high stress areas around the chain plates and keel.
Finally, a totally a new deck with a new coach house was constructed featuring many of the original fittings and windows. This also allowed a new interior to be assembled, with an emphasis on the simplicity that comes with a heritage wooden boat. Kauri pine features internally with Huon pine facing externally. The new deck is made out of a laminated plywood and then epoxy sheathed making for an extremely dry boat below deck. This deck was then finished with teak, which whilst not exactly original, is appropriate for her classic timber finish. The previous traditional butterfly deck hatch and timber foredeck hatch were refitted and enhanced by period port-lights at the cabin sides. This was finished with a handrail handrail on the coachhouse and stanchions which were also original.
These alterations, with a new cockpit coaming, have created a remarkably dry day sailing boat featuring a very kind action at sea.
Most importantly she has evolved from a complex rig, that was technical to sail, to a vessel which is beautiful in its aesthetics as well as its simplicity. A spirit stove and simple galley is complemented by electronic winches, carbon spars and rod rigging.
In her new format she is both a fun twilighter, as well as coastal cruiser having been down to Tasmania and up to Port Stephens in recent times
Today VENTURA is under the custodianship of an established private syndicate which includes eight families calling themselves the “Timber Tragics”.
This syndicate also has the Margaret C on its list. Access to these two beautiful boats is a privilege that the current custodians never take for granted.
It also ultimately ensures that these classic vessels get the use, care and attention that will keep them in good condition for many years to come.
References:
The information and photos in this article were sourced from a collection of references from Brendan Hunt including:
A Hundred Years of Yachting, Webster and Norman, 1936
Sailing on… the history of the RYCT 1880 – 1980. 1980
The Tamar Boats by Betty J. Percy. 1993.
Those that survive by Graeme Broxam. 1996.
Always a Competitor by Hedley Calvert. 1997.