Wellington Ocean Sport has recently added a new boat to the fleet. She is Pugwash, which began life racing with the Club back in 1979.
Pugwash is a Whiting 29 and we will be using her to teach cruising skills.
Pugwash was built by Peter Sutton using the lofting and temporary frames from the plug for the production Whiting 29 glass boats.
The hull is built in double diagonal treated Kahikatea over stringers and laminated frames all fastened with West System epoxy and heavy copper roves. Construction plans were minimal – really just a detailed look over how Paul’s team was building the plug.
She was built in Kingsford-Smith Street, Rongotai. Just up from Lyall Bay Beach (opposite Parrot Dog), and took about eight months.
Peter recalls many visitors checking progress commenting on the design’s, then, apparently light construction and flat bottom! She would be considered heavy by today’s standards.
Very sadly, designer Paul Whiting was lost shortly after when returning from the Sydney Hobart on his beautiful One Tonner Smackwater Jack – lost with all hands in 1980.
Peter and Jenny raced Pugwash extensively with RPNYC in coastal and harbour races and cruised with his young family around the top of South Island every summer.
The family kept Pugwash until 1984 and then bought a Young 11 hull and deck which was launched in 1985 as Flying Boat.
Pugwash was purchased by Dudley Jackson in 2006. He got her up to survey to use for the Learn2Sail programme at Lyttelton. He didn’t like the name and when discussing it with the Commodore, said he would have to change it soon if it was to get on the survey form: “Good Point” said the Commodore, thus she got her new name.
The boat put in ten good years with the programme, until a graduate of the programme, Don Quick showed an interest in purchasing her in 2017. Don got his wish, purchased her, kept her in survey, and chartered her back to the Learn2Sail programme. Don also regularly raced her out of the Naval Point Yacht Club. He put her up for sale again in 2018, where she caught the attention of Craig Ryburn at our Wellington Ocean Sports centre.
The design of the is well suited to the cruising side of Wellington Ocean Sports’ operation – it has all the usual cruising amenities – a furling headsail, windlass, cooker, accommodation and high headroom, but is small enough to allow easily handling and teaching. The boat already being in commercial survey saved WOS from having to undertake the lengthy, expensive and uncertain task of getting her into survey.
After meeting Don in Lytellton, having a look over the boat and going for a sail on her, a proposal was put to the Board to add Pugwash to the Wellington Ocean Sports fleet. After careful consideration of the implications for Wellington Ocean Sports and the club, the proposal was accepted. After having the boat surveyed, she was sailed by Don, Trevor and Jim from Wellington Ocean Sports up to Wellington at the end of October. She has been rebranded, named back to Pugwash and started courses in late November.
