![]() |
"Gwenn A Du"
|
VESSEL TYPE | Bermuda ketch |
HULL CONSTRUCTION | timber (New Caledonian kauri), tripple diagonal |
DESIGN | Herreshoff (probably) |
BUILT | 1968 (?), New Caledonia |
LENGTH OVERALL | 10.97 m |
BEAM | 3.5 m |
DRAFT | 1.6 m |
DISPLACEMENT | 8000 kg (?) |
MASTS | timber (oregon pine), box construction |
main | 12 m |
mizzen | 9 m |
SAIL AREA | approx. 50 sq. m |
AUX. MOTOR | 18 HP Yanmar diesel |
She was built in Port Villa in the late 60's by certain monsieur Glu, who sailed the boat only as far as Fiji. In Suva her coachhouse was badly damaged by a heavy object falling from a cargo ship and her owner/builder decided he had enough of sailing. "Gwenn" was sold to an Amarican sailor of Polish origin, Janusz Laube, who just happened to stop at Fiji on his voyage from California to Australia. To buy "Gwenn", Janusz had to sell a boat he himself built in Califirnia and sailed across Pacific. He repaired the damaged coachhouse and sailed to Australia in 1971.
It is said that boats aquire character, soul, spirit from their owners. It is indeed true for "Gwenn", and in order to convey this to you, I must start the story in the Autumn of 1944, in the flaming ruins of Warsaw during the tragic and heroic days of the Warsaw Uprising. The 18 years old Janusz was a soldier in the uprising. When he was wounded in the faithings, he was cared for by a young nurse Irena Perkowicz ... to be continued ...
Page under construction.
Page under construction.
Last modified:
2010-05-19 16:31, Ben Rodanski, Sydney, Australia