Kingurra

Boat Name: Kingurra
Designer: Peter Joubert
Builder: Bill Barnett
Year Launched: 1972
Rig: Masthead sloop
LOA: 43′
LWL: 35′ 5″
Beam: 13′ 11″
Draft: 7′ 8″
Sail No: B23
Owner: Ian MacFarlane

History: Designed and built for Graham Warner and competed in the 1973 Sydney to Hobart.

The boat was sold to Sir William Pettingell in the late 1970’s. I dont think the boat did a lot of racing with Sir William. Sir William passed away and after some time sitting on a mooring in Sydney, Peter Joubert purchased the boat around 1983 and brought Kingurra back to Melbourne. Peter put a lot of effort in to restore and maintain Kingurra. Peter raced Kingurra extensively in Port Phillip and in every Sydney to Hobart race from 1983 through to 1998.

During the 1993 Sydney to Hobart, Kingurra rescued the crew from the yacht Adjuster. After safely returning the crew of Adjuster to Eden and making some repairs to the mainsail that was damaged during the rescue effort, Kingurra continued to Hobart to complete the race. Kingurra was granted an in-adequate time allowance for the rescue, and finished last in that years race. Soon after returning to Melbourne, Peter Joubert received a plaque that read “You may not have won the yacht race, but you certainly won the human race”.

In 1998, Kingurra was at the centre of the storm and was rolled by a monster wave. One crew member went overboard and fortunately was rescued by helicopter about 45 minutes later. All of the Kingurra crew made it through that race, although some took a while to recover. I
think Kingurra was the only yacht that survived with rig in tact after being rolled in that storm.

Since then, Kingurra has enjoyed a more peaceful outlook with some ocean cruising and club racing on Port Phillip.