AKARANA in 1998, recently relaunched after additional keel and rig restoration work.

Images(2)

AKARANA

Designer Robert Logan

Builder Robert Logan

Date1888

Object numberV00001600

NameGaff cutter

ClassificationsVessels and fittings

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from the New Zealand Government

Terms

DescriptionAKARANA was built in 1888 and first used for racing. It was designed and built in Auckland New Zealand, and shipped by Logan to Melbourne specifically for the 1888 Centennial International Regatta held in Melbourne late in that year. In the Melbourne regatta AKARANA won a lead up event and then one of the feature races on the programme, but faired poorly in another two races when gear failed early on each time. It then came to Sydney for the Anniversary Regatta in 1889, and won the race for its class on handicap.

HistoryLogan then sold the boat in Sydney in 1889 but the new owner and other subsequent owners used the AKARANA mainly for cruising. It was well known on Sydney Harbour and Broken Bay, and sailed up the Hawkesbury River toward Windsor on one expedition.

Over many years it underwent a number of changes to its keel, rig and layout. AKARANA's age was catching up to it when it was bought by the New Zealand Government in 1987. They funded a major restoration project and AKARANA became a Bi-Centennial gift from New Zealand to Australia in 1988. More research into AKARANA'S origins then uncovered new evidence of the keel and rig configuration when launched, so further restoration was done by the ANMM in 1997 and AKARANA now sails again on Sydney Harbour.

Previous owners of AKARANA
John S Abraham, 1889-1899

Calveley C McEwen, 1899-1901

Charles H Relph, 1901-1902

Kenneth I Love, 1902-1907

George Robinson, 1907-1909

James A Ingham, 1909-1910

Frederick R Poole, 1910-1913

Charles DW Wray, 1913-1915

Frank O Day, 1915

Henry V Carr, 1915

Henry C Pritchard, 1916

Jack, Mim and Roy Leigh, 1916-1938

Gordon Butcher, 1938-circa1942

Bill Gardiner, circa 1942

John Barber, 1949-1952

Eddie Kleeson, 1956-1984

John and Molly Beach, 1956-1984

Mark and Wendy Smith, 1984-1987

Andrew Bishop, 1987-1988

New Zealand Government, 1988

SignificanceAKARANA is a yacht from the late 1880s designed and built to the tonnage rules for yacht racing. It has close connections to Australian yacht racing and recreational sailing from 1888 until the 1960s and is representative of the close ties between Australian and New Zealand yachting. AKARANA is also a rare Australian example of a design by Robert Logan, NZ, and shows his unique method of triple-skinned yacht construction.