Unaddressed carbon copy of letter from Lieut Comdr M W Griffiths

Date11 November 1942

Object numberANMS1105[036]

NameLetter

MediumPaper

DimensionsOverall: 66 x 59 mm

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Lindy Boyd

Terms

DescriptionThis unaddresed typed carbon copy letter from Lieut Comdr M W Griffiths, a well known British yacht designer, refers to a discussion of possible small yacht construction after the war ends. Hand written margin notes on the reverse refer to yachtsman Harold Nossiter. It was associated with WAYFARER logbook 3 ANMS1105[003]. HistoryPeter Luke launched WAYFARER early in World War II. It was built by Charles Larson in the early 1940s at his yard in Gladesville, Sydney. Larson had experience building a yacht from the same designer, John Alden from the USA. Once the yacht was rigged WAYFARER served with the Volunteer Coastal Patrol on Sydney Harbour and along the NSW coast until the war ended in 1945. In 1944 Peter Luke was one of the co-founders of the Cruising Yacht Club and the Sydney to Hobart race. He sailed WAYFARER in the first Sydney to Hobart yacht race in 1945, finishing last, with a time of of nearly 10 days . They went ashore twice, taking a casual attitude to the event. The logbooks are hand written by Luke and his crew and some include a number of small black and white images taken by Luke. They cover the period of the war when Luke was part of the coastal patrol, the first Hobart race and the 1948 Trans-Tasman race in great detail. Later entries often provide daily information but as Luke gets older the entries become irregular. He and his family lived aboard WAYFARER for many years. Luke was a well known in Australian yachting, living a vagabond lifestyle, and was a close colleague of Jack Earl and his family. WAYFARER is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels, HV000152. The yacht remained in Luke's possession throughout his life, and was sold by the estate in 2008, a year after his death. SignificanceThis letter is part of an archive associated with WAYFARER (HV000152) and its owner Peter Luke, who co-founded the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.