Speedy rebuild for oldest Aussie racing class

The Derwent-Class yacht Undine has been saved from abandonment and is undergoing a thorough restoration that started on 1 June, at the Wooden Boat Centre (WBC), under the boatbuilding school’s staff of four, two students, and various volunteers. For what is a pretty serious rebuild, the timeline is ambitious: the school hopes to have her in the water in readiness for the Kettering Wooden Boat Rally in 2024. “Only the hull and mast remain,” says Cordy Horgan, lead shipwright. “We have to recreate everything else and fully re-rig her. There’s a painting and an old set of plans which are hard to follow, but we’re trying. The first step is the restoration of the hull, checking to make sure it’s intact. Then the second phase is the deck and cabin, followed by the rigging and caulking to get it back on the water.” Whimsically named Undine for the water nymph who could only become human if she was loved by a faithful mortal man, she is D13, built by Don Colbourn of Pirie Street, New Town in 1948 ahead of the 12th D-class sailing season. Each D-Class vessel is named after a mythological or literary persona. “There are around seven D-Class boats in Kettering,” says Cordy. “It’s becoming very popular. We’re thrilled to be adding to the fleet.” The Derwent OD Class is Australia’s oldest racing class and was designed by naval architect AC (Arthur Carlyle) Barber in the 1920s for competing on the River Derwent and D’Entrecasteaux Channel, Tasmania. Today, at least 18 still exist of the 26 or so built, and the class is experiencing a vivid revival.