Kurraba Point Ferry Wharf
Viva la Vidawww.youtube.com/watch?v=kAtikYOTNz0
My Canon EOS 5D Mk IV with the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 lens.
Processed in Adobe Lightroom and PhotoPad Pro by NCH software.
3# Fort Denison.
Kurraba Point, Neutral Bay, Sydney Harbour, N.S.W. - circa 1940s
B3R59-S34 WALC Kurraba Point jetty Once Up
B3R59-S33 WALC Mary at Lorna's fun room & party bar Once Upon a Time
B3R59-S36 Once Upon a Time lounge 4000dpi E
B3R59-S35 Mary and Lorna on the deck of Once Up
B3R59-S37 Mary admires some of Lorna's collection 4000dpi
Down To The Waterlinewww.youtube.com/watch?v=ugZRzISBrKk
My Canon EOS 5D Mk IV with the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L lens.
Processed in Adobe Lightroom and PhotoPad Pro by NCH software.
Night Fever, Sydneywww.youtube.com/watch?v=-ihs-vT9T3Q
So this evening I drove down to the harbour and discovered a new vantage point, located between Neutral Bay and Cremorne.
It is called Kurraba Point. And it offers a different perspective across Neutral Bay and the harbour. This photograph is taken from Spains Lookout, along Kurraba Road.
My Canon EOS 5D Mk IV with the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L lens.
Processed in Adobe Lightroom and PhotoPad Pro by NCH software.
Sunset at Neutral Bay, Sydneywww.navy.gov.au/hmas-platypus-history
My Canon EOS 5D Mk IV with the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L lens.
Processed in Adobe Lightroom (with the new HDR, at 4 stops) and PhotoPad Pro by NCH software.
Pamir - Sydney 1947
B3R59-S38 Mary on the deck of Once Upon a Time 4000 looking across to Garden Is where this home was moved from before the War
'Svalan' (1949 - ) June 2023Svalan has been sitting in the yard at RYCV (Royal Yacht Club of Victoria) for many years - unloved, uncovered and disintegrating. Svalan has played a pivotal role in Australia's yachting history and is desperately in need of restoration - see comments by Mark Chew at the end of the description.
‘SVALAN’ 1949 - ?
The double-ender yacht Svalan was built by Tuncurry boat-builder Alf Jahnsen for Sheila Elizabeth Patrick in 1949. Sheila, a journalist, typically used her maiden name Sheila Patrick throughout her life.
DETAILS
Name: Svalan
Material: Wood - brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking; white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house; and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks
Rig: Sloop
Type: Yacht – Tumlaren Class
Designer: Knud Reimers (Sweden)
Year built: 1949
Builder: Alfred Jahnsen (misspelled Johnsen in Register)
Where built: Tuncurry
Launched: August 1949 (assumed) – probably in Tuncurry
Sail Number: 83
Official Number: 191361 (no longer on the 2023 AMSA Registration list)
Registration: Sydney – 41/1953
Length: 27.4 ft
Breadth: 6.0 ft
Depth in Hold: 4.3 ft
Tonnage: Gross and Net 4.48 tons (12.68 cu. m.)
n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft (2.83 cubic metres). The use of tonnes, a measurement of mass, has been incorrectly applied in literature describing the Svalan .
OWNERS : n.b. ownership on Register only includes most owners to 2014. Ownership post 2014 is unknown. More information would be appreciated (chrisborough@gmail.com)
1949 – 1953 Sheila Elizabeth Patrick
1953 - 1968 Sheila Elizabeth Cohen (Sheila Elizabeth Patrick)
1968 – 1971 James McPherson
1971 – 1972 Robert William Snashall & Elizabeth Ann Snashall
1972 - ? Neil Frederick Wilson & Gwen Wilson
1986 – 2006 John Fransen
2007 – 2014 (at least) James Rist
>
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The following description has been obtained from the Australian National Maritime Museum description of Svalan .
Significance
SVALAN is a racing yacht built in Tuncurry NSW in 1949. It is a Scandinavian Tumlaren class yacht and was built by Alf Jahnsen a well-known builder in that region who built a number of commercial and recreational craft over many decades. The design suited Australian conditions and a small number of Tumlaren were built around Australia. SVALAN was built for yachting writer and journalist Sheila Patrick who was a pioneer of women in sailing in the 1940s through to the 1980s when she retired. Her principal activity was as a correspondent for Seacraft magazine, the main Australian yachting magazine in this period, and she was a prolific writer of articles and race reports. SVALAN was the yacht she sailed for most of that period.
Description
SVALAN was built with brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking, a white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks. The yacht retains much of its original carvel planked hull, planked deck and superstructure apart from normal repairs to wear and tear over the six decades it has been sailing. The original Oregon timber spar is still in place, and no engine has been fitted, making SVALAN a rare example of its type with a high degree of original fabric and the original layout throughout. SVALAN is Swedish for swallow, reflecting the yacht’s Scandinavian pedigree.
RACING
Woman skipper
In the "Alfred's" race tomorrow for Division III yachts Sydney's only woman yacht skipper, Miss Sheila Patrick, will sail her new 27-footer Svalan against 10 male helmsmen. Svalan has won at her only two starts since she was launched a few months ago.
She will be on scratch in heavy weather and will receive allowances of 2 min. and 1 min. in light and' medium conditions respectively. The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) - Fri 21 Oct 1949
SHEILA PATRICK (married Name Sheila Elizabeth Cohen)
SVALAN has a builder’s plaque on the bulkhead noting the launch date of 1949, the year Sheila became the first female member of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which by then had become the premier club for ocean racing in the country. Sheila Patrick began an all-female racing crew with SVALAN. The Tumlaren design was seaworthy and fast for its size and although small at 8.30 metres long, it was light and carried a modest sail plan that was easily handled. The yacht proved ideal for their purpose and was widely raced. The CYCA has recognised her achievements and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has a memorial trophy named after her for females who have competed in the race at least 10 times.
CRUISING THE OPEN SEA
Sheila Patrick also cruised on SVALAN and at one point took it north to Port Stephens and back. This featured in the August 1956 Seacraft magazine with a detailed article on how she and a girlfriend spent the week away. It was titled "TWO'S COMPANY- Cruising in a Tum [Tumlaren] might be OK, on the Hawkesbury, but two girls, cruising the open sea, alone-well..." each day seemed to have an adventure within it as they went north in stages, with varying weather. Sheila Patrick was married to another sailor Tony Cohen who owned the 22 square metre class yacht SKERRY OF KURRABA (HV000132), and her children were also keen sailors.
Full details of Sheila Patrick’s life can be found on southernwoodenboatssailing: the-nearest-thing-to-heaven..
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
As described by the Australian Maritime Museum, Svalan was built in 1949 by Alf Jahnsen on the beach at Tuncurry – approximately 100 m North of the Wallis Lakes Fishermen’s Co-Op. The original contract between Sheila Elizabeth Patrick and Alf Jahnsen clearly shows the spelling of Alf’s name as ALFRED JAHNSEN but this was subsequently “corrected” and the surname of the builder is recorded as Johnsen. The problem seems to have arisen when Svalan was registered in 1953 when the builder was recorded on the Registration Certificate as Alf Johnsen.
To further complicate the matter, at some time later the owner had a plaque made and installed on the Svalan - the plaque reads “SVALAN R.S.Y.S. BUILT FOR SHEILA PATRICK BY ALFRED JOHANSEN TUNCURRY 1949”.
Needless to say, there was never a boat-builder of the name Alfred Johnsen nor Alfred Johansen in the Tuncurry-Forster area.
LIFE AFTER SHEILA PATRICK
After Sheila Patrick sold SVALAN in the early 1970s, (replacing it with a Stella class vessel) its ownership has not been well documented, however before the current owner purchased the yacht it was then owned by Jim Rist and moored at Balmain in Sydney.
The Tumlare’s designer Knud Reimers was a Scandinavian designer [Sweden] well respected internationally for his light but sturdy and fast, canoe-stern yachts. The Tumlaren was considered an advanced design for its time, with a high aspect ratio sail plan, light displacement and narrow beam - all features derived from the sail area 20 square metre boat class popular in Scandinavia. The canoe-stern hull with a deep keel was also a common Scandinavian style and the combination of features produced a seaworthy and fast yacht well suited to racing on the harbour and offshore from Sydney. Possibly a dozen of the class were built in Victoria during the 1930s and 1940s. Around eight or so are thought to remain afloat including AVIAN (HV000385). A small number were also built and are still sailing in and around Sydney, NSW.
“Sadly SVALAN has been sitting in the yard at RYCV (Royal Yacht Club of Victoria) for many years now uncovered, and unloved. I understand an owner might not have the time and money to restore a boat like this (which is a pivotal part of Australia's yachting history), but letting her slowly disintegrate rather than passing her on to someone who is willing to save her is tantamount to vandalism. At least put a tarp over her” (Mark Chew personal communication).
Image Source : southernwoodenboatsailing.com/
Enhancement : Philip Pope
Acknowledgements . The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister ) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.
We are grateful for access to the extensive resource on the Tumlaren Class held by southernwoodenboatsailing.com
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW Alphabetical Boat Index Boat builders Index Tags List
'Svalan' (1949 - ) Sail Number 83 - built for Sheila PatrickSvalan in what appears to be on Sydney Harbour.
‘SVALAN’ 1949 - ?
The double-ender yacht Svalan was built by Tuncurry boat-builder Alf Jahnsen for Sheila Elizabeth Patrick in 1949. Sheila, a journalist, typically used her maiden name Sheila Patrick throughout her life.
DETAILS
Name: Svalan
Material: Wood - brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking; white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house; and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks
Rig: Sloop
Type: Yacht – Tumlaren Class
Designer: Knud Reimers (Sweden)
Year built: 1949
Builder: Alfred Jahnsen (misspelled Johnsen in Register)
Where built: Tuncurry
Launched: August 1949 (assumed) – probably in Tuncurry
Sail Number: 83
Official Number: 191361 (no longer on the 2023 AMSA Registration list)
Registration: Sydney – 41/1953
Length: 27.4 ft
Breadth: 6.0 ft
Depth in Hold: 4.3 ft
Tonnage: Gross and Net 4.48 tons (12.68 cu. m.)
n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft (2.83 cubic metres). The use of tonnes, a measurement of mass, has been incorrectly applied in literature describing the Svalan .
OWNERS : n.b. ownership on Register only includes most owners to 2014. Ownership post 2014 is unknown. More information would be appreciated (chrisborough@gmail.com)
1949 – 1953 Sheila Elizabeth Patrick
1953 - 1968 Sheila Elizabeth Cohen (Sheila Elizabeth Patrick)
1968 – 1971 James McPherson
1971 – 1972 Robert William Snashall & Elizabeth Ann Snashall
1972 - ? Neil Frederick Wilson & Gwen Wilson
1986 – 2006 John Fransen
2007 – 2014 (at least) James Rist
>
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The following description has been obtained from the Australian National Maritime Museum description of Svalan .
Significance
SVALAN is a racing yacht built in Tuncurry NSW in 1949. It is a Scandinavian Tumlaren class yacht and was built by Alf Jahnsen a well-known builder in that region who built a number of commercial and recreational craft over many decades. The design suited Australian conditions and a small number of Tumlaren were built around Australia. SVALAN was built for yachting writer and journalist Sheila Patrick who was a pioneer of women in sailing in the 1940s through to the 1980s when she retired. Her principal activity was as a correspondent for Seacraft magazine, the main Australian yachting magazine in this period, and she was a prolific writer of articles and race reports. SVALAN was the yacht she sailed for most of that period.
Description
SVALAN was built with brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking, a white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks. The yacht retains much of its original carvel planked hull, planked deck and superstructure apart from normal repairs to wear and tear over the six decades it has been sailing. The original Oregon timber spar is still in place, and no engine has been fitted, making SVALAN a rare example of its type with a high degree of original fabric and the original layout throughout. SVALAN is Swedish for swallow, reflecting the yacht’s Scandinavian pedigree.
RACING
Woman skipper
In the "Alfred's" race tomorrow for Division III yachts Sydney's only woman yacht skipper, Miss Sheila Patrick, will sail her new 27-footer Svalan against 10 male helmsmen. Svalan has won at her only two starts since she was launched a few months ago.
She will be on scratch in heavy weather and will receive allowances of 2 min. and 1 min. in light and' medium conditions respectively. The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) - Fri 21 Oct 1949
SHEILA PATRICK (married Name Sheila Elizabeth Cohen)
SVALAN has a builder’s plaque on the bulkhead noting the launch date of 1949, the year Sheila became the first female member of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which by then had become the premier club for ocean racing in the country. Sheila Patrick began an all-female racing crew with SVALAN. The Tumlaren design was seaworthy and fast for its size and although small at 8.30 metres long, it was light and carried a modest sail plan that was easily handled. The yacht proved ideal for their purpose and was widely raced. The CYCA has recognised her achievements and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has a memorial trophy named after her for females who have competed in the race at least 10 times.
CRUISING THE OPEN SEA
Sheila Patrick also cruised on SVALAN and at one point took it north to Port Stephens and back. This featured in the August 1956 Seacraft magazine with a detailed article on how she and a girlfriend spent the week away. It was titled "TWO'S COMPANY- Cruising in a Tum [Tumlaren] might be OK, on the Hawkesbury, but two girls, cruising the open sea, alone-well..." each day seemed to have an adventure within it as they went north in stages, with varying weather. Sheila Patrick was married to another sailor Tony Cohen who owned the 22 square metre class yacht SKERRY OF KURRABA (HV000132), and her children were also keen sailors.
Full details of Sheila Patrick’s life can be found on southernwoodenboatssailing: the-nearest-thing-to-heaven..
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
As described by the Australian Maritime Museum, Svalan was built in 1949 by Alf Jahnsen on the beach at Tuncurry – approximately 100 m North of the Wallis Lakes Fishermen’s Co-Op. The original contract between Sheila Elizabeth Patrick and Alf Jahnsen clearly shows the spelling of Alf’s name as ALFRED JAHNSEN but this was subsequently “corrected” and the surname of the builder is recorded as Johnsen. The problem seems to have arisen when Svalan was registered in 1953 when the builder was recorded on the Registration Certificate as Alf Johnsen.
To further complicate the matter, at some time later the owner had a plaque made and installed on the Svalan - the plaque reads “SVALAN R.S.Y.S. BUILT FOR SHEILA PATRICK BY ALFRED JOHANSEN TUNCURRY 1949”.
Needless to say, there was never a boat-builder of the name Alfred Johnsen nor Alfred Johansen in the Tuncurry-Forster area.
LIFE AFTER SHEILA PATRICK
After Sheila Patrick sold SVALAN in the early 1970s, (replacing it with a Stella class vessel) its ownership has not been well documented, however before the current owner purchased the yacht it was then owned by Jim Rist and moored at Balmain in Sydney.
The Tumlare’s designer Knud Reimers was a Scandinavian designer [Sweden] well respected internationally for his light but sturdy and fast, canoe-stern yachts. The Tumlaren was considered an advanced design for its time, with a high aspect ratio sail plan, light displacement and narrow beam - all features derived from the sail area 20 square metre boat class popular in Scandinavia. The canoe-stern hull with a deep keel was also a common Scandinavian style and the combination of features produced a seaworthy and fast yacht well suited to racing on the harbour and offshore from Sydney. Possibly a dozen of the class were built in Victoria during the 1930s and 1940s. Around eight or so are thought to remain afloat including AVIAN (HV000385). A small number were also built and are still sailing in and around Sydney, NSW.
“Sadly SVALAN has been sitting in the yard at RYCV (Royal Yacht Club of Victoria) for many years now uncovered, and unloved. I understand an owner might not have the time and money to restore a boat like this (which is a pivotal part of Australia's yachting history), but letting her slowly disintegrate rather than passing her on to someone who is willing to save her is tantamount to vandalism. At least put a tarp over her” (Mark Chew personal communication).
Image Source : southernwoodenboatsailing.com/
Enhancement : Philip Pope
Acknowledgements . The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister ) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.
We are grateful for access to the extensive resource on the Tumlaren Class held by southernwoodenboatsailing.com
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW Alphabetical Boat Index Boat builders Index Tags List
"Two's Company" - Sheila Patrick and her open-sea adventure in 'Svalan'southernwoodenboatsailing.com/news/sheilas-sea-going-craft
‘SVALAN’ 1949 - ?
The double-ender yacht Svalan was built by Tuncurry boat-builder Alf Jahnsen for Sheila Elizabeth Patrick in 1949. Sheila, a journalist, typically used her maiden name Sheila Patrick throughout her life.
DETAILS
Name: Svalan
Material: Wood - brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking; white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house; and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks
Rig: Sloop
Type: Yacht – Tumlaren Class
Designer: Knud Reimers (Sweden)
Year built: 1949
Builder: Alfred Jahnsen (misspelled Johnsen in Register)
Where built: Tuncurry
Launched: August 1949 (assumed) – probably in Tuncurry
Sail Number: 83
Official Number: 191361 (no longer on the 2023 AMSA Registration list)
Registration: Sydney – 41/1953
Length: 27.4 ft
Breadth: 6.0 ft
Depth in Hold: 4.3 ft
Tonnage: Gross and Net 4.48 tons (12.68 cu. m.)
n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft (2.83 cubic metres). The use of tonnes, a measurement of mass, has been incorrectly applied in literature describing the Svalan .
OWNERS : n.b. ownership on Register only includes most owners to 2014. Ownership post 2014 is unknown. More information would be appreciated (chrisborough@gmail.com)
1949 – 1953 Sheila Elizabeth Patrick
1953 - 1968 Sheila Elizabeth Cohen (Sheila Elizabeth Patrick)
1968 – 1971 James McPherson
1971 – 1972 Robert William Snashall & Elizabeth Ann Snashall
1972 - ? Neil Frederick Wilson & Gwen Wilson
1986 – 2006 John Fransen
2007 – 2014 (at least) James Rist
>
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The following description has been obtained from the Australian National Maritime Museum description of Svalan .
Significance
SVALAN is a racing yacht built in Tuncurry NSW in 1949. It is a Scandinavian Tumlaren class yacht and was built by Alf Jahnsen a well-known builder in that region who built a number of commercial and recreational craft over many decades. The design suited Australian conditions and a small number of Tumlaren were built around Australia. SVALAN was built for yachting writer and journalist Sheila Patrick who was a pioneer of women in sailing in the 1940s through to the 1980s when she retired. Her principal activity was as a correspondent for Seacraft magazine, the main Australian yachting magazine in this period, and she was a prolific writer of articles and race reports. SVALAN was the yacht she sailed for most of that period.
Description
SVALAN was built with brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking, a white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks. The yacht retains much of its original carvel planked hull, planked deck and superstructure apart from normal repairs to wear and tear over the six decades it has been sailing. The original Oregon timber spar is still in place, and no engine has been fitted, making SVALAN a rare example of its type with a high degree of original fabric and the original layout throughout. SVALAN is Swedish for swallow, reflecting the yacht’s Scandinavian pedigree.
RACING
Woman skipper
In the "Alfred's" race tomorrow for Division III yachts Sydney's only woman yacht skipper, Miss Sheila Patrick, will sail her new 27-footer Svalan against 10 male helmsmen. Svalan has won at her only two starts since she was launched a few months ago.
She will be on scratch in heavy weather and will receive allowances of 2 min. and 1 min. in light and' medium conditions respectively. The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) - Fri 21 Oct 1949
SHEILA PATRICK (married Name Sheila Elizabeth Cohen)
SVALAN has a builder’s plaque on the bulkhead noting the launch date of 1949, the year Sheila became the first female member of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which by then had become the premier club for ocean racing in the country. Sheila Patrick began an all-female racing crew with SVALAN. The Tumlaren design was seaworthy and fast for its size and although small at 8.30 metres long, it was light and carried a modest sail plan that was easily handled. The yacht proved ideal for their purpose and was widely raced. The CYCA has recognised her achievements and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has a memorial trophy named after her for females who have competed in the race at least 10 times.
CRUISING THE OPEN SEA
Sheila Patrick also cruised on SVALAN and at one point took it north to Port Stephens and back. This featured in the August 1956 Seacraft magazine with a detailed article on how she and a girlfriend spent the week away. It was titled "TWO'S COMPANY- Cruising in a Tum [Tumlaren] might be OK, on the Hawkesbury, but two girls, cruising the open sea, alone-well..." each day seemed to have an adventure within it as they went north in stages, with varying weather. Sheila Patrick was married to another sailor Tony Cohen who owned the 22 square metre class yacht SKERRY OF KURRABA (HV000132), and her children were also keen sailors.
Full details of Sheila Patrick’s life can be found on southernwoodenboatssailing: the-nearest-thing-to-heaven..
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
As described by the Australian Maritime Museum, Svalan was built in 1949 by Alf Jahnsen on the beach at Tuncurry – approximately 100 m North of the Wallis Lakes Fishermen’s Co-Op. The original contract between Sheila Elizabeth Patrick and Alf Jahnsen clearly shows the spelling of Alf’s name as ALFRED JAHNSEN but this was subsequently “corrected” and the surname of the builder is recorded as Johnsen. The problem seems to have arisen when Svalan was registered in 1953 when the builder was recorded on the Registration Certificate as Alf Johnsen.
To further complicate the matter, at some time later the owner had a plaque made and installed on the Svalan - the plaque reads “SVALAN R.S.Y.S. BUILT FOR SHEILA PATRICK BY ALFRED JOHANSEN TUNCURRY 1949”.
Needless to say, there was never a boat-builder of the name Alfred Johnsen nor Alfred Johansen in the Tuncurry-Forster area.
LIFE AFTER SHEILA PATRICK
After Sheila Patrick sold SVALAN in the early 1970s, (replacing it with a Stella class vessel) its ownership has not been well documented, however before the current owner purchased the yacht it was then owned by Jim Rist and moored at Balmain in Sydney.
The Tumlare’s designer Knud Reimers was a Scandinavian designer [Sweden] well respected internationally for his light but sturdy and fast, canoe-stern yachts. The Tumlaren was considered an advanced design for its time, with a high aspect ratio sail plan, light displacement and narrow beam - all features derived from the sail area 20 square metre boat class popular in Scandinavia. The canoe-stern hull with a deep keel was also a common Scandinavian style and the combination of features produced a seaworthy and fast yacht well suited to racing on the harbour and offshore from Sydney. Possibly a dozen of the class were built in Victoria during the 1930s and 1940s. Around eight or so are thought to remain afloat including AVIAN (HV000385). A small number were also built and are still sailing in and around Sydney, NSW.
“Sadly SVALAN has been sitting in the yard at RYCV (Royal Yacht Club of Victoria) for many years now uncovered, and unloved. I understand an owner might not have the time and money to restore a boat like this (which is a pivotal part of Australia's yachting history), but letting her slowly disintegrate rather than passing her on to someone who is willing to save her is tantamount to vandalism. At least put a tarp over her” (Mark Chew personal communication).
Image Source : southernwoodenboatsailing.com/
Enhancement : Philip Pope
Acknowledgements . The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister ) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.
We are grateful for access to the extensive resource on the Tumlaren Class held by southernwoodenboatsailing.com
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW Alphabetical Boat Index Boat builders Index Tags List
'Svalan' Contract Jahnsen - Patrick extractSvalan was built by Tuncurry boat-builder Alf Jahnsen for Sheila Elizabeth Patrick in 1949. Sheila, a journalist, typically used her maiden name Sheila Patrick throughout her life.
DETAILS
Name: Svalan
Material: Wood - brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking; white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house; and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks
Rig: Sloop
Type: Yacht – Tumlaren Class
Designer: Knud Reimers (Sweden)
Year built: 1949
Builder: Alfred Jahnsen (misspelled Johnsen in Register)
Where built: Tuncurry
Launched: August 1949 (assumed) – probably in Tuncurry
Sail Number: 83
Official Number: 191361 (no longer on the 2023 AMSA Registration list)
Registration: Sydney – 41/1953
Length: 27.4 ft
Breadth: 6.0 ft
Depth in Hold: 4.3 ft
Tonnage: Gross and Net 4.48 tons (12.68 cu. m.)
n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft (2.83 cubic metres). The use of tonnes, a measurement of mass, has been incorrectly applied in literature describing the Svalan .
OWNERS : n.b. ownership on Register only includes most owners to 2014. Ownership post 2014 is unknown. More information would be appreciated (chrisborough@gmail.com)
1949 – 1953 Sheila Elizabeth Patrick
1953 - 1968 Sheila Elizabeth Cohen (Sheila Elizabeth Patrick)
1968 – 1971 James McPherson
1971 – 1972 Robert William Snashall & Elizabeth Ann Snashall
1972 - ? Neil Frederick Wilson & Gwen Wilson
1986 – 2006 John Fransen
2007 – 2014 (at least) James Rist
>
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The following description has been obtained from the Australian National Maritime Museum description of Svalan .
Significance
SVALAN is a racing yacht built in Tuncurry NSW in 1949. It is a Scandinavian Tumlaren class yacht and was built by Alf Jahnsen a well-known builder in that region who built a number of commercial and recreational craft over many decades. The design suited Australian conditions and a small number of Tumlaren were built around Australia. SVALAN was built for yachting writer and journalist Sheila Patrick who was a pioneer of women in sailing in the 1940s through to the 1980s when she retired. Her principal activity was as a correspondent for Seacraft magazine, the main Australian yachting magazine in this period, and she was a prolific writer of articles and race reports. SVALAN was the yacht she sailed for most of that period.
Description
SVALAN was built with brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking, a white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks. The yacht retains much of its original carvel planked hull, planked deck and superstructure apart from normal repairs to wear and tear over the six decades it has been sailing. The original Oregon timber spar is still in place, and no engine has been fitted, making SVALAN a rare example of its type with a high degree of original fabric and the original layout throughout. SVALAN is Swedish for swallow, reflecting the yacht’s Scandinavian pedigree.
RACING
Woman skipper
In the "Alfred's" race tomorrow for Division III yachts Sydney's only woman yacht skipper, Miss Sheila Patrick, will sail her new 27-footer Svalan against 10 male helmsmen. Svalan has won at her only two starts since she was launched a few months ago.
She will be on scratch in heavy weather and will receive allowances of 2 min. and 1 min. in light and' medium conditions respectively. The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) - Fri 21 Oct 1949
SHEILA PATRICK (married Name Sheila Elizabeth Cohen)
SVALAN has a builder’s plaque on the bulkhead noting the launch date of 1949, the year Sheila became the first female member of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which by then had become the premier club for ocean racing in the country. Sheila Patrick began an all-female racing crew with SVALAN. The Tumlaren design was seaworthy and fast for its size and although small at 8.30 metres long, it was light and carried a modest sail plan that was easily handled. The yacht proved ideal for their purpose and was widely raced. The CYCA has recognised her achievements and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has a memorial trophy named after her for females who have competed in the race at least 10 times.
CRUISING THE OPEN SEA
Sheila Patrick also cruised on SVALAN and at one point took it north to Port Stephens and back. This featured in the August 1956 Seacraft magazine with a detailed article on how she and a girlfriend spent the week away. It was titled "TWO'S COMPANY- Cruising in a Tum [Tumlaren] might be OK, on the Hawkesbury, but two girls, cruising the open sea, alone-well..." each day seemed to have an adventure within it as they went north in stages, with varying weather. Sheila Patrick was married to another sailor Tony Cohen who owned the 22 square metre class yacht SKERRY OF KURRABA (HV000132), and her children were also keen sailors.
Full details of Sheila Patrick’s life can be found on southernwoodenboatssailing: the-nearest-thing-to-heaven..
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
As described by the Australian Maritime Museum, Svalan was built in 1949 by Alf Jahnsen on the beach at Tuncurry – approximately 100 m North of the Wallis Lakes Fishermen’s Co-Op. The original contract between Sheila Elizabeth Patrick and Alf Jahnsen clearly shows the spelling of Alf’s name as ALFRED JAHNSEN but this was subsequently “corrected” and the surname of the builder is recorded as Johnsen. The problem seems to have arisen when Svalan was registered in 1953 when the builder was recorded on the Registration Certificate as Alf Johnsen.
To further complicate the matter, at some time later the owner had a plaque made and installed on the Svalan - the plaque reads “SVALAN R.S.Y.S. BUILT FOR SHEILA PATRICK BY ALFRED JOHANSEN TUNCURRY 1949”.
Needless to say, there was never a boat-builder of the name Alfred Johnsen nor Alfred Johansen in the Tuncurry-Forster area.
LIFE AFTER SHEILA PATRICK
After Sheila Patrick sold SVALAN in the early 1970s, (replacing it with a Stella class vessel) its ownership has not been well documented, however before the current owner purchased the yacht it was then owned by Jim Rist and moored at Balmain in Sydney.
The Tumlare’s designer Knud Reimers was a Scandinavian designer [Sweden] well respected internationally for his light but sturdy and fast, canoe-stern yachts. The Tumlaren was considered an advanced design for its time, with a high aspect ratio sail plan, light displacement and narrow beam - all features derived from the sail area 20 square metre boat class popular in Scandinavia. The canoe-stern hull with a deep keel was also a common Scandinavian style and the combination of features produced a seaworthy and fast yacht well suited to racing on the harbour and offshore from Sydney. Possibly a dozen of the class were built in Victoria during the 1930s and 1940s. Around eight or so are thought to remain afloat including AVIAN (HV000385). A small number were also built and are still sailing in and around Sydney, NSW.
“Sadly SVALAN has been sitting in the yard at RYCV (Royal Yacht Club of Victoria) for many years now uncovered, and unloved. I understand an owner might not have the time and money to restore a boat like this (which is a pivotal part of Australia's yachting history), but letting her slowly disintegrate rather than passing her on to someone who is willing to save her is tantamount to vandalism. At least put a tarp over her” (Mark Chew personal communication).
Image Source : southernwoodenboatsailing.com/
Enhancement : Philip Pope
Acknowledgements . The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister ) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.
We are grateful for access to the extensive resource on the Tumlaren Class held by southernwoodenboatsailing.com
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW Alphabetical Boat Index Boat builders Index Tags List
1933 Design - Tumlare Class - Knud ReimersSvalan was built to the Tumlare design.
The nomenclature is tricky as Tumlare was the Designer's (Knud Reimers) name for the Class whilst Tumlaren is used commonly to describe the Class in Australia.
‘SVALAN’ 1949 - ?
The double-ender yacht Svalan was built by Tuncurry boat-builder Alf Jahnsen for Sheila Elizabeth Patrick in 1949. Sheila, a journalist, typically used her maiden name Sheila Patrick throughout her life.
DETAILS
Name: Svalan
Material: Wood - brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking; white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house; and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks
Rig: Sloop
Type: Yacht – Tumlaren Class
Designer: Knud Reimers (Sweden)
Year built: 1949
Builder: Alfred Jahnsen (misspelled Johnsen in Register)
Where built: Tuncurry
Launched: August 1949 (assumed) – probably in Tuncurry
Sail Number: 83
Official Number: 191361 (no longer on the 2023 AMSA Registration list)
Registration: Sydney – 41/1953
Length: 27.4 ft
Breadth: 6.0 ft
Depth in Hold: 4.3 ft
Tonnage: Gross and Net 4.48 tons (12.68 cubic metres)
n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft (2.83 cubic metres). The use of tonnes, a measurement of mass, has been incorrectly applied in literature describing the Svalan .
OWNERS : n.b. ownership on Register only includes most owners to 2014. Ownership post 2014 is unknown. More information would be appreciated (chrisborough@gmail.com)
1949 – 1953 Sheila Elizabeth Patrick
1953 - 1968 Sheila Elizabeth Cohen (Sheila Elizabeth Patrick)
1968 – 1971 James McPherson
1971 – 1972 Robert William Snashall & Elizabeth Ann Snashall
1972 - ? Neil Frederick Wilson & Gwen Wilson
1986 – 2006 John Fransen
2007 – 2014 (at least) James Rist
>
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The following description has been obtained from the Australian National Maritime Museum description of Svalan .
Significance
SVALAN is a racing yacht built in Tuncurry NSW in 1949. It is a Scandinavian Tumlaren class yacht and was built by Alf Jahnsen a well-known builder in that region who built a number of commercial and recreational craft over many decades. The design suited Australian conditions and a small number of Tumlaren were built around Australia. SVALAN was built for yachting writer and journalist Sheila Patrick who was a pioneer of women in sailing in the 1940s through to the 1980s when she retired. Her principal activity was as a correspondent for Seacraft magazine, the main Australian yachting magazine in this period, and she was a prolific writer of articles and race reports. SVALAN was the yacht she sailed for most of that period.
Description
SVALAN was built with brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking, a white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks. The yacht retains much of its original carvel planked hull, planked deck and superstructure apart from normal repairs to wear and tear over the six decades it has been sailing. The original Oregon timber spar is still in place, and no engine has been fitted, making SVALAN a rare example of its type with a high degree of original fabric and the original layout throughout. SVALAN is Swedish for swallow, reflecting the yacht’s Scandinavian pedigree.
RACING
Woman skipper
In the "Alfred's" race tomorrow for Division III yachts Sydney's only woman yacht skipper, Miss Sheila Patrick, will sail her new 27-footer Svalan against 10 male helmsmen. Svalan has won at her only two starts since she was launched a few months ago.
She will be on scratch in heavy weather and will receive allowances of 2 min. and 1 min. in light and' medium conditions respectively. The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) - Fri 21 Oct 1949
SHEILA PATRICK (married Name Sheila Elizabeth Cohen)
SVALAN has a builder’s plaque on the bulkhead noting the launch date of 1949, the year Sheila became the first female member of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which by then had become the premier club for ocean racing in the country. Sheila Patrick began an all-female racing crew with SVALAN. The Tumlaren design was seaworthy and fast for its size and although small at 8.30 metres long, it was light and carried a modest sail plan that was easily handled. The yacht proved ideal for their purpose and was widely raced. The CYCA has recognised her achievements and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has a memorial trophy named after her for females who have competed in the race at least 10 times.
CRUISING THE OPEN SEA
Sheila Patrick also cruised on SVALAN and at one point took it north to Port Stephens and back. This featured in the August 1956 Seacraft magazine with a detailed article on how she and a girlfriend spent the week away. It was titled "TWO'S COMPANY- Cruising in a Tum [Tumlaren] might be OK, on the Hawkesbury, but two girls, cruising the open sea, alone-well..." each day seemed to have an adventure within it as they went north in stages, with varying weather. Sheila Patrick was married to another sailor Tony Cohen who owned the 22 square metre class yacht SKERRY OF KURRABA (HV000132), and her children were also keen sailors.
Full details of Sheila Patrick’s life can be found on southernwoodenboatssailing: the-nearest-thing-to-heaven..
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
As described by the Australian Maritime Museum, Svalan was built in 1949 by Alf Jahnsen on the beach at Tuncurry – approximately 100 m North of the Wallis Lakes Fishermen’s Co-Op. The original contract between Sheila Elizabeth Patrick and Alf Jahnsen clearly shows the spelling of Alf’s name as ALFRED JAHNSEN but this was subsequently “corrected” and the surname of the builder is recorded as Johnsen. The problem seems to have arisen when Svalan was registered in 1953 when the builder was recorded on the Registration Certificate as Alf Johnsen.
To further complicate the matter, at some time later the owner had a plaque made and installed on the Svalan - the plaque reads “SVALAN R.S.Y.S. BUILT FOR SHEILA PATRICK BY ALFRED JOHANSEN TUNCURRY 1949”.
Needless to say, there was never a boat-builder of the name Alfred Johnsen nor Alfred Johansen in the Tuncurry-Forster area.
LIFE AFTER SHEILA PATRICK
After Sheila Patrick sold SVALAN in the early 1970s, (replacing it with a Stella class vessel) its ownership has not been well documented, however before the current owner purchased the yacht it was then owned by Jim Rist and moored at Balmain in Sydney.
The Tumlare’s designer Knud Reimers was a Scandinavian designer [Sweden] well respected internationally for his light but sturdy and fast, canoe-stern yachts. The Tumlaren was considered an advanced design for its time, with a high aspect ratio sail plan, light displacement and narrow beam - all features derived from the sail area 20 square metre boat class popular in Scandinavia. The canoe-stern hull with a deep keel was also a common Scandinavian style and the combination of features produced a seaworthy and fast yacht well suited to racing on the harbour and offshore from Sydney. Possibly a dozen of the class were built in Victoria during the 1930s and 1940s. Around eight or so are thought to remain afloat including AVIAN (HV000385). A small number were also built and are still sailing in and around Sydney, NSW.
“Sadly SVALAN has been sitting in the yard at RYCV (Royal Yacht Club of Victoria) for many years now uncovered, and unloved. I understand an owner might not have the time and money to restore a boat like this (which is a pivotal part of Australia's yachting history), but letting her slowly disintegrate rather than passing her on to someone who is willing to save her is tantamount to vandalism. At least put a tarp over her” (Mark Chew personal communication).
Image Source : southernwoodenboatsailing.com/
Enhancement : Philip Pope
Acknowledgements . The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister ) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.
We are grateful for access to the extensive resource on the Tumlaren Class held by southernwoodenboatsailing.com
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW Alphabetical Boat Index Boat builders Index Tags List
'Svalan' 1949 - Tulmaren Class yacht - at TuncurrySvalan under construction on the beach at Tuncurry, NSW and on Wallis Lake, shortly after launch in 1949. The nomenclature is tricky as Tumlare was the Designer's (Knud Reimers) name for the Class whilst Tumlaren is used commonly to describe the Class in Australia.
‘SVALAN’ 1949 - ?
The double-ender yacht Svalan was built by Tuncurry boat-builder Alf Jahnsen for Sheila Elizabeth Patrick in 1949. Sheila, a journalist, typically used her maiden name Sheila Patrick throughout her life.
DETAILS
Name: Svalan
Material: Wood - brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking; white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house; and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks
Rig: Sloop
Type: Yacht – Tumlaren Class
Designer: Knud Reimers (Sweden)
Year built: 1949
Builder: Alfred Jahnsen (misspelled Johnsen in Register)
Where built: Tuncurry
Launched: August 1949 (assumed) – probably in Tuncurry
Sail Number: 83
Official Number: 191361 (no longer on the 2023 AMSA Registration list)
Registration: Sydney – 41/1953
Length: 27.4 ft
Breadth: 6.0 ft
Depth in Hold: 4.3 ft
Tonnage: Gross and Net 4.48 tons (12.68 cubic metres)
n.b. 1 shipping ton = 100 cu. ft (2.83 cubic metres). The use of tonnes, a measurement of mass, has been incorrectly applied in literature describing the Svalan .
OWNERS : n.b. ownership on Register only includes most owners to 2014. Ownership post 2014 is unknown. More information would be appreciated (chrisborough@gmail.com)
1949 – 1953 Sheila Elizabeth Patrick
1953 - 1968 Sheila Elizabeth Cohen (Sheila Elizabeth Patrick)
1968 – 1971 James McPherson
1971 – 1972 Robert William Snashall & Elizabeth Ann Snashall
1972 - ? Neil Frederick Wilson & Gwen Wilson
1986 – 2006 John Fransen
2007 – 2014 (at least) James Rist
>
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The following description has been obtained from the Australian National Maritime Museum description of Svalan .
Significance
SVALAN is a racing yacht built in Tuncurry NSW in 1949. It is a Scandinavian Tumlaren class yacht and was built by Alf Jahnsen a well-known builder in that region who built a number of commercial and recreational craft over many decades. The design suited Australian conditions and a small number of Tumlaren were built around Australia. SVALAN was built for yachting writer and journalist Sheila Patrick who was a pioneer of women in sailing in the 1940s through to the 1980s when she retired. Her principal activity was as a correspondent for Seacraft magazine, the main Australian yachting magazine in this period, and she was a prolific writer of articles and race reports. SVALAN was the yacht she sailed for most of that period.
Description
SVALAN was built with brown beech (Pennantia cunninghamii) planking, a white beech (Gmelina leichhardtii) coach house and spotted gum (Corymbia maculata) decks. The yacht retains much of its original carvel planked hull, planked deck and superstructure apart from normal repairs to wear and tear over the six decades it has been sailing. The original Oregon timber spar is still in place, and no engine has been fitted, making SVALAN a rare example of its type with a high degree of original fabric and the original layout throughout. SVALAN is Swedish for swallow, reflecting the yacht’s Scandinavian pedigree.
RACING
Woman skipper
In the "Alfred's" race tomorrow for Division III yachts Sydney's only woman yacht skipper, Miss Sheila Patrick, will sail her new 27-footer Svalan against 10 male helmsmen. Svalan has won at her only two starts since she was launched a few months ago.
She will be on scratch in heavy weather and will receive allowances of 2 min. and 1 min. in light and' medium conditions respectively. The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) - Fri 21 Oct 1949
SHEILA PATRICK (married Name Sheila Elizabeth Cohen)
SVALAN has a builder’s plaque on the bulkhead noting the launch date of 1949, the year Sheila became the first female member of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which by then had become the premier club for ocean racing in the country. Sheila Patrick began an all-female racing crew with SVALAN. The Tumlaren design was seaworthy and fast for its size and although small at 8.30 metres long, it was light and carried a modest sail plan that was easily handled. The yacht proved ideal for their purpose and was widely raced. The CYCA has recognised her achievements and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race has a memorial trophy named after her for females who have competed in the race at least 10 times.
CRUISING THE OPEN SEA
Sheila Patrick also cruised on SVALAN and at one point took it north to Port Stephens and back. This featured in the August 1956 Seacraft magazine with a detailed article on how she and a girlfriend spent the week away. It was titled "TWO'S COMPANY- Cruising in a Tum [Tumlaren] might be OK, on the Hawkesbury, but two girls, cruising the open sea, alone-well..." each day seemed to have an adventure within it as they went north in stages, with varying weather. Sheila Patrick was married to another sailor Tony Cohen who owned the 22 square metre class yacht SKERRY OF KURRABA (HV000132), and her children were also keen sailors.
Full details of Sheila Patrick’s life can be found on southernwoodenboatssailing: the-nearest-thing-to-heaven..
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
As described by the Australian Maritime Museum, Svalan was built in 1949 by Alf Jahnsen on the beach at Tuncurry – approximately 100 m North of the Wallis Lakes Fishermen’s Co-Op. The original contract between Sheila Elizabeth Patrick and Alf Jahnsen clearly shows the spelling of Alf’s name as ALFRED JAHNSEN but this was subsequently “corrected” and the surname of the builder is recorded as Johnsen. The problem seems to have arisen when Svalan was registered in 1953 when the builder was recorded on the Registration Certificate as Alf Johnsen.
To further complicate the matter, at some time later the owner had a plaque made and installed on the Svalan - the plaque reads “SVALAN R.S.Y.S. BUILT FOR SHEILA PATRICK BY ALFRED JOHANSEN TUNCURRY 1949”.
Needless to say, there was never a boat-builder of the name Alfred Johnsen nor Alfred Johansen in the Tuncurry-Forster area.
LIFE AFTER SHEILA PATRICK
After Sheila Patrick sold SVALAN in the early 1970s, (replacing it with a Stella class vessel) its ownership has not been well documented, however before the current owner purchased the yacht it was then owned by Jim Rist and moored at Balmain in Sydney.
The Tumlare’s designer Knud Reimers was a Scandinavian designer [Sweden] well respected internationally for his light but sturdy and fast, canoe-stern yachts. The Tumlaren was considered an advanced design for its time, with a high aspect ratio sail plan, light displacement and narrow beam - all features derived from the 20 square metre sail area boat class popular in Scandinavia. The canoe-stern hull with a deep keel was also a common Scandinavian style and the combination of features produced a seaworthy and fast yacht well suited to racing on the harbour and offshore from Sydney. Possibly a dozen of the class were built in Victoria during the 1930s and 1940s. Around eight or so are thought to remain afloat including AVIAN (HV000385). A small number were also built and are still sailing in and around Sydney, NSW.
“Sadly SVALAN has been sitting in the yard at RYCV (Royal Yacht Club of Victoria) for many years now uncovered, and unloved. I understand an owner might not have the time and money to restore a boat like this (which is a pivotal part of Australia's yachting history), but letting her slowly disintegrate rather than passing her on to someone who is willing to save her is tantamount to vandalism. At least put a tarp over her” (Mark Chew personal communication).
Image Source : Nicholson Family Collection
Enhancement : Philip Pope
Acknowledgements . The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister ) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.
We are grateful for access to the extensive resource on the Tumlaren Class held by southernwoodenboatsailing.com
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW Alphabetical Boat Index Boat builders Index Tags List
Mosman Bay, Sydney, N.S.W. - circa 1940
'Kurraba' - Mosman Bay Ferry Steamer - very early 1900s
Kurraba Point circa 1900
View from Kurraba Wharf circa 1940
Once Upon a Time Kurraba Point
