Werona, Derwent River, Hobart Town, Tasmania, circa 1920s

Welcome to Werona's website
Werona is a Fife designed yacht built in 1918 by Harry Keighley at Prince of Wales Bay, Glenorchy, Tasmania. Her hull is huon pine. Her rig: sloop-gf(topsail)later sloop-bm.
Propulsion - aux screw
Engine - 1 cylinder invincible
Ports and Owners: Hobart@'18b25 Harry Keighley: NSW@'33 O.O'May: Sydney@46 Dak Harrington & Bruce Roxburgh: b48b49 N.B. Roxburgh: Lake Macquarie, NSW@c50b95 Don McHattie.
Length: 36 ft
Bow: Spoon
Stern: Counter raked square

History & Details: Batten seam and carvel planked. Engaged in yacht racing in Hobart. 1924-25 won big race at Port Cygnet. 1926/02/27-28 second on handicap in Bruny Island 100 mile race held by RYCT. 1933 transferred from Hobart to NSW. Owner joined Middle Harbour Yacht Club. 1948-49 won Selo Cup, Monthlyn Trophy, season Point Score for division 1. 1950s racing with Lake Macquarie YC. Used for sail instruction on Lake Macquarie. Partially dismasted during one sailing school lesson, nd, fitted with aluminium mast and small bowsprit removed. Engine removed, uses 5bhp Seagull outboard for calms. 1995 restricted to sailing on Lake Macquarie.
Acknowlegement to Mori Flapan for this information.

Early Sailing Note
In the year 1918, owing to the sale of several of the One-Designers, only one of them, Weene remained. In 1919 Weerona (sic), owned by Harry Keighley, appeared among the first class yachts, and the One-Design race definitely lapsed, to be restored, however, in 1920 when Vanity, Pilgrim and Canobie were brought back.
In 1923 "A" Class - called the John Colvin Class - was instituted, in which Weene, Canobie, Vanity, Weerona (sic), Elf, Crescent, Redpa, Grayling and Alwyn competed.
Excerpt from Webster, E.H. & Norman, L. A hundred Years of Yachting, Ch.XXX111

Hobart to Sydney in the Auxiliary Yacht Werona
Crew: O.O'May (owner-skipper, William Ball, Charlie Williams, William Wedderburn. Werona's dimensions are as follows: 36ft. O.A., 26ft W.L., 9 ft beam, 5ft 6in draught, Marconi rig, 45ft mast, 38ft hoist, 22ft boom, and has 28cwt on keel.

Everything aboard, we set sail from Hobart on the morning of July 1, at 9 o'clock, with a light north west wind, arriving at Dunally the same afternoon. Before arriving at Dunally, we endeavoured to start the engine, but discovered that it refused to go. After dropping the pick we commenced to work on the engine again, but without any results, so on Sunday July 2, obtained the services of a mechanic who discovered that the engine and propeller shaft were out of line, and that the shaft had jammed. Unable to do anything, we decided to return to Hobart and slip the boat for necessary adjustments. Attempting to get through the canal we went aground on the mud and remained there until 4 pm Monday. After a lot of trouble we succeeded in getting off, and set sail for Hobart again, arriving on Tuesday at 12 noon, and immediately slipped the boat to find the tail shaft badly jammed and out of line.
Wednesday and Thursday were spent in rectifying the trouble and giving her a good trial run around the harbour, and were pleased with the results. Taking in a further supply of stores and water, everything was ready for an early start next morning. Owing to unexpected delays and time lost by having to return to Hobart, skipper O'May found it impossible to make the trip, and handed the ship over to W. Ball to bring across.
A start was made a 7.30am, with a light breeze blowing, and advantage was taken to further test the engine, which was given a good hour's run, much to our satisfaction. The sail was now again in use from Derwent Light to Watson's Bluff, where the engine was started again, as the breeze had left us. Dunally was made in good time, and, passing through the canal, were soon out of Blackman's Bay and a course laid for Spring Bay, where we arrived at 9pm, dropping the 'pick' in the 'Duck Hole'.
Saturday, July 8 - we left at 7.30am with a light north-west wind, and had a fine run to Shoulin Passage, passing through at noon, and made for an anchorage on the south west corner of the bay.
Sunday July 10 - we made a start 7am with a light breeze from the northeast, and stood out on the port tack for about 10 miles, when the wind dropped, so we decided to return to Wineglass under power, and made snug for the night.
Monday July 11 - spent the day at Wineglass.
Tuesday July 12 - left the moorings at 9am with a north west wind, which soon died out, and left us becalmed, so had to push along under the engine, but soon ran into a light north easter and sailed until 11pm, when Paddy's Head was abeam. The wind being fair, we decided to keep going.
Wednesday July 13 - Charlie took the tiller, and at 1 am wind shifted to south west, and were we now bowling along great guns. At 4am Ball took the tiller again and led a course for the Eddystone Light, which was abeam at 9.15am. Here we gibed, as the wind had changed to south east and looked very dirty in the east, so decided on the inside of the islands passing through Banks Straits, and dropped anchor in Spike Bay, Clark Island, at 5.30pm. During the day we set the square sail for the first time, and proved a great success.
Thursday, 14th - left Spike Bay at 9am looking very dirty, with low clouds over the hills, and a few light showers, but did not come to anything heavy. Had a good day's run to Prime Seal, where we anchored at 5.10pm.
Friday, 15th - at 2am all hands had to turn out and get under way, as the wind set in very hard from the south east. We made across to Flinder's Island and anchored at Emita, then turned in again until 8am. After breakfast, set sail for Killicrankie, were we arrived at 2pm, after a hard trip and immediately made preparations for the run across to Victoria.
Saturday, 16th - took a further supply of fresh water aboard, and were under way at 10.20am. Had a good day's run until 11.30pm, when the breeze came away very hard, and at 7am we sighted land and made a great run up the coast. We trailed the log for 12 hours, which showed 88 miles, averaging 7.5 knots. At 3pm Cape Evarard was abeam, with a nasty cross sea running, but Werona did not ship any solid water but plenty of spray flying. At 9pm Gabo Island was abeam, and at 11.30 passed Twofold Bay with a hard west south west wind blowing, so decided to keep going all night.
On Monday 18th at 8am, put ? reefs in the main sheet, as the breeze was now very fresh, with short, choppy sea and spray flying over everything. At 1pm the reefs were shaken out, and at 3 pm we pulled into a small bay above Narooma, and decided to stay the night and have a good sleep, which we carried out very well indeed.
Tuesday, 19th - got away at 7am with the wind still fresh from the south west and one reef in, and big swell running, making steering laborious. At 11am we passed Bateman's Bay and had to douse the mainsail and set the square sail, which did great work, and at 4.15pm we ran into Ulladulla, and anchored behind the breakwater, all glad to take a spell.
Wednesday, 20th - stayed here for the day, giving the ship a good clean up. Charlie was busy mending sails, while the rest of the crew secured fresh supplies and had a look around the small town.
Thursday, 21st - left Ulladulla at 7am with a light westerly blowing, set the spinnaker, and made good time to Jervis Bay, where we passed at 12 noon, and finally anchored at Port Kembla at 6 pm.
Friday, 22nd - We made another early start with the westerly still blowing,and soon had Botany Bay abeam at 1 pm, and were indeed pleased to see Sydney Heads later, and passed in at 3.30 pm. Bill Wedderburn was dropped at his jetty, and we then returned to our anchorage in Lavender Bay. On the whole the weather was favourable, and the " Werona " proved herself a fine sea boat, shipping no water at any time, though hard driven on several occasions. She is very stiff and powerful, and has a good turn of speed.
Mr. O'May showed great judgement in in selecting the food, which was enjoyed by all. The " Werona " is now at her permanent moorings in Lavender Bay, and will remain in Sydney. The skipper, W.Ball, who brought her up the coast, is a native of Tasmania, and is a well seasoned sailor. He returns home shortly, after a wonderful trip.
By W.B For The Australian Motor Boat and Yachting Monthly, August 10, 1933.

Lake Macquarie - Don MacHattie
Many have learned to sail on Werona over the years and subsequently bought their own boats or crewed.
The school sailing on wednesdays was always well attended - one such wednesday partly toppled the 50 ft oregon mast. I subsequently designed a 45ft double spreader aluminium mast which Jimmy Lees fabricated. The then small bowsprit being removed and headsails inboard. Unfortunately, a lot of character was lost, but still retained the 17ft spinnaker pole and the 18ft 6 inch main boom of hollowed oregon. Some 15 years ago the one cylinder Invincible gave up the ghost and being a purist, the lake sailing only envisaged, it was never replaced. The only consideration being the 5hp longshaft Seagull for calms.
Werona is lakebound and I feel she is too old for racing off shore. The original batten seaming I have re-fastened with rooves and bronze holdfast nails.
Reluctantly I removed the taffrail on the stern and the belaying pin fife rail at the mast when the deck had plywood laid, but that's another story. The original iron gooseneck and belaying pins are faithfully serving on a larger similar addition yacht which refitted on the lake. I still retain, but don't use, some old iron fittings such as the iron tiller, which weighs a ton, and replaced it with a wooden one.
Any who have sailed Werona are surprised at two finger balance on the tiller, on the wind and any tendency to round up whilst carrying a large masthead kite could quickly be remedied. She is very forgiving.
Excerpt from Forecast, Official Journal of the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club Aug/Sept 1995.