Although not widely announced yet, the AWBF 2025 will be New Zealand & The Pacific themed, opening up a variety of new possibilities for content across the site. When creating the 2025 Boat EOI forms, we decided to add a section to allow our boat owners to share with us their NZ/Pacific stories (if applicable). WOW, we’ve had some interesting tales.
Here is just a few of the EOIs with NZ/Pacific content that we’ve received so far.
Sidecar – a Paulownia Pacific Proa
Although it doesn’t exactly look like it’s made out of wood, Robert Zabukovec’s sailing proa Sidecar is built from Paulownia. A hardwood timber native to east Asia.
Sidecar was built in 2017 by Rob himself, traditionally a dinghy, keelboat and offshore racer for over 60 years, this was something new. Rob had previously built some dinghies, but when Rob retired and was looking for a second hand yacht, he couldn’t find what he wanted. So decided, bugger it, why not build a proa.
At 31 feet in length, and 18 feet 9 inches in beam it was a considerable project, not only to build but to manage on water. Sidecar can do double figure boat speeds upwind, and excels in lighter winds, and currently resides at Murdunna. What an interesting vessel, should she be offered a berth!
For more information, see here: The Proa Sidecar.
Tiare II – A NZ Kauri/Spotted Gum cutter ketch
Roghan Anderson’s 38ft LOA vessel was built in 1955 in Auckland, designed by Bert Woollacott and built by Allan Williams. She has previously cruised the Pacific extensively, with her interior laden with traditional carvings (thought to have been done in Tahiti).
She has journeyed through the North Pacific, to remote Asian Islands and as far west as Reunion Island, but now resides on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria where she has been undergoing some maintenance work. If offered a berth, Roghan will be travelling to Tasmania with Tiare II‘s previous owners onboard.
Kurura – Relaunched in May 2024, it was love at first sight for new owners
Launched in 1949 as a motor sailor, it didn’t take long for the boat to be transformed into a racing yacht. By 1951 she was competing in Sydney to Hobarts. After years of sailing around the East Coast of Australia, she was moved to Tasmania in the 1980s. Many years later, Kurura was sitting in Dover and has previously been at earlier AWBFs. This is where the Roberts family took ownership and cruised her to Kempy’s old shed at Woodbridge for works to be carried out by Odin Thom.
Now that she has undergone a significant restoration, the new owners are confident they can one day recreate the journey of previous owners – Laurie Gubb and girlfriend Hilda Clarke, who spent some time in the 1970s in New Zealand.
Does your boat have a connection to New Zealand and The Pacific? Is it wooden? Why not bring it to the AWBF?
All you have to do is enter an expression of interest, here!