Please forgive me for the terrible set of the main, I didn’t have any battens in at that stage.

Here's a quick little write up I did a while ago after I'd just finished repairing my other boat, a 27' 1934 gaff cutter.

Arana is underway again!!

After many months of work, including three on the slip, she is back sailing.

What a worthwhile experience it is saving an 87 year old boat.

Arana was purchased in Yamba and was sailed up to Brisbane, roughly 150 miles. Considering she hadn’t been sailing in 9 years, the old hand crank diesel was on its last legs and thin plywood covered many sections of rotten boat, the somewhat foolhardy delivery was successful. On subsequent trips down the bay something broke almost every tack! Most memorable was the 5 hour tow from Canipa, after the motor finally gave up, by the 23 foot bay cruiser ‘Tom Thumb’. All was well until the sampson post snapped in a stiff northerly. Some skilful manoeuvring and a leap of faith were required to board the runaway boat and re tie the tow line. After that trip the old main tore and it was time to get to work!

This included a new (second hand) motor, transom, ply and glassing the decks, new gunwale, planks, mainsail, running rigging, sampson post, minor electrics, and a full exterior paint and varnish; she is looking fresh again.

Now the old girl is ready for new adventures.

Arana was built in 1934 by Brown Brothers of Balmain, Sydney. The designer is unknown. She is spotted gum to the waterline and douglas fir above. The aluminium gaff rig was installed in about 1981.