12 March 2023
Holly Puckering's Farr 500, Franci
26 December 2022
Brief summary of Little Dragon's history
My love affair with my Farr 5000 began in January 2008 when I bought her in Central Coast NSW. She was already named Little Dragon and already painted red. The hull was sound but I had to do substantial maintenance to get her sailing again but I never made any major changes. The previous owner just used her as a tinny to go fishing.
I towed her up the Pacific Highway to her new home in my backyard at Byron Bay behind my 0ld 2-litre Subaru Forrester. We diverted to go over the weighbridge at the Ballina tip, boat and trailer together were 920 kg, and the weight on the ball was 60 kg.
Little Dragon was built by Sea Nymph in New Zealand 1n 1986. I can't find a photo of the plate which may have further details - sorry.
I registered my ownership with the Farr Trailer Yacht Association New Zealand which now seems to be defunct or at least dormant.
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/farr-5000 has all the specs.
LOA 5.09 m, DWL 4.62 m, Beam 2.25 m, Draft (board up) 0.3 m, Draft (board down) 1.24 m, weight 4;83 kgs, ballast 170 kgs.
I was told that her previous name in Australia was "Twilight" and there was a label near her bow YANAUC 2ZK379 which I think may have some significance. I gather that Twilight used to sail in ACT and back then had yellow topsides - but I can't confirm that.
Little Dragon came with what was probably the original main and jib, not surprisingly they had lost their structural integrity and I replaced them with new sails made to the original Farr design. The important point is that there was no sail number on the old sails. In order to race I had to have a sail number, so I just chose 98.
The mast snapped in an unfortunate incident, the new mast was made exactly the Farr specs.
I know that Farr 5000s are now almost a collector's item so I want to assist any future owner with what I know - which isn't much.
She was my pride and joy for 13 years until I very sadly sold her in February 2021 to a new life in North Lakes, Brisbane. Unfortunately, the new owner's wife didn't like the way she heeled! So he sold her. Now I have no idea where she is. Please help me locate her.
10 February 2021
Little Dragon has headed off to a new home in Queensland
All good things come to an end, or so it is said. I advertised Little Dragon on Gumtree and agreed to sell her to Steve from North Lakes, Brisbane.
Our negotiation was that I would take Steve down to the Big River Sailing Club at Harwood so that he could see her rigged, launched, have a sail then retrieve her, pack up and trail her back to my place. That went well and the final part of the deal was that I would deliver her to his place, just north of Brisbane, as his car hadn't yet got a tow ball.
18 November 2020
The end of an era for Little Dragon
First sail 4 Shielas: Nicky Greenlaw, Cathy Jones, Lee Fenton and Pam |
November 2020 the same 4 Shielas gather to reminisce. |
Rae Wills and Pam |
Savaad, Barbara Stewart, Steve Millard, Duncan Dey, Cathy Jones, Pam, Caz Coffer, Nicky Greenlaw, Berenice Lancaster. |
Pam, Lee Fenton, Nicky Greenlaw, Jenny Gray |
Rick, Noela Yates, Stephanie Britton |
John Woods providing much-needed advice |
At last, we're ready to go |
Sailing was the fun part. Suddenly it all seemed worth it. |
The Big River Sailing Club has been fantastic, Commodore Hariet Woodrow is consistently welcoming and supportive. A special shout out to Rod King who was always available to fix any minor rigging and maintenance issues. Without his help sometimes we would have had to pack-up and head home. I am so glad I stumbled upon BRSC back in 2008.
John Woods and Ted |
Peter Barnes |
Pam and her folding bike at Iluka |
My sister Pat, from the UK, tries to avoid getting burnt |
A piece of recent history - the new bridge not yet built |
Rafting up overnight off Munro Island near Lawrence |
It is a pub crawl! |
Rae Wills joining me for a sundowner |
Little Dragon reefed, sail number 98 |
That must have been as we crossed the finishing line |
Farr 5000 rafted up with Farr 6000 |
We always towed the Zodiac when cruising |
Nicky, we slept well on these trips |
We both insist on frequent cups of tea |
Slipping Sands, such a wonderland to explore |
Another memorable trip was with Cathy, we anchored overnight at The Bedroom Campground near Jumpin Pin and Cathy did her morning yoga on the sand dune. Then we sailed up the Canaipa Passage between Russell Island and North Stradbroke Island in a reasonably stiff breeze. We were heeling and Cathy asked me, very politely, how far we could go before we capsized.
Cathy Jones morning yoga |
Again we rafted up with Just Farr Me at night |
It was a privilege to have Chris Cook, a BRSC member, come sailing with me on Little Dragon. Chris was quick to design a simple device to make it possible for him to take the helm. Check out the box his feet are on. He was certainly in charge of those trips, having far more experience than I do. One of his many triumphs was being runner up in the World Championships for Disabled Dinghy Sailing in England 2010.
Chris Cook, National and International Champion in disability sailing |
Tipping the skipper overboard
Berenice and Savaad - forgiven |
I'll be sad to look out from my back verandah and see an empty spot under the shade cloth. Little Dragon is on Gumtree but no sale yet 20 December.
26 September 2020
Great downriver to Iluka but best to forget the return
26 September 2020
Nicky Greenlaw, Saavad Wells and I met up at Harwood excited that the forecast conditions meant we could sail downriver, maybe even as far as Iluka. The plan went well downstream but the return trip wasn't what we had in mind...
19 September 2020
To the Goodwood mark and back
19 September 2020
This is the second time John has come with me this year and we had far better luck than last time when a combination of too much tide and too little wind meant that we didn't get anywhere. This time the wind and tide were favourable for a venture downstreamas far as the Goodwood mark which we rounded pretending we were racing. The tide turned and helped us back again. It all went to plan.
Just a pleasant sailing breeze, enough to carry us down to the Goodwood Mark and back again. Delightful.
05 September 2020
Oh what a beautiful morning,
"Oh what a beautiful morning, Oh, what a beautiful day
I got a beautiful feeling, Everything's goin my way."
It was a beautiful spring morning when Nicky and I drove down the highway to Harwood. The forecast was for 11 knots NW to NE, warm and fine, at least until late afternoon.
Rod and Hariet had assured me in advance that if we needed help members would happily assist. I was a bit nervous as I am ageing and it was the first time that Nicky and I have been out together for ages. One kind member stood on my cabin top and raised the mast and another later lowered it. That was terrific, thanks. Of course the jib, as has happened so many times before, played up but Rod quickly solved the problem.
That Rogers and Hammerstein song was written back in in 1943, the year I was born. I gave myself a seniors birthday present this year: to ask for help backing my trailer whenever possible. So a huge thank you to Rod and Wayne, who helped launch and retrieve us.
With all this support we were both still calm, relaxed and happy when we headed out into the Big River and hoisted the mainsail. Thanks BRSC, you are a terrific club.
Nicky and I were confident that we could handle Little Dragon, especially with a reef in. The other trailer sailor, also with a very senior crew, also reefed. We had a ball, we gybed back and forth up the river to the new bridge, the first time Nicky has seen it complete. Then we tacked back downstream to the club. We both had such a great time.