Page 7 - Mark Chews Forty Two Australian Wooden Sailing Boats Sept 17 2020

SAYONARA (Japanese for Goodbye) was built for Melbourne businessman George begun another career as one of the famous Sydney Harbour based Griffin charter
Garrad in 1897. William Fife III was considered the most important naval architect yacht fleet working out of Lavender Bay, North Sydney. During World War II
of the period. She was built in Adelaide by A McFarlane & Sons. Carvel planked SAYONARA was very popular with visiting American servicemen, keen to show off
in New Zealand kauri on Australian hardwood frames, the design was clearly one to the local ladies.
that Fife held in high regard. At almost the same time SAYONARA was being in
built in Adelaide, Fife built a sister vessel from the same plans called CERIGO for Dick Sargeant, Tokyo Olympic gold medallist who crewed on the 5.5 metre
his own use in Scotland. Launched in November 1897, SAYONARA immediately BARRENJOEY and GRETEL, recalls starting out as a 15 year old crew member during
cruised to Melbourne in record time. the 1950s when SAYONARA was one of about 10 craft operated by Griffins. She
usually went out with a skipper and one or two crew, sailing under mainsail and
George Garrard was Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and raced staysail. Jack Wiley was often skipper, but Dick recalls that by the time he was 18 or
SAYONARA with immediate success in the Intercolonial Regatta held on Hobson's 19 he skippered SAYONARA himself on a couple of occasions. The CYAA maintains
Bay, February 1898. She won in a fleet that included the then undefeated South contact with this era of SAYONARA through the family of another SAYONARA crew
Australian champion ALEXA. SAYONARA was especially good in light weather and member during the 1950’s, the then well known Seacraft magazine article and
won so many events that the Victorian clubs banded together and put a size limit Sargasso opinion contributor,Tony Johnson.
on yachts, effectively barring SAYONARA and ALEXA from many races.

In early
1904 the third owner Alfred Gollin challenged NSW to an Intercolonial (interstate) SAYONARA remained with the Griffin fleet until the 1970's and then became a private
race series. It was accepted and arrangements were made for SAYONARA to race yacht, eventually becoming home to Henk Kossen. He bought the yacht in a
the NSW yacht BONA off Sydney Heads. Gollin imported a hollow spar from dilapidated, wrecked state having sunk at her moorings. Had he not bought
America to further improve her performance. SAYONARA then sailed to Sydney SAYONARA, the yacht would probably have been scrapped for the value of its lead
and the series became a major public event. Competing against the Sydney yacht keel. Henk was able to rebuild the boat to sailing condition and then cruised the
BONA, the series was won by SAYONARA, two races to one. Owner Alfred Gollin eastern seaboard, often single handed and with no motor installed.

then donated a cup under the yacht's name as a perpetual trophy for interstate
racing, with a deed of gift that was similar to the America's Cup. Kossen sold SAYONARA to the current owners in 1996. After an extensive and
meticulous restoration project that returned SAYONARA to its 1904 gaff cutter racing
The Sayonara Cup was then defended by SAYONARA on Port Phillip, Victoria configuration, she once again sails with the CYAA fleet on Port Phillip. She is currently
against NSW challengers. In 1907 racing against RAWHITI, SAYONARA won 2-0 listed for sale with the European based brokers Sandeman Yacht Company.
and then in 1909 racing against THELMA it won 2-1 in a close series. Today, the
CYAA retains a direct connection to these times through the family of the The Sayonara Cup and SAYONARA are clearly bonded together and are a rare world
SAYONARA paid hand, Francois Henri. wide example of a yacht that began a significant race or regatta remaining extant
over a century from when the first race was held.
The Sayonara Cup events became the premier yacht races of the period and
followed closely by the media and public. Although SAYONARA no longer
contested the cup the series remained a major yachting event until the 1960s. It
was primarily raced between Victorian and NSW yachts until a Tasmanian
challenge was accepted in the late 1950s. In 2018 the trophy is still contested but
is raced in International Dragon Class yachts.
By the 1940’s it appears to have

CYAA Magazine Issue 43 September 2020 Page 7