Page 77 - Mark Chews Forty Two Australian Wooden Sailing Boats Sept 17 2020

WRAITH of ODIN was designed by John G Alden, Boston – (design Number Since her restoration she has won every concourse event entered and raced in classic
0823,1945). She was commissioned by Dr Brian and Mrs Dagmar O’Brien and built races in three states of Australia and in New Zealand.
by Alf Jahnsen and Leo Royan at Tuncurry, NSW in 1950-1951. Dagmar’s father was
a Danish sea captain and her mother English but the O’Brien family heritage was
Irish. The choice of the name WRAITH of ODIN reflects a strong sense of connection
to things Norse. The literal interpretation of the name is; the ghost like image of the
Norse God Odin. (Father of all Norse Gods). .
She is carvel planked in 1 1/2 inch thick Brown Beech, copper nailed and clenched
to triple laminated Spotted Gum hardwood frames. She has a teak deck with
varnished Rosewood margins with Cedar and Rosewood used on the raised cabin
house with its distinctive Alden double windows
On June 5th 1951 the Dungog Chronicle reported: “The 57-foot ketch, 'WRAITH of
ODIN' is on its maiden voyage to Sydney from Tuncurry. The owner of the ketch is
Mr. Brian O'Brien, a medical research officer at the Sydney University. It was built by
Messrs. Jahnsen and Royan, of Tuncurry, at a cost of £12,000. Mr. O'Brien will be
accompanied by his wife, son and daughter; Dr. Gabriel and Mr. Eric Dahlen, of
Sydney, Mr. and Mrs. Jahnsen and their five children, Mary, Jill, Lorraine, Barry and
Harvey. The ketch took almost two years to build. It has two masts, one 70 ft. and
the other 50 ft., a beam of 14 ft. 2 in., and. a 7 ft. draught. It is powered by a 52 h.p.
Scammel engine and can cruise at 8 knots. The interior is luxuriously finished in
rose-wood and cedar. It has eight bunks, a galley and bathroom. Its overall weight
is 29 tons Mr. O'Brien intends entering the ketch in, next year's Sydney-Hobart yacht
race and sailing around the world on a scientific exploratory cruise.
Over the next 25 years under their ownership of the O’Brien’s, she competed in the
1952, ‘53, ‘54, ‘56 and ’69 Sydney to Hobart races, against the likes of KURRAWA IV,
ASTOR, WINSTON CHURCHILL and SOLO among others.
She also completed the 1953 Montague Island Race and the 1954 Tasman Island
race. She has cruised South America rounding Cape Horn.
In the 1952 race she sailed with their 3 & 4 year old children aboard. (But I believe
they are not the youngest to complete the race)

Between 1997 and 2002. She underwent a five year restoration in Port Macquarie,
NSW, Australia. Her ketch rig was increased after consultation with the Alden Office
and she had a new deck and the interior was gutted, all of the fitout being removed,
numbered and restored prior to refitting as per original design and build drawings.

CYAA Magazine Issue 43 September 2020 Page 77