Redpa Yacht
Redpa is over one hundred and eighteen years old this year (2024) and has recently been added to the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV).
It was designed and built to the twenty one foot rule by legendary Launceston boat builder E.A (Ned) Jack at his boat yard (which is now operated by Tamar Marine). To our knowledge this is the oldest surviving yacht that was both designed and built by Ned Jack.
It was commisioned by Stanley Tasman Perrin, who at the time lived with his parents at "Goorak", 16 York Street, Launceston.
Perrin had been elected Secretary of the Tamar Yacht Club at the annual general meeting in September 1908.
Redpa's exact launch date is not known, but it was just prior to the opening of the 1908/9 season, so probably in October.
Over the following four years, she raced successfully on the Tamar.
Apparently it was common at this time for yachts to cruise down the Tamar some weekends and many families took up residence at Low Head at the mouth of the Tamar for the summer holidays, the Perrins among them. On one of these down river jaunts in 1912, Stan in Redpa was accompanied by his mate J. L. (Jack) Tyson in his yacht Ventura. Someone reported to Stan's father Walter that there was beer and tobacco aboard Redpa. Walter was a devout Methodist and whilst he used to import gin for his wife and scotch for himself he did not condone such behaviour in his offspring. He disinherited Stan and ordered him to leave Tasmania. Stan made his way to Sydney and Redpa was sold in Hobart.
Fast forward to 2008 and Sydney yachtsman Tony Tyson, a descendant of Low Head's Perrin and Tyson families, donated his grandfather's thirty one foot historic yacht to the Museum.
Tony found Redpa in Hobart a number of years ago and took it to Sydney where with the assistance of a professional boat builder and friends restored it to its original configuration. It is fully operational and last year got second place in the historic division of the Volvo Regatta on Sydney Harbour.
It is a very significant donation and we are very indebted to Tony for his generosity.
We also acknowledge the help of the Lions Club of George Town and Gunns Limited, who contributed to the cost of bringing Redpa down from Sydney.
- Technical Specifications
- Length overall: 30 feet 10 3/4 inches
- Length waterline: 23 feet 4 inches
- Draft: 3 feet 11 inches
- Mast head above deck: 29 feet
- Working sail area: 579 square feet
- Extras: Parachute spinnaker and ring tail.
- Construction: Carvel planked in Huon Pine over spotted gum frames with a plywood deck, coachhouse, coamings and topsides glass sheathed, bottom caulked and puttied.
The Redpa under sail