Design and Construction

 

 Aorere is an original example of a Victorian era racing and cruising yacht.  She was registered with Lloyd’s of London and as a result there are clear historical records of her origins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aorere was typical of the designs of the early 1890s, although yacht design practice was changing rapidly at the time, and yachts that came soon afterwards were radically different.  Her body plan bears a strong similarity to that of Minerva, one of Fife’s most successful designs in the U.S., and Aorere bears a strong resemblance to Sayonara, launched in South Australia only a few months earlier. Aorere and Sayonara have sequential Lloyd’s numbers, 101729 for Aorere and 101730 for Sayonara.

Sayonara was designed by Fife of Scotland, as were several of the small number of yachts surviving in Australia from that era. Others were designed and built by Logan in New Zealand, however Aorere appears to be the earliest surviving example of a yacht both
designed and constructed in Australia.

 

Aorere’s rig is typical of yachts of the late 1800’s, having a two-piece mast with a fidded topmast, a mainsail attached to the mast with cane rings, a long bowsprit setting a flying jib (i.e. not set on a forestay) and a staysail hanked to a headstay attached to the
stemhead. In light weather a topsail was set above the gaff mainsail, and a jib-topsail is set above the jib and staysail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aorere’s construction is unusual for a boat of her size, with no sawn frames and having steamed ribs at 18” centres. While her framing and planking were light compared to an English design of similar size, her keel timber was massive, and it is the size and strength of this timber that has been primarily responsible for the yacht’s survival.  Records show that Aorere was washed onto the breakwater and beach at St Kilda Yacht Club during storms on at least two occasions during her lifetime.  On each occasion other yachts were destroyed in similar circumstances, however Aorere was salvaged with little damage on both occasions.  Aorere’s scantlings show more similarity to the locally built fishing boats, such as the Melbourne Couta boats, than they do to the recommendations of Lloyd’s of London for yachts of her size.