| If you like me thought that the Farr 6000
was a strict one design, then you will also be surpised
to hear that there is an exception with an interesting
history.
The vessel above, originally called Piringa, is owned
by Bevan O'Kane in Auckland and as you can see in the
photo although the hull looks very much a Farr 6000,
from the gunwale up its a different story.
Bevan describes how he bought the boat in May 1997
and through the sail registration tracked down the original
owner, Mervyn Herbert Crockett, and spoke to him briefly.
"I seemed to remember he raved about it, but
I took his word with some 'questioning' - maybe I
should have listened a little better at the time."
Just recently Bevan caught up again with Mervyn, now
82 and through talking to him and his son became aware
of the significance of this boat.
Mervyn's son Murray used to flat with Bruce Farr. They
were great mates. Bruce Farr was around at Mervyn's
place one night and asked him why didn't he extend his
garage from 20 feet long to 20 feet wide. So Mervyn
contacted his friend in the council and got a permit
to do so. Bruce and Mervyns son Murray then proceeded
to build a Farr 727 in his garage, a 1/4 ton racing
keeler. On completion, this boat was named after her
sponsor, 45 South the Dunedin Whiskey Firm.
After winning the New Zealand Quarter Ton Cup in 1974,
45 South was taken to France where it won the 1975 World
Quarter Ton Cup. Three firsts in four races in a fleet
of 43 yachts! To quote Bill Endean,
"45 South,s win was a milestone in the modern
history of New Zealand Yachting. It was the first
time a New Zealand yacht, designed built and sailed
by New Zealanders won a major international offshore
event
This diminutive 24 footer launched Bruce Farr on
a career as a designer of international standing that
has culminated in the unchallenged title of the worlds
top race yacht designer."
When the trailer sailer range was introduced, Mervyn
asked Bruce for a 6000 hull. Kim McDell, then a director
of Sea Nymph and the prime mover behind the development
of the Farr Trailer Yachts, sold one to Mervyn on the
condition that he didn't ever race it.
Kim states that it was definitely the only hull sold
and remembers it as the hull used to build all the internal
plugs and patterns for the subsequent production run.
Consequently it was a little heavier than standard and
because of the strict 'One Design' ethic it couldnt
be used as a standard Farr 6000.
Mervyn built the deck and cabin of glass over ply and
modelled it on the Farr 727 The mast came off a Flying
18 and difers from an F6 in having diamond stays. The
sails are standard F6. Keel handling was originally
by rope and pulley but this has now been replaced by
a winch and cable. Bevan has spend a considerable amount
of time bringing the boat back to good working condition.
Mervyn reported some excellent sailing performances
in this boat. It would be interesting to see how it
performs against a standard Farr 6000.
So is it the first Farr 6000?
Not being built to class specifications means that
strictly speaking its not really a "true"
Farr 6000. As a home completed boat it also didnt make
it into the water until 1978 by which time production
of standard boats was well established.
It is however the first Farr trailer yacht hull out
of the mould which gives it a unique historic status
in the history of the Farr trailer yacht classes. Its
differences in a otherwise exclusively one design class
also make this a very special boat. It is after all
the only custom Farr 6000.
Many thanks to Bevan O'Kane for this story and photos
and Kim McDell for help with historical detail.
Reference: "Classic Yachts of New Zealand"
Bill Endean, GP Publications 1992
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