Ethel: 28ft Yacht With An Eventful Life Story

Build Date

1884

Boat Builder

Charles Bailey Snr.

Length

28 feet

Beam

7 feet 3 inches

Ethel’s Build and Creating a Scandal in Wellington

Ethel was built in Auckland in 1884 but she had a short life as only 34 years later Ethel was wrecked.

She was originally built as a cutter rig but it is unknown who her first owners were. For a time up until 1909 George Williamson Sims of Auckland owned her. From 1909 two brothers T. and Kenneth Cole of Wellington owned Ethel. They moved Ethel to Wellington and converted her into a yawl around 1909/1910. The Yawl setup was fashionable for Wellington yachts around 1900 to 1920 as they could be used for cruising.

T. and K. Cole were young brothers when they purchased Ethel and as such, they got themselves into some mischief. The May 4, 1912, edition of the New Zealand Truth even scandalised Wellington by informing the community that the Cole brothers along with some friends had taken four women out to Ward Island for a picnic. The group were not chaperoned and two of the women were barmaids making for very scandalous gossip.

They probably would have been OK only the weather worsened with southerly winds and driving rain ruining their plans. Whilst trying to get back to the Ethel they lost their dinghy and the group found themselves stranded on Ward Island. To get help two of the group sailed Ethel back to Wellington. This got the Siren to go out and pick up the rest of the group and take them to the Naomi where they were looked after with food and towels.

The war Years

In 1914 Bird the secretary of the Heretaunga Boating Club and the Petone Syndicate took over ownership of Ethel as the Cole brothers joined the war effort. Sadly, Kenneth died at the Somme in April 1918. This was only three months after he was awarded the Military Medal.

Bird and the Petone Syndicate sold Ethel in 1916 to A. L. Firth of Wellington. She was sold to Firth so the lead in her keel could be used in the war effort. But this didn’t stop Ethel from racing (most likely in the 3^rd class fleet at Port Nicholson Yacht Club) or from the Boat Harbor Notes section of NZ Truth from critiquing the boats handling in January 1917.

Ethel’s Untimely End

L. Hill an Australian man residing in Wellington was Ethel’s last owner. He owned Ethel from 1916 until 1919 when she was wrecked at Cape Palliser. Hill was said to be a solitary man who only sailed on his own even though he was a member of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club. Hill is said to have spent his time either at sea or the shed he lived in at Clyde Quay.

In December 1918 Hill set off to spend the summer in the Marlborough Sounds. He spent around six months in the Sounds before planning his return to Wellington. He set off from Port Underwood in June 1919 but was pushed south of Wellington. He spent five days struggling to get Ethel inside the channel, but he couldn’t do it. So instead, he decided to run Ethel aground in Cape Palliser.

This worked and he made it to shore but Ethel was destroyed. Hill was also not faring too well. He was starving, dehydrated and exhausted but he managed to find a farmhouse where he was looked after for several days. He then got a ride in a coach to Featherston. From here he decided to walk the 70km back to Wellington though he seems to have made this a slow trip with stops for work on the way. Gavin Pascoe believes Hill then decided to go to Auckland instead but after this Hills life is a mystery

References

To research Ethel we used The Wellington Classic Yacht Trust website, The Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club blog, Archives New Zealand WWII record for Kenneth Cole and Papers Past Boat Harbour Notes from 2 December 1916 and 13 January 1917.

Amai – 24ft yacht built in 1909 by W. Brooke-Taylor and Sons.

Ailsa – 36ft later 47ft yacht built in 1909 by Tom Le Huquet.

Wylo – Professor R.J. Scott designed and Edwin Bailey built 30ft yacht.

Mahina – 36ft yacht built by Charles Bailey Sr. in 1890/91.