Online Boat Register

Former Name 1 (newest):LADY ISOBEL, Former Name 2: JOHN EDWIN

Name of Boat

Christina
(Previously Former Name 1 (newest):LADY ISOBEL, Former Name 2: JOHN EDWIN)

Owner's Name

Peter toman, Nadia Toman 

Boat Location

Garden Island Yacht Club 

Registration No.

PL 18 S 

Sail No.

Dimensions

Feet & Inches  Outside of stem to outside of transom

Overall Length

10 M 

Maximum Draft

1.7 M 

Maximum Beam

3.5 M 

Centreplate Case Length

Construction

Planking
Structure
Framing

Rig

Ballast

Weight

3 Tonne 

Material

Lead 

Engine

Make

Ford Lees 

Horsepower

75 

Heritage

Built

1957 

Builder

Joe Middleton 

Designer

History

This classic timber vessel abounds in South Australian Maritime History. She was built on Ethelton Beach in the Port Adelaide River in 1957 by Mr. Joe Middleton, of Douglas Fir (Oregon) as a two masted gaff rigged fishing schooner and named "John Edwin" after the wheelchair bound lad that came down to the boat yard every day to see how she was coming along. She then spent many years plying the waters all over South Australia, fishing in her early years and later as a recreational vessel. She started out in Victor Harbor fishing all around Kangaroo Island with her second owner who changed her to a single masted gaff rigged sloop and built a live well in her hull. This was used to keep fish alive for the long time the fisherman were at sea. She was then a Crayfish boat down at Cape Jaffa before being sold to people in Adelaide who transformed her to a recreational vessel after twenty years as a fishing vessel, at the Small Boat Club at Garden Island, Port Adelaide. Many years of joy was had by these owners, before she was sold to people in Port Augusta and a few years later to owners in Port Lincoln, who were involved in the Axel Stenross Maritime Museum, where she has a polished timber name plaque on the wall. Whilst in Port Lincoln she was involved in the 2002 Endeavour - Matthew Flinders re-inactment voyage of the mapping of the coastline of Australia, where she was chosen to escort the Tall Ships FALIE, ONE AND ALL, YOUNG ENDEAVOUR and the ENTERPRIZE on the leg from Port Lincoln to Port Augusta. She then returned to Adelaide with her newest owner and put into Searles Boat Yard for two years to have her refitted with a new cockpit and pedestal, new deck, new cabin area with brass portholes, new macerating toilet and sink, 700 litre water tanks installed in the bow, basic galley area with sink and metho stove, stainless steel fuel tanks fitted giving 170 ltrs total fuel capacity, and bilge pumps fitted. The Ford Lees 75hp diesel engine was reconditioned along with velvet drive transmission. In 2007, after the work was completed the owner sailed her down to Wirrina Cove Marina . She was purchased by Ray Horsnell and who did a lot of work to get her ready to bring back to Adelaide, and then slipped her and painted the hull and antifouled, and had the yacht club marine surveyor look over the boat and said she was in good condition. After many name changes, she now is called "Christina" after the blind daughter of the Port Lincoln owner.

Her rich history is documented in the South Australian Maritime Museum, she has a full page write up and photograph in the hardcover book "Wooden Fishing Boats of South Australia" written by Gifford Chapman and is mentioned in the book "For They Were Fishers" by Dr Wallace-Carter, and is registered in the International Wooden Boat Register.

 

Race Record

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