On Sunday November 28, 2010 disaster unfolded at the Cairns Boat Builders premises.
No injuries were sustained by anyone and I want to acknowledge the Cairns Fire Service for their fine actions in managing to contain the fire to a relatively small area amidst highly flammable containers of Acetone and other volatile liquids being present. Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of materials and equipment not in view in the above photo were saved by their actions.
As for our trailer sailer the photo tells the impossible to accept situation. She was only about a week away from being completed and delivered to us.
The project to build a special commemorative edition trailer sailer to celebrate the 50th anniversary of trailer sailers in Australia was a truly wonderful one. The extraordinary care and attention to detail afforded her in her construction by Dick Ward of Cairns Boat Builders and the love being built in by those of us who also helped out along the way is very hard to describe.
Please excuse me for not elaborating on this event to any further extent. It is a difficult time for quite a number of people and a grossly unpleasant task just to type this announcement - but done so as a courtesy update for the many people all over Australia who are keenly following the progress of this great little project.
Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget
falls drop by drop upon the heart,
until, in our own despair,
against our will,
comes wisdom
through the awful grace of God. Edith Hamilton translation of - Aeschylus (c. 525-456 BC)
Update, 11 January 2011 - Overcoming Adversity
I have made the decision that the realising of a dream to produce a special edition of the quintessential classic Hartley TS21 to commemorate 50 years of the 'trailer sailer' in Australia will NOT be snuffed out like this.
This project will be started again. This project WILL be completed.
I have made the decision that the realising of a dream to produce a special edition of the quintessential classic Hartley TS21 to commemorate 50 years of the 'trailer sailer' in Australia will NOT be snuffed out like this.
