Waterwitch (possibly built for the 1956 Olympics), and Tara-Punga (built circa 1937-8) currently owned Nicholas Paterson of Tasmania

Nicholas Paterson, the owner of Waterwitch and Tara-Punga wrote:

She is built from NSW cedar with full length book-matched planking. Her framing, transom and interior trim are in huon pine. She is still bright finished, but has discolouring around some fastenings. At present I have just started a restoration and intend to use Sikens marine finish. (My wife and I own and cruise a 40 Foot steel Robert Clarke ketch and have found the micro-porous wood finishes last way better than conventional varnish) If any of your members know any of her history prior to 1976 I would very much like to hear from them.

I have owned by Tara-Punga T35(Moby Dick) since 1976. She was constructed around 1937-8,using huon pine planking and spotted gum keel and framing. The 12m racing scene was dead at the time and we were considered rather eccentric as we used her for cruising, mainly in company with Marty Wolfhagen and Tim Graves in Waterwitch. No other 12m's were afloat around then. We did many epic trips around Tasmania's excellent coast.

Unfortunately Tara-Punga was lent out for some years, and unknown to myself was unsuitably housed. This led to some significant structural deterioration. She is now a retirement project for a few years time. The only pre-1975 history of her that I can confirm is very sketchy. Perhaps somebody might know some details.