Syrah, another beautiful double ender
named after the grape that makes Shiraz wine, and designed by Iain
Oughtred, who designed Imagine, was heading for a tragic fate
as an unfinished project until she arrived on the verandah of the Living boat
trust last Friday.
Her owner is Louise Crossley, one of
Tasmania's great women - scientist, Green parliamentary candidate, and
expedition leader in Antarctica. She has been a strong supporter of the
LBT a keen rower, and participant in Tawe Nunnugah in the Swiftsure
crew and on Yukon in 2013. Syrah had been nearly finished by
boatbuilder Mike Seeney, when he became ill with cancer .He died last
year. Chris Burke, founder of the Living Boat Trust back in 1998 came to the
rescue, and tried to fit her in between
other work, but what with Louise being diagnosed with cancer
herself, and being unlikely to be able to use her boat as planned, it looked
as though Mike's work might be wasted.
Luckily, a chance meeting at Adventure
Bay betwen Louise and a member of LBT enabled Louise to learn that
Women on Water were looking for a new challenge to maintain the momentum
generated by the building of Imagine. Inquiries were made and Women on
Water agreed to take the job on.
In return, Louise has agreed in principle to donate her
boat to the LBT, for our general purposes, so as to make it possible for
us to extend the support of our organisation to children, who like
herself, have cancer to contend with. The plan is that Syrah be kept at
the Living Boat Trust for use by Canteen, the kids with
cancer support group, as part of our sailing and 'on the water' programs. and
also for use by LBT members, including herself, as an expedition
boat. Syrah has built in bouyancy, a lug sail and rowing positions,
and will be ideal for her new role.
Chris Burke came down to the shed and did a 'handover' on
Friday night. Thanks to Pete Laidlaw for going over to the Seeney and Edwards
property at Birch's Bay, Lawrence Burgin for lending us a trailer, Chris Burke
for hauling us out of trouble up the muddy road with his 4 wheel drive,
and Wendy Edwards for looking after Syrah. Congratulations to Women
on Water for going the extra mile to help out and setting an example of how to
strengthen a community in times of trouble.
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