YVONNE Classic 1893 R. Logan Yacht

10 February 2025

Price (NZD) : 27,500

Location : Lyttelton Marina

Logan yacht Yvonne A4 – Lyttelton, One of New Zealands most famous yachts!

From the day she was launched on December 23 1893 Yvonne was a winner! In 1894 she won the her New Zealand Championship race at the Anniversary Race as a 5 Rater. Arch Buchanan engaged Robert Logan to construct her for both racing and cruising. Her dimensions as built can be seen in one of the following photographs as can be seen her later configuration.

Over the last 4 years I have in conjunction with our local master of wooden craft Chris Morrison (previously engaged in the US restoring Herreshoff masterpieces) gone fully over Yvonne replacing any faulty timbers etc). A shipwright in the 1970’s spent 8000hrs on her upgrading, refastening including raising the hull one plank according to Mike Joy who owned her in the 1980’s. A year ago she was slipped, new anti fouling applied, the top side re-coated and a new anode fitted. Top side and the interior also repainted. Yvonne was later owned in 1908 by Professor RJ Scott, (cousin of Captain Scott) and sailed and raced extensively round the South of the south Island.

Included in the sale is a copy log of both a voyage to Dunedin and Port Levy for the annual regatta by Scott. Also many of the reports about Scott jumping the seawall at the heads of Otago Harbour. In the hands of H Norris she won the first keeler class series of the Banks Peninsula Cruising club. The yacht is berthed in the Lyttelton Marina and purchaser will be given 2 months free berthage. It would be great to see some of her old mates and cross swords in battle with the other No4 Iorangi, Pastime, Rainbow and Waitangi. The yacht is priced to sell! A special NZ Logan Yacht with her well documented NZ history that needs a new custodian to see her through a few more years and beyond her 130 odd seen so far.

Email lytteltonbookmarks@gmail.com or call Ian on 03 3266801

https://www.wcyt.org.nz/abode/708/documents/NZYacht1937JuneYvonne.pdf

1. Yvonne (1893/1894 Logan Brothers Cutter – NZ)

This Yvonne is a 43’6″ classic gaff cutter, built by Robert Logan Sr. in Auckland in 1893

(launched Dec 1893/1894) for Arch Buchanan.

Specifications (1893 Classic Yacht)

Builder: Robert Logan Sr. (Logan Brothers)
Year Built: 1893
Designer: William Fife (modified by Arch Buchanan?)
Construction: Triple-planked Kauri
LOA (Length Overall): 43′ 6″
LWL (Length Waterline): 30′ 6″
Beam: 8′ 6″
Rig: Gaff Cutter
Class: 5 Rater

Key Features: Historically carried a pole mast instead of a topmast, a pioneering design choice for racing yachts of that era.
Location: Currently based in Lyttelton, New Zealand

1893–1900s: Built for Arch Buchanan; soon became a prominent winner in NZ championships as a 5-rater.
1908–1930s: Owned by Professor R.J. Scott in Lyttelton, who raced her extensively in the South Island.
1938: Reported to be in Wellington.
Early 1970s: Owned by the Bill Brown family, based in Whangarei.
1980s: Owned by Mike Joy and Richard Carll in Wellington.
1990s: Owned by a syndicate including Trevor Joy, Jack Snow, and Foster Joy. She was used in a TV advertisement during this time.
c. 2010s-Present: Sold to a new owner in Lyttelton (around 2015-2018), with continued restoration work, including work by shipwright Chris Morrison.

Ian Forbes

Posted in Classified, Yachts

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