The Yacht’s Story

Sept 2005 Update:

Over the past few years Gypsy II has undergone a number of changes to convert her into a blue water cruiser. Her rig has been strengthened with the addition of inner forestays and running backs turning her into a cutter. Roller furler, boombag and lazy jacks have been added to help with short handed sail handling. Her deck join has been glassed over to add strength and eliminate persistent leaks in heavy weather. A Flemming wind vane, targa bar with solar panels and cockpit skirts have also been added to complete her transformation.

Since leaving West Australia in 1999 Gypsy has cruised the southern waters of Tasmania and completed a circumnavigation of the South Island of New Zealand. She is currently moored in Kettering. Her owner James and his partner Nicky have recently added to the crew with the birth of twins Thomas and Lily. Since the arrival of the new crew they have still managed to get away on Gypsy as earlier as three and a half weeks after the birth of the twins. Nicky and James plan to keep their sailing close to home for the next couple of years but are planning to sail north some time in the not too distant future.

Gypsy II in New Zealand (April 2004)

James Garde a stalwart 34 owner from Taroona in Tasmania has spent the summer cruising the land of the long white cloud. He reports that he recently returned home to find the February 2004 S&S 34 Newsletter awaiting and realized it was the appropriate time to tell us about Gypsy II. They left Tasmania last December making landfall at the Bluff on the southern tip of the South Island. From the Bluff Gypsy II sailed to Steward Island which James notes was a perfect wilderness even with a month of gales only broken by storms. (Sailing in those conditions says much about the quality of the yacht and the intrepid sailor).

James then sailed up the east coast of the South Island to Dunedin, Gmaro, Akaroa,and Malboura Sound, and onward to Nelson, Able Tasman and back to Nelson.  He has left Gypsy in Nelson as work called but he is planning to head to NZ around April to pick her up and bring her back to Hobart. “You don’t see too many S&S 34s down this neck of the woods (Tasmania or New Zealand or both?)” says James .