Sunset on Fire (ex Superstar)

Launched	1977 (date of contract 5/10/77)
Owner	Mark & Gail Horswill
Purchased	2008
Contact	markh8@live.com
Configuration	Tall rig with mark 1 rudder and wheel steering
Colour	White with cream deck
Berthed	Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Yacht Club
Sail Number	PFSYC 313
Australian Registration	1527
State Registration
Call Sign
Builder	Swarbricks
Hull Number	46
Fit Out
Previous Owners	Tom Stack* (noted as owner in 1982+1991), Denis Gee (1992-1999), Robert Woodhead (1999 – 2003), Tim Dallas (2003-08)
Previous Names	Superstar (launched as), Hands in the Kitty, changed back to Superstar by Bob Woodhead. Changed to Sunset on Fire by Mark & Gail Horswill.

The Yacht’s Story

As far as we can tell from Assoc records:

She was originally built by R
Baker, but was later bought by Tom Stack afterwards and owned by him for many
years. The Association first records him as a member in 1982. He sold her
to Denis Gee and his wife Kitty in 1992 and she was renamed “Hands in the
Kitty”. Bob Woodhead wrote to the Association around Christmas/early Jan
1999 that he had bought her and returned to her original name of Superstar.

Tim Dallas bought Superstar in
2003 and
converted her back to racing form and for several years spent most Saturdays racing at SoPYC and Wednesday twilights.

She was purchased by Mark &
Gail Horswill in 2008, renamed Sunset on Fire and moved to PFSYC.

About the Owners

From Tim Dallas:

Tim
purchased Superstar in 2003 with the intention of cruising back to the UK after
a couple of years working in WA. Meanwhile, he fell in love with WA and then
with an Aussie lass who ended up becoming his wife. Hence log distance
cruising plans to Europe have been put in indefinite hold

Leanne only enjoys gentle cruises up and down the Swan River where her legendary hostessing skills come to the fore. She used to race but didn’t like to spill the nibbles when the boat got “tippy”.
For a while we had a reputation for the only boat racing on the river with a fully crewed galley.

From Mark Horswill, 2010:

Gail and I
purchased what was then Superstar in 2008 after a brief look before flying
overseas on holidays. All the negotiations and purchase took place by email
while travelling through Italy and France.

I have been
racing yachts in WA for over 20 years mainly ocean racing and decided it time to
own my own. Gail on the other hand is well experienced with twilight sailing and
agreed to the purchase providing we stayed close to shore. I wanted a safe boat
that could be handled by two people and with stand WA coast conditions. Having
completed a Sydney Hobart on an S&S 34 I always had respect for their sea
worthiness so an S&S 34 it was to be.

I work away but
when I am home we take her sailing sometimes cruising, sometimes racing. Gail is
becoming comfortable with the boat and racing and recently picked up a second in
the Ladies skippers race at Perth Flying Squadron. After a couple of great trips
to Rottnest sailing into some great sunsets we decided to rename her Sunset on
Fire.

We plan to
continue the trips to Rottnest and gradually further a field as our confidence
and skills at handling her two up improve. In the meantime we are just enjoying
the journey.

& from Gail Horswill:

As a wife of a
yachty, I really havent had a lot of hands on experience except sitting at the
back of yachts, watching the crew make every thing work smoothly, so when we
decided to purchase Superstar/Sunset on Fire I thought how hard could it be, may
I say I have lost a bit of skin and had a few bruises, but it has all been good
fun, as time goes on Im learning more and more and I love the yacht and
sailing, Mark is a very patient skipper and a good teacher, I love going to
Rotto and hopefully we will venture further and as Mark said above we are both
enjoying the journey