In recent times St Joseph’s Port Lincoln  school coached by Ross Haldane and others has  beaten the Port Lincoln High School which had dominated the scene for around ten years.

It must also be mentioned that Ross has worked tirelessly to help fund and bring the Pacers into Lincoln and South Australian sailing and in recent time and has been one of the reasons teams racing has spread to  most areas of South Australia. Something Lincoln should be proud of leading the way. Lincoln has dominated State team sailing for a decade. In recent times it has been St Josephs turn to take over in Lincoln.  

Later came  George Mayne's "Pavana", Stan Morgan's "Pelorus" and others .

After the sharpies died the ocean going fleet of keel boats began to grow. Jack Randall sold "Alloway" to Roly Johnson (Later Commodore)  whose crew was Billy Kemp. Jack then began building the first local ocean going butter box (Marine Ply) Black Soo "Utekiah" in the club . At the same time in Adelaide "Sundowner", "Scimitar" and  other plywood racing machines were being built. Fibre Glass hulls and Aluminium  spars and stainless  steel rigging were rapidly tacking the place of wood

Around this time the keel boat fleet was growing. "Pavana" left "Seafarer" ,"Shadow" John Swann & Dion Manthorpe arrived, harbour master Captain Pep Manthorpe with "Josephine" was here. Later taken over by Dick Leech & Doctor Keith Kneebone. Doctor Wicks & Chemist John Justin Had the Tumlaren  "Unity", later taken over by John Karger from ETSA.  Keith Smith deputy principal of the high school had "Tromie".

4 more butter boxes were built  25 footers, Van Da Stat Primaats. Harry Boxes "Aurora", Merv Aird's "Tammy", Alwyn “Scrub” Scrubys  "Nimbus" and Graham Collinson’s "Aerial". These added to the three home made 36 foot steel boats Wilson Hissey’s "Rufus L", Brian Bains "Nyandra L" & Geoff Ives’s "Rhythm". Ken Pearce  purchased his spacesailer  24 "Calypso" and Roger Trevor purchased a  Santanna 22 "Cooyeana", Nev Cowan had his bluebird and Phil Wyne (editor of the Times) was around with "Chowringie" previously owned by the Stephens family.

Other boats  were coming. The racing was hotting up. Jim Shepperd purchased  the 22 foot blue bird "Rum Runner" and Chas Rigg  arrived on the scene as the  Eyre Peninsula service manger for international  he sailed in in the "If". Its motor didn’t work.

When the first Lincoln week regatta was sailed in 1976 in honour of Matthew Flinders The Port Lincoln Club had a fleet of 153 boats  including 17 in div  one and 16 in div two with around 300 members involved in sailing . Four Van Da Statt  Black soos  built locally . "Utekiah" Jack Randall named after his fathers boat and  Lincoln First fishing inspector."Tango" John & Rob Hopping, "Mako"  Barry Roach & "Curio" John Karger. These boats  had some fast, close racing and  would come in seconds apart  after long races including the wedge island and overnight races. The smaller primaats were also having a similar tussle. Doctor Allan O'Donnell purchased the Primate "Sir William Dampier" and renamed it the "Eros" which was purchased by Phil Roe who was moving out of moths with his father in law Jim McLellan. 

Philip later purchased Hopping's Black Soo "Tango" as the Hopping's and Barry Roach moved up to the new 30 ft Va Da Statt Pions "Caprice II" & "Bad Company" where they continued to have  great close racing for a number of years. Reg kemp purchased "Curio" then later the Jock Sturrocks S&S 34 "Betty". The Joe Puglisis’s 40 foot Adams, "Dominant Factor". Reg and Stephen have had some outstanding successes on their way through herons, Solings and ocean going classes Barry Roach  purchased Boby Puglisis 40 ft Adams, "Pronto". Barry had many successes including sailing in the Sydney Hobart. Barry was one of the longest serving handicappers on the Adelaide Lincoln race committee. Bernie & Allan & John Williams built the butter box Seahorse design, "Sayanora". Jack Randall later purchased it  changing the name to "Ulatiah" and later sold  it to  fit out his last boat a glass 27 foot Supersonic he named "Waipawa" and raced it very successfully over a number of years. David Bassham  who had come up from sharpies purchased Jacks Black Soo ,the "Utekiah". David with Dean Cook and Max Bennie (All commodores at some time) later sailed it in the Queenscliffe to Lincoln Race. David Forbes built the Van Da Staat 25 footer "Bandit" purchased later by David Walter and later John Penny.

At around that  time Vic Fauser and his brother purchased the Farr 1104  "Aussie Rules" and Brian & Deidre Turvey purchased  the Farr 1104 they called "53". Allan O'Donnell purchased RSYS Commodore Dick Fidock’s 34 plywood  boat "Cedallion". Later purchased by Bill Richter as Allan fitted out a new Duncanson 34 he called "Taurus", his crew included Kevin Wiebrecht & Bill Flavel and Phil Schapel. Ross Edwards purchased  "Sundowner" from Bryan Price this was later purchased by Ray Gordon. Sister ship in aluminium "Quasar" was purchased by Chas Rigg and raced successfully for some time  till Charles decided to use it for charter work. John hood fitted out and raced successfully the 40 foot  Cole "Pandemonium". His crew included Heather & Graham Ellis, Bill Richter others. Stan Morgan who raced for  years in "Pelorus"  with Rob Hopping, Peter Broad & Charlie Whillas  as his crew for a time. Designed and built the 40 foot steel  yacht "Iniquity" now famous for its charter trips to  the Antartica. The 40ft butterbox "Scimitar" was purchased from Keith Flint by Brian Bain & Jim Bryant both very active club members for many years. A Number of solings were converted into Keel boats and raced successfully. John & Robb Hopping  purchased the J24 "929" crewed by Malcolm Catt, Max Bennie, Peter Broad & Phil Roe. Max Bennie also built and raced "Jigsaw" with Trevor White &,Malcolm Catt as crew.

The main keel boat events raced for  from the 60’s till recently has been around  the bay points trophies. The John Swann memory Cove race. The Brian Verco Reevsby island race and for a time  ‘The Squires Louth Island Race, (Jack Schroeder) Nobody ever put on better shows on the beach than Jack. The overnight race in preparation for the Adelaide Lincoln race  and the Wedge island race which proved to a very tough and dangerous race.

The Adelaide Lincoln Race  became the cruise week via kangaroo island. Some legendary stories can be told in the 60’s and 70’s when cruising was at  its top. They will be added to this chapter as time goes on.

Noel Welfare purchased a Farr hull a fitted out the "Moonraker" with crew including Scott Stenson and Dennis Harcourt. The crew had a lucky escape during the first evening of an Adelaide Lincoln Race when their keel fell off and they were picked up by a yacht following close behind. The boat was rebuilt ands renamed "Moonraker Again" Noel went on to become Port Lincoln’s first International  keel boat race winner. Winning the Darwin to Ambon race in 1987 he sailed in many offshore races including  Sydney/Noumea and a number of Sydney Hobart's and  navigated around Australia. He was awarded the clubs Yachtsman of the year in 1989. His father Ken was a great supporter of the yacht club particularly when the new top club floor was being built. His motor vessel the chum was often used as the Yacht Clubs Flag ship on opening day.

There are many Adelaide Lincoln race stories that could be told like Alan Smiths in "Antares"  (Brian Bolgers boat originally) rounding of Cape Spencer in the dark, dropping  high & dry on to a reef for a few moments. Crew Joe Tippelt got off to look , Allan  yelled for him to get back on board and they were of on the race again in the next moment as a wave lifted them off. Another one is Keith Flint carving up Donington Point at high speed in "Helsal II" in the darkness of the early morning finish. There have been many boats come and gone in recent years. "Top Cat" Tim Nelligan  who sailed with a local crew in the Darwin Ambon race & Sydney Hobart. Squeaker Barwick in "Scavenger". 

As the number, range and speed of boats grew in the 80’s & 90’s and with a combination of the new Lincoln Cove marina ,seven day trading, large crews, new rules and regulations  and higher costs. The fleet changed and expanded rapidly creating  Div 1, Div2 & Div 3  finally collapsing around the year  2000 with Div 3 remaining the only  ocean going racing boats in the club in 2001 fielding a fleet very of around 10-15 boats  back to the division 1  days numbers in the late 60’s.

Class fluctuations through history have been natural and the future looks good for the keel boat  class from around the 8 metres to 13 metre lengths as it builds again and brings new people into  the system.

Once twenty boats moored in front of the club. Only pick up boats moor there now because of the marina. In the past couple of years  there has been a built up of boats mooring at foundation members Axel Stenross’s slip across the bay. With  low price moorings available, a good work shop and a  slip being  renovated specially for small keel boats  use. Keel boat yachting in Boston bay is expected to grow again.

This keel boat story section is still being developed

Their have been  some competition successes already with Lincoln winning State championships titles and the announcement that the State Championships will be held here in the 2003 season. Kay Cotee was due to Launch Sailability at the club when it began but at the last moment couldn’t make it. More history details are required for this  section.

A Day out on club members boats -
Perc Puckridge Skipper of "Volante", and Axel Stenross skipper of "Rio Rita"
 * Note "Pavana" moored in the background

Mr & Mrs Charlton were among the first to be made Honorary Life members.

At the time the club had a very strong noisy Speedboat club which was one of the best in the state. People like Boxer Wagner, Max Fauser, Frank Blacker, Johnny Blacker, Strawb Watson, Johnny Watson and  George Mayne the local Ford dealer (I understand he was the biggest country dealer in SA at the time).

George Richardson was arguably the hardest working and creative secretary the club ever had . He was very talented. With member support he designed the new club house and then proceeded to work with them to raise the  money  to build the first part of the club house. It was opened by the Governor Sir Robert George in  1957. George Richardson was a creator. Clubs are lucky to get them and  only have a few of these people from time to time. A  talented artist he designed the original building which has been upgraded many times since. George also built the model of the "Pavana" on display in the clubhouse. George sailed on it many times including the early Sydney Hobart race and a trip to America. He wrote a book on the "Pavana’s" cruise which was handed on by crewman Wilson Hissey and is kept at Axel Stenross’s Maritime Museum. The bar used to be in the secretaries office. Where you enter the main upstairs hall, used to be a large boatshed roof.  The club used to fire the shot gun from the  balcony to start the races in front of the club. There was a kitchen downstairs where the men's showers now are. There were few amenities. Their were some great parties in the boats shed around the  old piano (later given to the new Coffin Bay club) and on the  old jarrah dance floor which  still partly remains. In its day it was one of the best. There are many stories from this  area. The town used to flock to the shows. High quality at a low price with ladies bringing a plate was the game.

The club held the first cabaret in Port Lincoln( a dance with a licence where you sat around at tables and have a drink. You normally couldn’t do this.)
The club held the first raffle for a Holden motor car at club member and town mayor home Perc Puckridge's where Christopher Nicholls now lives on Flinders highway.
The club picnic was an annual event usually and traditionally held at Spalding cove or monument beach - it was a great family day. something  that seems to be  missing in the 2000’s.
  
With the Heron & Moths & the A  class boom in the late 1960”s the club was having problems coping with the numbers. Many new members had joined and were sailing in the club. One was Harold Blomberry affectionately known as Blom.  He and his wife were retired  farmers from the Arno Bay district they had no children. He had been a great supporter of the Arno Bay Yacht Club. Many of us new him through sailing up there. While not a sailor himself he purchased Brian Verco’s boat "Jo" and organised  friend and Lincoln Club Sharpie sailor Bob Poole to sail it for him. Harold had a few years of  great fun sailing in the Lincoln club and would  come upstairs afterwards and have a couple of scotches and a cigar with all the sailors. he always said he felt very welcome here. members like Axel Stenross, Jack Randall, Reg Aveling, Jimmy Shirras and others were still alive then. Harold died  aged 78 in 1970 and gave every one a surprise and pleasant shock with  a bequest of $25,000.00 to the club. ( In todays money 2001 around $250,000.00) After many debates it was decided to build the top floor . Managed by a committee to be built by club members volunteers using professionals where required. The club borrowed $21,000.00 and came in on budget at around $46,000.00 . There would have been no top floor today without this bequest. The building had a squash court to encourage women to the club and a smaller square bar for  cosy smaller groups.