EAGLE STAR

Built in Sydney in 1935 out of Spotted Gum by Captain Hegarty, she worked as a people-ferry and soon sailed south to work as the first ferry in Melbourne.

She worked in Western Port for many years with a colourful history including a mail bag robbery.

The Star worked the Phillip Island run until the bridge was built, afterwhich she endured a number of attempts to rebuild her into a commercial vessel.

She was purchased from her mooring in Western Port Bay and "the Lads" sailed her up the coast on that well documented voyage.

This is a before and after compilation (from bottom to top)

Because of work commitments I could not join them until Coffs Harbour where I watched Ralf surf her down 3.5 metre waves to get her into the harbour.

The next day we left to face a slightly diminished sea (only 2.5 m now) which she handled with ease.

Speaking of ease... my stomach settled quickly as I was put straight to work steering my baby back home.

Once back to Brissy, and meeting something submerged off Moreton Island, we took her out of the water for a complete bottom check, repairs to the stern and fitting a new keel shoe... because timber boats weren't designed to be lifted with straps.

Then back into the water and home to our mooring where Ralf, Tony, the family and I will spend the next twelve months rebuilding her to be our home on the Great Barrier Reef.

At that stage we have enough beds for you to come and join us as we travel from Island to Island.

Oh and do Quilting and Embroidery workshops as we go. I will have a 5 m X 6 m training room on board, decked out with Internet Cameras so no matter where you are in the world, you will be able to have lessons - live - with me online.

The changes may be subtle to the uninitiated but check the small rectangular hole in the hull towards the back... This is the new wet exhaust outlet... makes life much quieter.

Planking has been removed along the entire hull to make ready for the new deck.

The covers along the back are starting to raise as you will see the results to the right.

This is the view from my soon to be new Galley (kitchen) of our massive Dining Room 20 feet long by an average 12 feet wide.

How's about this for a change!!!

From that little bit of deck (see above) to this mass expanse.

WOW!!!

Are we gonna have fun when you join me for classes now.

How about this ?!?!?!?!

Fridge is still in the old Galley area and the doors are still to come but...

THIS IS THE FIRST KITCHEN I GOT TO DESIGN....

and it's the first time anyone has built something like this for me.

There is still an island to be built with all the plates cutlery and a Filtered Water Fountain.

Well we are Back from our Queensland travels and back into building our home again.

The one on the left shows how far we have progressed ...

    The one on the right shows how far we have to go in the next 12 months...

The good news is we have finished a heap of those "hidden" structural type things so now it's going to be more visible changes on a weekly basis.