HISTORY
History has been hard to track, Warwick Logan and Robert Becket the only previous owners I could contact. I was priviliged to have spoken to Peter Wesley the son of the original owner and Jack Christoffersen who was crew on her in the late 1940s. Please excuse the content on this page as much is still snippets of information I have gleaned and not fully edited as of yet..
The Wesleys
Peter Wesley confirms she was built on Manly - East Wharf road in Balmain in 1936. He claims that despite the depression no expense was spared on the fit out, and only the best Australian timbers were employed. Peter also remembers his father had an association with Cockatoo Dock in 1920 to 1938 so that may explain Cecil Boden as the designer.
Peter tells of a father who had the yacht built not as a racing yacht but as a cruising boat for the family and his younger second wife “Ena”. Unfortunately Ena the wife was not predisposed to sailing after being frightened during a sail on Sydney Harbour.
Peter advised she was rigged by Harry West as a gaff rigged ketch. This was changed to a gaff rigged schooner either during or before World War 2. The mythical links to TI may have been through a family friend who was a air pilot in Thursday Island.
The yacht had a sailing master called Captain Osbourne who was in the Royal Naval reserve. Capt Osbourne lived in a property on Brewery road. This is later confirmed by Mr Christoffersen. Peter also remembers a Seppy (spelling) Stephens as crew. His father may have been a member of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, however he was not a “Club” man and never raced.
She was sometimes moored at Nicholson in Balmain, Vaucluse Bay and Quarantine Bay. Possibly moored near Coolang Road
In 1947 his father came out of the Army. The boat was sold in 1951 or 1952.
Peter remembers a sail to Port Stephens. He mentions a Captain ‘Dicky” Diamond as part of the crew.
Jack Christoffersen
Jack was a young man in the late 1940’s and sailed with Dr Wesley as crew sailing the harbour and at times trips to Pittwater. He tells of a thrilling solo trip from Pittwater to her berth in Vaucluse Bay as an young 18 year old.
At that time he remembers her rigged as a gaff rigged schooner with a jib and staysail. He confirms her moored at Vaucluse Bay and at times in Snails Bay where Capt Osborne resided in a house owned by the R.W. Miller Coal Merchants family
Jack confirms Capt. Osborne was responsible for the upkeep and running of the vessel. He had the rank of Commodore in the Naval Reserve and claims at one time to have sunk a German U Boat during WW1 with Joseph Conrad as part of the crew. (There is a book with Conrad helping sink a submarine from a fishing boat -At Sea with Joseph Conrad)
Warwick Logan
Under sail Jervis Bay
The original interior
Warwick weaves a tale of a young Robert obsessed with owning Ena, finally managing to get him to reluctantly sell.
Robert Beckett
Robert tells a story of an aging yacht with rot desperately in need of some serious attention. We have been told by some that the yacht spent many years in the river at Mooloolaba open to the weather and lived in by the local bird life. She also features in Alan Lucas cruising the Coral coast moored in the Tin Can Bay. Perhaps she did suffer some neglect at some stage. The log kept by Robert indicates a number of serious repairs undertaken to stop leaks etc. Finally Robert gives in and decides upon a serious refit.
The Refit
Robert’ Beckett’s refit was no ordinary undertaking. Carried out over 6 months at Hawkes Shipyard in Airlie Beach, Robert effectively built a new Ena. The project photographs show Ena stripped of her decks and internal cabins. She was re ribbed with copper fastenings, had new floors fitted.
The bilge was completely painted with red lead
New keel bolts attach the keel. Rob fabricated laminated deck beams and fitted new beautifully curved and finished partial bulkheads.
He laid and dynal sheathed a 2 x ¾” plywood deck . He also built a new coach house from 1 1/2” red bean mahogany. Ena sports a bridge deck. He fabricated a new cockpit which is finished with mahogany trim and winch pads.
Robert provides a list of the materials that went into the rebuild.
An amusing photo shows Robert burning the materials removed from the refit.
The result has been a hull that rarely takes water even now some 20 years later. She takes a couple of bucket fulls in the bilges after beating in strong weather. We suspect the garboard seams give in this case. Normally her bilges are generally clean and dry.
Since her rebuild Robert laid white beach decks set in Durrum caulked with Silkaflex.
He then proceeded to fit out the interior in Australian hardwoods, contrasting red mahoganies with silver ash accents. Bulkheads are finished in strip planked cedar.
Robert a Carpenter by trade worked much of his time as a Shipwright travelling internationally to work on the fit out of Yachts It is easy to see Robert’s love of wood in the standard of finish achieved. Where possible Rob rescued much of the original Mackay cedar cabin furniture.
When the previous owner lifted the masts he found some old 19?? Pennies. When we restepped after making scarf repairs to some cracks in the glue lines we put a real gold coin in, a Mexican peseta, the smallest gold coin I could afford. One day I will replace it with something nobler to ensure Ena has continuing good luck.
Pat Evans,
Gordon Beattie built a yacht for Doctor Wesley in 1936 on the waterfront at Lookes Avenue, East Balmain.
Pat was then a teenager and was employed on that project for some time.
Dr Wesley was a general practitioner and lived in Darling Street, Balmain.
During the same time Gordon Beattie built a work boat for Morts Dock on the waterfront next to Bailey and Jorgenson’s property.
I spent a lot of time in my young years around the harbour.
Jane & Shayne Conway [jsconway@bigpond.net.au]
Remembers Ena in the early 80s moored in Bulimba creek with two pretty American girls on board. He was a shipwright at Norman Wrights at the time. He also remembers working on New Horisons a Norman Wright design chartering out of Rosslyn Bay. He thinks it was slipped at Norman Wrights.
Lloyds Register of Yachts 1953 to 1958
There are entries in the 1953-1958 editions of Lloyd's yacht register for a vessel named Ena that was built in Sydney in 1938, the details recorded are:
Wood Auxiliary ketch of 23 tons
Built in 1938 by J. Beatty in Sydney, NSW
Designer: C. Boton
Sailmaker: Anthill (50)
Owner R. C. Griffiths, Balgowlah C/O Sydney Amateur Sailing Club.
Length: 44.5 ft
Breadth: 12.5 ft
Depth: 7.25 ft
Lloyds Register of Ships ENA II 850723 13.7 1936 Yacht Sydney Registered
The builder was Beattie & Sons, Balmain, NSW, and the year of building 1936.
The ship was built for Dr Wassell of Thursday Island.
This ship was first registered on 9 May 1983. Our records indicate a history of ownership as follows:
1936 Beattie & Sons, Balmain, NSW (Builders).
1936 - 1953 Dr Wassell, Thursday Island
1953 - 1975 Frederick Richard Jackson, 58 Wayne Avenue, Lugarno, NSW.
(Mr Jackson was dead by 1983.)
1975 - 1984 Warwick Adrian Logan, 18 Danenong Street, Nambour, QLD.
1984 - 1996 Robert Alan Beckett, 150 Hastings Parade, North Bondi, NSW .
1996 - Current Andrew William Craig and Maisie Elizabeth Craig, 1/77 Chestnut Street, Wynnum, QLD.
The ownership history from the builder to Mr Logan was taken from a statutory declaration dated 16 March 1983 given by Mr Logan.
Mr Logan was the first registered owner of the ship. He established his ownership to the ship by submitting the above mentioned statutory declaration and advertising in the Commonwealth Gazette (No G12 of 29 March 1983) of his intention to register the ship in his name. All subsequent owners were required to submit a Bill of Sale to have their ownership registered.
Dr Charles Herbert Wesley, Paediatrician, born 9-9-1890
Became an AMA Member 1915
In 1964 Medical Directory =
Dr Charles Herbert Wesley MB 1914 ChM 1920 Sydney Hon Consultant Surgeon Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children Hon Consultant Surgeon Balmain Hospital WWI New Guinea, AHS Grantala, Gallipoli, France, Belgium Canal Zone lived at 20 Salisbury Rd Rose Bay.
He graduated from Sydney University in 1914, worked as a surgeon at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and at Balmain District Hospital in the Clinic for Plastic and Reparative Surgery. His WW1 service took him to New Guinea, Gallipoli, France and Belgium. In 1960 his practice address was 149 Macquarie Street (this building is now partially owned by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians) and he was living at 20 Salisbury Road, Rose Bay.
We have an old address at Balmain, although do not show a street name or number, he had a practice at 135 Macquarie Street for 8 years, and 149 Macquarie Street for many years after that.
Retired in 1961
Died 2 August 1968, husband of Ena, father of Peter and Suzanne (Newspaper clipping from 1968 from the Births, Marriages and Deaths column.)
Peter Wesley confirmed that Dr Charles Wesley was his father. He remembered the boat, and is happy for you to contact him on (02) 99051224 or mail to PO Box W161 Warringah Mall NSW 2100.
There has been a run of letters in Afloat about the yacht Ena. Gordon Beattie built a yacht for Doctor Wesley in 1936 on the waterfront at Lookes Avenue, East Balmain.
I was then a teenager and was employed on that project for some time.
Dr Wesley was a general practitioner and lived in Darling Street, Balmain.
During the same time Gordon Beattie built a work boat for Morts Dock on the waterfront next to Bailey and Jorgenson’s property.
I spent a lot of time in my young years around the harbour.
Pat Evans,
Fingal Bay
Dear Sir
You published my letter previously seeking the history of the Yacht Ena II.
I would like to thank your magazine and Mr Jack Christoffersen who promptly replied and has allowed me to piece the jigsaw puzzle together.
It is surprising how an elaborate myth of ownership was sown. Anecdotally Ena was built for a Dr Wassell in 1936 reported to be a Thursday Island doctor. He was also reported to be taken with the design of the Thursday Island Lugger and commissioned Cecil Boden to design a miniature lugger. The resulting yacht was built by John Beatty a boat builder in Balmain Sydney. There was a doctor on Thursday Island called Wassell, he died in 1915, his son an eminent entomologist never owned a yacht
The true history of Ena known fondly as "The Ena" is she was built in 1936 for a Dr Charles Herbert Wesley a Paediatrician. Ena was his wife's name.
I have since been very fortunate to speak to his son Peter Wesley and confirm the link.
Ena was first registered in 1954 on the Register of Yachts (Lloyds) as "Ena" 44ft OA, 36ft WL, 6ft draft Official Number 2101, Aux Ketch, 23T, Built J Beatty 1938, owned by R C Griffiths. The designer was listed as C Boton. If any of your readers have any further information I would still be pleased to hear from them.
Again thankyou.
Andrew and Maisie Craig
Yacht Ena II
Email ena_ii@hotmail.com.au
Harry West Sail maker
Park in Balmain
Peter Wesely 80 in November
In the army in 50s boat sold whilst in army
Sailed on it as a young lad
Seppy Stephens was a cripple
Osbourne was in the RN in ww1 and ww2
Christophesens dad was a Swede
