The Alden ketch 'Walkabout' at Barbados

[bajansailor]

I got a surprise phone call a couple of weeks ago from an old pal Clive, who has been owned by the lovely 'Walkabout' for the past 30+ years.
They had recently arrived here after a routine singlehanded passage from the Cape Verdes, en-route to Australia where Walkabout was built in Fremantle in 1952.

Here are a few photos of her at anchor in Carlisle Bay :







And here is her lines plan - this is from the book 'Deep Water and Shoal' by William Albert Robinson, who sailed around the world in the 1920's (I think) in a sister ship to Walkabout called Svaap.



Walkabout's hull is built of jarra, and Clive is very proud of the fact that all of the hull planking, keel, deadwood, stem et al is still original.
He has replaced all of the original steam bent frames though with laminated frames - massively strong, and all of the hull planks are through rivetted to the frames, not just screwed or nailed.
I have a few photos of the interior (which is simply exquisite) - I do not want to post them on this open forum as Walkabout is Clive's home, but if any classic individuals would like copies by email please scribble me a PM.

Some details about her from my Lloyds 'Green Book' :
LOA 33.2', LWL 28.1', Beam 9.5', Draft 6', Registered tonnage 11.98.

[mirelle]

MIRELLE was actually built on SVAAP's lines but with the addition of a counter, the deletion of the mizzen, some fore deadwood cut away and gaff rig.

What is very interesting, looking at Walkabout, is the tremendous difference in freeboard - I have always thought that Mirelle would benefit from another ton of ballast and this rather proves it. WALKABOUT looks much better, I think.

Thanks ever so much for posting that!

I had no idea that WALKABOUT was not only still around but in such good hands.

Absolutely fascinating!

Would love to compare notes.

[ood]

launching D so simple spinaker pole wow

[roach1948]

Mirelle would benefit from another ton of ballast and this rather proves it

You mentioned she was designed for the owner to take to the West Indies - could it be she was designed high, so take on the victuals and water required for such a voyage?

PS. This year Roach's boot-line will go up by an inch!

[bajansailor]

I am sure that Walkabout is well loaded down with stores and gear - Mirelle will probably loose a few inches of freeboard when Andrew stocks up for his passage to the Windies (one day?).

BTW, re Walkabout's dinghy, Seanick on the YBW Forum thinks it is probably a Souter Penguin.

[mirelle]

Yes, of course; Souter Penguin.

Thanks, that had been bothering me.

Roach is certainly correct; Mirelle has (most unusually for an old boat) lost weight in my ownership; when I rebuilt the interior she lost an inch of draft.

[roach1948]

Would this be the same Walkabout Schooner featured on page 33 of Voyaging Under Sail, said to be built by the Driscoll Brother in Australia. If so she has VERY much changed - not onlt the rig but her coachroof arrangment.

[roach1948]

Well I have to say that I really enjoyed reading about Walkabout’s Adventures taking the Saunders Family all the way from Rhodesia to England. It really is a very rewarding read, and really quite a feat given that there were 2 adults and 3 children under the age of ten with them – all packed away in a 33ft hull! The fact they refitted the yacht on a remote island off Mozambique with no road access and living in a makeshift camp was really a book in itself.
I find I always learn something from reading sailing accounts of a long voyage and in this book I rather liked the idea that for a water-saving shower that the Saunders adopted. A garden pressure fertilizer spray was used; By bathing in salt water and using the spray to rinse-off the salt water, they vastly reduced the amount of fresh water they would need to bathe all their children. This is one idea I will adopt if I ever go on a long voyage.

[mirelle]

Same boat I think but has been re-rigged to schooner and back to ketch in her lifetime.

We use the garden spray shower idea - two boys with a magnetic attraction to mud!

[roach1948]

See PM.

Would be interested in reading Robinson's Account in "Svaap", but I don't know the name of the book and ABE did not give a hit even with creative entries. Would you have any idea?

[mirelle]

Deep Water and Shoal.

I've got it.

Swap?