What’s been happening to Wistari since Easter?
It’s been 5 months since Wistari’s unreal win of the famous Brisbane to Gladstone
We thought we’d check in to see how the sleek little yacht was travelling. Extreme conditions (including owner/skipper Scott Patrick’s head smashing through a window) meant that Wistari needed considerable repair after the tumultuous race
Fix up time
With the same radio playing that his father bought for him back in 1975, Scott has been working hard to fix up the boat before cyclone season this year (and a promised honeymoon cruise with his new bride). While initially intending only to install a new anchor winch to save his back, the damage done during the race led to a much longer list of repairs and improvements.
Nothing is square or symmetrical, so measuring, cutting and fitting timber takes time and precision. But with patience, Scott has prevailed.
Scott also had to replace the toilet! Known in nautical terms as the “head”, this 56-year-old faithful little device was also broken off its mount during the race. To fit a modern toilet that meets all the latest rules required significant changes to the hull. Hopefully, all this work doesn’t add too much weight next time they race!
When we checked in with Scott, he reported that most of what’s left is painting, servicing the engine and some minor repairs. Most amazingly, he stumbled across a couple of empty bottles that are most likely more than 30 years old, stashed there by his father.
Part of local history
Ben Townsley’s eagle eye spotted the address on the Bushland detergent bottle photo on Wistari’s Facebook page and realised the detergent was manufactured within a stone’s throw of the current Pronamics’ office. While Bushland no longer exists in our street, it brought a rush of nostalgia to have that reminder of just how long Wistari has been part of Queensland history.
We are pleased our sponsorship is going towards Wistari getting ship-shape for the next race. This legacy deserves recognition throughout Queensland and Australia, especially because next year will set a record and mark Wistari as the longest racing yacht for the Brisbane to Gladstone with 52 races.