Krusty
Well-Known Member
I have always puzzled over the builder's brass plate on the bulkhead of my Pionier 10. It records that she was built 1973 (I gave it as '72 in error in a previous post) and her name at launch was GRETEL III.
I wondered what connection there could be with the first Australian challenger for the America's Cup, also GRETEL. I found that GRETEL was built for Sir Fred Packer, a keen sailor and very successful businessman in Oz. She was built in wood (1962), the last of the 12-metre class challengers, and is now in a museum in her home country.
GRETEL II was built in 1970 for the second Australian challenge, again financed by Sir Fred. I seem to recall that she was shipped to Britain for working-up races against Sceptre, our defeated challenger. In all probability, Sir Fred was in the UK for those races. GRETEL II was in turn defeated, 4 to 1, by INTREPID.
Was it possible that one of the new Pionier 10 class was to be Sir Fred's personal consolation toy?...and if so, why did it not go to Oz?
Through Google, I have just found that Lady Packer's name was Gretel, and Sir Fred died in 1974, the year my boat was Part I registered as PIOTA.
So I have a (very) small part of sailing history!
I wondered what connection there could be with the first Australian challenger for the America's Cup, also GRETEL. I found that GRETEL was built for Sir Fred Packer, a keen sailor and very successful businessman in Oz. She was built in wood (1962), the last of the 12-metre class challengers, and is now in a museum in her home country.
GRETEL II was built in 1970 for the second Australian challenge, again financed by Sir Fred. I seem to recall that she was shipped to Britain for working-up races against Sceptre, our defeated challenger. In all probability, Sir Fred was in the UK for those races. GRETEL II was in turn defeated, 4 to 1, by INTREPID.
Was it possible that one of the new Pionier 10 class was to be Sir Fred's personal consolation toy?...and if so, why did it not go to Oz?
Through Google, I have just found that Lady Packer's name was Gretel, and Sir Fred died in 1974, the year my boat was Part I registered as PIOTA.
So I have a (very) small part of sailing history!