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Dear Hanneke And The Wharram Crew,
On the 17th April 2024, my new 28′ Tane Nui, “Young Woodleigh II” was finally launched.
It was in the early 1980’s as a young man that I dreamt of building an ocean-going catamaran. Being a surfboard builder and surfer, with a very strong interest in Hawaii and the Polynesian culture, I was drawn to the simplicity and sea keeping abilities of the Double Canoe.

I had read much on multihull design and was impressed with the Wharram designs and purchased a set of plans from your Australian agent in 1982. Work commenced in 1983 and progressed when time and funds allowed, and by 1985 I had two hulls… and that’s where it stayed, more or less until I retired in 2015.

Steady Progress: Building the Dream with a Little Help Along the Way
Returning to the project I steadily worked on the boat, and between lots of life’s interruptions, family commitments, still chasing waves and surfing, tangible progress was seen. I tried to work mostly alone, but the truth is you need help. And I found help in Clinton White a boatbuilder that came on board for all the bigger / two-man jobs. He came in first when it was time to sand and fair the hulls (my Tane Nui is foam sandwich), by the end of the first day he had sanded three sides of the hulls to my one side!!!!! No wonder it took me so long to build the boat!!

Clinton helped with crossbeam construction, bulwarks (love them), painting, helm pod and more. Simon Sadubin of Sydney Wooden boats built me a beautiful mast out of Oregon I had purchased 40 years previously. And there are all the others that helped, to turn hulls over, to transport to a new location (I had four build locations over 40 years), lifting heavy objects or holding a spanner on the other end of a bolt. And my family coming along for the ride, not their dream, but supporting and helping none the less.

Launch Day! More Help Needed Again!
My wife Jenny and I had met Tim Jones and Anna Taylor in South Australia (of Tiki 21 “Quirky” fame), and asked if they would come over to the east coast and help rig and launch the boat and fast track our learning curve once in the water. They graciously accepted and drove over 2000 km across the country, from the West Coast of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia to the Mid North Coast of NSW, in their ancient Mercedes Benz, towing a trailer loaded down with jerry cans of collected vegetable oil to fuel the return trip. Their experience and knowledge was greatly appreciated and invaluable.

And of course. The ‘Wharram team’. Thanks for all your help and advice Hanneke, over the last 7 years. Going back nearly forty years I have letters typed and signed by Ruth, again answering all my questions. In the early 1990s we even had the privilege of James Wharram visiting us for lunch and casting his eye over my hulls. James was in our area attending a Cetaceans Conference. After all these years I have never tired of the design I had chosen to build, to me it is a beautiful and classic looking double canoe, with its roots in Polynesia.

After launching, Tim and Anna stayed for 2 weeks, getting us on the boat daily and heading up our river trying to find somewhere deep and wide enough to raise our sails. We also went out to sea, through the river mouth on two consecutive days. The boat feels incredibly solid and stable, handled crossing the bar and going in and out through the swells and waves. To my inexperienced mind the boat was very responsive and comfortable to helm/handle.

First Adventures: Learning the Ropes and Finding Hidden Gems
Recently, Jenny and I have been up river on our own, in light airs, we raised the main and jib and managed to tack back down river. The river bank coming up way too soon before having to tack and head for the opposite bank. Our first time, and it felt manageable. Looking forward to moving to a bigger waterway so we can learn how handle the boat, with wind and room to move. We have been using the outboard (Tohatsu 9.8 four stroke extra-long leg) to move around the river, and when we crossed the bar going out to sea.

If you look at Google Earth for Nambucca Heads, you will notice another arm to our river system called Warrell Creek, it runs parallel to the ocean beach. We have found a spot up there where we can anchor ‘Young Woodleigh II”. On our last trip, I took my surfboard and was able to walk across to the beach and go surfing.. lovely and isolated, no one around. Not quite the dream I had in mind when a young 30-year-old bought those plans, but it will certainly do for a 73 year old!

A Gratifying Journey: Challenges, Rewards, and Community
It has been a wonderful journey hard at times, frustrating at others, wanting to give up on occasions. The reward at completion has been incredibly satisfying…. if not daunting, now that I have a boat to look after and manage. In the process, time has slipped by, and I have aged.. but I’m not giving up just yet!!


Thank you, Hanneke and your team, for all the hard work you do and for sticking to your original ethos and vision, for safe sea travel for the everyday man and woman. It is a pleasure to be a part of the Wharram sea people community.
Hope to make the Hui one day. Thought I might make it for the ’24 Hui, but I had a boat anchored in a river to look after!
All the very best,
Paul Joske


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