The Stuart Petrol Marine Engine.
Much to the dismay of a number of people, the Stuart petrol marine engine is not known as the Stuart Turner motor.
Manufactured in England at Henley-on-Thames by Stuart Turner Ltd, they were known as the Stuart Turner but correctly they were called the Stuart petrol marine engine.
For decades these tough little water cooled 2 stroke motors were the propulsion system of choice on the river and sea, both here and around the world. Economical, reliable and easy to fix were the bywords by which they were known and even now they ply their trade on the Swan river. The 8 horse power motor was the most popular version.
They have been sent to the bottom of the river, dried out, given a good once over and have fired up again willingly. They have towed other yachts under bridges and have acted as the power source to many a family holidaying over at Rottnest when the need to come home was upon them and there was no wind to speak of.
This booklet may be reproduced for another owners benefit at any time and I will reproduce at another time, some of the funnier stories about them that have been written by club members. See below!
For those who note that pages 35 and 36 are missing, I can only surmise that they were the pricing pages and have been removed by the Australian distributors?????
Many thanks to Lyle Dedman a well known H28 crewman of the 80's and 90's for his contribution of this booklet.
Much to the dismay of a number of people, the Stuart petrol marine engine is not known as the Stuart Turner motor.
Manufactured in England at Henley-on-Thames by Stuart Turner Ltd, they were known as the Stuart Turner but correctly they were called the Stuart petrol marine engine.
For decades these tough little water cooled 2 stroke motors were the propulsion system of choice on the river and sea, both here and around the world. Economical, reliable and easy to fix were the bywords by which they were known and even now they ply their trade on the Swan river. The 8 horse power motor was the most popular version.
They have been sent to the bottom of the river, dried out, given a good once over and have fired up again willingly. They have towed other yachts under bridges and have acted as the power source to many a family holidaying over at Rottnest when the need to come home was upon them and there was no wind to speak of.
This booklet may be reproduced for another owners benefit at any time and I will reproduce at another time, some of the funnier stories about them that have been written by club members. See below!
For those who note that pages 35 and 36 are missing, I can only surmise that they were the pricing pages and have been removed by the Australian distributors?????
Many thanks to Lyle Dedman a well known H28 crewman of the 80's and 90's for his contribution of this booklet.
The Stuart Marine Engine Instruction Manual for the P5 and P55
I've noticed that there has been a considerable interest in this page and I assume it's people looking for more info about the motor. I found this at the bottom of a box full of H28 paraphernalia and I very carefully separated each page from the next so that it could go up on line.
It's rather embarrassing to have to say this, but I uploaded the first two pages as separate identities rather than part of the one PDF file. So you'll have to plough through three frames rather than one. Ooops!
I've noticed that there has been a considerable interest in this page and I assume it's people looking for more info about the motor. I found this at the bottom of a box full of H28 paraphernalia and I very carefully separated each page from the next so that it could go up on line.
It's rather embarrassing to have to say this, but I uploaded the first two pages as separate identities rather than part of the one PDF file. So you'll have to plough through three frames rather than one. Ooops!
So well regarded is the Stuart petrol marine engine, that a couple of the scribes have interviewed one of them and the result has been engrossing as the little fellow told his tale.
The first interview was written for Soundings 2009 by the scribe of the day Vic Court (007)
007: Hi Stuart , you are looking a bit miserable today.
ST: So would you be, living in the bottom of a yacht bilge all your life.
007: How did you become acquainted with the H28 fleet of boats?
ST: I think Herreshoff designed his boats around me!
007: Fine, Stuey. Is it true that you have been the subject of abuse during your life?
ST: Yes, both verbal and physical, but I get my revenge. I hiss, spit, backfire and kick
back at the abusers.
007: Is it true you have an aversion to ocean sailing?
ST: Very true. Each time I sense the Fremantle Bridges ahead of me I get nervous,
sometimes I stop breathing or have an heart attack.
007: Your family numbers seem to be reducing with relatives going to their grave yards.
ST: Very sad, but organ transplants have kept a lot going. Some owners have shown
loyalty to the family and have been kind and gentle, namely Colin Youngs, John
Wright and Vic Court.
007: Vic Court! I have heard of him, he couldn't be gentle and kind to anyone.
ST: Yes he is. He is preserving two of my relatives in his shed at home.
007: As the new families join our fleet such as Diesel and Electric, I hope you will never be forgotten.
ST: Thank you 007
The next Interview was written in 2013 for the November issue as a follow up to 007's effort
With apologies to 007:
We have decided to re-interview Mr. Stuart Carina Turner, one of the few Stuarts still working around the club. He has a number of relatives namely Stuart Georgina Turner and Stuart Anna Turner with another cousin over at Claremont yacht club by the name of Stuart Greta Turner.
Stuart has been proud of his achievements over the years and the long history of the Stuart Turners with Herreshoff 28’s, though he feels a little hardly done by as 007 refuses to use him except under dire emergencies and then mutters when Stuart rightly has problems starting at the first turn of the crank.
In the interview, Stuart pointed out that his relatives at the club were still earning their keep and that it was only fair that 007 should make more use of him. “I’ve been on this boat for over 60 years and Bob Colquhoun and I used to have great fun, back in the 70’s and 80’s.” he said. “I can keep up with the diesel motors and I’ve met the new electrical fellow in the boat next door, he has his limits too, I don’t think I’d want to go offshore with him.”
Mr Turner was then asked how he felt about his skipper joining the submariner fleet, if only fleetingly, a few years ago.
“007 has never worked me too hard and when we went to the bottom, I got two new coils and the best clean out that you could imagine. A new fuel filter and a fresh tank of petrol as well.” “Look,” he said, “I’ve still got half of it left.”
The last question was put to Stuart; to ask him where he thought the H28’s were going for the next 50 years.
“So long as I’m pushing them around, they’ll be fine”, he said as he spun slowly in the bottom of the boat. “The main thing is to keep the love of wooden boats around, then I’ll always have the work”.
This last interview was written to allow Stuart to talk about what he enjoys out of life on the river.
Stuart Carina Turner has a chat to the scribe.
Scribe: It has been noticed recently Stuart, that you were rather extravagantly used last summer.
Would you care to comment?
ST: Thank you Mr. Scribe, well err, how can I begin?
Scribe: The beginning will be fine thanks, Stuart.
ST: Alright smart ass. At the beginning it is.
ST: The regular crew on board 007's boat decided that they would like to give me a chance to strut my stuff last season
and with a flush out of the fuel system and new plugs, they can get out to the start line with very few problems at all.
Scribe: Isn't this contrary to 007's previous practices?
ST: Well yes, but I've been watching Stuart Anna Turner recently and she isn't a bit fazed by continuous work. 007 was
good enough to take me through the bridges on the way down to Rockingham last summer and I didn't mind much.
Scribe: What do you attribute to the change of heart by 007?
ST: Neither of us is getting any younger and the crew look forward to getting to our
berth on time and in time, so they can have a relaxing ale.
Scribe: I am delighted that at your venerable age you are still pulling strongly; have you
noticed that on the WAH28 website you have been made a minor celebrity?
ST: Well if 007 would upgrade his browser so that we weren't still getting re runs of
"I love Lucy", I might be able to follow what's going on, but all I hear is the
gossip around the jetty, so I'm slightly disadvantaged. Stuart Georgina hasn't
been out for a while and is sulking because she knows less than I do.
Scribe: Never mind Stuart, 007 will fill you in on the details I'm sure.
ST: What's this I hear about Eun Na Mara returning to the club?
Scribe: Does the boat have any significance to you?
ST: I'll say, one of the cutest diesels I've heard and she is still running the winches
from the French yacht Anitra. Now they were classy French bits of machinery.
Scribe: Ok, Stuart Carina, I think we'll wind it up here, you are starting to overheat a little.
Thanks for your time today.
ST: Oh any time Scribe.... same time next year?
007: Hi Stuart , you are looking a bit miserable today.
ST: So would you be, living in the bottom of a yacht bilge all your life.
007: How did you become acquainted with the H28 fleet of boats?
ST: I think Herreshoff designed his boats around me!
007: Fine, Stuey. Is it true that you have been the subject of abuse during your life?
ST: Yes, both verbal and physical, but I get my revenge. I hiss, spit, backfire and kick
back at the abusers.
007: Is it true you have an aversion to ocean sailing?
ST: Very true. Each time I sense the Fremantle Bridges ahead of me I get nervous,
sometimes I stop breathing or have an heart attack.
007: Your family numbers seem to be reducing with relatives going to their grave yards.
ST: Very sad, but organ transplants have kept a lot going. Some owners have shown
loyalty to the family and have been kind and gentle, namely Colin Youngs, John
Wright and Vic Court.
007: Vic Court! I have heard of him, he couldn't be gentle and kind to anyone.
ST: Yes he is. He is preserving two of my relatives in his shed at home.
007: As the new families join our fleet such as Diesel and Electric, I hope you will never be forgotten.
ST: Thank you 007
The next Interview was written in 2013 for the November issue as a follow up to 007's effort
With apologies to 007:
We have decided to re-interview Mr. Stuart Carina Turner, one of the few Stuarts still working around the club. He has a number of relatives namely Stuart Georgina Turner and Stuart Anna Turner with another cousin over at Claremont yacht club by the name of Stuart Greta Turner.
Stuart has been proud of his achievements over the years and the long history of the Stuart Turners with Herreshoff 28’s, though he feels a little hardly done by as 007 refuses to use him except under dire emergencies and then mutters when Stuart rightly has problems starting at the first turn of the crank.
In the interview, Stuart pointed out that his relatives at the club were still earning their keep and that it was only fair that 007 should make more use of him. “I’ve been on this boat for over 60 years and Bob Colquhoun and I used to have great fun, back in the 70’s and 80’s.” he said. “I can keep up with the diesel motors and I’ve met the new electrical fellow in the boat next door, he has his limits too, I don’t think I’d want to go offshore with him.”
Mr Turner was then asked how he felt about his skipper joining the submariner fleet, if only fleetingly, a few years ago.
“007 has never worked me too hard and when we went to the bottom, I got two new coils and the best clean out that you could imagine. A new fuel filter and a fresh tank of petrol as well.” “Look,” he said, “I’ve still got half of it left.”
The last question was put to Stuart; to ask him where he thought the H28’s were going for the next 50 years.
“So long as I’m pushing them around, they’ll be fine”, he said as he spun slowly in the bottom of the boat. “The main thing is to keep the love of wooden boats around, then I’ll always have the work”.
This last interview was written to allow Stuart to talk about what he enjoys out of life on the river.
Stuart Carina Turner has a chat to the scribe.
Scribe: It has been noticed recently Stuart, that you were rather extravagantly used last summer.
Would you care to comment?
ST: Thank you Mr. Scribe, well err, how can I begin?
Scribe: The beginning will be fine thanks, Stuart.
ST: Alright smart ass. At the beginning it is.
ST: The regular crew on board 007's boat decided that they would like to give me a chance to strut my stuff last season
and with a flush out of the fuel system and new plugs, they can get out to the start line with very few problems at all.
Scribe: Isn't this contrary to 007's previous practices?
ST: Well yes, but I've been watching Stuart Anna Turner recently and she isn't a bit fazed by continuous work. 007 was
good enough to take me through the bridges on the way down to Rockingham last summer and I didn't mind much.
Scribe: What do you attribute to the change of heart by 007?
ST: Neither of us is getting any younger and the crew look forward to getting to our
berth on time and in time, so they can have a relaxing ale.
Scribe: I am delighted that at your venerable age you are still pulling strongly; have you
noticed that on the WAH28 website you have been made a minor celebrity?
ST: Well if 007 would upgrade his browser so that we weren't still getting re runs of
"I love Lucy", I might be able to follow what's going on, but all I hear is the
gossip around the jetty, so I'm slightly disadvantaged. Stuart Georgina hasn't
been out for a while and is sulking because she knows less than I do.
Scribe: Never mind Stuart, 007 will fill you in on the details I'm sure.
ST: What's this I hear about Eun Na Mara returning to the club?
Scribe: Does the boat have any significance to you?
ST: I'll say, one of the cutest diesels I've heard and she is still running the winches
from the French yacht Anitra. Now they were classy French bits of machinery.
Scribe: Ok, Stuart Carina, I think we'll wind it up here, you are starting to overheat a little.
Thanks for your time today.
ST: Oh any time Scribe.... same time next year?
From Soundings published in February 2015
From the Stuart Turner monologues.
I'm just a little motor and I try to do my best.
I'll work when you need me, please don't put me out to rest.
But I can't work for free, you know or otherwise I'll die.
Oil and petrol you remember, but maintenance is what I cry.
Points and plugs must be inspected and seals should be tested
And the cooling system checked each time I start.
If you haven't got the habit, then you're just a flamin' rabbit.
And it's nothing but black smoke that I will fart.
I'm just a little motor and I try to do my best.
I'll work when you need me, please don't put me out to rest.
But I can't work for free, you know or otherwise I'll die.
Oil and petrol you remember, but maintenance is what I cry.
Points and plugs must be inspected and seals should be tested
And the cooling system checked each time I start.
If you haven't got the habit, then you're just a flamin' rabbit.
And it's nothing but black smoke that I will fart.
This is the fifth in the series and carries on from the little ditty last presented. It was written by the H28 scribe in 2016 and is a notation on what was happening with Georgina at the time.
A Thought for Georgina.
Poor Stuart Georgina.
Left alone for months, sniffling and backfiring when she was whipped into life. Sitting at the bottom of a hull that was slowly falling in around her ears.
Whimpering, she listened to her prospective owners as they clambered aboard each week to look at the boat that was so cheap to buy. Would they be kind, would they love her; could they see that she was ready to perform for them? And so they left and weeks passed, with the baking sun pouring down through the rents in the cover and the water rising around the unattended bilges.
It was a lurch that woke her rudely from her worthless dozing.
"Lets see what the engine's like," a soft voice said and the hatch over her head was lifted up. "Oh dear" the voice said. "She hasn't run for a while has she". A once familiar voice cried that a few turns over was all she needed and hands proceeded to prime her carburettor, pull at the choke and then stab the starter repeatedly.
Seizing her chance, Georgina started bravely with nothing less than everything she had in the effort. With a loud report that echoed off the surrounding hulls she belched and blew out the muck of the last months of inaction and began to spin merrily. "Funny" the familiar voice muttered under his breath, "she hasn't done that for a while."
"Well that's one question out of the way" the soft voice said, "lets see what the rest of the hull is like" and the voices trailed away as they moved toward the bow. But she kept running happily. Maybe this time.
Shut down again, all she could do is wait, then a week or so later, she was again opened up to the sky, started and then she found herself heading out onto the river again. No more foul tasting pen water ...decent river water at last. Her joy was short lived as she found herself being taken up on the slips. From the talk amongst the boats, she knew what that meant, inspection time for the boat and possibly a clean for the hull and check over of the boats structure under the water. "Good, it's about time the propeller was cleaned," she thought and the prospect cheered her mightily.
Georgina was sold and continued for a while, but again her fortunes changed.
A Thought for Georgina.
Poor Stuart Georgina.
Left alone for months, sniffling and backfiring when she was whipped into life. Sitting at the bottom of a hull that was slowly falling in around her ears.
Whimpering, she listened to her prospective owners as they clambered aboard each week to look at the boat that was so cheap to buy. Would they be kind, would they love her; could they see that she was ready to perform for them? And so they left and weeks passed, with the baking sun pouring down through the rents in the cover and the water rising around the unattended bilges.
It was a lurch that woke her rudely from her worthless dozing.
"Lets see what the engine's like," a soft voice said and the hatch over her head was lifted up. "Oh dear" the voice said. "She hasn't run for a while has she". A once familiar voice cried that a few turns over was all she needed and hands proceeded to prime her carburettor, pull at the choke and then stab the starter repeatedly.
Seizing her chance, Georgina started bravely with nothing less than everything she had in the effort. With a loud report that echoed off the surrounding hulls she belched and blew out the muck of the last months of inaction and began to spin merrily. "Funny" the familiar voice muttered under his breath, "she hasn't done that for a while."
"Well that's one question out of the way" the soft voice said, "lets see what the rest of the hull is like" and the voices trailed away as they moved toward the bow. But she kept running happily. Maybe this time.
Shut down again, all she could do is wait, then a week or so later, she was again opened up to the sky, started and then she found herself heading out onto the river again. No more foul tasting pen water ...decent river water at last. Her joy was short lived as she found herself being taken up on the slips. From the talk amongst the boats, she knew what that meant, inspection time for the boat and possibly a clean for the hull and check over of the boats structure under the water. "Good, it's about time the propeller was cleaned," she thought and the prospect cheered her mightily.
Georgina was sold and continued for a while, but again her fortunes changed.
This is the sixth in the series and deals with Carina again. She has a new owner.
Carina's Fate.
"Hey, what's going on?"
The sound of a buzzing grinder echoed in his ears as he nervously looked for the cause. An angle grinder? What's that all about then.
Too late....... the sling arranged off the boom hoisted him out of the bottom of the boat in short order and he rose into a new world. The view of the pens from boom level was surprising and instead of the fixed level pens where he spent his youth, he was on floating pens. He'd wondered what the electric motor next door was talking about and now he knew. The smells were different too and in his short sightedness he peered along the pens to try and recognise the boats (and motors) he knew. There's Swiftsure Saga next to us and that means that Georgina must be on my starboard side. And over the road Napea of Carrick, I've heard her recently, but only a few times. And that's Wynella; how proud she looks. Still the queen of the fleet, perhaps a dowager queen, but a queen nonetheless.
Then, where's this boat called Mariner. A little two pot diesel motor that never gives up. Ah down there at the beginning of the pens. And then there's Soraya, another diesel motor that very rarely has troubles and look! There's Corella, so often did we get started up in unison when Geoff Frean had her and sailed against us. But she's diesel now and a very powerful one by all report.
Who's next to Mariner then, why it's Jindarra... she used to have a Stuart Turner motor as well and when the Walkers owned her, she raced out of Freshie. Then she came to South of Perth in the early 70's. Crickey she was quick with Dick Newnham on board. I wonder what she has now? Probably a diesel.
His memory began to fade as he found himself put onto a trolley beside his boat and then he realised that he was to be taken away. Then onto the back of a ute and into darkness as a tarp was thrown over him. Time passes.
The next two articles deal with the Covid years…
Carina's Fate.
"Hey, what's going on?"
The sound of a buzzing grinder echoed in his ears as he nervously looked for the cause. An angle grinder? What's that all about then.
Too late....... the sling arranged off the boom hoisted him out of the bottom of the boat in short order and he rose into a new world. The view of the pens from boom level was surprising and instead of the fixed level pens where he spent his youth, he was on floating pens. He'd wondered what the electric motor next door was talking about and now he knew. The smells were different too and in his short sightedness he peered along the pens to try and recognise the boats (and motors) he knew. There's Swiftsure Saga next to us and that means that Georgina must be on my starboard side. And over the road Napea of Carrick, I've heard her recently, but only a few times. And that's Wynella; how proud she looks. Still the queen of the fleet, perhaps a dowager queen, but a queen nonetheless.
Then, where's this boat called Mariner. A little two pot diesel motor that never gives up. Ah down there at the beginning of the pens. And then there's Soraya, another diesel motor that very rarely has troubles and look! There's Corella, so often did we get started up in unison when Geoff Frean had her and sailed against us. But she's diesel now and a very powerful one by all report.
Who's next to Mariner then, why it's Jindarra... she used to have a Stuart Turner motor as well and when the Walkers owned her, she raced out of Freshie. Then she came to South of Perth in the early 70's. Crickey she was quick with Dick Newnham on board. I wonder what she has now? Probably a diesel.
His memory began to fade as he found himself put onto a trolley beside his boat and then he realised that he was to be taken away. Then onto the back of a ute and into darkness as a tarp was thrown over him. Time passes.
The next two articles deal with the Covid years…
This is the seventh in the series and deals with Stuart Anna. It was written during the Covid years.
Anna Stuart – Turner.
I’m idling down Jetty three waiting for John to let me spend some time with his little Stuart - Turner motor. It’s a warm day in early winter and John has had the time to get the boards up on the cockpit so that he can check the motor and give her a turn over, as he has been doing for the last couple of months.
Scribe : “Thanks for allowing me to have a chat to this remarkable
motor of yours John.”
JW: “No problems Scribe; just turn her off when you two have
finished chatting.”
Scribe: “Thanks John I’ll do that and put the covers back as well”.
Scribe: “Hello Ms Turner.”
S-TA: “Hello yourself youngster.”
Scribe: “Do you mind if I address you as Ms Turner?”
S-TA: “Only if you keep polishing the outside of the flywheel case.”
Scribe: “Clearly you have been given something to spark you up a bit, what’s John done, new plugs, oil?”
S-TA: “He topped me up with 98 unleaded.” “My head is spinning like a top.”
Scribe: “What do you attribute to your longevity in the H28 fleet.”
S-TA: “Simply because I’ve had good care and attention given to me and I wanted to be the last motor John ever had to
look after.”
Scribe: “Well there’s a fair chance of that, but just make sure that you keep going for a while please.”
S-TA: “When will sailing start again, I’m getting pretty tired of sitting here with nothing to do.”
Scribe: “So are we Ms Turner, so are we. It’s getting so that we are sneaking out for clandestine sailing events and no
one cares who the winners are at the end of the day.”
S-TA: “And we haven’t been invited? AND WE HAVEN’T BEEN INVITED?!”
Scribe: “I’m sure that John would if he could Ms Turner, stop bellowing and revving so hard.”
S-TA: “Where’s that bl$%dy skipper, I’ll murder him.”
Regretfully I reached down, shut off the fuel and let her run out of petrol before she blew a gasket. It’s such a pity but at her age, it would be better that she was not given such a heady brew. I’ll have a chat to the skipper and we’ll drain out the heavy duty stuff and replace it with 91 unleaded. She’ll wake up and all will be well again.
I replaced the boards, tied the covers down and left her at peace. Scribe.
Anna Stuart – Turner.
I’m idling down Jetty three waiting for John to let me spend some time with his little Stuart - Turner motor. It’s a warm day in early winter and John has had the time to get the boards up on the cockpit so that he can check the motor and give her a turn over, as he has been doing for the last couple of months.
Scribe : “Thanks for allowing me to have a chat to this remarkable
motor of yours John.”
JW: “No problems Scribe; just turn her off when you two have
finished chatting.”
Scribe: “Thanks John I’ll do that and put the covers back as well”.
Scribe: “Hello Ms Turner.”
S-TA: “Hello yourself youngster.”
Scribe: “Do you mind if I address you as Ms Turner?”
S-TA: “Only if you keep polishing the outside of the flywheel case.”
Scribe: “Clearly you have been given something to spark you up a bit, what’s John done, new plugs, oil?”
S-TA: “He topped me up with 98 unleaded.” “My head is spinning like a top.”
Scribe: “What do you attribute to your longevity in the H28 fleet.”
S-TA: “Simply because I’ve had good care and attention given to me and I wanted to be the last motor John ever had to
look after.”
Scribe: “Well there’s a fair chance of that, but just make sure that you keep going for a while please.”
S-TA: “When will sailing start again, I’m getting pretty tired of sitting here with nothing to do.”
Scribe: “So are we Ms Turner, so are we. It’s getting so that we are sneaking out for clandestine sailing events and no
one cares who the winners are at the end of the day.”
S-TA: “And we haven’t been invited? AND WE HAVEN’T BEEN INVITED?!”
Scribe: “I’m sure that John would if he could Ms Turner, stop bellowing and revving so hard.”
S-TA: “Where’s that bl$%dy skipper, I’ll murder him.”
Regretfully I reached down, shut off the fuel and let her run out of petrol before she blew a gasket. It’s such a pity but at her age, it would be better that she was not given such a heady brew. I’ll have a chat to the skipper and we’ll drain out the heavy duty stuff and replace it with 91 unleaded. She’ll wake up and all will be well again.
I replaced the boards, tied the covers down and left her at peace. Scribe.
This is the eighth in the series and deals with Stuart Anna again. The club is still closed in the Covid period and it’s a pity to see such a good looking boat sitting idle.
Anna Stuart – Turner.
It’s a little lonely out on the marina at the moment. If it wasn’t for the occasional visit from her old friend John W she’d have thought that the club had closed for good. But John has treated her well and it wasn’t too long ago that she was given some TLC while the hull was looked after by Ian the shipwright.
“I’ve had a long career,” she reflected. “The inaugural Cape Naturaliste in 1955, up and down to Bunbury a couple of times, down to Rockingham every Christmas for the CYC regatta, over to the islands every so often.” “Mind you the sailing has dropped off a bit recently what with the skippers and my combined ages.”
The motor hummed reflectively as she thought of the recent past. The last decent run was when we had to tow Karoleeya through the bridges in 2012 and then we had the fun and games as we went down to Rockingham for the last time back in 2013. Those were the last of the good times she sighed and flicked through her memories once more.
Great times and a horde of happy sailors who had swarmed all over her, hoisting her sails, trimming furiously and occasionally spending some time as a family boat as well. “But the last 25 years have been the best,” she declared. “I still am trusted to drive the old hull through the waters of the Swan. I get good rations and he even checks the oil and plugs. It’s not often that you find a bloke who cares.”
“As to the future, who knows ….. this little motor will keep spinning for as long as I’m wanted.”
I wandered back along the jetty in a pensive mood after the interview. A new fit out and reasonably good kit on the boat. Anna Stuart -Turner and her skipper could go on forever, what a pity we couldn’t replace broken heart valves and worn down discs in our backs as easily as we can a magneto or a sparkplug.
Indeed how long will she be wanted; while she is in Johns care, she is part of the boat.
A one time Scribe for the H28’s. Rick Steuart
Anna Stuart – Turner.
It’s a little lonely out on the marina at the moment. If it wasn’t for the occasional visit from her old friend John W she’d have thought that the club had closed for good. But John has treated her well and it wasn’t too long ago that she was given some TLC while the hull was looked after by Ian the shipwright.
“I’ve had a long career,” she reflected. “The inaugural Cape Naturaliste in 1955, up and down to Bunbury a couple of times, down to Rockingham every Christmas for the CYC regatta, over to the islands every so often.” “Mind you the sailing has dropped off a bit recently what with the skippers and my combined ages.”
The motor hummed reflectively as she thought of the recent past. The last decent run was when we had to tow Karoleeya through the bridges in 2012 and then we had the fun and games as we went down to Rockingham for the last time back in 2013. Those were the last of the good times she sighed and flicked through her memories once more.
Great times and a horde of happy sailors who had swarmed all over her, hoisting her sails, trimming furiously and occasionally spending some time as a family boat as well. “But the last 25 years have been the best,” she declared. “I still am trusted to drive the old hull through the waters of the Swan. I get good rations and he even checks the oil and plugs. It’s not often that you find a bloke who cares.”
“As to the future, who knows ….. this little motor will keep spinning for as long as I’m wanted.”
I wandered back along the jetty in a pensive mood after the interview. A new fit out and reasonably good kit on the boat. Anna Stuart -Turner and her skipper could go on forever, what a pity we couldn’t replace broken heart valves and worn down discs in our backs as easily as we can a magneto or a sparkplug.
Indeed how long will she be wanted; while she is in Johns care, she is part of the boat.
A one time Scribe for the H28’s. Rick Steuart
Farewell to a Stuart Turner.
The last of these motors is to be removed from her home of many years, the timber bilges of Lynda aka Anna, built by W Hawkins (Bill) with the assistance of Stuart Ward in 1949-50 and owned by SoPYC H28 owners from 1967 on.
However whether she was the first or second generation of Stuart – Turners in this hull is moot, but her current owner John Wright has run with her for the last 30 years and I’m sure that if PC Bruce Williams was still with us, he would let us know swiftly as he had her from 1967 to 1989.
The motor still sings, but the clutch is beyond repair and finding someone to help her now is improbable. So she is to be removed and replaced by a small diesel.
A Vale for a Stuart Turner.
Valiantly, she turned her magneto up to the floors of the deck above her head. Above her could be heard the murmuring voices. One she knew immediately, it was her skipper John.
He was talking to a couple of voices she sort of knew and realised that those were voices that had sailed on her before.
“It’s such a pity John, that little motor has been there longer than some of our children.” “Ah yes,” he sighed. “She’s taken both my children and their children out for a sail on a quiet day. Those trips under the bridges to the open water still kept her fit and if she needed it, well a bit of love and care was all that she asked for.”
“So what will you do?” both voices asked; almost in unison.
“Let’s move off the boat lads, I’d rather sit down and discuss this in the bar.”
The boat became quiet again and shortly afterwards the covers could be heard being drawn back over the cockpit and the voices receded. The stillness of night closed in.
And the battery had been left unconnected.
It was a quiet passing for an old friend and she was unaware of her removal from the hull. Where did she go? Certainly to a better place we are sure, as too many of her cousins were used as mooring blocks up in backwaters of the Canning River. Perhaps to join Stuart Carina who migrated to Whiteman Park to be cared for by the Men’s shed, perhaps to sit in a shed somewhere waiting for a frog prince to come along and revive her with a kiss.
Romantic fool that I am, but I grew up with these little motors and the chuckling sound that meant that they were happy, full of petrol & oil with new sparkplugs every so often. They carried me around the river of my dreams in another state, in another small family boat.
Farewell Stuey Turner
The last of these motors is to be removed from her home of many years, the timber bilges of Lynda aka Anna, built by W Hawkins (Bill) with the assistance of Stuart Ward in 1949-50 and owned by SoPYC H28 owners from 1967 on.
However whether she was the first or second generation of Stuart – Turners in this hull is moot, but her current owner John Wright has run with her for the last 30 years and I’m sure that if PC Bruce Williams was still with us, he would let us know swiftly as he had her from 1967 to 1989.
The motor still sings, but the clutch is beyond repair and finding someone to help her now is improbable. So she is to be removed and replaced by a small diesel.
A Vale for a Stuart Turner.
Valiantly, she turned her magneto up to the floors of the deck above her head. Above her could be heard the murmuring voices. One she knew immediately, it was her skipper John.
He was talking to a couple of voices she sort of knew and realised that those were voices that had sailed on her before.
“It’s such a pity John, that little motor has been there longer than some of our children.” “Ah yes,” he sighed. “She’s taken both my children and their children out for a sail on a quiet day. Those trips under the bridges to the open water still kept her fit and if she needed it, well a bit of love and care was all that she asked for.”
“So what will you do?” both voices asked; almost in unison.
“Let’s move off the boat lads, I’d rather sit down and discuss this in the bar.”
The boat became quiet again and shortly afterwards the covers could be heard being drawn back over the cockpit and the voices receded. The stillness of night closed in.
And the battery had been left unconnected.
It was a quiet passing for an old friend and she was unaware of her removal from the hull. Where did she go? Certainly to a better place we are sure, as too many of her cousins were used as mooring blocks up in backwaters of the Canning River. Perhaps to join Stuart Carina who migrated to Whiteman Park to be cared for by the Men’s shed, perhaps to sit in a shed somewhere waiting for a frog prince to come along and revive her with a kiss.
Romantic fool that I am, but I grew up with these little motors and the chuckling sound that meant that they were happy, full of petrol & oil with new sparkplugs every so often. They carried me around the river of my dreams in another state, in another small family boat.
Farewell Stuey Turner