We have tried for two years to see The Notorious. About two years ago it was meant to be docked at Wollongong but due to the big swells it wasn’t safe for the Ship to be tied up and docked {they had to pull away at the last minute and it was one of their scariest moments of their sailing trip}. Then they were up near Newcastle but again we were busy that weekend.
So when I heard The Notorious was down At South Bank and they were there on the Sunday 5th July before leaving that night to head to Manly QLD we made sure we were going to be there to see it. Mind you Cameron couldn’t come with us cause he was volunteering with Airforce Cadets at the Queensland Air Museum in Caloundra for the weekend! So that means we will be following The Notorious Facebook page to see where they will be going to next – we can’t wait for a return visit!
Information about The Notorious ::
The following information about Notorious is from Wikipedia.
“The Notorious is a replica fifteenth century caravel. The ship has taken ten years to build, made entirely from reclaimed timber. It was launched at Martins Point, Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia on Monday, 7 February 2011. The Notorious was fitted with sails and conducted its first week-long journey from Port Fairy to Geelong in January 2012.
The History of How Notorious Was Built ::
The Notorious has been a project of Graeme Wylie and wife Felicite, who originally started the project in 2001. The inspiration for the ship was a local legend (or possible history) of the area where the Wylies lived, the Mahogany Ship. The story is that a Portuguese shipwreck had long been located in the area, and was still visible in the mid-1800s, but since has been covered over with sand.
Inspired by this legend, Wylie has spent twenty thousand dollars Australian, and thousands of manhours, working on the ship. The ship has been carefully built based on period drawings of caravelles, as well as advice from historians. The ship was known while under construction as the Raven, but christened the Notorious when launched in February 2011 at Martin’s Point in Port Fairy, Victoria. Wylie is a keen sailor and a professional cabinetmaker”
{there is more background and how the Notorious operates over on Wikipedia}
David was stunned with how well the Ship was made, the materials used, how the wood was hand carved and how she sits in the water. Being a boat builder he could tell us exactly how they built the deck, how below decks the beams were put together and the workings of the Ship. I was so over come with the skills used and the feel below decks, both Kyle and I sat and was keen to keep sitting admiring the wood work – unfortunately we couldn’t stay forever so we had to go back up on deck!!
The bedrooms have bunk beds, and I was trying to work out how many can sleep on the Notorious – I think there is enough bunks to carry 10 people, mind you we got to speak with Graeme and his wife Felicite are the only ones sailing Notorious {they do have family sometimes on board but mostly its the two of them sailing!!}
As we drove over the bridge to Southbank she stood out – berthed near the Big Ferris Wheel and was easy to spot as you head towards Southbank. She stood proud in the water, and was a sight for sore eyes! A beauty.
We thanked Graeme {again} for sharing The Notorious and he was sharing with us how it took 2 years of research and over 7 years to build her. Then he shared how much wood was used, and the type of wood. He and his wife took about a year to get used to sailing her, and they are now used to the way she moves and how to handle her in the seas.
They are incredible how just the two of them sail her {very impressed and in awe of them both}
David let him know that she was built with so much skill, and that they had done a fine job. I think he was super excited {and a bit in love} with the Ship and took more photos then I did!
As he works with another Boat Builder he was keen to share our trip with work mates, and we have since shared the experience with family and friends – check out `Notorious’ facebook page to see where they are going to be next. If you are close to their location, or can get to their next port then we highly recommend a visit! You will be blown away with the skills used to build her.
Another “Built on a Dream” project put into place, and now they are living the life – travelling Australia sharing their pride and joy.
Would love to sit down with Graeme and Felicite – buy them a beer {or coffee} or two, and listen to their incredible journey. Imagine the stories they have sailing the seas!
Have You Seen The Notorious?
Cheers
Lisa
New Life on the Road