St Christopher Design

Wongga II is a classic timber yacht with beautiful lines, maintained to the highest standard. Construction is simple and strong, with all frames, quarter knees, breast hooks and floors in Karri, beech deck overlay on glassed marine ply (Searles 1999). Built as a cutter, Robyn Sanderson consulted Maurice Griffith on the modifications from ketch to cutter. Constructed with Jarrah planking and keelson, Karri ribs from WA, copper roved, lead ballast and beech deck.

Built for Mr P. R. Sanderson and launched on 3rd March 1976. She was sold to Mr R. Craze in 1983, who added the bowsprit and skylights then sailed her to Queensland. Purchased by Mr C. Strafford in 1993 and sold to the current owner Prof. Mr R. Wells in 1998. Her journey began at Searles and Sons Birkenhead, South Australia in 1974, believed to be the last plank on frame timber vessel built by Ted Searle of Searles Boat Yard.

The St Christopher design was originally planned as a cruising home for a family of three, capable of being sailed single handed and able to cruise to almost any part of the world, including areas such as Chesapeake Bay or the East Coast of Florida where waters are very shallow. Some of the original drawings show the design with a long keel and ketch rig; this boat is modified to carry a cutter rig.

She has plenty of headroom throughout and a beautiful, comfortable cockpit area with a deck that is easy to walk on. This is a dry boat with no sign of water ingress. There is no wood rot anywhere to be seen and no musty smell that you may experience on other timber boats. This yacht is a credit to her owners past and present.