Gladstone Yacht Race celebrates national history and heritage

by Ian Grant on 7 Mar 2001 The Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race, Queenslands premier blue water classic will be a feature event in the Centenary of Federation celebrations over the Easter holiday weekend.

Remarkably the yacht race and the drafting of the National constitution aboard the paddle-wheel steam ship Lucinda during Easter of 1891 have a very close association in the proud maritime history of our Nation.

History will be taken back over 100 years when the signal is fired off Shorncliffe at 1100 hours for the start of the 53rd Brisbane-Gladstone ocean race on Good Friday morning April 13.

Part of Lucinda which set off on her history making cruise on the Hawkesbury River to set the scene for the final draft of the Australian Constitution has been carried into modern history by the internationally famed 48 race veteran Laurabada.

Laurabada a traditional timber ketch built during a unique six-year labour of love by the late Ivan 'Skipper' Holm on the bank of Cabbage Tree creek in the Moreton Bay suburb of Brisbane and launched in 1953 has been helmed to a world record of consecutive races with her historical steering wheel.

The weathered Teak timber used to meticulously hand craft the magnificent ships helming wheel was salvaged from the scuttled wreck of the Lucinda, which presently rests in a sad state at the entrance to the Brisbane River.

No other yacht in the history of the sport can equal the amazing career of Laurabada, which started out as a father's dream to now become a devoted son's legacy.

The remarkable vision and personal family passion associated with the history of this famed yacht will claim another deserved milestone this Easter when her proud skipper Ivan Holm jnr steers her on the compass course to Gladstone for her 49th race.