Zingarro II History

"Zingarro II" is an 11.5M sloop/cutter designed by John Woollacott and built in New Zealand by Don Haskell. The design was based on the Firefly, with greater beam and slightly longer. She was launched in Auckland in 1975. Construction is of two diagonal and one fore and aft skins of heart Kauri Pine. The keelson was hand adzed and the stringers are full length (not scarfed). The aluminium mast is original, the teak deck has been replaced with dynel over marine plywood. Sails for "Zingarro II" were all made by Hood (Sydney) and comprise a high cut No 1 headsail (roller furling), a storm jib, a staysail, a fully battened mainsail having two reef points, a cruising spinnaker and a storm trysail set on a separate mast track and sheeted to blocks on the aft quarters. The engine is a 30 hp Volvo (shaft drive) with a three bladed offset prop on a 30mm shaft.

"Zingarro II" is painted pale grey (hull and decks) with white coach-house and burgundy waterline. The name is derived from the Italian word for “Gypsy.” The Australian register of ships currently lists “Zingaro”, “Zingara”, “Zingara II” as well as this one, “Zingarro II.” After Don Haskell, the boat was owned by Grant Bloore of Hamilton, NZ. Grant and his partner cruised extensively throughout the Pacific, finally settling in Brisbane. There the vessel was purchased by David and Betty Mapleston who sailed her around the world, including trips around the UK and through the canals to Paris. The Maplestons sailed 35,000 miles without experiencing any problems. They visited 35 countries and refueled only twice on the entire voyage. David is the brother of Jill Knight who circumnavigated in her Bailey designed classic yacht “Cooee”.

Upon return to Brisbane “Zingarro II” was sold to David Barrett who had an adventurous voyage to Indonesia before returning to Sydney where she was looked after by his son, Damien and later purchased by John and Rosemary Howard in 2005. The Howards have cruised extensively on the Queensland, NSW and Tasmanian coasts and dream of returning Zingarro II to her home waters of New Zealand.