Nimbus History

Designer: Bert Woollacott Design: Nimbus Dimensions: 26’ LOA 21’ 6" LWL 7’ 0" Beam 4’ 3" Draft 2.9 tons Launched 1957 Painted white

Nimbus was built over a 3 year period by Trevor Rutledge in his back garden in Devonport. She is Kauri carvel planed on spotted gum timbers. She was launched on Boxing Day 1957. She won the Woollacott Cup in 1958 with Trevor at the helm. I do not know when Trevor sold her or to whom. The next owner I know of is Peter Ash who owned her from 1971 to 1979. Ken Gibbons owned the boat until 1982 when he sold her to John Mosheim. John did a major refit. He took the boat to his home in Titirangi. He said the boat was in a bad way. He stripped it out completely and rebuilt the interior and decks and built the present cabin top all to a very high standard in Mahogany and Teak. He also built the step on the stern and put in a new diesel engine. I have photos of the work in progress. She stayed in Titirangi until 1996 when she was relaunched. Unfortunately there was a gas explosion and the cabin roof was blown off. I have a photograph of this event. The boat was sold by the insurance company to Ian Skobie who repaired Nimbus and then sold her in 1997. What happened to her then I do not know until I bought her in 2003 from Claudine Maynard in Russell. She had owned her for 3 years and bought it through a broker in Whangarei.

Once again Nimbus was in a bad way. Very neglected and run down when I bought her but she has good bones and is still as sound as the day Trevor launched her. I have spent more money than I care to think about refurbishing her including a new rig and sails. She has been modernized by Mosheim and further by me, but the hull is original and very strong. She survived storm damage in 2007 when a large yacht dragged its mooring and crashed into her. The strength of the hull is a credit to the builder and the sea kindliness and ease of sailing is a credit to the designer. I am proud to be the present owner.

Charles (Bonny) Boniface