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Sea
Hog and Lady Hog
We first met the Lady Hog crew in Trinity
inlet on September 10 2001, one of those dates you don't forget
and it seems that unforgettable details are the hallmark of John
and Case and son Luke.
John Built Lady Hog in Tasmania
but sold her to Keith on the Gold Coast. He and Case found another
project down south, this time a 50 year old trader and another
boat on hard times. Working 12 hour days for 3 years they rebuilt
the trader from the two boats, into a fantastic home. Solid,
dry, very seaworthy. A lot of planking was replaced and the engine
was replaced with like kind, a 230 horsepower jimmy and the rig
all set with furlers. And now they are on the cruise again in
a style that is a delightful throwback to the freedom and ingenuity
of a years ago.
The forward cabin has a very
large hatch, which you need to get their two Harleys stowed securely.
Case has a little sporty and John has a bit bigger hog. And he
needs a big bike as he is all of “5 feet 18 inches”.
Genzan is crew for this voyage, he met them at the tweed
and admired the vessel. Everything had the look of careful hand
work and the wood glowed with soul and feeling. From our talk
I could tell the deep affection he has for the what the ship
represents. He does the cooking. The iron chef of Sea Hog!
They are on their way to the
Kimberly and may step off to Asia after that?
Luke is a lucky lad to have mum and dad providing such
an adventurous floating home. He smiles a lot!
Keith (see photo below) bought Lady Hog about 7 years
ago and now the big steely motor sailor calls Tweed Heads home.
They've been cruising along with Sea Hog more or less but they
got separated at the fearsome Wide Bay Bar. Slowed by a foul
tide they were just a little past slack water but weren't in
a position to go round Fraser Island so they steeled themselves
for a rough ride.. and they got it.. side on three times. They
left the pilot house doors open in case they needed to abandon
the ship in the bar (a clear indication of the fear at hand!)
and it turned out to be a bad call as one broach knocked them
down and flooded the cabin. The ship was OK but there was a lot
of gear on the jetty still trying to dry out days later. “Hauges”
and Bumps” are along for crew and according to Hauges, “I
saw God and I don't even believe in god!” Dickie was crew
for the hard stuff too, but had to get back to the Gold Coast
before I got there with the camera.
Hauges wants to make it to Bustard
Heads this trip on Lady Hog, he has many memories of Pancake
creek from many years ago, most of them fond but the time he
stepped on a huge stone fish wasn't one of them. However he has
much thanks for the light house keeper as he brought him up to
the compound in the Land Rover and treated him for it.
All great crew and two magnificent
vessels and the closer you look the more impressive they are.
John is a very clever man. He and Case are the best kind of hardworking,
independent sailors that made cruising in Australia what it is. |
