25/07/2026
๐ฆ.๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ ๐.
๐ข๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ท๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ฎโ๐ ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ด๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐!
Expressions of Interest are invited to procure the ownership of the 1942, 62ft LOA, 52ft LOD, Gaff Topsail Ketch.RHONA H. Designed and built by Edward "Ned" Jack, Launceston in 1942 of 1.4 " Huon Pine.
After 12 years of ownership the custodians of RHONA H have made the difficult decision to offer her to new owners!
Original built as a recreational fishing boat, her career began in 1942 when designed and built by one of Tasmania's finest wooden boat builders Ned Jack and his son Edwin of Trevallyn, Launceston for Frere Youl a member of the Youl family successful pastoralist of Symmons Plains. Perth Tasmania, Frere christened his new craft Jessica after his only daughter.
Ned Jack is recognised throughout Australia for his outstanding design work and equally outstanding boat building! Ned had a rare talent for designing beautiful and seaworthy vessels!
In 1946 Charles Youl, Frere father was in poor health necessitating his return to Symmons Plains to help manage the family estates, Frere sold JESSICA to Max Hardy a fisherman, of Stanley Tasmania.
Charles Youl died in 1948.
Max promptly renamed his new boat RHONA H after his then financee Rhona Bird. Max and Rhona were married in July 1947.
RHONA H quickly became the Pride of the Stanley Fishing Fleet, fishing for the then plentiful Barracouta and later shark and crayfish. RHONA H never failed to be the perfect fishing vessel in some of the most dangerous fishing grounds in Australia.
Under Max Hardy's ownership, RHONA H was the last commercially operated Ketch of the fabled Mosquito Fleet, a fleet of Trading Ketches crossing the notorious Bass Strait taking fish to Victoria and returning to Tasmania with cargo.
A few words from Max Hardy:
"Max borrowed ยฃ4,000 to buy the vessel. โIt seemed to us to be all the money in the world then. It was a battle, but we worked away at our goal, and ended up having her for 26 yearsโ. โShe was a beautiful boat, and what made it good for my wife Rhona and me was that we were the first to fish at Sandy Cape with a decent boat. We learnt to catch crayfish there before they ever knew there were crayfish off the continental shelf."
Max removed the original 40hp Ruston Hornby diesel and installed the current 76hp Gardner. He also removed the mizzen mast to create more room to carry more fish.
In 1972 Max Hardy sold RHONA H to Bobby Warren a fisherman of Queenscliff Victoria.
Bobby and his brothers continued using RHONA H for shark fishing off the Victorian coast supplying tge popular "Flake' to the Fish and Chip shops of Victoria.
Eventually finding her way back to Tasmania now under the ownership of David (Zagger) Nichols a fisherman of Victoria Dock Hobart.
In 1988 RHONA H after spending 46 years as a fishing boat was purchased by Murray Young of St Helens Tasmania.
Murray restored RHONA H back to her original Auxilary Gaff Rigged Ketch configuration for charter work along the east coast of Tasmania until the 1990's.
In 1998 it sailed from Sydney to Hobart with the Tall Ships fleet. In 1999 RHONA H now under the ownership of Bruce Potter, moved to Launceston where it made many Bass Strait crossings and twice competed in the Three Peaks Race, Vintage Division, as well as making regular trips to the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart.
In 2013 RHONA H returned to Hobart and has remained there since as part of a fleet of Tall Ships taking passengers out on the Derwent River and charters further afield under her current owners.
RHONA H. Specifications are as follows!
Builder: E.A. โNedโ Jack, Trevallyn, Tasmania
Year Launched: 1942
Construction: 1.4" Huon Pine carvel planking, Celery Top ribs with Celery Top Pine decks.
Rig: Traditional Gaff Topsail Ketch.
Length Overall: 18.89 metres (63ft)
Length on Deck 15.85 metres (52ft)
Beam: 4.27 metres (14ft)
Draught: 1.8 metres ( 6ft)
Displacement: Approximately 45 tonnes
Engine: Gardner diesel 75hp.
Location: Hobart, Tasmania.
Pleased Note!
RHONA H currently operates under a Not For Profit organisation, this entity is not transferable and therefore any new owner wishing to continue with chartering the boat would need to set up a new entity for the purpose of continuing the operation as a charter vessel.
The current owners stand ready to help any prospective owner with establishing a new entity including the transfer of existing passenger bookings!
RHONA H would also be suitable for use as a private yacht!
RHONA H is offered with all the safety equipment necessary surveys and operational equipment as required for continued use as a charter vessel.
As previously stated: Expressions of interests are invited to procure this vessel and expressions can be made by email:
[email protected]
Inquiries can also be made by FB Messenger or Colin Grazules on 0409 414044
The last word by, The Honerable Rosemary Armitage MLC, previous owner of RHONA H and currently RHONA'S patron.
"We are very lucky to have access to such a vessel, which is so true to history in both the way it looks and the way it operates. Under Heritage Sailing Tasmania's stewardship, the SV Rhona H
provides people with a truly unique and authentic opportunity to experience traditional sailing on a traditional vessel, which brings a great deal of character to our waters. I encourage everyone here to visit the vessel at Elizabeth Street pier, and to perhaps even try their hand at some of the tasks on a weekend trip. I know the current owners, Julie and Charles, would make everyone very welcome. The SV Rhona H is a truly magnificent vessel and adds richness and depth to Tasmania's maritime community."
Fishing on the RHONA H with Max Hardy courtesy of Garry Kerr.
https://youtu.be/IxS1IilOiGc?si=pDvUU9CegAGRGMuJ
Sailing on RHONA H.
https://youtu.be/tl0I5-AxwqA?si=58eyQjNzAyOjnrzD
