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ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
45 class’ success and longevity. In 1964 when the Stewart Association constitution and rules were drafted, their intention was made very clear right from the start. Elegant in its simplicity, Rule 1, entitled “Intent,” stated what the essence of this class was to be about. It reads: a) Comfortable family cruising b) Low cost ownership c) Tight one design racing where all yachts will be basically equal and the racing will be a test of sailing ability To the credit of the Stewart Association, these three intentions have been very strictly adhered to, right up to the present times. The Stewart class owners have been extremely fortunate in that ever since the first AGM of the Patiki Owners Association, they have always been able to find enough keen owners willing to help run theAssociation. Additionally there has always been a majority of the racing owners who have been willing to insure that those three intentions of Rule 1 are enforced. Occasionally, there has been an owner who was keen to obtain an edge in one manner or another, but eventually common sense has prevailed, and unlike similar situations in many other one design classes, the class rule has been upheld. The overall length of the Stewart turned out to be ideal for the local market. At 34 feet she is not too large, and therefore not too expensive to build, race and crew. At the same time, she is not so small that it cannot comfortably accommodate the average family for weekend or holiday cruising. The interior has a generous amount of space compared to other 34-footers,and can sleep up to six people. For those looking for a quiet escape, a few minor adjustments to its sail-handling gear allow them to be easily single-handed. In the 1960’s, Bill Heath bought Pegasus and then cruised her single-handed from North Cape to East Cape for ten years until he was well over 70 years of age. John Cooper sailed Premier single-handed to and from the South Pacific Islands. Logan Patullo, who built Puarangi in Scotland, sailed her two-handed to New Zealand via the Panama Canal. Undoubtedly the Stewart 34’s speed advantage over other yachts of her size and larger was largely responsible for her initial popularity. The fact that she is still competitive on the race track certainly contributes to her success today. After all, yacht racing is infinitely more fun if you are winning. One must take into consideration however, that many potential speed improvements have been forsaken in order to adhere to the boat’s one design and low cost of ownership principals. That said, they still perform exceptionally well against much more modern and expensive boats which use Kevlar sails and other hi-tech and light-weight gear and materials. This demonstrates once again that a classic design will not only stand the test of time, but can co-exist with the latest and greatest. The somewhat belated move to build Stewarts of fibreglass appears to have done little harm to the class. In fact, it enabled them to be produced at a lower cost while keeping each boat identical. This is very important in any one-design class particularly when they are used in international match racing events. Wooden Stewarts were not only used in, but Pionnier’s galley is compact but efficient Bill Miller Collection Pahi’s recent refit retains the classically spacious Stewart interior Charles Scoones