Lincoln Rose C73

Custodian: Roger Wallis; 1992 – 1993
Launched in November of 1992, Lincoln Rose was designed by Ken Lacco and built by joiner, fisherman and master mariner, Roger Wallis, with countless late night phone calls for detailed direction from Tim Phillips of the Wooden Boat Shop, Sorrento.

The name Lincoln Rose was decided upon on the morning of the first launch due to a ‘Mr Lincoln’ rose which had bloomed beside the front door of Roger’s Kalimna, East Gippsland home.

Custodian: Andrew Pope and Pete Sydes; 1993 – Mid 1990s
Custodian: Pete Sydes; Mid 1990s – Present
Having spent a couple of summers cruising the sheltered waters of the Gippsland Lakes, Victoria with Roger Wallis and his family, she was sold in 1993 to the partnership of Andrew Pope and Pete Sydes, and relocated to Schnapper Point, Mornington. Here she spent another couple of summers transiting between Mornington and Portsea and wherever the nomadic Couta Boat fleet roamed, until the partnership was dissolved and custodianship was retained by Pete Sydes.

Pete began his personal  Couta journey in early 1990 when he was invited by Ken Wood to sail from Sorrento to Mornington for the Connemarra Cruise Regatta, on the newly refurbished Edna C43, previous named Neta and later Lola. He was so taken with the Couta Boat that he made the decision to one day own one. Three years later, he purchased Lincoln Rose. 

With the amalgamation of the Couta Boat Club and the Sorrento Sailing Club in 2000, a mooring was laid east of Erlandsen Jetty near The Baths at Sorrento. Sorrento became home for Lincoln Rose, with competitive racing becoming the focus.

This was a great time for the Coutas with any of a dozen boats having a chance at Line Honours. Fabulous social functions were held on the old narrow sailing club deck, with standing room only and crews shoulder to shoulder. Warm breezes and icy cold beers were the norm.

For Pete, the most rewarding aspect of owning Lincoln Rose is the forming of true friendships, experiences and, in turn, great memories of the many people who have been aboard. Included in this long list are his wife Kate Ellis, Ian (Sammy) Wood, Peter (Packer) Wood, John Vleugel, John Ross, Simon Wooding, Ben Tyrrell, Chris Dymond and more recently Hans Schwab Triado, Jo Winterbottom, Alan Pitman and Rob Hicks. All have contributed immensely in the running of the boat, on and off the water. A merry band indeed! Scores more people, too many to list, have added to the enjoyment of the Lincoln Rose party.

However, things don’t always go to plan! Lincoln Rose has suffered a broken mast, two broken jibbooms, a broken gaff and a split boom. On one occasion, on the start line of a twilight pursuit race at Mornington, the crew managed to completely bury the jibboom into the midships of the bond wood Brigadoon. The bobstay sliced through the hull to below the waterline like a cheese cutter and sadly, Barry Mills’ pride and joy went to the bottom. And on the day of Barry’s birthday!

The years of 2004 and 2007 saw new additions to the Lincoln Rose family: Jessica and Harry Sydes. Lincoln Rose was returned to Schnapper Point and the Mornington Yacht Club. Sailing for enjoyment became the mantra, with every moment enjoyed, especially in a warm, easterly breeze blowing offshore along the Mt Eliza-Mornington coast. A highlight was when Lincoln Rose was transported to Hobart for the 2005 Wooden Boat Festival and put on static display. Lincoln Rose has visited all ports on Port Phillip, either cruising or racing.

She’s had her share of firsts; she’s had lasts, and everything in between.

Lincoln Rose has won the pre-Christmas Wooden Boat Shop Series back to back. And when carrying a new suit of sails, she managed a close overall 2nd in a CBA National Titles, falling short of 1st place by only one second. Lincoln Rose has also competed in four Classic Yacht Association of Australia (CYAA) regattas in Williamstown at the northern end of Port Phillip, in one year winning four from four races. She has also won a similar number of races in the Couta Boat Classic Race at the Sail Melbourne event, including a first by 20 minutes in a passage race.

For Pete, regular two-handed transits across the Port Phillip allows for some great conversations and consolidations of friendships. Over 30 years, Lincoln Rose has played a vital role in transforming Pete’s sailing and social life, to the point that:

I’ve never looked back!