Monica Nurminen received an email from Roger Dundas to say that Yvonne was in the yard and it might be an opportunity for her and her sisters to see the yacht. She is the Tumlaren class yacht that her father Selim Nurminen skippered in the 50s, 60s and 70s.  She contacted her four sisters and arranged to meet Roger and visit Yvonne on Friday, 18 November 2022. Monica’s sister Barbara has put together some thoughts reminiscing of our days as a family on the Tumlaren Yvonne.

Written by Barbara Joyce

We were very excited to visit the boat yard of the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron and see the newly restored Tumlaren yacht Yvonne which our dad Selim successfully raced on Port Phillip for many years. Sailing on Yvonne had been a big part of our family story.

It was a great pleasure to meet Roger and Anthony who had restored Yvonne. It felt like our dad Selim was there in the St Kilda boat yard too. Like us, Dad would have nodded approval at the skilled workmanship of Roger and Anthony. We had read about the yacht’s ribs being replaced and all the sanding, varnishing and final painting of the yacht.

We climbed the ladder and sat on deck with memories flooding back of all the times we had shared gliding through waves on Port Phillip. We all had sea legs from an early age. Dad would carefully guide his five daughters, Monica, Katrina, Barbara, Geraldine, and Frances off the pier into the workboat, then help us step onto the yacht and head out on Port Phillip. Our mother Norah would ensure we were all seated and observing dad’s directions as we headed across Port Phillip for a picnic at Royal Yacht Club of Victoria at Williamstown.

Sometimes all seven family members would go fishing for flathead and come back with a box full of fresh flathead. Seven handlines would be held overboard, and dad would patiently deal with unhooking wriggling fish and untangling lines.

We all felt safe in dad’s hands. He gave clear directions we all had a go at the tiller with dad occasionally reaching across with a finger to guide the tiller as he watched the wind move across the water. As we grew older, we sailed in the Moomba yacht races where women skippered the boats.

We often invited a school friend to come out sailing and dad would be happy to include them in the experience. It was always a treat to hoist the spinnaker, blue and yellow. “The Swedish colours”, dad would always remark.

We are all so pleased to hear Yvonne is back with all the Tums at St Kilda and will sail again on Port Phillip. This will be a new era for her and we agree that she looks beautiful with her new coat of paint.

Written by Barbara Joyce

Nov. 2022