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Warkworth’s historic Jane Gifford scow is in danger of being out of action this summer, or even lost to the Mahurangi River altogether, unless more skippers and other volunteers can urgently be found.
Trustee Hugh Gladwell says the team that has kept the sailing boat afloat since it was relaunched in 2009 has dwindled recently due to age and health issues, and the need to replace them is now desperate.
“We’re at a stage where the organisation is just getting too thin to continue to operate the boat and we’re facing the prospect of having to lay her up this season,” he said.
“We need help from the community to keep the boat going. If we don’t operate for a season, then everyone will forget and walk away.
“And we don’t want the boat to leave Warkworth, but if the community can’t keep it going, we’d have to let it go to another group elsewhere … we can’t just let it go downhill.”
The most critical need is for two or three volunteer skippers, Gladwell said.
“We’ve got volunteer crew experienced in operating the boat, but we have to have a ticketed skipper onboard.”
And for the 19-metre Jane Gifford, this means they need a particular qualification – a restricted limits certificate with a 24-metre endorsement, which not just anyone can obtain.
“To get that ticket, they need 500 hours experience on a commercial vessel, unless they have one of the qualifications that preceded that ticket, which is relatively new.
“In the past, we’ve generally had retired people who are available several times a month for one or two hour trips on the river,” he added.
“The difficulty we have is that younger people have jobs or other work and family commitments.”
The Jane Gifford generally runs private charters, school trips and public cruises from November to April, but Gladwell said the trust and steering committee weren’t keen on taking bookings for the upcoming season until the crewing crisis could be resolved.
“We’re reluctant to book trips at the moment. Until we can get more skippers on the boat, we don’t want to book them and then maybe have to cancel at the last minute,” he said.
“We’re just asking for anyone who can help to contact us.”
The Jane Gifford also needs volunteer help in other areas, namely with minor on-deck repairs and maintenance, fundraising, communications and post-winter cleaning.
“The boat itself is still in very good condition – it’s just been up at Robertsons’ boatyard for its four-yearly survey with Maritime NZ and passed with no problems – but we’re at a stage where the organisation running the boat is too thin – everyone is getting old or has retired.”
Help is also needed to get the Jane Gifford ship-shape in time for it to enter the second Auckland Wooden Boat Festival, next March.
Anyone who can help should email janegiffordcruises@gmail.com
