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A model 3-mast, full rigged sailing ship built in 1899 has been lovingly restored by a family member, more than100 years later, and was launched at Arkles Bay on November 17.
The model was made by Julius Huffam when he was just 11 years old. Julius’ passion for sailing saw him go to sea at the age of 14, serving in several square-riggers.
He died in Germany of flu in 1919 while serving with the occupational forces after WWI.
More than a century after the ship was built, Paul Huffam of Arkles Bay, Julius’ nephew, began to restore it.
Paul says the model was passed down through the family and came into his possession in 1968.
By then the ship was far from shipshape. “The fore and mizzen masts were infested with woodworm and there were no sails left although the rigging was still recognisable,” Paul says.
Restoring the ship took Paul almost 2000 hours. He began work in 2010 and says once everything above deck level was removed some of the tasks involved renewing defective mast sections, installing fixed and running rigging, making and installing a new rudder and repairing the figurehead.
He designed a set of 29 sails. “My wife hemmed each sail, while I hand stitched the boltropes to each one,” he says.
“As the project advanced I felt that I was re-living the model making part of my uncle’s life, when such work was done with basic hand tools,” Paul says.
The final task was to find a suitable name for the model, which Paul dubbed Jane Jacobsen, the maiden name of Julius’ mother – it seemed especially appropriate given that Jane’s father and grandfather were both merchant sea captains.
Launching the boat at Arkles Bay was a special moment and required significant effort as the model is around 1m long and weighs 10.9kg.
The ship is to be given to the Motueka Museum, as this is the part of the country where the Huffman family settled in 1969.
Paul hopes to take the model down there this summer, as he would like to have it in place before the anniversary of Julius’ death, January 22.
