I want to trace the history of my boat a Carter 30. How to go about that? It is not an Australian registered ship it has NSW state registration.
I have the person I bought it off name (of course!) then on a fitting in the cabin near the mast it is written First owner Kurt O..... built by Sonata Yachts 1979. I also have an old sail with sail number, looking up that is a different later owner. I can get in touch with those guys, but how else to track owners? Can I get a registration history record from Service NSW?

On another note, a nearby moored boat owner dropped in. He is a retired shipwright, he told me my boat was built by a guy named Ian Purdue (may have heard a little different), might have been built in Nowra, anyone heard of him, could have been associated with Sonata?

From my info. the Carter 30 moulds were imported by Barry Cotter in the late seventies and were built in Australia by Southern Cross Yachts in Mona Vale which I understand was Jim Voysey 's coy. as well as designing Sonata Yachts My source mentions Jim Boise but as Jim Voysey designed and had the Southern Cross Moulds ,later called the Sonata 7 with a redesigned deck I think he meant Voysey.. The Sonata Yacht Association is still very active in Vic.

Sounds like Kurt Ottowa's Red Baron. Kurt now sails a tri with RMYC Newport, so they should be able to put you in touch with him.

Ian Perdriau worked with Sonata. He was (is) a damn good sailor; cleaned up the JOG nationals with a Sonata 8 and won the Hobart driving Ex Tension.

Yes it was Kurt's, name stamped on the tiller gudgeon bracket as well. I didn't know that Red Baron was the original name. A later name was Divine Madness, now Sequel. That would be Ian Perdriau the neighbor mentioned, I could not quite get the pronunciation or spelling.
In the engine bay there is a plate stamped s9 then a date ('79). Maybe S is for Sonata and it was their 9th boat. I'll get in touch with Sonata Yacht Association and see if those boats have a similar nameplate.

Hi John Kurt O is my grandfather I believe it was the first carter in Australia it was raced very successfully by him for a number of years in pittwater before been sold and moved to Lake Macquarie i belive it was red and named the red barron if you would like more information from him I could put you in touch

Thanks Kurt, it would be of interest to me to find more information. It's a white colour now, I didn't notice red under the scratches but I will take a better look. I'll send a PM.

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Chris 249 said..
Sounds like Kurt Ottowa's Red Baron. Kurt now sails a tri with RMYC Newport, so they should be able to put you in touch with him.

Ian Perdriau worked with Sonata. He was (is) a damn good sailor; cleaned up the JOG nationals with a Sonata 8 and won the Hobart driving Ex Tension.

Unfortunately, Perc is no longer with us.