The end of the Rehu Moana

Comments about this page

• Very interested to read Alan Winter’s story of the REHU MOANO, I sent Francis Prout a copy who also found it interesting. We both wonder how she became derilect in 1972 and what happened to her in the storm of 1982.

  By Ian Hawks (11/10/2008)

• Not up to posting much as I am unwell, but in 1972 Rehu Moana was owned by a guy who only wanted her for status value, he never sailed her and just left her to rot, we tried to buy her but he refused …

  In 1979 my Family came across her again, the old fella had finaly decided to sell her to a young couple who made a small attempt to restore her and we purchased her from them for £5,000, she was in a very bad state indeed and it took us almost two years working full time and living on board to restore her to a seaworthy condition, we made some modifications to her superstructure to make her more of a live on boat.

  We sailed her a lot in late 1981 and early 1982, but we got caught out in an unforcasted South Easterly gale in May 1982 just off the small Village of Kingsand in Cornall, the storm smashed the outdrive, stripped the main and two kedge anchors and as there is no way to sail out of there with the wind coming in from the SE, the photo’s tell the rest of the tale, but as David Lews said to us in a letter “At least she went out fighting” which was the way he would have wanted her to go as opposed to rotting on some lonely beach.

  We have very few photo’s left of her but here are a few more.

  “Starboard Transom Rebuild”

  “Restoration Work, Port Hull Aft Section And Transom Rebuilt”

  “A Christening We Had On Board”

  Alan Winter

  ——–

  Alan, I have added the photos to the Gallery above – thanks for this update. Dave Bullock, Editor.

  By Alan Winter (31/10/2008)

• Alan, Many thanks for further interesting information on Reha Moana which I have copied and forwarded to Francis Prout. Sorry to hear that you are not well, Best regards Ian

  By Ian Hawks (05/11/2008)

• I met the old guy in 1972. He had advertised for a crew and was proposing to sail the catamaran to Australia. Was a long time ago but I remember his wife did not keep well and was against him sailing anywhere. He seemed a strange individual and we decidely wisely not to follow up our interest.

  By Alan Attwood (24/12/2019)

• My Father Robert Rook (Bob Rook) built the mast for that, for Prouts, as his workshop was the only one long enough. His workshop was still in the old bus garage at Small Gains Corner.

  By Robert Rook (30/10/2022)