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Previous Owners

James Uchtred Farie (1925-1930)

James Uchtred Farie (1925-1930) - Gometra1925
   James Uchtred Farie, born in 1873, was a highly decorated Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy and the protagonist of the Battle of Jutland, in 1925 commissioned Gometra to friend Alfred Mylne as fast cruiser. Sailing in the waters of the Clyde until 1928 when he met his second wife Isabel Eila Laurie and decided to move to Falmouth in Cornwall and then to Lymington in Hampshire where he had to reluctantly sell Gometra because in the river there was no mooring large enough.

 
 
 
State Service in the Royal Navy of Rear Admiral J.U. Farie

William Blaine Luard (1930-1934)

William Blaine Luard (1930-1934) - Gometra1925
   William Blaine Luard was Gometra's owner between 1930 and 1934. Extraction military was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and served during the First World War, from which he returned with a permanent disability due to tuberculosis. This did not stop him in his work as yachtsman and continued to sail with many boats, Gometra however, remains one of his particular pride.

    Luard was also a successful writer, in his collection of sea experiences entitled "Where the Tides Meet" he dedicated to Gometra a chapter in which he describes the last cruise who performed with the boat in an Easter weekend of 1934 when the she moved from Falmouth to Bagor in Scotland, home port of the next owner.

 

State Service in the Royal Navy of Lieutenant Luard

Leonard Reynolds (1934-1936)

   Leonard Reynolds bought Gometra by William B. Luard in 1934 and together with the latter led to Bagor, close to Cheshire where he used to live. Together with his friend and family doctor Dr. Kennedy Young, Reynolds used Gometra for long sailing in Clyde with often aboard his children Peter and the young Particia only 6 years old. Specifically, he took part of the famous  Tobermory Race.

   Reynolds was probably commissioned to Mylne some changes such as the addition of the second hatch and moving the galley to the rear. In this period also he changed color from blue to white.

Jamers F. Lang (1937-1939)

   About James F. Lang very little is known, is listed as owner of Gometra in Lloyd Register in 1937. She was moored in Greenock in the Clyde near Glasgow and presumably he was to hand it over to the Norwegian Government for the gold transfer mission.  

Norwegian Government (1940)

   The Norwegian Government appears in owner list because of Gometra's involvment in Gold Transfer mission for saving it from Nazi invasion.

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Ernest Allison Bell (1941-1945)

Ernest Allison Bell (1941-1945) - Gometra1925

   After the arrival in Halifax the Norwegian government sold Gometra the boat to Ernest A. Bell, president of The Maritime Dental Supply Company and important member, as well as former Commodore, of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron. Bell sailed aboard Gometra with his friend and famous naval architect William J. Roué who was skipper during the match for the Coronation Cup in 1943. Unfortunately during wartime the sailing activity was very limited and Gometra was moored at the Chester Yacht Club waiting for better times.

Gus Ortengren (1946-1951)

Gus Ortengren (1946-1951) - Gometra1925

   After the WWII, Gometra was purchased by Gus Ortengren that transferred her to Vancouver by the Canadian Pacifica Railway. Gus Ortengren was member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and used to sail Gometra with his wife Ruth and his son Ronald. In 1949 Gus lead Gometra to win her first Beaver Cup in a 100 miles regatta.

Kenneth G. Glass (1952-1956)

Kenneth G. Glass (1952-1956) - Gometra1925

   Ken Glass understands the competitive potential of Gometra and edited a complete restoration, commissioned Ben Seaborn, a famous naval architect from Seattle, a modification of the sail plan and the sails are commissioned to English Rastey&Lapthorn sailmaker. By 1953 friend Elmer Palmer, becomes owner partner of Gometra, he was a member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club that with Glass shared the passion for the sea.  

 

    Ken Glass leads Gometra twice to victory, in 1951 and in 1954, in the Beaver Cup, approximately 100-mile race in Vancouver area.

Elmer Palmer (1953-1967)

Elmer Palmer (1953-1967) - Gometra1925

   Elmer Palmer became owner partner of Gometra in 1953 along with Ken Glass, he was an important member of the RVYC and retained the boat at competitive levels for several years winning the Beaver Cup three times, in 1954, 1957 and 1958. Among the accomplishments of Palmer and his family were also the 1951 White Islets Race, the 1952 Fraser River Lightship Race and the 1957 C.O. Julian Trophy after the statement by Miss Gail Palmer in the Lady Skipper's Race.

    In 1958, Palmer took over the share of Glass and became Commodore of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, abandoned the Swiftsure Races continued to sail in the waters of Vancouver Gometra as flagship yacht Yacht Club until 1968 hosting often famous people on board.

Alec Manson (1968-1969)

   Alec Manson, a lawyer in private practice in the Kerrisdale area of Vancouver has been owner of Gometra for a few years and held her at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. Again with the black hull Gometra was lovingly cared for and kept in good condition by Manson and his daughter Sandy with whom he shared a passion for sailing.

Robert W. Butt (1970-1973)

   Robert Butt, a member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, acquired Gometra by Palmer and continued the competitive activity by participating in several races. Butt was good friend of Dieter Skibbe, who was skipper of Gometra, and Ken Downie with whom he shared a passion for the sea and racing in the Dragon Class. The rumors tell that Butt and Skibbe had differing views on the colour to give to Gometra, divergence discovered only when one was honestly painting his side black and his friend, just as in good faith, painting his half white.

Kenneth Thurston (1974-1975)

   Kenneth Thurston got Gometra by Robert Butt in a land deal and after having driven up the Fraser River sailed for a period on Harrison Lake with his son Josh. Apparently Thurston sold Gometra to Danish photographer Walter  Vazel de young  who was also resident in Vancouver but we do not have certainty.

David Millis (1976-2003)

David Millis (1976-2003) - Gometra1925

   David Millis, an electrical engineer of Scottish origin, bought Gometra in 1976 after some quick changes of ownership and put a lot of care in the maintenance of the boat with the installation of a new engine and some modifications to make it more suited to long range navigation.

    Millis has undertaken together with Gometra a mini odyssey along the coasts of the Pacific American continent from Canada and sailing along the coast of the United States, Mexico, and also taking part in the 1976 transpacific race Victoria-Maui.

    In 1978 he took part again in the Swiftsure races before ending up in Baja California, where he continued to race and win in Bandaras Bay International Regatta. In 1983, David Millis makes an important restoration the effects of which fortunately meant that Gometra come so far in fair condition.

Molly Holt (2003-2006)

Molly Holt (2003-2006) - Gometra1925

   Molly Holt  found Gometra in 2003 in a state of neglect in La Paz to "Port of Illusions", with huge efforts and a year of intense work despite the interruptions due to hurricanes Ignacio and Marty succeeded in bringing Gometra to good condition. Together with Ishbel Arran, his sons and his faithful dog, Gometra have taken in a long cruise in the Sea of Cortez.

    In the following years Gometra sailed more than 2500 miles along the coast of Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. After some time the two sons of Molly decided to "mutiny" demanding a less nomadic and Gometra remained for a long time in Bahia del Sol. Recovered in 2006, Gometra was reported by cargo in Europe, Toulon and from there to Nice her last home.