A Journey to Remember
 

‘Willie’ is a  67-foot gaff-rigged schooner, modelled on the designs of early 1900s pearl luggers was built to fish for mother of pearl shell, Pinctada Maxima, the shell which put Broome on the map and shaped the history of the region.

 As one of the the last operating pearl luggers in Australia, ‘Willie’ is a living historical gem. To cruise under her sails is as close as you can get to reliving the old pearling days at sea.

VESSEL SPECIFICATIONS:

Gaff Rigged Schooner – Original design, based on a master pearling vessel. 

Sail configuration:

  • Main sail (main mast)

  • Foresail (foremast)

  • Staysail

  • Jib 

  • Length 19.63m 

  • Beam (width) 4.65m

  • Draft (depth) 2.20m 

  • Displacement (weight) 49 tonnes

  • Engine make and model- Gardner 8LXB 

  • Average 8/9 knots speed 

  • Auxiliary make and model – Cummins, Onan 

  • Vessel Survey Class – 3B, 2B

  • Passenger vessel surveyed for maximum 30 passengers 

  • Lower Deck – 2 x heads (toilets),1 x shower, 1 x master cabin, 6 x berths, galley, engine room, saloon, wheel house, lazarette (stearing compartment) 

  • Upper deck – Open deck, steering station, open-air seating up aft, cabin-top seating aft of midships, open-air bar midships, cabin-top seating fored and open deck anchor compartment fored.

  •  6000lt diesel fuel capacity 

  • 4000lt fresh water capacity (desalinator onboard)