Relocating an historic yacht club building to the jetty
History of the building
The building was built by the Canterbury Yacht and Motor Boat Club club house in 1923 to “help keep members together”, as well as for storage of boat gear.
In the mid-1950s, the Canterbury Yacht and Motor Boat Club moved to a new facility at Erskine Point (now Naval Point Club’s house) and sold the old building to Lyttelton Sea Scouts for £500.
Lyttelton Sea Scouts used the building as its den from the late 1960s to the 1990s and those who used it during those decades have many memories and stories to tell about the building. Philip Taylor wrote: “I went to Sea Scouts in this building and went on to become Lyttelton’s first Queens Scout and also completed my Duke of Edinburgh’s award at bronze and silver level here. I went on to sail in the 1981-82 Whitbread Round the World Race, and competed in many great races… The [building] launched many people’s sailing and boating lives. We lost the old Banks Peninsular Cruising club building, so I believe this humble building needs to be preserved and used.”
When the sea scouts moved to a new den, the building became a club room and sailing instruction room for Dampier Bay Maritime Club.
In the early 2000s, Lyttelton Port Company needed the building to be moved from its position over the water and onto the land, in order to make changes to the inner harbour. At this time, the building was purchased for $1 by four supporters, who took on the ownership of the club house.
When Te Ana Marina was developed in 2020, the building was moved into storage on Port Company land. However, it cannot stay there forever. We are giving it a new home above water near to the jetty.
History of the site where it is going
According to Jane Robertson in Head of the Harbour, Lionel Jefcoate approached the local Council in 1958 about setting up a boat-building shed and slipway near the long jetty in Governors Bay.
With no more than a handshake, consent was given and the shed was built. An annual rent of £10 was paid to the Council, and the same amount was paid to the harbour board as a slippage fee.
Lionel Jefcoate built many “incredible, world-class” wooden yachts in the shed, but eventually left Governors Bay and sold the shed to marine broker Steve Cunard in the early 1990s.
On 4 May 2000, the shed was destroyed by a “spectacular blaze”, and only the piles and skeleton of the slipway remain.
The old yacht club building needs a new home. The site of Lionel Jefcoate's boat shed, across from Lyttelton at the head of the harbour, seems the obvious place.
A new lease of life but still a community space
Once relocated, the 12m by 6m building will be renovated for the community to use, including storage of kayaks and boating gear, an indoor venue for jetty events, a small shop or artists’ workshop, a classroom and changing area for school groups, and a place to tell the stories of the area.
Big thanks to the brave people who saved the building before us, especially Kevin Holden, Phil Fraser, and David Lattimore, who bought the building for $1 in 2006, on behalf of the Dampier Bay Maritime Training Centre. Its fate hung in the balance when it had to be moved from its home above the water due to planned redevelopment of the harbour. A huge amount of work went into reaching an agreement to save the building rather than dispose of it. Also worthy of medals are Jane and Graham Batchelor and James Ensor who took on the challenge of championing the saving of the building in 2020. Thanks also to Greg Bowater and Bowater Builders, who generously donated time and expertise to help James shore up the building so it could be moved off leased land to a place where it has been stored to this day.
