Looking for Cloah Sark

[nzscorpio]

My Uncle, Johnny Clougher built a 47ft wooden ketch in New Zealand in 1979 called the "Cloah Sark". In 1994 he passed away and the Cloah Sark was sold as part of estate. I would really like to contact the new owner and see how the boat is doing! The Cloah Sark means alot to our family and we would just like to know anything about it. If anyone has any information about either the Cloah Sark or the late and great Johnny Clougher, could you please post any info here or alternatively email me through this forum, regards Josh

[John B]

I remember reading the book.

there's an entry here by one Bruce Taylor
http://www.cheoyleeassociation.com/WebMisc/guestarchives.htm

It goes to an email address so that might be worth following up.

[BFR]

I remember talking to one of the women in boat books in westhaven.... she had talked to the ppl crusing on Cloah Sark from mem it was when she was crusing in Canada??? can't remember also don't think she works there anymore... off crusing again maybe the owner Tim?? can help with her... I know she did a lot of crusing.

[NYCKiwi]

Josh
Good luck tracking down the Cloah Sark. I was fortunate enough to find copy of your Uncle’s book when I was home in NZ last Christmas – it’s a great read. A story of true determination to build a wooden boat, incredible sacrifice and grit.

Please keep us updated with any news.

BTW: do you have any information on your Uncle’s voyages/adventures after completing the Cloah Sark?

Best

John

[nzscorpio]

Thanks for the posts and info, I haven't had any luck as yet... I have tried a few leads but only dead ends.

Yes Johnny Clougher wrote another book, about his adventures after building the Cloah Sark, however it was never published I have the manuscript and one day (soon) I will post it on the internet.

He had some amazing adventures and the book is very funny!

His last port of call was an island off Rockland, Maine called Northhaven. If anyone can remember him or the Cloah Sark I would be so grateful to hear from you.

Thanks again!

[nzscorpio]

Can anyone offer any more help!

[DiDallas]

March 7, 2007

Josh,

We were just relating to some folks at dinner this evening about our marriage in the Virgin Islands on April 10, 1984...........on the beautiful ........Yellow hull......Red sails......

CLOAH SARK..!!!!!

My wife was goggling around again for any info about the Cloah Sark when she came upon two of your posts for information..........and it was a wonderful find ......but extremely Sad to hear of Johnnys passing......its hard to imagine such a vibrant guy could ever leave this earth!!!

We chartered the Cloah Sark for a week in April, 1984 for the specific purpose to get married on it.......and Johnny and Celeste were delighted!!

They picked us up in Saint Thomas, after a days delay getting there due to plane problems (distraught wife too, thinking we were going to miss the boat), but Johnny adjusted his schedule with grace and off we sailed to Caneel Bay the first night. Mid- morning the next day, Johnny dingyed over to a close pier, picked up the minister & flower girl, and brought them back to the boat..The wedding proceeded with Johnny and Celeste as our only witnesses..........had cake, tossed the flowers off the stern, took the minister back , and sailed off up the Drakes Bay channel for various anchorages over the next week

We were so laid back and just wanted to relax in the sun and didn’t care where the boat went, all of which took Johnny awhile to adjust to as most previous charters were a bit more demanding of him, but finally he and Celeste just took the opportunity to also kick back and enjoy their time as well.........Several things remain in my mind about Johnny and this trip I’d like to share:

Johnny and Celeste were very much in love and very close to each other, excellent mates, friends, and soul mates.......which was a pleasure to be around........Johnny was a little frustrated though that I didn’t play Chess as his competitive spirit really would have loved a tussle each evening....

He was an expert sailor, and taught us how and when to help drop the sails at the secret signal of him removing his hat in a casual manner.....(all for the effect as I’ll explain).....

Coming in to a large anchorage of some 30 - 40 boats one evening, Johnny prepd. us to be ready to drop sails at his usual signal, and said watch this!!!!!!......he said since most sail boats come in to the anchorage under power for safety or lack of expertise,.......he said, we will do it under sail and recognized that every boat in there is watching us as that is the evening cocktail thing to do while watching other foul up!!!!!........we sailed in, purposely up and down several rows of boats to show off, ........(no power)........turned up into the wind some 50 yards behind a buoy, ....Johnny took off his hat, sails were dropped, we stopped at the buoy, Celeste reached over and hooked on the anchor line.......and Johnny laid back in his chair. Put on his hat and relished the knowing admiration of others at such an example of seamanship......

Every evening after dinner on the boat Celeste always served ICE-CREAM and Johnny always jokingly would say to Celeste.......1st mate remember ....the Captain always gets the biggest bowl!!!!......right!!!!........as the bowls were served he would look around in jest, checking all to be sure his was the largest....Ha!!!!......a fun exchange each night that I didn’t forget for the appropriate time to come.................SOOOO.......later we took them out to dinner one evening at some Honky Tonk place, and near the end of dinner I excused myself under pretenses of going to the bathroom, caught the waiter out of sight, and told him when we ordered ICE-CREAM later, to .........”bring the guy with the beard,.......the ......BIGGEST BOWL OF ICE-CREAM HE COULD FIND (no matter the cost)”..........ICE-CREAM gets served and Johnny has this Humongous bowl put in front of him............I could hardly wait or contain myself.......as he slowly looked out from under his straw hat and said.......”I THINK I HAVE BEEN HAD...!!!!”.......it was a scream, he tried his best but couldn’t finish it all.......but laughed over that many a time later!!!!

On our last day with them, we sailed back down Drakes Channel coming hone on a beautiful sunny day, wind at our back, ......sails out wing on wing with all of us kicked back on deck with Johnny and Celeste cuddled over a sail bag in pure delight while listening to beautiful Classical Music as we quietly sprinted down the channel........one of the most lovely moments I have ever had on a boat or anyplace.........a picture perfect memory with two lovely soul mates!!!

Over the week I talked a lot about their plans, what they had done so far, and what the future held at that time............We were about their 7th charter I think in their first year in the Carribean, and his plan was to “precisely stay in the charter business for 5 years, save $300,000 if they got an average of 16 charters a year (later in news letters he said they were averaging close to 30 per season), ....then leave for the Northeast U.S. waters, live ashore for awhile, spend 7 years or so touring the U.S., and then sail back to New Zealand, ........completing a planned 20 year circumnavigation of the world..............

There was no doubt in my mind that Johnny would do that as I have never met such a driven, competent, skilled, smart, energetic, and thoroughly gracious individual in my life!!!!!........his story of trial and fortitude over the previous 13 years or so in the building of the Cloah Sark........was one of the truest examples of what real motivation, the will to succeed, and the human spirit can attain when one has a “real goal in life”!!!

My spirit is crushed that circumstances didn’t allow him to complete his dream!!!!!!!.....but I am comforted by knowing that he lived his dream to the fullest each and every day .........and I am very proud to have shared some rare time on this earth with such a great man!!!!!

Ken Tarbell
Geri DeHart (wife)

P.S......If you have time we would love to know how and where Celeste is these days and what she is doing!!!

[nzscorpio]

Hi Ken, thanks so much for sharing your adventures aboard the Cloah Sark and with the late and great Johnny Clougher and Celeste! I will send you a private email shortly.

What a magical way to get married!

I wish I could have spent some time aboard the Cloah Sark in St. Thomas. I always looked forward to Johnnys newsletters and his adventures during his charters.

Unfortunately my last encounter with the Cloah Sark was just before Johnnys death when I flew over from New Zealand to pack up his belongings. It was an emotional time packing everything up and saying goodbye to my idol and the Cloah Sark. Hence the reason I would love to know where she is now.

Johnny wrote a second book but it was never published. I am hoping to recieve the manuscript and then I will be able to send a copy off to any interested people. It would be quite amazing reading about his life after the first book.

Celeste has remarried and is living happily in Western Australia. I will track down her email address and let you know.

Johnny is resting in peace on North Haven Island, of Rockland Maine over looking the sea, his grave stone reads "Johnny Clougher, Sailor, Adventurer and Roller Blader!" As you can appreciate he was a very well organised man, even to organising his own place to rest in peace.

Thanks again for the post. It truly put a smile on mine and my families faces!

best regards,
Josh

[John B]

I posted your message on our NZ Classic yacht assn site Josh.
The other option would be to post on Crew dot org dot nz as lots of well known Kiwi yachties frequent that site.

[nzscorpio]

Thanks John, appreciate it mate!

[rufustr]

As a result of this thread I have ordered Johnny's book from Amazon.
I hope your search is fruitful.
Best of luck with it and please keep us informed.
Do you have any pictures of the boat to post here?
Rufus.

[Hwyl]

Josh, I owe your cousin Juggy a favour or two. I'm in Maine. If you find anything out let me know if you need any legwork. It's a long way to North Haven from where I am so it might not happen right away, but it'll happen. We do have people closer to North haven who post on here. My real email is triatic at yahoo dot com
(shorten it down for use, I think that's the way to stop spam)

Gareth

[John B]

man , you know everyone don't you Hwyl.:D

I put it on the Crew site as well Josh. I'll let you know if anything pops up.

[John B]

Josh, did you follow up the cheoy lee site address I gave you ? One of the Crew guys pulled it up again.

"A quick Google search gives the following:

http://www.cheoyleeassociation.com/WebMisc/guestarchives.htm

Visitor's Name: Bruce Taylor sark at globalserve dot net
Homepage URL:
Boats Name Cloah Sark
Boats Designer Johnny Clougher, aka( John the Baptist )
Year Built 1979
Length 47
Model New Zealand ketch
Sailing Area
"

[nzscorpio]

Hi John, yes I searched high and low for Bruce Taylor. No luck unfortunately.

Gareth, thanks mate, Justin Clougher is a legend too!! haha :)
Johnny loved Maine and considered it his home away from New Zealand.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all your help!!

[BFR]

Speaking of this.... I talked to lady from boat books on this one as she came into the shop last week.... it was in Canada they caught up with the people who were crusing on her it was about 6-8years ago for the life of me i can't remember what the name of the area was there were in I'm sure it started with a R.
If she comes back in then I will get her to write it down.

[Hwyl]

Gareth, thanks mate, Justin Clougher is a legend too!! haha :)



He could be a good electrician if he didn't sail so much. Fixed up the wiring on my old dodge van.

He's still a "rhymes with anchor".

[rufustr]

Read his book.
Amazing achievement.
That said I didn't like the man as he portrayed himself.
How did Johnny Clougher die?

[NYCKiwi]

Ken, it was fascinating to read your insight into life onboard Cloah Sark after Johnny left NZ. Its really whet my appetite for more. My guess is that Johnny’s latter manuscript will also be a damn good read.

Josh, please keep us updated with any progress finding Cloah Sark and also getting your Uncle's manuscript published. Good luck!

[NYCKiwi]

I notice that Cloah Sark has just registered as a new member...

[Thad]

Anyone want the book? I'll send it on.

[Cloah Sark]

Hey there, I own Cloah Sark. Just now she is under a foot or so of snow, rather the shed she is in is as she is about to have a major refit, she has been with me here in Ontario Canada for the past few years, cruising the Great lakes, mostly Georgian bay, she has spent those winters in the ice under alot of snow, has allways been a warm and wonderfull place in the winter. I would be happy to tell you anything you care to know about her .

[Yeadon]

Look at that ... the power of the forum.

How 'bout some photos!

[NYCKiwi]

Wow, awesome! Cloah Sark, in case you've not already done so, please be sure to read the whole thread as a nephew of Johnny Clougher was looking for information on your boat.

So please give us details of how you came across Cloah Sark and the adventures you've had with her. Oh and lots of photos please.

[Cloah Sark]

If anyone could put me in touch with JC'S nephew I would appreciate it.Dont really have alot of pictures that I can post other then of when we brought her down the road and built a fabric shed come boatshop over her. We played around the great lakes,mostly Superior and my home waters on Georgian Bay. I am in the horse business and kids,horses,horse shows got in the way, we were starting to defer maintenance so we decided to bring her home and she now sits by my barn under the shed awaiting her refit. We spent a few winters in the water in Midland Ontario with a de-icer, we would build a greenhouse kinda thingy over her, it was quite pleasent, Diesel stove and a small electric heater in the aft cabin kept all warm, never was any damage except to the zodiac, we kept that in the water in case someone fell in so they would have a chance to climb out.Strangely enough she now sits on one of the worlds oldest reefs ( the Niagara escarpment ) of course the water is long ago gone, but I tell her it was there. My wife tells me there are some pictures of her sailing out of a snow squall , she says she will try to scan them.
The plan is to have her back in the water in 2 years , though I am still unsure of whether I will strip th glass off her and leave it off as one surveyor suggests, or strip it off and reapply . She is strip planked of Kauri wood, glassed over, Dynel actually, there are some cracks in the sheathing where the seams are. She is so fair I really dont know why she was sheathed, perhaps becuase while Kauri is a GREAT boat timber it is easy to gouge it , none of those cracks leak water, though they may now as she is dry. So a bit of research still to do. I really dontt know how Johnny got her hull so fair, I guess I do know and I dont envy him the labour.
I first met Cloah Sark in the BVI in the early 90's , I was talking to a guy about her as I stared at her and ahhh, some female types cavorting about her decks, I said I really like that boat, the women and children would be safe on her, the guy was Johnny and he laughed.a few years later Johnny was gone and the people that had bought her had her for sale. Fred Hecklinger surveyed her in Annapolis for me, my wife was in attendance and I was in Toronto looking after business, she called and went through the survey they had just completed, Apparently Fred Hecklinger commented that "the women and children will be safe on her " so I wrote the check, Jennifer and Norm Connell and another guy I dont remember the name of brought her home to Oakville Ontario via NYC and the Erie Canal, Cloah Sark HATES Canals, when ever she gets neasr one something breaks or acts up, especially the wellend canal, She has been in there a few times, nerve racking when you know your boat has a irrational fear of canals and your sharing the tight space with ships.
Anyway, I hope to hear from you Josh, I have alot of respect for your uncle Johnny, I have messed about in the boat he built so much I feel I know the man way better then I did. My wife and I have a story for you that is only for you.

[nzscorpio]

Wow mate the Cloah Sark has been on some long journeys and so have I trying to find out where she is now and who the owner was. it was amazing to log in and see your post and catch up on the Cloah Sark. I will send you a private email with my contact details. Thanks to EVERYONE who has posted comments here and espeacially to you for making contact.

The transcript from Johnny's second book is with his daughter and I hope i can get this soon. I would like to scan it and put it into PDF file so anyone with an interest in Johnny Clougher can read a copy of it.

I will be sure to keep you posted.

Thanks again!!

[G. S. BODYCOAT]

Josh, It has been along time since I have thought about the Cloah Sark, your uncle Johnny, and Seleste. My late wife and I sailed in the Virgin Islands on that wonderful yacht in May of 1986. I have wonderful photos of the Cloah Sark at anchor and underway. Also of Johnny, Seleste, sails, rigging etc. If you are interested I would be glad to share them with you. I have his book, that is signed and includes a detailed note from your uncle and I also have the chart we used on which Johnny so kindly plotted our daily progress. So glad you found the Cloah Sark. We enjoyed Johnny, and I am sorry to hear of his passing. G.S. Bodycoat (George)

[John Rimel]

Josh, My wife and I chartered the Cloah Sark with Johnny and Celeste back in the late summer of 1982 in the Canadian Gulf Islands for a honeymoon cruise. We had reserved only one berth, but they hadn't filled the other berth, so we had the boat to ourselves. It was Johnny and Celeste's last charter out of Duncan, BC before they heading south down the coast. I think they were going to winter in the San Diego area and then go through the canal the next spring and charter in the Caribbean for a few years. He always said his goal was to sail around the world with an all girl crew. The year before we sailed on her, Cloah Sark had won the best of show at the Seattle Wooden Boat Show.

At every anchorage we were at, folks would come admire her. I remember one morning we were all down below and we could hear a dingy going around the ship and two fellows speaking admiringly. When they got to the stern, which had Cloah Sark, Auckland emblazoned across it, we could hear one them say, "Oh, Auckland, it's from Australia." Johnny turned slightly red in the face and took off up the steps to admonish these young men that "Auckland is not in Australia, it's in New Zealand!" in a rather fierce voice as Celeste, my wife Karen and I all hooted down in the galley.

Somewhere I have a bunch of pictures from that trip if you'd like to see them. It was a wonderful week, one that is always etched in the memory. Very fond memories of Johnny and Celeste and the Cloah Sark. I'm very sorry to hear of his passing.
John Rimel Missoula, Montana