We Found Her

It took a quick probe on line, thanks to social media, to find the Two Sisters after decades of wondering where she'd got to. Within the day, I was talking to the current owner, and she is in safe hands.

To get this in perspective... the Two Sisters, a 30 ft keeler (others dispute it is 32ft but the current owner says she is 30ft) built of heart Kauri and Totara by John B Lockie (my grandfather) was sold due to John B Lockie's failing health (John died in 1974). In the 70s, a man known as Peter bought the Two Sisters and sailed it to the Pacific. He lived in Tonga with his wife and children. Later, Peter sailed the Two Sisters north of the Pacific to Canda BC where she is today. Peter died during Covid and for the first time in five decades the Two Sisters was heard of again on a website, Lady Ben, adversiting her for sale.

Before all this, the last my family had heard was reading an article in the newspaper -- before the internet -- that the Two Sisters had sailed up to BC.

Gary, Jacqui's husband (Jacqui being one of the two sisters), wrote to the owner of the Lady Ben website who had advertised the Two Sisters requesting for further details:

Hi,

I am seeking information regarding a 32ft boat you recently had advertised at US$29,000 and now sold.   With some surprise, my wife recognised it from a photo in an old article as being the “Two Sisters” built by her father John Lockie in New Zealand, in 1954, and named for his two daughters - one being my wife, Jacqueline, who recalls many happy adventures aboard his boat.

If you were able to provide us with any information, historical or otherwise, we would be most grateful, or even with any contact information re the present owner.

Kind regards,

Gary

Here the information stated:

TWO SISTERS is a beautifully constructed, tough little yacht from New Zealand. She has cruised extensively in the South Pacific and the Pacific Northwest. She is in great shape. She is easy to single hand and willing to go wherever, whenever. Pre-kids, we sailed her all over the place...now, we find her too small for our clan. Needs an owner who appreciates a fine, hand made yacht and honors the history and ongoing stewardship of such a vessel.

This was the first anyone had heard of her since before the internet!

See this post here for Two Sisters being for sale: https://www.ladyben.com/sail-classic-wooden-boat/65285-lockie/view-details#google_vignette

In the meantime, I had found reports of the Two Sisters on the fantastic Wooden Boat website, Waitematawoodys.com and sent an email to Alan:

Hi Alan,

Been great reading on your site...

Recently the Two Sisters have surfaced again. My Grandpa John Branksea Lockie built this boat in the early 1950s. Neil Chalmers commented -- familiar with her. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/09/15/victoria-classic-boat-festival-vancouver-dockside-tour/

My aunt (see email below) and myself are interested to find her current owners -- recently sold on Lady Ben but there's no record I can find. 

Do let us know if anything comes in... was great to see her in the Sept 2023 Victoria Classic Boat Festival video footage at 2:56m.

Maybe one day we'll be able to buy the Two Sisters and have her back in our family!

Cheers,

Kelly

I didn't hear back from Alan, but it was really thanks to his website and this man's YouTube site, 'Travels with Geordie,' which Alan published, along with Neil Chalmer's note to watch at 2:56 that I saw the Two Sisters for the first time in my life as a living and breathing entity. Up until then she had only been something that existed in stories and a few black and white photos. It was like reading The Hobbit and then seeing the film adaptation but 1000 times better!

I found an earlier YouTube clip from another 'Travels with Geordie' that had looked like the Two Sisters. Although it was hard to see her name -- on the stern etched into an attached piece of wood -- on a closer citing at 2:56 m of the other clip, I could confirm this was the Two Sisters and there it was -- an Instagram address across the sceen. I contacted the address and low and behold, the end to our search was over. Enter: @dresler_shipwright