News from Cygnet Wooden Boats October 23, 2020 at 08:41AM

The 36ft Motor Launch BEBIE, built by Battery Point Boatbuilder Chips Gronfors is offered as free to a good owner at the Peter Medling Boat Yard in Paynesville. Details can be found here! https://ift.tt/3jte41W In 1935 Chips Gronfors returned from Fiji to Hobart to work again with Charles Lucas at Battery Point. While in Hobart Chips received a commission from the Sydney business women Amber Merle Gray to build an ocean going racing yacht. Chips Chips returned to Newcastle and set up a boatbuilding yard on the Carrington foreshore. Between 1936 and 1940 Gronfors designed and built the yachts AMBERMERLE, HINEMOA and the Game Fishing Launch’s BROADBILL and AVIS. "The launch currently named BIBIE was launched as AVIS on the 4th April 1936 from the Gronfors Yard at Carrington N.S.W. Built by Ivar Chips Gronfors for Mr. J. Carney of Carrington. From all accounts Carney sold AVIS not long after her Launch to Tom Paddon of Newport. Paddon renamed her EXCEL and used her as a Game Fishing Boat off the New South Wales Coast. After WW2 she was purchased by the Belmont 16ft Skiff Club as served as the start boat for many years until being sold into Paynesville in 2015. Chips Gronfors was a master boatbuilder who designed and built boats in New South Wales and Tasmania from 1910 to 1940. Gronfors was responsible for building the Tasmanian Restricted yachts TASSIE and TASSIE TOO, he also built the Yacht HINEMOA, AMBERMERLE, and the Motor Launch’s MOANI and BROADBILL at his Carrington Yard."