This is the file for Moonya on the MHYC Yacht Registry dated 17th December 1965.

Owner: Sydney B Hall

Sail Number:49

Usual Crew: 6

Designer: Alan Payne

Builder: C S Perry

Where Built: The Spit

Date built: 1952 (different from other information)

42 foot sloop built for Sydney Naval Architect Mr Alan Payne. The name "Moonya" is derived from the aboriginal word meaning "Safe House".

Author Mr. Max Barnett SEACRAFT 1957 in his book," The Alan Payne Story" makes reference to 'Moonya',

"More motor cruisers, launches, and another speedboat came off the board, and 1949 brought a request for Questing, a yacht of slender lines, built as a harbour racer and day sailor. She was as the designer describes her, the mother of 'Moonya'. One of Sydney's most beautiful yachts. Then followed a plan for a centre board motor sailor. 28' L.O.A. rigged as a gaff sloop and then followed the most detailed plan to date, Moonya. Owner, Sid Hall, required a large cutter suitable for harbour racing, but which could be handled as a cruiser by himself and his wife. Fastidious to a fault, the owner required perfection and I have yet to hear a critic deny he got it. Every detail of the plan was viewed from the angle of efficiency and comfort and the result was a really beautiful though expensive yacht. She was built by Jim Perry at the Spit."

Moonya had a fire in the galley while on a passage off the northern beaches and the yacht was lost as a result. I note the reference to QUESTING, this  was design number 23, and it was the first yacht with a true  classic style and long overhangs that was designed by Alan and this was repeated by Alan when he designed  MOONYA  which was design No 24. Moonya's  close sister yacht MARGARET M  now KARALEE was designed after Moonya and is understood to be very similar.

You can find Questing (also built at Seaforth by Riddell) and Karalee on the ARHV website. These three represent perhaps some of the nicest styling of any of Alan's yacht designs.

The Sun Herald Sydney Sunday 14^th February 1954, Page 41 'Moonya' placed 2^nd in the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron race results and often rated a mention in Sydney Newspaper yacht racing results.