I just scanned a copy of the front page of the Hilo Tribune-Herald in which
the lead story is about John Van Ruth and his sail from Mexico to Hawaii.
It's now on the Potter Yachters page at
<http://songbird.com/py/story/VanRuth.JPG>
I think you'll be able to read the article on screen, but it is a large
file and will take a while to download. I was trying to make a smaller file
that would still be legible but haven't succeeded so far. I'm working from
a reduced Xerox copy , not the original newspaper.
The story about Van Ruth's departure from Marina del Rey was told to me by
Jerry Barrilleaux, who, I believe, was told the story by Herb Stewart.
Jerry also told me about the subsequent history of Freya. I don't know the
source. Jerry didn't have any details on where the boat was headed when the
crew disappeared. I remember reading somewhere that they were attempting to
sail to another island. Since you are in the Islands, perhaps you could do
some research on the stories. I'm thinking of writing to the
Tribune-Herald, if it still exists, to see if they still have the photos in
their archives. I would love to have a print of the original photo of the
hippy-looking John Van Ruth standing on his Potter so I could put it on the
web page. My Xerox copy is small, contrasty, and lacking detail.
I don't know the hull number of Freya, but the window style indicates it is
from your series of gunter rigs. The newspaper says Van Ruth had owned the
boat for two years, so that would make it a 1970 model like #300, the one
shown in the 1970 brochure on the Potter Yachter web page at
<http://songbird.com/py/oldbroch.htm> . It also appears to have the sliding
hatch, which was lacking on the earlier ones like mine. Perhaps it is your
boat, but that seems unlikely if the boat was taken to Truk as reported.
Harry
>Date sent: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 12:15:17 -0800
>To: duffy@maui.com
>From: Gordon <hlg@pacbell.net>
>Subject: Van Ruth's Freya
>
>>Sorry, that was not an appropriate story for a newbie to sailing and was
>> also incorrect. Since I wrote that, I have talked to our Potter Yachters
>> commodore, Jerry Barrilleaux, and learned more about that famous Potter.
>> It might be comforting to you to know that the boat was not lost after
>> all; it was found and recovered. Less comforting is the fact that no trace
>> was ever found of her two-man crew. Moral: stay with the boat. Wait,
>> there's more. At last report the boat was being used for transportation by
>> a missionary in Truk.
>
>Less comforting. Indeed. Do you know any other details of her
>mishap? Where she'd sailed from...where she was bound ... where
>she was found? Hull number?
>
>Your details are quite interesting. I'll have to keep an eye out for
>more information on Van Ruth and his boat. Seems like a fun story.
>
>Regards, Rich
