Carmen was built for the late Ron Neil. She was the first of several Carmen Class designs by Bob Stewart and is an extended Stewart 34. Nearly 42 ft of waterline length.
Carmen was campaigned by Ron Neil in the Royal New ealand Yacht Squadron 2nd Division winning the Squadron points prize in 1966-67 and competed successfully in several offshore races to the Islands.
In the 1960s the late Geoff Wiles bought Carmen and with good friend Minki Goodman, completely stripped and rebuilt her inside, opened up her cockpit and converted her to a high aspect rig extending the mast by 4ft 6in and shortening the boom. With sons Tim and Nick, Geoff went on to campaign Carmen throughout the late 1960s and 1970s.
Carmen with her sailing dinghy type design is an exceptionally fast boat and will easily get up and plane. She has been off the clock at 20 knots on her offshore experiences. In winter she is maintained and moored at Westhaven.
She is in as pristine a condition as she was when she was launched 38 years ago.
