Morna

(later Kurrewa IV)
International First Rule Design (Unrated as a Twelve)

Design & Classification

Morna was built in 1913 and, although she was not formally rated as a Twelve Metre, she was designed in accordance with the International First Rule, as documented by Lang & Jones. Her design places her within the developmental lineage that preceded the International 12 Metre Class.

Original Ownership (1913–1929)

The yacht was originally named Morna and owned by Sir Alexander McCormick, a distinguished surgeon. Her home port was Sydney, Australia, and she was rigged as an auxiliary cutter. The yacht was named after McCormick’s daughter, who later became Lady Anderson, wife of Sir Colin Anderson of the P&O Line. During this long period of ownership, Morna was used primarily as a daysailer rather than as a racing yacht.

Interwar Ownership (1929–1935)

Between 1929 and 1930, Morna was owned by J. March Hardie, followed by Robert C. Packer, newspaper editor, from 1931 to 1935. During this period, the yacht temporarily disappeared from Lloyd’s Register, a circumstance not uncommon for Australian yachts of the era.

Return to Racing (1936–1953)

From 1936, Morna was owned by Sir Claude Plowman, a radio manufacturer. Under his ownership, the yacht returned to competitive sailing and participated in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in 1946, 1947, and 1948, marking the most prominent racing phase of her career.

Kurrewa IV Period (1954–1977)

In 1954, the yacht was acquired by Frank W. Livingston and John H. Livingston and renamed Kurrewa IV, with Sydney remaining her home port. The Livingstons were also the owners of Kurrewa V (now Ikra), the Twelve Metre built for the 1964 America’s Cup British Challenge.

Between 1954 and 1960, Kurrewa IV competed in six Sydney to Hobart races, achieving the fastest elapsed time in four of those events. After 1960, she was retired from active racing.

Later Status

Following her retirement, the yacht was laid up and not maintained. She is believed to still exist, awaiting restoration, though her current ownership remains unknown.