In this press release in regards to the upcoming film being made in Australia they say that the Sirocco was a yacht stolen from Chinese opium smugglers. I have not heard that story before. Can anyone tell me if it is in fact correct?
— tassie devil
Victoria’s Corey Large making a splash Down Under
20
May
Gentleman Tim
May 20, 2017 at 8:43 am
It’s not true, tassie devil. Errol bought the Sirocco from the famous Halvorsen boat building family in Sydney.
Gentleman Tim
May 20, 2017 at 6:26 pm
At least, that’s the Halvorsen side of the story, per this Australuan news article in September of 1937.
BOAT THAT ERROL
FLYNN BOUGHT
HIS STORY OF SYDNEY
PURCHASE DENIED
SYDNEY
In his book. ‘Beam Ends ‘ Errol Flynn, the film star,
wrote that, while in Sydney, he found himself the
owner of a yacht, the Sirocco, after a party. Apparently,
he added, he bought it as a souvenir of the party.
He tried to stop the cheque, but it had been cashed.
To-day. Mr. Blame Halvorsen. secretary of Lars Halvorsen’ s
Son. Pty. Ltd.. of Neutral Bay, said he wished to refute the story
of Flynn.
Mr. Halvorsen said: ‘My father, the late Lars Halvorsen.
sold the boat to Mr. Flynn after several days of
negotiations. Mr. Flynn was not under any Influence when
finally purchasing the boat. He made a small deposit on January 3, 1930,
which was not substantiated until January 15, when a settlement was made
by Mr. Flynn’s mother, who had inspected the boat with her father (sic)Professor Flynn.’
The Sirocco, Mr. Halvorsen added,was In perfect condition when sold to
Mr. Flynn, and was doing hard service In New Guinea as a trading vessel. She was
wrecked In New Guinea, but had been refloated.
timerider
May 20, 2017 at 4:40 pm
Hey… it’s a movie and poetic license is in order! LOL!
Luke knows how to spice it up like his Gran-Dad…..
Gentleman Tim
May 20, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Right you are timerider. In actuality, contrary to both MWWW and Luke’s In Like Flynn, Errol negotiated purchase of the Sirocco wirh Halvorsen over a period of “several” days, during which Professor Flynn and Lily/Marelle also inspected the boat. Halvorsen also built Gretel, Australia’s first entry into the America’s Cup Races, and the only America’s Cup yacht to be in the Cuban Missile Crisis! So, Errol certainly picked a good boat boatbuilder!
Here’s some cool info and imagery:
yard.robbeberking.de/en/angebote/gretel.php…
historyinpieces.com…
Gentleman Tim
May 20, 2017 at 9:34 pm
Norwegian Wood Boats.
Here’s some Halvorsen history, in the days of Errol and his first Sirocco.
[img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/81/65/81/8165819117866593ea25cd94ddab1221.jpg[/img]
[img]https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54b449d8e4b0c8804f6a8c46/t/5781d3839f74568e00198054/1468126180228/?format=750w[/img]