The history of the 8 foot sailing dinghy ”Moonraker’s Pup” is, to quote Winston Churchill, ” a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma…”
There is so much that remains a mystery. Such as who built it, where it was built, when it was built and if it was a tender for a larger vessel.
However, what is known to date is, ”Moonraker’s Pup” is a wooden clinker built, small, 8 foot, sailing dinghy. It was originally owned by Bill Riggall who was a long term member/volunteer and company secretary of The Queensland Maritime Museum. Mr Riggall was also a member and former President of the Wooden Boat Association of Queensland. He was a keen sailing boat enthusiast and restorer. Mr Riggall passed away in September 2015.
”Moonraker’s Pup” was donated to The Queensland Maritime Museum from Mr Riggall’s estate after his death. Unfortunately, the records of the original accession details have not been found.
For its duration at the Queensland Maritime Museum it lay outside the Wooden Boat Display shed, inside another vessel and covered by a tarpaulin. The mast and sails etc. were also stored in another larger boat.
In November 2021, the Redland Museum made a visit to the Queensland Maritime Museum in the search for a small boat to be placed in a new display being planned.
”Moonraker’s Pup” was thought to be a suitable addition for the new display and a request was made for it to be donated to Redland Museum and used in any exhibitions.
With the help of Cathy Beadley (Redlands Coast Museum) and Arthur Diack (Queensland Maritime Museum), the investigation of its background began and finally the QMM Board agreed to a decision to support the transfer as a ‘gift’, as the item was not part of any permanent display. The Acquisitions Committee of the QMM also felt that ”Moonraker’s Pup” was going to a new ‘good home’ where it would be conserved, put on display and ‘loved’. In this way it is a small contribution to showcasing QLD’s maritime heritage to a wider audience in Bayside Brisbane. Handover date took place on Thursday 23 December 2021.
Unfortunately, at this time there is very little information about ”Moonraker’s Pup” and Mr Bill Riggall. All avenues of investigation and research have, to date, run into dead ends at the QMM, the Wooden Boat Association and other maritime organisations.
A possible clue to the past use of ”Moonraker’s Pup” can be seen on the dinghy itself. The name ”Moonraker’s Pup” is etched and painted on the stern, but on the oars and keel is etched ”Moonraker”, not ”Moonraker’s Pup”. This suggests that ”Moonraker’s Pup” may have been a tender for a larger vessel, named ”Moonraker”. However, trying to discover which ”Moonraker” has proved to be extremely difficult. As it turns out ”Moonraker” is an extremely well-used name for a vessel.
The original name ”Moonraker” referred to the very top most sail on the main mast of fast ocean going sailing ships, such as the ”Cutty Sark”. It was also known as a moonsail, hope-in-heaven, or hopesail. Perhaps naming his 8 foot sailing dinghy ”Moonraker’s Pup” may have been a bit of humour on the part of Bill Riggall, compairing his dinghy to the grand, ocean going ”windjammers” of history.
”Moonraker’s Pup” now resides on display in The Dan Holzapfel Farm Pavilion at Redlands Coast Museum. It will soon feature in a new maritime display that will be developed over the coming months.
