"In my next Sydney to Hobart two years later, I teamed up with the Livingston brothers on Kurrewa IV, for the first of three successive races as her sailing master. I was also her sailing master in the Brisbane to Gladstone race. "Sadly however, it was an invitation I did not cherish. In one of the short coastal races leading up to the Sydney-Hobart, Kurrewa IV's sailing master, Ron Robertson, was lost overboard in a southerly gale nearing Sydney Heads." "I joined the crew of Ron's younger brother Douglas, who became my righthand in the cockpit area (and relieving helmsman). The late Harry "Thunder" Kerslake, the late George "Raw-meat" Pearce (an accomplished sailmaker) and Johnnie Love, on the foredeck. The late "Rubber" Kellaway, Jim Biddlecombe, Wal and Don Muir and the Livingstons. "It was prior to this trip, while in Sydney, that I also had the pleasure of meeting Joe Pearce, Peter Cole and the late Bob Miller (Ben Lexcen)." Twenty-two yachts left Sydney on Boxing Day in 1958, with Vic Meyer's Solo leading the fleet out of Sydney Heads, but by nightfall Kurrewa IV had taken the lead heading down the New South Wales coast. Her lead was short-lived however, and whilst in company with Solo, some forty miles south of Gabo Island, she sprang a hull leak in a moderate south-west gale. With the loss of Ron still fresh in their minds and now this, the Livingstons decided to call it a day and set a course for Eden. Vic Meyer and Solo went on to win line honours and the British Lion class yacht, Siandra, skippered by Graham Newland, took out handicap honours. This was to be the only time Jock Muir did not finish a Sydney-Hobart race.
1959 - Renewed attempt with Kurrewa IV
Following some hull modifications, Kurrewa IV once again faced the starter's gun with her main rival Solo. By now the fleets were growing in numbers and this year saw entries top 30 for the first time. The Halvorsens were also back with Anitra V. Second on handicap the previous year, they were destined to repeat the performance again, this time finishing 20 minutes behind Russ Williams' Cherana, which also had Dudley Burridge in her crew. But it was Solo which again took line honours. She crossed the line two hours in front of Kurrewa IV to complete a memorable double for Vic Meyer. Fourteen-year-old John Muir, was in the crew of Lass O'Luss (skippered by John Colquhoun) in his first Sydney-Hobart and was the youngest competitor to sail in the classic at that time.