It was to be an unlucky thirteenth Sydney-Hobart for Jock, ironically finishing thirteenth over the line. However, Muir-built Salacia had proved once again she handled well in offshore competition, finishing fifth across and fourth on corrected time. "Bob Rusk had sold salacia to Arthur Byrne, who founded the Byrne and Davidson company, (B & D roller doors). Salacia II was built by Cec Quilkey from an Olin Stephens design."
1965 - Balandra - The New Breed
In mid-December 1965, a 46-foot sloop Balandra was launched from the Muir boatyard from a Peter Nicholson (UK) design for Sir Robert Crichton- Brown. Balandra was one of the new breed of yachts around at the time, much lighter and faster, constructed of Honduras mahogany. she was a sister ship to the extremely successful Quiver in the united Kingdom. "Things have certainly changed in the sort of instruments that a racing yacht carries nowadays. when we went to sea in Westwind, we had a compass and barometer. When I sailed on my son John's yacht, Shonandra, in the Jupiter's classic in Queensland, 1987, she had on board every electronic piece of equipment you could think of. That is not to say that there is not a place for modern instruments, but I do think sailors ought to be able to cope if their instruments fail." Jock studied celestial navigation with Commander Rycroft but said he only ever used it on one trip - in the fishing boat Pendella - to New Zealand. "I never had to use it in a Sydney-Hobart and I can honestly say I was never more than two or three miles out on the 630-nautical mile trip. John Bennetto used to say I could smell where I was!" Jock and Neall Batt teamed up once again for Balandra's delivery trip as well as for the 1965 Sydney-Hobart race with Peter Green as her sailing master. A good 20-knot northerly across Bass Strait and down as far as Tasman Island made for speedy race times, most of the 49 fleet finishing on the fourth day. The largest entry, the 74-foot south African ketch, Stormvogel, finished the race first in 3 days, 20 hours, 30 minutes and 9 seconds. The ketch was raced by Charles Bruynzeel, of Bruynzeel Marine Plywood fame. Balandra finished closest to her in 4 days, 5 hours, 35 minutes and 25 seconds. It was the Halvorsen brothers however, with Freya, who had again taken handicap honours followed by Camelot, Cadence and Balandra in fourth.