Emotional moment Maryborough engineer is reunited with the boat he built on its way to Brisbane

Emotional moment brings back boating memories for Maryborough family.

(L) Richard Grace, Bill Olds and Emma Grace with the restored boat, on its way down to Brisbane. Photo: Stuart Fast

It was an emotional moment for legendary Maryborough engineer Bill Olds when he was reunited with the boat he built more than 60 years ago.

He had designed the 24ft bay cruiser Lindy Lou, now known as Gracie, in a specifically constructed shed between 1955 to 1960.

Bill’s son David Olds said the reunion in Maryborough on Monday was special for the Olds family as the boat had been a big part of their history despite being owned by others over the decades since.

“Even though I was a young kid at the time, we used to load up in the early hours of the morning and travel down the river to River Heads and over to Fraser Island,” he said.

The Lindy Lou, now known as the Gracie sailing on the Mary River. Photo: Contributed/ David Olds

“It’s had a series of owners since, it went to Lakes Entrance (in Victoria), to the Gold Coast, then it went to Bowen, then it went to Townsville.”

While in Townsville, the boat was bought by Richard and Emma Grace who lovingly restored it.

Mr Grace is a boat builder and organised to bring Bill Olds to see it for one last time at Maryborough before it continued its journey to Brisbane for sale.

Restoring the boat was hard work, with Mr Grace saying the couple began to perform maintenance on it before realising it needed to be completely refurbished.

Mrs Grace said it was sad to see the boat being sold, but they had enjoyed their time with it.

“We’re looking for an owner who will look after her … she has so much history, she is an antique for people to keep watch over her,” she said.

Originally published as Emotional moment Maryborough engineer is reunited with the boat he built on its way to Brisbane