Arthur Bunt’s name lives on

While it was also showered in Champagne, Bunt’s wife Myril decided it would be “very appropriate” to pour out the final drops of his last bottle. 

“He never drank much but when he had visitors around it was always a whisky dry and ice,” Myril said.

“Bert Hunt said he had never seen it done before but I just thought it had to be done.”

Bunt passed away half way through last year aged 93 and the Moruya club upheld its tradition and named it after a valued club member. 

There were about 60 people at the ceremony, among them two of Bunt’s daughters, a grandchild and club members, sponsors and rowers.

Ron Chesher, who Moruya named its first surfboat after, was also there to salute the new vessel. 

A small ceremony was held before the boats were launched and the significance of Bunt’s association with Moruya, which started in 1962, was discussed. 

“It was a happy, inspiring day and it was such a great day for me to meet up with Bert and the crews,” Myril said.

“Arthur would have been tearful I think and the family was so proud.

“Arthur, my son and I are life members of the club and the blue and white boat means so much to us.”

The junior under 19s men’s crew, the Cockerels, took the boat out first and came back unscathed despite testing conditions.

Another junior crew, open women’s crew the Bradbury Chooks and Moruya men’s B crew also had a row in the new vessel and it met early expectations.

“It felt light and fast coming down the wave which was everything that we hoped,” Bradbury Chooks rower Jane Coppin said.

The boat’s first competition will be at the NSW Country Titles at Mollymook this weekend and each of the four crews who used it at the launch are looking forward to taking out the Arthur Bunt.

“We pushed it to be ready before Christmas so we could christen it and use it for the competition,” Coppin said.

The boat was financed by two major sponsors and Coppin praised their support.

“It’s quite an investment of $28,000 and both paid 50 per cent each,” she said.