LISSA, a converted ice breaker/freighter, has an interesting history.
It belonged to Chris Packer, who was detained in Bali just over three years ago when guns were found on board the vessel.
Mr Packer, who was a Sydney to Hobart winner, said he had the weapons to ward off pirates.
He said he had been boarded and robbed by pirates off Peru 18 months earlier and had repelled a second attack with gunfire.
Mr Packer, who spent three months in detention because he did not declare the guns, said he felt justified carrying weapons aboard the 51m vessel.
Lissa was apprehended by police in speedboats as it left Bali’s Benoa Harbour and impounded.
Officially she was a Baltic Sea grain ship that was commissioned in 1956. However, current owner Mack McCormack said the vessel was also designed to be an ice breaker.
Mr Packer’s brother Ron was reported as having said Lissa was “hardly a luxury boat” as there were no ensuites on it when they had it and the cabins and living quarters were the same as they were originally.
However, an inspection by the Mail last week showed it had everything anyone would want on a vessel.
All the cabins are timber lined and the toilets and bathrooms would do justice to a four star hotel.
Unlike its current owner, Mr Packer was a seasoned sailor, having won the the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in 1975 and being an Admirals Cup yachtsman for England the same year and for Australia in 1979.
Mr McCormack bought his first boat shortly before being made aware Lissa was for sale and until his trip to Busselton had only sailed it to Rottnest in the 12 months he has owned it.
Mr Packer skippered Lissa to Antartica in 2002 with the intention of retracing the voyage of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, however, storm damage to a mast forced him north to South America.
When it it was put on the market it was described as “a superb, airconditioned, trans-ocean ship”.
Chris Packer purchased the vessel in 1999. It had been completed in 1956 after work started the previous year and was named the Solklint for a Swedish owner.
In 1977 the vessel was sold and renamed the Nea and became, Lissa, in 1979 when it was resold.
After Mr Packer bought Lissa the vessel was refitted and modified to carry yachts.
Ron Packer said Australia’s richest man, Andrew Forrest, had expressed an interest in the vessel when it was on the market for $1.2 million.
Mr McCormack got it at a bargain price as he purchased Lissa for about half that price.
He had just bought a boat when he was alerted Lissa was on the market.
He was told to make an offer, which he didn’t think would be accepted, and to his surprise it something his wife Kathryn is still coming to grips with, though their children think it’s fantastic.
Ron Packer said the vessel could be a headache. While it was worth millions to one person it could be a liability to others if they didn’t have a use for it.
He said Mr Forrest had expressed an interest in the vessel as it had appealed to him but he must have had other things on his plate.
Ironically, Mr McCormack invited Mr Forrest aboard and showed him around it at Rottnest without realising who he was.
As for it being a headache, the only one Mr McCormack has is deciding where he intends to take Lissa.
His long-term goal is sailing to Gallipoli for the 100th anniversary.
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