australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 01 02 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 2 What Boat Should I Build? n Tony O’Connor

6 How to Organise Your Own Redfin 22 MK2 Kit n Barrie Armstrong

12 St Ayles Skiffs n Robert Ayliffe

14 Fast Ferries Australia n David Jones

18 Trailer Suspension n Don Nicholson

22 Cutter n Jim Atkinson

28 Port Fairy - Oldest Working Peake Designed Self Righting Life Boat in the

World in Port Fairy n Jonathan Wallis publisher P & G Lynch & Assoc Pty Ltd 32 Why Keels Kill People and the Myth of editor Paul Lynch Keels Being Traditional n Robert Ayliffe production Wendy Elliston accounts Gayl Lynch 36 Duckchaser n Don Nicholson printing Beaudesert Times distribution Gordon & Gotch 40 Fibreglass Reinforced Plastics (FRP Explained) n Dave Giddings

47 Problems with Rudders n Dudley Dix Editorial contributions and 55 Pilgrim – A Seriously Capable Open Boat n John Welsford advertising enquiries to: Paul Lynch 58 n Greg Barwick The Inverloch Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta 10 Rina Court 64 FireBug News n Peter Tait Varsity Lakes, Q 4227 PO Box 560, Varsity Lakes Q 4227 70 Didi on Port Phillip Bay n Robert Ayliffe p: 07 5593 8187 e: [email protected] 76 Cody Horgan Returns to Franklin n Jonathan Wallis

79 Missee Lee n Robert Ayliffe Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in articles in this magazine are those of the writers concerned and Front Cover: do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Pilbara Succes s, Copyright: Articles in this a sail and oar publication may not be reproduced boat built by without permission of the publisher Tony O’Connor and/or writer. and designed by Francois Vivier.

www.amateurboatbuilder.com.au

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 1 Gary Barker’s Ilur in the worlds cleanest workshop.

What boat should I build by tony o’connor

“the desire to build a house is the tired wish of a man content thence forward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling? yet to accept the idea of a final resting place” Arthur Ransome.

guess it is fair to say that most people reading this aspects of building and using the boat, there is also magazine are either building their own boat are the question of why they want to build at all. Iare planning to sometime soon. For many potential While you may not always be able to build a new builders it is not a question of whether they will build boat for the price of a secondhand boat, the great a boat but what boat they will build. I suspect that for advantage of self building is that you get to decide some people the actual building of the boat is more how your boat is constructed and, more importantly, important than the sailing of the boat when the project you don’t inherit the mistakes and short cuts of is inally inished. previous owners and builders. But as well as that I One question I am frequently asked by people who think that for many people there is an inherent desire contact me about a kit boat ask is what is the best to build things, something in our DNA, a kind of throw design for them to build. back to a time when we needed to be more self It is a complex question and I don’t really think there suficient than we are nowadays. For some people it is any easy answer to it. Apart from the technical may be a piece of furniture, or a car, or even a house,

2 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats and for some of us it is the desire to build a boat and is the ‘stitch and glue’ method and very big boats can all the possibilities that go with it. be built this way. In some ways a boat is the epitome of the desire to Strip planking, cold moulding and clinker ply are also build something, not only must it be watertight and all common, and of course CNC kits can greatly assist keep its crew safe in what can sometimes be a very in all these methods. For the very ambitious or skilled hostile environment, it must also be able to work with there is always traditional planked boats, either clinker sails or motor to move through the water eficiently, or carvel, but for the vast majority of home builders and hopefully it will be beautiful to look at too. No these methods of construction are not practical. small challenge, for the designer as well as for the Although these modern methods of construction can builder! Modern boatbuilding has become signiicantly make construction easier there is also the complexity more accessible to amateurs with the advent of epoxy resins, and also almost all the information a builder could need can be found somewhere on the internet. A few years ago I sent an Ilur kit to Gary Barker in Queensland and at the time he confessed that he was a bit nervous as he had never built anything like a boat before but he was deinitely game to give it a go. I told him that he could contact me with whatever questions he may have or any problems or issues he found and I would be happy to help him. I didn’t hear anything from him for several months Jewell cabin with step and then one day he sent on the centreboard case. me a beautiful picture of the completed hull. I was surprised that I hadn’t heard from him and that he hadn’t needed any help and of the design to consider – too ambitious a project when I asked him about this he said that he had found can end up with the builder getting bogged down and all the information he had needed online, particularly losing momentum. Ultimately a builder needs to judge on forums like the wooden boat forum. whether their skill level will be enough to complete ? the project but it is worth remembering that even if The two main questions about designs that I get your skills are limited at the beginning you are likely to asked by prospective builders are: learn a lot and improve over the course of the project, “Will I be able to build this boat?” and; and anyway, sometimes facing up to such challenges “Will this boat be suitable for what I want to do with is what gives us the greatest satisfaction when the it?” project is inally completed. And although there is no easy answer to either The other big consideration when taking on a project question I ind that a good rule with all boats is to go like building a boat is your workspace; how big is it for the smallest boat that its your purpose. and what tools and facilities you will need. Building Firstly “can I build it”? Obviously a person’s individual in a small conined space can be very frustrating and skill will play an important role in determining whether room for laying out parts as well as rolling over the they are able to build their boat and for a complete hull if necessary, dust extraction, moisture control, novice it can be a good idea to build something really storage of materials etc, all need to be considered. small and simple just to get used to the materials and I have heard it said by other professional boatbuilders tools used to build a bigger boat. Epoxy resins have that when building a new a boat the workshop needs made boatbuilding easier but building a boat can still to be three times the area of the footprint of the boat be a complex business even with a CNC cut kit, and being built, but most home builders don’t have the some methods of construction are more complex than luxury of that much space and have to work within others. Probably the easiest method of building a boat whatever space they can manage. The building jig for

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 3 people often ask is whether a particular design is seaworthy enough. It is commonly said that the main consideration for seaworthiness is not so much the boat as the people sailing the boat but that is something that the skipper must judge for themselves. One factor that all skippers can achieve is to ensure that their safety equipment, EPIRB, VHF lares etc. are all functioning and by observing safety procedures such as informing coast guard or other responsible persons of departure, destination and estimated times of arrival etc. But from my point of view as a builder the main Ebihen hull being turned over single handed. concern is the design itself. Personally I like high freeboard in a boat for open Gary’s Ilur was very robust so he was able to mount water, positive buoyancy so you know that even it on casters and move it around in his garage (which in in the worst scenario the boat willnot go to the was the tidiest building site I have ever seen – see lead image). bottom. Franscois Vivier’s Ebihen and Ilur designs are the most popular designs of that type that I deal Whereas the Ebihen (above) was built in a semi with but within my sailing friends there is a wide open workshop in rural New South Wales, deinitely array of similar boats. John Welsford’s Navigator a challenging set up in terms of moisture control but and Pathinder being the most common as well as with lots of room available. Swallow Boats Bay Raiders but there are many other The second consideration, ‘is this boat suitable for my designs out there. needs’ is even harder to quantify. Again I would begin I had always subscribed to the idea that with the principle of going a small as possible, there is seaworthiness and displacement went hand in hand no need to build a big solid sea-boat if you only want and, that for a boat that was to be used in open to potter about in sheltered waters and a lighter easier water and able to cope with the conditions that may constructed boat will probably get you on the water arise, weight and displacement were your best friend. sooner and get used more. However several years ago I found myself on the If you are intending to go out to open water then ferry to the Wooden Boat festival in Hobart inthe you need to choose a suitable design but a question company of Robert Ayliffe. We spent some time discussing various aspects of boat design and seaworthiness If you are IntendIng to go out to open Water and his opinion on this was that then you need to choose a suitable design the opposite could also apply. but a questIon people often ask Is whether a He recounted his well publicised particular design is seaWorthy enough trip across the Bass Strait to Tasmania on a (relatively light weight) 23ft Norwalk Island Sharpie in severe storm

4 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats conditions, a trip he seemed to enjoy but I suspect suspicious of leeboards, they have been used for his sailing companion may not have! He told me that centuries on traditional sailing barges in Holland as when they needed to rest up they just dropped the well as on the Thames barges, and are thought to sails and lifted the centreboard and let the boat drift have originated in China over a thousand years ago. while he put the kettle on. His point was that with no The main advantage of leeboards for these barges keel down the boat wouldn’t trip up over itself and is that they didn’t take up valuable space in the capsize, and instead just scooted over the waves until hold and also there is no need to worry about leaky they were ready to sail again. centreboard cases inside the boat. Robert also pointed out that for centuries people Here in Western Australia my friend Kurt Stenross sailed the oceans in boats with little lateral resistance not only builds his own boats but has also designed and were able to ride out the worst of weather in their several boats up to a 34ft gaff yawl. Kurt is a big ‘primitive’ ships. The American designer Phil Bolger advocate for leeboards both for the convenience of used a similar rationale for some of his designs not having a case cluttering up the cabin but he also

Hurt Stenross’ Ripple waiting for the tide. too, preferring that they loat on the water rather feels that they are superior to centreboards as leeway than through it. The use of internal water ballast preventers. There are many aspects to leeboard in conjunction with a retractable centreboard or design, angle relative to the centreline of the boat, the leeboards is in my opinion the optimum system for angle they are canted outboard to be perpendicular to smaller sailboats as it allows the boat to be ballasted the water when sailing, weight and lifting mechanism, up when necessary and allows the ballast to be easily as well as length and width which affects the centre removed for trailing or sailing in light winds. Also of lateral resistance when the board is partly raised in because water ballast is neutrally buoyant it will not shallow water so there is plenty of scope for tinkering. sink the boat if it does become completely swamped. Leeboards are a largely overlooked aspect of boat Water ballast tanks do add another level of complexity design that is worth considering if you are looking for (and therefore time and cost) to any project but are a boat to use in shallow and/or tidal waters. Kurt’s well worth considering. There aren’t as many designs enthusiasm for leeboards is infectious, and it is a available with water ballast as other types but they subject that warrants an article in itself in the future are available, designs like Ebihen (blue hull left) as well as the Bay Raiders feature water ballast tanks. Ultimately there is no deinitive answer to the quest for the perfect boat, (but you probably knew One downside of centreboards is that they can break that already). Every person has a different idea of up the space in a cockpit or cabin, in some designs aesthetics, different sailing requirements and abilities, like the Jewell the centreboard case is located under as well as available building space and the skills the cockpit sole with only a small protrusion into the to build a boat. So the best advice I can honestly cabinwhich is used as a step. Ian Oughtred used give anyone is to read as much as you can, contact clever solution to this problem on his Eun na Mara anyone you can ind who has built a similar type of design, in this design he uses twin boards,one either boat or sails in the same area you are looking to sail side of the cabin, and the cases are built into the in (online forums are very useful for this) and, ... well internal furniture resulting in a clean uncluttered cabin ... jump in and see how you go! And, because inside sole. all of us the desire of youth still rests somewhere, One other solution which is often overlooked is you will always ind that there will be people who are the use of leeboards. Although many people are willing to help.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 5 how to organise your own redfin 22 MK 2 Kit

by barrie armstrong During my Mum’s gradual decline due to age I used the time when I wore the carer’s hat to design and build the prototype Redfin 22. This boat, called Jess after Mum, was launched in April 2000.

hirty ive boats later I felt that we had all marketed as a kit only to make her easier to build, learnt how well the boat performed, and what and complete plans were not issued at that time. alterations could be made to improve her and T There is always a customer mindset that the full kit also make her easier and faster to build. has advantages and disadvantages … really great, The time spent building a Redin 22 at the Boatcraft that all components are cut out exactly to shape, factory during our building nights also pointed out making the boat much easier to build (usually great areas that could be changed to assist the builder. fun too). My friend, Naval Architect Keith Callaghan then agreed to redraw my kit boat plans to an improved The disadvantage is that all things must be paid version so they could be marketed as a full and for, so the cost of a precision cut kit is sometimes a attractive plan set for those who wanted to build from deterrent. the plans only. Also, my clients in NZ, Hobart, and Perth found the I will explain here that I am a plan offsets kind of cost of freight, when added to the kit price, was just guy and usually draw for myself, so the boat was that bit too much to pay.

6 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats Later in this article I will show you how to reduce the kit cost up front, and not pay much freight at all if you get organised, so you then have no alibi; you can now have your very own Redin 22 MK 2 and build from Quite a few 3D images a CNC Router included with plan set so you will know exactly how Cut kit that you the boat should look. personally did not cut out … and, with my licence, just a few emails, and my help, you can do So, the plan set costs $475, which includes nine full this! size pattern sheets (A0 size) of every part of the boat, Our plan set when delivered will include the DXF iles an 80 page colour construction manual, and 24 large and a one off licence for you to give to your router page plan set (v002h) pages all bound in book form, guy. One boat only can be cut from this licence so and of course the relevant DXF iles, together with my everyone is happy. personal licence sheet for the router irm.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 7 Easy construction … With this complete plan set issue you have the choice clockwise from top left: to cut the parts as you need them, or buy the ply in advance and get the whole kit router cut ahead of the Topside panels go on easily. build. CentreBoard Case pre-assembled. please taKe note here that Sitting outside in a chair building furniture and galley. We could have charged quite Cockpit ready for side seats. a bit extra for the extra dxf files but We Want you to build, not Worry! either Way you Win, and another redfin 22 MK 2 enhances the WaterWays.

8 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats redfin 22 mk2

Although not to scale here the accuracy of the full drawings is amazing!

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 9 As you are paying for the cost of the plans and cutting yacht on course in such heavy winds. I guess I was costs I feel it is only reasonable to let you purchase away from the tiller for at least ive minutes.” the remaining components at my special owner’s Martyn also loves the pump-in water ballast ... as he price. says, it costs nothing, you don’t have to tow it over the bitumen, it never complains, and you don’t have to all you have to do Is send buy it lunch! Trust me, the extra 380kg ballast in the me your receIpt from a exact right place works on all headings. boatcraft agency In your I have enclosed a few photos and drawings to show area and I wIll cashback that Keith and I mean business here. Measurement accuracy is to the fore in these plans $100 to you, all beIng equal. and all dimensions are about perfect for this yacht design. I would like to write more on the comfort and This applies to the timbers, epoxy, ibreglass sheet, seaworthiness of my little yacht but we are running double bias tape, iller and glue powders, paint, etc. out of space. I am sure the above offers will assist us all in getting Just to say that the size is right, she is logically very to the water in what we have proved to be one of the easy to tow, rig, and launch, so I am happy and best trailer yachts of this size in the world. proud. My few good friends are blown away with the The 3-D images shown with the plans do not show quality of these plans, and believe me they know how plainly the hull form in the water, or the seaworthiness to read boat plans. They are also intrigued that the of my design:- Martyn Kortlucke, (editor of The Log rigged boat weighs in at just under 500kg. from the Queensland Wooden Boat Association) Please study the drawings shown and email or call bought Jess from me in 2004 and waited till there was me if some aspect of the design needs explaining. a strong wind warning in Brisbane before he tried her out on his own for an afternoon sail from Colmsely on the mighty Brisbane River to Bribie Island (about one hour’s drive north of Brisbane.) Sailing across Deception Bay in a very strong wind and very large waves (really shallow) he thought it best to furl the jib sail for safety and then saw that the furling line was tangled and stuck ... so he went for a walk right to the bow and untangled the retrieving line, came back to the tiller and as he told us all at one of Call me anytime 07 3354 3084 our building nights Jess was always on course under 0478 280 619 reefed main and no jib, must have been Barrie’s full [email protected] length skeg right up to the bow that kept my little

10 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats redfin 22 mk2 sail plan

Sails and rigging very flexible and tried and proven in Sail Area 18.6sqm all winds. Foretriangle base J + 2010 Jib perpendicular to luff LP = 1900 Jib luff: 5205 Mainsail luff P = 6800 Mainsail foot E = 3150 Spreader Angle = 22°

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 11 St Ayles skiffs by robert ayliffe

Got a call from Martin Riddle two weeks ago. “Hey Robert. Any chance that you could bring a St Ayles Skiff from the BIG island down to Tasmania for the upcoming Tawe Nunnugah Raid, in late January, early February, and then the Franklin International St Ayles Skiff Regatta in Franklin in mid February?” Well. Of course!

elbourne’s Welsh Church Minister, Jim Barr, The women of Franklin really are responsible for from his hospital bed committed Cariad and kick starting the Australasian arm of the world wide MPeter Doyle and his mates at the Royal St Ayles Skiff movement, with their direct building Geelong Yacht Club committed one of their new skiffs, and subsequent driving of their well run regattas the beautiful bride of Bakdida and so have we in SA and other events. The blokes are in it and welcomed committed, once more, Goolwa’s well loved John too, of course, and all in all it’s been a very happy collaboration and interesting cultural growth as the Liddy. These are in addition to a swath of Tasmania’s years have gone by. For one thing, it has led to what growing leet of St Ayles Skiffs, making the 2019 events. Both the raid and the regatta are likely to many agree is the best ‘Men’s Shed’ in Australia. Not be a new record in participation of St Ayles Skiffs in actually called ‘Men’s Shed’ any more, but ‘Living Boat Trust’. Many of you will have been there, and will Australia. know what we mean. I think anyone contemplating There are now over 20 St Ayles Skiffs in Australia a new ‘Men’s Shed’, should look very closely at the and another 11 in New Zealand. Another kit will be Living Boat Trust model. heading to Victoria in the next couple of weeks, Halves the effort of holding up the sky. And it is such a Mordialloc Sailing Club has just ordered their irst kit. comfortable place to be around. 12 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats These events, the famed Australian Wooden Boat OPPOSITE: Three skiffs enroute to Hobart. Festival and the Raid, attract participants from ABOvE LEFT: Big raids lead to big feasts along the way. Europe, the Paciic, the Americas and beyond with ABOvE RIghT: Raiding, in New Zealand! out having the expense of carting their boats around the world. They can do this relatively easily, in part because its such a broad experience , but also because a great legacy of a one design class is that everyone can row in the local boats. You need enough of them of course, but now we have them, StrayDog BoatWorks from the Indian Ocean to the Paciic. PO Box 843 Mt Barker, SA 5251 Get down to Hobart and set your sights on getting a 0428 817 464 St Ayles experience in Hobart, and later in Franklin. [email protected] www.straydogboatworks.com See you there! PLANS! PLANS! PLANS!

LOA 22’ Beam 7’ 10” Draught 12” Weight 480kg 4 berth

NEW PRICE $475 REDFIN 22 MK 2 PLUS POST Plan set with 9 FULL SIZE Pattern Sheets • 26 x A3 size bound Construction Drawings. These are the most precise 3D PLANS ever seen! • 80 + pages colour, bound, Construction Manual (sit outside in a comfy chair and build YOUR boat) • Bote-Cote User Manual No Building Jig / No Complicated Frames Available NOW from Barrie Armstrong Weighs 480kg / Water Ballast

c/- Multihull Marine, 189 Molle Road, Ransome Q 4154 [email protected] l 0478 280 619

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 13 fast ferries Australia

Manly, the irst hydrofoil on Sydney Harbour in her irst month of operation.

by david jones, queensland maritime museum

On January 7, 1965 a radically new vessel entered the Sydney to Manly service halving the journey time of the traditional ferries. It was a hydrofoil, streamlined and luxurious, which lifted its hull out of the water to skim along the surface at 30kts on a pair of hydrofoil blades. Named Manly, she was the first truly fast ferry in Australia.

esigned in Italy but built in Japan, Manly seated just 75 passengers who paid a premium Dprice for a fast commute across the harbour. Five larger vessels with seating for 140 passengers followed her, indelibly writing hydrofoils into the life and story of Sydney Harbour. Two even larger 235 seat Italian hydrofoils completed the leet in the mid- 1980’s. But despite their speed and thrill, hydrofoils had their disadvantages. Long rows of enclosed seating could not replace the free space and expansive, leisurely views of the harbour from conventional ferries. Hydrofoils were also expensive to buy and Incat’s Atlantic record-breaker Hoverspeed Great Britain. operate, and prone to damage by loating debris and Image Incat2733 via Wikimedia Commons mechanical failures. After 26 years of service the four remaining hydrofoils were replaced by fast catamaran ferries of a new generation.

14 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats Another new technology emerging in the 1960’s was On the east coast, Ansett’s 35m Sun Goddess began the hovercraft. Riding on a cushion of higher pressure ferrying guests from Hamilton Island’s new airport to air, hovercraft could cross from the sea to ride over Hayman Island in the Whitsundays in 1986. As well beaches and lat land with equal eficiency. Their as stylish indoor seating, open decks allowed tourists versatility seemed to offer great potential, but their opportunity to enjoy the environment. She continued service as ferries in Australia was limited. in Ansett’s service until the company collapsed in The British hovercraft Courier was 2001. chartered briely in 1987 to trial services on Port Phillip Bay. Also in that year two 70 passenger hovercraft were built by NQEA in Cairns for passenger transfers and tours with the Sheraton Mirage resorts at Port Douglas and the Gold Coast. Next year both were brought to a special terminal at Brisbane airport to take advantage of the boost in tourism from Expo 88 at South Bank. Named Hover Mirage I and II, they made the two-hour journey from Sheraton Mirage across the Broadwater and Moreton Bay, then up the Brisbane River to a riverside gate at Expo. They also made airport transfers and offered short tours to Jumpinpin on Stradbroke Island. During 1989 tourism slumped and the hovercraft service was closed. They were sold overseas at a considerable loss in 1992. The lightness and strength of aluminium alloy was ideal for the construction of fast ferries and Australia was a large-scale manufacturer of aluminium. Australian shipbuilders developed its use in a variety of innovative forms constructing vessels which were exported around the world. The conventional monohull designs with a planing hull form and waterjet propulsion provided enclosed comfort and speed, even top: in rougher sea conditions. Heavy Pioneering wave-piercing catamaran Spirit of Victoria. Image Colin Jones seas were often encountered on above: Hover Mirage hovercraft at their Brisbane airport terminal. the exposed run across Gage Roads to Rottnest Island, and in 1974 a vessel providing this safe, enclosed comfort was built in Fremantle to provide a half-hour transit to However the design which has proved most versatile the island. and with widest appeal is the fast catamaran ferry. Twin hulls allow for greater stability and broader This was the 22m Hydro-Flite H26 and with her cabin space, while shallower draft and a thinner, futuristic, streamlined proile, she carried over 100 more streamlined hull shape give them greater passengers at speeds up to 32kts. The fast monohull speed for less power than conventional ferries. In ferry leet of Rottnest Express continues to dominate addition, waterjet propelled catamaran hulls produce passenger travel to Rottnest Island.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 15 above: Brisbane’s CityCat Barrambin celebrates 20 years of service. left: Ansett’s streamlined monohull ferry Sun Goddess.

less wash, making them an attractive option for river The potential of fast catamarans for transforming services. harbour and river ferry services was quickly Pioneering fast commercial catamarans was recognised by government and private operators. Tasmanian Robert Clifford who formed International First on Sydney Harbour were 30kt Manly JetCats Catamarans Pty Ltd, ‘Incat’, based on the Derwent which replaced hydrofoils in 1991. They were followed next year by 230 passenger RiverCats running from to develop his fast ferry concepts. His irst prototype Parramatta to Circular Quay. At the right state of the appeared in 1977, but within four years Incat’s 20m tide they made the full passage in under an hour and design with a cruising speed of 24kts was beginning a half. to transform tourist operations to island resorts. Added to their rapid delivery of passengers from the On the Brisbane River, previously the realm of cross- mainland, they expanded tourist opportunities by river ferries, 26m CityCats opened up totally new opportunities for commuters and tourists alike. Their speeding sightseers to the Great Barrier Reef for an 28km route along the river took them from St Lucia extended visit. through the central business district to Hamilton. With Fitzroy operating First on the scene in 1981 were a service speed of 25kts, the irst CityCat services out of Cairns and Tangalooma carrying up to 180 commenced on November 4, 1996. Seats were passengers across Moreton Bay to the Tangalooma provided for 108 passengers, inside the cabin or Island Resort. Improved designs followed with exposed to the wind on open decks fore and aft. The increasing numbers of fast catamarans going into service has proved so successful that 21 CityCats service around Australia and overseas. now operate on the Brisbane River.

16 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats But offsetting the advantage of speed in a busy market in the English Channel, the Irish Sea, the harbour is the increased risk of accident. Heavy Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, North fog can delay ferry operations and collisions have America and the Far East. occurred with rowing shells in the poor visibility of Then in September 1999 the transition of East dawn training on the river. Timor to independence brought Australia’s fast ferry One area of fast ferry technology where Australia technology front and centre on the world’s military is undisputed world leader is in the development of scene. A 78m Incat wave-piercing ferry had been wave-piercing catamarans. These have a narrow, low hired by the Royal Australian Navy for two years as buoyancy bow of the outer hulls which pierce through HMAS Jervis Bay. When international forces were waves rather than riding up on them. This gives them required in East Timor she was ready at Darwin for a faster speed and steadier ride in a seaway while a the irst movement of troops and equipment to the raked, central hull enables the catamaran to penetrate new nation’s capital, Dili. the wave crests in rougher seas. Jervis Bay was the irst vessel to arrive. Cruising Incat again led the way with their irst commercial at 45kts she crossed the Timor Sea in 11 hours to wave-piercing catamaran ferry Spirit of Victoria which land 500 troops, their equipment and vehicles in began operations out of Melbourne in 1985. The Dili. Her fast passages and quick turnaround proved concept was quickly taken up by open sea tourist more eficient than transport aircraft. She quickly operators on the Great Barrier Reef and in Great earned the nickname Dili Express, making over one Britain. hundred passages to East Timor. Other nations sat The company made a quantum leap forward in ferry up and took notice, with Austal using wave-piercing development with a larger roll-on/roll-off car and technology to build a class of fast transports and a new concept of surface combat warships for the US passenger ferry of wave-piercing design. The irst of Navy. these was completed in 1990 and made an immediate impact on the world stage. With a length of 74m Fast ferries have risen to the challenge of our fast- Hoverspeed Great Britain could carry 450 passengers paced modern lifestyle. It is an area where Australian and 84 cars at high speed. Her capabilities innovation is leading the ield.

challenged existing combined car and passenger The legendary ‘Dili Express’, HMAS Jervis Bay. ferries around the world and Incat made sure her delivery voyage to Europe would be an emphatic demonstration of her superiority. Departing from New York she crossed the Atlantic in three days and eight hours at a speed of 36.6kts winning the Hales Trophy, replacing the famous Blue Riband, for the fastest eastbound transatlantic crossing by a commercial vessel. Incat won the trophy twice again raising the speed to 41.3kts, a record which still stands. Wave-piercing car ferries from Incat, Western Australia’s Austal and NQEA are operating scheduled express services around the world, scooping the

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 17 traIler suspension

Overall view of new suspension.

by don nicholson

As I mentioned in an earlier article my Jarcat trailer was built to Ross’ plan including Al-Ko suspension. I did change the wheel size though, I don’t like those little 10” wheels. They’re expensive, the tyres are not cheap; also because the wheels are so small they spin very rapidly at highway speeds shortening bearing life and they fall into quite small pot holes.

bought three 13” (ex Torana) alloy rims from a for the trailer, I learnt my lesson with two cheap tyres wrecker quite cheaply. Quite often in an accident written off, luckily without any other damage. Ione wheel will be damaged meaning the three left Back to the suspension. The Al-Ko gives a nicely can be bought cheaply. damped ride and sits the trailer low to the ground. I also made a common mistake and bought three However Jarcat owners from places in the far north second hand tyres. Silly really as at that time the boat advised me that they failed regularly in hot conditions was worth more than the tow car! Buy decent tyres on rough roads.

18 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats We did a few trips to the Gippsland Lakes in the cooler parts of the year and the suspension worked beautifully. Our next long run was in summer up to visit Mike K in Gosford. Shortly after arriving I kept feeling jerks from the trailer on small bumps. Inspection showed the left tyre was rubbing on the underside of the guard. Dropped the boat in the water and went and had a couple of 20mm thick alloy spacers cut and drilled and itted. The problem re-occurred a few years later. This time I was near home and made up spacers from 50mm heavy gauge RHS. I should have replaced the suspension then as it had now sagged down a good 40mm from original. In January we were invited to enter the Milang to Goolwa race in South Australia. Almost half way there we pulled over to ind a place to stay and as we slowed we became aware of a strange noise linked to road speed. A sort swoosh-click. On checking the suspension had collapsed to the stage where we’d completely worn the tread off the trailer tyre and had gone right through the wire cords in one spot (the click)! Also generated enough heat to de-galvanise the guard and burn my hand when I bent down to inspect the tyre! Noticed at this time that the swing arm was canted in at the top – the other side as well but not so badly. Arranged to leave boat and trailer at the caravan park in Kaniva. In hindsight I should have dropped the boat off the trailer and brought the trailer home. Decided to do as suggested by other Jarcateers and replace the complete assembly (after all 18 years is not a bad life). The Spartan top: Spring slipper mounting. single leaf spring kit was a above: Underslung spring – extra plate to take locating pin on spring. good it according to those that have itted them. Had to wait a while to get a long enough axle made up plus work out how I was to attach

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 19 the mounts to the axle without a welder on site (or a power point within 40m of the boat.) At home I welded up mounts to bolt on and gal sprayed them. When all ready I took all the bits and tools I though I might need and drove back to the boat. The springs mounted perfectly with the wheels located exactly where they had been.) I had to drill two holes through the front mudguard support for the front bolts on the eye plates. That was it. Paid my debts to the lovely folk at Kaniva (the very helpful owner of the local bus depot for the loan of axle stands and trolley jack and the management of the pool and park) and hit the road. Due to the uncertainty in my mind as to just how well it all would hold up I sat on about 80km/ hr and pulled over frequently to crawl under Spring eye mounting. and check everything. (No problems). One moron tailgated me sitting less than 2m from the back of the boat and would NOT pass (so close I could see him under the hulls). I eventually pulled over and stopped to allow him pass. Caught up with him later doing the same thing behind a B-double. On getting home trouble free I found the rig was too tall to it under the carport. Checked with Spartan and they said no problems underslinging the springs so I went and bought a couple more adaptor plates and longer U bolts and did just that. Now it’s about the same ride height as original and tows just ine. As the U-bolts that hold the axle to the spring are now in tension all the time I didn’t tighten them as much as I would normally (about 45nm) but itted stainless Nylocs and used Wickin Locktite on the threads. (A spare set of U-bolts and nuts will be part of the travelling kit in the future just in case, along with the globes, wiring plug and a spare bearing assembly I usually carry).

20 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats STRAYDOG BOATWORKS the modern classics STUDY PLANS IAIN O PLANS PRECUT KITS Mk2 NIS 18 study packet $30 Oar Plan $49 Includes two t-shirts. Specify your size when ordering. Mk2 NIS 23 study packet $35 Pram Dinghies Acorn 15 $1880 Mk2 NIS 26 study packet $40 Feather $109.73 Acorn 17 $1993 Mk2 NIS 29 study packet $45 Humble Bee $129.50 Acorn Skiff 11’8” $1643 Mouse $94.50 Arctic Tern $3970 Mk2 NIS 31 study packet $45 Granny $134.66 Auk $1235 Mk2 NIS 43 study packet $55 Canoes Auklet POA Study plans pack now includes redrawn large Stickleback $119.70 Badger $2184 poster size drawing incorporating sail plans, general Wee Rob $149.80 Beaver $1470 Macgregor $179 $4497 arrangements kit details, spec sheet AND DVD of pix, Caledonian Yawl Canadian Canoes Elf $2051 articles and build suggestions including Mk2 range. Beaver $114.70 Elfyn $2457 Traditional Dinghies Eun Mara $5300 BOOKS Auklet $114.71 Feather $1167 Auk $134.66 Fulmar $4499 Seahen $140 Gannet $3600 Pufin $164.59 Granny $1518 Guillemot $179.55 Guillemot 11’6” $1595 Tammie Norrie 13’6” and 15’) $204.40 Guillemot 12’6” $1670 Penny Fee $239.40 Humble Bee $1641 VAKA! rare copies. (stunning saga of Dinghies Sailing, planing potential Kotik 6.58 (scaled up Wee Seal) $5499 Polynesian ship building and navigation Shearwater $179.55 Little Tern POA techniques, and the settling of Aotearoa (NZ). Gannet $209.40 MacGregor $1157 300 pages. Illustrated. Inc pack and post Fulmar $249.38 Mole $1692 Australia $56. Rowing Skiffs Mouse POA Acorn Skiff $179.55 UPDATED (2016) IAIN OUGHTRED CLINKER Ness Yawl $3577 PLYWOOD BOAT BUILDING MANUAL. Fantastic Acorn 15 $194.51 Penny Fee 16 $3992 generic and Iain Oughtred speciic construction info. Mole (Thames type) $164.59 Pufin $1661 NOW only $36. $10 p&p within Australia. Add $18 Badger (Thames type) $179.55 Shearwater $2424 p&p for outside Australia. Wemyss (Open water sail/row) $242 Stickleback $1100 Snipeish Hard Chine sliding seat type $158 St Ayles Skiff $4650 UPDATED (2017) IAIN OUGHTRED LAPSTRAKE Snipeish $158 (5m Open Water One Design Class Skiff) PLYWOOD BOAT DESIGN CATALOGUE. Complete Dory Skiffs Tammie Norrie 13’6” $1998 range (42 0f them!) of iain’s current designs. It’s a Skerrie Skiff 15 $134.66 Tammie Norrie 15 $2360 study pack which is also a lesson in boat design. Skerrie Skiff 17 $149.63 Tammie Norrie 16 $2472 $10 p&p within Australia. Add $18 p&p for outside Dories Australia. Tirrik $2766 Spike $134.66 Wee Rob $1031 If you get both together, the combined price is Au$65 Amberjack $154.61 Wemyss Skiff $2660 John Dory $194.51 plus $12 p&p within Australia. Add $20 p&p for St Ayles Skiff Kit outside Australia Norwegian Faerings Elf $224.44 Google: www.staylesskiff.net Elfyn $244.39 Molds, MDF set up components and BOAT GEAR Double Ended Beach Boats plank clamps $4650 Little Tern $199.50 Still required all solid and lamination timber inc build Tirrik $229.43 frame material, Bote-Cote epoxy sticking and coating Arctic Tern $264.34 products, Aquacote Paints and stainless hardware Sooty Tern (Addendum to Arctic Tern, longer!) $49 State capital cities insured freight $390 Ness Yawl $254.36 One kit, inc all solid and lamination timber inc build CARBON MASTS AND BOOMS POA Caledonia Yawl $309.23 frame material, brass stuff, Bote-Cote Epoxy sticking NIS TABERNACLE SETS POA Cruising Yachts and coating products, Aquacote Paints and stainless JAPANESE GYOKUCHO BACK SAWS One of the Eun Na Mara $523.69 hardware A$9950 most useful tools in the boat building workshop. Wee Seal Mk2 $523.69 Multiple kits attract discounts, if ordered at same time! Amazingly fast cutting, accurate, easy to use. Makes Kotic (longer version of Wee Seal) $541.98 Applies to all designs. real carpenters out of us woodbutchers.There are lots Grey Seal $570.24 We will discount POA of cheaper pull saws ‘like’ the 240Z. Except that they Haiku Sharpie POA State capital cities insured freight $300 are NOT alike! The smooth cutting action of the 240Z Two kits, with timber, Bote-Cote products, Aquacote and the 0.3mm kerf, makes this one the absolute QUALITY T-SHIRTS paints, for consecutive (IE Re use build jig) stand out. Great Christmas present! $79 incl p/p construction SPARE BLADES $46 incl p/p Very high quality Lloyds Register Okoume plywood, CAT EYE NAV LIGHTS Like Charlie Fisher’s. reliable, fast turnaround times. Sold timber and Converted by us to LED. Inc pack and post $105 Bote-Cote epoxy, rigging packs available for all kits. Flush white stern light, like Charlie Fisher’s. $49 incl pack and post. Full range of bronze screws, fastenings and ittings, Cotton, navy with dramatic bone logo. PLEASE NOTE : Stray Dog Boat Works is the only legitimate Go to website for details Please state number and size. $35 for 1, supplier of Iain Oughtred kits, or part kits in Australia and NZ. $27 each for 2 plus, including P&P. Any other person or entity offering or negotiating for sale or WANTED knowingly receiving kits or part kits in Australia or NZ is in S M L XL XXL breach of Iain’s and Alec’s copyright, and will be pursued, on Secondhand small self tailing winches. Pay by PayPal on site www.straydogboatworks.com behalf of Iain and Jordan Boat Works for that breach. www.straydogboatworks.com

NAME ...... ADDRESS ...... Phone: (W) ...... (H) ...... Enclosed is my cheque/money order paid to: StrayDog BoatWorks - PO Box 843 Mt Barker, SA 5251 m: 0428 817 464 w: www.straydogboatworks.com e: [email protected] or debit my VISA/MASTERCARD

australasianfor $ amateur Expiry boatbuilder Date and/ kitboats / 21 cutter Starboard hull damage. by jim atkinson

With another summer gone, three of us agreed we’d spent too few hours enjoying the water and far too many hours talking about it. The collective dream of restoring and enjoying a classic passage maker, we all accepted, was a step too far outside our comfort zone as a first project. As working professionals, we decided we wanted a low-risk, low-cost entry into wooden boats, so that if it all went belly-up, we could walk away with friendships and finances intact. If things went well, we would be better positioned to make decisions on future ventures. Rather than jump headlong into a major restoration and refit, we chose to seek out what we thought to be an entry-level project; something within the bounds of our technical abilities and financial means. The big boat would need to wait.

We set some early ground rules; We’d all be completely honest with each other (calling out issues as they arose); We’d consult and agree on the big decisions, but give each other the lexibility to ‘make a call’ on smaller issues as they came up; We’d all contribute equally in terms of time, money and effort; We would all study and consult widely on plywood craft and general boat restoration principals, and; We’d all accept that part-ownership would come with challenges that would only reveal themselves over time.

22 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats t was still with some trepidation that we took the plunge and entered the world of wooden boats. IWith the decision made we started trolling the internet and boatyards for a project boat. We shared our ideas with family and friends and within a few weeks we found Cutter. A good friend knew of some folks looking for a home for their old boat. If they couldn’t give her away they’d pay to have her removed as rubbish. Languishing on a river jetty in the Western Australian holiday town of Busselton, Cutter had certainly seen better days. Built in Albany in the 1970’s, the ply construction 30 footer had worked as both a crayisher and abalone dive boat, before moving on to become a recreational ishing boat. She’d been restored in the early 2000’s, but the owners had progressed to other projects leaving her alongside for many Bumping in. years untouched. With limited fendering and the wash of passing trafic homes – big mistake. Our selection was a yard in a a large hole had been punched into her starboard mixed-use semi-industrial area, principally used for (above the waterline), there was some decay in the laying up buses, trailers, sea containers and other cabin top and a cabin pillar and the little Perkins industrial equipment. When Cutter arrived on Rowan’s motor required a new starter. Her coatings were well low-loader (attended by a 30T crane), the owner past their prime and cosmetically she was showing wouldn’t allow it on his property claiming council her age. Unfortunately, due to time and neglect, the zoning concerns. We had paid a month upfront to a condition of electrics and electronics was unknown. separate company who had decided they could sub- Nevertheless, from what the owner told us, and from lease space without the owner’s approval. So, we what we could see in pictures, she seemed a solid have our 30ft boat sitting on a trailer 150 miles from boat. Without taking a 300 mile round trip, we really point of origin, with a mobile crane hired on an hourly wouldn’t know for sure, but this proved problematic rate waiting for us to work out where to go! The with family and work commitments right at the point in guys we’d paid for hardstand became (mysteriously) time that we needed to make a decision on taking her unavailable by phone. Fortunately, we’d done our on or leaving her be. research, and fortunately our second choice had a We looked closely at transport and hardstand costs. space for us. Many unrepeatable words, some frantic Cutter After doing some research and haranguing the more phone calls and a few hours later, found a experienced folks we knew at the time, we decided home at the Maylands Amateur Boatbuilding Yard upon the very well-known and respected boat (MABY). mover Rowan Chick. His specialised road transport Within a few days we realised the ‘forced’ move equipment and years of experience made the to Maylands was a blessing in disguise. Having collection and transport perhaps the smoothest part access to a range of facilities that are intended only of the whole project. We worked through hardstand to support boat building, and having ready access options and chose the cheapest one closest to our to a whole community of like-minded folks, their

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 23 top left: Starboard hull damage, repair in progress. After running our eyes over her, we realised our top right: Starboard hull repair complete. expectations were pretty much spot on. There was a fair amount of wood rot in the damaged areas that above left: Port cabin damage. would need to be removed, she’d need antifoul and above right: Port cabin repair in progress. coatings, the engine was a bit of an unknown without having a starter motor or battery, and just generally experiences and wisdom was an absolute Godsend. she was tired and ratty. We called in a shipwright, who In hindsight, this should have been our irst port of conirmed our assessment. All-in-all, our main work call, and as we’ve found out, this is the only remaining would be basic carpentry, some ibreglass and epoxy facility of its type in the whole of Australia. Some work and overall spruce up. We estimated the cost amazing projects have come out of the MABY, large would be around $8k (AUD) to have her safely back in the water as a decent recreational vessel. and small, although they don’t call it the ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ for nothing and there were plenty We prepared a basic schedule of works that we of examples of craft being neglected for many years would modify as required, but as a starting point, (and unlikely to ever see the water again). Hearing we really needed a clear picture of the works ahead this made us more determined to make sure we took of us, the order of tasks, how long they would take the project to conclusion. and a more accurate understanding of how much

24 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats they would cost. The schedule and bill of materials above left: Bow damage. we came up with renewed our conidence in our above right: Bow repairs. original ‘guesstimate’ budget. With three of us working on Cutter, we worked up a plan that allowed us to optimise our available time. Some sets of tasks could be completed concurrently without tripping over each other such as one of us itting the starter motor, whilst the other two worked on the hull structure, scaring in the replacement starboard panel). Some tasks we there was signiicant rot well beyond the area that had completed opportunistically such as illing holes and been impacted. We were quite generous in cutting rubbing back. Other tasks were the kinds of jobs that this out, but on the advice of a shipwright, we only cut needed all hands on deck to ensure the quality inish as much as was required to get back to unaffected we were aiming for, as was the case for applying wood and didn’t remove whole panels. Some of the antifoul and coatings. Having a schedule (albeit a horizontal battens behind the ply required cutting out, pretty lexible one) kept us on track and gave us a again we only took out as much as needed and not baseline to gauge our progress on. full lengths. The inal trim around all cuts were made Our irst big piece of work was replacing the ply panel at 45° to allow us to scarf the new timber pieces (we on the starboard side that had been damaged against did this with the ply also). Plenty of top quality glue, the jetty. Aside from the actual structural damage gussets (screwed) to the back of joins and high grade

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 25 epoxy iller on seams, and what we thought was going mirrored on the starboard. Once painted these appear to be a major headache, turned out to be relatively a as structural design elements rather that ‘add ons’. straightforward job. Keeping things as simple as possible helped us stay within our technical competence while still delivering a We originally thought that the work to ix the cabin would be beyond our abilities, but with our structurally and cosmetically sound result. For both the side and the cabin, we applied a light conidence buoyed by the success of the starboard side panel, we decided to give it a go ourselves – coat of ibreglass resin to protect new woodwork we could always bring in a professional if we were from the elements, not long after we applied 60 found wanting. Unlike the side, the rot was far more grit sanding discs to rough up all surfaces prior to applying a two-pack polyurethane primer. Doing this extensive than we irst thought, hidden by thick allowed the primer to key into the bottom coatings layers of paint and bog. Ultimately the extent of the (old and new) and helped identify areas that needed rot required almost a quarter of the cabin to be cut out along with a small part of the port deck. As far as illing that weren’t immediately obvious to the naked eye. Some rough patches that looked smooth after was possible, we cut out old sections in a manner that allowed them to be used as templates for the sanding were easily identiied after application of replacement sections, this turned out to be a real the primer. With additional sanding, illing and more sanding with iner grit papers (120 and 200) along time saver, particularly when it came to the window with additional patch ups with the primer we came to a point where we were happy that the inal coatings could be applied. We took great advice to keep brushing down dust and keeping surfaces clean with a wipe of acetone. While purists might shy away from this method (ie resin/primer/sand-ill-sand/ primer), it was effective for us and allowed us to progress the project during a wet winter and to prepare a great canvas to inish on. Our inal coats (antifoul below the waterline, and polyurethane topcoat above the waterline) were laborious but mostly uneventful. We were going to leave the exposed running gear (ie shaft, prop, rudder) until last, and give it a going-over with a pretty expensive coating, but fortunately we came across a chap in the yard top: Marlin attached. by the name of Ally. This guy is a legend and really above left: Marlin board. knows his way around a above right: Cutter inished. boat. As a long-time resident of the Maylands yard, he has seen plenty of the ups cut-outs. Rebuilding the framework was relatively and downs of projects that come in and out. He easy, as was the replacement of plywood sections – made his own steel-hulled motor-sailer from scratch the work was methodical and we kept the joinery as over a few years, and the quality of his build and his simple as we could – scaring at 45° where possible attention to detail gives a good idea of how good this and using gussets where the framework allowed. The bloke is at his craft (and its easy to be fooled by his port-side window required gusseting (and, ‘ahem’, humbleness). a fair bit of bog), to keep symmetry in the interior, Ally gave us really good direction on how to work the gusset we used appears as a pillar which we the Perkins, and more generally kept us focused on

26 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats of minutes. We would’ve been trying to kick her in the guts forever without his help – we all agree that the collegiate support you get at MABY is golden and you really can’t buy advice and direction this good (because it comes from enthusiasts and not commercial interest). During the inal coating we found more wood rot, we had to cut and replace a bit more ply in the rear starboard cabin, and then a section in the bow sprit and anchor- well. None of this was dificult, but a bit of a pain in the neck when we felt we were closer to launching than we were. Right at the death knock we refashioned an old jarrah table for a marlin board and got the above: Cutter inished. windows re-tinted and did some cosmetic below: Cutter launched. work with lettering and canvas. I think this part of the project was the most frustrating. Little bits and pieces that don’t determine whether the boat loats or not, but provide a great inish are easy to completing the project without getting too wound overlook and could have been things that ‘we’ll get up in little bits and pieces. His advice to antifoul around to’. Our logic was that we just needed to suck the running gear saved us a lot of time and money, it up and get it done – collectively and individually, we the consideration being that we would have Cutter knew that whatever we didn’t do on the hardstand, penned in Maylands, a part of the river with minimal was probably going to be the stuff that we wouldn’t do organic growth that would be negative to the boat. later on (despite great intentions and posturing over He helped us out with anodes and gave the motor the beers and barbecues). once (and twice) over. Without Ally we would have So now we have a very nice boat that is fun and safe mucked around a lot more than we needed to, and to be aboard. We are looking for our next project while the ‘beer economy’ is alive and well at the yard, and deciding whether we move right into a big boat we still feel that we got the better end of the stick. or do something in-between. We have plenty of time We also got lucky when we replaced and reitted the to contemplate the next restoration, but at least we starter motor. Just one wire from the solenoid was can talk about it on the water and not around an esky incorrectly attached, so we could hear her ‘ticking’ but in one of our sheds. There is so much to be said for just couldn’t get her to turn over. Rick, an auto sparky making your words become actions, particularly when with a huge cruiser on the hard just across from us you are turning steaks over on the back of a boat jumped onboard and sorted that out for us in a couple you’ve brought back to life yourself.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 27 port fairy

OLDEST WORKING PEAKE DESIGNED self righting life boat IN THE WORLD AT PORT FAIRY Lifeboat at Portland for the 150th anniversary of the rescue of survivors from SS Admella. Image Marten Syme by jonathan wallis

The South West coastline continues to offer maritime treasures and events from the annual South West Regatta at Warrnambool to the thriving whale boat and St Ayles Skiff communities; not forgetting Port Fairy’s master boat builder Garry Stewart and the three Huon pine ‘Beetle’ whale boats he built in Port Fairy in 1987 for the inaugural 1988 whale boat race. This event was part of the Warrnambool ‘Wunta Festival’, organised by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum, and continues as the Australian Whale Boat Racing Championships. The trio includes the Sir Fletcher Jones which can today be seen moored at Port Fairy in front of the Lifeboat Station. The other two are kept in Warrnambool.

ut there is one more maritime treasure there the dedicated enthusiasts who were able to tell us that most people are not fortunate to discover, something of her amazing story. Bas it is mostly hidden from sight in the Port Fairy We were originally introduced to the Port Fairy story Historic Lifeboat Station on the banks of the Moyne last year by an old friend, Colin May, who had whetted River. our appetite with the story of the 1857 built Port Fairy, For here, we were indeed privileged to view the eye it being the oldest working self-righting, self-draining catching and serviceable Port Fairy, one of only two lifeboat in existence worldwide. During that visit he Peake type self-righting lifeboats left in existence gave us quick look at the boat itself. As the door today, complete and authentic with all her gear intact. opened to the 1861 purpose built shed it revealed We were also fortunate to catch up with some of an absolute Aladdin’s cave of memorabilia and then, 28 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats as the light gradually looded the shed, that initial contest. Subsequently he built the sister vessel sent unforgettable revelation of the boat itself, pristine in to Portland some nine months later and that vessel its livery, every inch a thoroughbred and a powerful, remains on display in the Portland Maritime Discovery substantial one at that. Centre to this day. So, this year we returned, and though sadly Colin Sturdily built of double diagonal Kauri planking over was abroad at the time, we were enthusiastically Tasmanian hardwood stringers, she is crewed by welcomed and entertained by Peter Ryan and a Coxswain, sweep oarsman, 10 oarsmen and a renowned Victorian Historian Marten Syme, OAM, bowman. She is also itted with a dipping lug sail that who shared a plethora of information and history with was later added. us over a cup of coffee at ‘Charlies on East’ café on the beach front with uninterrupted sea views including Beautifully rebuilt by Garry Stewart from 1995 to Grifiths Island, the site of the historic whaling station. 1997, with conservation advice from Michael Staples, Appropriately to the subject there was a big and utilising an existing 1888 photo for authenticity, she has been painted in her original heritage colours swell running as we looked out over Bass Strait, from that period. reminiscent of many a winter passage past these perilous shores I made over the years, and of one in The vessel’s story is an interesting and varied one particular aboard a modern 26,000-ton bulk carrier, indeed as after she was decommissioned in 1941, not under command with both engines broken down and viewing this very same lea shore from seaward with some dread. A scary prospect even in this day and age, but how much more so in the time of Port Fairy’s original construction one hazards to guess, but the many shipwrecks to the east along the famous nearby ‘Shipwreck Coast’, such as the tragedy of the Loch Ard, wrecked at Mutton Bird Island in 1878 all tell their own mute stories. Similarly to the west where the steamship Admella was wrecked off Cape Northumberland on August 5, 1859, with the loss of 89 lives. Port Fairy’s sister life boat from Portland was instrumental in the rescue of 19 of the survivors. Self-righting lifeboats evolved in Britain from the mid 1800’s on the simple principle of keeping a large amount of buoyancy high in the vessel, with large air cases itted in the bow and stern, along with buoyant cabin roofs in more modern vessels, designed to bring the vessel back upright in the event of capsize, thus enabling them to attempt rescue work in extreme conditions. The Lifeboat service is the earliest example of an organised voluntary service, and is well known today for its fast and seaworthy self-righting vessels stationed strategically around the British Isles, and is still regularly engaged in rescuing endangered sailors and ishermen under sometimes horriic weather conditions. Port Fairy was in fact built in Williamstown in 1857 by renowned boat builder William White, originally from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and is modelled on the design top: Port Fairy plus Colin May. Image Jonathan Walllis by James Peake which was inluenced by above: Port Fairy gear on board. Image Jonathan Wallis the Greathead design, the prize winning entrant in the Duke of Northumberland’s australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 29 when Japan entered the war, she was subsequently now powered by electricity instead of human muscle! used in 1959 after the lood, to dredge the Moyne Nearby is the intact Rocket House built in 1886 River with another surviving obsolete lifeboat, which contains a remarkable collection of 19th and Warrnambool, before being abandoned on the river early 20th Century maritime rescue equipment, all bank in 1975. now listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, and A small community group of enthusiasts got together providing a fascinating glimpse into a little-known era and approached the harbour master for assistance, for interested people. subsequently received from the Borough of Port Fairy Volunteers also maintain and regularly use a replica and set about the mammoth task of fund raising for Beetle design whale boat, the Sir Fletcher Jones, her rescue and reconstruction back to her former built by Garry Stewart, which is regularly rowed by the status by Garry Stewart. She was re-launched in same bunch of hardy enthusiasts who tend the Port January of 1997 and is exercised regularly both Fairy. They now also take part in the recently revived under oars and also utilising a dipping lug sail, Australian Whale Boat Racing Championships during manufactured in traditional canvas. the annual South West Regatta, held at Warrnambool. On the occasion of her 150th birthday, she was So all and all this attractive historic precinct has much transported across Bass Strait to Hobart where to offer to folk passing through this small but living she featured at the Wooden Boat Festival there and vital Victorian port, with the highlight often being, in 2007. She has since sailed to Portland, on the for those who have been there at the right time, to see longest voyage of her career, to participate in the Port Fairy’s volunteer crew taking her away and out commemoration held on the 15th anniversary of the to sea. Such lucky visitors will take home with them heroic rescue of the Admella survivors. the memorable sight of this magniicent and historical self-righting, self-draining life boat, breasting the seas Interestingly the original boat shed was irst placed on once she clears the Moyne. And ideally, with a fair a jetty in the bay by East Beach, in 1861. That jetty, being poorly positioned and a failure for shipping, was wind and a willing crew, even setting sail across the short lived so the boat shed was moved to its current bay. location beside the Moyne River and provided with a Something this small band of dedicated volunteers, slipway in 1872. made up of community representatives, can be duly The original winch that was used to lower Port proud of! Now the oldest working vessel of her kind, Fairy vertically into the water under the jetty, and to not only in Australia but also world-wide. retrieve her, still serves her on the slipway, albeit In addition to the three Beetle whale boats Garry Stewart built in 1987 Garry has also seen the completion of another beautiful Huon pine whale boat Shearwater which he built last year with Robert Whitehead, again in Port Fairy. She is a community project to recreate a boat from Port Fairy’s irst years, as used here for shore based

left: Port Fairy interior from above 1995. Image Marten Syme inset: Port Fairy original winch still in use. Image Jonathan Wallis

30 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats whaling during the 1830’s. Clinker laid with many traditional features, such as wooden thole pins, she is distinct from the more modern Sir Fletcher Jones. Garry was assisted ably by Robert, shipwright, regular coxswain on Port Fairy, and enthusiastic volunteer for all things sail and oar. They performed most of the work, then handed her over to community members to make the inishing touches before her launch in March by the Honourable Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria. The volunteers have provided a bespoke trailer and are now embarking on the next challenge; facilities where Shearwater can be displayed to the public under cover, whilst accessible for use on water, adding to the area’s maritime attractions. Well done to Marten Syme, the secretary, who has been with the Port Fairy project since it kicked off, to the volunteer crew and all to all on this vital and robust committee, supported by the Moyne Shire Council.

To view this remarkable survivor from a by-gone age, in all its glory, it is advisable to contact: Port Fairy Historic Lifeboat Station

Grifiths Street, Port Fairy TOP: Port Fairy lifeboat on its 150th anniversary voyage, September 22, 2007. 03 5568 2632 Image Marten Syme [email protected] ABOve: Sir Fletcher Jones whaleboat carrying sailing rig, moored on a warp in the Moyne River. Image Marten Syme

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australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 31 Why Keels Kill people and the myth of keels being traditional

by robert ayliffe

when i first launched the unstayed rig, retractable keel charlie fisher, the gray beards (like how i look now) sagely told me that you would never take this ‘thing’ out in the ‘open water’.

32 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats f you are going to cross the St Vincents Gulf, or sail to Kangaroo IIsland, the ideal is a heavy boat with a long, deep keel. Roll on 20 years and I have just returned from sailing that same boat with Bote Cote’s Ian Phillips as crew to Hobart and back, from Port Welshpool in Victoria to Hobart non stop, and a couple of weeks later, back again. We saw hours of 45+kts breeze, on both legs. On the way from Marion Bar to Triabunna, I was able to sail into what people along the coast were radioing me to say the wind Off Eddystone light on our way south, 20 miles off shore with the rudder and the BB up we was gusting 65+ in my vicinity, were able to ‘stop’ (we were averaging in this about 6kts sideways, according to the GPS and have a cup of tea. We never looked like being knocked down, no matter how big the breaking and they had their motors going water or wind strength. just to hold their ground. In fact the boat easily self steered into it, maintaining directional poise even when slightly Part of the deal with Bruce was that I would do a airborne. presentation on the virtues of ‘Keelless Cruisers’. Revisiting what I subsequently wrote about that I changed the title to a slightly more front foot experience, I was struck by what I had not realised at approach. the time. I knew the big hunk of breeze was there and the seas were sensational, but I had missed several ‘Why Keels Kill People, and the Myth Of Keels Being very important qualities of my little boat, that are Traditional’. missing in most modern yachts or trailer sailers. We had considered the NYYC, but Bruce was not Twelve weeks ago Ali and I were guests of Bruce in good enough shape (he is in his 90th year) to be Kirby and Margo Kirby at their home, and at what is bothered going down to New York, and besides, he the home of many of the famed defending skippers of said “more of the interesting sailors are up here”. the America’s Cup, The Noroton Yacht Club. When he saw the title he expressed concern that that Many of its members are long time members of the might draw a crowd, but I might be run out of town. land based New York Yacht Club, steeped in the lore As it was, 40 very experienced paying sailors turned of American boats, their design and their capabilities. up. As the time drew near, I admit to wondering

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 33 the NIS 7 (23) Scherzo, now owned by Geoff Heriot in Tasmania. And then to my not totally original thesis. (Phil Bolger raised the question with me about 30 years ago) 200 years ago there were virtually no yacht clubs such as we know them. 200 years ago there were no ixed deep keels. Yachting such as we know it begins with the Dutch. ‘Yaachting’. Their races as many of the clubs do today seems to have been around buoys in or near coastal harbours. The form of the modern yachts seem to have been established at this time.. As more time went by keels came to be seen as essential for any modern sail boat. The power of the paradigm. Because thats ’traditional’. Gaining an extra point to windward. None of this was ‘traditional’ for the British, European, American Navies ever. Or Brendan Behan, or Magellan. Or Columbus. Or Flinders. Or Cook. Or even the original America’s Cup race. The schooner yacht, America, who won the inaugural race, had no keel. Or the spectacular sailing exploits of the Polynesians. There’s nothing like a club, and especially sailing clubs, for establishing stiling paradigms of what is acceptable and what is not. And when most of them, asinevitably happens are run by snippy old men who wont let you into a dinner unless you have a tie and jacket, or, like Royal Perth in WA, wont even let you go in a race unless you and your crew are all in whites. (No wonder most yacht clubs are dying) from top: So many ’sailing courses’ today are really ‘Yacht Breaking seas along Tasmania’s east coast. Racing Preparation’. The boats used for these Hour after hour. courses are mostly big keeled boats where people run around handling sheets on each tack, taking The middle of Bass Strait, Kent group of islands. Note use of safety harness and white clothing for sun delection. sails on and off, tricks at the wheel in open water. Scurrying about, bloody knees, sweating on winches. Orders being delivered at varying levels of volume and urgency. Afterwards, head shaking interpretation whether I was making a terrible mistake. After all, of racing rules and arguing about protests. And when this is pretty much the pinnacle of world sailing, with some one raises their head to ask about cruising serious credentials and gravitas. And some pretty rather than reaching, the answer is thatit’s all pretty awesome boats and world cruising sailing history. much the same thing except that you are going I began by acknowledging the venue and the somewhere. Not much to look forward to in that. But company I was in. The deep respect I had for the it sets the thinking. About what constitutes a proper sailing history of the club, and the legendary sailors, boat. including several defenders of the America’s Cup, that The British, the Nordic peoples and some of the had come out of it, and the sense of privilege I had of Paciic peoples sometimes used lar or lee boards to doing the presentation at all. help them to wind, but here is the point. They could I also acknowledged the great good fortune I had of remove heir keels. the friendship and mentoring I have received over that Keels Kill People. The physics are pretty simple. past nearly 40 years from Bruce and Margo Kirby, Waves which appear to move horizontally, do not, and the courage of Bruce’s friends Sandy and David except when waves break, sending tonnes of water Austin, for whom we built the only Norwalk Islands down their otherwise stationary faces. If you get Sharpie we ever exported, coals to Newcastle like, ahose, or a length of rope and lick it the ‘waves’ so 34 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats produced APPEAR to move along horizontally. But if you think about it the hose has not moved, other than raising and lowering itself. The molecules within non breaking swell or waves are not in anysigniicant way moving accross the ground. The break, from the top of the wave, certainly is! When a ‘traditional’ cruising boat with its full length keel gets caught side on in a breaking sea, the resulting inevitable disaster is put down to a ‘rogue wave’ or some other dreamed up theory. At this point in the discussion, one of the members Norton Yacht Club. jumped up, and came forward to shake my hand. He said that earlier this year he was returning from a circumnavigation when, about three days out of New York, in big weather, his boat was ‘360’d’. He had been unable to make sense of it till just now, and And that’s before we get to the hazard of modern rigs what I described was pretty much copybook for what where all the ballast is held at the end of very long happened. deep and relatively feebly attached bulb/in keels so beloved of the Sydney Hobart racing fraternity. There are no ‘rogue waves’. It interests me how often you hear of the very deep The simple physics are that when you have one end rudder ins, and the keels themselves becoming of a pendulum stuck broadside in a breaking wave seperate from the hull they are meant to control. Tony the tension between the tonnes of water running Bullimore knew something about that.. down the face and propelling the boat side ways, are resisted by the keel, stuck also sideways on in the In 1994 James Frecheville sailed his NIS 7 (23), relatively still water of the main body of the wave. The ‘Coot’, in an especially wild Marlay Point race where roughly a dozen ‘traditional’ yachts broke their masts, boat then gets ‘knocked down’, lies over, and the next and a similar number actually went to the bottom, break ills the cabin and drives the deck under. And so both events connected to broaching breaking water on. Until we watch the results of that ‘roguish’ wave on evening television. and keels which were either ixed or needed to be left down for the boat to retain stability. Being knocked down and put sideways to the break James and his two friends sailed through it all with is to some extent a fatal law of stayed rigs. In a hard aplomb, arriving in Bairnsdale for the inish so chance, and the main sheet is let go the boom can early, and with no other boats in sight, that the race power up against the shrouds, spinning the boat committee did initially not know that they were in the sideways, and often as not, laying it down. This is race at all! On realising they had to hurry out and put called broaching. So there are two ’traditional’ things working together to create a perfect sailing boat the inish buoys down so that James and Co could hazard. inally, could formally inish the race. Unstayed, rig, retractable keel and ballast glued and ixed to the hull bottom saw off all the more conventional more or less traditional boats in the leet. We are pretty sure that boats very like the modern Norwalk Islands sharpies have been around in working leets in Europe from about 1200. The form has real provenance. We are also of the belief that boats very like and of similar size crossed the Atlantic, more or less regularly to Nova Scotia and back without tragedy as early as the 12th Century. My well known failure to fully grasp modern tech led to a very klunky visual presentation, fortunately improved by the more competent presence and quick thinking of my wife, Ali. We were NOT, however run out of town. The club has asked for a written form of the presentation, and this is the irst step. We are still in contact with Bruce and his friends in Noroton.

“Fook, everything is SO light ... but I can see it’s very fooking competent!” Not only that, they were kind enough to pay me well I thought, well, that will do! too!

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 35 Duckchaser

by don nicholson

My wife and I love to sail Catnap, our Jarcat J6, (but all too frequently can’t find the time – between us we have about 60 years experience as leaders in the Scouting Movement and this rather eats into our spare time. One really memorable cruise we did was Lake Macquarie, Brisbane Water and Hawksbury River. (We live in Melbourne and having towed the boat that far we had a good look at what was there. )

ll three are great places to boat about in. Lake Mac is superb for sailing in, particularly loved ASummerland Point with its tiny sheltered lake for launching. The Hawksbury is harder to sail in (somehow the wind always seemed to be on the nose) but the scenery is spectacular. We did run into a problem there though. We normally run the transoms up onto the beach and step off (one of the advantages of a shallow draught boat that sits lat and doesn’t fall over when drying out), but the Hawksbury is gorge country and only has one tiny beach that we could see. It was covered with power boats, kids, dogs, loud music etc so not an option for us. By the end of ive days Lorraine was getting cabin fever! We’d left the boarding ladder with Original Duckie factory. the car and she found it a major struggle to get back onboard without it.

36 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats A polite request from the Admiral “Could we get a little tender or folding canoe so I can go for a paddle and look at the ducks?” Six months looking at what was out there:– Kleppers, too expensive, too complex, Folboats too expensive and too big etc, etc. I ran across an article by the Palo Alto Scout Group in California they were building 10ft folding kayaks out of a sheet of 1/4” ply, canvas and contact cement! Did some research and found you can only buy 8’ ply sheets in Oz. I built one out of this to see how it went. Surprisingly well really, a little light in buoyancy (120kg would just about submerge it). I did some research on the design concept and chased it right back to a 1930’s Popular Mechanics magazine. I downloaded some free hull design software (Carlson’s Hull Design) and drew it up as is, then went about stretching it Duckie heaven. vertically to increase the payload to 110kg with the gunwales above the water. The required curvature I decided was more than 1/4” ply would take readily so built one from 4mm ply which was much better.

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australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 37 I loved paddling my wife’s Duckie so much I made myself one, then a couple for 21st presents! That made ive. Looking at what was involved in the manufacture I thought it would be a good project for 14-18 year old Venturer Scouts and would it nicely into their badgework scheme. We chose the name ‘Duckchaser’ for them and I drew up a logo and had stickers made with hull numbers on them. The stickers are actually luminous! Thirteen pages later I had a construction manual complete with pics and drawings. For the next ive years I had four to eight ‘Duckies’ being built in my garage each year during terms two and three. A bit of a nightmare really as the ones not being worked on had to go somewhere to make room for the ones that were! We got another leader in the Venturer Unit and Michael has a HUGE shed. The Duckie factory moved. Michael not only provided shed space but built a big construction table and a storage rack for the Duckies in progress. (And I got my garage back – except for my sons, but that’s another story). Not all Duckies have been made here, there are quite a few scattered around. I know of 83 oficially sanctioned ones (ie those with hull numbers and have provided me with the ‘licence fee’ of a bottle of white wine) For a couple of larger framed leaders I’ve stretched the Duckie sideways to make a Goosie which will take a 165kg paddler! I’ve built one with outriggers for a handicapped scout (so he can’t tip it over) and a number of them have been itted with mast and sail. These are a real challenge. No keel, no rudder, limited ability to hike out and a need for at least from top: four hands to sail one effectively. One day I tried holding the sheet and tack line Duckie launch camp. between my toes. A gust of wind requiring rapid Duckchaser in use. release of the sheet taught me that this was NOT GSS Jarboree. Duckies not needed. a good idea. However foot pedal clamps do the job nicely. A single bladed paddle can be used Polynesian style as a movable centreboard to steer with. A double ended paddle is awkward used this way and tends to get caught up in things. With the double paddle it’s 38 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats better to set the sail so the Duckie wants to round up AbovE lEft: Storage and carrier for up to nine Duckies. very gently then a light stroke out to windward every AbovE right: Foot sheet control. 10-20 seconds will put it back on course. Amazingly a Duckie will go to windward, tacking angle about 120º so it’s not exactly going to outpoint a Laser. In fact I think a reasonably competent Optimist sailor will sail rings around a Duckie. I have however successfully sailed a triangle during a ‘novice’ race and did so faster than some of the novices. stop press ! One needs to be aware that you can’t self rescue in a Duckie (unless you’re it, agile and under 55kg) so I’ve just received a communication from Florida USA. A Scout Troop over there are it’s a VERY good idea not to go out alone or stray further from the bank than you can comfortably swim. building 28 Duckchasers. Yay! A Duckie has suficient buoyancy that it won’t sink if groups.yahoo.com/group/duckchaser/ capsized, more can be added as either half inlated beach balls or lunch, dry clothes etc in dry bags stuffed in the ends.

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australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 39 fibreglass reinforced plastics (frp) explained by dave giddings This article explains why you should use epoxy resin and glue when building a composite boat and when doing repairs or refurbishment, instead of using polyester or vinylester. It concerns me that people do not understand there are different resins for fibreglassing and their applications. I must admit I was like that many moons ago, when I first started playing with boats.

probably receive at least one telephone call a week Do not get me wrong polyester resin is a brilliant from someone chasing polyester resin to carry out and economical product for making odd ball shapes Ia repair or modiication on their ibreglass boat or in a mould such as boat hulls where production sheathing the outside of a beautiful old Putt-Putt or requires multiples of the same structure. It should be other carvel or clinker boat. After I have asked a few applied wet on wet or the job completed before the questions, it is invariably, identiied that they really polyester cures fully so that it will chemically bond to need epoxy resin for their project. They have no idea the previous layer. The problem is that it becomes of the difference between polyester, vinylester and very hot when laid down too thick, especially when epoxy resins, other than epoxy is more expensive. inexperienced applicators and/or poor technique is What never ceases to amaze me, is when I walk into used. chandleries and hardware stores and see ibreglass repair kits sitting on the shelf that contain polyester In the early days of playing with polyester, when thick resin and most of the time the sales representative was best, they would lay up about half thickness and will blindly sell the kit to unsuspecting customers as leave the layup cool overnight. Then inish up the they do not know the difference, either. layup the next day which was ine if it had not fully cured. Unfortunately, when left too long or the mix It is absolutely wrong, as polyester is an extremely was too hot it would cure off and the fresh layer did poor adhesive for carrying out repairs to ibreglass boats and other structures. The reason they do it is not stick to the previously laid glass. that polyester resin is cheaper than epoxy resin and Most things that we describe as ibreglass use the packager and retailer can make more margin than polyester resin as the plastic system. Nearly all selling a kit that contains epoxy resin. Even if there ibreglass boats are manufactured from polyester were epoxy repair kits sitting beside the polyester based ibreglass, unless it is high performance where version, it would require trained sales staff who could strength and weight is an issue. In these applications explain the difference or the epoxy kits would sit on vinylester or epoxy is used. This is usually with the shelf collecting dust. I am waiting for a fatality carbon-ibre or a composite core to reduce weight. were a repaired boat sinks due to delamination and some poor bugger drowns. Where safety of life at sea polyester – advantages & is paramount you need the best product available for disadvantages the application. Polyester is used in most manufacturing When we use the term ibreglass, we mean plastic applications as it is: reinforced with ibres of glass commonly known • Cheap and readily available as Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) or Fibreglass • Reasonably good with ultraviolet light and weathers Reinforced Plastic (FRP). The ibres come in many slowly, but over a number of years, the surface does different constructions including chopped strand, woven, knitted and sown. Then there is the orientation degrade and become chalky, if not polished regularly of the ibre bundles along with weights from 25gram • Relatively easy to use with a reasonable degree of that is like tissue paper to almost 1000 grams per success. Although, two to one (2:1) ratio epoxies, square metre. Then there are the exotic fabrics such such as Bote-Cote, are easier to mix and safer to as carbon ibre, Kevlar, basalt, Innegra and Flax. use 40 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats • Great for mass production where weight is not an • It is classed as Dangerous Goods and can be quite issue for moulds, as it does not stick as tenaciously volatile for those not careful in mixing and using as epoxy resin and readily releases from prepared immediately. There is also the increased cost of moulds. This is aided as it shrinks slightly as it transport cures. • MEPK – the catalyst is a pretty nasty chemical and Although, polyester resin has a number of should be handled with caution disadvantages with: • Polyester is prone to over cooking or not curing when used by in-experienced users • The most signiicant in the marine application, being osmosis. Nearly every permanently immersed boat, • Polyester resin goes off in the container over about manufactured using polyester, will eventually suffer a 12 month period. from its hideous intrusion. Osmosis is either surface Case studies blisters that form due to small defects or deep The following case studies provide a few examples of delamination within the ibreglass due to the relative ease with which water can diffuse through cured the limitations or incorrect use of polyester resin that I have personally been involved with over the years. It polyester. Case Study one is a classic example was not necessarily poor skill level that created your • As highlighted already, it is a poor adhesive. This poor results. makes polyester an unwise choice for repairs as the repair stands a likely chance of delaminating or peeling off, if put under load or shock situations. Check out Case Studies two and three for classic examples • It shrinks as it cures, which makes it easy to remove from a mould. This puts the laminated bond under tension and that combined with the poor adhesive qualities causes delamination when impact or bending loads are applied to a joint. Cored boat hulls and decks are classic examples of poor use Figure one – Osmosis damage ground out. of polyester resin. Some classic examples are described in Case Studiestwo and three. Plus there Case Study One – Way back in 1997, I did some are many examples of foam core boat decks that osmosis repairs on my Clansman yacht as she is sound like walking on eggshells an osmosis honey pot. There was an article on this • Polyester manufactured products are fairly brittle subject published in Multihull World #130 (Jan/Feb and readily crack and hole if subjected to impact 2015) titled ‘Hindsight is Brilliant’. At the time, I was a novice and unaware of the difference between the • It is also heavy as quite a thick lay-up must be used to achieve adequate strength and it is best suited to resins and the salesman at a large marine chandlery building things that are not weight sensitive happily sold me polyester resin to repair the areas I had ground out. I will guarantee he did not know the • Polyester resin is only compatible with ibreglass difference as he did not try and upsell me to epoxy. ibres. It will not adhere to carbon or kevlar ibres Guess what, I had to do at least 80% of the osmosis • Polyesters historically exhibit poor performance in blisters again in 2011 and igure one shows the extent the areas of adhesion and elongation, rendering the of the osmosis damage as ground out in 2011 and inished part prone to micro cracking and secondary igure two a blister repair that had delaminated from bond failures my 1997 effort.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 41 All of the blisters had pulled away (grown at a depth the gunnel and allowed the rope to come loose. The of 5mm. When ground out, this horrible dark brown darned thing came off the roof rack at 70km/h and mess sprayed out. The FRP surface underneath is slide down the bitumen road behind me on the brass gloss surface indicating the next layer of ibreglass keel strip. There was very little impact damage but had not adhered. Apparently, they used to lay up most of the glassed polyester seats/buoyancy tanks over two days, especially in summer, as the hulls laid had delaminated along with other ibreglassed joints. were 12-15mm thick it generated too much heat, if See the result at igure three. It also backs up the not careful. SYLVARA is a victim of polyester’s poor statement that polyester is structurally okay when adhesion qualities. laying up with wet on wet but unable to stand up to stress or shock loads. Case Study four – To include a poor wooden boat restoration; a customer at Lake Macquarie restored a classic carvel hull Lake Mac ishing launch. Before he started, he asked me to have a look, as I was in the neighbourhood. The hull had been sheathed with polyester and chopped strand matt which looked very ordinary. Plus, there was quick drying cement in the bilge over a plank weeping seawater. I envisaged rotten timber between the polyester and planks. Fortunately, the damaged area must have been from hitting something and the salt water seeping in and Figure two – Polyester osmosis repair delaminated. illing the bilge had actually preserved the planking. In most cases, once sheathed with polyester resin the Case Study Two – A customer of ours, who is a truck water lying inside is fresh water. In these situations, repair specialist, had been using polyester resin to you might as well buy a chainsaw, as the hull is carry out repairs as most truck bodies these days are guaranteed to have rotten planks within a few years. made from FRP. They had been experiencing heaps of warranty claims on repaired ibreglass panels due to delamination. We introduced them to Bote-Cote Epoxy Resin and EPOX-E-Glue and the warranty issues went away. We even developed a technique for them to accelerate the cure of EPOX-E-Glue. Important criteria in their situation, in case the boss fronts up in the morning and states “that truck has to be out of here by close of business today”. The technicians can undertake the repair and paint it in a single day with the truck ready to drive out by 1600. No, this technique cannot be used on wood or you will end up with a horrible mess. There is good information on this subject in the article ‘Finishing the Job’ in Australian Amateur Boatbuilder #97. Figure four – Lake Mac launch before restoration. Case Study Three – Another classic example of polyester being a poor adhesive occurred one Sunday Anyway, once he pulled the launch out he was able morning whilst transporting our demo FRP dinghy to easily peel the FRP off, as there was no adhesion. on my car roof racks. A piece of FRP broke out of Figure four shows the launch before restoration, igure ive – the FRP peeled off and igure six the inished restoration that is a credit to the owner as he saved another historic launch from the boats graveyard.

Figure three – Dinghy seat delamination. Figure ive – Polyester ibreglass peeled off.

42 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats For more information on repairing rot refer to the polyester limitations summed up article titled ‘Modern Technology Rot Repair’ in AABB I hope the above scenarios paint a picture on the #94. Plus, there is a full series of photos on the limitations of polyester. Do not get me wrong, as project at www.BoatCaftNSW.com under customers polyester and vinylester have their place and that is projects. The completed restoration is a credit to the for mass producing ibreglass structures where weight owner, as he has done a magniicent job. is not a major consideration and a rigid 3D structure is desired. We would not have the thousands of FRP boats around today, if it was not for manufacturers being able to speed up the boat building process by using FRP. In which case, boat ownership would remain elitist unless people have the skill to build their own wooden boat. For wooden boat oficianardos, it has seen the decline of traditional wooden boat building as the majority of us would not be able to afford a large wooden boat made using traditional techniques. Look at my Figure six – Lake Mac launch after restoration. Clansman as a good example, it was manufactured by relatively low skilled labour in 1972 and is still Case Study Five – Last but not least, my mate asked going strong. I believe she will outlive me although me to sort out leaks in his Careel 18 trailer sailer. the gelcoat is stuffed and needs painting and I will The rudder pintles were identiied as the source, continue to chase osmosis using Bote-Cote epoxy. as the 40 year old teak packing block was soft as The ultimate aim being to remove all of the gelcoat cheese and the pintle loose. A hole was cut to it and seal the hull with a good layer of Bote-Cote epoxy a bung, as access was needed to the bolts to it a resin and then COP-R-Bote epoxy based antifoul. new packing piece under the pintles and seal where the bolts went through the hull. Neither of us was vinylester limitations – summed up slim enough to weasel our way under the cockpit. Very few people use vinylester as it is almost as When I cut the section out, the ibreglass popped out expensive as epoxy with several of its own limitations. separate to the plywood core. The adhesion had been Although, there are some boat parts and even larger very poor with no timber pulled away – the ply had boats being manufactured using vinylester reinforced delaminated from the FRP as shown in igure seven. resin. Many yards use vinylester for repair work on Note the cross check marks in the ibreglass in igure polyester boats and a lot of this is driven from the seven. It has been a common practice in the marine fear of becoming hypersensitive using old technology industry to put saw marks in the plywood to try and epoxy. Vinylester, is actually based on epoxy give the polyester something to grab onto. Due to molecules with polyester molecules incorporated into the delamination, the loor became almost trampoline it to enable it to react just like conventional polyester. like and in 2016 the loor was cut out, a new plywood Unfortunately, these polyester molecules bring with insert made up and then glued in with thickened them polyesters problems, as well. The advantages Bote-Cote. By the way, you could now have a ‘see of vinylester are: how many you can get in the cockpit competition’ and • It is a distinct improvement over polyester but it is the deck would not move. See the YouTube video considerably more expensive from ‘woe to go’ at ‘the Epoxy Guru’ titled ‘How to: • It shares with polyester the advantage of being Repair Fibreglass Boat Floor’. reasonably resistant to UV light and it is fairly weather resistant • It is better at preventing moisture diffusing through it than polyester, but nowhere near as water impervious as high solids epoxy • It is a better adhesive than polyester, but again it is nowhere near as good as high solids epoxy • It is probably the best room temperature curing resin to use in high temperature applications such as exhaust wet boxes There are distinct disadvantages to using vinylester, as well: Figure seven – Polyester FRP loor removed from cockpit. • Both polyester and vinylester are highly lammable. Being ‘Dangerous Goods’ therefore storage and transport present signiicant problems and it may invalidate the users insurance

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 43 • Signiicant amounts of Volatile Organic Compounds up. Unfortunately, I did not take a photograph, as it (VOC) are emitted whilst it is being used and was a classic example of vinylester instability. When breathing protection must be used. This is due to ‘stickybeaking’ about marinas with larger yachts and the use of liquid styrene to thin it out (not good to motor cruisers look along the hull and check whether breathe) it is made using vinylester. Although, these days, it is possible to hide the problem with vinyl sheeting • Sometimes it won’t cure if the atmospheric conditions are not right due to its sensitivity to instead of painting. atmospheric moisture and temperature Case Study Two – My only other experience with vinylester, was when I was conned into using it to • It also has dificulty in bonding dissimilar and already-cured materials restore the rudder on my Clansman as it was in poor shape due to water ingress, many moons ago. • It is not unusual for repair patches on vinylester Even the polyester bog inside the ibreglass skin was resin ibreglass to delaminate or peel off and many saturated with moisture. The vinylester was a pain Vinylester hulls suffer delamination of the hull skins to use and guess what; it has delaminated in several from core and bulkhead substrates. places and needs some serious surgery to sort out Note: The modern maxi yachts that have pulled the leaky mess as shown in igure eight. out of the Sydney – Hobart race when they have Again, I was convinced by the salesman that it struck heavy weather and the outer or inner skin was the ideal resin to repair and waterproof the delaminated from the core is a good example. ibreglass mess / rudder, I had. I later understood • As vinylester resin ages, it becomes a different the reason he recommended the vinylester, the resin (due to its continual curing as it ages) so new company manufactured vinylester resin, so logic was Vinylester resin sometimes resists bonding to older to sell more resin, not necessarily the correct one. Vinylester, or will bond and then later peel off. In Fortunately, they are no longer in business. I wonder other words, it is not a stable molecular structure why! • Vinylester resins bond very well to ibreglass, but Case Study Three – I was recently at a caravan offer a poor bond to Kevlar and carbon ibre due to show in Sydney and escaped from our stand to the nature of these two more exotic ibres have a look at caravans. I was wondering through • Due to the touchy nature of vinylester resin, careful and saw the classic vinylester fabric print through. I surface preparation is necessary, if reasonable interrogated the sales rep and sure enough they are adhesion is desired for any repair work using a vinylester skin each side of a foam core. It will be interesting to see how these caravans stand up to • Vinylester is fairly brittle compared to epoxy and is prone to cracking where high point loads are applied going bush on rough Aussie roads with tree branches whacking into the sides. It will be interesting to see or when used in areas where lexing occurs how they hold up over time. See the print through at • Vinylester resin goes off in the container over about igure nine. a 12 month period. vinylester Case studies Case Study One – A good example of Vinylester’s unstable molecular structure was a 20+m motor cruiser I saw at Bobbin Head Marina a few years ago. It was dark green hull colour and I could see the print of the 600gram ibreglass used in its lay-

Figure nine – Vinylester print through on a new van.

epoxy resin – advantages Epoxy is known in the marine industry for its incredible toughness and bonding strength. Let me qualify this as it needs to be a high solids epoxy and one developed for high strength applications in a marine environment. Do not buy industrial grade epoxies that are designed for holding bolts in concrete as it is very brittle and usually only around 30Mpa in Figure eight – Vinylester FRP repair rework. tensile strength.

44 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats Old technology epoxies are notorious for making people epoxy offers excellent results hypersensitive. Bote-Cote In repaIr-abIlIty when It Is used epoxy resin is a modern to bond two dIfferent materIals formulation where the hardener is partially catalyzed eliminating together as it sticKs tenaciously many of the risks associated with using old technology epoxy resins and the AABB #89 article • In areas that must be able to lex and strain with the ‘Working with Modern Technology Epoxies – A Safer ibres without micro-fracturing, Bote-Cote marine Way to Work’ articulates the advantages of modern epoxy resin offers much greater capability than most technology epoxies. other marine grade epoxies By the way we have many customers who have • Epoxy resin will bond dissimilar or already cured become hypersensitive to old technology epoxy but materials thereby making repairs that are very can still safely use Bote-Cote epoxy resin with a reliable and strong couple of testimonials on You Tube on the ‘The Epoxy • Epoxy offers excellent results in repair-ability when Guru’ channel. it is used to bond two different materials together as Marine grade epoxy is the best product to use when it sticks tenaciously. Poly plastics (plastic garbage carrying out ibreglass composite boat building bins, plastic containers, etc) are the only materials and repair work on all ibreglass structures for the that epoxy will not glue successfully, but use this to following reasons: advantage when gluing by using plastic tape to dam • It is extremely effective as a moisture barrier, liquid epoxy and pieces of plastic as backing pieces therefore ideal for composite boat building and good and formwork on large areas of epoxy at reducing the risk of osmosis • High solids epoxy (most reputable marine grade • It is a superb adhesive. It sticks to other materials epoxy resins) is considerably stronger than polyester with 2,000psi (around 50Mpa) vs. only 500psi or vinylester and this reduces the cost and weight of (12-14Mpa) for vinylester resins and even less for repair when compared to polyester/vinylester as less polyesters product is required to beef up the area.

Saves money because it last & lasts & lasts ... COP-R-BOTE extra long life antifouling • Copper metal blended in epoxy resin • No repainting for many, many years • Environmentally friendly • Proven by sailors around Australia • Red, Blue, Green and Black • Ideal for multihulls and trailer boats • Reduces osmosis on polyester hulls • Australian formulated for Australian conditions BoatCraft Pacific 14 Dulwich St, Loganholme, Qld 4129 [email protected] p: 07 3806 1944 www.boatcraft.com.au AGENTS AROUND AUSTRALIA

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 45 The above factors make epoxy the resin of choice • Manufacture of military and commercial aircraft for repairs and for over coating a ibreglass boats where durability and strength has been considerably hull to resist osmosis. Plus, it is the only choice for increased. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner uses 50% composite boat construction and repairs. composites materials in its construction and the new F35 ighter aircraft contain 35%+ composites in their epoxy resins – disadvantages construction. Examples of composite use in the F35 The disadvantages of epoxy resin are few and using are shown at igure 10 and are used as they are correct techniques negates them and puts high lighter than aluminium and stronger than steel solids epoxy head and shoulders above polyester • Wind turbine blades which can be up to 60m long and vinylester resins for composite boat building and where epoxy has enabled a light weight, durable repairs. The disadvantages are; construction with a blade shown at igure 11. • Epoxy does degrade in strong ultraviolet light and it • Concrete bridge repairs and increasing load capacity in turn must be protected with a UV resisting paint of bridges and other structures using epoxy/carbon and polyurethane two pack paints work every well. composite layers in load bearing areas The Aquacote water based polyurethane topcoat sticks tenaciously to epoxy and provides very good • In general construction applications such as UV protection anchoring studs and many other metal components into concrete • Epoxy cannot be used with normal chopped strand mat as the binder used to hold the mat together is • Another epoxy product developed and manufactured not melted by epoxy. Woven or knitted fabric/ cloth by BoatCraft Paciic is ACE epoxy mortar. It comes should be used with epoxy anyway as it ensures into its own for sealing the tendons on pre-stressed a stronger and more economical structure than bridge and building beams plus other construction chopped strand mat applications. It will even stick to damp concrete putting it head and shoulders over other products • Cost – If used with chopped strand mat or built up in available as it is much safer to use. many layers like polyester or vinylester it is a waste of money and will prove expensive • Old technology epoxies are classed as ‘Dangerous Goods’ for transport purposes to use along with polyester and vinylester due to the nasty chemicals used in the hardener/catalyst • Polyester low coat will not stick tenaciously to epoxy and painting with a two pack marine grade polyurethane should be adopted. epoxy Case studies Figure 10 – Large wind turbine blade. The advantages of using epoxy resins and glues for composite boat building are well known in industry The advantages of epoxy composites in modern and they are used extensively in all sorts of industries, manufacturing applications are growing at a rapid such as; rate. This is a major reason why carbon ibre and other exotic composite fabrics are at a premium price. There are several videos on using Bote-Cote epoxy in various uses on our You Tube Channel – The Epoxy Guru. It has a library of almost 100 videos with myriad information on how to use the BoatCraft Paciic range of products plus heaps of other good information to assist you in your boat building and other projects. There is even a video on correct lines to use when berthing your boat and the disadvantages of using polyester and silver rope for berthing and anchoring, let alone the damage caused to your boat and ittings – use nylon as it will stretch up to 50% of its length. I am continually surprised and motivated to do more videos based on the positive feedback from our many customers. We look forward to you subscribing and making comments. Also let us know if there are any subjects you would like to see a video on.

Figure 10 – F35 epoxy FRP components.

46 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats problems with rudders

The Shearwater 45 is a classically-styled cruiser with in keel and spade rudder. This type of rudder functions as a wing, steering by means of pressure differences between the two sides, which moves the stern toward the low pressure side of the rudder. by dudley dix

A reader of one of my columns asked, “What makes some tillers feel like a direct connection between arm and boat, and others feel like the rudder turns some mush which turns the boat?” This explanation may help him and others to understand what is happening with that moving appendage under the boat and to figure why one rudder works better than another. These things apply to dinghies as much as to large ocean cruisers and racers, so there will be some mixing of systems in some of my explanations.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 47 The 60ft Ancilla II has her rudder attached to a partial skeg, with a toe projecting forward below the skeg to provide some balance, reducing helm load.

here are many factors that affect what you feel well and stowed safely in the boat. The engine leg on the tiller or wheel and how responsive the and propeller dirty the water low and you will feel the Tboat is to what you do. These factors interact difference on the tiller. with each other, so it is not possible to pin down the An unpleasant helm can also be the result of the reason for a mushy helm on a particular boat without rudder having too much balance. In this case the seeing it, sailing it and experimenting with changes to balance is the relationship between the centre of ind improvements. pressure exerted on the blade by the water and the If your rudder is mushy, start by checking all movable axis line on which the rudder pivots when you move connections in the system and adjust out all possible the tiller. The axis line is easy to establish; it is a line slop that can allow the rudder blade to move when drawn through the rudder shaft or the centres of the the tiller is not moving or may cause a slight delay pintles, extended downward. between you moving the tiller or wheel and the blade The centre of pressure is not so easy to establish. following that movement. This includes slop in the For most rudders it is nowhere near to the geometric tiller extension universal joint, steering cables, pintles centre of the side view of the blade (the plan shape). and attachments of the blade to the rudder stock. If If you drag the rudder sidewards through the water, you turn the tiller one degree, the blade should turn then the centre of pressure will be pretty much at the the same amount. Any movement of the blade that geometric centre of the plan shape. As soon as there is not due to input from the tiller will allow the blade is water low from the leading edge toward the trailing to slightly follow eddies in the water and feel a bit edge the centre of pressure moves toward the leading mushy. The more slop between hand and blade, the edge and becomes much more dificult to pin down. more mush. It depends on the foil section used, the plan shape of If your boat has an outboard engine in a well in front the blade and what is in front of the blade. That centre of the rudder and you are unhappy with the feel of also moves around a bit from turbulence in the water the helm, try sailing with the engine removed from the low. The aim is to have the axis safely in front of the 48 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats centre of pressure, so that the centre a helm that feels best has enough of pressure can never move forward weather helm to turn the boat into of the axis. the Wind If the tIller Is not beIng If the centre of pressure moves forward of the axis then it pushes on held but It does not pull heavily on the front of the blade and tries to turn your arM and become tIrIng the rudder around, i.e. to reverse it. This is very disconcerting and can yank the tiller out of your hand. This is an over-balanced rudder and can be dangerous. will halve the load felt by the hand on the rim of the wheel. At the other extreme is a rudder with little or no balance, where the centre of pressure is a long The best helm that I have experienced was on my Black Cat way aft of the axis. This generally makes for heavy own Didi 38 . That boat has a very light weather helm and may need a long tiller or a powerful helm in light conditions, gradually increasing in mechanical steering mechanism for comfortable heavier conditions until it tells you very clearly that handling. you need to reef down in very strong conditions. And if that warning is ignored, the rudder stalls, the A helm that feels best has enough weather helm to helm goes light and the boat heads up until the crew turn the boat into the wind if the tiller is not being held reduces power in the main to take load off the rudder. but it does not pull heavily on your arm and become I used the feel of her helm all the time to guide me tiring. But if that weather helm is lacking or too light for trimming the boat for best speed. Moving weight then the feel may be mushy because the light weather forward brings her bow down and increases helm, helm helps us to feel that the boat is ‘in the groove’ as does heeling her to leeward. Moving weight aft and sailing well. It gives us feedback so that the boat and to windward reduces the load on her helm. This can tell us that it is happy and sailing at its best. meshed very well with her need to be bow-down for When designing a rudder I aim at about 15% of the best speed in light conditions and stern-down for best area forward of the pivot axis, 85% behind the axis. speed in heavy conditions. Increase the balance area to 20% and the helm On my Paper Jet I sail single-handed. In light may start to feel mushy and at 25% it is likely to conditions I helm from far forward in the cockpit. In sometimes be over-balanced. strong conditions I am aft and hiked out to windward Those percentages are basic values for a moderate or on trapeze. My position affects the steering rudder that is in clean water low, i.e. it does not sit characteristics of the boat. Most boats are affected behind a full skeg or long keel. If it is a high-aspect by fore/aft trim and heel angle, felt through the helm. dinghy blade and it is connected to a long tiller then Experiment on your boat by moving crew around the you will likely have better helm feel with zero balance. boat so that you can feel what it does. The length of the tiller has a large effect on the feel I was visiting Istanbul a number of years ago, where of the helm because it is the lever that transmits the a boatbuilder had started building one of my trailer- rudder load to your hand. Double the length of the sailer production boats for the local market. The tiller and you will halve the weather helm load felt by factory manager told me that they had a problem of your hand. Similarly, with wheel steering, changing excessive weather helm, which I had already spotted from a 600mm diameter wheel to one of 1200mm from seeing how tightly the helmsman gripped the

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 49 The Pratique 35 has a modiied full-keel underbody with unbalanced spade rudder. Centre of pressure is close to the immersed centre of this type of rudder and generates high helm loads. The tall and narrow proile of this rudder moves the pressure closer to the axis to reduce loads on the tiller for comfortable steering.

tiller in a sailing photo. I asked to go sailing but to see This same problem of the rudder blade being too far the boat irst, out of the water. It was mid-winter, with aft can come from another source. A pivoting blade snow on the ground. The boat was on a trailer, so I has to be held down securely but sometimes isn’t. was able to see the rudder. I had brought a rudder If your boat exhibits helm loading that increases drawing with me and compared with what I saw on considerably as boat speed increases, check the the boat. The pivoting blade was fully down in the rudder blade downhaul. stock but had stopped about 5° too soon. Cleat it in the fully-down position, with the downhaul I showed this to the manager and he said that he line tight as you can get it. Pull aft on the blade to couldn’t believe that it would make much difference. I see if you can move it. Stretch in the line might be borrowed a saw from a nearby boatbuilder and made allowing the blade to be pulled aft by water pressure. a makeshift modiication to the rudder, bringing the If you can pull the blade aft, change to a line with blade to the correct vertical position. Then we put the lower stretch characteristics. A dinghy should be ine boat into the water and went sailing. with a pre-stretched downhaul line but a trailer-sailer We sailed to windward well out onto the Sea of may need a wire cable with a rope tail into or onto the Marmara, with the little boat pretty much sailing itself. cleat. A cam cleat or horn cleat may work better for Then we tacked and broad-reached at hull speed you than a clam cleat or V-cleat because the last two in the quartering chop with the boat under perfect types allow the line to pull back a bit to seat into the control. My companion was watching my body for cleat. signs of me battling to steer, as he had experienced If your boat doesn’t have any weather helm to give before. Eventually he asked, “How is the helm?”. I the feedback that you need, slack off a bit on the responded by steering with one inger on the tiller. blade downhaul and pull in on the uphaul, to move The problem was solved by a simple correction of the the blade aft a few degrees. Sail it to feel if there is rudder blade angle of a few degrees, the difference improvement. Experiment with the blade angle until between arm-wrenching weather helm and very you ind the nicest feel, i.e. the helm pressure that comfortable sailing. suits you best.

50 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats The foil shape (cross-section shape of the blade) When the rudder is not aligned with the direction will also affect how the blade feels to the hand that of travel of the boat (and the resulting water low is steering, as well as how it treats the water that is direction), it has high pressure on one side and low passing over it. The best foil shape for a rudder is pressure on the other. The rudder is pulled by the from the NACA 000 series, which has the point of pressure differential toward the low-pressure side and maximum thickness 30% of the chord length aft of takes the stern of the boat with it. That is how it steers the leading edge. That leading edge is quite full and your boat, not so much by delecting the water low. rounded, which makes it easier for the water to low In practice we are continuously adjusting the rudder around it at the continuously varying attack angles angle to compensate for waves, wind gusts, heel that result from steering in waves. angle etc, so pressures on the two sides of the rudder In contrast, the NACA 64A section has the point are constantly changing. of maximum thickness 35% aft, which moves the This applies most when sailing downwind in waves, point of low separation and the centre of pressure when the high- and low-pressure sides will reverse further aft, so it can help to reduce an over-balanced over and over again as we steer through the waves. problem. However, the leading edge is much iner and With a high aspect rudder, the low will be close to water doesn’t low around it as easily, so it will stall horizontal across the blade. If the blade is wide and more easily. This section is really only suited to very shallow, i.e. a barndoor type of rudder, there will be fast boats that don’t require much rudder angle and a strong bleeding of pressure from the high-pressure will sail mostly on lat water. side of the blade to the low-pressure side. This Then we have the rudders without any foil shape at bleeding happens around the bottom of the blade all, which are made from a sheet of metal or a few and results in a diagonal low over the blade instead planks of wood that are glued together, with little or of horizontal low. The low is diagonally down on the no rounding of the leading edge nor tapering of the high-pressure side, across the bottom then diagonally trailing edge. The metal plate rudder has more drag upward on the low-pressure side. That cross-low than a foil-shaped rudder and it is less effective at around the bottom of the blade creates a vortex off steering because the water is delected by impact the bottom of the trailing edge and a lot of drag. So, if with the leading edge and creates turbulent low the high pressure is on the starboard side and the low aft from the leading edge instead of from the point pressure on port, the low will be clockwise around of maximum thickness 30-35% further aft. It also the bottom of the blade and the vortex will rotate stalls out much more easily because water cannot clockwise. Swap the high- and low-pressure sides low easily around the leading edge when the and the low around the bottom becomes counter- rudder has an attack angle on the water low. The clockwise and so does the rotation of the vortex. So, lat plank rudder has similar problems, aggravated the tip vortex reeling off the bottom of this rudder will by the greater frontal area of the thicker edge, plus be alternating between clockwise and anti-clockwise an additional one. This is the additional drag in the rotation, with very confused low aft of the rudder tip. wake of the thick trailing edge, created by the void Drag from this rudder will be massive when compared that forms behind that edge and the turbulence of with the minimal cross-low and tip vortex from the the water trying to ill the void. Rudders need to be high aspect blade. That is why the rudders of racing tapered aft to feed the passing water on both sides boats have become longer and longer. back together cleanly. There is little that you can do to If the rudder sits behind a skeg or full keel then the improve the effectiveness of a thin metal plate rudder situation is rather different. A spade rudder works in but you can do much to improve a thick plank rudder. Reshape the leading and trailing edges to come as close to a foil shape as you can without compromising strength of the blade. BoatCraft Pacific The aspect ratio, i.e. the ratio of depth to width, affects the effectiveness of a rudder. For two rudders And all BoatCraft Paciic distributors for of equal immersed area, the deeper one will yield Boat Building Fasteners more steering power. Here I refer to its power to control the boat, not the pressure that you feel with • Silicon Bronze Engine Bolts • Silicon Bronze Coach Bolts • Silicon Bronze Machine Screws • Silicon Bronze Wood Screws – your hand on the tiller. There are multiple reasons Flat Head, Oval Head, Round Head, Slot Drive, Philips Drive, Square Drive for this. The leading edge of the rudder forward of • Silicon Bronze Ring Grip Nails • Copper Square Boat Nails the point of maximum thickness does most of the and Roves • Copper Sheathing Nails steering, with the aft part of the rudder mostly closing www.boatcraft.com.au the water cleanly with the least possible added drag. The longer the leading edge, the more effective the 14 Dulwich St, Loganholme, Qld 4129 [email protected] p: 07 3806 1944 rudder.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 51 the same way as a wing oriented vertically instead rudder is turned the greater the delection of water of horizontally. A rudder aft of a skeg or keel works upward. For every action there is a reaction, in this as a lap in the aft part of a wing. With this rudder case the reaction being a force pulling the stern down the centre of pressure will be closer to the geometric into the water. The heavy helm felt in the cockpit centre of the plan shape, which is why this type of is really the rudder pulling the stern down, so the rudder exerts a lot of helm loading. There is little that helmsman is ighting the buoyancy of the stern, not can be done to change that loading other than to helm from wind pressure in the sails. The solution reduce blade width (to reduce the length of the lever that I proposed was to lock the rudder on centreline arm from centre of pressure to pivot axis) or shorten and add a transom-hung spade rudder on the stern. the skeg to allow a toe to be formed on the rudder When passing through Cape Town a few months later forward of the axis to add some balance area to the the owner visited to say that he was very happy with blade. the outcome, his boat had become docile and easy to steer in all conditions. There are some boats that seem to always have weather helm and the faster that they sail the heavier He was not alone in his problem; some experienced the helm, until it feels like your arms will be wrenched sailors have been caught out by the same problem. off. A man consulted with me re his new boat that he Eric and Susan Hiscock had their last cruiser, Wanderer V had built to go world cruising. He had launched it in , custom designed and built with this keel East London, South Africa. The next few months he and rudder coniguration. They set off for a cruise and did sea trials and readied the boat to go cruising. All returned to have the boat modiied to a more vertical equipped and stocked up, he set off down the coast rudder before continuing their cruising. with one crew. They made it as far as Port Elizabeth, So, we can see that there are many inputs into the 150 miles away. He said that the weather helm was way that a rudder feels to the person who is steering. so heavy that neither the crew nor the self-steering They all interact with each other as well. This may vane could control the boat. I looked at the drawings, give you some insights into what might be the cause asked some questions and igured the problem. of any steering problems that you may have with your own boat. Look at your rudder and steering They sailed the 150 miles downwind in big seas but system carefully to analyse what may be causing your boats don’t develop weather helm running downwind. In this case the heavy helm was caused by the 45° ‘mushy’ or uncomfortable helm feel. Get the helm feel rake on the rudder shaft, which is sometimes seen right and your boat’s performance can step up to the next level. on traditional boats with full keel and attached rudder. This coniguration was used as a way to reduce wetted surface and improve manoeuvrability by shortening the keel but still having the tiller well aft in the cockpit. But it brings with it a big side-effect South African born yacht that is very detrimental to the boat. A light planing designer Dudley Dix is a boat needs very little rudder angle to steer it straight graduate of Westlawn School in suring conditions but a heavy boat with full keel of Yacht Design. He has a needs much more rudder angle for control. At hull wide range of designs, built speed it pulls up a big stern wave that superimposes by professional and amateur on top of seas passing under the stern and that piled builders in 90 countries. The up water pushes the stern alternately to one side then Dudley Dix Yacht Design the other, which the rudder has to counteract. office is in Virginia Beach, USA, with website at The problem with the 45° rake is that an attached https://dixdesign.com rudder steers by delecting the water low side-to- side and the rudder rake delects some of that low upward instead of to the side. The more that the

52 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats This is the rudder of the trailer-sailer that had the steering issues in Istanbul. This boat needs the blade to be vertical, with fairly large rudder balance. Incorrect shaping of the blade prevented it from being pulled all the way down, resulting in heavy weather helm.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 53 54 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats Pilgrim

a seriously capable open boat Designed by John WelsforD small Craft Design

by john welsford A designer’s own boat is often an indication of the designer’s experience, both in the boats themselves and the time out on the water. I’m a fan of cruising in open boats, ones small enough to tow with an economical car, light enough to launch off a beach rather than a crowded boatramp, but with enough room to be comfortable overnight and tough enough to get me back to the launching place at the end of the cruise even if the weather cuts up.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 55 unskilled family out there without that ability so it’s designed in from the irst concept. There are very few boats available ready to go that it all that so a home build was the best choice. There were compromises made here, cost came into the equation, build time, tool skills, space in the garage and materials availability, all needed to be considered along with the above. I began this design with the intention of building one for myself, and indeed have still a complete frame set in the back of the shed, but life got in the way a bit and several other projects came to the top of the list before I could complete her. But there are, as of this day, 11 of them sailing, and the reports coming back from the owners are making me think very hard about clearing the workshop out and getting on with it. Pilgrim has been a real eye opener in terms of performance, my deinition of ‘performance’ being ‘suitability for purpose’. She’s fast, much faster than most would expect. She’s comfortable, stable, dry and exceptionally capable for an open boat. There is room in dry lockers for a heap of gear and she has enough bouyancy built in to loat her high and stable if swamped. She ‘performs’ in the workshop as well, being of sometimes sail on a very open coast where shelter simple sheet plywood construction the build doesn’t is not always available, where there are strong require exotic skills. Someone handy with tools, and Ionshore winds and big swells so the boat needed to who has a modest selection of same can build this be much more capable than the usual open craft. boat. The instructions that come with the detailed It’s an interesting combination of priorities. The irst plans are comprehensive, I get very few questions half suggests quite a small craft, while the second set from those building which is an encouraging indication of needs might be better with a bigger boat. I’ve tried that the information is all there and understandable. it both ways and have learned from the experience. I’m pleased with Pilgrim, so much so that I drew So I designed a boat to suit. a slightly bigger version called ‘Pelegrin’, an old Norman French word for a Pilgrim to satisfy the My hair is amost pure white now. No I’m not getting old, I refuse to do that but I do admit that these inevitable questions about a cabin and bunks. But I prefer the open boat, it only takes a few minutes days I prefer an air bed with room to stretch out on to get the tent up and all of a sudden the big roomy rather than lying on the loorboards bent around the cockpit is a big roomy cabin. I like that. centrecase, so when drawing ‘Pilgrim’ a big lat space was designed in along with comfortable seating. I also like to eat well, have a comfortable place to sit and read, to stay dry when it’s raining, and to have enough dry clothing on board to ensure that there is a PiLgRiM SPeCiFiCATiONS change available after a day out in the spray. LOA 5m 16ft 5in Beam 2.11m 7ft I like daysailing with my partner, and sometimes our Draft (CB up) 0.48m 1ft 7in daughter and her family will come along, that makes Draft (CB dn) 1.17m 3ft 10in four adults and two small ones which is quite a load. Sail Area 15.1sqm 162sqft Dry Wt Rigged 480kg 1056 lbs We don’t go far like that but I was sure to design in Ballast 210kg 462 lbs space for all so there are no conlicts, and of course Note, the drawings detail a 50% water ballast as some people have to go to work next day the boat option to reduce the on trailer weight. had to be able to get us back no matter what so there is an outboard motor mount build in. Plans from John Welsford Small Craft Design www.Jwboatdesigns.co.nz Self rescue capability is very important to me, in case [email protected] of the unthinkable happening getting her back upright and bailed out is top of the list, I can’t take loved but Order from www.duckworksmagazine.com 56 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats pilgrim

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 57 the Inverloch classic Wooden dinghy regatta

58 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 59 by greg barwick

2019 will mark the sixth Inverloch Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta (ICWDR) since its inception in 2014, when it started off as a way to celebrate the birthplace of the International Moth class. This first regatta saw 28 boats on the water from a range of the classic classes of years gone by, ranging from the Gwen 12 to the Fireball, from the Moth to the Australian Sailfish.

ith each year the numbers have grown as Andrew Chapman. Up and down the east coast old word of the regatta has spread, but in 2016 (and aren’t we all) Sailish skippers stopped to take Wsomething happened that caused a real note. The presence of Debonair prodded three of the jump in numbers for the following years. Australian old hands to each decide to come along to the 2017 Debonair Sailish number two, , Jack Carroll’s original ICWDR. As word spread, a website for the class was Sailish, had been found and lovingly restored by established, then word went out that Jack Carroll 60 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats Davey & Company Ltd of London Established 1885 TRADITIONAL YACHT AND SHIPS BRONZE FITTINGS

Port Holes Bowsprit Plates Ventilators Shackles Cleats Parrel Beads Bollards Pelican Hooks Fairleads Anchors Hawse Pipes Anchor Windlass Gudgeons Rollers Pintles Oil Navigation Lights Staunchions Hurricane Lamp Flagstaffs Oil Globe Lights Eyebolts ES Sorensen lamps Stemheads Bulkhead Lamps Rowlocks Door & Hatch Fittings Boathooks Skylight Fittings Furling Gear Solid Fuel Stoves Mast Bands Bells Ash Bocks Sounding Leads Shroud Plates Caulking Irons Gaff Span Shackles Marlin Spikes Brass Slides Speedy Stitcher Spinnaker Pole Fittings Jeffery’s No. 2 Highield Levers Black Glue Riggings Screws Oakum Tuffnol Blocks Caulking Cotton Belaying Pins Roving Punches

and much much more ... would be attending as well. Suddenly the number of Sailish coming jumped and in the end we had 11 Sailish, including Debonair, on the beach for the Australia Day weekend. In 2018 Give Your Boat we passed that score with the number expected to increase again in 2019. That Luxurious This is exactly what the ICWDR is about, tracking down those Old World Feel classes that were well known around the clubs in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and providing a venue for them to get out on the water once again. It might be a mouldie Moth, or a classic Heron, it might be a Gwen 12, it might be a Vee Jay or a Mirror, the only BoatCraft Pacific criteria is that it is a wooden dinghy from the ‘Classic’ period of the Australian plywood boat era and that it is as near to original 14 Dulwich St, Loganholme, Qld 4129 as possible. [email protected] If that was all, that would be great, but it is also so much more p: 07 3806 1944 than that, with some beautifully built classic designs competing And all distributors and quite often stealing the show. We have had the 12sqm www.boatcraft.com.au (heavyweight) Sharpies come out to play, but it might be an

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 61 Oughtred designed McGregor canoe or an Auk, one and now it’s time to show off to a crowd. Come along; of which won the people’s choice in 2017. It might we would love to see it. be Olive, the original Inverloch 11 footer which is the The weekend is not just about racing and displaying foundation of the Moth class, it might be a Bethwaite classic classes of old, some of the most fantastic designed A12, a Rainbow, or who knows what will boats we have seen at Inverloch have been those turn up in 2019. boats new built to traditional designs. If you have one of the classic boats that is itching to get out on the water (think Rainbow, Gwen, Australian There is also the opportunity for catching up with old friends, making some new friends, having a social Sailish, double chine Moth, Mirror, International Canoe) then drag it out from the shed and bring it sail out on Anderson’s Inlet and generally just kicking along. Then again, it might be a traditionally built new back and enjoying time with a group of people that build that you have slaved over for the last few years share your passion.

62 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats The 2019 ICWDR will have as its primary focus the designs of Jack Holt, so if you have a Jack Holt design boat you will be especially welcome.

Where : South Gippsland Yacht Club, The Esplanade, Inverloch

When : Australia Day Weekend, Saturday to Monday, January 26-28, 2019

More inforMation : Late registration is on the Saturday morning from 10 o’clock and the regatta program, entry forms and notice of race can be found on the South Gippsland Yacht Club website, sgycinverloch.com.au

ARE YOU? building a boat making oars refitting varnishing designing making a kayak updating electronics sailing racing cruising selecting timber sanding fairing painting trailering buying selling sewing sails repairing reviving marinising an engine building a kit customising launching building a rudder using epoxy making a mast or simply dreaming about messing about in boats ...

If so, we’d like to hear from you! Australian Amateur Boatbuilder & KitBoats magazine is interested in hearing the story of your project, the reasons why, how you got started and what was your motivation. Don’t worry if you can’t write a masterpiece and naturally, you’ll have to include some clear photos, showing the various stages of construction from the beginning to where it all ended! PO Box 560, Varsity Lakes, Queensland 4227 07 5593 8187 or [email protected]

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 63 firenewsbug by peter tait WatCh a one hour ‘bugbuild!

Paul Cleaver in Adelaide with the team are well advanced with their boat. And you can see it all on YouTube in rapid time-lapse video. It’s amazing, all those arm actions, no wonder body parts ache after a while. There are 10 videos to date with more to come. It’s an hilarious must watch, start with: Part one: https://youtu.be/lkfnbnuqwla koos Winnips raidextreme Excerpt from the entry list. Some interesting new boats are conirmed, we will have an international meet, with David Valverde of Balogh sail designs especially lying over from the United States, Matthieu and Thomas Bonnier will race their all new Liteboat XP, Hans Arends brings his i550 (with cycle drive) and we will have our Wet Bicycle. Luckily we will still have lots of normal people, with the ‘Bremers’ racing Gargantua, a 12 person canoe weighing in at two tonnes, driven by Maori testosterone fuelled muscle men, Bert Schilder on a Nacra 6.0, a Doryplume, goat island skiff, ketch rigged folding canoe.

Well known Dutch ‘BugBuilder and Classic Yacht ClassiC roCker by norbert owner Koos Winnips (see Downloads Page on the in berlin website) continues his nautical adventures. And this ‘BugBuilders often have interesting sidelines time with another RaidExtreme event in the lakes and generating income. Norbert in Berlin writes: When we canals of northern Netherlands. It looks like fantastic are not boat building In our workshop we build classic fun and you can see it and similar adventures on rocking chairs by hand. It’s the artisan craftsman way YouTube:https: //youtu.be/zbPWiCpW0gQ and in which the woods are selected and shaped. We use https://youtu.be/gU6QYOL8vkQ saws, hand planes and chisels. The chairs are built to

64 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats order. Depending on wood species and effectuation prices start at SUBSCRIPTION FORM 1700€. Please do contact us for a customized news offer and a personal rocking chair.’ https:// www.drechsler- norbert-pauli. com/ unique ‘bug event in ChristChurCh Tom Arthur writes, Enjoy your sailing more in a 2.4m (8’) FireBug! On November 11 we had our local Christian Name ...... regional Canterbury Championships. Most of the sailors were adults. The event was rather unique in Surname...... that we sailed in a man-made lake in the middle of a Postal address ...... housing subdivision! The lake is 300m wide and 900m long with a tapering canal like arm extending at right ...... angles from each end. The course was a windward leeward, two triangles and another windward leeward...... This took around 25 minutes to complete. The irst Suburb ...... Post code...... three races were sailed in a wind of 4-8kts. State...... Telephone......

Email ......

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I enclosed payment for $......

Lake Pegasus easy sailing. Duck when you go under the bridge! Enclosed: Mastercard Visa Cheque*

Card Number After lunch our race oficer Alison Rutherford had come up with a devious one-off course. We started near the middle of the lake, sailed hard on the wind Card Holders Name ...... to the northern end then had to beat up the tapering ...... canal to a mark right at its end where it was only Card expiry date...... Todays date ...... about 9m wide! As you can imagine there was a fair bit of tight tacking and avoiding of other boats CSV 3 Digit Code...... going on. This is part of what I love about sailing Starting with issue #...... FireBugs, you can take advantage of nearly every shift because they tack so nimbly. Then we reached * Cheques to be in $AUS and made out to P & G Lynch & Assoc Pty Ltd the whole length of the lake to the southern canal Send this form to: and on the way had to sail under a suspension bridge AUSTRALIAN AMATEUR BOATBUILDER, with only 200mm clearance above our masthead. PO BOX 560, VARSITY LAKES, QLD 4227 We cringed waiting for the crash! After repeating AUS TRALIA: more tight manoeuvres up and down the southern 1 Year’s Subscription $35.20 Aust • 2 Years Subscription $61.60 Aust canal we reached back to the inish. I managed to NEW ZEALAND/ASIA/PACIFIC: 1 Year’s Subscription $49.80 Aust • 2 Years Subscription $91.60 Aust pass Paul (25kg heavier than me) in the irst canal ALL OTHE R COU NTRIE S: 1australasian Years Subscription amateur $58.20 Aust boatbuilder • 2 Years Subscription and kitboats$108.40 Aust 65 but we stayed together for the duration of the race david hann in Wonga park, viC to the inish. I mention this to point out despite being small boats these little beauties are capable of being competitive in the hands of competent heavier sailors. We inished the day off with a further two races on the morning course. After derigging we held our prizegiving at the lakeside with afternoon tea and lots of cake, biscuits etc. It was another very special FireBug occasion, ive races and fabulous fun for young and old! We thank our super competent race oficer, Alison Rutherford, PPYC volunteers who helped on rescue boats and other duties.’ Overall Results: First: Tom Arthur, second: Paul Duder, third: Scott Lancaster, fourth and irst Junior Alex Humphrey. Tom Arthur contact: [email protected] World’s best paint Job?

Harlequin ready to launch (almost).

FDQ looking Hi Pete, It is some time since my last call to you. very sparkly in I love my sail, convey my appreciation to your Christchurch, New Zealand. sailmaker. My boat is almost complete, only a few very minor items to inish. I have enjoyed the build so much I am seriously considering building another so I can easily ind someone else to go sailing with. Cheers, David. 2500k delivery trip in Canada Hello Peter, the boat named Puddle Jumper by my grandson was inally launched for its maiden voyage on August 4 at White Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The winds were calm to non- Alex Humphrey, sailed what I believe is the FireBug existent for the four days we were at the lake. The with the world’s most spectacular paint job. The panels change colour in different lights, there are metallic inishes, subtle swirls and imitation woodgrain areas, all done to a meticulous glossy inish. I was agog while inspecting it and I challenge FireBug owners around the world to send in photos of anything better! Tom Arthur, contact details above.

66 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats careers. With sailing combined with boatbuilding a young person can write on their CV, ‘Sport – sailing, hobby – boatbuilding. I sail the boat I built.’ That will get interviews and not only out of curiosity.

Riley Thurloe and Tyler Grifith.

Puddle Jumper aloat in White Lake, Canada.

To quote a local builder/’Bug sailor – ‘If that lad inishes his boat and wants an apprenticeship, send photo was taken during the only puff lasting about him to me!” three minutes. This has been the only sail so far but With funding donated through The Australian Sports it responds to light air beautifully. There are over 550 Foundation Concord Ryde Sailing Club approached wild ires in the province raging with heavy smoke local high schools. Young people were invited to over a good portion of the country. When conditions complete our Learn to Sail programme and through improve more sailing will follow. the winter – build a ‘Bug. Norglass provided $700 of I live in Thunder Bay, Ontario and built the boat here. paint to help with the project. We packed the boat in the back of the truck and Contact Ross: [email protected] towing our 21’ trailer drove over 2,500km to White Lake to give it as a birthday present for my grandson during a family gathering. Regards, Bob regatta dates for the south island Tom Arthur advises regatta dates: South isiand Championships at Stewart’s Gully Sailing Club March 2-3. Lake Mahinapua Regatta in Westland February 9-10. Camp by the lake! Further info: tom.arthur@ orcon.net.nz *Aussie entrants are welcome, borrow a boat! ‘bugbuild for boys at ConCord ryde Contrary to the exclusive image, dinghy sailing is a low cost sport that is accessible to people of all ages. Look deeper, what are the biggest challenges facing families today? High on the list will inevitably be getting their young people established in their

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 67 Win-a-sail Contest paul Cleaver and the team The Win-a-Sail Contest has only one entry. It’s well written but it can’t be a contest with only one entry! So come on, it’s $500 worth! How you enter. Write 3-400 words on ‘What makes my FireBug so Special!’ Judging will take age into consideration. Email your entry to [email protected] and include a photo of yourself and the boat, partly built is okay.

Paul and the Minions. See lead story.

bernie Collins in port pirie Bernie disappeared over the horizon without permission before his ‘BugBuild got properly underway. Son Doug continued the job and the boat’s looking pretty good at this stage. Dad would be delighted!

geneva Christian College The college in Latrobe, Tasmania are building two boats and expect to be sailing on their ‘own lake’ this summer. Furniture maker and long time sailor Michael Thompson is leading the team.

The Collins family ‘Bug – perfect!

Michael, Zac, Darcy, Elthan and Danny.

68 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats fleet bigger on the Waimak Stalena O’Brian loves her new boat. Dad has bought pull-up cleats another ‘Bug and now they can do match races! The combIne style Waimakariri Sailing Club is based near Christchurch, NZ. and functIon

There is a ine line between the necessity for hardware durable and large enough for a yacht, and the desire to maintain its elegant lowing proile. Accon Marine’s lush-mounted 30cm and 38cm Pull-Up Cleats walk that line Stalena in the Dawn Treader. perfectly. They are engineered for vessels over 12m with marine-grade 316 stainless steel and neatly stow inside their own base when not in use. Despite their high level of convenience, cleats can thanks for the stories and photos! be unsightly and get in the way when not in use. Koos Winnips, Ross Venner, David Hann, David Not so with the lush-mounted 30cm and 38cm Lincolne, Norbert Pauli, Ross Venner, Robert Pull-Up Cleats. When the user is ready to tie up, McLean, Alex Humphrey, Tom Arthur, Paul Cleaver, they simply pull the cleat above deck. In addition Doug Collins, Bill Barry and some will appear in the to its rugged, stainless steel construction, each next issue cleat comes with a waterprooing cup. An included backing plate also serves as the cut-out template, making installation simple. Accon’s 30cm cleat measures 15cm deep, is neW firebug Website 9cm at its widest point and can safely handle 6,350kg. The 38cm cleat safely holds 9,071kg The new website is on the ‘back burner’ still awaiting funding. Good sites are very costly. and is the largest lush-mounted cleat available. Any ideas? It measures 13cm at its widest point and extends 18cm deep. The 38cm Pull-Up Cleat is available www.irebug.co.nz in through-bolted and stud mount versions. The 10cm stud mount lets the cleat attachment points stay concealed to preserve a yacht’s elegant appearance. Accon Marine – www.acconmarine.com

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 69 nis 5.5 didi SAILING PORT PHILLIP BAY, TO TAWE NuNNuGAH RAID, uP THE EAST COAST OF TASmANIA! by robert ayliffe

Dave Fraser rang me about a year ago. Philippe is a fast learn, and his construction detail as I Phillipe Pattacca had just upsized, and had bought look over her now really is a credit to him. Like pretty Bruce Giveny’s self built NIS 9, Wireless. As Philippe much all of those who have one of Bruce Kirby’s NIS may have pointed out, you can only have so many family, he has really embraced the concept, leaping mistresses. out of the conines of old world yacht thinking into Before it gets complicated. these slyly radical small ships that redeine what it is possible to do in a relatively small, relatively So Dave now owns Didi. lightweight modern plywood, timber and Bote-Cote It’s great to be re-engaged with Philippe and Didi epoxy composite centreboard yacht. Well set up and again. handled, we now know that they are all capable of Philippe did a wonderful job of building Didi. safely going anywhere you can carry enough lunch for. Launched in 2012, she was his irst build, though prior he did give me wonderful help in building the very irst Dave and his friend Graham will be sailing Didi in the NIS kit boat, John Hyam’s NIS 5.5 Clancy. famed ‘Tawe Nunnugha Raid’, from the very southern 70 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats end of Tasmania and up to Hobart, over 10 days in comany with a lotilla of other small and rescue craft, including St Ayles Skiffs from South Australia, and Victoria, up to Hobart for the festival, and then the ‘Return Raid’ after the festival; from Hobart around the coast, into the Huon and up to Franklin, to be part of yet another International St Ayles Skiff Regatta weekend. Whew! I’m getting tired just describing it. Dave and Graham have both mumbled a bit about not having had a ‘hell of a lot’ of experience yet. That’s true, this is really deep end learning, but in very good and supportive company. They will both come out of it much better and more conident sailors, and will have a lot of amazing experiences along the way. And then home in time for the South Australian Wooden Boat Festival, In Goolwa, in April 2019. As Dave says, this boat is changing his life. And from the grin on his face, it’s not all bad! Look out for him in Hobart and at Franklin. And then Goolwa! By then he will have had open ocean experience, and if you offer suitable inducements, you will certainly be welcomed aboard, and maybe even out for a sail. But be wary. This boat may just change YOUR life too!

opposite: Didi on Port Phiilp Bay. right from top: Didi on the trailer. Nice work Philippe. Philippe, Festool sander in hand, preparing for planking.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 71 Secret 33 sailing research lugger or trader.

by derek ellard

Working the Waters Sadly, here in Australia, our coal hugger government just does not seem to care much about our rich ’ve been watching a lot of working sail footage – surprise! An excellent source on YouTube is maritime heritage with many a ine vessel rotting away, unloved in some muddy graveyard. Fortunately tallshipfan with an apparently unlimited stock of I there are, of course, many dedicated teams of European working craft videos. The sheer volume restorers working on tight budgets to keep our history of boats is both staggering and heartening – many aloat. One team contacted me recently – they’re sailing with generous assistance from enlightened restoring pearling luggers in North Queensland governments. Those based in the German Baltic port pearlingluggers.com.au – more on that later. of Rostock are particularly impressive with classic First up is Go Sail Cargo news www.gosailcargo.com ketches, cutters, and schooners as far as the eye can We’ve had lots of shares, likes and comments from see. My own EC100 has Dutch Klipper DNA while the the International Windship Association and more EC64 has a bit more Thames Barge in her. It’s truly recently from the online publication Renew Economy heartening to see so many beautiful old boats lovingly – The Driven. Our vision is a global community of restored, often sailing hard and fast. green traders building clippers and it starts with one

72 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats port, one town getting together and building their own I can price that right now – from $280,000 and I’ll sail trader – you can help. arrange for it to be shipped to somewhere suitable in People are beginning to ask the serious question – a lat-rack container. Tempted? Your voyage of self- how much? And that’s a very good sign but it’s dificult discovery starts with one phone call – 07 5545 1015. to answer. Our business model is based on building neW sChooner the same ships world wide via a digital instruction Designed a new boat for Go Sail Cargo – another manual. Standardisation yes, but customisation too, surprise! She’s a three masted gaff schooner with inter-island trading in the Paciic will obviously require an 8 x 40ft container capacity in two holds. This one different specs to a boat shuttling supplies to remote sticks to the basic principles outlined in the EC64 and outposts in Tierra Del Fuego. So the price is still work the EC100 that is to use the best of traditional rigs, in progress – the research is endless, however given ine-tune the steel hullforms, and equip them with the zero emissions, zero fuel costs and similar crew best that modern technology can supply. This one’s

levels, it’s got to be feasible. The cost of diesel in Fiji going to take a while to get to a stage where I can 

is ridiculous. Our boats don’t need ports or wharves Secret 33 liveaboard in style. either – you can beach ‘em and use the derrick to ofload straight on to the sand. the neW seCret 33 ex

We’ve been approached by an ocean research hand it over for compliance and structural engineering organisation to design and cost a mini zero emission but a journey of a thousand miles begins with one sailing research vessel. While the requirements are step, or rather one pencil. The initial drawings are still being inalised, a new version of the Secret 33 its looking promising and I do enjoy a good challenge. the bill. It’s a modiied gaff yawl, this one a simpliied The big challenge with boats of this size is crew lugger for single handed operation, presumably on the numbers – even a small square rigger needs a dozen assumption that many scientists can’t sail but we can forgive them that, surely? Apart from the new rig, the or more to sail it. My solution is irst to stick to for and aft rigs but second to re-think the downwind canvas. keel is slightly longer but shallower, giving a draught of around 850mm and with the sheerlegs tucked in The pre-rigged carbon ibre yarded sails for the EC100 is one workable solution but inspired by the under the channels, she’ll take the ground readily. Tea Clippers’ stunsails, I’m working on another – you Here are the specs for the two pallet cargo version, can’t see the dining table for drawings these days. the three pallet version is very similar but without the scientiic experiments and qualiies for a new Go Sail shimmy neWs Cargo boat. Another one underway and we’re always happy to For trading, I envisage an owner-operator working do them. Recently I listed the many modiications some balmy paciic archipelago in the tradewinds. we’ve introduced to our perennial best seller for a You know – white sands, swaying palms, turquoise Tasmanian customer – 12 no less, so they’re now waters – sure as hell beats the daily commute ... better than ever and a bargain at under $6,000 for a

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 73 Pearling lugger in the Torres Strait. liveaboard neWs Image courtesy State Library of Queensland A fully self-suficient zero emission liveaboard scenario is a dream of many mariners and it’s generally accepted that a boat of at least 15m is needed, however nine years ago I met someone who had lived on a 29-footer for a few years and a decade ago I did a Scintilla 24 for a couple to live on for a few months, they did and as minimalist boating goes, kit completed with sails, chandlery and every optional that’s pretty good. extra. Most Shimmy components are always in stock A while back someone commented on my YouTube so now’s your chance before the gov’nor loses the Secret 33 video about the lack of a liveaboard version plot! so I did one – here’s Annette’s rendering and the We now have full-size drawings for the MK II GRP surprising speciications are on the brochure on the Shimmy and I hope to get started on the plugs soon website scrufie.com/secret33-SE.html but I’ve been side tracked with, well everything – so It actually worked out better than expected, the many boats, so little time ... sigh. Secret 33 lends itself very will to extended cruising,

74 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats much cheaper than a house and with maintenance reduced to a minimum and with free sunshine power, all you need is love, and possibly food okay, and good reception and a ... enough! pearling luggers But irst up, they aren’t luggers, they’re gaffers, but you knew that, didn’t you? True, the very earliest ones were but generally speaking gaff is more eficient. Hang on a minute, why am I building a new lugger then? You may well ask. It’s about simplicity and evolution – we’ve worked hard over the years to get coMbination them to work really eficiently. Ben Kelly of Quantum, our long term sailmaker, is an acknowledged expert in cleat/rod traditional rigs and that’s helped immensely. holder these luggers saves gunnel followed a siMilar design trajectory to space the renowned brIstol channel pIlot cutters wIth beautifully forMed elegant hulls and Ketch rather than cutter rIgs

But back to the pearling luggers, a very Australian example of eficient working sail. By the beginning of the 20th Century they had evolved into ine ships and many books have chronicled their history. Two distinct Gunnel space on ishing boats is always types emerged – those working around Broome and at a premium. An innovative lush-mount those up in the Torres Strait. Mike and his team are rod holder with an integrated 152mm cleat busy restoring the last of the Torres Strait boats. In from Accon Marine saves valuable room by the early 20th Century these boats were taken in combining these two essentials into a single, hand by marine architect Walter Reeks who designed compact unit. many racing yachts and used his experience to craft a The multifunction cleat/rod holder combo better lugger with a good turn of speed and the ability features a unique, pull-up cleat design that to stay at sea for months at a time. These luggers followed a similar design trajectory to the renowned surrounds the ishing rod cavity. Available in three versions offering a choice of 0°, 15° or Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters with beautifully formed 30° rod retention positions, it measures just elegant hulls and ketch rather than cutter rigs. 192.2mm L x 95mm W x 121.8mm D. Hundreds were built and by the 1920’s they were more or less standardised, tragically their golden Durable, marine-grade 316 stainless steel age was soon over and today they are pitifully few construction ensures a long product life. In in number. Help save what’s left, support your local independent testing this rugged hardware lugger! has been shown to withstand loads of up to Finally, my heartfelt thanks to all those who have 5,781kg, making it suitable for use on a wide range of boats even in extreme sea conditions. helped with the electric clipper projects – it’s been really encouraging to hear from enthusiasts far Installation is easy by using the supplied backing and wide. Fair trade chocolatiers, Glasgow Dock plate as a template to mark the deck cut-out, then fastening the device in place with four 1/4” revivers, African surgeons, research institutes, Paciic Islanders and many more – you, and I include AABB diameter stainless steel screws. readers, make it all worthwhile and inspire me to Accon Marine greater efforts – without your support I would not have www.acconmarine.com persevered.

australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 75 returnsCody Horgan to franklIn

by jonathan wallis

A recent visit to the Wooden Boat Centre at Franklin is always a pleasure, and this time we found an air of positive enthusiasm there as they currently have several exciting projects on their books.

alking to Julie Hinks, their publicity manager, Tshe told us that they are mainly excited to be getting a comprehensive two-year course in all aspects of wooden boatbuilding up and running, beginning in February 2019. They have recently employed the respected and well known boat builder Cody Horgan, previously from Sydney, to instruct, and lead, the students through this full time comprehensive course. Graham Rankin, President of the Franklin Working Waterfront Association, owners of the Wooden Boat Centre told us: “We Cody Horgan back at WBC. are very excited to welcome Cody Image Julie Hinks back to Franklin, this time as our lead instructor.

76 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats His credentials are impeccable and his association with the Wooden Boat Centre began when Cody trained in Franklin about 20 years ago. He has subsequently had an interesting and noteworthy professional career in wooden boatbuilding in all its aspects, and it is great to see him return to join our team.” During his career Cody has spent many years working in Sydney on the Australian Maritime Museum leet, and also the Sydney Heritage Fleet. This has included major works and maintenance to well-known vessels like Endeavour, the World War II vessel Krait, an Edwardian steam Cody Horgan. Image Anne Holst launch, the Ena, as well as for a time leading the team working on the now familiar to all Tasmanians, the beautiful tall ship James Craig. Cody has also worked at the prestigious Halverson yards at Kissing Point and Bobbin Head, doing restoration and maintenance on the Halverson leet of vessels. Having recently moved to Tasmania, Cody has already started work on a King Billy pine clinker dinghy, the pine having been generously donated by the Knopp family, and this dinghy will subsequently be sold as a collector’s item. Julie tells

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australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 77 us that all who have come into contact with Codey The students will have the unique opportunity to work have found him friendly, approachable and with all the alongside skilled shipwrights currently working in qualities needed to make a irst class mentor/teacher, industry, and they will have the opportunity to practice as well as a worthy addition to the amicable crew of skills on jobs that come into the shed during the craftsmen and women at the centre. course. This will give the students experience working She told us: “The course will see students learn for clients, and also managing their projects. and hone their ine woodworking skills by initially “Some of our shipwrights have travelled the world constructing a ‘boat builder’s tool chest’. Then they honing their craft and will now be able to share their will progressively construct both clinker and carvel skills and expertise with a new generation”, said Julie vessels, carry out heritage restoration work and Hinks, one of the Wooden Boat Centre staff. learning more modern techniques whilst making On completion of the two year course students will plywood tenders, strip planked canoes and kayaks.” have acquired both signiicant craftsmanship skills, The Wooden Boat School manager, Anne Holst, and will have a solid portfolio of the work they have told us: “We are looking forward to welcoming completed. both Australian and international students into the Anne Holst added” “It will give them the skills and course and we will keep the group small to ensure experience to chart their own careers in the boat personalised instruction”. building and woodworking industries,” said Anne.

above left: Cody Horgan back at WBC. Image Julie Hinks above right: Cody at work on King Billy dinghy. Image Julie Hinks

For more information about the course and the Wooden Boat Centre go to www.woodenboatcentre.com or phone Anne Holst, Manager, Wooden Boat Centre, Franklin, on 03 6266 3586 or mobile 0456 071 377 email: [email protected]

78 australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats LeemIssIe

by robert ayliffe

Gavin Williams built Missie Lee. Missie Lee is the first NIS 5.5 yawl on the water in Australia. She looks so jaunty as we knew she would, and she goes as we hoped she would. Gavin doesn’t muck around.

he build was unusually fast. I could tell from the look of the project, and the tone, of the frequent Tphone and email conversations that this was a man comfortable about ‘making things!’ We are grateful not only that Gavin has built Missie Lee, but that he has made such a cracking job of her. The late Phil Bolger once told me that the success of any design was as much to do with the choice of irst builders as it was of the design itself. In this case I’m sure that the NIS (now 5.8) yawl has a great future. Another two are in build now, one of which, Tom Pearce’s, will be launched into the wild blue of Encounter Bay on November 25. Another NIS 5.8 yawl, an ‘Expedition’, looks like starting soon near Williamstown in Melbourne. The yawls, with their extreme aft mounted mizzen all have a really clear spacious cockpit great for all For such a small boat, what a great cockpit space! The tiller sailing but especially suited to day sailing with friends arm folds up out of the way, too. and family. The ‘Expedition’, with its very short cabin australasian amateur boatbuilder and kitboats 79 He was asking me to sell Missie Lee. Gavin explained what I already suspected, that he while he was really happy with the project and the boat that resulted, he was more of a building kind if a guy, rather than a sailing type of a guy. And since his Elaine had a preference for terrestrial travel, he had already inished his next building project! According to mutual friends, it’s a beautiful it out of a long wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter, as a very comfortable mobile home! He and Elaine have already been out there voyaging on the black top, and are heading off again on another highway cruise at the time of this writing. So! A wonderful opportunity for someone who knows their boats, and wants to go sailing NOW! Missie Lee is a really well built NIS5.5. We know that because we supplied the kit; the Bote-Cote materials and the bits and pieces that make it go. And we all know about the great job that was done! Spunspar alloy spars and tabernacles and Danny’s ‘Bravo’ sails have been carefully itted and set up. Classy layout. The pictures really do say it all. This boat truly is ready to go, anywhere you can carry and very long cockpit takes that day sailing and enough lunch for! Get lucky, change YOUR life, for expeditioning space to a whole new level. More about the better. that in a later issue. Missie Lee is waiting for you! Offers in high 30’s The ‘look’ of the yawl is interesting too, the space considered, for quick sale between the cabin and the mizzen mast and bumpkin Note great Spinlock Jammers and Harken Self Tailing stretching the boat visually in a really pleasing way. Winch. Brilliant for easy mast raising and halyard Makes the boat look much longer and sleeker. work. Looking carefully at her build and in water pictures, it’s fairly safe to say that for now, anyway, Missie Lee is certainly among the best. StrayDog BoatWorks PO Box 843 Mt Barker, SA 5251 Missie Lee has been on the water and sailing for 0428 817 464 about three years. [email protected] Gavin called the other day, kind of warning me to www.straydogboatworks.com take a deep breath. I knew what was coming. He’s a building kind of a guy!

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