Leisure Liner Houseboat

Leisure Liner 1 on a classic river cruise.
Designed by Angelo Lavranos.

The nicest thing about boats is that they whisk you into a different world - away from traffic, taxis, banks, politics and news. This is a world of freedom, sailing, fishing, barbecues, reading, photography or whatever. Trouble is, for most kind of boating adventures, it is a brief and limited experience because you need to return to port for some reason all too often, supplies, perhaps bad weather, or perhaps just because you are cold and miserable! This is the beauty of a houseboat, settled in a nice inland waterway, there is no need to go anywhere - you really have everything with you! Pure bliss!

Spacious and simple, with nice covered aft deck.

Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of three separate holidays or excursions on the Knysna Lagoon in a Leisure Liner Houseboat - being the original Leisure Liner series 1 operated by Lightleys. All three trips were very different but extremely enjoyable - due in no small measure to the design of this boat. I well remember arriving for the first trip in the middle of winter and with a fair bit of rain. We had booked for four nights and I first thought it would be a big mistake! It wasn't. Within an hour or so of arriving we had done the skippers briefing, loaded the boat, parked the car and we were underway. Easy-peasy - nothing complicated about it at all. With evening approaching we settled off Belvidere and laid anchor. Quite a decent anchor at that - this is quite important if you want to get any sleep! The cabin was really neatly laid out with all home comforts - a decent saloon, galley, heads and separate sleeping cabin up front. The sun had set by now so out came the red wine, the Weber braai, some music and soon we settled in for supper. Then a light rain started so we rigged the canvas bimini over the aft deck and just watched the lights on the shore and the odd fish jumping. The boat had very adequate lighting - including the navigation lights obviously - and it really was quite cozy. Eventually we moved into the saloon where out came some whisky, followed by my collection of cameras, ipads, laptops, GPSs, radios etc etc. We had a full 3G signal right across the bay which was a mixed blessing because I had some work to do as well. The rain picked up and we could see it bouncing off the water right next to us. Only 200m off the shore, but what bliss. I set the anchor watch on the GPS to a radius twice the length of the Anchor rode - being tidal one tends to spin around twice a night or so. The next three days were spent exploring the lagoon, braaing, and visiting the various restaurants such as Crabs Creek, the Waterfront, Thesen's Island etc. It was also a damn nice office for a while - very relaxing place to do the odd telecon, write a report etc. 

About the boat, at last! One of the nicest things about these craft is the size and placement of the windows. Strange to open with this but it has to be said. I am beginning to think this is one of the most important facets of practically any liveaboard boat these days - and one which could be largely improved in most cases. The Leisure Liner is fantastic in this respect. The saloon has great windows and so does the galley directly opposite. This makes it a great place to sit and survey the world should it be a bit cool outside. Even the cook and dishwasher can see the world which also helps! The sleeping cabin is superb with all round views - whether one has chosen to settle in and read a book in the afternoon sun, or see the sunrise, or simply to settle in during a day cruise in cold weather - as my ageing parents did on one day trip.

Main sleeping cabin. What a view!

Layout

Saloon and Galley. See the nice big windows.

Heads, including a shower.

I haven't spoken with Angelo about this design as yet - I don't know what the design brief was at this stage. But I would guess it would have included aspects of safety, comfort, stability at anchor, manageable by an inexperienced couple, economical to operate and maintain, fit into a standard mooring, decent aft-deck, shallow draft, transportable on a trailer for maintenance etc, cope with reasonably adverse weather in the larger estuaries, and be reasonably mobile (for a houseboat). All of which it does pretty well.... Did I mention anti-claustrophobic? Well that too.

A lot of this is made possible only because of the choice of hull - being a nicely shaped cathedral hull. Cathedral hulls have excellent form-stability, shallow draft, good load capacity, useful internal volume, and they move easily and efficiently. It is possible to keep the weight quite low and central. Certainly this boat felt like it had pretty good reserve stability - even in a large side-on chop. A very stable platform it is and I don't recall any rolling to speak of. Buoyancy in the bow is another useful aspect and this one is high and proud, coping easily in a severe chop. All this means you can load it up with a large cabin right to the ends, on a small footprint, and still have a mobile boat. Construction would be economical relative to the capacity. 

The cabin uses the full width of the boat, which gives it loads of internal volume and full standing headroom. To get to the bow (anchor) it is necessary to walk on the gunwales either side - but this is very easy due to the handrails on the coach roof. Once on the bow, there is a secure place to stand and handle the anchor.

The coach roof is flat and accessible although I never really used it much. Nice for sunbathing on a calm day or perhaps sight-seeing... solar panels even....

This design (Leisure Liner 1) was intended to have one engine, about 22 kw (about 30 Hp), which is quite adequate for rivers and estuaries. I could imagine wanting a wee bit more on the Langebaan Lagoon if facing a fresh South Easter, perhaps 40-50 Hp, but that wouldn't be needed anywhere else. The boats I used all had single 40 Hp 2-stroke Yamahas, which did remarkably well. In practice I ran them at about 30% throttle at about 4-5 knots. This gives a pleasant and quiet ride whilst not wasting fuel. Full throttle would bring up 6-7 knots depending on load and wind etc, and a far higher fuel bill. Not necessary at all. In this age a 4-stroke would be a nice choice though. Personally I was quite happy with a single engine, having used outboards all my life without much trouble, even at sea. 

Single Outboard neatly mounted under a noise cover,
which can double as a lid for the small kettle-braai!

Under way, it looks the business!

Any criticisms? Of course it's easy to criticize a houseboat either as a boat or a house - it's actually quite a challenging design process! 

One issue I recall was trying to steer this boat between the pillars under the Knysna railway bridge in a fresh crosswind. These flattish hulls do tend to yaw somewhat at slowish speeds - and one is advised to go fairly fast and concentrate. That worked fine... 

Manoeuvring a large flat bottomed boat like this with one engine in the tight confines of a marina is another aspect that takes a bit of getting used to, and in some cases the charter agents offer a pilot to come aboard for this. But tight marina berths are not the norm for many of these vessels and it won't usually be an issue. A bit of practice is all that's needed. One one occasion, I thought it would be neat to have an indoor steering position, although I can see how this could add unwanted cost and complexity.

Overall - dam nice boat - cleverly conceived and designed - and loads of fun in my experience.

Near Knysna Heads

Leisure Liner 1, vitals, per Lavranos website:

• LOA: 8.3 m
• Beam 3.0 m
• Draft 0.35 m
• Max Speed 8 kts
• Sleeps 6, 2 cabins
• Power 22 kW

Described as a "LOW WASH GRP PRODUCTION HOUSEBOAT". Designed in 1988, 90 built!

NOTE that the Leisure Liner 1 is no longer being built, and would require design changes today to comply with current SAMSA regulations.

The Leisure Liner 2: In recent years, a newer update model of this design has been released - known as the Leisureliner 2 (LL2). Full details on their website at www.leisureliner.com. 

I have not experienced or even seen the new model personally, but the new design is a MAJOR UPGRADE from the LL1. 

Recent LL2 at the V&A in Cape Town

Major new features:

• Flybridge and helm option
• Two outboards, 40 - 90 Hp - easy cruise at 10-12 knots, maxes out at 20-25+ knots with 90 Hp!
• Covered aft deck
• Complies with SAMSA CAT E and D 
• Coastal capability in light to moderate conditions!
• Improved internal layout, and slightly larger
• Furnishing as for a luxury yacht.  
• Quite good value considering the package - this is a substantial vessel... pricing per the wesbite shows R 795k for the basic vessel, excl. VAT, motors, options (at Sept 2015).
• Large variety of ownership options (sharing, chartering etc)

Angelo Lavranos, the designer, has a website at http://www.lavranosyachtdesign.co.nz/index.htm

Guest Posting: Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology

Ed: Following is a guest posting from Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology. Many people reading this website will have some interest in Yacht design, and certainly Westlawn is one of the leading academies for yacht and boat design worldwide. Their list of Students and Alumni is most impressive. For example, see this very interesting article about Westlawn Graduate Bob Buck who designed a brilliant 51 footer for himself...

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Westlawn's "Elements" Program Helps Bring Creativity to the Boating Lifestyle

You love the freedom and sense of adventure that comes with boating, but have you ever dreamed of sailing on a boat of your own design? Designing your own boat is more achievable than you might imagine, and we’d like to introduce you to the “Elements of Technical Boat Design” program from the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology. This school allows those with a love for boating to turn their fantasy of sailing on a vessel of their own design into reality.

If you're interested in getting your feet wet in the world of boat design and want to gain the skills of a professional boat designer, you should take a closer look at the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology. Since 1930 the school has provided the steppingstones for anyone looking to attain the knowledge and skills of a professional boat designer, and caters to a new class of boat owner; one who wants a more hands on approach to the look, feel and design of their boat.

Design by Westlawn Student Bruno N. Ancic

Westlawn's introductory "Elements of Technical Boat Design" program is a carefully crafted curriculum for those who would like to understand the basics of design but don't intend to become professional small-craft designers. The program can be completed in just a matter of months and gives students a working knowledge of the principles that affect yacht design, including fiberglass design, hull lines, as well as stability and resistance.

This effective and comprehensive program will give students an appreciation of the problems faced by a small-craft designer when developing a successful design. The course includes basic-level drafting and manual drawing, which is done to determine a student's understanding of the subject matter.

Design by Dave Gerr, Westlawn CEO

Westlawn students receive practical, timely, and relevant training. Throughout their time at Westlawn, students will create portfolios to showcase their best and most creative designs.

As a distance learning school, Westlawn is able to offer greater flexibility to its students in that you can study from anywhere and the education is convenient to your busy schedule. You can stay connected as well as discuss ideas and issues with faculty members and fellow students in the school's online forum or via email. Faculty members are always available to answer questions and offer feedback to students.

Design By Westlawn Alumni member Dudley Dix, DiDi 34

If you’re enthusiastic about boating and the industry, and want to bring your creative visions to life, you should consider learning about boat design at the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology. If you would like more information about how the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology can make you more knowledgeable in yacht design, please call 207-853-6600 or visit the website at www.westlawn.edu.

Argie 15

I have always admired the Argie 15 - its absolutely beautiful to look at, besides being very versatile and practical. However it wasn't until my friend Nick decided to build one that it really struck me what an amazing boat this is. On first sight - it seemed a lot larger than I had expected and far more beautiful as well. It is after all a hard-chine stitch and glue boat. It has very traditional lines - and the spacious cockpit and high gunwales give it all the sea-cred of a commercial lobster boat. Ample seating and storage - all with a very robust look about it. It looks like more than a dinghy - it really shouts day-sailer or camp-cruiser.....

Short Video Clip of the maiden voyage.

Then come the surprising bits! This boat is amazingly light! Despite its ample size, the 15' hull weighs only 60 Kgs (light weight), compared with say a Sonnet (14'3) at 70 kgs. The Argie 15 is a much more substantial hull than the Sonnet and also more robust - thanks to its frameless stitch-and-glue construction. The other surprising part is how fast it is! Well I suppose it shouldn't be that surprising as it has a powerful rig, good waterline length, a flattish planing stern and low mass..... another example of Dudley's ability to put modern thinking in a traditional package. Admittedly it can never be a high-performance skiff like the Paper Jet - for that it would need suitable sides for hiking out, trapeze, and an open transom. But in moderate conditions it will surprise many other contemporary dinghies, and in skilled hands it can reach amazing speeds.

Spacious hull and sailing cockpit.
This example has the side seats fitted, and the daggerboard option

Versatility is excellent. Its a great sailboat, a comfortable boat to row or motor, and a great picnic boat with its ample and high seating. It moves very easily under a 4Hp auxiliary no matter how laden.

The example shown above has the side seat option - which were added later to the design to make for comfortable sailing. Without the side-seats, the floor below can be covered with a slatted cockpit sole which offers plenty of space for sleeping and camp-cruising. Plenty of stowage in the bow too.

Lovely sharp bow, a bit like a fishing "Panga"!
Seakindly and smooth. Hull works well whilst level or inclined.
The high, flared bow with overlapping gunwales makes it a nice dry boat in a chop.

The Argie boats were originally commissioned by our local newspaper - the Cape Argus. The first one was built by David Biggs - a very well known reporter and columnist on the staff. A man with a well known propensity for good wine, the outdoors, classic motorbikes (and scooters) and good humour! Somehow the brands seem very compatible! 

This was not unlike the case of the Mirror dinghy, conceived by the Daily Mirror in the UK in the early 1960s. Although the orginal Mirror Dinghy is significantly smaller than the Argie 15, the boats share a number of similarities - both are uncomplicated traditional boats intended for home-building in plywood. Both offer the option to store the entire mast within the hull whilst trailering. Both are very easily built using stitch and glue construction - in fact the Mirror was the pioneering design of this method for sailing dinghies  as I recall. The Argie 15 is a much more capable boat in every way and far better looking, although the Mirror dinghy class is by now one of the largest in the world now and has a very active racing fleet. Both have been extraordinarily successful concepts. I suspect the Argie would be easier to build in fact despite its larger size, and Roy (of CKD Boats) tells me it is in fact quite a bit cheaper too. CKD Boats do a very good and affordable kit in Cape Town, although many other suppliers are listed on www.dixdesign.com.  

Dudley has full details of the design on his website here.

There is a decent skeg running back to the transom which adds strength,
aids tracking, and makes it easy to beach the hull.
There are two additional runners abeam the skeg which serve the same purposes,
but in addition will allow the boat to sit level on a beach without rocking.
Important for a camp-cruiser!

Transom is fairly high, with space and provision for a small outboard next to the rudder.
Hull is amazingly light and easy to lift on/off a small trailer.

Stability is quite acceptable!
(before someone asks about PFDs this was next to the shore!)

For myself - this will be my next dinghy when time allows. I have already acquired the rig and a small outboard! 

STOP PRESS: Dudley has just now (8 June 2014) added a great article on the Argie 15 on his blog. This contains a fair bit of the history of this boat.

Thanks to John Ryall for this superb write-up of the Hobie Event!

Hobies Back in Hout Bay after 20 Years

When an event ends with no results it is not often deemed a success – although lacking in results the Hout Bay Long Haul was an unqualified success! For some reason I was given a bottle of wine at the prize giving and when I turned round it really hit me how many people were there and who had been enticed out of the woodwork for the event, and it was not just looking full because we were sharing the event with the Keel Boat Sailors sailing in the Admirals Cup Regatta being run concurrently with ours.

Seen on the beach were Eddie Scarper – who worked with John Whitmore I understand. Alison Ball, looking as fabulous and if anything fitter than ever, came looking for a sail if one was available. We had Zac and Cody Wessels first time out on a Hobie 16 together – good to see you Zac – William – Cody is the ideal Tiger Crew for you. Stewart Walker had yet another good looking crew in the form of Megan Bagshaw while Sue crewed for Andrew on the Tiger – brave girl. The Du Plessis family eventually found the road out of Langebaan and made it to Cape Town although only Jaco and Shannon sailed. Martin Fine crewed for son Robert on his 16 - now with nicely refurbished carbon rudders. By design Belinda had Perry Harrison-Hyde of Laser fame on the foredeck – Belinda take him out in 20knots at Fishhoek and make him look under the tramp on the trapeze like Shaun if you really want to show him ! It was great to see our esteemed sponsor Simon van Nimwegen sailing with John Gilberg – we hope to see more of you both - thank you for the very generous sponsorship. Ian Dunt turned the clock back pitching up with Sarah Wallace and yet another Hobie 16 from his fleet of boats. Klaas (Old Sea Dog) de Rooy thought he could see his boat and car on the 1988 poster advertising the event – it seems he has always liked brightly coloured sails. The Wijtenburg Clan stayed down in CT after the Tiger Nationals, Mark sailing the Tiger with Andrew Fourie (we think it was Andrew – hard to tell) while Brandon and Todd practised for the youth Worlds. Petrol on the N1 was at a premium when they went home on Tuesday  – towing a Tiger with a 16 on top behind 5.5 litres of Mercedes makes your eyes water at the thought of the fuel bill. It was great to see Andre and Michele Diener on the water – more please next year and Andrew Hulsman sailing with Marijke Honig was another Hobie sailor we would love to see more of. Mike and Emma Roberts were a welcome addition – we have not met them before I believe. Martin (goes sailing) was the lone Mosquito. The Obree’s Mark and Sarah and Matthew Whitehead represented Hobie 16 sailors normally seen on the Grand Slam circuit. Well done to Andrew Walker and Jeremy Nel for getting such an eclectic line up.

Hout Bay was at its capricious best in the weather department – fog, NW wind, dead calm, SW wind and dead calm again. The race officer, Vice Admiral (accent on the Vice) Chrome Hunter confused us all at the skippers briefing by asking at 9.40 who could make a 10.30 start and upon receiving the negative from most sailors then said the start would be at 11 or 12 please could we be on the water by 10am ! Course cards gave GPS coordinates of the marks, all bar the last to be left to starboard but checking these at sea proved to be difficult on a Hobie – next time buoys all round please. Simon Russell could not sail but sent the attached newspaper front page from 1988 showing both the weather and political climate have calmed down.

For professional photos of the event go to Trevor Wilkin’s Photo’s at – some amateur ones above.

https://plus.google.com/photos/117086593120942909819/albums/6009488283225148705

Although there were no results and the organizers were largely unaware of it there were several competitions within the competition – just like a cycling or trial running race there were courses to suit all - Seb. Perhaps if we had a trail run to the start we could even get Richard Ayres to sail. The first competition was a sort of ‘Top Gear challenge’ – drive from Hout Bay to Fishhoek and back to collect your missing sails before the fleet leave the beach. There was just one team entered in this – Carolyn Fulton and Andy Nixon – Andy was first home sailing an Audi I understand, having received an additional challenge at FHBSC finding the garage was locked. Score - Hobies 1, Car 0. Colin Whitehead and Josh Selig won the short course home – turning at the blinder below Chapman’s Peak due to some confusion in the shorten course procedure. They sailed back out to try to go around again in the light airs (I am being diplomatic – it was mostly ‘bobbing’) Klaas (Old Sea Dog) De Rooy and Suzanne Morton won the long course going around the blinder, up to one of the Keel boat marks past our turning mark before Kommetjie, back to the blinder, back to the Hobie mark and then back into Hout Bay beating almost every one back to the beach. Iain Park-Ross scared the hell out of his new crew Tracy Pels by sailing over the blinder – Iain not the way to treat a new crew ! With all boats drifting back to the finish and beach by 1.30pm Chrome (Vice Admiral) Hunter started a 2^nd race over near the Chapman’s Drive shore in the hope of more wind but even there it was not to be. The only highlight was a Hobie 14 beating all but one Tiger to the weather mark.

The generous prizes were given out as lucky draw prizes choreographed by Zac Wessels. Nic Ryall had a great surprise when he won R 500 donated by Dave Power for the first Hobie 14 home. Jeremy Nel, Andrew Walker, Sue Walker & the ever present Marijke Klaver - Registration, Chrome – race officer, Taffy and Shirley Bowen (who came back especially from their world cruise of 14 years) to help and feed, Jurgen Duncker Beach Control and finally Jerry Rogers who had the unenviable task of directing traffic through the dunes – thank you all. Finally the last word to Rob Selig – who else always has the last word ? – ‘that if he saw Caroline R at the 3^rd Hobie Regatta in a row it would rain’ and you all know what happened on Sunday !

We will be shortly sending out a details of events during the offseason including the WCHCA prize giving and Grand Slam Series Winners and the proposed calendar for 2014~2015 – please no weddings on regatta weekends this next year.

John Ryall WCHCA

083 265 2036

Admirals Regatta Pics!

Admirals Regatta made a welcome return to the calendar in 2014. 

More details at www.hbyc.co.za

See the full album at Admirals 2014 Pics on Picasa

A few samples:

Cape to Rio 2014

Four days after the start, this most recent Cape to Rio 2014 is already being talked about on the same terms as the Fastnet race of 1979, the Sydney Hobart of 1998 and the Vasco da Gama Race of 1984. To be fair, the weather wasn't quite as extreme, but conditions did result in sustained Force 8 Winds and 6m seas, resulting in a quarter of competitors (9/36) retiring in the first few days. Widespread damage was reported across the fleet. One crewman tragically died onboard SV Bille (Bavaria 54) during their dismasting. Rescues were mounted by naval frigate SA Islandwana, Tug Miriam Makeba, NSRI Station 3, and several fellow competitors.

Start of Cape to Rio 2014

Picture credited to my friend Louis Louw

Notable casualties included:

Black Cat: Suffered a major capsize in heavy seas, loss of rudder, followed by a subsequent complete roll in a giant wave that collapsed on them, and fair mayhem in the boat. Despite a remarkable recovery from the experienced crew they were unable to continue and started making their way to Saldanha slowly. NSRI 3 later assisted with a tow back to Cape Town. Besides sprains and bruises, they are all ok, and the boat is easily repairable. Watch this one in subsequent races as she was looking extremely quick until the crash. See Dudley Dix's account on his blog (skipper, designer, original builder of the vessel). The official race report said "BLACK CAT has reported a broken rudder and is proceeding back to Cape Town, one crew has a sprained ankle and all are well." Can't accuse them of being verbose I suppose!!

See Black cat tell their story courtesy of Steve Searle's video. This is a must see!

Bille:  Bille is a 54' Bavaria with Angolan Crew and flag (along with Mussulo III, she was one two Angolan Bavaria 54's in the race). Sadly she seems to have suffered the worst damage with a dismasting and loss of a crew member, plus a M.O.B. situation. All remaining crew (including the deceased) were evacuated by the Frigate SA Isandlwana, and are now safe.

Ava: A Miura 31 sailed by father and daughter team Colin and Belinda Horton, suffered damage and flooding (details unclear to me at this stage). They lost electrical power and all comms for a day or two, causing widespread concern, especially after an EPIRB signal was received from them. Their track log looked equally curious during this time and the worst was feared. Competitor yacht SV DODO (Fortuna 37) diverted to look for them. They were eventually spotted by the Frigate who found them in good shape, besides the lack of systems. AVA made it back into Saldanha Bay unassisted a day or so later, I was able to hear their comms and Channel 16 from the South of Cape Town 100 kms away, so I guess they managed to regain at least the main VHF. Well done Ava, and viva la Miura!

Peekay: A Beneteau 51, suffered a variety of sail problems (probably more detail we don't yet have) and limped back to Saldanha Bay. The skipper has decided to leave the boat and is looking for a replacement, according to some reports.

Isla: A large Wilderness Cat, lost both engines and had some flooding in one engine compartment. Container vessel "Bosun" standing by for them, followed by tug Smit Madura, which may tow them home to Cape Town. I am not clear what eventually transpired , but Isla tracker shows her back in Cape Town at time of writing. (Update: she was towed in, the last bit by NSRI). A PAN-PAN was issued by Isla at some stage and received by Peekay. I see two of my HBYC clubmates were aboard, Rian Turner and Dave Mills.

Avocet: A Beneteau 45, disappeared from the track log for a while, she appears to also have lost comms for a day or so. She did however make it back to Cape Town somehow without serious injury, as far as I can tell at this stage.

Indaba: Stadt 34, skippered by the very experienced John Levin, and with Angelo Lavranos aboard, has had to return to Saldanha bay with an injured crewman. They arrived safely last night sometime.

EXPLORA: An Open 60, reported engine flooding but were able to continue and are doing very well in the continuing race.

Dodo: Fortuna 37, despite standing by for AVA, also suffered loss of steering and engine. They have made it back to Saldanha Bay unassisted, and appear to be tied up at Club Mykonos according to the tracker, no doubt swopping tales with Indaba.

FTI Flyer: A Charger 33, well known campaigner in our local club races and veteran of the Rio Race, adopted a unique and very northerly route for reasons I am not clear on (possibly to avoid worst weather and be close to shore). They headed back after two days and made it safely into Cape Town unassisted. I hope to get the story from skipper Keith Mattison at some stage.

Avanti: A Vickers 41, also returned to Saldanha Bay, and is tied up at Club Mykonos, after apparently spending some time at Kraal Bay if the tracker is to be believed? Avanti's story still unknown to me at this stage, but bots like this don't give up this kind of race without extremely good reasons...

Anecdotally, services from the SA Navyand the NSRI have been very commendable, as has the seamanship of fellow competitors and even passing commercial traffic.

The satellite weather image of Sunday 6 Jan 2014

Links:

• Cape to Rio official race website here
• Cape to Rio race live online tracker.
• RCYC Facebook group on the Rio Race
• Blog of Yolo SA6130 Sunfast 3200
• Blog of CiaoBella (Simonis 35 with family Robinson)

I would be grateful for all and any further info, or race accounts, or corrections for inclusion here. Please email me here. Contributions and accounts from competitors especially will be appreciated. Many thanks!

Commentary:
The outcome of this storm could have been significantly worse. It is a huge credit to the crews and vessels that nearly all boats survived or were able to get back unassisted, despite loss of sails, rudders, engines and electronics. It should be noted that these vessels are all very seaworthy and well scrutineered for a race of this nature. Many of these vessels are well accustomed to the very challenging conditions of the Cape waters. Many of the crew are veterans of ocean racing and several have done this race multiple times. Normally, the Cape to Rio race is thought of as a Trade Wind "milk run", but long races always bring suprises, and Cape Waters bring them all too frequently. These boats and crews have shown extreme seamanship, and there will not be need for any kind of review into "what went wrong". This was all well done. That's what ocean racing is all about.....

I will add detail and stories as they become available. 

Praise for Legacy Yacht Sales!

Malcolm McRobert of Legacy Yacht Sales

When I recently decided to sell my little Flamenca "Quest", I elected to use Legacy Yacht Sales. For no particular reason than I bought her from Carl Olivier who started this company, and he turned out to be a good guy. Subsequently, Carl sold the business to Malcolm McRobert, with whom I had had some email exchanges on boat details previously. Malcolm seemed like a very decent bloke although I had never met him personally. I was keen to use a broker because they serve a very useful role as intermediary in the transaction, which makes it objective, safe and efficient. And so it was....

Due to the market being very low, and despite a steady stream of nibbles via the website etc, it was clear we would have to drop the price somewhat. We did eventually sell her (Quest) at about 20% less than the asking price. On account of this, Malcolm was very conciliatory regarding the commission - I won't spell it out in case someone thinks its a precedent! - but on account of the great service I insisted we stick to the original terms at 10%. Now even at 10% on such a small boat, its a lot of work for a broker. Paperwork was efficiently handled thanks to email and scanners etc. It was a dead-easy experience for me.

The proceeds of the sale were transferred promptly and in fact Malcolm even arranged to skipper the delivery of the boat up to Saldanha himself. That's 120% service as I see it. I am sure the buyer would offer similar views.

I must add I have no reason to doubt the service of the other brokers in town, but in this case I just happened to use Legacy, and would gladly use them again. 

Malcolm's email.
Legacy Yacht Sales website.

Dabchick

Thanks to Mossel Bay Yacht Club for all these pics,

and to Tracy London for bringing them to my attention!

Its often said that many of the greatest racing drivers started with Mini-Coopers, and the same is often said of sailors and Dabbies. The Dabchick turned out to be one of the best sail training boats ever. This is the purest sailing you can imagine, although it helps if you have warm water! They are very sensitive boats and equally rewarding. Anyone sailing a Dabby develops strong instincts for the key elements of sailing viz. boat balance, sail trim, concentrating on the helm, anticipating the waves, weight distribution aboard etc - and a sense of how these can make you go faster or not. I think the element of single-handing comes into it as well, which in turns brings a level of resourcefulness and self reliance that is natural to Dabbie sailors. People who learn sailing on keel-boats often don't get this experience easily.

Dabbies perform uniquely well, especially in fresh winds. Their flat scow shape makes them quite controllable when planing at speed, and their well-balanced rig - main and jib - is fairly predictable and orthodox. Off the wind, they go like blazes, easily planing, and bouncing over the back of the waves as you surf over them.  When beating, they can be heeled over to an extreme angle - ride on the vertical gunwales - although this isn't the right way to go fast it did seem like fun at the time! Dead downwind - they can bury their bows and submarine while lifting the rudder out of the water if one had a fair load on board.

Dabbies are about the simplest boats to build and were very cheap then ... made of three sheets of ply, a few bits of meranti, Aerolite epoxy glue, a strip of fibreglass on the keelson, decent paint, and brass screws. No power-tools used. By comparison they seem quite high-tech now. My first Dabby had no bought components besides the mainsheet blocks and the stay wires, excluding the chainplates. All other fittings were simply fabricated from stainless steel off-cuts. The mast was wooden, with a track routed into each of  the meranti halves. The sails were "K" sails - made in Dacron by Jack Koper (well I seem to think his wife made the sails). The whole effort cost less than R100 in 1967.

Besides the low cost - the simplicity of Dabbies made them so attractive. The flat topped hull was light and easy to move and lift - making them manageable for even quite young children. Lifting onto car tops, storing in garage etc was also easier. Not to mention that the hull can't hold water - they were also relatively safe in that respect. 

The hull-design of scow dinghies is another fascinating point. Every boat needs a fine bow to soften the waves it hits. The bow can be soft in plan view or in the side elevation - i.e. pointy when viewed from above, or flat and tapered when viewed from the side... They each have pros and cons. For keelboats and displacement vessels, the pointy (plumb) bows seem attractive because they offer a longer waterline length, and create smooth lines to deep wineglass hulls. They usually track well. If waterline length isn't the key factor as in planing boats - then broad bows are good because they create a smooth run for water under the hull plus no sharp bends near the bow. When a V-bottom scow dinghy heels slightly - it is running on a flat underside which offers maximum lift and minimum wetted area. 

Key measurements:

• LOA 3.6m
• Beam: 1.2m   
• Dry Weight 38.6 Kgs
• Sail Area 5.6 sq.m

Note the length is exactly 1.5x a standard sheet of ply, and the width exactly equal to one sheet. No wastage here!

It is fantastic to see how the class is thriving in at least Cape Town, Hermanus and Mossel Bay at least - though I understand there are active classes all over the country and in fact many Dabchicks around the world now. Total numbers over 5000.

There can't really be a better boat for kids to learn sailing on....

See also the Sonnet reviewed elsewhere in this blog - also from the pen of Jack Koper. The Tempo has not been covered yet however.

Dabchick Class Association http://www.dabchick.za.net/
See also http://www.classicboat.co.uk/class-notes/dabchick/

Fast 42

SA Navy Entry "MTU Fascination of Power" under Chapman's Peak in Hout Bay.

Skipper was John Martin, Admirals Regatta about 2006.

Photograph by Brenton Geach.

Fast 42s have had a prominent place in the South African Racing circuit, both offshore and around the cans. In many ways they are quite remarkable boats - fast, nice to look at, and very well laid out for serious sailing...

Regrettably I don't have much technical data for these boats - but their principle dimensions show:

LOA: 41' 4" 

Beam: 12' 7"
Displacement: 6600 kilograms
Max Draft: 7' 10"
Ballast: 2400 kilograms

Designer Simonis-Voogd - they have done loads of work in SA and reside here quite a lot. Their stable is well known - including the famous "Broomstick", "Nicorette" and many others.

That's a pretty light boat at 42'. Note the ballast ratio is 36% - thanks to a very deep keel bulb. They are high-aspect boats in every sense - keel, rudder and huge rig. Yet they are as sensitive as dinghies as long as they keep moving. 

From the outside - the impression is thoroughbred racer. The sleek lines, neat cabin top, dual wheels, large racing cockpit, wide traveller etc all look the business, and one might be forgiven for expecting a bare-bones racing interior.

In fact its quite the opposite! The interior is functional quite plush, simple and well laid out. From inside you might forget you were in a racing boat. Nice galley, saloon, chart table, decent cabins, and even hot shower. This is a boat for the Cape-Rio! My friend James who owned one of these called it "Enigma" - I never asked him why... 

Well laid out and spacious cockpit. Not exactly sheltered but great for sailing!

Double-handing is easy, but single-handing is a bit tricky because the helmsman can't reach the traveller or mainsheet from behind the wheel, unless autopilot is engaged.

Fitting, quality and layout do vary somewhat from model to model. The very early ones were built by Robertson and Caine in Cape Town, before production rights were taken over by Fast Yachts in Durban, where the majority were subsequently built. I am aware of some controversy over one or two builds, but the majority are quite sound. Skebanga, in Hout Bay, was one of the the last off the line as I remember, and she is particularly well put together and in great condition.

How do they sail? These aren't called Fast boats for nothing. They move impressively well as long as there is some reasonable wind, say 10 kts plus. For some reason I don't really fathom they do seem a bit sluggish in lighter winds, but as the pressure picks up they really cook - on all points of sail. I had the pleasure of skippering one of these in a club race one Sunday - it was the first time I'd sailed one, and the expected crew didn't pitch. We went out double-handed and completely new to the boat. I must say it was setup as a sailing school boat and was amazingly easy to handle. Roller-reefed jib, main in a stack-pack, batcars on the mast, a simple autopilot, and nice engine controls - it was an absolute pleasure. I was very impressed with the setup of that boat - being so easy to handle made it possible to simply enjoy the sail, think about tactics and still push it quite hard. With just the two of us, we were able to tack fast and effectively in 15 knots or so, and no troubles to speak of. Only I wasn't used to helming on a wheel for racing round the cans, don't know if I'll ever get that worked out properly, I still like a tiller! But it is fantastic for long-distance sailing...

Can't imagine what this poor bloke on the bow was up to. 

Perhaps the heads were blocked...

One Wednesday evening the wind was too strong for racing in our bay - 35 kts +. We were just settled in the club bar when the hooligans went out - James and Rian - sorry chaps - the names just slipped out! - plus a few unsuspecting crew who should have known better. They fought their way up to Chappies, complete with wild katabatic twisters and plenty of spray, and then turned around. Next thing the bag went up! Crikey - the boat zig-zagged on its ear for about 30s before regaining some sort of composure, and then shot off towards the club at about 20 knots. As luck would have it, I had a camcorder with a decent zoom on hand - will see if I can dig it up soon and place it on youtube. What a spectacle. That's the kind of boat a Fast-42 is - wild as the wind and still quite manageable, but also a civilised boat when the occasion demands!

All in all - they are best suited for offshore racing. Certainly not what I would chose as a cruiser, but a good choice for Cape-Rio or Governors Cup! You can have a load of fun with one of these.