Two Foot Skiff

[bitingmidge]

For Christopha!!

I fell in love with this thing the first time I saw the line drawings...it was too good to be true!

Here's the real story (with acknowledgments) mine follows in the next post:
Excerpt from:
Australian Wooden Boats
Volume One
Classic Small Boats

Published by
The Wooden Boat Association of New South Wales
PO Box 586 Drummoyne NSW 2047

ISBN 0 646 14012 4

Model Skiff text Reference John Wood and Sources
12 Model by Bill Bollard
Ozone Drawn by David Payne
Reference Index: Models


These model skiffs are typical of those sailed on Sydney Harbour between the 1890’s and 1940’s. There were two main classes of models in Sydney: the 2 footers, raced by adults (of which Ozone is an example), and the 10 inch (Balmain 10) raced by the young boys off the beach. However there were a number of other sizes - one footers and one and a half footers as well as ”pond“ models which were raced on enclosed waterways.

Besides Ozone (which appears overleaf) we have included lines of a six inch model skiff and a one footer drawn by Bill “Bollard from models owned by Brisbane sailmaker Jack Hamilton.

The two foot model skiffs, sailed by amateur clubs formed at Abbotsford, Drummoyne, Balmain, North Sydney and Double Bay, raced with powerful rigs four foot bowsprits to take the oversize jib and spinnaker, booms which overhung the tuck by up to five feet, and masts which were up to 10 feet tall, all balanced by a deep dagger blade fin with a lead bulb weighing up to 11 kg.

During races on Sydney Harbour where there could be up to 30 starters, each boat was accompanied by a rowing dinghy with the rower facing forward. In the bow the skipper kept a keen eye on the performance of his model. The triangular course was usually between three to four miles long. But sometimes things became chaotic when the wind unexpectedly strengthened and the models started to skip away from the escorting dinghies. The skipper then joined his frantic rower to try to recapture his escaping model.

Each model would have up to 10 rigs to suit varying wind conditions, including spinnakers. To change tack or set a spinnaker while racing, the skipper would catch his skiff to make adjustments including moving the keel position along the sliding track. On large rigs, the spinnaker was raised by halyard.

In Tasmania, 50 inch model yachts were raced on the Derwent. They carried up to 22 kg of lead and a nine foot rig. Veteran sailor Jock Muir, in his book Maritime Reflections, tells of an 11 hour race from Battery Point around the Iron Pot and back, “a spinnaker run down and a good beat home”.

12 inch model skiff by Bill Bollard, Ozone drawn by David Payne, Information from John Wood and sources.

[bitingmidge]

I bought my plans from the NSW Wooden Boat Association, but David Payne sells direct ($25.00).

They are the measured drawing of the original, and feature traditional construction methods, which were beyond me at the time I started (early '90's) so I used a sort of modified strip plank construction.

As is my usual practice, mostly the bits were scrounged.

Planks are 2mm Western Red Cedar, with Feature bits out of Surian Cedar. The whole hull weighs nearly nothing!

The keel is Stainless Steel (original had brass) and it has a tee piece welded at the top (the only bit I paid for except the cloth for the sails) which slides into a Sturdee Jig Tee Track (although at the time I only knew the section as good old bog-standard Sail track) :D

Spars are from a bit of clear hoop pine which was once a VJ interior lining board from a demolished house.

The keel bulb is 15 lbs of lead, and the stand (my design) was made out of a piece of old silky oak I found in a rubbish pile.

The rigging is not attached properly, because I have to undo it all to take it to the water, and it's just too much bother to do it up every couple of years when I play with it!

The sails are lightweight cotton, and the spinnaker used to have every second panel stained (with a tea/coffee brew), but thats' faded over the years.

Oh yes...construction time was more or less seven years!!! (for at least five the hull hung suspended over my office desk, and the mast was used as a remote control when we had a push button TV!)

As always, I'd be delighted to answer any questions.

cheers,

P

[Gumby]

That is sensational. I love it. Imagine sailing those things..........whooo!!! :eek:

[bitingmidge]

Finally get to hijack my own thread!!

This last photo was to be of the boat, but ended up an "accidental" shot of my shed, which is really the connection between the garage and the house past the Ikea bookshelves ( through my studio actually, and before you think I've gone even more arty-farty...it really is..the office is down the hall a bit!) I can see a whole workshop thread starting shortly!

I can go to the shed in the middle of the night, in my jimjams, and not have to worry about standing on cane toads!!

Our house is sort of like a shed, office, sewing room with an eating and sleeping area attached, and I don't think we'd have it any other way!

Cheers,

P :D (but am I really happy??? :D )

[Cliff Rogers]

Finally get to hijack my own thread!! .... Tall and tan and young and lovely, The girl from ....... :D

& your floor is a clean as Major P's... sicko....

[bitingmidge]

& your floor is a clean as Major P's... sicko....

Sicko maybe, but ya gotta trust me on this one Cliff.....IT'S NOT!!!!

P
:D :D :D

[Daddles]

Sicko maybe, but ya gotta trust me on this one Cliff.....IT'S NOT!!!!

P
:D :D :D

Ahh, I bet it's as clean as they come and he's got a carpet with lots of shavings glued to it that he rolls out when trying to impress other woodies. That way, he can roll it up again afterwards and go back to his spotless living conditions. :eek:

Doncha love a good conspiracy theory? :D

Richard

[Christopha]

Beautitifulll..... gotta build one!

[Bob Willson]

Stunning work Peter but you have now raised a problem with regard to your philosophy of never completing a project and never making anything useful. I would be interested to hear how you reconcile your stated philosophy with the facts as we now know them.

(Bob is an acknowledged philosopher from another (current) thread) :D

[bitingmidge]

... but you have now raised a problem with regard to your philosophy of never completing a project and never making anything useful. I would be interested to hear how you reconcile your stated philosophy with the facts as we now know them.

As a philosopher I would expect you to understand that a two footer has absolutely no use whatsoever... it was and is a complete waste of space and time, which is EXACTLY in line with my philosophy!!!

There were a thousand lawns not mowed, taps not fixed and dinners eaten off an old packing crate while I was building it!! (My missus was so intrigued she didn't do any of her jobs, just stood there watching!)

Cheers,

P
:D :D :D

[Wongo]

Amazing work. It is absolutely beautiful. :)

[TassieKiwi]

Top hole, old boy. Sail Ho!http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Bob Willson]

As a philosopher I would expect you to understand that a two footer has absolutely no use whatsoever

Oh come on..... somebody disagree with him please! :rolleyes:

[Bob Willson]

it was and is a complete waste of space and time, which is EXACTLY in line with my philosophy!!!

But you FINISHED it. That is very much against your philosophy. :p

[Iain]

Next project some 8" sailors?
Actually, I know someone like that :rolleyes:

[Daddles]

As a philosopher I would expect you to understand that a two footer has absolutely no use whatsoever...

Au contraire my dear Socrates. It is clear that this project has enriched your life, in it the pleasure it gave you during its execution, in the pleasure it has given you since and that richness shines boldly in your current, juvenile attempts to brag about the bloody thing. It's use is, and was with the originals, the pursuit of pleasure my boy, and in that it has served admirably for, it would appear, many years. Then, I am compelled to observe that this skiff is actually complete. And to cap it off, you did a bloody good job of it. Alas, I am compelled to believe that your stated philosophy of never completing anything and never making anything that is useful, is comprehensively blasted out of the puddle.

Sorry mate. You've been caught.

Cheers
Richard

[bitingmidge]

:p :p :p

[bitingmidge]

Listen you lot!!!

It took SEVEN YEARS to build OK??? that's roughly 3" per year, (75mm).

Even a serial unfinisher runs out of things to do after SEVEN YEARS on the one project!!

Cheers,

P :D

[Bob Willson]

Yes, but ... you did finish it didn't you? After you said you would never do something like that, you went and did it didn't you?

[bitingmidge]

As someone has very helpfully pointed out on another thread David Payne is now on the web :http://www.payneyachts.com/

Contact details (off his web page so not divulging private information)

Contact us via email at

[email protected]


or by post at:


David Payne Yacht Design
18c Kirkoswald Ave
Mosman NSW
Australia*** 2088


+ 612 9969 1563 phone and fax

Cheers,

P :cool:

[MajorPanic]

Glad to see you are revealing your TRUE colours Peter!!!! ;) :D

All this rubbish about multihull things was just an aside :p

Stay the TRUE course!!! - monohulls all the way!! :cool: :D ;)


Oh beautiful work by the way :cool:

[STEPHEN MILLER]

Midge read an artice in Sailing Aust. 04 edition some time last year killing time in local library while getting new tyres on car. The article was on a group of girls who were sailing one again as thier grandmother had done in her teens was good reading if you can get a hold of it
The boat looks great love workmanship. :)

[bitingmidge]

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/txt/s1785983.htm

The real worth of the two foot skiff! :eek: :eek: :eek:

I'd better build a few more!

P

[jmk89]

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/txt/s1785983.htm

The real worth of the two foot skiff! :eek: :eek: :eek:

I'd better build a few more!

P

At 7 years each, even that generous price makes less than $2000 per annum.......:D

I would stick to your day job!!!

[Daddles]

And a buyer would expect the last few coats of topcoat to be on her. At least with the time frame you can honestly claim them as antiques :D

Richard

[TK1]

Midge,

Thanks for resurrecting this thread...I missed it last year. Lovely model!:D :D

Something to be proud of, and would look great on the water. I've also wanted to build one for a while so emailed D Payne (couldn't see anything on his website) so if he's still selling them I may follow your illustrious lead. Do you know if they're still available?

I saw the Collectors episode too...as did my wife who started eyeing off her grandfather's 1915-ish pond yacht I have restored and is sitting on as sofa table. Carved out of a solid piece of cedar, lovely!

Hopefully we'll see pics of yours sailing one day.

Regards,
Darren

[icyuod2]

bitingmidge vbmenu_register("postmenu_409276", true); your little boat inspired me to start my own carved 6"er i'm working from pic's in the link you provided www.themodelyacht.com (http://www.themodelyacht.com).
i'm haveing a hard time finding clear pic's of the rigging. i was hoping i could talk you into snapping a few shots of your boat. i'm especially interested in how the rigging attaches to the masts.