Thread: Brisbane ferries

Can't offer any repair advice.
From limited memory as a teenager, the cross-river ferries were about the size you
describe, & tended to operate near the localities they were named for.
Highly likely that "Buranda" was at Qld Uni, across to Dutton Park Cemetary, where the
bridge is now. There was another one a couple of km downstream, ran from Lawrence St
to Hoogley St, Hill End.

HTH
AJ

Adding another layer of planking is a way of bringing additional life to an old gal. It is dependant on the conditions of the fasteners in the underlying planking and the framing structure. In other words if the original planking is loose on it's fasteners and is in such a condition that it can't hold additional fasteners from a new planking layer, then repairs need to be made first.

In the end, it's almost always easier and cheaper make repairs to what you have, by restoring the planking seams and fasteners, then it is to make repairs to this planking, then add another layer of additional planking.

Thanks for the replies, folks. I had another look at her yesterday after she's been out of the water for a few days and she looks a lot better than I thought initially.

There's one stoved plank and a couple of small planks near the stern have some worm so will need replacing, the deadwood and the keel plating need replacing and she is desperately in need of a recaulk and antifoul, but otherwise, she's pretty sound for an old girl. A couple of spots on the gunwales need replacing thanks to some heavy contacts and a touch of dry rot. The current owner is doing the repairs to the hull planking and deadwood.

I've also found out a bit more about her, in case anyone's interested. She was built in '49 by Norman Wright and Sons out of spotted gum for the Brisbane City Council and operated up until 1984. She's 40' by 13', draws about 3', displaces 10 tons and will hit 10 knots with the 35hp Perkins (and a really good tailwind, I'd reckon). She was surveyed for 54 passengers and one crew as a ferry. She had an identical sister called the Norman, which I can remember riding from Mowbray Park to the city as a kid. Apparently the Buranda was last used on the Bulimba/Teneriffe run.

The owner's asking $10,000, which seems pretty close to the mark to me, although it seemd a bit steep until I had a better look at the hull. Does anybody have a different view? Is there anything not obvious I should be looking for?

Have an extensive survey preformed. There's lots of hidden stuff that can be wrong with her. Things that you just will not see without considerable experience. Trust me, I survey boats all the time and I miss stuff, expensive, costly stuff and I have several decades experience.

Chances are, it was probably built by Norman wright & Sons. Their located on the Brisbance River, so you might want to give them a call. If they didn't build her, they'll certainly know who did.
regards
Mark

What are you going to use her for Craig? She sounds a bit big to be a tinny substitute

Richard

Par, thanks for the advice. I'll arrange on Monday for a survey, although I'm pretty confident she's honest. Let's hope I'm not disappointed, eh?

Daddles, I thought to use her for a bay cruiser with decent on-board accommodation. She's got oodles of room and is very stable with that beam, although she's definitely not a vessel to take into the open sea.

She has a head and a shower fitted and a very basic fitout for living aboard, which I'd like to replace.

There's a way to go before this comes off, but I'm getting quite excited.

Well, I saw a shipwright today who is going to have a good look under the bonnet for me tomorrow. He did tell me that the stoved plank has a cracked frame behind it, but he thinks most of the rest of the rest of the planks that are going to need replacement will easily last until she's next slipped. I'll wait on his verdict. Thanks for the good advice, PAR

I thought it might be a good idea to make templates for each of the planks likely to need replacement soonish and leave the frames to the shipwright.
That way, I can mill the timber needed and dry it before I slip it next time.

Sadly, the shipwright has checked her out and the news isn't good. The poor old girl has been let go way too long and she needs an awful lot of love, which I don't really have the time to provide.

It's a shame.

Originally Posted by Exador

Sadly, the shipwright has checked her out and the news isn't good. The poor old girl has been let go way too long and she needs an awful lot of love, which I don't really have the time to provide.

It's a shame.

Bummer

Better to find out now rather than later but it's sad for the boat

Richard

Originally Posted by Daddles

Bummer

Better to find out now rather than later but it's sad for the boat

Richard

Yes it is. I don't think the owner has the money to do the work either, so she may just be beached for good.

Purely out of idle interest, is it a viable proposition to do an epoxy/glass cover-up on a hull like this? Apparently the frames aren't bad, but the planking has become very loose since it's been out and developed a lot of cracking. Unfortunately we've had extremely dry, windy conditions.

I thought perhaps it might still be a goer, even if she only lasts a few more years. Re-fix the plankss as needed, plate the cracked brace both sides, fill with as much epoxy is needed, perhaps spray with chopped-glass filled epoxy inside and out, fill up the bilge with rigid foam and glass over.

You'd need to talk to your shipwright about that. My understanding is that all you'd be doing is delaying the inevitable. Is it worth trying to coax a few years out of her? There'd be other jobs to do so you could wind up spending a lot of money on something that's going to sink pretty soon.

Richard

Yeah, probably wishful thinking .

I'll keep looking about.

Well, it sounds like you've decided not to proceed (fair enough too!) but for the interest of all here is some info on BURANDA, provided by my contacts in the Brisbane Ferry scene. The photos and info are provided courtesy of the Laurie Cordingley Collection.

A sweet little craft! I hope she finds a good home.

Buranda was built by Norman R. Wright and Sons in 1949 probably at their Quay Street yard. She was 38 feet long with a beam of 10 feet 2 inches and about 3 feet 3 inches of draught. Her hull planking was maple but I don’t know what other timbers were used. In 1966 she was powered by a J2 model Kelvin engine which developed a whopping 22 h.p. flat out at 750 r.p.m. It was changed for a three cylinder 33 h.p.Perkins about the mid 1970’s Steering was by chains through a rack and pinion with a horizontal wheel and she was registered for 59 passengers.



BURANDA leaves Hawthorne wharf, 1983.



BURANDA at Hawthorne, 1983.