Thread: restoring ply QB2 catamaran

They were magnificent in their day. I sailed at Carrum where we had a few, many years back. I haven't seen one for probably 20 years and there's no mention of them on the Vic Yachting site.

Good luck with the project but I think you'll have to 'wing' it.

I'd be thinking that the original "fibreglass" was a polyester job, and I'll take any odds that you can lift it off with a knife!

I would go for a complete start again using as much of the original as possible. You'll find that it will take a lot less time, and probably less money as well, and you'll get a great job instead of a patch-up.

There are lots of arguments about what does and does not constitute the correct method of restoration, but I'd go for the romantic one of replacing all the bits necessary, and having a barbecue fuelled by the old bits at the launching!

I wouldn't mind having a look at it though. If that's OK, send me a PM with your contact details.

cehers,

P

Here is an image of the last QB to have sailed in Tasmania


i will have to try to reduce the size of my digital images of my old hulls as they won't load currently.

Interesting to compare the foils on the Nacra with the foils on the QB2 - ah, those were the days when I had a Moth with timber spas, cane battens and a Roly Tasker sail

I first restored the cat 10 years ago when I replaced the decks and a huge patch down the starboard hull. A few years ago my dauhter said 'Look bubbles" and repeatedly pushed her finger through the hull to deck join. All the newer 'marine' ply lasted for just 5 years before rotting.

Howdy,

The QB2 was a great boat - the arguments and races between them and the Stingray (another B2 formula design) were great in the 70's.

Basically around whether the transom stern or the canoe stern was better.

The designers were the Cunninghams. Lindsay Cunningham is working on his project for the last few years of a world sailing speed record - which he and his team have held a number of times - was it around 70kph?

Anyway the team contact is

http://www.macquarie.com.au/speedsailing.htm

There may be plans available or other information that may make your life easier.

I did a little hunt on the net. If you are not named mark Dawson then you should read - http://thebeachcats.com/OnTheWire/ho...2/feature4.htm

It details a lot of the same things.

If your name is Mark Dawson - congratulations on pulling off what looked impossible - and writing rather a nice article!!

Here's some news - My family purchased the first Quest B2 from Charlie Cunningham (father of Lindsey) sail no 4, we went on to build 4 more, in total 5 QB2. Sail numbers 1, 2 & 3 where kept by the Cunningham family and did not hit the water for many years. My father and brother did most of the sailing both named John Mercel. We still have the plans to a couple (I think) also the moulds for the hulls and 1 or 2 sets of sails, along with a mast that was never used and a set of beams.
We started of sailing out of Carrum Sailing Club with many regattas etc at McCrae and all over travelling Australia for regattas and Cat Week each year. I have many photos but don’t know how to load them, but I will work on this if anyone is interested.
Contact me via [email protected] and I would be happy to answer as much as I can or my brother, John would be able to help more, he built many boats and sailed/lived in Melbourne/Townsville/Sunshine Coast.

We had many great times and memories sailing the QB2.
Regards and happy sailing

Originally Posted by QB2

I am casting around for advice on how to restore a 30 year old 18 foot Quest cat QB2 catamaran which has 4mm marine ply decks and hulls but with fibreglass used along the bottom 6 inches of the hulls and keel.

The QB2's were very popular in Victoria having been created by noted cat designer Lindsay Cunningham. The Qb was trialed in the 1960s for Olympic sailing classes but the Tornado was selected. Most Qb sailors have either retired or gone to plastic/glass/exotic cats and I haven't heard or been able to find out if any QB's are left.

I was going to try to rebuild new hulls with fibreglass, mainly because of past problems with Queensland heat n humidity but then thought if I have one of the only QBs left in existence then I should rebuild it to its original condition. I am open to suggestions how to completely rebuild the hulls which have rotted decks and original hull ply which is now splintering/delaminating.

Do I rebuild a section of hull ply at a time and try to re-glass to the existing keel line or build a female mould around a hull and use it to start from scratch.


the hulls have been out in the elements and are the worse for wear and trying to restore the existing and original ply is asking for trouble.

G'day mates,

I believe I have a Quest B2, or B3. The Cat has 18' ply hulls, both in good condition for it's age, and she has a mast of "almost" 30', the mast, boom and sails are in great condition.

Someone told me the Cat I have is not suitable for a novic, it would be to fast and I would spend a "lot" of time, dog-paddling "in" the water!
So, as I know nothing about sailing, I felt I would be better-off with a Tri, and so I bought the first set of plans for a Jim Brown/John Marples SC24MC, a 24' Tri micro cruiser. I thought I could use the hulls from the Cat as the amas on the Tri but, after requesting and receiving information from John Marples on my idea for the Cat hulls, I'm not so-sure. It seems the Cat hulls will need strengthing before they can be used as amas on the Tri.

I did want to renovate the Cat and get her back on the water but...I'm no spring chicken, and no-way am I as agile as I used to be. The last thing I need is to get dunked from a fast Cat, then spend time trying to get it upright again...Several times a day
So, as I have said, I decided to go for a 24' Tri, which will I believe, better suit my need of a boat, which is quiet days out on the water fishing and just getting away from things.

Does anyone here know just what I would need to strengthen on the Quest Cat hulls, to make them suitable for use as the amas on a Tri, or do you think I would I be better of building new amas for the Tri? (John Marples has no idea about Quest Cat hulls...He has never seen a Quest B2 or B3 Cat)

Thanking you in advance for your advice,

Bill