Thread: TOMBOY Restoration project

G'day Richard it's terrific to hear from you.

Hmm Tomboy looks like he/she will keep you plenty busy.

How long out of the water, is the hull sound......hmm silly question relooked at the transom.

I've got to ask will you retain the cockpit garden.

Good luck with the project and your health.

Please keep us posted.

Cheers
Mike

Oi Richard, some bugga's nicked all yer water

You're a glutton for punishment, I'll give you that. Must be them funny medicines they're giving you

How much work's needed to get her usuable?
Is it practical to get her on the water and then slowly do the rest up or is this a restore then use project?
More to the point, how do YOU want to do it?

It's good to hear from you mate, particularly in such an optimistic frame of mind. I wish you all the best ... but don't forget that lovely Yellowtail

Richard

the hull is sound i spent a good hour pokeing and banging around and failed to find any rot at all, it just the things that do have rot have been added later on by the last owner.

not sure how long shes been out of the wet stuff but i would say looking at the transom the green mould and garden area it's been a few years

the hull looks as if it constructed from teak to me looking at this photo of the interior




the cockpit garden was the first thing that drew me to the boat and i'm sure it will look nice when in flower but i don't think i'll be keeping it thats just more work for me

as for her being usuable she could be put in the water after a quick rub down and a coat of paint or two but i'm in no rush plus jobs will never get done if shes in the water, maybe by autumn if all goes well she'll hit the wet stuff.

i don't know if any one else has noticed she has this long round stick like thing (i think it called a mast) what do i do with that bit is it just for show or will i need to use it

A real pleasure to see you posting again Richard.Tomboy (great name)looks like quite a find-knowing your standards,she'll be a stunner by the time you finish.Is the engine OK, or will you be repowering?How long is she?
Cheers,
Dave.

Boy, this project has generated a huge amount of excitement already Richard. What a lovely boat, congratulations and I hope she brings you huge joy in the doing, the imagining and in the using.

Now that long pole is for very big flags. You'll need to tie them up a bit funny, and they'll flap about at first, but you'll find them very useful for privacy, and if you're going somewhere you don't like the look of, they'll obscure your view, and they are also good for filling up unwanted spaces in the boat.

Thanks for all the pics. Keep at it.

Originally Posted by Dave Brewer

A real pleasure to see you posting again Richard.Tomboy (great name)looks like quite a find-knowing your standards,she'll be a stunner by the time you finish.Is the engine OK, or will you be repowering?How long is she?
Cheers,
Dave.

Well Dave to be honest i don't think i have the time left to do a cracking job on this one it's going to be a a quick (as i can) job which is why i chose this boat as the hull just really needs a rub down and a coat of nice new shiny blue stuff, so within a month the hull will look like new well that's the plan anyway

the engine is a runner it just needs a good service, not sure of the size but i know it's a ford diesel
as for her length she is approx 26 ft long.

i will be going to have another good look at her this afternoon armed with my tape measure and camera to bore you all with some more photos

Rob the mast like looking thingy is only for show, it's only around 20ft long and has various lights and radar reflectors, aerials on it, but it does have a boom so maybe a small sail has or could be used.
The plans i have for the cabin don't involve a mast though, at the moment she is piloted from outside but i need my creature comforts so i'll be lifting the roof on the rear section of the cabin and moving it all inside

I'm hoping you've been able to throw a fishing line out from the Yellowtail recently Richard- bobbing about with a line in...(even without a sail and some nice string to feel the pull of the wind)...good place to plan your attack on Tomboy.

Originally Posted by rob540

I'm hoping you've been able to throw a fishing line out from the Yellowtail recently Richard- bobbing about with a line in...(even without a sail and some nice string to feel the pull of the wind)...good place to plan your attack on Tomboy.

i've not been well enough to get about any where let alone get out in a boat, plus the weather has been so damned cold, this week is the first week we've seen any sun for months and the temperature has finally managed to rise above 10 degs

I was afraid you'd say that...let's hope you find an opportunity as soon as Spring has sprung.

well she's all mine now i have the original log book, and she will be delivered early next week. (guess i had better tell the father inlaw at some point as it's going down his yard)

she was built in Bristol UK in 1963 and rigged as a Bermudian sloop, max speed 10 knots and weighs in at 1.25 UK tons.

shes been out the water for five years and sat in that damp corner that see's very little sun, the teak looks manky but i went over it with some sand paper and it comes up really nice and looking like new,
she had the engine fitted only 2 years prior to coming out the water so thats good news.
the strange thing is she used to over winter just around the corner from where i lived with my parents when i was younger and i used to admire her shape then, i know the previouse owner has been ill for some years now and unable to use her but he used to take her to france for the weekend on a regular basis when he was well.

i know some say it's bad luck but i need to speak to Neptune as i'll be changing her name to Calypso which i think is far more suitable than Tomboy (people might think i'm a rent boy with a name like that)

Neptune would have to be an absolute mug to have any arguments with that. Tell him he'll have to deal with the Aussie mob if he wants to make an issue of it.

It is a very lovely co-incidence (?) that you will have admired her as a lad and owned her as a man. Beautiful memories from childhood can be very powerful in adulthood.

Interesting how a name just seems to sit so well on some boats.

The best example I can think of immediately is Ticondoroga but I reckon Calypso gives that same impression that suits so well.

well Calypso has finaly been delivered (i picked the wrong time of the year all the boat haulage companies are vey busy launching boats for the summer) and what an event it was as the trailer was being reversed up the driveway off a major road at rush hour the rear wheels of the tailer sunk into an old rotted tree stump which i had neglected to tell the driver which resulted in the road beeing blocked for 3/4 of an hour (and a lot of angry drivers on there way to work) whilst we tried to get the trailer out the hole but all our efforts were to no avail so a crane had to be called in to lift the boat and trailer out the hole

any way i've managed three hours on her so far and yes you've guessed righ it's all been sanding oh and a bit of filling, i've managed to find a company that specialises in old wooden boats who recomended this product for filling any cracks or gaps in planks in carvel construction.

http://www.tradboats.com/index.html

EASY FAIR EPOXY FILLER

Low density, easy sand,spreadable epoxy filler for above and below the waterline
Easy mix 2 parts resin to 1 part hardener.
Working time 30 mins at 20C
Sanding time 2 1/2 hours @ 20C
Colour Blue
This is an easy spreadable filler which in my opinion exceeds others I know of both for working,quality and price. Does not crack or split and is slightly flexible. Used on my own boat and I recommend it.

it is very easy to use and sands really well to a very smooth finish which is just aswell because i'm changing the colour of the hull to a very dark Mauritius Blue which will show up any inperfections.

Just a few photos of the progress so far

just a bit more sanding and light filling and this side will be ready for undercoat.



the wood trim looks a bit nasty but five minutes with the sander soon sorts it out

before



after



after a bit more sanding and a few coats of varnish it will be like new.