Flying Ant Restoration

[bvdl75]

Hi all never built a boat before but mentioned in another thread that I had a Flying Ant that hasnt seen water for over 10 years. The other thread has got me keen to undertake some restoration inorder to get it seaworthy for my daughter to learn to sail in.
I am pretty sure the previous owner made some non standard modifications to the boat and I was wondering where would I go for plans so I can see what he has changed and if I should change it back.

The boat is all ply and currently varnished but the varnish is starting to blister and the rear deck is turning fury where the rudder arm was rubbing.

Its been stored in a boat shead on the beach all this time as well.

Any tips pointers or general advice as to what I should do with it would be appriciated.

PS I have never used the spinnaker as I never recived a spinnaker plole from the previous owner and was not show how to put it up. So I would need to make / buy a pole - I do recall the guy telling me a broom handle would do and just to buy the fittings down the yacht shop - but never got around to it.

[scumbag]

Try these guys. http://www.flyingants.org.au/

Btw, Flying Ants aren't a one design class so limited variations are permissible in any case. Nice little boats too.

[Boatmik]

Hi all never built a boat before but mentioned in another thread that I had a Flying Ant that hasnt seen water for over 10 years. The other thread has got me keen to undertake some restoration inorder to get it seaworthy for my daughter to learn to sail in.

The older Flying Ants are great little training boats - and nice singlehanders for adults too.

http://www.flyingants.org.au/Portals/7/Gallery/Album/44/IMG_3357.JPG


I am pretty sure the previous owner made some non standard modifications to the boat and I was wondering where would I go for plans so I can see what he has changed and if I should change it back.I don't think that it would be possible to change a lot. Sailboats are often quite tolerant of some changes providing the mast and sails stay in about the same position and the centreboard does as well.


The boat is all ply and currently varnished but the varnish is starting to blister and the rear deck is turning fury where the rudder arm was rubbing.There are two ways of thinking about a project like this - one is to do a minimalist sort of job so the boat can be taken sailing reasonably soon or to do a careful restoration.

It is probably not worth trying too hard to make the boat match the class rules or to set it up as a race boat because the Flying Ant has well and truly lost its way with adults waving chequebooks frantically so their kids will win races - just a mast, boom and spinnaker pole - just the tubes - no fittings at all - are $2200 in carbon fibre. On the other side I just prowled through the class site and there are still secondhand boats available at reasonable dollars - maybe there is a chance they will see the mistake of going the full carbon hog?

The boat you have is much more wholesome and will teach your daughter to sail very nicely indeed. It would be fine for mixed fleet racing.


Any tips pointers or general advice as to what I should do with it would be appriciated.Given that it is not sensible to spend the money to join the class it starts to make sense to do a minimal sort of job to get it going nicely and to prevent it from deteriorating.


PS I have never used the spinnaker as I never recived a spinnaker plole from the previous owner and was not show how to put it up. So I would need to make / buy a pole - I do recall the guy telling me a broom handle would do and just to buy the fittings down the yacht shop - but never got around to it.A broomstick would be too light but might be OK in light winds - you can use a aluminium tube and a couple of the right end fittings - I can tell you which ones.

So the boat has been sailing already? This is a very big start. How did it go? Did it take any water? Did you capsize? A lot can be acheived with just basic boat setup - how much to tension bits of the rig.

Have a look at the beginning of the thread for the Cadet that Meerkat fixed up for his son a year or so ago. In that case he found a nice lightweight wooden boat and wanted to set it up as a raceboat - their class rules have tended to keep the Cadet at a reasonable cost.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=29435

But it is probably not worth going the full epoxy hog of that particular project. Keep it simple unless you really, really want to get into the woodwork side of things.

There was also the Cadet thread as well which was a different approach.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=29465

The main thing is to think carefully about the result you want and the time you want to spend.

Hope this helps.
Michael

[Boatmik]

Just fishing round the class website ...
http://www.flyingants.org.au/

here are the plans for the wooden boat
http://www.webefx.com.au/documents/Flying%20Ant%20Plans%20COMPLETE.pdf (http://www.webefx.com.au/documents/Flying%20Ant%20Plans%20COMPLETE.pdf)

[bvdl75]

Michael, thanks for your reply.



I don't think that it would be possible to change a lot.


Looking at the drawings you posted a link to, the previous owner (a boat builder) did some modfications.

The boat now has a rear deck about 600mm long to make boyency tanks front and rear.



It is probably not worth trying too hard to make the boat match the class rules or to set it up as a race boat because the Flying Ant has well and truly lost its way with adults waving chequebooks frantically so their kids will win races - just a mast, boom and spinnaker pole - just the tubes - no fittings at all - are $2200 in carbon fibre. On the other side I just prowled through the class site and there are still secondhand boats available at reasonable dollars - maybe there is a chance they will see the mistake of going the full carbon hog?
I agree just want to keep it simple but stop it rotting away and make it safe and reliable. Quite happy with my Aluminium mast and wooden boom.



A broomstick would be too light but might be OK in light winds - you can use a aluminium tube and a couple of the right end fittings - I can tell you which ones.

Much appreciated I was never a memeber of a club simply sailed it on my own off edithvale as a child so had nobody to show me how to use it or what to get to set it up. My dad taught me the basics then I was off on my own.



So the boat has been sailing already? This is a very big start. How did it go? Did it take any water? Did you capsize? A lot can be acheived with just basic boat setup - how much to tension bits of the rig.


I sailed it as a kid from about 10-18 since then its been out about twice in 1995 and not since.(I am now 31) Its been stored in our boat shed down at edithvale.

It used to take on a bit of water but was reasonalby good a day down the beach would result in a litre or 2 in the boyancy tanks.




how much to tension bits of the rig.

How much what?


I will head down next week end and try to get some photos of it.
Thanks for you help.
As I had said in another post I thought it had just about had it untill I found this forum and had been trying to give it away. All keen to fix it now. I will have a reaad of the other theads you mentioned.
Regards
Ben

[Boatmik]

Photos would be great - closeups of any doubtful spots a couple of overview shots as well to show how its laid out.

All the older boats had front/rear tanks then went to a self draining cockpit and no rear tank a long time ago.

MIIK

[bvdl75]

Well its definitly old, when I got it the boat builders son had out grown it and was about 25 so he had had it around 15 years so its heading on 35+ years old.
:o Never thought about how old it is before.

[bvdl75]

OK well I started this thread in 2007 and got a little side tracked as I do on other projects but last weekend I dragged the boat out photographed it and started sanding. the Ply has opened up a bit and I will need a good grain filler to use under the marine varnish. I have posted the starting point pics below.
367848367849367850367851367852367853367854367855367856

[labr@]

OK well I started this thread in 2007 and got a little side tracked

I love a classic understatement:).

Doesn't look too bad from the photos. Hopefully sanding and refinishing will do the trick.

Try to post finished pics before 2024 :D.

[PAR]

Agreed, not that bad. I'd recommend you avoid sanders, as those bronze nails seem right on the surface, the veneers are really thin and you'll just curse a lot, tearing paper every time you hit them or burn though with aggressive sanding. Use a cabinet scraper in the areas away from the edges and fasteners and a chemical stripper to get the rest. Follow the instructions and lather it on. Your elbows will love you for this decision.

[mone]

I've taken on a pre-loved Flying Ant416782 to re-furbish (thank-yous to Margaret & Mathew). She ("Cavalier", no sail #) needs a little work but I launched her at Lake Somerset416764 (the Stanley River (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_River_%28Queensland%29) catchment, a tributary of the Brisbane River, 27.1153° S, 152.5565° E) last Tuesday & ,yesterday, Hinze Dam (in the headwaters of the Nerang River 28.0497° S, 153.2791° E) for the first time in maybe 15 years & she floated with only a small leak at the patches that may have once been venturi-self bailers. Her rig remained aloft for the afternoon's sail in a breeze gusting to 10knots. I'd really appreciate anyone knowing her provenance/pedigree to contact me

[Picko]

I can't help you with info about your "ant" but it looks like it could have been built from the same plans as the one I built in 1969. Mine has not been wet for about 17 years. Sorry about the photos, the boat is stored upside down suspended from the roof of my shed. Just when you want the uploader to turn your photos it doesn't.

417028417029417030

Ha. I did turn them.

[mone]

thank you for your post Picko. Cavalier has timber spars, possibly dating it older than yours with aluminium.

I have purchased a set of plans dated circa 1972 which do not show the rear bouyancy tank.

Do you still have the plan-set you built with ?

[mone]

3 sheets 1 of 3 dated July 1972

[Picko]

G'day mone. My plans did have drawings for timber spars but I decided to buy aluminium. I do still have the original blueprints and could possibly photograph them for you (they're too big to scan). I'm away from home for about two weeks but will try that when I return.
Cheers John

[mone]

that would be awesome, John...I'd really appreciate the pics, I can pm you when you return with my contact details

[marker]

The current Flying Ants have a self draining cockpit these are the latest plans.
Mark

[mone]

The current Flying Ants have a self draining cockpit these are the latest plans.
Mark

thank you for the plans marker...much appreciated; the link to the complete set in an earlier post is dead

[mone]

many thanks Mark

[Picko]

I'm back home again and plans have been photographed. If you PM me with an email address I will send them to you.

[Picko]

I tried to attach these yesterday without success, but it worked today despite being in reverse order.

[mone]

cheers John...pm on its way now

[mone]

12 months on the Flying Ant is progressing...

from less than perfect...

to some there may be little to show but the photo evidence supports some steps forward441268

From the picture you may be able to see the original sails are past their use by.

Despite that I won the best start at the Point Talburpin Sail Day at the High-Water Sail-Boat Club441269

A great result after some minor works to tidy up some previous unsympathetic repairs to the plywood skin in the aft cockpit sole441270

along with re-gluing the mast which had begun to separate along the centre seam441271441272441273

It seemed an Imperative.

[Picko]

Well done Malcolm.

[mone]

cheers John (Picko)...tomorrow is the 19th Point Talburpin Sail Day at the High-Water Sail-Boat Club & I was really looking forward to it until I heard the forecast is for 9 knots gusting to 20 knots from the west !