Hull No.39, Mahogany Planking?

[Zachary Rose]

Kia ora all!

My partner and I have just bought Hull No.39, we live in New Zealand.

We're really excited, because her previous owners appear to have taken wonderful care of her bones, but there are a few things in the fit-out that we're planning on modifying and she needs to be re-decked.

We are a bit curious though, because she has a couple of oddities about her. Firstly, she has a centre cockpit, with the addition of a stern cabin. I've only seen this on a couple of examples I found online, do we know how common this was?

Secondly, she hasn't been glassed! What's more, she is planked in mahogany rather than plywood. Can anyone hazard a guess as to weather her skin was replaced by a previous owner, or if she was commissioned with planking?

Lastly we'd love to have a look at her original plans if anyone knows where we should be looking, because she appears to be a bit of an orphan we aren't sure how much to trust the standard info regarding the Newporter's construction.

We look forwards to hearing from you, any help would be really appreciated!

Thanks,

- Zach and Deborah

[bob mitchell]

hi guys,

    First, I am extremely confident that all Newporters were built to standard specifications - one of which was that the hull was 3/4 douglas fir marine plywood on oak frames, for the hull.  Another was the aft section was a lazzerette, not a cabin. However it has been over 50 years since your boat was built. Newporters lend themselves to redesigns and modifications. I will try to post some pics of the plans, and actual manufacture process in the next couple of days - or you can click on PHOTOS and then go through all of them and see what is there. THAT IS DEFINITELY WORTHWHILE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR BOAT!!!!!!

           All hulls had a light polyester fiberglass covering. If water got behind the fiberglass it tended to bubble. Soime of the hulls that were refiberglassed (mine included, done by myself) used epoxy resin to cover the fiberglass instead of polyester resin. Epoxy resin was not in general use back in the days when Newporters were built. It adheres to wood much better to wood than polyester resin.  The fact that someone planked the boat with mahogany is truly unique!  So if the boat was in the water and the bilge was dry, you need to consider that if it stays out of water for a long time the hull planks will dry and shrink and it may need to be recaulked. With the fiberglass coating that was not supposed to ocurr.

I am excited about your boat, and look forward to helping in anyway I can. There are others on the site that feel the same way.  friend bob

[Zachary Rose]

Thanks Bob, that's great to hear.

I'll take a look through Photos some time tomorrow, and yeah anything you could show us would be a great help!

The gentleman we bought her from said something about her aft cabin being a sail-store at one point, so that makes a lot of sense.

We're planning to steam her from the Marlborough Sounds (where she's moored now) to Wellington (where we live) and lift her out, probably for about 18 months to 2 years. Luckily we'd already accounted for the re-caulking!

Thanks so much for your help.

[Jim Benbow]

Hi Zachary and welcome,

Just wondering what the name of your boat is? Is it Shoeless Joe?

In response to your query about your boats construction, I have a recollection that one of the Newporters that came to New Zealand was redone in carvel planking, I may have got that info from Jim Trefethen's book "The Cruising Life"

I could check that when I get back home in a few days.

I bought Sultana from Jim back in 2008 

Jim

[Zachary Rose]

Hey Jim, yeah that's her!

Sorry for the late reply, we've been preoccupied trying to buy ourselves a mooring to per her on.

That'd be wonderful if you could have a check for us; is there enough information in the book for it to be worth us buying it do you think?

Cheers, Zach.

Jim Benbow said:

Hi Zachary and welcome,

Just wondering what the name of your boat is? Is it Shoeless Joe?

In response to your query about your boats construction, I have a recollection that one of the Newporters that came to New Zealand was redone in carvel planking, I may have got that info from Jim Trefethen's book "The Cruising Life"

I could check that when I get back home in a few days.

I bought Sultana from Jim back in 2008 

Jim