10,000 hour quarter tonner refit - why?

[ridgy]

What makes a man do this?

BLT: The inside story of the Quarter Ton Cup winner’s 10,000-hour refit

Got to be somewhere north of 150k when done. For why? To compete in a niche class and probably a fad so worth little in future years.

Same with the half tonners. Are these things that great to sail?

 

[Quandary]

Same with the half tonners. Are these things that great to sail?

YES, lots of folk spend more than that for a cruiser that they then motor around in for a fortnight every year.
Nostagia and excitement, both great emotions?

 

[flaming]

Belinda: This refurbished 1980s quarter tonner is a real labour of love

There's a lot of boats being refitted, so it must be worth it...

19 boats on the line for the QT cup last year, and in most races the difference between 1st and 10th seemed to be about 2 minutes in an hour or so's racing. Difficult to argue with that sort of racing in that sort of fleet at the moment.

 

[michael_w]

Shame they are bit like Trigger's broom. New keels, non noodle masts, completely rebuilt, just about the only thing that's original is the name.
Bet none of the 'restored ' ones will rate 18ft IOR.

 

[ridgy]

Belinda: This refurbished 1980s quarter tonner is a real labour of love

There's a lot of boats being refitted, so it must be worth it...

19 boats on the line for the QT cup last year, and in most races the difference between 1st and 10th seemed to be about 2 minutes in an hour or so's racing. Difficult to argue with that sort of racing in that sort of fleet at the moment.

Out of interest how would those numbers compare to a J80 meet?

Maybe it's a nostalgia or exclusivity thing, these owners competed when young and are now sufficiently minted to enjoy racing in a select club of other minted owners and while away a considerable number of refit hours in the company of John Kirby etc.

I noted that the guy doing Belinda "also owns a spirit yacht". Again neither cheap nor that practical.

 

[Birdseye]

What makes a man do this?

BLT: The inside story of the Quarter Ton Cup winner’s 10,000-hour refit

Got to be somewhere north of 150k when done. For why? To compete in a niche class and probably a fad so worth little in future years.

Same with the half tonners. Are these things that great to sail?

If the cost doesnt matter to you, why not. I am surprised it was allowed thought - "But the revived class doesn’t allow newly built boats " yet this one has new hull, new deck, new cabin top, new rig. Do they carry a bit of rotten plywood on board to covince the scrutineeer that its really an old boat?

 

[flaming]

If the cost doesnt matter to you, why not. I am surprised it was allowed thought - "But the revived class doesn’t allow newly built boats " yet this one has new hull, new deck, new cabin top, new rig. Do they carry a bit of rotten plywood on board to covince the scrutineeer that its really an old boat?

Not a new hull. That's the point, you have to use an existing hull.

 

[Morepower]

I suppose it's a bit like classic car racing.... And in my humble opinion can only be a good thing.... Especially if it brings money into local industries and gets old boats that would be left to rot away racing.... So what if it's irrelevant in today's modern racing series... That's the whole point....

 

[flaming]

I suppose it's a bit like classic car racing.... And in my humble opinion can only be a good thing.... Especially if it brings money into local industries and gets old boats that would be left to rot away racing.... So what if it's irrelevant in today's modern racing series... That's the whole point....

The little buggers aren't irrelevant in IRC, they're weapons! Especially in light winds and flat water.

 

[lw395]

The little buggers aren't irrelevant in IRC, they're weapons! Especially in light winds and flat water.

How much of that is due to age allowance?
You could build a new 1/4 tonner clone and race it under IRC, just not call it a 1/4 tonner?

 

[flaming]

How much of that is due to age allowance?
You could build a new 1/4 tonner clone and race it under IRC, just not call it a 1/4 tonner?

Age allowance is, I think, often overstated. It's very small, less than 0.001 per year and maxes out at 20 years. So maybe 10 points over a brand new build.

But the issue really is that IRC racing in smaller boats is very much on the decline, so I can't really see anyone building a custom boat to race in the 0.900 region. In fact, custom IRC race building has basically gone in everything smaller than about 50 foot. Weird to think of the mid 2000s, with new Corby and Mills designs going toe to toe at every IRC nationals as some sort of heyday....

 

[Motor_Sailor]

But the issue really is that IRC racing in smaller boats is very much on the decline, so I can't really see anyone building a custom boat to race in the 0.900 region. In fact, custom IRC race building has basically gone in everything smaller than about 50 foot. Weird to think of the mid 2000s, with new Corby and Mills designs going toe to toe at every IRC nationals as some sort of heyday..

I think you're right - this says more about the state of the 'smaller' end of the iRC racing fleet. Custom boatbuilding is so expensive that few owners are prepared to take the plunge with anything that is too risky design wise - it may not work or may be made uncompetitive by a rule adjustment in the following years. In contrast there was no risk involved with plunging several £100,000's into this quarter tonner: it's THE proven design for this fleet that is guarenteed to get you a competitive boat.

 

[flaming]

I think you're right - this says more about the state of the 'smaller' end of the iRC racing fleet. Custom boatbuilding is so expensive that few owners are prepared to take the plunge with anything that is too risky design wise - it may not work or may be made uncompetitive by a rule adjustment in the following years. In contrast there was no risk involved with plunging several £100,000's into this quarter tonner: it's THE proven design for this fleet that is guarenteed to get you a competitive boat.

I think the figure of several hundreds of thousands is somewhat overstated.
The oft quoted cost of a 1/4 ton refit is about £30k. Still a lot, but...

With a refitted 1/4 ton you get a very competitive IRC boat with the added bonus of the 1/4 ton cup and class starts at Cowes week and the VAC and others. And as it's IRC and not OD, you get to tinker with your boat and add little upgrades each winter, which some people enjoy just as much as the racing every summer.

I can certainly see the appeal.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

Prefessional re-fit in Cowes taking 10,000hrs for £30K including materials?

Book me a slot - I'm on my way!

 

[Lightwave395]

It can be exciting racing in the quarter ton fleet - this is my neighbour's boat on a lively day in the Solent:

 

[flaming]

Prefessional re-fit in Cowes taking 10,000hrs for £30K including materials?

Book me a slot - I'm on my way!

There's another YW article that details costs.

Typical cost of a quarter tonner
Keel – £2,400. Standard modern replacement
Rig – £2,500. Including standing rigging
Sails – £10,000
1 x mainsail
3 x jibs – J1, J2, J3
2 x spinnakers – S1.5, S2
Boat – Impossible to nail down. Good basic boats requiring work can be £3,000-6,000, although some people have been given the boat if they were able to take it away
Overall typical budget – £30,000 if you pay to have work done; less if you get your hands dirty

Quarter ton revival - Yachting World

Some people may have spent more, but then it's not stated how much of that 10,000 hours is paid for, and how much owner and crew done. I guess it's quite possible that the refits are getting more expensive as the best condition boats will have been done and the boats being unearthed now are probably in worse condition....

 

[Motor_Sailor]

I don't know - the article says a 10,000hrs refit and that "Gavin Tappenden at Composite Craft did all the boatbuilding".

If you say it's possible to buy a boat in Tahiti and have all done and on the start line for £30,000, then that's great.

 

[flaming]

I don't know - the article says a 10,000hrs refit and that "Gavin Tappenden at Composite Craft did all the boatbuilding".

If you say it's possible to buy a boat in Tahiti and have all done and on the start line for £30,000, then that's great.

I took the 10,000 hour figure to include everything, and doubt the actual boatbuilding was that much. As ever the cost will depend on the amount that was done by the pros, and the amount done by the owner...

 

[Morepower]

I think the figure of several hundreds of thousands is somewhat overstated.
The oft quoted cost of a 1/4 ton refit is about £30k. Still a lot, but...

With a refitted 1/4 ton you get a very competitive IRC boat with the added bonus of the 1/4 ton cup and class starts at Cowes week and the VAC and others. And as it's IRC and not OD, you get to tinker with your boat and add little upgrades each winter, which some people enjoy just as much as the racing every summer.

I can certainly see the appeal.

Couldn't agree more.... For me the tinkering is the enjoyable part... replacing wood with carbon and wire rigging with rope.... It's all just a giant science project....
If they can get a competitive boat on the line for 30k then that doesn't sound a silly amount of cash....

 

[Beelzebub]

I remember slogging upwind across the Channel on the Cowes-Dinard and Yarmouth-Guernsey in the seventies on a Waarschip.

I must have been mad.