A lovely timber Storebro Royal Cruiser IV

[Kawasaki]

Dragoon, your fine vessel is more than cool, she is simply gorgeous!
There certainly is a lot of varnish work to attend to there to keep her in the style that she is so obviously happily accustomed to.

AndieMac, I agree re the Nauticat 44s; I think most were ketch rig, but I did see one here once (I think she was a 44) with a most unusual sloop rig, with the mast very far aft, in similar fashion to a Prout catamaran rig with a huge genoa and tiny mainsail.

More than cool, more than gorgeous, simply absolutley drop dead gorgeous!
What a vessel

Now listen here Banjan and Andie, beggar orf to Scuttle if yer gonna talk Soops an Ketchups

 

[AndieMac]

Now listen here Banjan and Andie, beggar orf to Scuttle if yer gonna talk Soops an Ketchups

Yeah but were talking about more or less a motorboat with sails mate, the things got an 800 litre fuel tank.
One left us a couple of years ago with 4 x 44 gallon plastic drums full of deisel strapped in the cockpit and went to New Zealand, quite prepared to motor all the 1100 miles, not wanting to have to slow down in light/wrong direction winds.


Anyway...what are you going to do about it

 

[AndieMac]

AndieMac, I agree re the Nauticat 44s; I think most were ketch rig, but I did see one here once (I think she was a 44) with a most unusual sloop rig, with the mast very far aft, in similar fashion to a Prout catamaran rig with a huge genoa and tiny mainsail.

I suppose it may be easy to quickly unfurl and use something like a large multi purpose type sail to either steady a roll or pole out like a small spinnaker on a down hill run, on these heavy boats when short handed.

 

[dragoon]

I like the great compromise of the old Nauticat 44 motorsailer, big dry flared bow, proper 120 hp engine, twin station steering and sliding door wheel-house, wouldn't point very high of course, but who wants to tack anyway?

I agree, I always quite fancied one. I personally believe every boat is a compromise in some way, but a Nauticat is a good half way house between motor and sail boat. Cheers, Paul

 

[dragoon]

There certainly is a lot of varnish work to attend to there to keep her in the style that she is so obviously happily accustomed to.

In the past there has been, but with work and family pressures mounting over the last few years, I confess to cheating on the varnish front - in the interest of getting a finish that didn't require my constant attention, she's actually coated in Coelan. It's horribly expensive, and has to be put on in dry conditions under cover, but it looks good, lasts and protects the wood from weather and UV.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[oceandrive]

Now thats a nice boat, well done looks great.

 

[longjohnsilver]

In the past there has been, but with work and family pressures mounting over the last few years, I confess to cheating on the varnish front - in the interest of getting a finish that didn't require my constant attention, she's actually coated in Coelan. It's horribly expensive, and has to be put on in dry conditions under cover, but it looks good, lasts and protects the wood from weather and UV.

Cheers,
Paul

She is a true classic and looks in fabulous condition. There is something about the lines of the boat and the combination/contrast of the wood and grp that really works.
One question, when you had varnish what was the most effective way to strip it when you needed to get back to bare wood?

 

[dragoon]

One question, when you had varnish what was the most effective way to strip it when you needed to get back to bare wood?

Thanks again for the nice remarks.

I've always used a Black and Decker electric heat gun, following by light sanding. Provided you don't spend too long in one place, it's always proved to be the most efficient way to get the majority of it off.

I should also add that when using a scaper with the heat gun, I use the type supplied (triangular that the blade sits at 90 degrees to the wood) - also I use the widest blade so that it doesn't dig into the wood.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[longjohnsilver]

Thanks Paul.