Bruce Roberts Spray

[Fairbreeze]

Hi Forum,

I recently came accross an ad about a Bruce Roberts Spray.

As I did not have practical experience with this make yet I wonder who has experience with that boat?

- What are your own experiences with Bruce Roberts Yachts?

- What are the pro's and con's regarding bluewater trips on such boat?

- What to look at specially with this boat? (week points, problem zones?)

Many thanks in advance for your serious info; for humorous contributions as well....

Best

Peter

 

[C08]

I always liked the look of the Spray and thought of building one being friendly with a welder who said he would do the plating for a steel hull and deck for me. I called Bruce Roberts boats with a view to buying plans and asked to speak to Bruce or Mr Roberts., I forget which. The person who answered the phone was quite sarcastic in explaining to me that there was no Bruce Roberts and it was just a trading name. He was also very impatient with me as I was not clear which size plans I was interested in and rather than guiding me towards suitable plans he alienated me towards dealing with his company and I gave up on the idea and bought another boat rather than building one. I still love the look of the Spray although from what I have read there are better designs around now.

 

[prv]

No personal experience, but the Bruce Roberts versions have a reputation for being very slow as they have far less sail area than the original.

Pete

 

[rogerthebodger]

I always liked the look of the Spray and thought of building one being friendly with a welder who said he would do the plating for a steel hull and deck for me. I called Bruce Roberts boats with a view to buying plans and asked to speak to Bruce or Mr Roberts., I forget which. The person who answered the phone was quite sarcastic in explaining to me that there was no Bruce Roberts and it was just a trading name. He was also very impatient with me as I was not clear which size plans I was interested in and rather than guiding me towards suitable plans he alienated me towards dealing with his company and I gave up on the idea and bought another boat rather than building one. I still love the look of the Spray although from what I have read there are better designs around now.

You might like to read this about Bruce Roberts Goodson.

https://www.bruceroberts.com/public/HTML/PIRATED-PLANS.htm


Pics of Roberts Spray I don't have one but did look at building quite some time ago but have seen several round the world sailors during visits to our marina.

https://www.google.co.za/search?q=R...X&ved=0ahUKEwj04vTTn7bKAhWIGx4KHST0AGUQsAQIGQ

 

[Boo2]

I always liked the look of the Spray and thought of building one being friendly with a welder who said he would do the plating for a steel hull and deck for me. I called Bruce Roberts boats with a view to buying plans and asked to speak to Bruce or Mr Roberts., I forget which. The person who answered the phone was quite sarcastic in explaining to me that there was no Bruce Roberts and it was just a trading name....

Acording to this site there is a Bruce Roberts-Goodson who

personally answers emails within 24 hours. & answers all questions in detail. Try this personal service for yourself.

I see Roger Shaw has beaten me to it but I would add that whenever I have looked at a picture of a hideously ugly steel boat on the web it always seems to be a BR design...

Boo2

 

[GrahamM376]

Bruce was very helpful when I had a natter with him some years ago but frustrated about the way his designs were being built - too many expensive pre-made parts was the comment, his idea was to cut car back axles to make steering pedestals etc. Designs to enable people to build cheap.

There's a well built Spray (there are many variants) a few yards from us, good build and good condition but, there are some real rusty dogs around often rusting through the hull from the inside because the stringers weren't notched to allow drainage to the bilge.

There are many of them around, some very well built and long distance cruising in many cases but, don't think about buying without a survey by someone who knows steel boats.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

It's worth bearing in mind that the original Spray, of which I assume this is a copy, had marginal stability to the extent that some theories of Slocum's disappearance suggest that this caused his death. I think she had high initial resistance to heeling, but once a certain point was exceeded, she would go over. Slocum got away with it (until he didn't!) by being a consummate, life-long seaman!

 

[prv]

I think she had high initial resistance to heeling, but once a certain point was exceeded, she would go over.

That would make sense - she was fairly wide and flat, the original design being for oyster dredging in shallow inshore water. Not really a design for going around the world, but like so many he went in what he had.

Pete

 

[jwilson]

It's worth bearing in mind that the original Spray, of which I assume this is a copy, had marginal stability to the extent that some theories of Slocum's disappearance suggest that this caused his death. I think she had high initial resistance to heeling, but once a certain point was exceeded, she would go over. Slocum got away with it (until he didn't!) by being a consummate, life-long seaman!

Agreed fully: Spray was a downright bad design for RTW use. Remember Slocum was a square-rigger captain with massive experience. A lot of the steel "replica" versions also sail pretty poorly. There are far better boats around.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

All Bruce Roberts boat designs are very good, designed for blue water; I had one (30 ft, not Spray) 25 years ago. The quality of the construction can vary significantly, mine was fibreglass. If you find one for sale, I suggest that you undertake a survey. I was exchanging emails with Bruce Roberts in the 90's and he provided me the information I was looking for. Good luck

 

[Tranona]

They were popular in an age where there was little choice of blueeater boats and people looked to what had been used in the past for inspiration. As already suggested slow,heavy and often poorly built as builders added their own mods.

Roberts-Goodson's book Spray, The Ultimate Cruising Boat is a good reference, although few would agree with the claim in the title!

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Bruce has also published a book on steel boatbuilding which is a good read if you're looking at building or buying one and want to know (a lot) about how the boats are put together...:

https://www.bruceroberts.com/public/HTML/METALBOOK.htm

Expensive as a casual read, but you can find copies secondhand.

 

[ianj99]

Here's my old girl in Tarbert harbour a couple of years ago.
She was built in steell by Colonial Craft in Cumbria in 1979 and then transported to Jordans of Whitby for fitting out for her owner who kept her for 15years. She was then sold to the next owners who also owned her for 15years and then me in 2010.
The log shows 4300nm although its never worked for me, but I believe she's circumnavigated Ireland and been up to Shetland.

She is solid, stable and dependable, well built and professionally fitted out and with 1.5" of sprayed foam insulation, very well insulated against heat and cold. The original Perkins 4108 was replaced by me last March with a Chinese MP446 engine.
She is not difficult to manage single handed although you cannot zip into a pontoon berth as her 10tons takes some stopping.

She really could do with a respray with 2pack PU and the cockpit sole replacing but otherwise there's not a lot to do but I don't think I'll do much more - too old to go far!

 

[ianj99]

They were popular in an age where there was little choice of blueeater boats and people looked to what had been used in the past for inspiration. As already suggested slow,heavy and often poorly built as builders added their own mods.

Roberts-Goodson's book Spray, The Ultimate Cruising Boat is a good reference, although few would agree with the claim in the title!

Being a heavy displacement design they are somewhat slow, but it depends how much speed and agility matter to you.
I think a light, tender, flighty yacht would not suit me for bluewater sailing.

I agree too, that the build quality, fit and finish are variable and I've seen a couple that were not good, inside or out but there are excellent ones out there.

If a good example can be found then I have no doubt it would make excellent bluewater cruiser: I'd look for a cockpitless model (aft deck / rear cabin like many Nauticats) otherwise getting pooped means a few tons of water swilling about in it and the space under the cockpit is fairly useless due to very tight access.

 

[westernman]

Check out http://www.kastenmarine.com/spray.htm

 

[Tranona]

Check out http://www.kastenmarine.com/spray.htm

Very interesting site.

He makes the point that most of the so called "Spray" designs built in recent times are only loosely connected to the original, trading on the nostalgic notion that it was a "good" bluewater boat. In fact it was the very opposite, shallow draft inshore fishing boat with poor stability and sailing performance. Slocum used it because that is what he had and anybody who has read his account will know that the success of his voyage was more down to him than his boat.

The basic concept has been pulled and twisted (particularly by Bruce Roberts) to produce boats that still have poor stability and poor sailing performance, but give large amounts of internal space which can be filled with masses of furniture and topped with hideous superstructures. Fortunately the impracticalities of building such monstrosities mean that few are built these days, but no doubt there are some who are still seduced by the idea.

 

[GrahamM376]

Fortunately the impracticalities of building such monstrosities mean that few are built these days, but no doubt there are some who are still seduced by the idea.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not a boat I would want but I bet you would be very hard pressed to find a long distance cruiser willing to swap his steel boat for your Bavaria or my Moody.

 

[Tranona]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not a boat I would want but I bet you would be very hard pressed to find a long distance cruiser willing to swap his steel boat for your Bavaria or my Moody.

It is not just the steel issue - many were built in both GRP and ferro using the bastardised designs. Not all long distance cruisers go for such designs - and many of them (old steel boats) end their days rusting away tied up or abandoned.

 

[ianj99]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not a boat I would want but I bet you would be very hard pressed to find a long distance cruiser willing to swap his steel boat for your Bavaria or my Moody.

+1
In 2009 & within my limited budget, I viewed a Moody 33, then my BR, then another Moody 33. The owners of the second Moody, which was well equipped and good value could see I wasn't really interested, and I did admit to them that the BR had taken my fancy. (I had already has a brief sea trial in very squally conditions)

The Moody would have been a more logical choice but boats, like cars and homes, are not chosen for purely logical reasons.
Even aesthetics don't factor in the decisions that much - there are some damn ugly vehicles on our roads but as you say, beauty is in the eye...

The build quality of the Sprays does vary and diy builds are probably best avoided - the quality of the welding will be a giveaway.

As for being slow - what does it matter if you are bluewater sailing - you're at the mercy of the winds and tides anyway and usually in no particular hurry to go anywhere. (I've no complaints with my BR, though whether being a ketch makes a difference, I couldn't say, or maybe I'm a better sailor than I think I am!!)