Camper Nicholson 43

[Kukri]

Hi Kukri, Thanks for your reply.
I am still confused; Its is not clear the process the keell is fixed inside of the boat body.
I undestand the lead weight is accomodated in the bottom of the body boat, but how it is kept firmly attached to the body?
Is there any kind of structure with bolts and nuts making this service?
I am worried whether I must check the condition of this structure during the reform I am doing in my NIC 43.
Any comments will be helpfull.
Best Regards.

Hi Ruy,

I am not an expert but I believe the ballast (which, as far as I am aware, is lead, not iron, in all Nicholsons) was positioned inside the fin early in the building process, and is made from a good number of lead ingots, bedded in a mastic. The whole thing was then sealed over with a good thickness of GRP. It “ought” to be OK unless there is evidence of grounding damage to the bottom of the fin, which should be easy to see.

 

[Ruy P. Leme]

Clear enough Kukri. Thanks a lot for your explanation and patience. Regards.

 

[Shuggy]

I also have a drain plug fitted to my 43. I use liberal amounts of Loctite when refitting it, as I can’t reach it from inside the boat. Not by a mile.

Anyway, I believe the lead ballast is lead shot encapsulated in resin, trapped inside the substantial hull. For a Nic 43 it is 4.65 Imperial tons of ballast, which is just over half the overall displacement weight.

Hard to believe when we’re sailing sometimes. I’m thinking of bidding to make extreme lunch making an Olympic sport. Commonwealth Games as a minimum.

 

[Kukri]

That looks very attractive - light and cheerful.

8 tons. We carry an encapsulated cook!

 

[Shuggy]

That looks very attractive - light and cheerful.

8 tons. We carry an encapsulated cook!

View attachment 97994

Is the padding there to stop your galley slave injuring themself, or so you can provide yourself with therapy when wondering why you bought a 55’ beautiful money pit with a maintenance bill bigger than Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife?

 

[Kukri]

Is the padding there to stop your galley slave injuring themself, or so you can provide yourself with therapy when wondering why you bought a 55’ beautiful money pit with a maintenance bill bigger than Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife?

The latter!?

 

[doug748]

Interesting video here that some may not have seen, a new Contessa being moulded:

 

[Kukri]

Thanks Doug; that’s really helpful.

If I look up the volume of 8 tons of lead, I get 0.7 cubic metres, or 25 cubic feet, and looking at the boat’s fin, at the position of the drain plug and at the drawings, in the light of your video, I now think the eight tons must have been cast as one lump, and then sealed in in the manner of your video. After all, Camper and Nicholson were accustomed to casting lead keels for wooden boats - the process is described in Watts and Jurd - and the 55 has an immediate wooden ancestor - Phantom of Mersea, now Blauwe Dolfin...

 

[westhinder]

Some of you may be interested to know that Blauwe Dolfijn has been for sale for over a year now. She is in the water in Zeebrugge. I have always found her a stunning boat.
1968 Camper & Nicholsons Blauwe Dolfijn 2 Zeil Boot te koop -

 

[Kukri]

35 years in the same ownership is quite a recommendation!

 

[Zagato]

Doug748 video shows also exactly how the ballast in a Marieholm IF Boat is also put into position. IT is that strong, many launch the boat by attaching the crane hook to the ballast anchored ring through the open hatch and just lift the whole boat up from there.

 

[Frogmogman]

Some of you may be interested to know that Blauwe Dolfijn has been for sale for over a year now. She is in the water in Zeebrugge. I have always found her a stunning boat.
1968 Camper & Nicholsons Blauwe Dolfijn 2 Zeil Boot te koop -

I'm intrigued by the offer in the vendor's blurb to convert it into a mini J class.

 

[dom]

35 years in the same ownership is quite a recommendation!

The value or otherwise of this vessel turns on two intriguing sentences:

"Offered at € 160.000, she is ready for some minor works to put her back in original shape.
Alternatively, a complete refit converting her into a mini-J-CLASS could be considered."

 

[Kukri]

I think she is a Class 1 RORC Rule offshore racer. If she were to turn up to Cowes Week she would find good racing amongst other similar boats.

 

[dom]

I think she is a Class 1 RORC Rule offshore racer. If she were to turn up to Cowes Week she would find good racing amongst other similar boats.

'Cowes Week' - Oh yes, I remember that!