Classic Tullio Abbate - too far gone?

[Time Out]

I pass this abandoned classic often when I am out walking, it will be removed by the EA at some point and I have registered my interest...

Too far gone? I could leave it in my inlaw's field and tinker with it as and when over a number of years?

At least I wouldn't have to strip it out

Quite how it ended up on the non-tidal River Thames is another mystery!

Rather than a couple of new engines, I could modify the transom and install a decent electric motor....yes that's a serious suggestion.

I appreciate this probably lives in the PBO forum but it is a classic mobo, well in my eyes anyhow.

Thoughts?

 

[Portofino]

Go for it sounds good.
It’s in the sporty hull , deep V chapter .Welcome.
A river speeds + EV it will be fine .

Nay say do ers ? Wonder how many you will get ?

 

[penfold]

Ideal recipient of a tesla drive train and battery. Small but non-zero risk of fireworks would just add to the frisson of italian excitement.

 

[ST840]

Go for it sounds good.
It’s in the sporty hull , deep V chapter .Welcome.
A river speeds + EV it will be fine .

Nay say do ers ? Wonder how many you will get ?
View attachment 150101

Mmmmmmmnnnn MV Augusta .........

 

[MapisM]

Rather than a couple of new engines, I could modify the transom and install a decent electric motor....yes that's a serious suggestion.

You could, but it would be an outrage.
That boat is what my old Lake Como neighbor Tullio (RIP) called "Offshore 36".
Now, unfortunately this particular one appears to be one of those that he built for the most cheapskate among his customers, who couldn't afford (or were unable to appreciate) the real thing, which was a very different and quite remarkable animal.
In fact, at the transom there isn't the extension meant to support straight surface shafts, mated to BPM carburetted petrol engines.
Actually, I think the Offshore 36 was built in higher numbers with plain vanilla outdrives (and Merc engines, IIRC) like the one you spotted, for obvious cost reasons.
But if you wish to get an idea of what this boat was originally intended to be, feast your eyes on this one.
BTW, that also explains better than a thousand words why I called your idea of an electric powerplant an outrage!

 

[stelican]

Lovely. Does it still have the drives as it is floating.

 

[Time Out]

You could, but it would be an outrage.
That boat is what my old Lake Como neighbor Tullio (RIP) called "Offshore 36".
Now, unfortunately this particular one appears to be one of those that he built for the most cheapskate among his customers, who couldn't afford (or were unable to appreciate) the real thing, which was a very different and quite remarkable animal.
In fact, at the transom there isn't the extension meant to support straight surface shafts, mated to BPM carburetted petrol engines.
Actually, I think the Offshore 36 was built in higher numbers with plain vanilla outdrives (and Merc engines, IIRC) like the one you spotted, for obvious cost reasons.
But if you wish to get an idea of what this boat was originally intended to be, feast your eyes on this one.
BTW, that also explains better than a thousand words why I called your idea of an electric powerplant an outrage!

Don’t worry I’m very familiar with the brand and yes it would be a crime to put an electric motor in.

BUT it’s rotting on the non tidal Thames and will be removed and crushed before long. The outdrives have long since been removed as have the engines and it’s only the water in the bow that saves the two huge holes in the transom from slipping beneath the surface and sinking it.

I have zero idea how it ended up outside of it’s natural’ habitat!

Surely it’s better to save the old girl and pootle up and down the Thames under electric power vs the scrap heap.

Or I could continue my search into a Riva Bertram 25 and bring that back here instead. But that really would be a crime not allowing those crusaders to push it faster than 5 knots!

A recently restored one called MOWGLI keeps catching my eye, probably work out cheaper!

 

[Seastoke]

I here Bouba has a spare tesla unit going cheap.

 

[penfold]

You could, but it would be an outrage.
That boat is what my old Lake Como neighbor Tullio (RIP) called "Offshore 36".
Now, unfortunately this particular one appears to be one of those that he built for the most cheapskate among his customers, who couldn't afford (or were unable to appreciate) the real thing, which was a very different and quite remarkable animal.
In fact, at the transom there isn't the extension meant to support straight surface shafts, mated to BPM carburetted petrol engines.
Actually, I think the Offshore 36 was built in higher numbers with plain vanilla outdrives (and Merc engines, IIRC) like the one you spotted, for obvious cost reasons.
But if you wish to get an idea of what this boat was originally intended to be, feast your eyes on this one.
BTW, that also explains better than a thousand words why I called your idea of an electric powerplant an outrage!

Expensive boat anchors, grandad; a pair of Tesla motors and a Type S battery pack would weigh about the same as the dinosaur burners and full tanks of fuel. Worth doing it just for the howls of outrage. The fact electric drive will not care about pootling for hours at <5kts and the endurance at that speed would be of the order of 24+hrs is a bonus.

 

[MapisM]

Surely it’s better to save the old girl and pootle up and down the Thames under electric power vs the scrap heap.

I see your point, but be aware that at displacement speed and/or at anchor, regardless of the powerplant, these hulls are quite simply awful.
I mean, any long and narrrow deep V hull is a perfect recipe for an awfully unstable boat, at anything below a solid planing speed.
Just as an example, one of my old lake toys has been the so-called "Sea Star 22" of the very same builder.
Obviously smaller than this, but designed exactly with the same approach, and she only started to cruise acceptably north of 20 knots or so.
Up to max displacement speed (around 7 knots), she was a proper PITA, constantly rolling like a pig, even in dead calm conditions.
And in the transition from D to P speed, she was even worse, because on top of rolling almost as much as at D speed, she ran with the bow pointing to the sky, up to almost 20 kts.
Eventually coming into her own, with a decent angle of attack and an (almost) acceptable roll, only above 30!
I would expect this boat, even if larger, to behave similarly.

 

[Time Out]

Sounds as if I will let her be scrapped. Such a waste of a classic ( well of sorts) sports boat.

I shall stick to my Marex Duckie until I’m daft enough to buy the Riva !

 

[Fishtigua]

There's still a few on the market.

Bruno Abbate Primatist 41, 45.000 € | iNautia.com

 

[penfold]

True enough deep V don't have an excess of form stability, but the object of the OP's desire weighs 6 tonnes; even with an unstable form that isn't going to wobble like a weeble unless you mess up the metacentric height.

 

[Scarron]

Go on, please rescue it. I am looking forward to the rebuild thread, much more interesting than speccing a brand new boat from the factory, page after page of choosing curtains and cushions, yawn. ;-)

 

[MapisM]

Scarron, I guess you must have missed jfm build threads, related to speccing brand new boats.
Not that the guy is shy to discuss also scattered cushions (the more the better! ), but the depth and variety of technical matters that he's used to discuss with boatbuilders would put the difficulties in rebuilding completely anything ever built by Abbate to shame.
That said, I would also follow a rebuild thread of this thing with interest!

 

[MapisM]

There's still a few on the market.
Bruno Abbate Primatist 41, 45.000 € | iNautia.com

That's actually a different builder.
Tullio and Bruno (RIP to both) were brothers, but they always designed and built their boats separately.
Each with their pros and cons obviously - and personally, even if I only had one small Abbate boat which was built by Tullio, if given a choice generally speaking I tend to prefer Bruno's boats.
Not that this has any relevance vs. the OP project. Just saying!

 

[Time Out]

Well, I took another look at it today and had a mild rummage around, it's too far gone for me, I simply wouldn't be able to dedicate the time to such a project if I wanted it back in showroom condition.

I do enjoy a new build thread on here, although I'm fortunate enough to visit most major shipyards as part of my role so get my fix first-hand, before any sign of a cushion!

I shall stick to my perfectly serviceable and purpose-built day boat for the Thames that is already in showroom condition! until of course, I set eyes on another Riva Bertram..

But if anyone does fancy picking this project up I can put you in touch with the nice chap at the EA who would love to see it gone..

But thanks for your first-hand knowledge @MapisM iv already had a good look at the history based on your feedback, very much appreciated.

 

[tico]

There is a Tulio/Bruno Abbate that has been around Milford Haven for a while - Looks as if it's doing 50kts when stationary!
Unfortunately it needs a lot of TLC and last time i saw it , someone had committed the sin of fixing 2x 300hp outboards to the transom.
will try to get pics next time i'm down there.

 

[Fishtigua]

That's actually a different builder.
Tullio and Bruno (RIP to both) were brothers, but they always designed and built their boats separately.
Each with their pros and cons obviously - and personally, even if I only had one small Abbate boat which was built by Tullio, if given a choice generally speaking I tend to prefer Bruno's boats.
Not that this has any relevance vs. the OP project. Just saying!

MM, if you look at the top of the Ad, both brothers are covered.
Cheers, Fish

 

[penfold]

Well, I took another look at it today and had a mild rummage around, it's too far gone for me, I simply wouldn't be able to dedicate the time to such a project if I wanted it back in showroom condition.

I do enjoy a new build thread on here, although I'm fortunate enough to visit most major shipyards as part of my role so get my fix first-hand, before any sign of a cushion!

I shall stick to my perfectly serviceable and purpose-built day boat for the Thames that is already in showroom condition! until of course, I set eyes on another Riva Bertram..

But if anyone does fancy picking this project up I can put you in touch with the nice chap at the EA who would love to see it gone..

But thanks for your first-hand knowledge @MapisM iv already had a good look at the history based on your feedback, very much appreciated.

Fair enough, but sitting in your inlaw's field seems like a fine place for it to decay elegantly if the alternative is a digger's bucket and a skip.