Help! Does anyone know what this boat is?

[Trevor57]

Hi folks,
This is my first mailing so I hope I don’t step on too many toes.
I bought this boat last week and intend to get her back into good sailing condition over the winter.
I’d love to know a bit more about her.

All I know so far is she’s 14’8” OA, about 12’1”waterline and 5’ beam. Name: Cygnet.
She’s simulated clinker GRP construction with a heavy steel plate.
I’ve never seen a boat quite like this before, a double-ender but with truncated (wine-glass?) ends and neat little pram dinghy style transoms fore and aft. She’s definitely got a Scandinavian air about her.
She’s so stable I can jump up and down on the gunwhales with the plate down, and she goes like a rocket before my old asthmatic 2hp Mariner. It never pushes the inflatable along like that!
The only clue to a previous life is the name 'H.N.Martin. Axe Y.C' scratched onto one of the spars.
I’ve emailed the Axe Y.C. and hope they can add a little more.

She came to me with a most unsuitable gaff rig, but I saw an old photo of her from the seller with a standing lug rig that looked much better.
I’ve looked around at various options for a replacement rig and so far a Dabber mainsail is favourite.
Measurements are 42 ½” from the centre of the mast heel to the centre of the plate. Mast height 14’6”.
Back of fag packet calculations suggest I should get a balanced helm under the Dabber main and be able to make a reasonable sheeting angle within my scope for adjustments.
If any one would loan or sell an old DD sail at an affordable price so I can give this a try before I buy a new one, I would be eternally grateful, otherwise I may have to go down the polytarp route!

Please , please, please, If you recognise this boat, know anything about her type or have an old Dabber mainsail going cheap, please let me know.

Trevor.

 

[old_salt]

I think a TV program series on boat building using a similar design was on some time ago.
The guys name doing the prog was Devon boat builder Anton Fitzpatrick constructs a clinker boat.
This link may help you.:-http://movie-tv-episode-database.com/Documentary/Dreamboats-54435/
also here:-http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1632396

 

[DownWest]

Quite some time ago Anton Fitzpatrick was building an Oughtred Elf on TV. Your boat is not an Elf. In actual fact the boat was not finished and is now for sale.
I look at quite a lot of similar boats and have never seen one like it. Best wait for the reply to your e-mail from Y C.
A
( Couldn't access the link to the show)

 

[Humblebee]

Unidentified boat

Looks a bit like one of Ian Oughtred's designs to me. His are usually clinker ply construction though.

 

[Trevor57]

I've gone through Ian Oughtred's designs and also Selway Fisher and I'm pretty sure it's neither of these.
I presume if someone's gone to the trouble of making a mould there must be more than one of her type.
She must have some sisters out there somewhere.....?
Or did Cygnet turn out to be such an Ugly Duckling that no one would build a second one?
T.

 

[maxi77]

I think to determine the required bouyancy you have first to decide what you need to achives after a capsize etc. You would normally I would expect want to ensure the top of the centreboard case is above the water level so that you can bail out. There are a fair range of dinghy bouyancy bags which are simple inflatable shapes which aare a quick fix, but where possible fixed built in bouyancy is to be prefered. Many dinghies have glassed in plywood tanks whic work pretty well, or many of pre WW2 dinghies had metal tanks strapped in place, those in the old RNSA being made from copper by dockyard apprentices.

 

[Trevor57]

Thanks Peter,
I guess you've been looking at my other thread too.
Yes keeping the top of the centreboard case above the water is my minimum requirement, but I'm begining to think I may be able to do better than that.

The current plan is to build a watertight false floor around an inch or so above the normal waterline. This should provide sufficent basic buoyancy and not be too intrusive. I estimate the floor level will only raise about 1 to 2 inches above its current position. I'll glass in bearers on top of the existing frames and a flange around the edge so I can screw down epoxy sheathed ply boards onto rubber or mastic seals. I'll add some insection hatches so I can keep an eye on any leaks and give it an airing from time to time.

Another nice idea that I'll incorperate if I can is to put an inspetion hatch between the cockpit and the outboard well, this can be removed to clear the bulk of any flooding quickly.

The next consideration is stability when swamped. There's little point having enough buoyancy if the boat is so unstable she's taking in water with each roll. The plan here is to keep the existing tanks under each side bench and also to glass a ply bulkhead into the bow and make the stern locker watertight. Together with the steel plate and the internal ballast (which I only discovered this weekend after the old floor had been removed), may even give me a degeree of self righting. How much I won't know until the work is done and I can make some trials.

If this all goes as planned I should have a most seaworthy little craft that still keeps her traditional workboat looks, well at least from a few yards away, and then the adventures can begin.

P.S. I'm still on the lookout for a suitable sail, and also any information or history of Cygnet and her ilk.
T.

 

[DownWest]

For the sail, get 'the sailmaker's apprentice' (amazon) Great fun doing your own. Your self bailing ideas sound practicle. Lots more work, but side decks and the bouancy up to them might be a consideration. My Oughtred boat is great, but it is easy to take some water over the side if the odd tactic goes wrong.... Got a very wet T-shirt.
Andrew

The history would be interesting, it is almost as if they discovered there was a tax on boats over a certain length....and cut the ends off. Marina fees??
A