Hillyard 2.5 "Zuhra" Any info etc on these boats?

[Even Chance]

Ive just obtained the Hillyard 2.5 "Zuhra", which was built in 1947.
Does anybody have any info on her past lives etc? I got her from Inverness.
She appears to be gaff rigged. Are there any pics of 2.5's under sail with this rig? Should look nice!!

Any other info on these boats? Feed my inquisitive nature please!! Ive seen the association website, and e-mailed them.

This one needs a new deck, and a new mast made. The brand new Yanmar 1gm10 that was in her has been re-located to my old mans Stella to replace the dolphin. Im going to seal the stern tube and fit an outboard motor instead as I have plenty of those kicking around.

The rig is going to take a lot of work. The blocks are all old wooden ones, and they look lovely! Certainly nicer than my E-boats modern ones!

The plan is to do her up over the course of a few years, and sell her on once completed. She is too nice to simply cut her up as was suggested by some family members!

 

[Wansworth]

I had a nice little mashford four tonner which the next but one owner rippped out the inboard and put an outboard on the back,not nice.I suggest fro a little 18 footer a sculling oar!

 

[DanTribe]

Lovely little boats, well worth saving.
As mentioned in a earlier post, I had a similar Johnson & Jago 2.5 tonner.
surprising good sailing performance for a tubby little thing.
But do it for the love, I doubt you'll make a profit or even get your outlay back.

 

[Even Chance]

Lovely little boats, well worth saving.
As mentioned in a earlier post, I had a similar Johnson & Jago 2.5 tonner.
surprising good sailing performance for a tubby little thing.
But do it for the love, I doubt you'll make a profit or even get your outlay back.

Oh, I dont know about outlay. Materials will be begged and borrowed. Marine ply and canvas for the deck has already been sourced! Douglas fir for making a mast has also been sourced and promised. Just have to pick it up and get it milled.
All that will really cost is the paint and fixings/glues etc. As it will be done as you say for the love of it, the costs will be broken up into managable chunks as the work continues, and my time is of course free! I certainly dont plan on spending a lot of cash on it.

I also have a trailer for her, and it needs a little work before placing the boat onto it, which is also cheap and easy. As it is, she sits on a scaffolding pole cradle.

That now brings my current fleet up to 5 boats. I have an old clinker lug yawl sailing dinghy, a lug sailing dinghy I made for my son to learn to sail, my beloved E-Boat, and a wee rib. I dont have the space for any more, and the wife hasnt spoken much to me since telling her about the Hillyard. Ach weel............

 

[Even Chance]

I had a nice little mashford four tonner which the next but one owner rippped out the inboard and put an outboard on the back,not nice.I suggest fro a little 18 footer a sculling oar!

She'll have a nice period Seagull engine mounted onto a genuine Seagull outboard mount on her transom (I have both already!)
I do like the idea of the sculling oar though. Very green and modern!

 

[Wansworth]

She'll have a nice period Seagull engine mounted onto a genuine Seagull outboard mount on her transom (I have both already!)
I do like the idea of the sculling oar though. Very green and modern!

Well......if its a seagull Ill let you off!!!!.......sculling espcially a small boat is very zenny!!!

 

[Even Chance]

Well......if its a seagull Ill let you off!!!!.......sculling espcially a small boat is very zenny!!!

You know, Ive never tried sculling before, but would like to give it a go. My wee clinker dinghy had a notch in the transom, but I gave her a new bum, and didnt cut a new notch out! Maybe some day!

 

[Even Chance]

Heres pics of my Hillyard "Zuhra".
She needs a new mast made up, as the bottom is rotten. (unless I can add a new 3 foot section to the bottom of it??)
Otherwise, she is in good condition.
Im currently finishing restoring my old Mk2 Mini Cooper, and Zuhra has been covered up well to await her restoration when the time and finances allow.
Just dont tell the wife. I now have 5 boats and she aint very happy!!

 

[Seajet]

I knew someone who had a gaff rigged 2,1/2 tonner ( sorry I don't know the boats' number ) - a very pretty boat.

I wouldn't expect the g-force under acceleration to tear your ears off, there's a lot of drag; good luck sculling !

One thing which struck me as worth thoroughly looking at and maybe discreetly improving ( unless the one I saw was non-standard ) was the big removable bridgedeck, which didn't strike me as secure against seas or lowlife.

Incidentally this one had a Yanmar too, yours didn't spend a few years in Portsmouth under a name beginning with 'G' did she ?

I'm out of touch with the owner now but suspect the boat may well have been sold in the last 10 years since I knew her.

As others say, well done on saving a lovely little bit of our sailing heritage !

 

[Even Chance]

The yanmar was a recent addition. Its now in my old mans Stella. I'll use a Seagull for motive power, nae sculling here!
Youre right about the speed though. I dont expect much, especially when my main boat is an E-Boat!
She also needs a new hatch and washboards, as theres just bits of ply kepping the water oot at the moment. I will keep it the original wide style though. It gives a lot more room down below with it open. It was way too bonny to chop up as my old man was suggesting. she doesnt need that much work anyway. I'll have a wee bit of fun doing her up, sail her a few times, and sell her on to someone that will look after her for years yet. She's just a wee bit on the small side for me personally.

 

[Gordonmc]

There are a few 2.5s in Scottish waters.
Porthandbouy of this parish (AKA Mariposa) had one for a while at Rhu but moved on to a Nicholson. He kept the Hillyard in top condition and may be worth contacting.
Another lived at Tarbert Loch Fyne for many years. I used to help her (elderly) owner with some jobs requiring four hands but the boat sat on the market for a long time.
She may have been the 2.5 found drifting and unmanned in the Kilbrandon Sound last year.
From the pics yours looks sound. Points to look out for are the keel bolts, which can be dropped for inspection, the deadwood at the stern and the plank ends at the transom.
Although they are heavy little boats they are among the faster Hillyards proportional to waterline length and better performing than the 8-tonner I used to own.
All of the 2.5s I have come across have been sloops but a gaff rig would make perfect sense. Addition of a 'sprit and a second foresail might make it even more interesting.