Sea Cadet Boat Advice Please

[HarryFlashman]

Hi, Was fortunate to recently buy this boat. I was on a micro budget so was very happy to find this one. It needs some repairs but all the important bits are very sound - you can tell its very well made. I wonder if anyone could please recognise the maker. It’s a fraction over 16ft long x 6 ft wide and heavy glass. It was a sea cadet boat at St Leonard’s in a previous life, then some body started converting it into a fishing boat. Unfortunately they cut away the sliding center board housing. probably intending to glass the cutaway. Would be interested in replacing the centerboard if possible. As though I will use it with an engine to begin with - love the idea of learning to sail and it has a place for a mast already in the bottom. I have some practical skills and could do it. But could really know with knowing what the centreboard should look like. As my boat knowledge is virtually zero ?

 

[HarryFlashman]

Was thinking to perhaps make a stainless steel sleeve then glass that to the remaining center board housing. But could do with understanding what it should look like and whats going on. So identifying the boat would be handy. Is it an early ASC type - or just a sturdy boat the sea cadets used. I will remove the front and rear additions.

 

[wombat88]

Do you still have the centreboard/plate? I don't know what the boat is but it would be fairly straightforward to build a centreboard case in ply/grp. Bracing it is very important and you can see that they have also removed the centre thwart that would have braced it. Before doing anything I would study relevant dinghy designs and drawings to get an understanding and also try to research the shape and size of the board itself. Has a big impact on balance.

First Google attempt led to this: bosun dinghy drawings - Google Search

There are some interesting wooden projects in the yard it came from, where is it?

 

[sarabande]

Definitely not a Bosun. I sailed them and Alphas as a kid.

You may want to look closely at the foam either side of the centreboard slot. It has a tendency to crumble with age.

However you replace the centreboard slot (I don't think stainless is a normal material for that task) , please check that you extend it well above the waterline to p prevent the 'oggin slopping into the boat.

Proper marine ply should be good, especially if epoxied.

 

[ashtead]

Agreed not heavy enough or bulky enough to be a Bosun. Staple boat of the CCF naval section sailing afternoon used to take a fair bit of bashing in the Solent let alone what the real sailors got up to in them I suspect. If you are interested in the provenance the maybe a posting in the St Leonard’s local gazette might elicit a few memories or say on local radio station . People on Radio Solent certainly have long memories so maybe it’s the same in st Leonard’s? I feel that in might be somewhere with residents somewhat old than your vessel.

 

[wombat88]

I only chose Bosun 'cos it is the first 'straightforward' dinghy I thought of. If the boat had been 14ft one could have pretended it was some sort of stretched grp version of the RNSA dinghy but I don't think they ever came in grp? Can't think of anything 16ft ish.

 

[HarryFlashman]

Ha thank you for your replies. Much appreciated. I had already found the Bosun - that would be too easy It is well built and obviously designed for rowing , it has four rows of seats plus the rudder seat. You can see where the rowlocks holes are. Hard to say how heavy it is - maybe 400 and a bit more kgs. It is considerably heavier than a 16ft Orkney longliner. It has good free board - it is marked on the hull. Unfortunately the original center board has been lost. Typically, will the centerboard have been slid up and down - or will it have hinged on the keel to drop forward in use.
Many Thanks

 

[Romeo]

Is it an ASC (Admiralty Sailing Craft) Dinghy? Looks like it could be. A combined pulling and sailing boat. Designed to take a fair bit of abuse in its stride. Even if not, having a look at the ASC will probably give you the best idea of how a centreboard works in a similar sort of boat. Google image search for ASC dinghy will give you a lot of useful pics.

 

[Wansworth]

Out of interest where did you find it,looks like a graveyard for boats?

 

[Keith 66]

ASC Is the right answer, Often used to train kids to row for which it is just about the worst boat possible being extremely heavy & even slower.
There are usually a few in the Great river race every year from Millwall to Richmond, i can think of no more horrible way to do the 22 miles! Anyone who has rowed it in one of those is a hero!
Would make a good lugger with a standing lug & little mizzen though.

 

[DownWest]

Centre board looks to be pivoted at the fore end. Slot too long for a dagger board.
But Keith seems to have given the answer.

 

[dombuckley]

Afraid that's not an ASC. There were two variants, neither of which had simulated cinker in the topsides, and both of which had substantial handrail-type exterior bilge runnes, in case of capsize. The moulded frames seen supporting the thwarts do not appear in either variant: the older ASC type hull was a single moulding, with the thwarts fitted to a timber stringer on the interior (matched by a rubbing strake on the exterior, while the newer type (introduced around 1980) had a full interior moulding incorprating buoyancy tanks on either side.

Older type:

Newer type

It looks more like the 16' gig, produced (by Heyland, IIRC) in the 70s, but long since discontinued.

It's possible to rebuild the centreplate case, but will need substantial reinforcement, including replacing the missing thwart. Looking at the narrowness of the opening, I would say that the centreboard would almost certainly have been a heavy galvanised steel plate, lifted using a tackle, so the area around the pivot point will need to be particualrly reinforced.

 

[Keith 66]

Dombuckley is correct, i missed the clinker topsides, I would go with the Heyland as well, similar small tanks that the thwart sits on were used on the smaller Heyland Trout, Incidentally the smaller trout sails really well & this bigger boat looks like it would sail much better than an asc!

 

[dombuckley]

Weird. Bits of my pevious post have gone missing since Tuesday. Anyways, here is a replacement pic of a newer ASC, showing the interior moulding:

 

[Romeo]

Unfortunately the original center board has been lost. Typically, will the centerboard have been slid up and down - or will it have hinged on the keel to drop forward in use.

I think can see the pivot point in the keel for the forward corner of the plate in the pic when the boat is on your trailer. The plate will have been galvanised steel I expect pipvoting on a substantial bolt. I had similar in my slightly bigger boat, weight of around 65kg. Shame that a previous owner has taken it out. Wonder if it is lying about in the boat graveyard somewhere.

 

[HarryFlashman]

Many thanks for the thought and kind consideration that has gone into these replies and demystifying the manufacturer Much appreciated.
I asked the yard owner, who was a really helpful gentleman, if the original centerboard was kicking around still, but he couldn't find it. I will try chasing up the owner - but don't hold out much hope, as it has been there for years.
As to the dimensions of the centerboard - if I make a cardboard cutout, to the largest dimensions that will work off the pivot in the keel, lie vertical in the extended position. Then retract back into the hull - will I be on the right lines.
Was going to make a stainless steel sleeve for the housing - secure it to whats remaining of the the original housing - then very heavily glass it in. Plus work out a lifting system. What purpose was the tubular section of the housing - the remains are still visible ?

 

[Romeo]

As to the dimensions of the centerboard - if I make a cardboard cutout, to the largest dimensions that will work off the pivot in the keel, lie vertical in the extended position. Then retract back into the hull - will I be on the right lines.
Was going to make a stainless steel sleeve for the housing - secure it to whats remaining of the the original housing - then very heavily glass it in. Plus work out a lifting system. What purpose was the tubular section of the housing - the remains are still visible ?

Not sure if this pic from the Admiralty Manual will help you much or not. Also not sure what you mean by the tubular section? is that vertical or horizontal? However maybe below will give you an idea of the general layout. It is a bit unfortunate that your previous owner removed the case. If it was me, I would be bashing one together in ply, glassed in at the bottom at least and well braced by 2 thwarts at the top.

 

[HarryFlashman]

Wow that is really helpful. Thank you