Hi

[cooper]

Hi all l have no idea why it has been so hard for me to get onto this forum ?? l have never had problems with the other ones l have joined. Unfortunately my normal log on is sitting in limbo having tried and failed several times to get a confirmation email. The site also says when l tried to change to my normal email address that it already exists !! sigh .....It just doesnt feel right being another "person" . Besides l am known on other boat forums (the only forums l participate in) by my forum name. Maybe there is someone who can help sort my cyber schitzerphrenia out ?!...........Anyway l have a pasion for sailing. Currently have a 30 ft ,40 year old ferro yacht in the Gippsland lakes (east coast of Victoria, Australia) and are building a steel Roberts offshore 38 CC. l am about two thirds of the way there ,and hope to launch somtime next year. Looking forward to sharing info and ideascheersMartin

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Martin,
Welcome aboard!! Good to have you here. Roberts are great designs except the steel and center cockpit part. Just joking.
How's progress?
Kind Regards, JohnL

[cooper]

Hi John Thanks for the greetings. l will try and post some imformation on my project soon. Just been out hunting for bits to suit my steering system. l am pleased to have found a heavy duty 1'' shaft 3;1 right angle gearbox ! (industrial, twice as strong and a third of the price of a marine unit). My steering system is all direct coupled shafts.There is some progress pics of my boat on the metal boat society web page forum. cheersMartin

[emmo]

Hi Martin,
Interested to hear you have a ferro, What kind is it? Good luck on your currrent project, we all need one.

Emmo

[mudnut]

Gday Martin,sounds like ya getting out of the lakes with the Roberts,lets see the pics soon,emmo asks what kind is it.All I got to say is 40yrs old emmo and still going stong(I hope!)Like to see some pics of the FC Martin,ther'e ma favorites.Mudnut.

[cooper]

Hi Emmo and Mudnut Thanks for saying hello ! The ferro boat is a Kan Walker designed "Nut cracker" There where 12 built and where usually fitted out by there owners. They are a very traditional hull shape , clasic wine glass hull with a three quater keel and a fine bow. At 7'6" they are also typically narrow. They have low freeboard at the stern and an unusual rolled coachroof that runs all the way to the gunnels. Although this takes some getting use to, it actually works quite well. Because the boat is a bit light in the ballast department and heels readily, the curve on the coach roof means there is always a "flat" bit. The hull is an amazing 3/8ths inch thick (Not a miss print) Not at all like what you would think a ferro hull would be like. This was achieved by building the boat hull upside down on a timber blank (In much the same way as a fiberglass boat) Wire mesh was pulled down over the mould and then was plastered. The boat weighs in at about 3.5 ton which is pretty light for a boat of that size, even compared to fiberglass. The topsides are timber and ply. Drawing 4'6'' it makes an ideal lakes boat, big enough to make trailer sailers jealous, but shallow enough to get to most places in the lakes system. The interior is like a 1940s train, with polished blackwood and a grey striped leather like vynel, a wonderfull place to read a book when the wind is howling, its pouring with rain, and the boat is straining at the anchor. As an off shore boat it is a bit tender although l gather that one of them went to New Zealand. l am a bit of a sook and am a bit worried about capaigning it in Bass straight. It is for this reason that l am now building my "Big Boat". It will be a sad day when l have to sell her ,but having two mistresses is fun but expensive. Besides it would not be possible to lavish care on both. There is no question in my mind that ferro is a viable and strong material to build boats from. It is a pitty that they never really got a chance to shine. l will try and put some pics of both boats up soon.cheersMartin