A Bridgedecker ,for friday

[John B]

Also up at Peter Brookes yard is Amakura.
This boat is quite interesting, grown a bit like topsy as you see with the added flybridge. she's 50 ft but apparently was extended 3 or 4 ft sometime in her life. She was confiscated and did local patrol duty during WW2, had a machine gun mounted on her bow. She's carvel and at about 1 inch she's fairly lightly built I think.( no experience to judge that, but I know she dropped off a wave on a trip to the south island a couple of years ago and did some some bad rib/frame damage.( all repaired now)

She's up for some TLC and interior work... she's to be rawhiti's mother ship.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p0f933fe76473882b845f0510829e416a/e83f03ca.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pa639c285f681f09a1d9ffa4df7cae5ba/e83f03b3.jpg
Pretty narrow;)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p903c05e5709848fb00b4e2259bdc7c4a/e83f03e2.jpg

[The Bigfella]

That transom extension and flybridge are a bit "average" - and the transom seems to be a replacement- no curve in it - but apart from that, she looks rather nice. What engines John? As for planking - Grantala is 1 1/8" Kauri planked over spotted gum ribs and stringers.

[John B]

Dunno mate, I've told you all I know. The flybridge isn't exactly the most beautifull thing in the world but as its a 'mother ship' to carry the families around while Rawhiti gets raced its sensible. I've drunk beer up there and there's loads of room. ( says the guy hopping out of the Pup tent)

[Lew Barrett]

I think the flybridge thing isn't ther only addition. The rail at the bow (the one following the shear at the pointy end) looks to have been an addition too. Otherwise she looks the part.

[John B]

Like a bulwark? yes ,I think you're right Lew.
It'd be interesting to see a photo of her as she was originally.

[Lew Barrett]

That's a typical hull for her era, and it's a nice form. She should be efficient below hull speed and capable of going faster if she has the horses. I like boats of that era (duh) and you know what I'd do if she were mine.;) Yeah...I'd mount the fifty caliber again....

[John B]

There's a bubble top bridgedecker I just love here ,owned by one of our CYA members . 1950 something but it has that deco kind of wartime look to it. Like a '39 Ford Coupe I reckon.;)

found a pic
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid202/p2df1b2b3e3d3b6ec0ebd102d5ee83191/efcb0220.jpg

[John B]

From Greg , one of the partners in Amakura.
... she's a 1936 Col Wilde bridgedecker - 52 foot long, 14 foot beam (wider than she looks in the photos), displaces about 16 tonnes. Kauri carvel construction. Very solidly built and still in remarkable condition for her age. She has a number of interesting original deco features inside - including the original deco lights and bakerlite switches.

She is powered by two 180hp Ford D series de-tuned to 120hp. Cruises around 9 - 10 knots and 12/13 knot max. Very economical for her size at around 14 lph (combined for both engines).

I'll post a little more on her history when I get a moment - it is quite interesting. She was take over by the Navy as a minesweeper and patrol boat in the second world war and painted in Navy camouflage. She still has her 1940s Navy ensign.

She's having a pretty throrough going over. Back to bare wood below the waterline and repaint, repaint of topsides and re-varnishing of all timberwork, interior repaint and varnish, reconfiguration of the flybridge hard top (particularly those horrible large windows, to make them more sympathetic with the window layout etc below), re-chroming most external hardware, re-doing one of the deck skylights, new floors in the two cabins, new saloon berths/table etc (the originals are long since gone), new berths in one bunkroom, new upholstery, various other joinery work, removal of years' worth of redundant wiring, various bits of re-engineering of drive train etc etc

[Rob Stokes, N. Vancouver]

I'm with Lew - I want to see the machine gun back where it belongs :)

Rob

[The Bigfella]

There was a guy in Sydney a few years back with an old Fairmile (PT boat) who put a replica cannon up front. Cops made him take it off - threatened to arrest him on firearms charges.

John - I hope those guys are ready for a big bill. The chroming of just the bow plate on Grantala was almost a grand. She sounds like she has similar fuel consumption to Grantala. Last time I measured it, I went 13nm and used 18 litres - heaps better than the snot boats get these days.

[Lew Barrett]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid202/p2df1b2b3e3d3b6ec0ebd102d5ee83191/efcb0220.jpg

She's different. I'd like to see another picture, from the side.

Sort of reminds me of Anchor Jensen's approach.

[John B]

I only seem to have this bow shot Lew. I'll have a look in my other pics to see if there's any more.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid202/p94b10adb65bc29113110d7328d1f18fe/efcb02ef.jpg

[John B]

found these while I was looking.. might interest you Lew.
Luani (edit. might be luana,got to be 20's/30's eh
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/p0904bdbb96b430eb523200b2fb73804a/fded8474.jpg

Sobrine... I think she's mid/ late 50's
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/pec9bab1cceadfb0ffd827bd53a62f216/fded8469.jpg

Not bridgedeckers but...

Aumoe circa 1910 ish ( edit.1913)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/p90bd5f5aad4c18686a613e36178d493a/fded8491.jpg

Lady Gay
1920's IIRC ( edit.1934)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid16/p0a8bc8ed4b8413bf531bd7f6f5c4e78d/fded8477.jpg

[Lew Barrett]

Those are nice John! Lady Gay looks to be the world's longest Dreamboat. It can't be easy keeping those boats in tropical waters. Bravo! Luani and Lady Gay both look fabulous. I'm having some difficulty reading Lady Gay's lines.

[John B]

Old thread on Lady Gay;)

http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=17049

[wakatoa]

John on the subject of bridge deckers I would value any advice you could give me on this boat. A chap on hibiscus coast has it on trademe and I'm thinking of having a look at it.
Built 1960, kauri - not sure how many skins and claims there is no rot.
It has twin 140 hp - looks like fords in photo - seems like a lot of power for this size and type of boat - how do you think it would go with twin 70 - 80 hp used at displacement speed only?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a338/Wakatoa/43151590_full.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a338/Wakatoa/43151522_full.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a338/Wakatoa/40908597_full.jpg

[John B]

I don't really know a lot about launches wakatoa, but that has a chine and a very flat run aft.. if they've put that much HP in her they must have planed. I can ask on our CYA site if you like , I'm out on the boat ATM so I'll do it when I get back.

That forward part of cabin( minus all the big saloon part) looks a bit services to me. there are few old naval and airforce boats around. Just a thought.

[IanG]

wakatoa, I have a hard chined 40' Hartley designed and built bridgedecker that cruises easily at 8 knots at 2000 rpm on twin 90 HP Nissan BD30 truck engines, marinised by Chris Moon Engines. At this speed we are just starting to lift the nose so we must be right on our hull speed.

A 34' bridgedecker with twin 140 Hp engines should easily do the 16 knots suggested, I would think.

The same boat should easily cruise at displacement speed with much smaller engines. The secret is to talk to the right people and match the engines, gearboxes and props and this should give you an economical cruising boat. It all depends on the condition of the hull of course.

I repowered Florence Dawn 2 years ago, replacing the original (and very thirsty) 1947 Graymarine Express 244 petrol engines (102 HP) and have never regretted it, having done nearly 300 hours running in 2 seasons.

I will send you a PM with my contact details so you can get in touch if you want to discuss things further.

[wakatoa]

Excellent Ian and thanks, I have replied to your PM. I will try to have a look at this boat when I get back to NZ.