Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
Paul Mullings found this nicely restored sweet little New Zealand mullet boat for sale on an auction website. Made from kauri, it dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, has a centreboard and an overhauled Watermota engine with a feathering prop. The auction ends on the 26th, if you’re down there and in the market for something that’s a small but perfectly formed piece of sailing history…
Thanks Paul!
Spindrift
Phil Smith, who recently sent us a fascinating report of his experiences sailing a converted airborne lifeboat, has written for us again.
This time his story is about Spindrift, a fifer-style boat built from kauri in New Zealand. Phil and partner Susie owned her for a while and, just as he did with airborne lifeboat, Phil makes this boat sound very desirable as well as interesting.
For the record, Spindrift measures 30ft (9.14m) loa including bowsprit, 27ft on deck, 10ft in beam, has a draft of 4ft and displaces 5.3 tons.
‘While wandering the piers at Tauranga Marina, New Zealand, about 20 years ago my attention was drawn to a white motor sailer. At first glance she looked odd: like a 42 footer with 15 feet sawn out of the middle and the ends stuck together. She had very high topsides, and a surprising amount of sheer put the stemhead almost 6ft above the waterline. Continue reading “Spindrift, a Scotish fifer-style boat built in New Zealand”