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Post by chariot on Aug 11, 2022 9:14:23 GMT 12
Had a winter series race where we had to go around the Siters down the bottom end. Fresh easterly blowing and I'm up the bow clipping the Kite gear on oblivious to the fact that we had cut the corner a bit tight. Crew still on the rail waiting for the impact while watching the rocks slide by beneath.
Thankfully we didn't hit but they were all laughing afterwards saying they were waiting for me to be catapulted off the bow. That was in a Pine Harbour winter series.
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Post by ComfortZone on Aug 11, 2022 10:53:28 GMT 12
PS, everyone knows Bo Birdsall was NZ's best designer. I see in a recent Boating NZ article there is another Birdsall with a Townson like cabin - Focal Point. Arethusa is now based at Sandspit, i have raced on her a couple of times. Quick boat but all the deck gear was mostly original and there were often breakages |
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Post by fish on Aug 17, 2022 11:40:10 GMT 12
PS, everyone knows Bo Birdsall was NZ's best designer. I see in a recent Boating NZ article there is another Birdsall with a Townson like cabin - Focal Point. Arethusa is now based at Sandspit, i have raced on her a couple of times. Quick boat but all the deck gear was mostly original and there were often breakages Hay CZ, which month was that BNZ article? I've been trying to find it. Focal Point is a sister ship of Charlatan. They were built at the same time in Kerikeri, and their owner/builders collaborated on everything. We've owned Charlatan for 23 yrs now, I think it was about that long before Focal Point came on the market too. Can't be bad boats if people hold onto them that long ;-) Both 'Rhubarbs'. Focal Point was on the market not that long ago (1 or 2 yrs ago). Was listed by 36degrees brokers when the owner traded up to a bigger boat via them. Didn't stay on the market long. Broker said it sold quickly. I never found out what the sale price was. I think Arethusa has had an extensive racing history. Was it Arethusa or another Birdsall that did a RNI? It was Welly based, and I went and spoke to the owners when they were in town. Might have been Midnight something. Probably my favourite racing Birdsall is Pteroductyl. Grey, completely striped out inside. Looks lean and fast (and light, according to their PHRF certificate) Looks very much like a sister ship to Charlatan, i.e. a Rhubarb. Is listed as 39ft though instead of 37ft. Possibly an extended transom, which would suit Charlatan also. I think she is in Whitianga now racing against Deep Purple on occasion. |
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Post by ComfortZone on Aug 17, 2022 12:12:12 GMT 12
I see in a recent Boating NZ article there is another Birdsall with a Townson like cabin - Focal Point. Arethusa is now based at Sandspit, i have raced on her a couple of times. Quick boat but all the deck gear was mostly original and there were often breakages Hay CZ, which month was that BNZ article? I've been trying to find it. Focal Point is a sister ship of Charlatan. They were built at the same time in Kerikeri, and their owner/builders collaborated on everything. We've owned Charlatan for 23 yrs now, I think it was about that long before Focal Point came on the market too. Can't be bad boats if people hold onto them that long ;-) Both 'Rhubarbs'. Focal Point was on the market not that long ago (1 or 2 yrs ago). Was listed by 36degrees brokers when the owner traded up to a bigger boat via them. Didn't stay on the market long. Broker said it sold quickly. I never found out what the sale price was. I think Arethusa has had an extensive racing history. Was it Arethusa or another Birdsall that did a RNI? It was Welly based, and I went and spoke to the owners when they were in town. Might have been Midnight something. Probably my favourite racing Birdsall is Pteroductyl. Grey, completely striped out inside. Looks lean and fast (and light, according to their PHRF certificate) Looks very much like a sister ship to Charlatan, i.e. a Rhubarb. Is listed as 39ft though instead of 37ft. Possibly an extended transom, which would suit Charlatan also. I think she is in Whitianga now racing against Deep Purple on occasion. Hi Fish, Focal Point is mentioned, with photo, in the write up on Neil Gillard BNZ April 2022 issue page 116. Can't find a link to the article, can scan and email it to you if you like. I remember Rhubarb, dreadful green colour with a boxy short cabin top. Arethusa raced the RNI during the period of George Knightly's long term ownership, he raced her in just about every event there was, may have done Suva and Noumea as well. Kailani was I think a sister ship with Ponsonby Express and Midnight Express being later derivatives. I also remember Pterodactyl, reminded me of a big Gulf 30. What happened to Magic, the centreboarder Beau built for himself in the early 70's? I knew Cameron Birdsall at Uni, sadly lost with 5 others, all young, in the Lionheart tragedy BNZ had a feature on Beau some years ago, will have a look thru my back copies and see if I can find it. Ed -See BNZ March 2011. I see Gunsmoke is also listed as a Rhubarb derivative |
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Post by ComfortZone on Aug 17, 2022 12:27:27 GMT 12
Rhubarb, picture from Gary Baigent's book "Light Brigade"  |
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Post by fish on Aug 17, 2022 12:31:35 GMT 12
Ahh,
Midnight Express was the boat I was thinking of that did the RNI. So Arethusa did an RNI also. Must be good boats ;-)
I've met Beau's daughter before, in a professional capacity. Can't actually remember her name right now. She certainly viewed a strong link between all of the sailing and Beau dieing of skin cancer...
I'm not familiar with magic.
Neil Gillard built Focal Point didn't he? I've heard his name regularly. My father has kept in touch with the builder / original owner of Charlatan. He came racing with us at BoI race week one year.
I'd be keen to see the article. I'll PM my email.
I found info on the Birdsall article, but not the article itself. If you have a copy of that I would be very greatfull. BNZ March 2011, page 126-129.
Funny how when you mention rhubarb, everyone comments on the awful colour scheme, or the yellow dinghy called custard.
Contributor: John Macfarlane
Subjects/Genres: Birdsall, Bowden (Bowden 'Beau', 1936-1997); Yacht designers; Yachts
Is Part Of: Boating New Zealand, Mar 2011; p.126-129
Description: Tells the story of the Auckland yacht designer and the craft he built and designed, from his first plywood keeler 'Ondine' to the admired 'Rhubarb'.
Publication Date: 2011
Identifier: ISSN0113-0838
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Post by ComfortZone on Aug 17, 2022 13:18:07 GMT 12
Ahh, Midnight Express was the boat I was thinking of that did the RNI. So Arethusa did an RNI also. Must be good boats ;-) I've met Beau's daughter before, in a professional capacity. Can't actually remember her name right now. She certainly viewed a strong link between all of the sailing and Beau dieing of skin cancer... I'm not familiar with magic. Neil Gillard built Focal Point didn't he? I've heard his name regularly. My father has kept in touch with the builder / original owner of Charlatan. He came racing with us at BoI race week one year. I'd be keen to see the article. I'll PM my email. Will scan both articles for you, plus I have the writeup on Magic, she was basically a 38' Mullety! It was interesting how Beau evolved from designing lightweight timber yachts to, I guess in the 80's, to design those long slim steel cruisers, 15-20m, several built by a guy in Whakatane - met him a few years ago when he bought a prop off me. He also designed some steel trawler type launches, 2 of which were built by farmer turned boat builder John Ross, Contraband for himself and Hobbitt for a customer. (my cousin was John's neighbour and did all his wiring). Contraband under Alistair Hutcheson's ownership rode out Cyclone Winston in the bay outside Savusavu, talking to him about the experience he said the cyclone topped out around 150kts and they just slowly steamed around the bay keeping into the seas. He said in spite of all hatches, ports and doors being dogged down water got in everywhere, but the big Gardner never missed a beat. |
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Post by ComfortZone on Aug 17, 2022 20:49:25 GMT 12
the Birdsall designed Magic, way (maybe too far) ahead of her time when launched in Auckland circa 1971    her fitout, which was quite representative for her era would be regarded as positively austere compared to current boats Looking back on NZ yacht design, it is surprising that centreboarders and multihulls were not far more popular as they are ideally suited to the mostly shallow bays in the gulf |
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Post by em on Aug 17, 2022 21:53:02 GMT 12
the Birdsall designed Magic, way (maybe too far) ahead of her time when launched in Auckland circa 1971 View AttachmentView AttachmentView Attachmenther fitout, which was quite representative for her era would be regarded as positively austere compared to current boats Looking back on NZ yacht design, it is surprising that centreboarders and multihulls were not far more popular as they are ideally suited to the mostly shallow bays in the gulf That’s a really cool boat , love the retro interior . One of my ex girlfriends father owned a birdsall a bit a of chunky caravan type . It got stolen by the con couple from Qtown and they sailed it to Sydney and we’re received by the Australian police on arrival . Raced on it a few times out of KKC and it went very well for the kind of boat it was . Did a couple of weekends on it too , really great cruising boat . Cant remember the name of the damn thing |
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Post by ComfortZone on Aug 18, 2022 17:24:32 GMT 12
the, sadly short lived, Birdsall designed Ponsonby Express    re-reading the article, she was very lightly built for her size. Not what I would look for in a yacht to go offshore. She disappeared returning from the '79 Lautoka Race, no trace ever found. Speculation was there may have been an explosion from LPG or her petrol auxiliary. |
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Post by GO30 on Aug 19, 2022 14:43:04 GMT 12
Hay CZ, which month was that BNZ article? I've been trying to find it. Focal Point is a sister ship of Charlatan. They were built at the same time in Kerikeri, and their owner/builders collaborated on everything. We've owned Charlatan for 23 yrs now, I think it was about that long before Focal Point came on the market too. Can't be bad boats if people hold onto them that long ;-) Both 'Rhubarbs'. Focal Point was on the market not that long ago (1 or 2 yrs ago). Was listed by 36degrees brokers when the owner traded up to a bigger boat via them. Didn't stay on the market long. Broker said it sold quickly. I never found out what the sale price was. I think Arethusa has had an extensive racing history. Was it Arethusa or another Birdsall that did a RNI? It was Welly based, and I went and spoke to the owners when they were in town. Might have been Midnight something. Probably my favourite racing Birdsall is Pteroductyl. Grey, completely striped out inside. Looks lean and fast (and light, according to their PHRF certificate) Looks very much like a sister ship to Charlatan, i.e. a Rhubarb. Is listed as 39ft though instead of 37ft. Possibly an extended transom, which would suit Charlatan also. I think she is in Whitianga now racing against Deep Purple on occasion. I was there the day Rhubarb was launched, Beau and the old man were mates. Bit hazy but I remember the purple bulkhead, yellow dingy and lots of gin.
The old man build a Gulf 30. A saw it a few years back painted all orange, it looked atrocious, seriously so.
I sailed on Jakes boat a little when I lived above the WBC, Mazurka (while a huge spelling warning), where does she fit into the scheme of Beau boats? Any idea where she is today?
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Post by ComfortZone on Aug 19, 2022 15:20:42 GMT 12
I was there the day Rhubarb was launched, Beau and the old man were mates. Bit hazy but I remember the purple bulkhead, yellow dingy and lots of gin.
The old man build a Gulf 30. A saw it a few years back painted all orange, it looked atrocious, seriously so.
I sailed on Jakes boat a little when I lived above the WBC, Mazurka (while a huge spelling warning), where does she fit into the scheme of Beau boats? Any idea where she is today?
you even got the spelling right  , one of 72 Birdsall's on the register. No indication of her lineage though Mazurka Sail number 4824 Boat type Keelboat Designer B Birdsall Builder Jake Jacobsen Registration Registered Owner Phil Hodgson |
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, one of 72 Birdsall's on the register. No indication of her lineage though