Australian Surf Boat

[andrewmct]

I'm slowly making my way toward a beach camping dory for a safe seaworthy pacific coast boat and I had completely forgotton about my quest of a few years ago to find lines for one of those beautiful Australian surf rescue boats from Bondi, etc. There are actually some intersting similarities between them and a large dory. Has anyone ever seen a set of drawings for one? They are very elusive considering they are so popular in Oz.

Thanks
Andrew

[Scot L T]

Not exacrly what you are asking about but a local designer/builder has this in his catalogue. Might be of interest.

http://www.gartsideboats.com/surf_dory.php

[ShagRock]

A surf worthy boat doesn't have to be a traditional dory...just a thought.

[peterAustralia]

I cannot help you with the lines you seek.

I am in Australia, and based on that I would say this. The surf boats are good at what they do. They are designed for a crew of five, four rowers and a an oarsman who steers. Going back to the beach the crew often adjusts their position on the boat for better control when going down waves.Am not sure a one person boat would be best suitable for these lines. There was a surf boat inspired design on duckworks a while back.

Is the boat you seek for one person, a sailing camping boat? The one that comes to mind to be ideal is a swampscott dory. If decked over at ends could be most suitable. Rig is generally a sprit rig. At a guess, ideal size to be 16ft x 4'8"

I sketched a one person outrigger canoe for camp cruising, designed to be broken into 2 parts so as to facilitate getting the boat up above the high tide mark. If you are interested let me know in (this thread OK)

best of luck

[WX]

[WX]

http://www.users.bigpond.com/archerw/surfboat.htm

http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=16809
This is from this site.

[skuthorp]

This is a replica of Tom Thumb II, a 'beaching boat' of the type being built in the Sydney area and used by Matthew Flinders to explore a great deal of the east and sth east coast of Aus circa 1800.


Tom Thumb I was a much smaller, bluff-bowed craft with a small high-set transom. Only 6 ft long.

[andrewmct]

I'm not actually planning on building a surf boat for beach camping. I have settled on a dory for this (partly because I love the look and becuause of its easy build) I was really just interested in the Australian surf boats after visiting Australia for a wedding. There used to be a store called Gowings. There was a model boat shop in one of the Sydney Suburb Gowings and the owner said he would send me plans (lines) for the surf boat. Gowings went belly up and that was that. I have never been able to find any plans for these boats. I have many pictures, though. I always wondered how these boats would do with an outboard well as a travelling boat.

[peter radclyffe]

how do they compare with a u s c g surf boat, anyone have pictures

[Sayla]

Re: surfboats - I always remember a film of the Queen, visiting at a surf carnival in 1954 at Bondi, and while watching the surfboat races the surf got bigger and bigger - from memory it looked about 10', solid, and boats were making it (just) - the Queen and the royal entourage stayed about three-quarters of an hour longer than their schedule. There's an old newsreel of it - I'd be keen to see it again.

[riverat]

That drawing shown by WX is a "Boyd" boat designed and built by Claude Boyd who lived on the Sunshine Coast and built at Beerwah. He may be gone now but it would pay to ask around the Maroochydore S.L.club. I know where there are two of his boats in a yard right now. If you search around "duckworks" site there is one shown down Moreton Bay with outrigger and large O/B mounted.

[The Bigfella]

One of the lurkers on the forum, Bazza, used to build those surf boats... out of Aussie Red Cedar and IIRC, Silver Beech (used as an accent colour). He's in NZeddie on holidays at present... I'll see if I can remember to ask him when he's back in a week or so. He rang me the other day to tell me about the big old 'merican ahhnn bandsaw at the place he was staying... 36" throat.

[PeterSibley]

That drawing shown by WX is a "Boyd" boat designed and built by Claude Boyd who lived on the Sunshine Coast and built at Beerwah. He may be gone now but it would pay to ask around the Maroochydore S.L.club. I know where there are two of his boats in a yard right now. If you search around "duckworks" site there is one shown down Moreton Bay with outrigger and large O/B mounted.

That bloke worked at Pelican Slipway and came over each morning from Macleay Island , Bruce something ?

[Typhoon]

Surf boats won't work well short handed. They need all of those guys as ballast all the way aft coming down waves, or that forefoot digs in and they spear off everywhere. They do have nice flat sections midships though and tremendous reserve stability like a dory due to the huge topsides flare.
I toyed with buying one and putting an outboard well about 2/3 aft.
For running bars and surf, I'd want something with less forefoot for sure.

Regards, Andrew.

[Peerie Maa]

This type might do you Sea Bright Skiff
The can be handled by one ot two.

[keyhavenpotterer]

Pete Culler's 16'8" Race Point surf boat might suit. Details and pictures in his book,"Pete Culler on Wooden Boats".

Brian