New Zealand Built Classe 950

[Brett Bakewell-White 0]

There is a very talented young boatbuilder who has been looking to build a relatively low cost boat that suits the New Zealand architypal requirement of racing with some cruising and that can be attractive to the shorthanded sailor given that regular crew is often quoted as a problem for getting out racing. The shorthanded aspect also fits well with the time honoured Christmas cruise for the family.

 

An ability to race within a class is attractive but a very difficult thing to achieve in isolation and so he has looked around at possible rules that might suit the Kiwi yachtie. Most international classes are grand prix oriented and relatively expensive and many are not that quick for their size. Conversly the production cruisers are not performance oriented enough for many of us that enjoy sailing.

 

Tim has determined that the Classe 950 potentially fulfills many of the requirements for his project and already has a strict set of rules that are largely designed to cap expenditure by limiting materials and features like canting keels. All boats are expensive but Tim is looking to ways to minimise the cost for those interested in getting a boat and is prepared to offer boats from hull and decks only right through to a completed boat.

 

Negotiations are underway for the building of the first boat to be built and campaigned by a client who initially came to us about a new Mini 650.

[w44vi 17]

any estimates on costs

[Brett Bakewell-White 0]

Nobody is pretending that any new yacht will be cheap but everything is being done to make the boat as acheivable as possible for a wide range of Kiwis whilst maintaining a boat that potentially is fully competitive within the Classe 950 fleet.

 

Anybody interested in discussing the project, including costs, should contact Tim Lynch-Blosse of Comp Yachts Ltd.

comp.yachts01@gmail.com

http://www.comp-yachts.co.nz

 

Tim has a great deal of experience working on some very high profile and high tech composite yachts - see more on his website.

[Brett Bakewell-White 0]

One of several General Arrangements that we have been working through with Tim - this more cruisey than some.

 

The plan at this stage will be to create kitset interiors/structure as much as possible so that all of the difficult stuff can be simplified for the more practical to complete much of the boatbuilding themselves if desired.

[Guest]

Wow. Nice work guys.

 

Offshore Weapon/Cruiser.

[SloopJohnB 322]

Very nice looking boat Brett.

 

Like the forward sprayrail.

[Brett Bakewell-White 0]

Thanks. I have to say that I was a little dubious about how it might look as the rule forces some fairly extreme proportions to maximise performance from the water ballast etc. but I feel that the end result is pretty nice even with the chines aft and spray strake forward.

 

Tim is pretty determined to make this happen and is very realistic. We have talked about the difficulties of establishing a class - I know from experience! - and his first goal is 5 boats.

 

The proposed cockpit works well for sailing and will also be a very comfortable bar in a quiet bay somewhere.

 

Simplicity has been the objective in an effort to control cost, except where it is vital for performance and we have not compromised here. It is envisaged that each owner will have the ability to tailor the level of fitout and equipment to suit their particular budget and performance asperations - this should work so long as the basic package is correct.

 

Assisted boatbuilding by the owner if you like.

[Murky 1]

The plan at this stage will be to create kitset interiors/structure as much as possible so that all of the difficult stuff can be simplified for the more practical to complete much of the boatbuilding themselves if desired.

Think this is very smart - tasks like fitting bulkheads and joinery can soak up a lot of time and drive us amateurs to despair/loss of confidence when the reality is that we otherwise have most of the skills* to get a boat into the water. If you can start to get it looking like a boat in a reasonable period of time, it is a lot easier to keep up the enthusiasm.

 

* Thinking particularly here of thousands of hours of sanding.

[Brett Bakewell-White 0]

I am slightly disturbed at how polite people are being on this site at the moment!

 

I received a PM from Sloop John B pointing out an error in my drawings but not wanting to do so publicly! It was nice to receive such courtesy, so I thank him for that.

 

It illustrates the danger of working late and trying to decifer rules written in pidgeon English whilst then misreading the obvious!

 

For your interest the boom is a little longer than allowed under the classe 950 rule and so this will be revised accordingly.

[Guest]

Ahh Piss off. (feel better now )

 

As you know we tried very hard to get the minis happening here, eventually money was the issue. We just couldn't get it cheap enough.

 

Possibly this will get further as it has a second use for (basic) cruising. It would be pretty hard to convince the family that the mini was also a family cruiser. Hence maybe some people will take the jump in price.

 

Good Luck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

The Mini project is a little different Squid. They are a purpose build race yacht with even less ability to cruise than a Piedy. They are an enthusiasts but quite one dimensional or single purpose boat.

 

A 950 is basically a 21st century 930, 88 or 1020 sort of thing that you can race hard out in yet chuck a few sadder sails and a portable fridge back on and take Mum and the kids away for a couple of weeks at Xmas with some level of room and comfort. And they are obviously far better looking than 1020's or 88's

 

A 950 is far far more versatile so it'll have a lot wider appeal than a Mini. Also being bigger it wouldn't spook so many. The number of people who have said 'Feck a 21fter in the AKL-Fiji' is large. They would do it in a 30 something though.

 

The C950, in fact the C40 which was out before the 950, rule is one of the smartest ones to come out for a long time. Written especially to stop arms races which many people are just totally over getting into these days.

 

If they don't work out to be a gazillion dollars, which they better knot as a EU built boat can be got for 165-185K NZ odd (plus shipping, GST, etc on todays FX rate), I reckon the take up could be quite good. When you think about it you get a easily handled size for one or 2 people, only need a small marina, no arms war, can take mum and the kids for a cruise, can load with lads and do Akl-Fiji in full hard out race mode, no floppy dangler taking up room money or turning you grey and so on. I've said for a while now they would be a fantastic boat for the average NZer and the stuff we do with our boats.

 

And these things aren't slow. 20kts plus isn't uncommon from chatting with a few of the EU lads. Knot to shabby for a low tech 32fter I think.

 

So I think it is pretty hard to compare a 950 to a Mini. I do think a lot of the Mini non-uptake was possibly size and lack of cruiseable related, along with the bucks for some as well.

 

And just for Brett - You're ugly, your mother dresses you funny and who in their right mind would have a red C950, that's just crazy. Feel better now?

 

Oh hang on a moe. I wonder if the pink kite is a indicator of the person 'in negotiations' with builder dude. Hmmmmm......

[Guest]

So how have things progressed?

 

I am in California and researching Classe 950 kits. I think this boat will do well in southern California. Are you guys any where near an operable kit? Please let me know.

 

Josh in San Diego, California

[Guest Dry Reach]

I would hazard a guess and say...

 

these great boats and ideas fell flat on their face.

 

since the demise of the ton cups most classes (except 88's and few others) have been bastardised or just died.

 

Like most things in NZ the money thing and numbers (people, and people with dosh) has stifled progress.

 

The problem Yachting, and most sports that involve expensive pieces of Kit, suffer from, is Money and the number of people required to get past the "break Point".

 

We also seem to have a new rich that are not into yacht racing like the 80's, 90's where we had alot of rich

peeople /"benefactor's" keen to race boats.

 

Lack of Sponsorship and International event's has not help either. and to be fair the Farcical America's cup has scared off alot of people and tarnished the sports image.

 

And of course the "non engaged" youth are more into Living there life in front of a screen than in the real / PC controlled world.

 

 

 

The same could be said for Motor racing, golf (except Michael Hill open) Tennis, basketball...

 

Most sports could learn from the growing Sports like Triathlon, Multisports... and well run sports like Rowing.

 

Also where are the Ceramco's Epiglass's, Marac's of the future? and were are the the Rich Sugar Daddy's who gave their time and dosh?... mostly overseas, paying debt's??

 

Also, Imagine if we never enetered into the AC game and kept all those Guru's of the 80's and ninties here in NZ. (and all the sponsors / $$$)

 

names like Jones, barnes, coutts, Dickson's, Wilcox's, Cutler, Monks, ... and imagine if they were sailing the gulf every weekend !

 

thats $$$, professionalism and a changing world!

 

Is change good?

[Guest]

Anyone got any updated info on this or these beasts?

[SloopJohnB 322]

.....just above......

[Brett Bakewell-White 0]

Tim has been making good progress and has continued to get his ducks in a row. There are a number of inquiries and fair to say 3 very solid at this stage. I believe that Tim is in the midst of building a scale model to demonstrate the construction system and is preparing a presentation for sailors and prospective owners to be held in Auckland in the near future. I am sure that there will be an open invitation on here in the future.

[Guest]

Aaah what happened here did someone delete my last post?

[Guest]

That's very positive sounding news. Thanks BBW.

 

Thanks also to MS.

[Mothership 6]

Splat - I did. The comment that preceded it added no value whatsoever to the thread so I binned it, along with yours as it no longer made sense. New post tonight gone too.

 

People - THINK before you post. For everyone's sake.

 

Here's a tip to get you started: if you have to consider at length whether it is worthwhile, chances are it's not.

[Guest]

Understand deleting of comments/posts where there is a problem with cases which are still before the courts for example, or where people are linked to an event in error.

 

But I don't understand why you would delete posts on the basis that they "add no value to a thread" in your opinion. (I did read it and while I wouldn't have gone that far I see no reason why the offending post could not appear in a public forum....).

 

Perhaps a little enthusiastic to "moderate" MS??