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Flying Ant


Gappy

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Now I was going to put this in the dinghy section but unsure how many people visit there.

 

I have brought my self as a project a bit of kiwi sailing history don't ask why I brought it as still not sure yet lol.

 

I would love to here from those of you that sailed these great little boats in your youth as the boat is in need of quite a bit of loving and I would love some photos or knowledge of what they were originally like as someone has done some butcher boat building on this.

 

I have the deck off and stripping the paint off the hull at the moment would like to know what the original gunwale profile was is it as per the picture? also did the hull have a small keelson strip about 12inch wide an 1/4inch high as that's what is have?

 

looking forward to hearing of your fond memories of these great little boats

 

Cheers

Gappy

fa1.jpg

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spent many happy hours sailing my flying ant around Doutless Bay in the far north. From the picture the yacht is as per original down to the strip on the bottom. You say you have removed the deck, this must have been an adition as the deck shown in the picture was as per original

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I think the main sail was the same as a 'P' class. :wtf: cool little boat in their day. Taikata Sailing Club had a couple racing there back in the old days. Might find some stuff there.

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Hi , we raced them for years , that one looks like one of the early ones what is it's name , we had 12 to 15 racing between Panmure Basin and Pakuranga in the 70's , it's a shame they died out for to expensive plastic boats ,

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And these specs I grabbed off the internet........... not sure whether they're correct or that maybe they refer to the "new" ants racing in Aussie.

 

I had a year owning one back in the sixties before I graduated (got to big) to a Cherub. But no photos of it dammit. We had a lotta fun in her!

specs.jpg

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Thanks guys for the insight

 

I removed the deck as someone has previously done this and it wasn't stuck down very well at all they had painted the inside of the compartments nicely and then just slapped a bit of ply down and screwed the old gunwales back on by the looks.

 

I was planning on going to the maritime museum in the weekend to have a look also.

 

The ones on the internet all really relate to the aussie boats which are modified hulls and different sails etc now so information is a little lacking

 

Cheers

Gappy

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Guest Saturday Night Special

Spencer designed them for a few kids who were too young for a cherub but wanted as they termed it a real boat One was Ron Holland and the other was a Bethwaite ,the rig was designed around a P class rig with jib and kite

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The mighty Flying Ant - done heaps of it. Got my arse kicked by Mark Bell and Simon Daubney every time. Had quite a fleet at Torbay in the early/mid 70s

 

Pt Chev in, about, 1974? lucky it was a light day as we passed the first 'floaters' - sailed veerrryy carefully not to get any water in the boat or to get our hands wet - or put them any where near our mouths.... thank christ it's clean now.

 

Screaming reach from Torbay to Tamaki YC, pie and a coke then screaming reach back home. Stop at Cheltenham beach to bail out as I'd biffed the bailer overboard :oops:

 

Mainsail was same as a P class, yes.

 

I'd love to have a look/come sailing.

 

If you need sails give me a ring.

 

A mate of mine was mulling over getting a bunch of them to Pt Chev to get kids sailing in rather than kicking over letterboxes and getting into mischief. Figured it wasn't worth the paper work :problem:

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FA's what can you say about.....all good. :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

They should be brought back as a junior training boat, to get the kids back into sailing, not all kids are skippers but some are good crews, I know of a good example. :oops: .

 

Its not that cool to be sailing with your dad.

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I sailed FA 227 when I was a kid.

 

A few years ago the Maritime Museum had a couple of spare Ants for sale, maybe they still have some parts.

 

Also there was the Australian version too, they had more modern gear on them and looked really cool, looking at the web they are still being raced there

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I remember them very fondly sailing out of Torbay. I have a distant memory of a National Champs with 32 in the fleet maybe early 70's. The top boat in those days I have a recollection was called Spectre. Exciting sailing as a 13 year old and a great way to learn to about being in a crew as opposed to be a solo sailor.

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Gappy was this the one in Taupo for sale on Trademe ? If so, you beat me to it ! I have many happy memories of ours,FA276 , in the late 1970s out f Glendowie Boating Club.

 

One day I will find her and buy her back and restore, such a joy to sail and just what my family should have !

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Now I was going to put this in the dinghy section but unsure how many people visit there.

 

I have brought my self as a project a bit of kiwi sailing history don't ask why I brought it as still not sure yet lol.

 

I would love to here from those of you that sailed these great little boats in your youth as the boat is in need of quite a bit of loving and I would love some photos or knowledge of what they were originally like as someone has done some butcher boat building on this.

 

I have the deck off and stripping the paint off the hull at the moment would like to know what the original gunwale profile was is it as per the picture? also did the hull have a small keelson strip about 12inch wide an 1/4inch high as that's what is have?

 

looking forward to hearing of your fond memories of these great little boats

 

Cheers

Gappy

 

Is that a jolly boat in the background? Cool boats.

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Interesting a lot of guys talk about Torbay as that's where I sail my Jolly out of great spot so should have this sailing out of there over summer.

 

Elliot7 yea it was the one in Taupo did a dash down last Sunday to collect it. have the decks off etc as they had been replaced but not very well and just stripping the paint off the hull at the moment theres a bit of dry rot to fix here and there but should come up ok.

 

Royale yip shes another spencer boat the mighty Jollyboat built that about 3 years ago now.

 

If anyone is interested in a real good Jolly I know of a really good boat that's just come on the market it hasn't been advertised yet.

 

Cheers

Gappy

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