CLASSIC SIX METRE NEWSLETTER

The work has progressed to the stage of the last photos where the ribs are being installed.
These are laminated in three layers over the moulds and glued and screwed in place. This is
producing an extremely strong hull which, I hope, will then not need longitudinal stingers as
the original boat did not have these, but it did have a lot of distortion to its shape, especially
in the area of the runners. I have also started making up some of the floor timbers starting at
the bow. The first 4 are now done and ready to be installed.
Some timbers are now hard to get, so a few changes have been made here.
The keel timbers have been restored out of the original boat and they were Honduras
Mahogany of course.
The horn timber up to the stern was 85% rotten and was renewed in Brazilian Mahogany.
The transom is original.
The hull was Honduras Mahogany. This will now be Brazilian Mahogany.
The internal planking is being done in Brazilian Mahogany. The timbers (=frames) are being
laminated in three layers, to the same overall dimensions as the original timbers. The timbers
were Elm. I am now using Australian Silver Ash which is of a similar colour and weight to
Elm and steams and bends extremely well. The Silver Ash is blonde in colour and is one of
the best steaming and bending timbers in Australia - may be in the world. With a beautiful
straight grain it is very easy to work and plane and holds glue extremely well. The Silver Ash
will give me a wonderful contrast with the Mahogany, very similar to the original boat. The
Silver Ash is also within my weight considerations for the whole boat.
All the fastenings being used are either Bronze or Copper. So I hope she will be around for
another 70 Years.
Another good thing has happened for the cause, as word gets out about this restoration
project, different contacts develop. I now have the original winches and the Camper and
Nicholson Builders Plaque. This was the best thing of all. As you can see from a couple of
the photos, there was nothing much that came with the boat. She had been stripped of most
of her equipment.
67 NED 28 Zephyr (B. Bothén, 1928), by Kees de Ruiter (The Netherlands)
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