Captain Cook Dinghy.

 

About ten years ago, Gary Underwood designed and built himself a replica of one of Captain Cook's deck boats, as a life boat for his yacht. I really loved the look of it and decided it would make a great father and sons project. So the boys and I built Hornblower over the winter of 2006. She is 3.2m long (plus 800mm bowsprit) by 1.6m wide. Built of 4mm strip ply then glassed both sides. The plan is to keep her on the foredeck of our yacht. She will fit, but I'm having second thoughts as to the logistics/ practicalities of it all. I have a John Wellsford 'Sherpa' as a backup, just in case.

 Hornblower has no centerboard. Just her long keel and two small bilge keels keep her tracking along nicely. She will happily self-steer with the main-sheet tied to the tiller.

 I am able to fill under the floor with 70 ltrs of water to give me more ballast if needed. But she is a very stiff boat and the only capsize has been intentional with me standing on the gunwale!

Yes, the outboard on the back is ugly!

All Painted Up.

Here she is with a fresh paint job. Just finished today with some dark clouds looming on the horizon.

 The gap in the bulwark is the swinging door. Decided to fit a door on each side to help the skipper get back aboard!

 Transom is awaiting the fitting of the name board.

Good view of the teak rubbing strip fitted at deck level.

Engine Shaft Tube

The tube for the engine shaft is in!  Engine is going to be a 40hp Lister. Now measuring up for the 1 1/4 inch shaft to be made.

 Just finishing fairing it all up.

The shaft is off-set, so the end of the skeg has been shaped to achieve better water flow to the prop. Going to spin a 53cm diameter four blade prop!

Ballast, Ballast, Ballast!

Spent the previous year concreting 5 tons of steel punching into the bilges. First I fiberglassed each pocket and then drilled reinforcing rod through the floors.

 I have left it to dry out over the Summer.

Plywood caps ready to be glassed over the top.