Chebacco News 78 – Richard’s interesting project

Richard Cockburn wrote to me in November 2022. He had purchased a partly completed hull from Duck Flat wooden boats in Adelaide, Australia. The advertisement is still up on their website https://duckflatwoodenboats.com/boats_for_sale/chebacco-21ft-glass-house-design/ but I guess they will take it down soon – it sold over a year ago!

Richard agreed a good price and brought it home.

It turns out that it was no ordinary hull. A glasshouse cabin but an off centre centreboard. He asked me for details of the numerous variants of Chebaccos and he also corresponded with Suzanne. (I was obviously helpful because Richard made a useful donation to the website – Thanks Richard)

Richard continues:

Dear Andrew,

This is the history of my progress finishing the bare  hull of “Glasshouse version” I purchased the end of November 22.

The first steps were to establish what I had bought because after examination it is a combination of the standard version, Glasshouse, with an offset larger centre plate with pivot some 600mm further forward than standard.

In detail the versions divide at the waterline.

Below the water line it is the standard Chebacco with the rudder ending at the stern and no ballast.

Above the waterline the hull has the 150mm deeper sides of the glass house version.

Internally the cabin is as per glasshouse version.

After reading the information you provided I also at the same time contacted Susanne Altenburger through Bolgerboats.

Armed now with copies of MAIB of all the versions published

As I want to sail in the gulfs Spencer and  St Vincent – semi Off shore – the design is now as follows.

• Cabin extended out to almost to the gunnels, for extra stability in case of knockdown.

• forward hatch to make reefing and anchoring easier and safer.

• Cockpit kept the 1100mm rather than sitting with feet at the top of the keel making the cockpit self draining.

• Sails I have existing sails and mast  from the Piver Tri I used to own, so will modify the main and make a mizzen from them. At this stage the main looks like it will be square headed but the same area as design. This moves the C of E approx 200mm further forward than standard. Equivalent to the change suggested for the cruising version .

I have glassed and painted the  bottom fitted the Bulk head and framed the cabin. Cockpit and aft  deck have the floors fitted awaiting glassing along with finishing the  centre plate coating .

I turned the hull back upright on my own using 2 chain blocks and a rope and tackle photos attached

Along with photos as it is now and sketch of what it will look like completed . It is still a work in progress but planning for mid 24 completion . This is 6months later than planned

Regards

Richard

I think this is going to be a really comfortable cabin! Well done Richard.

Now a short story about a chance meeting of “The Chebacco club”: Last month I was trying to catch a tram home and I walked past a chandlery, so I dropped in to browse and chat. I was describing my rudder to the salesman when another customer called out from the other end of the isle “you are talking about a Chebacco!”. It turns out that Graeme had just bought a Chebacco that was to be delivered in the next days from interstate. He had studied the Chebacco.com site in anticipation. Fancy that, recognizing a Chebacco owner from overhearing a verbal description of a rudder end plate! Well welcome to the club Graeme! I hope you email me a story about all the fun you will be having in your Chebacco.

By the way – If you want to support the Chebacco.com website, the largest collection of Bolger boat material on the internet, there is a donate button down near the bottom of each page. A few dollars would be appreciated as it costs me a couple of hundred each year.