Information about Spencer 48

[malga]

Hi all

I just purchased a New Zealand Spencer 48.
It is a Plywood Fibreglass composite and presumeably built by Spencer himself in New Zealand in 1975.
It's name is CARAVEL.
It has 10ft beam and draws 1.75meters

Does anybody know about these designs.

I would like to restore the interior, namely the dinnette, pantry, navigation area.

Any commets, ideas or information would be well regarded :)

Thanks Marco

[CT 249]

A 48? I've never heard of a Spencer 48. Interesting.

I have the study plans for the 1966 Spencer Sirius 45, from an old copy of "Sea Spray" mag. It looks very similar. Sirius had 9'7" beam and either 6' or 7' draft depending on which keel you choose. She was available in aft cockpit or aft cabin versions. Not a lot of space for a 45 footer but a great boat.

I've never heard of a Caravel, but I'm in Australia.

The best known Sirius was Whispers II, built by Geoff Stagg (now head of Farr International) when he was a teenager IIRC. Staggy sailed her to victories in many races including the top NZ race of the time, to Suva. She came back out to Australia 10 years ago for the 50th Anniversary Sydney-Hobart and was in very nice and very original condition. She took line honours and 3rd on IMS in the Veterans class.

I also own a Spencer 28 and have raced on the biggest Spencer of all, the 73' Buccaneer. Obviously I'm biased but I find it very hard to go past Spencer as a designer and I may well look for a Sirius when the kids get older and it's time for the big cruise.

Contact Peter Tait from "Firebug Headquarters" (IIRC) in NZ. He has a web page selling plans for Spencer's little Firebug dinghy. He also has all of John's plans available at very reasonable prices.

Where is Caravel? She looks like an ex Aussie boat.

[malga]

Her first Australian Registration in 1983 was Port Adelaide.
We bought her from that owner in Sydney Pittwater.
We sailed her up to Brisbane just before Christmas and her home port is now Manly, QLD.
Sorry but what does IIRC mean?

[CT 249]

IIRC = If I Recall Correctly.

Sorry to ask this, but are you sure she's actually 48'? If so, does she look to have been extended? I didn't realise she was an Aussie boat, I've seen her in ads and assumed she was a standard 45' Sirius.

At least two Sirius', Scimitar and Kiandra, were built in Adelaide, in about 1969. I've seen pics of Scimitar (I think) which show her as a centre-cockpit version and I think Kiandra was as well.

I think there's a 40 foot Spencer still sailing out of Port Lincoln Yacht Club. I think she has the original owner from the '70s, so he may well know your boat. I think the boat is "Rhythm II"; a call or email to PLYC should give you contact details.

The Adelaide - Port Lincoln race history shows line honours going to a "Caravel" in 1970. The winner in '69 and '71 was Scimitar, which I know to be a Sirius 45.

http://www.plyc.com.au/bwclassic/history.htm

[malga]

She is definetly a 48ft 14.6m
she doesn't look extend
Peter Tait said that she is definitly a Spencer and there have some boats been modified from his plans under his assistance.

I have photos of our trip from Sydney to Brisbane at http://www.malgarini.org if you'd like I could send you a 3MB zip file from our survey

cheers Marco

[CT 249]

Yep, she's definitely a Spencer. She's also not a standard Sirius as the Sirius, like just about every other Spencer bar the Gulf 32, had an inboard rudder. I wonder whether she was basically a 45 built with a different longer stern? The inboard backstay may indicate that. The higher section of the coachroof also extends further forward than the Sirius plans I have so she may be a one-off, or a modified shoal-draft 45.

Caravel looks lovely, I'm jealous!

I should be able to scan an article (with study plans) of the Sirius for you in a couple of days if you'd like. Even if Caravel is not a modified Sirius, the plans may give you ideas for the interior work you mentioned.

[malga]

It would be really great if you could scan the article. It might help me with ideas to declutter the living area.

She needs a paint job too and wee thaught to give her a blue hull with gold line and white super structure, that should complement the teak deck nicely. :-)

Thanks for your help and information.

[allan123]

Scimitar is listed for sale on www.townsvilleboats.com and there is also another Spencer described as "15m" in Mackay at Peter Hansens brokerage.
Regards, Allan

[Milan]

Ct 249, I'm also very interested in these scans.

Cheers,
Milan

[circe]

Any further info on Spencer boats is highly appreciated. I saw a 46 footer in steel in Suva in 1988/9. very fast for a steel yacht.

[circe]

Continued, Have there been any 46 footers built in aluminium?

[allan123]

Scimitar, at 45ft and 7 odd tonnes, was built in 60's and held a race record from Adelaide to Port Lincoln for some years. It also competed in a few Sydney Hobart races but I do not know results. It is reported to have reached 20 knots under spinakker, obviously surfing. Anyone that owns one seems to thoroughly enjoy sailing them. Present owner tell me it will do 8 to 9 knots on a reach in 15knots breeze on headsail alone. Fast passagemaking and exhilerating sailing can be had. It would seem that Spencer designed them to race, however, they are not overrigged and they are still sedate enough to sail comfortably single handed, or cruise, as Scimitar has been with a young couple who lived aboard and did just that, and a single guy also did for about 8 years. Apparently this boat is quite well known in many ports on the Qld coast..
Regards, Allan

[jpatarickwagner]

I looked at a spencer 48 in 1974? at balboa yacht club in newport beach, california. The owners were Bob and Jack samualson of la canada,california.
the boat had been build on speculation in N.Z. They got the boat for a very reduced price. It was my understanding 2 or 3 were built in N.Z.

Jpatrickwagner

[longliner45]

you can get some info at www.spencer yacht.com

[longliner45]

If that dont work try spenceryacht.net

[longliner45]

sorry I cant get ethier to work. try looking up John brandlmary , I believe thats how I found spencerboats .

[gggGuest]

Different Spencer mate. In NZ/Aus Spencer is associated with John Spencer, quite probably the most influential sailboat designer of the last 50 years and certainly the most under rated.

[longliner45]

thanks man I was rackin by brains out ....which dont take much!

[jpatarickwagner]

Spencer 48 was built?/ designed John Spencer N.Z. designer of the Cherub and Ragtime(ex infidel). I worked for a Bob Ryan from Auckland N.Z. He had a patternmaker (props, engine heads, etc.) for his father and uncle at their marine engineering shop. He apprenticed at Lanes in Auckland. He went on the boat a number of times. OH, by the way he lofted the 2 wooden 12 meters for Billy Barnet, BoatBuilder. He was in to cats and Porches(cars). and the Professional skippers on the west coast on 73' maxi then. said the 18's he built were still the best and fastest, In 1975.