26' clinker lifeboat

[zero]

im looking for any info on a 26' clinker lifeboat i recentely bought. its all teak with 2 masts and a bowsprit. im trying to find out what kind of rig it carries(i believe aketch rig) and some possibilities for a restoration/conversion. anyone?

[Sander Rave]

Dear Zero,

Depends.. the original lifeboats I know carry different kind of rigs, starting with a bucket sail and jib. Do you know if it's an original rig, or is it modificated for sailing?

In Holland there was a time to convert a lifeboat to a sailboat. That was somewhere around the 1930's to 50's I believe. The original bucket rig was mostly converted to a ketch rig. We still have a lot of them sailing around.

In fact, I think my next project will be identical to yours... I'm waiting till summer is gone though, having too much fun on the water right now.

I can find a publication on a dutch lifeboat builder with original photo's if you like. But these are build from oak and the rig is a bucket rig only to get ashore.

Regards

[zero]

im not familiar with a bucket rig, although i do believe what it has is not original. from my research i havent found aanything that carried a bowsprit originally. it was built in 1917 (that from the man i bought it from) and it is fitted to hold an inboard, again i dont know if that is original either. and thanks for the reply.

[Sander Rave]

Dear Zero,

I looked up some pictures of different lifeboats for sale at the moment in Holland for your information. Just look in my galery. I hope it'll point you in the right direction.
Good luck!

[zero]

much appreciated photos! i can see my boat has a lot of potential, those photos are inspiring. now my problem is how far do i want to take this "little" project. i was thinking i might leave it partially open(right now it is totally open-down to frames and floors). first things first, replacing a couple floor timbers and frames. also im wondering about adding a bit of deadwood/keel. right now there is only a couple inches of keel. maybe to some ideas about balasting her, ive heard sand bagging isnt a bad option.?

[Sander Rave]

I know all different kind of keels are being used, sandbagging is at least the most easy one. The life boat we use for rowing used to have a steel longkeel along the keel line and I've even seen sailing life boats with bilge keel.

[Mikefleetwood]

Perhaps you should look at "Cornish Pilot Gigs" - try any search engine.
They are about 30' clinker built pulling (rowing) boats for sea use, design dating back 200 years. The forerunners of the purpose built lifeboats. Some were rigged for sailing. Traditional rig is ketch with large dipping-lugg for main and small mizzen (mostly for stability). No keels or ballast, relying on crew shifting to keep her the right way up!

[zero]

im trying to attach some photos, but am having problems. i was just told about a couple of books that deal with boat conversions and more to the point , has specific details of lifeboat conversions. one is "practical conversions and yacht repair" by michael verney and the other is "small boat conversions" by john lewis. i havent looked at either but ill report back after ive seen them. also ive got some other feedback that lifeboats arent good sailer in general and something about the sheer being too extreme for a cabin. i personally love the lines of the sheer on these boats but i want to also know any glitches i might run into. ill try to get those photos of my boat soon. thanks

[zero]

here are the only photos i have of my boat. in another forum im hearing mostly negative responses about the sailing qualities of lifeboats. i agree a keel and ballast(perhaps alot) will be needed to allow her to track better and sail to windward. im curious about the photos i view from sanders. what is different below the waterline on those vessels. they look like they are clipping right along in those pix.www.picturetrail.com/zroland1

[Sander Rave]

Funny,

Together with my (lifeboat) rowing team we plan to bring our boat under sail again, and she has more or less the same lines as yours. It has been under sail 10 or so years ago. As I can recall we had a steel long keel attached to the keel line. It was 30-50cm deep, some 3 meters long. Yours seems to be very authentic though.

For the sailing qualities, I guess it's not the fastest sailer. Who cares, as long as it's fun sailing with up to 10 people in relative comfy conditions. there are little sail boats that size that can handle that amount of people and still have fun.

[zero]

i just got a book called "small boat conversion" by john lewis. it has all the plans, including the original lines drawings before and after conversion, sail plan for a ketch rig. the boat he converts has the same numbers as mine,exactly what i need to get started. anyone doing a lifeboat conversion sould check it out.

[Sander Rave]

Thanks for the info and good luck to you!