Hedley Nicol Trimaran Plans

The Buccaneer had the single height cabin roof but the Vagabond MK2 and Cavalier had a split level roof for more head room with the raised floor. I have a more Buccaneer style cabin in height and extra length, headroom provided by the floor at keel level. Hedley's plans allowed for variations in cabin height and layout so finding any 2 boats alike is unusual. If you want to take some measurements we can figure it out. The Buccaneer will be a bit wider in the main hull and amas. The wing is different at the stern too, but again there are variations, especially with the Buccaneer where Cavalier plans were sent out in at least one case to supplement the incomplete drawings that disappeared with Hedley on his last voyage.

 

Drumbeat

Here's a few photos of Drumbeat hanging on the hook in Whatuwhiwhi. She's in excellent shape for her age and looks fast standing still. This is one sweet boat, but we have very little information about her pedigree. Can anyone enlighten us?
Length on deck 39'2"; Beam at mast; 20'8"; with a 48' mast. There are no keels on the amas and she has a centerboard. What design is this?
The previous owner has passed on, so we can't speak to him. His relatives sold us the boat with the wish that we use her. That should be easy to fulfill. We'll be heading south to Whaheke in a couple of weeks and from there?

 

It could be a Vagabond MK2 with a stretched stern or a Buccaneer 40 (they were 39'+). As mentioned a few inside measurements could easily resolve this without mystery. Many boats had the float and main hull keels removed, such as Renegade in OZ. Here are some pictures of Nicol Buccaneers. PM Gary after you've made 5 posts, I recognize the standing rigging he described.

I put a picture of our Vagabond MK2 in so you can see your wing deck is similar, most of the Buccs are straight across, to measure your beam accurately use uprights on the edges so the tape isn't bent. Stock beam for a Vagabond is around 20' 4" to 20' 6".

As you can see there can be a lot of variation in the cabins.

 

Here are a couple pictures of Renegade, a much modified Vagabond MK2.

 

Hey Fred, I think you should consider shortening the rig for cruising. If you look at Renegade and the stock Nicol sail plan you'll notice the headstay moved back from the bow. This keeps the bows up when driving hard. The ketches and yawls rig out to the stem because the main masts are lower keeping the force down. The way Drumbeat is rigged would be fast for light airs but suffer in heavy going. Rigged stock the space up to the bow can have a code zero without needing a sprit for the same effect. I'd consider 38 - 42 feet on the stock rigged masthead. At least they made the addition fractional. When we got our boat the mast didn't have the designed rake in and the ama bows would get low in heavy going. Once we raked the mast to plan the bows stayed up and the ama immersed evenly. My 2 cents anyway, we've tested a lot in many conditions and I came to appreciate the time Hedley spent in balancing the stock rigs with the hulls. Some things are more trendy but you have to consider how the package works together. Keep an eye on the lee bow and consider this as you get sea time in, enjoy the cruising.

 

0428352068

hi mate 0428 352 068

 

Hi Dave

Just thought I'd let you know Tony passed away last week in London.

My cousin is flying to London this week, I'll ask him to keep an eye out for the photos or anything else related to the yacht.
There is also a Nikonos II underwater camera, a Henry Hughs & son sextant - in it's box with all it's bits and pieces (manufactured in 1945), as well as a Saura Keiki GS 75 Gimbal mounted Ships compass, also in it's box.
These are all items that were on the yacht, but are here in Cape Town.
I guess it's fitting they go back to the boat - I doubt either his wife or son will have any interest in keeping them.

Regards
Grant

 

Drumbeat, when I was crewing on the boat was owned by Keith McClane (sp). That was during the time I was building/launching my cat Supplejack - so would have been before late 1977. The tri had a centreboard in those days; no long keel and float thingies which were added after Keith sold the boat. Drumbeat was longer overall from standard Vagabond 11, I think 38-39 feet. Story went that when building, the frames were spread apart a little, either intentionally or a mistake. Drumbeat competed well on handicap in those days but line honours usually went to the Kraken 40 Krisis - which was top boat in Auckland until the open wing deck Tennant catamarans arrived.
I thought that Drumbeat's windward performance was so so with the centreboard and probably far superior to the later long keel alterations - but we used to annoy the keel boats because of our leeway when beating. I remember telling Keith he needed a deep daggerboard, but he wouldn't hear of it. Oh, yes, the rigging setup was a pain in the arse when gybing spinnaker - you can see the tangle in these images; the only two photographs I have of Drumbeat.

 

Hey, thanks for the update Gary. Always good to know about the variations out there. At least 5 of the Vagabond MK 2's are still sailing but every one is different, usually with the cabins but one was framed differently too.

 

This might be worth a look if someone is up for a project in NSW. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/fibre-gl...15?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item25a716e677

 

Love the 60s styling with the cabin. It is an Islander with an added hard dodger, I'd like to see what they did with the stern. It looks like a short cockpit with a stern cabin from the interior photo looking back. Usually the Islander was all cockpit behind the mast. Speaking of the mast, that tabernacle looks handy.

 

Lots of room with the single cabin layout, a nice Searunner 31 alternative with a bigger payload.

 

I told Bruce on the Bucc thread I'd post pictures of our raised settee. This has been in for a few cruises now as work has continued. Plenty left to do, does one paint the inside of bins?

This one seats 4 and lets you look out the windows while adding storage in the center of the boat where you want the weight. We carry water in plastic bottles Piver style as we often have to pack it in when away from the world of docks. Like the dinette nobody has to move to allow passage forward. The curved back is comfortable but still allows you to stretch out your toes on the seat if you want.

The starboard settee helps brace the daggerboard trunk and is raised for the same reasons. The open bin fronts are meant to cover with netting when in severe weather and allow plenty of ventilation while keeping weight down.

No cushions yet and the bunks are still burdened with vintage naugahyde but this stuff takes time.

 

Islander for sale in CA?

Has anyone seen this?

30' CUSTOM HEDLEY NICOLE TRIMARAN

-I know eventually over time these links people post fade; it's a Hedley Nicole, and looks like an... Islander?

I'm still catching up on all the posts in this thread (it's a lot of reading), but any input about this design (where the heck is the head)? Is it an Islander?

I really like it -love it actually- and I'm interested possibly in looking into purchasing it. I haven't gotten a reply back yet from the seller, and it seems that somewhere in this thread I've seen some pictures of -if not this boat- one very similar in design.

I've never owned a tri (mono's only), only sailed on a few -loved it. I'm looking for one to island hop in the Pacific for a few years.

Any input?

 

if its 30ft then its an Islander