October 1: Here are some photos taken prior to those posted late last month of the reconstruction of Hansina, S-185, US 44.  They were taken in August before the deck substrates were installed.  This site is posting these photos because of several requests of visitors to do so.    

Apart from repair of the wood keel, the mast partner area has been the most time consuming because the beam upon which the cabin rests was broken in two places many years ago.  When coupled with the decision of a previous owner to cut the carlins for the sidedeck at the foward end of the cabin, fundamental sagging occurred that destroyed any point of reference to the sheer line and fairness of the deck at the mast.  The result was trial and error over many hours. This photo also shows the results of splining the cabin roof planks, as well as a new frontspiece of the cabin itself, the original irreparable and not faithful to the original design. 

Every one of the lodging and hanging knees had to be refurbished or replaced.  Pictured is a replacement. Even though both ends of the bolt fasteners looked OK on casual inspection, almost all of the knees were held in place by dried varnish and a half inch of the bolt at either end.  The tip-off was putting a wrench on a nut and having it fall out of the knee and the wrench upon a quarter turn.  Also, where the interior side of the planking warranted stripping and new varnish, it got that treatment.  However, several areas of the interior planking had been irreversibly stained by oil treatments of previous owners or were otherwise badly scarred.  These areas were painted.  The shiny green area to the right is the port side of a truss that now accepts the mast shrouds, which in turn removes the shroud load from the hull planks.

This photo was taken immediately prior to laying the first layer of the new plywood deck.  The plywood is Okoume, mahogany stained and varnished on the underside.  As all of the deck beams had been removed and refurbished or replaced, their presentation was irregular to the degree they were painted a deep shade of green before being re-installed.   It's different but looks OK.  Here, all of the beams were taped off before the epoxy adhesive was applied prior to the laying the plywood.  Once the plywood was positioned stainless 3/4 inch screws were used, and then a couple of people went below to wipe off any oozing epoxy as fast as they could.  More photos to follow. 

September 24, edited October 1:  Some progress photos on US 44-Hansina:

      The lead "dogs" on the afterdeck hold down the last piece of the top layer of plywood before the 1/4 inch teak strips can be be applied . The top layer used epoxy and screws at each deck beam. 

   The cabin and the cockpit coaming are the same piece of lumber.  The original was half inch stock.  Here 5/8 stock was used for additional strength.

   The cockpit is beginning to look like its old self.   The mainsheet post is re-installed, fastened with a 4 foot 3/4 inch silicon bronze keel bolt that reaches the deepest point of the wood keel.

These photos show all of the plywood substrait installed as well as new covering boards of 3/4 inch mahogany.  The covering boards used 536 screws and plugs and are in three pieces on each side, the joints using reversing french curves.

Prior owners had sanded the cabin roof flat to accept winches that serviced halyards.  The picture shows mounting boards covering the flat spots.

All Photos:  G. Fisher. 

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September 24:   This site has received a disk full of photos by Harry Levack of Port Huron.  He took them during his participation in the Square Meter Jubilee in Sweden last July and August.  It's going to take a little time to prepare a presentation, but it is in the works.

   Harry Levack at the helm of Renaissance. 

     Kim Bottles and his wife, Susie, of Bainbridge Island were guest crew members aboard Rennaissance.  All photos by H. Levack.

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September 12, 2008:   If you go to the "News Since 1928" feature at left and dig around a bit, you will see media reports of an early sensation in Thirty Square Meters appeared in Marblehead in 1929, Bacchant, S-117.  1929 was the year Bacchant raced against a team of German boats and the then American fleet for the "Marblehead Cup"  and other silverware.  During this time both the American and German designers interpreted the Square Meter rule differently than the Swedes, the Swedes producing longer and higher boats that were very fast.  Bacchant was such a boat, winning every race she entered during the Marblehead racing.  But for one race series she was actually disqualified as not measuring into the Rule because her mast was too high.  The "genius" who did the measuring is unknown.  Nonetheless, Bacchant was so spectacular in 1929 that an American bought her, shortened her mast and, probably, built himself a new trophy case for all the championships he thought he was going to win.   However, with a shortened rig, Bacchant was a shadow of her former self.  

   The three photos below show Bacchant winning the Marblehead Cup with her original rig.  The second shows her two years later with the shorter mast, and the third is a shot taken in 1966, the last time this site saw or heard anything more of her.  If anyone out there knows of her whereabouts, please contact this site. 

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July 12, 2008:  Andries Oosenbrugh of The Netherlands emails he recently purchased a Scottish Thirty, FARA, K-15, designed and built by Alfred Mylne in 1938.  The Beken and Cowes photo below is also pictured in Uffa Fox's 1938 annal, "Thoughts on Yachts and Yachting."  Her first owner is listed as Colonel W. Woodie. Woodie was vice-chairman of the British 30-Square Metre Association.  He served alongside Col. H.S.C. Richardson, owner of the Uffa Fox designed Thirty, SEA SWALLOW. 

Andries reports FARA is double skinned, "spruce inside and mahogany outside on rock elm frames," and that FARA was "a barn find" in excellent condition.  He is starting efforts on a refit.  He promises pictures of his progress.  Any other gems out there? 

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          Contemporary photos by Andries Oosenbrugh

     Inside Comment:  We know an American Thirty owner who will be very proud to hear news of FARA.   

     We can't tell you who it is, but we call him Kim.