Two Cheap Boats
What makes these two “buying prospects” interesting, is not so much the boats themselves (although they both have a certain charm) but the circumstances around their sale. Both are worthy of a loving custodian!
Alan Payne- Image Douglas Baglin
BOAT ONE- AN AMPOPETTA CLASS SLOOP BY ALAN PAYNE
If you agree to sell an old wooden boat for a reasonable price then you are doing the world a favour. You are passing her on to a new custodian who will hopefully have the enthusiasm to keep her sailing, you are extending her history into the decades to come and you are sharing the trials and pleasures of wooden boat ownership. But when you choose to pass on a boat AND you decide that the modest proceeds will go to a great cause then it’s a “happy days” situation.
HAPPY DAYS an Alan Payne masthead rigged “Ampopetta Class” Sloop. There were six of this design built. This particular one was made by Mose and Hoye. (Struggling to find any info on them) She’s just over 39ft long and draws 6ft. The boatbuilders son, E. J Goldsteen, notes: “Much design work went into this yacht. Alan Payne’s lines coupled with Dad’s engineering of everything,down to the cleats, all made inhouse. She would sail to windward better than you could steer her.”
All Ampopettas were made from patterns, the frames were set up on the backbone in a jig, after which the chine and shear timbers were fitted, then the whole thing was inverted all faired off and the 3/4" mahogany ply was added. The bottom halves are one piece, the topsides were scarfed about level with the cockpit. After the bottom was faired at the chines and the bow, keel fairing was added, the hull was turned upright for deck and cabin 3/4" ply skins. The exact final LOA depended on the bow fairing being almost a knife edge,
In this case the engine is a Volvo Penta D3 New in 2014 with 280 hours recorded.
Launched in about 1971 HAPPY DAYS has an impressive track record, having sailed in two Sydney to Hobart races, circumnavigated Australia twice and explored New Caledonia. Apparently she is a very good seakeeping boat and she has been with her current owner since 2009 and has been regularly maintained and slipped/antifouled every year.
And Here is where you get to feel DOUBLY GOOD about your Purchase! All Proceeds from the sail of HAPPY DAYS go directly to the charity KIDS UNDER COVER working to end youth homelessness.
Auction commences at 10am on 28/10 until 1/11 - see auction listing HERE. Contact Ben Wisher for more information on
0409 306 793
BOAT TWO- SOLILOQUY
I can’t help thinking that auctions are an under used way of passing on unwanted timer boats. They provide an accurate way of assessing the REAL value of a particular vessel on any given day. Assuming the advertising is comprehensive, and the bidding system is fair, then the market will speak.
I don’t know much about the yacht SOLILOQUY (I presume its not really called SOILOQUY!) but she’s a nice shape and would have to be close to FREE.
She is located at Redland City Marina, Thornlands, Queensland. She is about 36ft long, has no mast and no engine but has original portholes, ballast, fastenings and other fittings. By the look of the bumpkin and aft chainplates she was probably a yawl. An online auction will commence on Thursday 24 October and will end on Wednesday 30 October 2024 at 2pm AEST.
For a full list of specifications, photos and an inspection contact:
Adrian Seiffert - 0418 783 358
Email: adrian@marineauctions.com.au
Todd Anderson - 0409 630 733
Email: todd@marineauctions.com.au
To Register for bidding go to www.marineauctions.com.au
