Designer Soapdish - where are you now?

[Mikey C]

Jim, the only way the current boats will get a lower floor and still drain is with a self bailer. Chunkey Monkey was as low as I would put one... Original Big Issue style layout would be the bext way for old people (single bailer in the middle), but without the sidedeck tanks...

[Lukepiewalker]

I think 3396 is probably my favourite twelve ever... and I've only ever seen her in pictures....

I'm a sucker for spaceframes me....

[JohnMurrell]

Luckpiewalker, I almost totally agree.....................except that 3444 came along and the rest as they say is!!!!!

3396 is one of those boats that leaves a lasting impression and the only reson I sold her on was that I ran out of space in the workshop, otherwise I think that I would have kept her for posterity. not only carbon space fromes but the treetrunk of a Proctor carbon mast, 4 selfbailers, more string than a Fourteen and more lead than the Titanic!

[JohnMurrell]

Luckpiewalker, I almost totally agree.....................except that 3444 came along and the rest as they say is!!!!!

3396 is one of those boats that leaves a lasting impression and the only reson I sold her on was that I ran out of space in the workshop, otherwise I think that I would have kept her for posterity. not only carbon space frames but the treetrunk of a Proctor carbon mast, 4 selfbailers, more string than a Fourteen and more lead than the Titanic!

[JohnMurrell]

O'Crikey, how did I manage to post that one twice?

[Graham Iles]

I believe 3130 is still at Bradwell.

I've seen her there a couple of times in the last few years never on the water but normally rigged looking as though the owner has just nipped to the chandler's.

[Jimbo42]

[Simon Nelson (Guest)]

Back to the "Soapdishes".

It is correct that 2 were built. I believe that Pete still has his in a barn somewhere having not sailed it since Harwich Town in1989.

The boats had more "innovative" features and Rob has since told ne he was totally convinced that they were going to come 1 and 2 at the nationals. The main hull feature that has had a lasting impact on the class was the near self draining layout which was initially banned. However, once the class realised how good it was, the rules were finally changed to allow self draing.The other feature that we see today is that these boats were the first to have max beam throught the crew area all the way to the transom. In fact, the gunwhale was created from a straight aluminium tube. The wide Chapters recreate that feature (which makes a lot fo sense).

The hulls themselves were probably the strongest 12 hulls ever built. Nobody was playing with carbon at the time and these boats were built to a spec that used all the weight. As we now know you can build a hull 20kgs light, that means that these hulls had 20kgs of carbon more than is used today! I remember Rob telling me the layup and commenting that they built Quarter Tonners from that! In fact, one day Rob was towing the boat and somebody in a parked car, npt realising there was a boat behind Rob's car, opened his door and it hit the boat. The door was wripped off and the boat barelyt had a scratch!

I am not sure where the inspiration for the rig came from but the boats had really small jibs and mains that needed about 12" of prebend. This was achieved with cap shrouds. However, they hadn't spotted that as soon as you bore away, the sail became as full as anything and the caps destroyed the shape!

The hullshape on Rob's boat was modified by Rob and a conventional rig was put on but Rob finally admitted defeat, bought a Freak Out shell, decked it and won the Burton Cup. At some pointwhiloe he was still sailing it Rob and I were on our way to a Lark open and a group came on the radio. We both knew, instantly, that the band's name was ideal for his Soapdish. He named his boat "Arrested Development"! Perfect

My favorite story about these boats is that when they arrived at Harwich they were the centre of attention. In fact, Chris Atkins (who later won the week) wanted to place an order there and then so as to be sure of getting the next one built. Everybody was convinced that they were the future of 12's.