Help identify my cherub!

[gilly900]

Hi, first post on the forum, but have been looking around for some time.       I welcome any musings on the following.       Rescued this old boat from bass sc over 10 years ago with the intention of doing her up.       Work then family commitments precluded this, until now.      .      .       she came with a set of sails no.       2501 by dolphin sails.       No idea if they were her originals! She was in the condition shown hence i am having real trouble identifying her design / vintage.       Note interesting gantry.       I would hugely appreciate any advice.       Would love to get her sailing in one form or another.       Tentatively considering an update with false floor etc to 97 rules.       Any ideas on feasability? the link is to a flickr page containg the pics of boat in her current and as rescued state!  www. flickr. com/photos/65918178@N08/  Thanks in advance.    For some reason this link will not save properly, the photos are in the flickr account gilly900 and are the only photos in that account! (search gilly900 in people)

[Graham Bridle]

Hi Gilly,

I am not the expert on restoration, but there are a few about and I am sure they'll be on here sooner or later. Its hard to tell what design it is from the photo's - a good transom shot is often a giveaway, certainly could be 2501, if it is I'd date it around 1975; I had 2521 in 1976/7 so somewhere around there. The bow does look a nit Jennifer Julian to me, but I am not sure there were any wooden ones ... sure others can add to this ...

[roland_trim]

Welcome and if we can help with the restoration please post questions.
Where are you based?

[gilly900]

]m based in Falmouth Cornwall although the boat is currently in Newcastle Upon Tyne with my Father.  I intend to tow her down at the end of the summer to crack on with the resto over winter.  Still not fully decided if it is a worthwhile venture as i really aspire to owning a fast asymetric.  On that note any resto would bring her up to date rather than being true to her vintage.  Again im really after any advice from experienced guys!

[JimC]

I'm pretty sure there were wood Jenny Jules, and 2501 seems to be a sensible sail number for the shape and construction. 

[Neil C.]

Hi Gilly. That's an interesting one. I agree with the other guys on here that 2501 is probably about the right sail number looking at the shape and construction. The unusual thing is that clearly somebody has at some point done an early asymmetric conversion and added a gantry. No way either of those would have been original. Funny I don't recollect seeing it at any open meetings in the 90's or later, but I suppose somebody could have just done the conversion for blasting at their local club. It is certainly possible to upgrade an older woodie like that into a fast, fun asymmetric speed machine, but the hull shape is likely to prevent it being very competitive against more modern Cherubs. The other difficulty is that putting on '05 or even '97 Rules sized sails puts a lot more strain through the hull than it was really designed for. I live in Newcastle, so would be happy to go and have a look at it if you like and see if there's any other information or advice I could offer you. 

[roland_trim]

]m based in Falmouth Cornwall although the boat is currently in Newcastle Upon Tyne with my Father. 

If you are passing Bristol then feel free to PM me and come for a sail.

[gilly900]

Thanks for all the advice thus far! Neil C, i would appreciate it if you would come have a look at the boat at some point over the next few weeks!

[phil_kirk]

If I am correct in understanding your post you want to restore to the modern rules. Restoring/ updating to modern rules would put a lot more load on the hull than originally intended.  You may need to beaf up the structure or add structure to take these loads.

Now varnished side decks and carbon racks would look a little interesting!

[Hayley_Trim]

Hi Gilly,
If you could make it to the nationals you could compare and contrast lots of different boats from woodies up to the latest E6, get some tips and go for a sail too.   Would be great to see you there. 

[Neil C.]

I'm away on my summer hols at the moment, but I'll PM you my mobile number when I get back in a couple of weeks. We can arrange a time for me to come and have a look no problem. 

[gilly900]

wont be able to make nationals as am on holidays would have been a good call though! Will await PM with phone no.  from you Neil C! in the mean time any more musings on her identity, or ideas on direction for refurb gratefully recieved.  Dont want to do anything too radical until ive ascertained she is not some sort of missing link!! If she is not, (as im sure she isnt!) im thinking wings; false floor and twin wire, mitigating against increased torsional load with liberal use of fibre / epoxy! Has anyone done this to their old boat? if so any advice / pitfalls?

[Phil Alderson]

If she is not, (as im sure she isnt!) im thinking wings; false floor and twin wire, mitigating against increased torsional load with liberal use of fibre / epoxy! Has anyone done this to their old boat? if so any advice / pitfalls?

My advice would be don't try to overmodify it.

Wings and Snouts would be difficult/impossible  to do properly on a wooden boat, and would add a lot of weight, probably without making the boat go faster. A smallish 97rules size Asymetric and 1990's upwind or slightly bigger together with a false floor would be my suggestion.

Alternativly getting a symetric kite to work well over shiny varnish would be a Kudos inspiring move.

[JimC]

The other thing to be a bit wary of is that, depending on what she was built with, she might be getting to the age when glue failure is a possibility. Cascamite and aerolite seem to lose more than half their strength after about thirty years or so. For bits where half the original strength is good enough which is most ply onto stringers  that's not a problem, but you need to be wary of things like beam joins.

[Will_Lee]

I really would not advise going further than 1990 rules (no snout, with asymm). Its an easy and cheap conversion, and you will have a real weapon of a vessel.

If you want a 97 rules boat, there are a coupl eof great ones on the market. Same 2005 rules.

Good luck though!