Most of you are aware of my little Swanson Dart 22 (some photos reposted as I am doing a blog on this thread) which I picked up a last month. (December 2017) It has been slow progress but no hurry. Well...not until March as I lose the work area to a new Truck Dealership being built on site.I still haven't been allocated a mooring at Mooloolaba so things could get a little tricky once we get to the pointy end. Hull currently drying out up here in sunny,hot,Qld. Should have all the old paint off soon. I noticed it has an old waterline. Not sure whether to go back to the old which makes the boat look bigger or keep the current line. Also mast and boom could do with a good clean. Any suggestions? Needs to be strong stuff as I have used a few cleaning agents to no avail.Attached is the progress so far and the last is a small attempt at the future colour scheme (but a much,much lighter shade). I have managed to attempt the temptation of darker colours. As pretty as they will make the boat look new I have to agree with most on here that they are higher maintenance as the boat ages under the Australian sun. The deck will be an off white to very light beige not the current light blue.

Give that waterline stripe a bit of thought. It is called a boot line and has/ had a couple of uses from what I gather.
A. Usually it sits a couple of inches above the waterline so that the antifoul can be put on slightly above the waterline to allow for slime build up , constant splashing from passing craft etc.
eg. In my wisdom when getting my boat antifouled for the first time last year I left it in the water for a couple of weeks to get a waterline unintentionally with a stripped out cabin and the keel raised!!
The antifoul was rightly applied a couple of cms above that waterline however it ended almost right on the waterline when everything was put back in . I now get a dirty water mark an inch or two above the antifoul and below the boot line I have to scrub off every couple of weeks.
B. By having the boot line above the water line it gives the impression the boat has a longer LWL and sits lower.

Thanks Bananabender. I hear where your coming from.

I gave the boot strip, line, or whatever a boot not long after l bought the yacht exactly because the slime buildup was so bad it was unbearable.
Now, the antifoul goes up to the top of the old boot line and presto, there is no more slime builds up just above it.


The old look,

and the new.

I gave the boot strip, line, or whatever a boot not long after l bought the yacht exactly because the slime buildup was so bad it was unbearable.
Now, the antifoul goes up to the top of the old boot line and presto, there is no more slime builds up just above it.


The old look,

and the new.

Yeah, Thats what the previous owner did as well. I do like the contrasting red line you had previously. It did dress it up but if you were getting slime marks I can understand.

If you have the time you can do the boot topping in a different or contrasting ablative antifouling. Solves that annoying slime build up but means having an expensive opened tin of antifoul about the place.

Thanks Ramona,,,The thought did cross my mind. So did the cost.

Paint has apparently come in so getting a little excited.

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Bananabender said..
Give that waterline stripe a bit of thought. It is called a boot line and has/ had a couple of uses from what I gather.
A. Usually it sits a couple of inches above the waterline so that the antifoul can be put on slightly above the waterline to allow for slime build up , constant splashing from passing craft etc.
eg. In my wisdom when getting my boat antifouled for the first time last year I left it in the water for a couple of weeks to get a waterline unintentionally with a stripped out cabin and the keel raised!!
The antifoul was rightly applied a couple of cms above that waterline however it ended almost right on the waterline when everything was put back in . I now get a dirty water mark an inch or two above the antifoul and below the boot line I have to scrub off every couple of weeks.
B. By having the boot line above the water line it gives the impression the boat has a longer LWL and sits lower.

Select to expand quote

Bananabender said..
Give that waterline stripe a bit of thought. It is called a boot line and has/ had a couple of uses from what I gather.
A. Usually it sits a couple of inches above the waterline so that the antifoul can be put on slightly above the waterline to allow for slime build up , constant splashing from passing craft etc.
eg. In my wisdom when getting my boat antifouled for the first time last year I left it in the water for a couple of weeks to get a waterline unintentionally with a stripped out cabin and the keel raised!!
The antifoul was rightly applied a couple of cms above that waterline however it ended almost right on the waterline when everything was put back in . I now get a dirty water mark an inch or two above the antifoul and below the boot line I have to scrub off every couple of weeks.
B. By having the boot line above the water line it gives the impression the boat has a longer LWL and sits lower.

Select to expand quote

Bananabender said..
Give that waterline stripe a bit of thought. It is called a boot line and has/ had a couple of uses from what I gather.
A. Usually it sits a couple of inches above the waterline so that the antifoul can be put on slightly above the waterline to allow for slime build up , constant splashing from passing craft etc.
eg. In my wisdom when getting my boat antifouled for the first time last year I left it in the water for a couple of weeks to get a waterline unintentionally with a stripped out cabin and the keel raised!!
The antifoul was rightly applied a couple of cms above that waterline however it ended almost right on the waterline when everything was put back in . I now get a dirty water mark an inch or two above the antifoul and below the boot line I have to scrub off every couple of weeks.
B. By having the boot line above the water line it gives the impression the boat has a longer LWL and sits lower.

Select to expand quote

sirgallivant said..
I gave the boot strip, line, or whatever a boot not long after l bought the yacht exactly because the slime buildup was so bad it was unbearable.
Now, the antifoul goes up to the top of the old boot line and presto, there is no more slime builds up just above it.


The old look,

and the new.

Select to expand quote

Windancer said..
Most of you are aware of my little Swanson Dart 22 (some photos reposted as I am doing a blog on this thread) which I picked up a last month. (December 2017) It has been slow progress but no hurry. Well...not until March as I lose the work area to a new Truck Dealership being built on site.I still haven't been allocated a mooring at Mooloolaba so things could get a little tricky once we get to the pointy end. Hull currently drying out up here in sunny,hot,Qld. Should have all the old paint off soon. I noticed it has an old waterline. Not sure whether to go back to the old which makes the boat look bigger or keep the current line. Also mast and boom could do with a good clean. Any suggestions? Needs to be strong stuff as I have used a few cleaning agents to no avail.Attached is the progress so far and the last is a small attempt at the future colour scheme (but a much,much lighter shade). I have managed to attempt the temptation of darker colours. As pretty as they will make the boat look new I have to agree with most on here that they are higher maintenance as the boat ages under the Australian sun. The deck will be an off white to very light beige not the current light blue.

I hate sanding!
Me looking like Walter White making Meth out of "Breaking bad"

I bought my Dart around 1980 and sailed it at VYC for 10 -15 years.
Converted it to the "tall rig" designed by Mike Fletcher in consultation with Ron Swanson, who maintained that a Soling mast with a foot dimension was his preferred rig, but most were built with the "stimpy" mast with no taper in order to avoid having to reef under 35 knots.
To my mind this was not allowing the hull to perform to it's optimum, and the rules were changed in the late 80's to make the taller rig the "official" rig. There were 6 to 8 boats that converted and they were real giant killers, outsailing boats that were considerably bigger.
I still have an old hull and a tall mast awaiting assembly.
I also have a sail plan of the "tall" rig somewhere in my junk along with a couple of old soling masts without rigging.
If anyone is interested, please contact me.
Queeg.

Very Interested in the mast and sail plan. Please PM me with your number.Very excited as I always thought the rig looked under sized.
Cheers.

Ring me on 0411074911, but not for half an hour or so.
My phone is flat.
Queeg

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queeg said..
I bought my Dart around 1980 and sailed it at VYC for 10 -15 years.
Converted it to the "tall rig" designed by Mike Fletcher in consultation with Ron Swanson, who maintained that a Soling mast with a foot dimension was his preferred rig, but most were built with the "stimpy" mast with no taper in order to avoid having to reef under 35 knots.
To my mind this was not allowing the hull to perform to it's optimum, and the rules were changed in the late 80's to make the taller rig the "official" rig. There were 6 to 8 boats that converted and they were real giant killers, outsailing boats that were considerably bigger.
I still have an old hull and a tall mast awaiting assembly.
I also have a sail plan of the "tall" rig somewhere in my junk along with a couple of old soling masts without rigging.
If anyone is interested, please contact me.
Queeg.

Hi
I bought a Dart mid year last year. It was at Port Stephens, now Pretty Beach (Central Coast). Having a lot of easy fun sailing this while my project sits on the hard. I'm sure my Dart has been tinkered with. The rig seems likely not to be original as the mast is tapered. The keel has extra ballast, but she is pretty tender all the same. My rudder seems not to be the same shape as other images, so I guess thats been changed too, Would love to see any drawings....thanks.
And a question - I get flutter through the tiller, which I am assuming to be cavitation...any thoughts?

Hi and a big belated WELCOME!. Apologies for late reply as I have not been on here for a week.Nice boat and congratulations. If you have a tapered mast could be of a Soling I believe. Measure the mast and go to sail data and get info on the soling. It will confirm. Should sail quite well I have been told. I see your rudder is a different shape. I have seen a few Darts with different shape rudders. Probably because the originals may have not survived over the years and they have been replaced. Looking at your transom is it ply? I also see your safety lines as well. Different forecastle as mine. I see your bulge in the bottom of the keel. Absolutely no doubt she was an off shore racing boat. The rig with aded height, sail area and bigger keel would give her some power in the swells. The flutter could be a worn bush or as you mentioned cavitation may be caused through the slight turbulence of the exaggerated keel. I am assuming you gave the hull a good clean before re launching, What are your plans for her?

Check the leading edge of the rudder. It needs to be a rounded shape. Too sharp and you will get flutter or vibration.

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Windancer said..






I hate sanding!
Me looking like Walter White making Meth out of "Breaking bad"

Well the pointy end came and as mentioned in one of my posts the site where my Swanson Dart was being Reno'd is being demolished and our new Truck Dealership is being relocated to this site. I have had a few delays but not to worried as still waiting for a mooring allocation at Mooloolaba. Looked very scary seeing an excavator pick up my little boat like a Tyrannosaurus Rex picking up its dinner! Anyway all went well and boat safely relocated to across the road. We lose this site around May, so hopefully mooring will be allocated and boat painted up. Currently we have sanded and applied a very hard and durable under coat. Some more sanding and another coat of under coat. Then you guessed it... some more sanding then the final coats. Will keep you posted.

Still waiting for a mooring at Mooloolaba in the Mooloola river.I lodged my application in January. Waiting,waiting waiting. Hope to have my Swanson painted soon now the weather is much cooler. There was no real hurry and have been saving up my pocket money for repairs until now. The best sailing weather is coming up here on the Sunshine Coast so may have to lay anchor if no mooring. Still a bit of a road ahead.

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dart22 said..


Hi
I bought a Dart mid year last year. It was at Port Stephens, now Pretty Beach (Central Coast). Having a lot of easy fun sailing this while my project sits on the hard. I'm sure my Dart has been tinkered with. The rig seems likely not to be original as the mast is tapered. The keel has extra ballast, but she is pretty tender all the same. My rudder seems not to be the same shape as other images, so I guess thats been changed too, Would love to see any drawings....thanks.
And a question - I get flutter through the tiller, which I am assuming to be cavitation...any thoughts?

Dart???? Check out the conventional counter (as distinct to the Dart's reverse counter); the much flatter stern sections; the different keel shape (ie the trailing edge is angled more than the leading edge, in contrast to the Dart pics above) and the different cuddy cabin.

What you may have there is an Ajax 23 with a modified keel and rudder. The Ajax was designed by Oliver Lee, better known here for his Hunter 19. The Hunter 19 was actually a cabin version of the Squib, which was the Ajax's smaller sister. There was at least one blue Ajax in Australia and one or two Squibs.

No,No,No its a Dart its a Dart. G O G O O ..!
Only one noted Ajax in the country I believe. Rudder has a different mount . It does have a counter stern slight however(see photo attached) .No camber under the hull forward of the keel like the Ajax. Finally if you look at the very first photo you will see the original Dart fixture on the forward port bow. It was a plastic moulded dart figure which we broke off to prepare the hull.
Close but no cigar!

Windancer, your boat's a Dart, clearly. I've never sailed them but two mates have had them and I've got old boat tests and ads etc of them. I never said your boat's not a Dart and never would say it.

I was responding to Dart 22's post, which shows a boat that looks quite different to a Dart and much more like an Ajax 23.

I see...said the blind man to the deaf man!

HAHAHA. " not the dart , gogo mobile , G O G O ...................that was a funny ad !!!

Isn't there a movie where in one scene set in Melbourne there's a traffic jam, and in the background one can see that it's caused by the same couple with the same broken-down Gogomobile?

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Chris 249 said..

dart22 said..


Hi
I bought a Dart mid year last year. It was at Port Stephens, now Pretty Beach (Central Coast). Having a lot of easy fun sailing this while my project sits on the hard. I'm sure my Dart has been tinkered with. The rig seems likely not to be original as the mast is tapered. The keel has extra ballast, but she is pretty tender all the same. My rudder seems not to be the same shape as other images, so I guess thats been changed too, Would love to see any drawings....thanks.
And a question - I get flutter through the tiller, which I am assuming to be cavitation...any thoughts?

Dart???? Check out the conventional counter (as distinct to the Dart's reverse counter); the much flatter stern sections; the different keel shape (ie the trailing edge is angled more than the leading edge, in contrast to the Dart pics above) and the different cuddy cabin.

What you may have there is an Ajax 23 with a modified keel and rudder. The Ajax was designed by Oliver Lee, better known here for his Hunter 19. The Hunter 19 was actually a cabin version of the Squib, which was the Ajax's smaller sister. There was at least one blue Ajax in Australia and one or two Squibs.

Chris is right!
Always wondered why it didn't quite look the same. It is an Ajax 23 - there is still an association active in the UK. The one imported to Australia went under the name of Black Duck, Formerly Matika, owned by one John Allen. www.ajax23class.co.uk lots of photos there & the resemblance is very strong. The molding of the foredeck is exactly what my "dart" has. First photo must be the same boat way back. All form the uk website - another 7 there of the same boat on the same day.
The ply transom is some is just a thin skin applied over the Glass.
Well. There you go. Not a dart at all. Th plus is there is waaaay more information available about the Ajax. For instance I now know the hull weight is 854 kg.

..and by co-incidence the club secretary of St Mawes yacht club, a keen Ajax sailor was just here to say hello. Was visiting Australia, & dropped by to see the long lost Australian Ajax. The wonder the internet.

No secrets on this forum eh??