The 57" 10 Rater Model from the early 1930s is being rebuilt by Marshall Gaffney
Marshall Gaffney of Maine wrote:
Here are pictures of my smaller Vanja design model that were taken March 14, 2014. There is a name board on the port side with the Vanja name on it. She is 22.25" loa, 6" beam , 4.25 " draft, height of hull 5.7", mast height 30.25", main boom 12" and jib boom 7.75".
She is plank on frames with very nice fittings. The sails are very old. How old do you think she is? I plan to re-rig her as required. That is, new sheets and standing rigging plus the top of the mast replacement since it was broken. I will make a new masthead fitting and splice it into the top of the mast, make a hatch cover and re-rig the Baine Gear Steering and then try to free sail style her --- at least once!
Brass pulleys and blocks can be obtained from Dean Derusha. Call him at 989 980-9423.
Ken Valk, owner of Wet Goose Marine, supplies custom made model boat hardware. Roger Cosineau of the Villages in Florida provides excellent brass hardware. Also, check with Graham Bantock of SAILSetc in the UK for goosenecks, turnbuckles and masthead
fittings for these classic models. These suppliers are listed on my home page .
The other picture is of an R-10 Ten Rater. Her name is Nina 57.25" loa, 14.375" beam, depth 11" main boom 30" and jib boom 11".
It was built and owned in 1932 by H. N. Amlot of Birkenhead, UK. She was designed by Captain Turner and bought by my father in Liverpool which is close to Birkenhead in 1936.
My father worked for US Lines in Liverpool at this time. Somehow, he and I managed to keep this boat model going through WW II and my college years. How, I am not sure.
I remember sailing her in London's round pond in the late 40's or early 50's. My father raced her in Liverpool in the 30's. She was lent to a friend and when returned was refitted with a plywood deck, no mast, some fittings (see photo) but in very poor shape.
I am restoring her as a free sailing model and so far have made a new sawn red cedar deck with nice grain like decking planks, re-enforced deck beams, new turning blocks and deck fittings, new rudder, and custom made tapered boards to fit between all the hull planks as they opened up by as much as 1/16". With a coat of varnish, I believe she will be water tight. I have tried to keep her as original as possible. That is with no RC or fiberglass. Now I am making a mast and all the mast fittings. I hope to have her finished by next year. So far I have had to make everything twice. Once to try to make it and once to get it right. When I get her done I will send you a picture.
Be sure to see the 73" Vanja A Class and 22.25" Smaller Version PhotoShow
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