A Tasmanian experience

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Chivs
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A Tasmanian experience

Postby Chivs » 14 Nov 2010, 12:22

Ahoy all! Been a member for a couple of years and travelled to Narrandera twice! If you have not made the annual trip but love wooden power boats, you have no idea what you are missing. With the boats come the fantanstic owners who are only to happy to take you for a run in their pride and joy. It it a fantastic experience. Beware (however) the experience can be quite addictive (ask Ray 'Wooden Worry') many members have more than one classic, and I too now search for that addition!

My boat (Tomboy) was featured in the 'Hollow Log' - volume 10, issue 1, January 2010 after her debut at Narrandera Ocotober 2009. The hull shape and vintage is very similar to Dave Pagano's restoration featured in "New boat". I have enjoyed following Dave's progress and it has motivated me to post my own experiences for those who may be interested? Tomboy revival (to bring back to life), to be continued, cheers from Chris Chivers.
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Chivs
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Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby Chivs » 14 Nov 2010, 12:37

Brief history of Tomboy as I have been told by former owner, Doug Elliot and my father (a previous owner).

Tomboy was built in NSW around 1932-34 and later transported to Tasmania by Arthur Drysdale. A cabin was put on Tomboy to transport passengers from Wrest Point (where the Hobart Casino is located) on the Derwent River to Hobart.
Tomboy ended up laying in the mud on the Tamar River in Launceston after being used as a rowing coach and chase boat. The Elliots (Doug is featured in the hydroplane history recently posted racing Miss Hobart) bought Tomboy and transported her back to Hobart for restoration. The next two photos show Doug with his wife Faye, and Tomboy ready to race at the Hobart Regatta in the early 1950's.
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Chivs
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Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby Chivs » 14 Nov 2010, 12:48

Looks like the second photo didn't attach, will try again. The Tomboy is 25 foot long and just over 6 foot at widest point of her beam. The Elliot's had real problems keeping water out of Tomboy due to her diagonal planked bottom and being left on a mooring. They later replaced the bottom with 3 inch by 1 inch huon pine, which is still in fantastic condition today. Tomboy had various engines, Doug Elliot told me they averaged 39 mile per hour in a bridge to bridge race when they were running an Oldsmobile V8. (Now I no why the photo didn't attach, its over the allowed 256 whatevers!) To be continued.

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Chivs
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Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby Chivs » 14 Nov 2010, 13:30

Will try and attach the photo again, my dad (Laurie Chivers) was racing boats at the time and fell in love with the Tomboy. He bought it off the Elliots in 1962 and raced it in Motor Yacht Club events and various regattas. In 1972 dad sold Tomboy, we moved to Melbourne and back then she was still kept on a mooring and somebody had to look after her! (Should add a sad face here, but I am trying to resist) Still will not let me attach the photo, will go back to the brains trust to sort my photos out!

In 2002/2003 my brother found Tomboy on a mooring at Cygnet, about an hours drive south of Hobart. I found the owner and later bought Tomboy. I will attach some photos when I can, but picture this, the Tomboy (known then as the Leo Eugene) had a large forward cabin (similar to what you would keep chooks in) and a blue band 20 HP Mercury outboard crudely attached to the stern (transom for I believe Doc's benefit?) with a metal pipe bracket. :o Believe it or not, but the outboard started 3rd pull and sounded okay, so I ended up motoring back to Hobart towing a 16 foot dinghy with a 60 HP outboard (for safety reasons, I had no idea what condition she was in, apart from the fact it floated!)
I left at 5 am one morning but did not get to Hobart until 6.30 pm (and only took a six pack for the trip :cry:
got me using the smilies now!) Obviously it was very slow going, averaging about 4 miles an hour and difficult to steer into a head wind. I tried using the dinghy to tow her, but she would just spear off and would not tow straight. Got her back safely to Hobart despite water comming in through the bow, probably was pumping out a couple of buckets every 5 minutes or so. To be continued with photos! Cheers.

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bootlegger
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Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby bootlegger » 14 Nov 2010, 21:07

Good on you chris. I still don't know how to post pics.

rayza1
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Joined: 12 Jul 2009, 20:24

Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby rayza1 » 15 Nov 2010, 19:31

Well done, you really had to work for her. She looks beautiful in the photo and has a fair turn of speed as well for such a big boat. Look forward to seeing the rest of the photo's. Cheers Ray

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Chivs
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Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby Chivs » 16 Nov 2010, 11:11

Should be able to attach photos now? This one is Tomboy tied to the Cattle Jetty at the Hobart Regatta grounds in the late 1950's ready to race!
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Chivs
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Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby Chivs » 16 Nov 2010, 11:20

This photo shows the Leo Eugene (Tomboy) safely tied up and still floating in Hobart after an epic trip from Cygnet.
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Chivs
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Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby Chivs » 16 Nov 2010, 12:06

The next stage was getting her out of the water and home. I actually had a 7 metre trailer sailer at the time and used the trailer from that (and a lot of tyres for packing etc.) and safely got her home and up the drive way! The first thing I did was take the name off the boat, the current name then was a bit of sad story though. The person I purchased the boat off had bought the boat for her son and named it after him, Leo Eugene. Leo has down syndrome, and she hoped the boat would be an interest for him. Unfortunately Leo was not that interested which of course enabled me to obtain the boat. Under the many coats of paint were (in order) Leanne and Anne Lee, I will post photos of previous Tomboy lives but they are photos of photos so the quality might not be much?

So does anyone need a chook shed?
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Chivs
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Re: A Tasmanian experience

Postby Chivs » 16 Nov 2010, 15:13

Right, so I've got it home and fulfilled part of a boyhood dream, what know? Like many people, I'm good at wrecking things and dismantling stuff, but what then. I now realise its going to be a little bit involved and not just a matter of throwing a motor in her and off I go! However, that's exactly what Dad wanted me to do, just to see if it was going to be worth the time and effort.
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