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ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
124 Patiki, a new type of light displacement boat with a fin keel. Patiki’s bow was nearly plumb, and her stern was short and straight. Stewart considered any overhangs to be redundant, fully understanding that longer waterline equated to more speed. His thinking was perhaps a bit unconventional, if not radical, in his day, but is universally accepted today. To keep the prototype yacht light and of similar weight to one that could be made entirely of fibreglass, they decided to build the new hull by the cold-moulded method using triple-skin diagonal timber bonded with the new polyester resins. Technology had finally caught up with the vision of a light, strong, fast, yet seaworthy boat. According to Stewart, “keel ballast was kept as light as possible so that a fibreglass hull would not have to be unduly reinforced to take the strain of a heavy keel. As much stability and stiffness as possible was thus provided by the sections and a fairly wide beam, which was also chosen for room and comfort.” It was Christmas 1958 when Bob finished the design of Patiki, drawing up the plans as the boat was being lofted. Lidgard commenced work on 23 April, 1959. Stewart was very accurate with his offsets and worked closely with Lidgard discussing what they would do and then finalising the plans. Beautiful heart kauri was used, making it a little heavier than the later wooden boats which used tanalized sap kauri. Colmore-Williams had the floor boards made out of an Australian hardwood which actually shrank - no problem as he raided his factory for filler! In its September 1959 issue, Sea Spray devoted two articles to the“34 ft cold-moulded fin keeler”, introducing the reader to “an interesting and unusual boat ...“ “With her big beam she needs plenty of sail and with an inboard rig on short overhangs ... with a masthead rig it has been a problem to design a spar man enough for the job without too much weight aloft.Calculations into taper,wind shadow,effects of recessed track and various mast scantlings down to differences of 1/32 of an inch, have proved to be among the most searching calculations in the design.With such a shallow hull and quite pronounced sheer,the doghouse had to be fairly high to give over six feet headroom, but this is only apparent in a section of the hull through the doghouse and dose not look at all out of proportion in the profile ... Although the hull is of the big dinghy type with fin keel attached, no attempt has been made to give her a flat run aft, but given plenty of sail there is no doubt that in a strong enough wind she should be capable of exceeding her theoretical hull speed.” Sea Spray, December 1959 Patiki was launched on Guy Fawkes Day, 5 November 1959 and went for her first sail on 20 November. Her log reads;“First sail wind is light but Patiki seems lively and fast. . .” “Designer Proved Right - R.L.Stewart deserted Helen for the day to try out Patiki, the new craft he designed for P. Colmore- Williams. Whether or not it was Stewart’s guidance or her trim and handsome appearance, Patiki proceeded to bolt away from the third division, finishing more than 12 minutes clear of the pre-eminent third division craft, Gleam and Freya. According to her logs, Patiki was the gun boat in 3rd division in all of her races the first season. Not only had she exceeded her owner’s expectations, she was clearly a“breakthrough” boat. Patiki took the 3rd Division prize ahead of Scimitar and Gleam. The General Committee’s reply was,“that while the interest in the Patiki class is welcomed it is not proposed at this juncture to establish a one-design class. Patiki boats owned by Squadron members will race in the 3rd Division. All boats will be re-classified from time to time according to performance and availability.” In June the Squadron had received a letter from Colmore-Williams requesting his yacht Patiki,be classified in the 2nd Division for the 1960/61 season. The problem was passed on to the Sailing and Handicapping Committee. Colmore-Williams donated his prize money from the Mark Foy Race to the Ways and Means Committee. In 1961, Colmore-Williams sold Patiki to John Buttle. Buttle was in need of a bigger boat for his growing family, and Colmore-Williams had just purchased a brand new Stewart 34, Patea. Buttle sold the Patiki to Shirley Tonkin in time for her to race in the 1965/66 season. Ed Peterson purchased her on 24 February 1969 (coincidently the day he became a father!) and in May of 1969 Patiki was registered to Steinberg Finnigan Peterson & Associates.