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ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
31 could remember any conversation about the $500 commitment. Nevertheless,Miller passionately pressed on. The Stewart Association granted Bill Miller and Ian Fish permission to build fibreglass Stewart 34’s, providing they would not weigh less than the existing wooden yachts. While they could have been built lighter, it was decided that this provision would not only keep the boats similar to their wooden predecessors, but would allow them to meet Ministry of Transportation Marine Division requirements for charter purposes. At the time,Miller owned Princess,one of the fastest and best-built Stewarts in the fleet,which made her an ideal candidate for use in the creation of a mould. This was, however, no easy process. Princess was hauled out and her mast, keel and rudder removed. Most of her internal and external fittings also had to be removed so that she could be turned over again. Her upturned hull was then used to create a plug. With her keel removed her ballast could be accurately weighed. The amount of lead in her keel had been tweaked to the point where there was 3360 pounds of lead ballast and she was felt to be at optimal performance. The class rule was fixed at this figure for all new keels. ButbyJuly1977,afteryearsof talking,progresswasfinallymadeontheconstructionof fibreglassboats. IanFishformedacompany called Coastal Yachts Ltd., to build and sell fibreglass Stewart 34’s either as hull and deck kits or completed sail away yachts. Bill Miller was an associate, and the first hull to come out of the mould, named Pionnier, was to be his. Every effort was made to turn them out at the same weight as the wooden hulls so that they would be“as competitive but not more so,than existing boats”. The first bugaboo occurred when the mould was being fabricated. Roger Land, the boatbuilder who had been commissioned to build the fibreglass Stewart hull and decks, insisted that, when making the hull mould from Princess, the top six inches of the keel shouldbecomepartof thehullmould. Inordertoaccomplishthis,a“mockkeelstub”wasattachedtothebottomof Princesswhere the keel was meant to be placed. North Shore boatbuilder B.Pelham was engaged to fabricate and attach this stub,which he did. Some months later when the keel was being fitted to the first fibreglass Stewart, Pionnier, it was discovered that Mr. Pelham had made a“slight error” and attached the stub some 13 inches too far aft. In order for the keel to fit in its proper place, it had to be modified slightly. While the total area of Pionnier’s keel is about the same as the other keels, it has a slightly different shape. The nextboattakenfromthismouldhadthesameproblemandwastreatedaccordingly,untilthemouldcouldbecorrected. Eventually, the stub was cut out of the mould and a new stub placed in the correct location, at a cost of $10,000 and much to the displeasure of everyone involved. Bill Miller called the first hull“a beauty”and the company was at work building a plug for the deck with a more modern looking cabin shape. Miller went on to say; “In approximately six weeks time we will therefore own both moulds and have the first hull and deck ready from the moulds. By then we will have spent $30,000 and feel that we should stop until some orders are received.” Miller began to promote fibreglass Stewarts, sending a letter to interested parties.“We have about 30 reasonable enquiries so far, but no definite orders. The price is $6,950 for a hull, which includes two bulkheads, floors, chain plates, keel and skeg stub and $12,500 for a hull and deck temporarily joined together. To get things cracking, we would give a discount of $500 on a hull and $1,000 on a hull and deck to the first three purchasers. From that stage on we can complete if required and the price varies from approximately $21,500 bare sail away to $34,000 or $35,000 for a finished boat.” Pionnier was launched in 1978 and displayed at the 1979 Auckland Boat Show with about 3,000 people going on board. Two others had taken delivery of their hull and decks but there were no other orders coming in. Miller commented;“Unfortunately, the 20% Sales Tax has killed this venture and Ian Fish, the builder, is now working at the Toy Dept. of Tanner Couch. However, the moulds are safely stored and are available as soon as new customers appear. Wouldn’t it be great to have ten glass boats off the moulds for Match Racing!! Fully completed new glass boats with SalesTax on,would now have to retail at least $50,000,so hang on to your timber boats.They are money in the bank.” In its infancy,the fibreglass boat industry was plagued by inexperienced workers and poor lay-up procedures. Small air pockets or voids within the laminations would result in osmotic blisters or“pox” forming in the polyester resin. In all but the most extreme cases it was repairable, but unfortunately it required significant time and money. Because the early boats built by Roger Land had