Design Brief:
The following notes are written by Malcolm Murray. Bojabe’s Designer, builder, and original owner.
“Having scratched a living delivering boats for a few years, specialising in medium to long distance jobs, the one thing that kept striking me was how unsatisfactory most boats were for short-handed offshore sailing.
“The problems fell into three main areas; - The deck layout, with huge vacant cockpits, the accommodation which became damp with salt water, and a sailing performance that could be summarised as “Dog”.
“Bojabe is my answer to these problems; designed as a downwind flyer, although a first- and two-seconds racing under West Indies Rule in Antigua confirmed her more than adequate uphill performance. She also had to be suitable for low as well as high latitude cruising.
“The hull is strip planked, light displacement fin and skeg type. The boat displacing 3.7 tonnes at length 33’8”. Hull material is Brazilian Mahogany strip planking, stuck together and coated with epoxies. This was chosen not only on aesthetic grounds, but also on cost grounds for a one-off, comparing favourably with a sandwich GRP construction. The most notable points of hull shape are the flat rise of floor, leading to a wide waterline beam amidships and slight pinching of the stern.
“I have found that the flat rise of floor not only gives good initial stability, but also damps out any tendency to rhythmic rolling which can become most alarming if it gets into phase with an oscillating rig; the wide waterline beam stops the boat from going over on her ear when someone steps aboard in harbour while the slightly pinched stern helps to avoid the generation of weather helm as the boat heels at sea.
“The epoxy coated cast iron fin keel is a NACCA section of 1.2 tonnes. The weight being enough to bring the boat back upright should she be rolled over, and enough area to give adequate transverse resistance for going to windward, anymore weight and area being negatives.
“The keel is set further aft than on an equivalent racing boat, so that off the wind it is possible to generate neutral or slight lee helm, and on the wind nothing more than the slightest of weather helm; another advantage is avoiding the bow-down attitude that some boats take when heeled. The semi-spade rudder is transom hung with a small skeg, reducing the shear on the rudder hangings by lengthening the base.
“The boat is also positively buoyant should one have the misfortune to pierce the skin on flotsam or a rock. The hull is foamed out forward of the collision bulkhead and balanced by a foamed-out area at the transom, giving about 1.5 tonnes of positive buoyancy. My own belief being that one stands a better chance saving the whole vessel, rather than trusting others and a sophisticated lilo.
“The accommodation is laid out so there is no need to spread salt water about when taking oilskins off, but at the same time keeping the necessary activities while at sea in the best part of the boat i.e. cook, navigate, defecate and sleep. The saloon which as a place to entertain is only used when in harbour, is forward of the mast; a large airy U-shape with the table dropping down to make a generous double or triple bunk; forced ventilation in tropical climes being provided for by a Goiot two-way foredeck hatch.
“Literally amidships is the galley to port with two small sinks, invaluable for washing up at sea, and an Optimist paraffin stove; while the chart table, a diesel cabin heater and a small hanging locker are opposite.
“The companionway steps are between the galley and the chart table; the hatch being another Goiot product with four dogs to guarantee watertightness when closed. Aft of the galley and chart table space are the sea bunks; a double to starboard, and a cosy double to port. Personally, I do not like the narrow pilot type bunks, and I have found it usually possible to sleep with the other half, while in bad weather one sleeps jammed between the bunk cushion and the hull or lee-board.
“Aft of the bunks and bulkhead, where the cockpit of a regular boat would be, is what I call the wet area. The wet area contains the engine, toilet and oilskins; with sail stowage on the platform over the aft foamed-out space. In bad weather the main companionway hatch is closed, and an aft Hasler type hatch is used to access the wet area from the deck via steps leading down to the top of the engine box. This not only contains any water to one place but allows one to remove oilskins and any wet clothes before going forward into the dry salt free accommodation. Ventilation with the companionway dogged down is taken care of by four dorade boxes; two in front of the deckhouse, and two in the deck coaming. There is standing room in the wet area and the galley/ chart table space, but not between. Small boats are not places to wonder about in at sea, nor in harbour for that matter, but it is good to have somewhere to do trousers up without stooping.
“Huge cockpits were the bane of my life delivering boats; giving a constant and lingering fear that they would become full of water, and lead directly or indirectly to the foundering of the vessel; other associated problems are that the helmsman is exposed to the elements, splendid on a fine day but misery in the wet and cold. Lastly, a large cockpit tends to limit the amount of space that people use on deck; say 8ft of a 34ft boat. Bojabe’s deck is basically flush with a doghouse which provides the headroom below decks. The two doghouses are joined by a coaming; this not only gives a lot of clear deck space to work the boat, but also a choice of places to do jobs or lounge about.
“In fine weather at sea, the crew usually sits on the coaming, and when it is not pleasant outdoors the person on watch can steer and adjust sails from the Haslar hatch. When the self-steering gear is in use and the weather plain bloody awful, the person on watch sits inside the Haslar hatch with the pram hood up exposing only their face to the elements. This is not only a more pleasant way of surviving gales, but means that the crew is kept warm, dry, and comparably rested until needed on deck to reef or make sail changes.
“Bojabe’s rig can be summarised as 7/8th self-tacking Bermudan sloop. The mast has two sets of spreaders that are swept well aft, and is deck stepped. The Bermudan sloop is undoubtedly the most effective rig to sail to windward, and with a self-tacking jib system, the easiest to handle. The Soling and Echells day racing boats show how effective a rig without overlapping jibs can be while not needing powerful sheet winches and avoiding flogging canvas at every tack has advantages to the pocketbook and ear. The 43’6” mast may appear to be a bit much for a 28’ waterline boat, but one usually has more trouble from calms than storms on long passages, so if you have the mast, you can use it! Without it you generate slow passages not only boring but can be morale sapping. Stormy weather being handled by effective reefing and good storm canvas.
“Off the wind the Bermudan sloop becomes under canvassed, and the mainsail invariably self-destructs from chaffing against shrouds and spreaders. The two usual ways of adding sail area off the wind are spinnakers and bloopers or twin head jibs. Spinnakers and bloopers are a lot of fun but do require a coordinated crew. If not trimmed carefully and continuously in strong wind, which has led to some cruising sailors to say that they are un-seamanlike. Eventually they become a handful if the boat is shorthanded, and they are used above a force five. The cruising alternative is often twin jibs; chafe free and easily handled, but seldom offering enough area to move the boat at more than a hop along placidly speed, while in strong winds they will induce rhythmic rolling unless the whisker poles are long enough to take the clews forward of the luffs.
“Square sail and Raffee gives a huge chafe free sail area which is also easily handled. The sails are held rigidly, and the centre of effort is kept over the boat so there is no chance to oscillate and cause rhythmic rolling. The Raffee is hoisted on three halyards, one from the masthead crane, and two from the ends of the yard. The sail is set outside of the forestay; a sort of mini spinnaker, it is the first reef being set and handled from the lee of the square sail. The square sail also has two reefs, and when they are put in, the yard and sail are lowered accordingly bringing the centre of gravity and centre of effort of the whole rig down, closer to the deck again reducing any tendency to induce roll.
Build:
Dad standing in what will become the galley.
Laminated Mahogany frames are set, and strip-planking has started from the deck towards the king plank. Planks are bead and cove, bonded and screwed to the frames using epoxy. Planks are secured to the adjacent plank with epoxy and nails every 30cm. (note the support for the yard office going straight through the boat!)
Once the process becomes well practiced, the hull takes form quickly. (Note the dubious office support has moved!)
The long fairing process begins…
A fair hull.
Plug for the NACA section cast iron keel.
First coats of saturating epoxy on the hull. Note, no fibreglass was added as the wood is of sufficient thickness to provide the structural strength. In the foreground, the cold-moulded transom is taking shape.
Turning the hull. A nervous day for any boat builder.
Dad looking proud of his work.
12mm Ply subdeck glued, screwed, and nailed. The centre cockpit start to take shape with transverse deck stepped bulkheads.
The saloon table trial fit. The saloon is located in the bow forward of the masts compression post.
Looking to starboard, down towards the chart table from the forward ‘dog house’.
Trial fit of the 2nd hand Yanmar YSE 12 hp auxiliary engine into the boats ‘wet area’. Bulkhead has yet to be cut to give access to the main berths located below the cockpit.
9mm Teak epoxied to the ply sub deck. (no screws were used, to reduce the number of potential leak points, and to give the teak more life without the presents of plugs over the hundreds of screws that would otherwise be required. Teak was caulked with an epoxy-graphite mix. Over time the caulking separated from some of the planks allowing water to find its way to the sub deck.
Planking the foredeck, coaming for the Goiot two way foredeck hatch, and forward doghouse with built in dorade boxes.
Aft doghouse offset to starboard; hiving access to the ‘wet area’. Lavac hears installed to port.
Bojabe is lifted out at Shepards Wharf, Cowes to receive her 43ft Proctors mast and rigging. You can see the low wetted volume of the hull, and semi-balanced skeg hung rudder.
Bojabe’s flat hull section, ideal for fast downwind ‘flying’.
Sea Trials:
Mast stepped, with Windex being added to the masthead to finish the job.
Sails bent on, ready for trials.
Stephen Ratsey of Sunray Sails tightening the outhaul? Note the pram hood on the Haslar hatch that can be rotated to offer optimal weather protection.
Dad checking the cut of his new deck-sweeping self-tacking jib. The smile of his face says it all. “she fly mon”.
Jib battens help the leach hold shape to the relatively high aspect jib. Also note the heavily swept (30o) spreaders. Not a common sight in 1980.
A perfectly balanced helm, with finger tip lightness.
Time to rig the yard for square sail and raffee downwind sail plan.
Square sail and Raffee in full flight. The swept back spreaders allow the yard to be swung to permit broad reaching.
First Atlantic Circuit:
A false start. A broken rudder off the Portuguese coast. Jury rigged rudder using the square sail yard and a bucket. Rudder recovered and secured to the rail.
The broken rudder back on the dock. It failed due to insufficient weld at the upper pintail. (It turned out that the pintails were not built as per the drawings). Tanya’s boyfriend Matt delivered a new rudder from Cowes to Portugal by bus. Doing so landed to him a place onboard for the Atlantic crossing, having never sailed. The more the merrier. The broken rudder has a lot to answer for, as mum flew to Portugal to see them off, and unknown at the time fell pregnant.
Bojabe kicking up a wave. The average daily run for the crossing was 156nm.
Cigarette and a cup of rosé. It must be half way, as Bojabe is usually a dry boat when at sea.
Tanya and Matt celebrating reaching the half way point.
Square sail and Raffee doing their thing.
A stowaway.
Chilling in the cockpit.
Sunsets like this means the Caribbean must be close!
Arrival in Bridgetown, Barbados. Crew are awaiting Customs, so mum brings them burgers and beers.
Customs cleared. Mum shares the news of being pregnant, so dad does the right thing and proposes there and then!
The crossing from Tenerife to Barbados was completed in 16 days. The second fastest passage time of that season, being beaten only by a large schooner.
Later, mum and dad marry while in Barbados with Tanya and Matt acting as witnesses.
Sailing fast, past St. Lucia’s distinctive Pitons.
Plenty of foredeck space to sun bake, play a round of Backgammon, and take in the surroundings in English Harbour, Antigua.
She sails like a big dinghy.
Bojabe at full send. Dad and Graham from Antigua sails and canvas, race in the weekly races, bringing in a 1st and two 2nds.
The ‘money’ shot. English Harbour, Antigua.
How Bojabe found us:
It was a windy weekend in Plymouth, and Orwin was due to be racing his Laser at the Mayflower Sailing Club, Plymouth. Racing was cancelled due to the bad weather, so instead of going home he, and some friends, decided to play snooker on the Barbican. While waiting to be picked up, Orwin was perusing the boat adverts in the yacht brokers window, where he spotted a yacht named “Lark” that was advertised as a “Murray & Roy 34’”. The photo of on the advert was lousy and of ‘fax’ quality.
Later that evening at supper, Orwin asked Mum, “Did anyone else help dad design Bojabe? Only there’s a yacht called a Murray and Roy 34’ advertised at Sutton Harbour”.
Sure enough, Mum replies, “Well, the ideas behind the design were Dads, but the lines and technical drawings were done by a chap called Stuart Roy.”
We all went down that evening in the dark with torches to see if we could find the boat in the marina, but to no avail.
On a parallel timeline Tanya (who sailed the first Atlantic circuit with dad), said that when she was older, she would love to own Bojabe. She was only 17 when she did the crossing. Her brother Tom amazingly spotted the boat for sale in a yachting magazine and were making inquiries with the current owner about seeing the boat, and sea trialling.
Mum and Tanya had been in “Christmas card Contact”, so when they came to view the boat, asked if we would like to join them? Of course we would! A chance to see and sail the boat that me and Orwin knew so well through the detailed build album Mum put together at the time, and the A1 photo that lived on the wall in the kitchen of Bojabe sailing in Antigua, when we were growing up.
The asking price was excessive, but there was potential for a shared ownership. So, Jim Pritchard, who owned Mustang Yachts when Bojabe was built, is now a yacht surveyor, so who better to carry out the survey?
Jim completed a favourable survey, concluding the yacht was fundamentally sound, although required some updating. Moisture levels in the timbers were the same as the day she was built. So, after the survey, Jim announced that he too would like to own a part of Bojabe.
And so it was, Mum, Tanya and family, and Jim bought equal shares in “Lark”.
After Dad’s passing, Mum had no interest in sailing, so agreed to stump up the cash for mine and Orwin’s share of the boat, with the agreement that when we were old enough to pay for her upkeep, it would be up to us. I was finishing sixth form, and Orwin starting university, so we weren’t exactly flush with cash! Nor were we versed in handling a yacht safely; we were both avid dinghy sailors at the time.
Lark had her name changed back to Bojabe, following a mini refit/ refurbishment in Cowes IoW, where she would be kept. Jim lived on the Island, and Tanya and Simon relatively near on the mainland. I would cruise the boat with Tanya and Simon, and then baby Felix, while Jim would use the boat for racing. Orwin was busy involved with university sailing, so had little time to sail Bojabe is the early years of our ownership.
Due to family constraints, personal injury, and me and Orwin simply having no money to put into Bojabe, it was decided that 2003 would be her last season on the water, and she would be mothballed for an undefined length of time.
Skip thirteen years…
“It really is about time we get that boat back on the water” was a regular theme every time I met up with Tanya over the intervening years, and by 2016 it was getting ridiculous. We attempted a meet-up with all owners at the boat, so assess the current state, and what level of enthusiasm there was for a refit. Tanya and Simon were unable to attend however, Jim being a surveyor was quick to establish that in this day and age no-one wants a wooden boat project and stated that the boat had no monetary value, but only sentimental. At that point Jim decided to bow out and give up his share of the ownership to me and Orwin.
It was unfortunate that Tanya didn’t make it to see Bojabe with her own eyes, so only had photos and Jim’s assessment to go on. She too decided that a major refit was not for her and her now grown-up family. As such, she too gave up her share of ownership to me and Orwin.
Shit, we now owned the bones of a once great boat, and it became our mission to make her great again.
At this point we had a toddler that had just started to walk, and by the time Bojabe was ready to sail again we had a second daughter. As such Bojabe’s design brief had to be modified, from “A short handed ocean crossing downwind flyer”, to “A ocean crossing capable downwind flyer that could still be sailed short-handed, but also be comfortable enough for a young family of four to live on and cruise for extended periods”.
The page, Refitting Bojabe details the new design requirements, and the jobs list that needed addressing to bring Bojabe from a farm boat to an ocean yacht.