HERE WE HOPE TO BRING YOU NEWS ON THE BOATBUILDING scene in Australia. This page needs your support. I know many builders are building for themselves and don't have time or the inclination to write back and tell us how they are going. I know, I've been there. The boats in the water and you are off having fun. But please try and find the time to drop us a line and tell us of your experiences. It will help us to help others. A good source of material here, excellent service there, this all helps, not only the service provider, but also the potential or already started builder. If you have a photo of the stage where you are at or the launched and sailing boat please send us one. We will feature as many shots of Australia and New Zealand boats as one can on these pages. Tell us of your costs and time taken to build so we can pass the information on. All input gratefully received . E-mail, Fax, or write to us. If you wish to remain anonymous please tell us. We won't include your name if you don't wish it to be.

Two years, nine months in the making and launched at Bunbury, Western Australia this Norfolk 43 sailed by Phil Hogg and Liz Thompson is a fine sailing yacht and a comfortable home for the last ten years> A fine example of a well proven cruising design that can also keep up with the crowd as it has finished
1st Melbourne/Osaka - cruising B div.
1st Brisbane/Noumea - cruising div.
1st Shell Coral Sea Classic - cruising div.
It goes to show what Bruce Roberts Design are capable off if you wish. Then there are all those magic miles of pure comfort spent cruising leisurely back. Photo's of the building of this yacht are available to view in our Photo Gallery

Greg tells us he followed the plans, had no troubles, and finished up with this fine looking ROBERTS 28. Note Greg's two modifications, the short bowsprit and also the sugar scoop stern shown in the photo to the left.  Greg is now rigged and cruising the Australian Coastline. To see finished shots of this boat please check our Photo Gallery

A good looking job on a COASTWORKER 30 semi-displacement steel hull being constructed in Gympie, Qld. Shown here at the plating stage March '98
More up to date photo's in Photo Gallery

Being built to a very high standard in Bundaberg, this Roberts 38 has been 6 years in the making and is due to be launched this year. Further photos in the Photo Gallery

This Spray 40 was built in Mandurah, West Australia and launched 15 years ago. It has since cruised around Australia and out into the Pacific. Pictured here in January 1999 being prepared for a coat of antifoul

CHOOSING A DESIGN

You should always remember that a well proven yacht is just that, a well proven yacht. Even the most experienced cruiser such as Hiscock with his last Wanderer or Chitchester with Gypsy Moth suffered with the problems of a one off boat. Yacht designing is still more art and feel than science. Don't get caught. With the cost and time involved, buying a well proven design with 100's already sailing, with all the bugs ironed out will save you considerable expense and heartache later on. Even 100 of thousands of dollars of design fees does not guarantee the perfect hull. Just check the racing world where even the most expensive boats are regularly hauled out and altered to improve handling, windward performance, etc. Sea miles and fine tuning is the time proven method. This is what you get with a Bruce Roberts Design. Bruce's skills and knowledge combined with the input from hundreds of owners that have sailed thousands of miles have enabled him to produce the comfortable, seaworthy designs that grace the pages of the design catalogue and this website.

RADIUS CHINE STEEL BOATS EXPLAINED

Here is an article that takes you through the steps of making  a RADIUS CHINE BOAT. Making the finished yacht look like a round bilge vessel is now no longer out of reach of amateurs

METAL KIT BOATS

These are now available in Australia Soon there will be a Web Site dedicated to this exciting new way of building . If you are considering building in steel this could be for you. Reduced building time, perfect fit. Its hard to go wrong. Read the following METAL BOAT KITS article and see for yourself.

COPPER - NICKEL

  Some of you may think that COPPER NICKEL is a new thing but read this short article by Bruce and discover that it's been used in boat building since the 18th century.