Dauntless News
Issue 4 - March 1998
Chairman Membership Secretary Editor
& Treasurer
Robert Gray Alan Holland John Langrick
5 Trinity Grove 115 Station Avenue 10 St James Avenue
Greenwich Wickford Thorpe Bay
London SE10 8TE Essex SS11 7AY Essex SS1 3LH
0181-469 0779 01268 733651 01702 588199
In this issue:
Introduction
Can I first of all thank all the members for the many messages of support we
have received for the Association. It is most encouraging to find there are so many
others Dauntless enthusiasts out there.
1998 Subs
Now that being said, let me please remind you that the 1998 subs are now due!
Could you please send them to Alan Holland and please make cheques payable to 'The
Dauntless Association' at Alan's address above. The subs remain at £3 per
year.
Shotley Classic Boat Festival is off
For those of you in the OGA, you will see that Shotley is off this year. This
means that one of the planned Dauntless meeting that was to take place one evening
at Shotley can now no longer take place. However we do hope to be able to see you
at one or more of the other planned events. Alternatively, how about one of you
organising a more local event? I will publicise it in this newsletter should you
wish.
A new mast and rig for Sandpiper
Dauntless Association member Steve Dalton is changing the rig for SANDPIPER from
Bermudan to Gunter. Steve has had to plan spars and sails form whatever we could
find in the archives and as such we have now a comprehensive detail of diagrams.
Steve has promised to write a few lines on the subject and I hope to publish in
a later newsletter.
Burgees on order
The Dauntless Association Burgees are on order. I hope to have them in the Spring.
They will be £15 including P & P, each and I will mail them directly to
those of you who have ordered them, but if you want to pay for them now, please
send along with your 1998 subs as it will help cash flow!
The size will be 10" high X 15" wide. The layout of the Association
flag will be as follows:
The top half of the flag is to be red, the lower black. The upper part of the
'D' is to be black in contrast to the red and the lower part of the D and the A
will be red, (just in case you want to change the colour scheme of you boat to match!).
Please let me know (if you haven't already) if you would like one.
John Langrick (Ed)
Event calendar for 1998- subject to weather!
Dauntless Association Rally and Dinner at Benfleet Yacht Club
This will be held on Saturday 18th July. We have made it earlier
this year to prevent us clashing with the cadet weeks held at the club. We have
also had to change the time slightly as we need to try and match the tide. High
water will be at 8:21pm and as some will be arriving by boat, may well be a rush,
but intend to sit down for a meal at 8:30pm. We suggest meet in the bar at 8:00
(or if you want to help the visiting Dauntlesses, on the quay with an extra pint
in one hand!) At least the later time will give the departing boats a later start
on the Sunday morning.
For those who will be going by boat, I suggest meeting (as last year) to the
West of Southend pier at about three hours before HW (5:30pm). We can make our way
up the creek 2 hours before high water, but as the tides are not particularly high,
will need caution. I suggest any newcomers may want to follow some of the others.
The first year we held this event, we had three Dauntlesses, last year five, so
this year we hope to beat the record!
The following is the suggested menu given to me by the Benfleet Yacht Club. If
you wish to attend, I need to know how many you would like to reserve places for,
whether you will come by boat and what you and any companions may like from the
menu. For example, I would like pate to start, steak and mushroom pie and rhubarb
crumble, so my choice would be 'c, 1, i'. Please let me know as soon as you can.
And finally, please settle your own bills on the evening.
AGM
The AGM will be held at Faversham on Saturday 27th June at 7:30pm,
location will be advised, should you wish to attend. (We anticipate the local next
to the quay!) This will give the opportunity for any Dauntlesses (including myself)
to take the flood up on a 15:38 tide, departing at 4:04 the following morning. Alternatively
to arrive by road.
Should you wish to attend, please contact Robert nearer the date so that we can
confirm the location.
Blackwater Rally
As there is no Shotley event this year, we are proposing a rally in the Blackwater
starting the Saturday 22nd August 1998. The tide on that day are springs at 5.8m
HW Southend Pier at 13.44. From the Thames or Crouch, a slow very early ebb to the
Spitway and back on the flood is one idea, but I will probably slip through the
Ray Sand Channel at high water. I suggest meeting at Mersey Quarters that evening
to plan the week.
A week that will allow us to ditch crawl the Blackwater. Alan, Robert and I certainly
expect to remain in the Blackwater area for the week so any other members who would
like to attend may join us and leave whenever they wish. Again, please let me know
if you wish to join us and will arrange a proposed week of events to suite the numbers
cruising. The week will end with a rally at Pyfleet Creek on the Sat 29th.
Paglesham Weekend
Alan and I would like to invite you to a Paglesham weekend! It is to be held
on the 19th - 20th September at Paglesham. We
will book a meal at the 'Plough and Sail' where we would welcome any members who
would like to get there by land or sea. I have selected this weekend as there is
a fair tide through the Havengore, HW 12:44 on the Saturday. This means visitors
from south of the Thames should have an easy trip.
Please let me know if you wish to attend and would like a meal. Also do let me
know if you will, arrive by boat and I will arrange mooring for you. Paglesham is
deep water so you can come and go on any tide, but always best to take the flood
up to Paglesham and the ebb back. Please also remember to bring your wellies. Although
there is a slip, you will need them to land! There is no need to bring a dinghy
as we will arrange the necessary 'ferry'.
For those who do arrive by road and would like a sail on the Saturday or Sunday,
or a berth Saturday night please let me know and that can also be arranged. Note
also that the Roach Sailing Association will be racing on the Sunday, race starts
at 10:00am. As secretary of the RSA, I would like to invite any member of the Dauntless
Association to join us for a chance to win the coveted RNLI Cup (which has to be
returned each year! These are always fun races, not too far and handicapped so that
32' Contessas can compete alongside 14' winkle brigs and all between (including
Dauntlesses)!
Again, please let me know
CHRISTABEL - Stuart Blues.
CHRISTABEL is owned by Robert Gray, our Chairman. I had a 'close encounter'
with CHRISTABEL's Stuart Turner a couple of years ago when the engine broke down
when visiting Paglesham. In fact the engine was completely choked with mud and hence
overheating, but did mean that, between RUTH and myself, we had to tow CHRISTABEL
from Paglesham to Benfleet Creek for the first Dauntless Association dinner at Benfleet
in 1996.
It now seems like CHRISTABEL's Stuart is to be jettisoned, but read onà
(Ed).
Having taken part in the 1997 KSA Swale Match which started with an absolute
flat calm with forecast of force 3 in the afternoon to come. It was the most beautiful
morning as a host of classic boats from large Thames barges to little 'Dauntli',
like LINNEA and my own, CHRISTABEL crawled lazily out of the Swale.
Many a crew member lay on the decks taking the hot morning sun. There was no
wind and one could eavesdrop from boat to boat as we glided across a gloss-like
water. Then after what seemed like an eternity, we approached the outer market and
things changed.
The Thames barges, which had until then been large labouring hulks, turned into
what could only be described as rockets as they rounded the mark and took the wind
on the beam. Suddenly there was a race on, the skies darkened and the wind rose.
I rounded the mark and CHRISTABEL and LINNEA were meeting at every tack. What
started as a gentle match had now turned into some serious sailing. Over the VHF
I head boat after boat retire,
Suddenly I lost LINNEA on a tack and CHRISTABEL was very alone and visibility
was increasingly more difficult. The weather was worsening and rather than take
in any reef, it seemed prudent to lower the mainsail altogether and use the jib.
After some difficulty in getting the main down, life had become uncomfortable, time
to retire..
So to start the Stuart to 'turn her' home! But the expected force 3 had now turned
to an unfriendly force 7. We were not making headway at all and were drifting towards
Whitstable. There was little left to do but put the anchor overboard and sit tight.
I called the safety boat to report the situation and the answer came back that they
were busy attending to umpteen other boats and would we like a tow home? -- Yes
please!
"We'll be about an hour", they said. An hour seemed like a very long
time as CHRISTABEL, crew and myself were tossed about quite violently. Never was
there a more pleasing sight as the safety boat arrived with two monstrous engines
to tow us home.
Home at last at the mouth of Faversham Creek and very wet, my mind was made up.
Much as I am a traditionalist and wish to keep CHRISTABEL as she was built, my affair
with my Stuart Turner had just died. Not that she didn't work,; she was exactly
what she was intended for, an auxiliary 4hp engine to get you too and from a mooring.
She was not designed to plough her way through a force 7 sea. CHRISTABEL was very
under-powered. So for Christmas 1997, CHRISTABEL got a brand new 'Beta Ten' twin
cylinder fresh-water cooled diesel engine.
As I write this article, the engine is being installed and I will report later
on my experiences with the new engine. I must say that I had a twinge of guilt as
I wrenched the old Stuart Turner from out of the bilge of CHRISTABEL, after all,
they had been lying together for the last forty odd years.
The 'Stuart's' days are by no means over, she is to start a new lease of life
being installed in a newly built clinker launch and will have (I hope) gentler times
ahead up the Thames.
Never at any time did I feel in danger in CHRISTABEL during what were very unpleasant
weather conditions. She held on like the old trooper that all Dauntlesses seemed
to be.
One boat sank that day, but that's another story..
Robert Gray
Mailbox
Letter from Ken Lattimer
The Dauntless Association
I am in receipt of your (3) newsletters for which I thank you, this letter came
as big and pleasant surprise, as you already know I did most of the engineering
work in the yard and on the new craft from 1959 to 1986. The fitting out was carried
out on a budget which did not allow for much upgrading of the standards which I
considered necessary.
My memories of Mr S.J. Clayton (Skipper) go back to 1927 when as a schoolboy
I attended a fancy dress party on his house-boat on Leigh marshes. In 1930 I was
employed varnishing dinghies (piecework), this did not last long as my interests
were in engineering. I spent the next 7 years learning the trade of Marine Engineering
on boats in Leigh. During this time the Dauntless Company moved to Benfleet as in
1932 Canvey Bridge was installed and this opened up Canvey by road without the Ferry
Boat or stepping stones.
In 1937, Mt Clayton introduced me to the British Motor Boat Company (BMB), who
employed me. T lost most personal contact then as war was declared and the Dauntless
Company moved to Welshpool and Mr Clayton lost his life in 1941. Mr Patten and my
brother then carried on with the boat building. The company returned to Benfleet
in 1946/7, then in 1958/9, Mr Patten left to start his own business as Seakings.
From there his son Keith can fill the gap.
My own life after 1937 has been varied and interesting. During the period of
War, I remained in London as a test shop engineer then after the restrictions were
lifted I was sent as a charge hand fitter to work on ships in the Thames and London
docks. In 1954, after an 8 week strike, I found it more economical to work as charge
hand in Benfleet garage and so in 1959 I started my own business in the Dauntless
yard from which I retired in 1986 at 70 years of age.
In your letter Mr F. Harris is mentioned. Unfortunately, Fred died a couple of
years ago but I still visit his wife occasionally. With regards your lost boat numbers,
this could have been the result of a keen and tidy office worker who in her own
words said if there was no file for this item, - relegate to the bin.
All the very best for your club in the coming years
Yours very sincerely
Mr K Lattimer
Letter from Denny Desoutter
Dear Mr Langrick
Thank you for the copy of Dauntless News. Most interesting and enjoyable.
For your record of build numbers you may be interested in details of our NOOM
ZOR NOOM, (Name of a wizard in a childrens' book current in our house at the time).
Her keel was laid on 17th Feb 1960, and she was launched on
Sat 9th April, She was then taken by road to Dell Quay in Chichester
Harbour on Tuesday 12th. Her official number with the RBS was 301184,
and Dauntless gave her the hull number 1530.
She was sliding gunter rigged, and I later fitted a bowsprit so that she could
carry a jib - an essential modification & twin-cylinder Stuart. The accommodation
plan was to our own special requirements.
In 1964 she was sold on to various friends, then passed through various owners.
Her name was ultimately changed to Cockle and I have heard she was decommissioned
a couple of years ago.
With best wishes
Denny D
A boat called SWANTI
We need articles about your boat! To set things rolling, let me introduce
you to my Dauntless SWANTI. Please write to myself or Alan about your own boat and
we will publish in later newsletters, but most importantly store the record in our
archives.
What a dreadful name, but I guess I can say that. It was not of by choosing and
I am not one to change the name of any boat, so SWANTI it has stayed. A couple of
years back I met a fellow yachtsman who hailed me as I went past. He explained that
he had owned her between 1972 and 1980, indeed he sailed her to Sark in the Channel
Islands and gave me a photo to prove it! When he owned her she was called 'IMPUDENCE',
a much nicer name, but much more difficult to spell phonetically over the VHF!
I first saw her a few moorings up from where I moored RUTH, a Dauntless I later
sold to Alan Holland. SWANTI looked beamy and stable, but sat on her deep water
mooring for two years untouched. At one time she had a cover on her, but that had
been blown asunder by many a winter gale. There was no brightwork to be seen, all
had deteriorated to grey, but still she seemed a sea worthy craft albeit a bit on
the 'tubby' side. Then, one weekend, she was gone.
At the end of the season, I laid up RUTH in the rill that runs close to the yard
at Paglesham. After a few weeks I was surprised to see SWANTI also 'laid up' in
the same yard, if you could call it that. She was merely 'dumped' at the side of
road leading through the boatyard. Little had been done in the act of 'laying up,
The mast had been lowered to rest on the hatch roof, the brightwork (which had been
bright no longer, was painted brown, and the hull bright yellow, in an attempt to
tidy her and then a large heavy cover draped over - and that was her lot.
For many years I had toyed with the idea of converting RUTH from bermuda rig
to gunter. I had already fitted running back stays, but was stalling because her
sails were in very good condition and while they still had life in them, did not
want to have to invest in gunter spars and sails.
I am the secretary of the Roach Sailing Association, a good excuse to have a
'natter'. To any of the numerous visitors to the Paglesham boatyard and met the
owner of SWANTI who surprised me by telling me that she was a Dauntless. More that
that she was pole masted gunter rigged, just what I had wanted for RUTH. She was
for sale, but the asking price far more than I was prepared to pay.
Still I had to look around her. I climbed into the small but capable cockpit
- draining?? (two slats in the stern took the surplus water from the cockpit out
of the transom, that is why she survived out on the river for two years with no
attention). I climbed over the huge bulkheads and sat in her commodious cabin. The
cabin extends to the width of the boat with virtually no side decks, so the width
is close to 9'. Wide berths with backrests made the most comfortable of cabins.
Diesel engine snug under the companionway, Toilet forward of the bunk-head and to
port, with a hatch over - very comfortable. Galley under a small dog-house and chart
table opposite and I could stand up, this was the boat for me, all 6'2"!
Unfortunately I have a family who are totally disinterested in sailing. My boat
is simply 'daddy's toy' and I do feel guilty with regards all the time and money
I spend on this 'folly'. Hence to invest further in a lump sum, would be totally
unfair.
But I guess that is part of boating, after a sleepless night the morning saw
me in making a silly offer for SWANTI, one that I genuinely thought would not be
accepted, i.e., half the asking price. If I get her for that price I would do well,
if not, at least I tried. Alas, I was turned down initially, but left it with the
owner to consider and let me know as the cash would be waiting. This ploy worked
and within a week was the proud owner of two Dauntlesses, (much to the disgust of
the other half).
I had advertised RUTH in a local chandlery and hence I only had to suffer family
wrath for a week as Alan Holland came to my rescue after visiting the same chandlery
to buy a knife, bought RUTH on the day he saw her. I now had a larger Dauntless
and weeks of work to put her in shape for the season.
SWANTI is a 23' Dauntless Cutter. When I bought her she was gunter rigged, but
since have replaced the main and she is now Gaff. She has a 7' bowsprit which makes
her 30' LOA. She has a 9' beam with about 5'9" headroom in the doghouse at
the rear of the cabin. She has a 7hp Volvo Penta diesel engine swinging a 12 X 12"
three bladed propeller (slowly).
Her hull was built by Dauntless in 1968 and has the hull number 1675. The Dauntless
record simply shows 'Hull only, Mr Smith'. Mr Smith was an antique dealer in Penge
and had taken 18 months to fit her out - massively. I have copies of photographs
of her being finished with comments on the rear like 'Mast support beam, laminated
in the kitchen from 20 year old Austrian oak. When finished it weighed 1 «
cwt finished size of 9" X 4 «"'. It describes the main bulkhead
being made from a solid teak wardrobe. I wonder how much priceless antique furniture
may have been used to build her? Her hull, below the waterline, was sheathed in
rubber paint, which survives today. Pictures show this being applied to the new
timber. Sometimes when I antifoul, I notice a small piece of rubber delaminating.
Such a piece I pulled of last year and revealed the oak keel still yellow beneath.
The sails were original (I think) with a pole mast supported by shrouds with 'deadeyes',
very 'twee' for a boat this small, but they stayed! Certainly the rigging needed
some TLC.
When I bought her, the previous owner had just had her surveyed and he had also
paid the yard for the winter storage, and re-launch in the spring. She came with
VHF, compass and a host of 'bits and pieces'. I spent a month of tidying around
the hull and then launched her into the rill for a re-fit. The jobs the surveyor
had noted had already been completed when I bought her.
I spent many a happy weekend with friend, sailing companion and Dauntless owner
Geoff Larney, sanding painting and fitting out. She seemed to have survived her
lonely years out on the mooring very well. The cabin was spick and span and although
the exterior woodwork was badly discoloured and cabin sides painted brown as said
earlier, was soon beginning to show its true colour.
One of the major items that needed attention was the mast. This had a dangerous
looking shake which appeared about 1" deep and had significant rot. This would
need to be cut away. A fresh piece of pine was scarfed into the area and all the
rest of the smaller shakes filled with a mixture of beeswax and turps, boiled to
a thick emulsion and then 'knifed' into the cracks. This has weathered well over
the years and I have never since had any bother from these shakes.
I am one for sailing my boats rather than spending too much time fitting out,
so that season I spent time learning the ropes and noting all the jobs that would
need attention over the next few years. Since then, each start of season has seen
me tackling a different aspect of more significant maintenance, but nothing major,
This includes the purchase of a second engine, now installed. The original was bored
out to it's maximum and all spares for older Volvos are at a premium. The second
engine had more compression, and a dynastart. Much better for single handed sailing.
Since then I have re-built the original engine, having the bore re-sleeved, new
pistons, Cylinder head, bearings and also a dynastart! This second engine sits under
the bench in the garage.. waiting.
One weekend, shortly after I had bought her, I saw a fellow yachtsman walking
towards the skip with à a wooden skylight. I rescued this, a wonderful teak
opening type, with brass rods to protect two opening lights. Certainly it needed
some TLC as one end was rotten and the glass cracked, but a few pounds and lots
of labour has resulted in wonderful extra light and ventilation in the cabin. This
addition has a canvass cover over it when not in use and hence now takes minimal
maintenance.
Three years ago I replaced the bowsprit, jib and staysail and two years ago replaced
the gunter main for true gaff. She now points much better and handles very easily
for one. Again two years ago I fitted a coal 'pot bellied' stove in the cabin which
is a real boon on a cold evening. Two years ago I replaced the 'barn door' rudder
for a typical Dauntless drop-plate rudder. This has improved handling significantly,
especially in squalls where before she had a tendency to turn to lea! (very dangerous)
as the rudder became ineffective when heeled. This also helps handling with the
Autohelm.
My philosophy on boat maintenance and repair is that if you repair anything,
or make alterations, you always make stronger than whatever was before. This seems
to have paid off over the years.
And to date this season, I have fitted a new speed log (the old mechanical one
'ate' cables at £20 a throw, each season), and the echo sounder. I have also
installed new backstay runners (she only had two very heavy shrouds before). As
I write this I am waiting for the weather to change so that I can start painting.
My cruising over the last few years has mostly been single handed. SWANTI is
easily managed and because of her unusually high freeboard, can take very heavy
seas. I find that when I go to windward in very choppy seas, like 'wind over tide'
down the 'Wallet', I leave the engine slowly ticking over. This prevents stalling
between waves and makes a dramatic difference to speed and handling. She is reasonably
fast down wind, but will never be a racer, which bothers me not the least.
For when I am cosily taking the mud in some quiet creek, wind howling in the
rigging and with the sleet pounding on the cabin roof, the glow through the open
door of the stove reflecting on that same cabin roof , I feel snug, warm and contented
in my wide comfortable berth as rest of the world rushes to meet some deadline.
Re-Fastening the hog
Ed White served his apprenticeship with Dauntless and we thank him for the
following advice for those Dauntless owners who have leaks around the stern tube.
This article describes how to address leaks around the hog from two specific
areas. The first is where the actual stern gear runs through the knee, hog and keel
and the caulking has failed between the stern tube and the wooden surround. The
second where the bolts fail that fasten through the knee to the keel.
Leaking stern gear
In the first case, obtain a grease nipple from the local car spares dealer. The
drill a hole in some scrap-wood to a size that the grease nipple will screw into
with a tight fit. Then with a longer drill of the same size, drill through the knee
in the area indicated 'A' in Fig 1. Keep removing the drill and inspecting the end.
Once you start to see brass, stop drilling as you are now touching the stern tube.
Be very careful only to touch the stern tube, do not drill through it. Then screw
the grease nipple into the hole.
Then mix 2 parts putty to 1 grease and mix to an emulsion. It may be necessary
to add a little boiled linseed oil to the putty first so that the total consistency
is that of a thick grease. Then put the emulsion into a cheap grease gun and inject
into the grease nipple. Keep injecting until the emulsion starts to 'ooze' through
where once water would have oozed. Mop up the surplus, remove the grease nipple
and dowel the hole, job's done!
Don't forget to clean the grease gun!!
Leaking hog
On very early Dauntlesses, the knee, hog and keel are fastened with bronze bolts.
These take less maintenance to that which was later fitted by Dauntless, i.e., steel
rod, usually 1/4" - 3/8" with a bolt head on the inside end. Failure of
these will be indicated by rust marks on the external keel, or cracks appearing
between the keel and deadwood as in 'B' in Fig 1.
It will probably be impossible to remove the old bolts as they will have wasted
and failed within the deadwood. Hence the only alternative is to drill fresh holes
for new rods. But first try and remove the old nuts and if they are sheered, remove
and plug with dowel.
Carefully measure dimensions of the deadwood, keel and knee and draw a full-scale
diagram as in Fig 2. on a piece of ply to assess the drilling angle so that the
drill passes the stern tube and exits at the keel. Then make up a wood 'edge' to
guide the drill at the correct angle. Cut the wood so that it fits over the hog
snugly as in 'C', (Fig 2) in position 'C' (fig 1).
Use a morse drill or centre wood bit to start the hole "shot on". An
extension of the morse drill can be used to complete drilling through. The recess
in the lower end of the keel can then be cut with a small chisel to take the bolt
at the lower end of the rod. The new rods are then cut to length, one may chose
marine grade stainless steel, with a thread cut at both ends. Replace with a suitable
caulking material and re tighten.
A drill can be made up as we used to do in the yard by flattening the end of
a piece of undersized rod and then grinding to the size required, see fig 2, 'D'.
And finally..
Should you have any Dauntless boats in your vicinity and the owner does not know
about the Dauntless Association, please give them the following information or leave
on the boat. Thanks!
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !