It may be convenient at this stage for me to briefly describe the layout of the boat, when completed. Forty five feet long with a beam of 11ft, the flush deck is broken by a low 15 inch high house aft of the main mast. Skylights and vents allow light and air below. There are no ports in the sides. Desirable though they are, the risk of sailing the boat under does exist. Under the cockpit and bridge deck, separated from the accomodation by steel sound deadening bulkhead, is the engine compartment.
The engine , an air-cooled, two-cylinder 20h.p. Petter drives forward and then down by vee belts to a shaft parallel to and below the engine and the 70 gallon fuel tanks. The problem of hot air is managed by drawing fresh air from the separate accommodation forward, though the fan flywheel and into the engine room space. From here it is extracted by a belt driven turbo-supercharger from a wartime bomber, and pumped through a trunking system to a small after deck vent. By using a 4-speed gear box in the drive, various speeds can cope with different ambient temperatures, and also the whole boat can be warmed and dried out as bountiful quantities of hot air are available. Also in this space is a large 24 volt generator charging a 225 amp/hour, 25 plate battery and a seprate 12 volt generator caring for a 12 volt system of the same capacity. A 1h.p. charging point is a stand by, unused as yet, in case the main engine is ever out of sorts. An engine-driven bilge, pump, refridgeration compressor, hydraulic windless pump and air compressor can be made operable by engaging a clutch. The 8 1/2 cubic feet per minute compressor pumps to 150p.s.i. into a statinless steel air receiver and provides filtered air for diving to over 100 should some develish undersea work be contemplated. Furthermore the two spare inflatable dinghies can be blown up conveniently and the large kerosene stove tank pressurised, likewise the fresh water storage system. While I have yet not used it as a spray paint plant, I carry the spray gun and paint aboard.
Forward of the bulkhed and below the low house is the stainless steel gallery, to starboard with fridge cabinet and swung stove, while opposite is full sized chart table with drawers below and a two-way 60 watt transceiver and an electronic auto-pilot above. An electric washing machine which doubles as an oilskin locker occupies the after corner.
On the port side a U shaped dining seat accommodates five comfortably, while the table, which is swung by a hydrauliclly dampened 80lb weight can be lowered and pressed into service as a double berth. Bookshelves and a glass fronted bookcase for an encyclopedia surround this area. Opposite, to starboard, a long and wide settee is backed by a fully padded pilot berth which provides superb comfort at any angle of heel. The upholstery is in deep buttoned olive green vinyl and the woodwork panelled in teak and Moreton Bay chestnut, otherwise known as black ben, a sub tropical timber, possessing a particularly pleasing grain. A tape recorder and record player are housed in a cabinet at the forward end.
Through a sliding door, a short passageway has a large hanging wardrobe to starboard and a porcelain handbasin, shower and head in a tiled compartment to port. Linen and first aid is kept in lockers outboard and above the basin. Another sliding door at the forward end of the passage allows entry to the forward sleeping cabin which has a dressing table and his-and-hers" lockers to starboard, while to port is a double berth with extensive stowage under it . This cabin is panelled in Queensland maple. At the forward end a hinged door to starboard gives access to the fore peak housing sails, gear and chainlocker. Stowed behind and below these furnishings is food for about 12 months if necessary and in exchange resins for the conversion of salt water to fresh.