Our Classic Fife 8 Meter Sulaire is ready to launch and is now FOR SALE!

Welcome to the record of our 8 meter restoration

2011-03-29T15:15:00.001-07:00

Sulaire was designed and built by William Fife III for John and Robert Aspin of Glasgow whose letterhead reads "Paint manufacturers to the Admiralty" . She was launched in 1929 and spent only a couple of years racing in Scotland before she came to the US. This photo was taken in 1938 at Marblehead where she sailed for most of a decade.

She's had many owners and almost as many names. Sulaire (Her original name) now resides in the Pacific Northwest where Bill Ford has owned and maintained her since 1985. He has done all of the restoration work himself and is now near completion of the third of four phases of restoration.

Experienced in boat repair, planking, all aspects of woodworking and welding, the final phase required that Bill develop skill in casting bronze. The result is astonishingly beautiful.

As She Was

2011-03-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

In 1985 I purchased Sulaire, then named "Trouble" with a broken mast and a blown engine. According to the broker, she was taking on a fair bit of water, understandable for a 56 year old wooden boat. Upon inspection, I found her hull was in great shape, a testiment to William Fife's engineering skills.
The first thing I did was to paint her white to help reduce shrinkage from the sun.

The next step was to build a new mast. Her beautiful chromed bronze hardware was intact and there were enough pieces of the old mast left to get the correct measurements so I set out to duplicate the tapered, tear drop shape. I consulted with an accomplished spar builder on Orcas Island. He showed me how to lay up the pieces and orient the grain along with ideas on how to use threaded rod to make cheap clamps. Since he had previously owned a Fife Ten Meter he was really excited about my project and very helpful.

I built a jig for the router to reproduce identical long scarfs making 5 - 62' lengths out of 30 ft 2x8s. The tapers were cut into them and cants were glued to the front and back sections to allow clamping in both directions. This also kept the wall thicknesses even.

The box was then glued up using resorcinol glue with 60 clamps made from threaded rod and 1 x 4s. Then, using a power planer for two long days the excess was trimmed away. I finished with a sanding belt from a belt sander using it like a shoe strop to smooth the rounded leading edge.

With paint and the installation of hardware and wire I was ready to raise the mast. During this time, I had installed a new diesel engine and so had power to motor across the sound to the mast crane.

I set the mast rake using an old photo of the boat and sailed her with an older suit of sails. She handled beautifully. I had been told by the previous crew that the boat had a serious lee helm, I was perplexed.

I had the newer sail repaired and that revealed the problem. The new main was 15" longer on the leach and the mast could not be raked enough to balance the boat.

After the first sail in heavy air, it was obvious that she was flexing too much. Even though her sheer looked perfect, the hull seemed slightly flat amidships and her cabin sides were pushed in where they meet the deck. I referenced the Lloyds numbers and found that she was 3/4" narrower than she should be. For the next few weeks, using a jack, I put pressure on her cabin sides and cockpit coamings pushing her back into shape ever so slightly, a little every day, keeping an eye on her progress from the deck of a neighboring boat, beer in hand. (Meter boats don't sail without beer...but that's another story.) When she matched her numbers, she looked perfect from a distance.

The next step was to install a new deck beam between the cabin and the cockpit. This beam is notched into 2 new beam shelves of the same dimensions as those spreading the load at the mast. After this the leaking stopped and she felt as stiff as a rock while pounding through rough seas. Now it was time to go north, visit the Canadian 8 meters and enjoy the fruit of my labors.

(Last photo: Detail of beam shelf and joint with new cross beam)

Deck and House Restoration

2011-03-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

In 1991, I built a shop just the right size to house Sulaire and her mast. I originally planned to make her a fast live-a-board cruiser. After visiting the Toronto fleet and seeing what was happening there and in Europe I made the decision to restore her to as close to original as possible. I removed the engine, eliminated all the through hulls and stripped the hull to bare wood. Before replacing fastenings, I treated the hull with a mixture of linseed oil and terps adding pine tar to the mix for those planks below the water line. All of the screws in the sawn frames were then removed and replaced with new silicon bronze screws one size larger than the originals. True to Fife design, every third frame is sawn from one piece of wood, presumably grown frames from trees purposely shaped for this use.

Next I began to disassemble the deck. Removing a layer of plywood revealed Fife's original deck. After seeing this, I decided to completely replace the deck. Bent Jesperson, the builder of the 1984 World Champion 8 meter Octavia, advised me that the only way to build a strong, water tight deck and keep the weight of the deck as light as it's original pine was to cold mold in red cedar.

The original deck was removed. Because the cabin and cockpit had been changed over the years it was necessary to replace the deck beams from the foreword end of the cabin to just short of the rudder post. By this time, Fairlie restorations had sent a copy of the deck beam layout with detailed specifications. With this I was able to restore her cabin and cockpit to the original size. Heavy structural beams, originally spec'd in Larch, were replaced with Douglas fir (called Oregon Pine in the original specs). The lighter beams, originally spec'd in Spruce, were replaced with Spruce. Carlings were dovetailed into the beams and the beams were fitted to the original dovetail joints in the clamps.

Cold molding the deck began once the beams were in place and a new stern timber was put in. (The only rot I found was from the back stay bolt through this timber)

In the lowest layer, each strip of 1 3/4" wide cedar was sized and beveled to match Fife's deck. These were sprung in so that from below, she looks the way she did in 1929.

The king plank was laid in mahogany

Two additional layers of 1/4" x 3 1/2" cedar were then laid over the first in opposing 45 degree angles. These were all laid in epoxy and fastened with thousands of silicon bronze staples. This layer stops about 4" shy of the outer edge and was routed so the mahogany covering board could half lap over it.

A layer of glass cloth set in epoxy covers the cold molded cedar. I routed a small lip into the upper/inner edge of the mahogany covering board so the glass cloth covers the joint and ends in a clean line that would mostly be covered by the toe rail. The covering boards were left natural. I felt that problems would arise if I couldn't completely seal the surface and that the deck needed to be non skid. The varnished decks I've seen on 6 meters look scary to walk on.

A white deck with natural wood covering boards, cabin and cockpit coamings is extremely attractive while allowing the deck to be coated with non skid. The cabin, also cold molded, consists of 2 layers of cedar laid in different directions, sandwiched between two layers of mahogany. It is extremely stout.

I salvaged beams from her old house and re-used them to add the depth of aged wood to the character of her interior.

We are currently using a plexi-glass cover over the skylight cut-out and are actively seeking information, drawings and/or pictures of Fife 8 meter skylights - especially those with six circular lights. We would appreciate input/help/comments.

Bulkheads Chain Plates and Other Structural Reinforcements

2011-03-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

For higher performance I moved the mast aft and the forestay foreword (to maintain balance) increasing the J dimension to 14'9". I had been to Toronto for the 1991 World Championships where the members of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and the Port Credit Yacht Club treated me wonderfully, got me on a spectator boat to watch the races which was by the way, a great party! I had the opportunity to look at their fleet, to discuss the pros and cons of various rig and hardware designs with people who really knew 8 meters. They connected me with North Sails Toronto where I confirmed that a J of about 15 feet would be a good number for my boat.

To stiffen her at the mast a 3/4" marine plywood bulkhead lapped into a 2" x 2" laminated frame was added. A new set of lodging knees and hanging knees were also added near the new bulkhead. New chain plates were attached to the bulkhead. Each chain plate is made from a 3" x 3" x 3/8" stainless steel angle with a 2" x 2" stainless angle welded to it. This runs along the deck beam compressing directly against the mast partners.

Each chain plate is attached with four bolts to the bulkhead, 4 bolts to the deck beam and 2 bolts through the clamps. A tab was welded to each chain plate as close to the deck as possible and 1 1/2" stainless tension rods run from the tabs to a bolt that runs through a 2 ' long stainless steel cap that is fitted over and attached to the mast step. The cap is also attached to the bulkhead with 3 bolts on each side. This system takes most of the rigging loads off of the hull.

To strengthen the foredeck, a set of hanging knees was added at the hatch.

(Photo - Cast bronze reinforcement being removed before keel is removed)
I found a small gap (1/16") on the lower edged of the joint between the stem and the keelson. Believing this may have been caused by upward force from the forestay, I closed the gap by weighting the bow with 2 5 gallon buckets of water for many months. When the gap was closed, the leading edge was cut out to a depth of 1" from the lead to about 2 feet forward of this joint. I cast a piece of bronze to replace this piece and attached this reinforcement with 5 bolts, securing the keelson and stem.

In order to reduce the load of the forestay I fitted a 4 " sheave into the bow, ran the forestay over this and back to the stainless steel mast step cap, reducing the upward pull angle by half.

For the running back stays I replaced the Highfield levers with 2 speed, self tailing Anderson winches to allow for infinite adjustment of the stays. Spectra Line runs from a pad eye on the aft deck through a block that is attached to the back stay wire, down to another block on deck and runs to the winch. Both blocks are rated to 7,000 lb working loads.

The garboard seam was reefed and caulked with cotton. I used a pizza roller to insert a few strands of cotton between a couple of the lowest planks. Except for those few seams, because of Fife's craftsmanship the original tight seem construction needed no further attention. She got new top side enamel and Balta-plate racing bottom paint sanded to 600 grit and polished with bronze wool. You could see yourself in the bottom paint.

With these improvements the boat was incredibly stiff and she sailed like freight train. We took her to the 1994 Maple Bay Labor Day Regatta where she placed second in the big boat division. The modern 2 tons were not pleased to be beaten by a 65 year old boat. The Maple Bay Yacht Club has a long history of 6 & 8 meter racing, they were exceedingly gracious. The following year, we were able to get Concierto and Amita to Maple Bay for the race and the yacht club reinstated the 8 meter trophy for us. The trophy listed both Concierto and Sulaire as winners in races back in the 60's when there was a fleet of a dozen 8's in the northwest. in 1995 they added Amita to the trophy. But that's another story.

Sand Casting

2011-03-29T15:10:00.002-07:00

Once I decided to do my own casting the next step was to build the furnace and tools. The furnace was built using half of a 55 gallon drum. I cut a hole in the side at the bottom of the drum and placed the jet in such a way that the flames would spiral around the crucible. The inside of the drum was lined with a 1" layer of 2100 degree fiber board and next with a layer of 2500 degree zircon fire bricks. The naturally aspirated jet was attached to a manifold connecting 2 50 lb propane tanks, each with a regulator capable of 30 psi. The regulators control the pressure and in order to control flow I installed a ball valve at the jet. To preheat the crucible slowly, I partially closed the ball valve and ran the pressure at between 5 and 7 psi. Once the inside of the furnace reached 1400 degrees the valve was opened completely and the pressure was raised to 20 psi. At high flow, it was necessary to keep the tanks in a hot water bath to keep the regulators from freezing.

The lid of the furnace was made of fire bricks drilled and sandwiched between two angle irons on threaded rods. A small hand pivot crane was attached to the base to make moving the lid easier and safer.

The process produces a small amount of slag that floats to the top of the bronze. I used a bent piece of sheet metal to scrape this off.

Before I could do any of this I had to make my own tools. The tool to lift the crucible out of the furnace is similar to a post hole digger made out of steel but instead of shovel blades, the tongs were shaped to fit a number 10 crucible. (The number "10" designates that this crucible holds 10 lbs of aluminum which is relative to 33 lb of bronze.)

An artist friend gave me a pouring ring but it needed to be modified. I added length to the arm, made the rings slightly smaller and welded a movable latch onto the side which keeps the crucible in the ring when it is tipped on it's side. The pouring ring is set up to pivot over the mold. After the crucible is pulled from the furnace, it is set into the pouring ring, locked into place and is easily moved over mold for pouring into the sprue.

I consulted with several metal craftsmen and read as much as possible about the process. The first few pours were trial and error with temperature. I'd read that 1950 degrees would be sufficient to pour a large casting and that fine detail work required 2100 degrees. At 1950, the metal cooled before reaching the end of the mold. After that, I brought the metal up to 2100 degrees and as an added precaution (see the first photo) I preheated the sand with a heat gun. This worked beautifully.

This photo shows the cope and drag - the two parts of the mold were built from 2 x 6s and 2 x 4s. Internal guide pins and external, tapered guides kept the two parts aligned properly. I chose Petro-bond, a casting sand that uses oil rather than water to bind the sand together. It eliminates the possibility of uneven water distribution which could cause a steam explosion. I made other tools for this process including a hand ram for ramming into the mold and around the pattern. I used various small shaping and cutting tools to cut sprues and vents. Talcum powder was used to keep the two parts of the mold separate and to keep the patterns from sticking to the sand.

Fabricated Floors

2011-03-29T15:10:00.001-07:00

Fife used 2 different types of floors. Larger fabricated floors that carry the main keel bolts and are bolted to the larger sawn frames. The others are 5/8" strap floors fitted to the bent frames carrying smaller keel bolts to pockets on the sides of the lead.

For the larger fabricated floors I used 3/16" silicon bronze sheet cut to the shape of the hull using metal cutting blades in a jig saw. Each blade would cut through about 4 feet before needing replacement.

To replicate the angle that stiffens the top of the floor I cut 1 1/2" strips using a circular saw and a special blade. They were bent to the shape of the cut plate and TIG welded from both sides.

(Photo) Different phases of fabrication from the plywood pattern to fitting a finished floor.

(Photo) Checking final fit before lower angle is installed - inside and....

...out.

The angle of the larger casting at the bottom of each fabricated floor matches the angle where the floor meets the keelson or the horn timber. These pieces are approximately 3" x 3" x 3/8". They are bolted to the plate with 3/8" bolts every few inches. The outermost bolts were welded in place since the nut would have required notching into the frame. Lightening holes were drilled in the same location as the originals. Holes were then drilled and filed square to fit the bronze carriage bolts that attach them to the sawn frames.

The bilge and wooden frame members were painted with red lead and Irish felt was laid between the wood and bronze floor.

Each floor is bolted in with either 8 or 10 3/8" bronze carriage bolts backed with hand made 1 1/2" x 2" x 3/16" thick rectangular washers.

All 8 Fabricated floors bolted in....ready to remove the keel. To see good photos of the finished floors see the posting titled "Boat Jewelry".

Cast Strap Floors

2011-03-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

Due to the size and difficulty of extracting these full size patterns from the sand I decided to cast them in three pieces and weld them together. The patterns were made using 5/8" poly-carbonate sheet. The tapers were cut into the plastic while it was flat and then with just the right amount of heat - about 250 degrees, the material becomes pliable and can be laid right on the bent frame and held until it cools (I wore welding gloves for this process) When it is removed it holds both the curvature and the twist of the frame. (I used a heat gun but the person I learned this trick from used an oven.)

The patterns were rammed into the sand mold.

The mold is then separated and the patterns are removed. Removal was tough even with 3 degree bevels on the patterns because of the twist. At first I attempted to patch any sand displaced by the removal process but subsequently decided it was easier to grind away small amounts of excess bronze. Both sides were cast in the same mold and connected to a common sprue.

Once all the pieces were cast, the three pieces that make up a complete floor were placed in the boat, they were clamped in place and checked for fit.

The three pieces were held in their final shape by gluing sheets of plywood to each side with foaming urethane glue. The corners of the plywood were cut away to facilitate welding the joints while the plywood was still holding them in place.

The plywood was removed and the complete floor was ground and sanded smooth.

The original floors were fastened all the way through the planking. I did the same in the same holes except that I made my floors go one plank higher than the originals and added one more rivet. The rivets were made from1/4" copper rod cut to length. Using a torch, a ball peen hammer and a jig, I heated the rivets and then peened heads onto each one. Pushing the rivets through the hull and the floor, my wife held the backing iron on the hull side while I peened each rivet tight. Yes we are still married.

The 5/8" keel bolts that pocket into the outer edge of the lead were made in the same manner using theTIG torch, a ball peen hammer and a steel jig. The other ends were threaded by hand. Keel bolts larger than 5/8" were threaded on a lathe at a local machine shop.

Keel Removal and Installation

2011-03-29T15:09:00.002-07:00

(Photo - Keel Removed)

The larger fabricated floors together with the sawn frames were used to hold the boat together when she was built. This eliminated the need for temporary station molds which are used in the construction of bent frame boats. Because of this, each floor has 2 5/8" bolts which only go through the keelson and can only be reached by removing the keel.

In order to remove the old keel bolts a T-shaped steel bracket was fabricated. Drilling into and tapping the top of a keel bolt allowed a hardened machine bolt to be threaded through the bottom of the bracket into the top of the keel bolt. Two 12 ton hydraulic jacks easily lifted the bracket with the bolts attached. This took some time as these jacks only lift 3 inches at a time. The blocking under the jacks had to be raised for every three inches of lift.

Four stands were built to the shape of the hull leaving enough room to move the keel forward. A carriage was then built around the lead. It was set on 8 1 1/2" steel pipes. Just enough pressure was applied while installing the cross members under the keel to get the old blocks out.

After removing the remaining keel bolts I was able to get a long hacksaw blade between the keel and the keelson and work at cutting the bedding that was still attached to both sides.

Once I knew the keel was free of the hull I attached a come-along to a bolt I'd embedded in the shop floor and pulled the keel in it's carriage straight out to the front of the shop.

(Photos - Keel moving forward)

Once the keel was removed the bolts in the keelson were replaced.

A new layer of Irish felt was laid on the lead and that was topped with a layer of Dolphinite bedding compound.

The keel was replaced by reversing the process, pulling the keel on it's carriage back under the boat.

Once some of the large keel bolts were in place the carriage was removed by jacking the lead up just enough to relocate the blocks, then the carriage was torn apart and removed. Because of the slope of the keelson the keel became completely free of the hull as it moved forward and snugged right up when replaced.

This would be difficult if your work space did not have a smooth floor capable of bearing the weight but was much easier and safer than trying to lift the boat or lower the lead.

All of the bronze bolts I removed looked like new but were still replaced in order to keep all metals of the same alloy. (Silicon bronze: 95% Copper, 4% Silicon, 1% Manganese.) This material is used in all the screws, bolts, sheet stock and casting ingots while the rivets are all made of Copper.

Boat Jewelry

2011-03-29T15:09:00.001-07:00

Finished floors, painted planks, one happy boat.

Nuts and Bolts

2011-03-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

I replaced all of the keel bolts...
and had these nuts machined to match the originals.

Pounding the bolts in.

Riveting done...

Plugs in place.

"Four Coats Best Yacht Varnish"

2011-03-29T15:08:00.002-07:00

Before installing an interior, I sanded and re-varnished the entire hull interior from stem to stern. I applied "Four coats best yacht varnish" per Fife's original specifications.

Sanded, looking aft.

Every day, all day.

Looking forward, looking good.

Cabin top

Mahogany planks on Oak and Rock Elm frames.

Forward

Forward

Looking aft, rudder housing.

Sideboards, Bulkheads and Cockpit Framing

2011-03-29T15:08:00.001-07:00

Following Fife's original plans sideboards are recessed into the cockpit area through the bulkhead.

Patterns for the bulkheads were made using 1/4 inch plywood. Original bulkheads were constructed of 5/8" x 4" splined boards. I chose to use 1/2" plywood with a layer of 1/4" x 4" boards laminated to the cockpit side of the bulkhead. This provides a great deal more strength and stability and maintains the original look. The interior side was grooved every four inches to create the appearance of planks.

Partial bulkheads were installed three frames aft of the main bulkhead creating a box to house the sideboards. Prior to installing the center section of the bulkhead the waterline was established through cabin and cockpit using string lines shown.

Sideboard detail showing salvaged old growth redwood most likely harvested at about the time of Sulaire's construction.

Completed sideboard box before bulkhead is installed...

...after bulkhead is installed.

Cockpit framing begins. Spruce beams dovetailed together.

Painting the bulkheads adds light to the cabin and accentuates the original wood.

Sideboard boxes are open to the hull to allow air to circulate. An over sized fiddle rail keeps contents of the box off of the hull. When the interior is complete, the bulkheads will get another coat of paint to cover seam lines and screw plugs.

Settee, Cockpit Seats and Final Floor Details

2011-03-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

This month we took a trip to the Gulf Islands of British Columbia to look at Falcon, aWilliam Fife 8 meter built in1930, and visit with her owner. Falcon still has much of her original interior including, among other things, cockpit grates and settees. We came home and went to work creating settees and cockpit grates that closely duplicate Fife's original work.

New settees for Sulaire are made from Spanish Cedar which has the grain characteristics of mahogany but is lightweight like red cedar. The slats are made of lumber gleaned from a huge, old growth yellow cedar log that a friend salvaged with my help over 20 years ago.

There are lift out panels, similar to Falcon's that provide access to the hull below the seat.

Looking forward, access panels back in place.

To build the cockpit seat grates I set up a jig for the router in order to cut 1/2 inch wide X 1/4 inch deep channels in boards of Spanish cedar.

These were ripped into strips 1/2 inch wide.

The strips were then fitted together to create the field of the grates.

Also this month, with all the keel bolts from the stern to the mast step in place, I was able to open up the forward cradle enough to add two more strap floors and...

fit the last two planks.

The whiskey plank. Cheers.

Cockpit fit and finish

2011-03-29T15:07:00.002-07:00

The original plans specified a half inch cockpit floor which seemed awfully light. After looking at Falcon's floor and seat grates I realized just how lightly built they were. No wasted weight here, anything to get more lead in the keel.

The cockpit grates are 3/4 inch strips of Spanish Cedar notched and fitted using the same system I used to make the seats. Like the grates on Falcon, each intersection of the grid is secured with a 1" x 16G square copper nail.

To give the grid some age I framed it using pieces of the old mahogany cockpit supports. Before final installation of the grates and cockpit floor they were given their first two coats of varnish.

The bilge was given a final coat of paint before the floor panels and seat supports were installed.

Cockpit grates in place...

Seats in place...

Next, seats for the grinders.

Interior Fit and Finish

2011-03-29T15:07:00.001-07:00

Detail of the stainless steel mast base reinstalled with tension rods attached. Mast base saddles the wooden mast step and is bedded in dolphinite.

Top of tension rod attached to the chain plate.

Aft facing settee for...
Chart table, scotch locker (yet to be finished) and...
Galley
Sarboard settee and companionway ladder
Looking forward.
Looking aft.
Left to finish: Fairing the hull, replacing the lead around the keel bolt nuts, skylight and foredeck hatches, more varnish and a coat of primer on the hull.

Finishing Touches

2011-03-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

Here is the completed house on Sulaire. The light design and layout is from original Fife drawings. I poured these in bronze adding the Fife dragon and wheat sheaf designs to the bronze frames.

The lights are made of a high tensile strength poly carbonate

Fife's signature dragon and...

... wheat sheaf

New paint for the deck and the dragons.

Forward hatch with single light

One of the final tasks for completion of the project - pouring lead into the keel in order to encase the keel bolt heads.