About the author

Sailing History

Started designing boats at age 5. Dad built this one.
Designed and built model aeroplanes in teens

22Firstdesign

At 19 built first Morris Mk 2 moth, sailed with River and Western Suburbs Clubs, Built a second 2 years later. Runner up club championship.

33Koree 11957ColDad

A season in VS’s then overseas to UK, sailed Merlin Rockets and National 12’s mostly at Raneleagh Club in London.

44MerlinRocketMervin AllenRanelagh1962

Returned Home, a season as club instructor (too broke to buy a boat) then a season in Herons.

55HeronHen and ChickenBay

Then a love affair with NS14’s. After 2 Javelin hulls, designed Tweededee, won championships in 1968 with sister ship second mainly due to low wave impact drag and adjustably conformable rig.

Wind tunnel tests with Frank Bethwaite, Charlie Mansfield and Dr P. Smith.

66Tweedledee1968

Designed Fiddle de Dee NS14, (on right, other is sister ship)club champion but too busy at work for serious campaigning.

77 ColinandFranFiddlededee

Changed to trailer yachts, designed and marketed Timpenny 670 (Seacraft magazine Trailer Yacht of the Year, 1975). See www.Timpenny.com.au

Sold 110 of the 670’s in Australia and about 30 in UK before “Thatchernomics’ and oil crisis stopped sales.

88Timpenny670

Later designed Timpenny 770. Sold about 30 770’s in Australia.

99Timpenny770DL 2

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia were concerned about self righting safety for the next Hobart race after NZ centreboard boats like Swuzzlebubble were lost at sea. Served on panel at with Messrs Alan Payne, John Meehan, and Marshall to formulate self righting requirment. Later wrote much of trailer yacht safety regulations for YA.

101StabilitytestatCYC

Gap for profession then had Polar Bear II built, cruised North Queensland and NE New Zealand when retired, so far about 16,000 sea miles.

111PolarBear

In USA and Canada did “Great Loop” 6000 miles of rivers, canals and estuaries by power boat.

Circa 2006 started radio sailing.

 

121barebones

 

Professional History

First class honours and research degrees in civil engineering, main career as geotechnical engineer with “Coffeys”.  Full partner 1966, deputy CEO 1975, chairman 1985 to retirement in 1993.  Author of over 40 reviewed or invited papers in learned journals or conferences. Changed from private to public company 1990 (www.coffey.com) .  After retirement honorary researcher at University of Sydney on drag anchors for offshore oil rigs for 10 years.

hulls

keels rudders bulbs

righting moment setup

rigs and sails

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