Boat Designs

I have found few manufacturers accept credit cards. This makes dealing with them more difficult, so always ask them whether they accept credit cards, and why not?

Some of the builders have shared their construction techniques with us, just click on the boat name links and you will end up at our Hull Construction review page.

Chinook is designed and manufactured by Bob Sterne, in Canada. Bob tells me that the boat can be supplied as a completed unit, with the deck and fittings installed, but you will still need to install the included bumper and keel bulb and give it a paint job. He also has two stages of kits, the Deluxe comes with a video instruction manual, per his web site in November 2002. Bob can also supply sails and rig as a kit. Take a look at Bob's web site or try Email

Celebration is also from Bob Sterne, and represents his 25 years of IOM design and incorporates some of the Chinook elements modified to produce a full-length waterline, the circular mid-body which is found on all our yachts, and the elliptical aft sections proven so successful on the VIPER series. It incorporates a wider fin and a deeper rudder which have proven to be faster in rough water. The prices are the same as the Chinook and you can find the details in the same place as above.

Disco designed and built by Brad Gibson in Australia. Brad can also be reached by Email

Brad says, "This new design is the culmination of many hours spent refining our past IOM designs and noting the performances of other proven designs. Disco was designed using Maxsurf hull design software and has been put through many hours of Velocity Prediction trials (VPP). The result is a hull that is very easy to sail in all wind strengths, with speed to match any of the top designs on all points of sail."

Drumbeat designed by Mike Drummond, the builder is Terry Valder, assisted by Ian Maclennan (who also handles sales), New Zealand. Try the web site or shoot them an Email They take Visa credit card.

Gadget is designed by current world champion, Martin Roberts. Martin writes that the Gadget is a development of the Widget. Although we have had a lot of success with Widget it was felt that we needed more performance at the top windspeed of a rig, especially No. 1, but retaining the down wind speed and the light airs performance. this we have done by keeping the basic underwater lines, widening the stern sections and making a skiff style deck. Martin has a lot of information and equipment on his Housmartin Sails web site.

IKON designed and built by Graham Bantock, England. This boat is raced all over the world and has an enviable win record. After seeing a brand new Ikon purchased locally, the finish is wonderful and the boat sails extremely well, so you do often get what you pay for. A second design, the Italiko is a lighter air, narrower version and is the same price. For more information check out SAILSetc at the web site. They take Visa and Mastercard. You can also reach SAILSetc by Email.

Image designed by Graham Bantock, is licensed by SAILSetc, and is a sister to the IKON, manufactured in a slightly easier manner making a less expensive boat. There are several manufacturers of this design.

Michael Clifton who answers his Email, but does not have a web site, manufacturers the Image and also handles the Stealth by Trevor Bamforth and the Ocka by Jeff Byerley. He does not have a web page but will send you a very complete catalog. His image includes the hull with carbon fin and rudder and all deck fittings fitted including deck patch material. CM Yachts also handles other hulls and kits for the do it yourselfer. His catalog lists the various options and most of the parts you will need.

Light Ice is designed in Australia by Dario Valenza and built by Paul Armstrong of Carbonic Boats. The following is an excerpt from their web site, (all of which is worth reading): It seems to be accepted in the One Metre Class that one must choose between a wide planing ‘skiff’ type design and a narrow light-air specialist. The challenge of the rule lies in the coupling of the limited ballast ratio with the big jump in sail area between rigs. It is clearly desirable to carry each rig high into the wind range, but this ability should not come at the cost of poor light-air performance.

Light Ice aims to be fast in light airs whilst being able to carry each rig well into 'overlap' windspeeds. The hull is quite deep, with moderate-to-narrow overall beam, vertical topsides and centrally placed rocker.

Carbonic boats also make the Ice, a slightly wider skiff which has the same price tag.

Ocka and Cockatoo, designed and built by Jeff Byerley in Australia. You can reach Jeff by Email The Ocka is an all around boat, better at the top end than the Rage. The Cockatoo is the newest design by Byerley.

Ocka and Cockatoo are now available from Great Basin Model Yachting (GBMY)! Forget getting a check from your bank in Australian Dollars, sending it to someone in a foreign country, and then hoping that it arrives in one piece so you don't have to deal long distance on damages. Email Don Ginther at GBMY, charge it on your credit card, VISA, MasterCard and Discover, and be next in line for a boat. Don can usually give you the color you want because he can't keep them in stock, so yours will be a special order. If you take into account the cost of getting that Australian Dollars check, and sending it, you come out about even. Not bad, and you have the extra convenience of having it on a credit card.

Rage designed and built by Jeff Byerley in Australia. You can also reach Jeff by Email The Rage is an all around boat, designed just prior to the Worlds in 1999.

Stealth, designed by Trevor Bamforth is early 2000 is available from CM Yachts. Michael Clifton handles many boats, rigs and sails and can be reached by email to get a catalog. There is also a web site that shows the boat, but I don't know if you can actually order the boat from the site.

Tornado 250 designed and manufactured by Micky Petersen, Houston, Texas who can be reached Email Micky doesn’t have a web site at present but can email a fairly complete document. You can also see some photos of the Tornado 250 at the MSN Community Bulletin Board. Micky also has an "Economy" model available that is a semi kit with rudimentary deck fittings for you craftsmen out there.

TS2 designed by Gary Cameron and manufactured by Craig Smith, who can be reached by Email The boat comes nearly complete with a 16-page guide to help with the final finishing. Some of the miscellaneous deck fittings are not supplied. There is an 8-month waiting list at this time but before you order you better check estimated delivery! Check out the new TS-2 International One Metre Design web site.

Also newly available is an 84mm (6%) parallel keel and a straight (6%) rudder as used by Craig and Gary Cameron on their boats. The cost for the two upgrades is about $23.

An additional note, according to Craig, "The TS-2 is by far the most successful and most prominent of all the One Metres in the World. At the 1999 worlds there were forty three TS-2s out of a field of 80 odd boats. We had 11 in the top 14 places and up to date I have built some 260 boats that have gone into every country around the world that sails the IOM. In '97 the TS-2 won the Worlds and we had 6 in the top 10 places."

TS3 designed and built by Gary Cameron is a further development of the TS2. Gary says on his web site TS Designs "The prototype of the TS3 was first built in March 1999 but was only sailed a couple of times in 1999 as I was using the TS2 for the Malta worlds. The TS3 was basically put on hold for a few years as I only sailed around 12 times between the Malta and Croatian worlds and that did not allow me the time to tune up a new design. In fact, the TS3 only came out of the cupboard seriously while everyone was away at the Canadian worlds and I was at home. I have spent some time since June 2003 and May 2004 trying different keel locations, keels, bulbs and rigs developing the TS3 and I have finally settled on a combination that I am very happy with." Gary can also be reached by Email.

V3 The mould been upgraded to the same specifications of the 1999 New Zealand One Metre Championship winning boat as sailed by Ian Vickers. Ian has supplied us with a full set of building jigs to ensure the keel and mast placings are correct. The boats will only be sold as completed hulls as this will ensure uniformity and correct balance. Take a look at the V3tech web site.

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