GBE sportsdeck

[roboat]

Hi there was wondering if anybody has had any experience with these boats GBE i dont mind the layout for a weekender and as day sailor was wondering more about how they sail want something with a bit of go but not to flighty as not real experienced sailor last boat was a motor sailor and pretty simple want to step up in performance but needs to be safe for family cruising etc thanks for any replys Rob

[cat man do]

I think they are too expensive for what they are and they dont sail very well at all.

In their original format as 2 hulls with net in between and a large sail plan they were great fun.

You can get a much better boat IMHO in the second hand market if looking at epoxy composite/timber cored boats

Dave

[Factor]

I have a slightly less negative view on the GBE to Dave, it really all depends what you are going to do and what you are going to pay. The few GBEs I have seen lately have been too expensive - particularly Queenslander. There is a parallax 9 on the market in Sydney, get that at the right price and I reckon you get a better boat that the GBE to be honest.

[spiritcat]

The original GBE was designed by the late Malcolm Tennent as a fast day sailer/ weekender with minimal accommodation in each hull and weighing less than 1,000kg. I used to own the hull moulds for the GBE, but sold them about 18 months ago.
The Sportsdeck was the same hull, but extended one foot, and with a bridgedeck, double berths and a small open cabin, weight increased to about 2,500kg and the rig reduced in size. As a result the once sporty cat became a lot slower and sitting lower in the water as most owners started to fill the it with fridges, water tanks and all other bits of cruising equipment, all in a hull that was not designed for these loads.
I believe they were all built with polyesther resign below the waterline and a lot have had osmosis problems, my son who is a boat builder has been involved in repairing damage to GBE Sportdecks.
I have raced against 'Queenslander', the first Sportdeck built, and have raced on other Sportdecks built since, but found them a bit slow.

[sandy daugherty]

But they do fill a vacant niche in the spectrum of cruising cats. I too thought they were too heavy and over-priced, but there were 21 different molded pieces to bring together and fair. It was very labor intensive to build, and still didn't have a balanced rudder. If the build could be simplified and resin-infused, with a rudder like the Moxie 37, it could find a place in todays market at something under $130K US FOB. I understand the molds burned down.

[spiritcat]

Yes, unfortunatly the moulds were destroyed in a fire along with a larger version of the Sportdeck that was being developed by Express Multihulls. When Queenslander was originally launched, I raced against it in a Farrier F24, and it was reasonably quick, but I believe later boats got a bit heavier.
A friend of mine presently owns a Sportdeck and is trying to sell it after repairing the osmosis. I sailed a couple of races with him, but unless it was blowing 15 - 20 knots, it was very slow and heavy in the water.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by spiritcat

When Queenslander was originally launched, I raced against it in a Farrier F24, and it was reasonably quick

Geez, I believe they are very kind words.

Reasonably quick compared to what?

Not an F24 thats for sure

And not compared to my supposedly slow 9 metre Simpson cruising cat of cedar ply epoxy.

Like I say, GBE's are a great boat in the original format, but were never intended to be a bridgedeck cruiser.

They did bring out a canterlevered cabin model like a smaller XL2, but that still had alloy beams and nets and was not meant for load carrying, but a cupla cartons of bellywash, some cold chooks in the esky and disposable gas stove made them a sensational and logical next step up from a Seawind 24.

IMHO the GBE sportdeck would have been much better boat if using the Turissmo 9 hulls.

Dave

[spiritcat]

Queenslander had only just been launched when we were in the same race and as such did not have a lot of the additional extras that later models had and may have had a larger rig as well. Against an F24, there was no chance, but it did perform well compared to a lot of other yachts at that time, if the wind was blowing.
Having owned and built the original GBE design, they would give an F24 a run for their money with the right crew.
The Turissmo would have been a better hull and there were a few Turissmos built with a cantalevered double berth similar to the Sportdeck.

[Abaco]

There happens to be one currently for sale in the US (St. Augustine, FL) that can be found in Yachtworld.