Bruce Roberts Yacht Design

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Bruce Roberts Yacht Design

Official BRUCE ROBERTS WEB SITE
DESIGN OFFICE
FOUNDED 1966



GWENDA Roberts-Goodson

HOME PAGE

 

We offer support by Email, or Skype from Plans to completion & for the LIFE OF THE BOAT!  Here is some FEEDBACK FROM BUILDERS OF OUR BOATS.  We receive THOUSANDS of feedback letters from our customers - here are some of the RECENT ONES  .... ALSO SEE  FEEDBACK - 2


VOYAGER 600 - February 2010

Dear Bruce,  Thank you for sending the new agreement and letting us know of the new time schedule for the plans and patterns to be completed.  We are very excited about the general arrangement.

We also wanted to especially thank you for your patience and understanding through the design process. You should know that this boat has been a dream of my father for a very long time and we are very thankful to you for helping us to realize this dream. The general arrangement of the boat, which you have spent so much time on, is exactly how we dreamed this boat would be and we really appreciate your willingness and kindness to accommodate all our wishes.

We are looking forward to seeing the final of the general arrangement. We hope that you won't hesitate to ask us any questions that might rise during the completion of the drawings. Thank you very much. Nazli and Yildirim Beyazit Usta


SOLD

Hi Bruce,  My late brother’s boat has sold.  Thanks so much for all you kindness and consideration during a very trying time for us.  You are one in a zillion, you know.  Thanks heaps. Felicity ...   Felicity Smith

 


TY 520 Being built in Singapore.  January 2010

 

Bruce,

Sorry for not having been in touch for so long it has been a very busy year for Tina and I.  Anyway our boat is moving along really well and your cuttings files work perfectly  the builder had no problems at all, we are now at the outfitting stage so in the next week they plan to move her out of the building shed to blast and paint the hull and superstructure, internally the insulation is now complete and they are installing the first of the woodwork, the carpenters employed by Boat Boats and Boats are all ex Grand Banks people who where laid off when they closed in Singapore so the quality of the workmanship is first class, they also have their own in house design team so it has been great to see our ideas turned into reality. If all goes well we are still on schedule to complete the boat around March and if we can complete the inclination and sea trials in time we may try and get the boat into the Singapore boat show. Mainly of the main systems such as the steering , hydraulic thruster are all class approved commercial systems which have actually worked out more or less the same price as the yacht equivalents anyway,  Dave and Tina Anderson.

 


January 2010

Hi Bruce, I have just received your CD, it's wonderful I will study it for some time, and call you back to discuss "Boat of My Dreams".  Thank you and regards, Milorad Milatovic
 


Hi Bruce,
It is with a happy heart that I write this email. I have finally, after+-8 years of research, doubt, fear, anxiety / hundreds of hours in the internet / costing etc. etc. taken a big step to fulfil my dream of building a BOAT. (Some of the correspondence I've had with you date back 5/6 years.) (Actually, We - my brother Johan and I) would like to thank you for extending  the special offer for this week after we've returned from our summer holiday  on Monday to find out we have missed out.

 

We ordered plans for the Euro 910, Waverunner 38 and Waverunner 55.  Andrew was extremely helpful taking our calls and returning our Mail promptly and professionally every time. We have to stick out 3 weeks now for the plans to arrive, but its going to be worthwhile. Thanks again!  Will be in contact soon. Regards Deon

ROBERTS 36 .... ANYONE HELP ?

Hello Bruce,  Many years ago (1988), I crewed aboard a Roberts 36 by the name of "Sadko".  The name of the fellow (a Canadian citizen (Czech) ) was Vince Vokal.  The boat was great and we did extensive cruising around Baja, including sailing 150 miles offshore to "Isla Isabella".

I also wanted to mention that "Sadko" was a very seaworthy vessel.  I never had one moment's fear, even when a huge grey whale came right up to us in the Sea of Cortez!  I was hanging over the side snapping photos!  Vince was concerned he/she might snap the keel off, but no worries, the whale was a friendly as could be!

I'm trying to contact him and wondered if you know any information regarding the boat or Vince.  Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.  I'm trying to write a book about my travels.

CONTACT BRUCE TO PASS ON ANY MESSAGE.
Thank you in advance!  Cheers, Kellie Slater


SPRAY 33   Aleah  January 2010

Pretty good shape for a 25 year old + steel boat.  I knocked some paint off the hull when I had her pulled.  The hull was flame zinc’d when it was built.  There’s no rust what so ever, anywhere.  Even the hollow rudder is sound and tight….. rather impressed.   The yard at South Park has filled up fast, so I’m not sure where they’re going to put me for the winter and until spring when I can repaint her…….. but I’ll be able to re-do the interior in the mean time.  The Miller 140 welder with Argon fits well into the cabin, and I’ve been welding foundations for the Nav station, and better storage. The Marina is alive with stray current and the zincs were on their last leg, after two years in the water, they were fried.  Am going to install two ICCP Cathodic systems into the hull, and re-do the zinc anodes.  Mike Dooley
 


DECEMBER 2009 TRAWLER YACHT 620  (Now over 20 of these boats in the water) ... FULL SET OF PHOTOS included in study plan packages.

MY BLUE STEEL, registered by Isle of man, UK and departed 1800hours on December 29, 2009 from Mokpo, Korea.

She started to explore for about 5000 miles to the Singapore, to be estimated to touch one or two ports for the supply. The Owners has been very satisfaction for interior and sea trial, max speed  about 12.7 knots with twin 235HP John Deere at 2000 rpm and 7.0~7.5 knots with one engine at 2000rpm. Crew were Mr. Rod Steel as the Owner and his wife, Mr. John Holbrook and their friend total 4 persons who have lived in Singapore. Now I am receiving email time to time from them as follows, wishing bon voyage.

All equipment was maker, Raymarine 120. Painting for shell is beautiful as per Awl-grip coating scheme and draft and ballast is good line for full loading of fuel oil and fresh water.

SISTER SHIPS NOW BEING BUILT BY GHI IN KOREA ... CONTACT BC Kim pr_bckim@ghi.co.kr for current specifications & prices .


DECEMBER 2009  EURO 1400

Hi Bruce,
 
Just a wee note to say thanks for speedy delivery of CD and as it says on the box I gave my friend the CD and cutting has already began,  they are intrigued, as they have never been involved in this sort of project before although they are sheet metal specialists. i'm on the look out for a low flat bed commercial trailer to build the frame for the jigs then i can get under way i would also like to add for the price i prayed i'm very happy with what i've received with a bit of luck ill be starting the build early january and i will send photos to keep you updated thanks and merry xmas to you and family .  John  Scotland uk
 


DECEMBER 2009  ROBERTS 432

Hello Bruce

Thank you for your email.  It was good to hear from you and to see that your service is a good as ever.  We did speak with you on one or 2 occasions while building Kimani and were most grateful for your advice.

 

As I mentioned in my email, we have lived on board and cruised Kimani since launch in 1985.  We originally started cruising with our 3 children but they are all in Australia and we have Kimani to ourselves now. We are now in Port St Louis du Rhone at the mouth of the Rhone river.

 

We originally built Kimani with the intention of entering the French canals.  We were intending to have a 5'6" draft, but this is more like 1.8m now.  While this restricts the number of canals we can use, we still have many friends with the same draft who have cruised the canal.  Any advice an information you are able to supply would be most appreciated.
We are undecided at this stage with regard to the conversion to the wheel house version but would be very interested to see your plans.
 
Thank you for designing such a sturdy and roomy boat as the Mauritius.  Although we have encountered some unpleasant weather and conditions over the years we have never had a concern about the safety of the boat.  We have often said that the boat always handles the bad conditions better than the crew.
 
Look forward to hearing from you, Paul and Yvonne Addington

 DECEMBER 2009    SPRAY 28 

Hi Bruce,
 

I had a very successful launch on Nov 7th in San Carlos, Mexico.  I have updated my web-site 

http://public.fotki.com/robtm373/bobs-boat-project/bobs-boat/

Many photos of the launch.  Feel free to use any photos for your CD e-book BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT.
 

I have taken the boat out a dozen times since the launch and am very happy with its performance.  It does well on all points of sail and really loves 15-20kts! I am very happy with the results of my years of labor and am very appreciative of your timely responses to all my questions over the years.
 

Thanks,  Robert Millikin  SEE ALSO  www.inoneday.ca

 


Bruce .... I wanted to thank you for very rapid delivery of my order, I ordered it the same day as my wife ordered a jacket from LL Bean, mine arrived already and it came from Overseas. You run a good show Bruce.

Thanks again and I very much look forward to eventually building with you. It looks like its going to be between the Roberts 532 or the Voyager 542. The decision will be to either do it entirely myself, or have it fabbed out here at one of the metal shops using the CD. It will depend on cost difference verses savings. I'm going to call around see if I can get an idea on what to expect in cost.   I envy you , I spent much of my life travelling for the US Navy, I enjoyed The UAE Dubai & Abu Dabi as well as Hong Kong, . I studied Stability and Bouyancy & was The Ships Oil King, took care of moving all the fuel and water about.. So I have great respect after reading your book. Thanks again John M. Newell  Plant Support Specialist


BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT.

Thank you Bruce,
I just wanted to also tell you how much i have enjoyed the build your BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT e-book i feel it really opened my eyes to what needed to be done.
great job ... Mike


ROBERTS 370   From: Esko Lehtonen, Finland
         
Dear Bruce, I am sending this email on behalf of my friend, Mr Veli Kärkkäinen from Finland. He built a Bruce Roberts 370 in the late eighties after getting the plans from you in 1985 or 1986. He is very satisfied to the yacht and  has been sailing last years in the arctic region (Greenland east coast 2009). 

He has an intention to build the Coaster 36 workboat of aluminium during next wintertime.  Regards Esko
 


TRAWLER YACHT 470  FIBERGLASS  November 2009

 

Hi Bruce, Today the custom plans CD  TY 470 received  to my address. Everything ,even the AutoCAD drawing is easy to open. You have done a very good job on this drawing.

Thank you agene for good service and  help so far, Best Regards Knut-Erik Jensen   


SPRAY 28    November 2009

Hi Bruce, I'm the proud owner of Gypsy a Spray 28, worked all summer, sandblasting and repainting, redoing the coachhouse with mahogany and doing some repairs to the wooden mast and fibreglassied it with 6.5 oz cloth and epoxy and going to give it 6 coats of Bristol varnish next spring because it has gotten too cold to work outside, winter is coming. When she is complete I will e-mail you some pics for your website. Thanks Greg Kern.  Ps Love my Spray 28

E-BOOKS

Dear Anija/Bruce,
Please be advised I down-loaded and got your e-book BUILD YOUR OWN POWERBOAT and boatdesigns. Thanks a lot for your kindness, please Buy the way it's a most convenient way to send such a book for Russian customers, be in mind as well, please Best Regards Dmitriy

ROBERTS 53 / ROBERTS 532  September 2009

Hi Bruce thanks for this and we have found the 53 E to go very well, were rapt in fact . this day in winter to small island in bay on return trip as you see, in the light  we were doing 6.5-7 knots a mate who sailed muilti-hulls was very surprised  and in the rough she charges with 35-40 knots of wind with good control good self steering up wind off sails only and the water leaves the stern well under power and in sail, well done again I think,  the old saying still holds if it looks right it is thanks again Bruce please stop in if your ever down this way  Thanks Ian Edelston
 
Hi Bruce, I just received my holiday Patagonia catalog and a Roberts 53 Sea Bear is featured. Kudos Patagonia is the world leader in outdoor clothing and have great catalogs and stories about active folk enjoying the outdoors land and sea. Sea Bear is sailing in Patagonia with some surfers.   I love Patagonia clothing and have been wearing it camping and sailing for 25 plus years. Sea Bear is the sailboat we re rigged in Chile.  cheers Dane
 

FROM STUDY PLAN BUYER ...October 2009

Hi Bruce,   Your files sent by email was totally unexpected by highly appreciated. They make interesting reading, I cannot wait for the CD to arrive.

Thanking you,   Clinton Williams South Africa

ROBERTS 35 -  September 2009

Bruce, I had a Roberts 35 called Nepenthe2,  it was slightly modified before I got it for one it was steel but round, not chined the keel and rudder configeration  was a bit different from the keel back there was just an arm that came down to hold the prop shaft the rudder was fully free with about 15% forward of the pivot axis and pivot only from the hull (used turn within its own length) other than that, it looked exactly like the drawing of the centre cockpit version other than the fact the it was a mast head cutter rigged sloop with a 45’ deck mounted stick ( had it up to 15knots down wind and 8 into it i sailed from Australia to japan in it with my wife and two kids,  the weather in 2001/02 was the worst in the north pacific in 30 years 3 monsoon troughs and 2 typhoons hit us.  This yacht out performed plastic yachts 10’ longer in races in Japan and handle 24’ close seas no problem I want another the same configuration  Matthew


COASTWORKER 25 -  September 2009

Hi my name is Bob Preece i bought your plans back in 1999 for a 25 Coastworker semi planing hull and fitted a Cummins 6b 130 hp 22x17 prop R-P-M 1.9 1 gearbox and i have just put a Cummins 6 bt 160 hp same max revs as the 130 2800 rpm .. .Thank you for that it is a good boat had it out in some stupid weather before it became a charter boat good safe stable boat ...  www.boatandwreckfishing.co.uk.

Tom Thumb 26   September 2009

Hi Bruce, I am the proud owner of a Tom Thumb built by Mike Hornsey in the UK.   It’s a fantastic little boat and has already got me safely and without fuss through some serious weather and all the mistakes a learner can make. I am now ready to move to something bigger and I think the Voyager Ds 440 in steel is the one for me. Is the anywhere I can get some idea of cost without labour to complete the build. I realise it’s a pretty dumb question and will depend on the quality of the fit  out and standard of equipment but any help you can give with this would be greatly appreciated.  Regards, Barry Murphy
 


SPRAY 22   September 2009
Hi, I received the boatplans last week, I was almost overwhelmed by all the information, but/and it looks great:  I will study it more carefully when I have some time off from work, and then I will come back to you with more feedback and questions. Best regards, Benjamin


WAVERUNNER 45 - September 2009

Dear Bruce,

I purchased from you many years ago (I think 25 years ago) a set of plans & patterns for Waverunner 45 (wood) which I personally built and used by the family for so long.
 

About my WR45. She was a lovely princess with her Twin Hamilton Jets (at 28 Knots) and frequently used by close family friends. Everybody enjoyed her presence until my four kids all grew up and their respective professions restricted their interest about the sea. She was later bought by someone and transferred elsewhere south of the Philippines where I lost track of her. One day soon I shall build another one for me and my wife.)  Capt. Adelino L. Masigla

SEPTEMBER 2009  VOYAGER 388

Hi Bruce,
If it is still early enough I would like to change the selection of  study plans. Instead of the voyager 495 I'd like to have the study  plan of the voyager 388
Would be great if you could still consider this. If not, well never mind. Thank you  Bernhard ... IT WAS TOO LATE THE ORDER HAD BEEN SENT BUT WE MADE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR BERNHARD TO GET WHAT HE WANTED !


Hi Bruce,  I'm looking forward to the study plans. Thank you very much for the extra information on the 388 you attached in your email I very much appreciate it. Kind regards Bernhard


COASTWORKER 37  SEPTEMBER 2009 - ALSO SEE PHOTOS OF CW37 WORKING IN INDIA.

We have built a boat as per your design. We are very happy at the beautiful design and look of the multipurpose boat. Following are the trial parameters. We did about 1 hour of Sea trails yesterday.

1. Condition -
a) About 1000 lits of water in tank at the stern.
b) Some loose gear from workshop in the wheel house about 200 kg.
c) About 100 litres of fuel.
d) 5 persons.
e) Draft F- 1.50 A - 1.55.

2. Engine conditions -
a) Max RPM attained in ahead - 1825
b) Max RPM in astern - 1655.

3. Maneuvering -
a) Crash stop - 15 secs.
B) Steers like a car with a very light steering.


AUGUST 2009

Dear Bruce Roberts,   Thank you for study plans on CD. You have the best boat design web site that I have ever seen. my wife and I have today a 35 foot steel boat as we are very pleased with, but it will be a little small for us. Therefore we want to buildt a Trawleryacht: Your Voyager 43:   I have worked 25 years in boat factory so I think I can buildt the boat. I vaunt to built the hull in a female mold and the hous on a male mold.  One questions: Is it possible to built the hull 2 feet  longer in the aria of steering house because I  vaunt the big steering house and also have the  A. version of cockpit. Also I vaunt to do the after deck 2 feet lounger because vi vaunt to putt a table on the deck and four fishing. I don’t need to have a new design,  I do it directly in the moll if its OK. For you. Anyway I vaunt to order  Passagemaker Trawler 43 kit or plans to fibreglass divinysell Could you send me a link to the place to order this planes. and the price. Best Regards  Knut-Erik Jensen

 

MY ANSWER TO ALL THE ABOVE WAS YES ... WE CAN DO EXACTLY WHAT KNUT-ERIK WANTS !


ROBERTS 434   WOOD EPOXY ... AUGUST 2009

Dear Mr. Bruce,  We are very grateful for the rapid delivery of the CD.     If in the process of studying the plans we fail to understand some particular details, could we ask for further information from you ?    We are looking forward to receiving news from you. Sincerely yours,  Mihai Mustatea ... BRUCE REPLIED: Ask as many questions as you need to and I will personally answer all !


GOLDEN HIND 34  AUGUST 2009

Hi Bruce,   

I have been away these last 3 days, so apologies for my late reply. Firstly thanks for the gaff design. I love it, and I can't wait for the plans to arrive so I can get started.   
Secondly thank you for the contact in Thailand. As soon as I get the plans I will contact them to get a quote. I would like to thank you for your most efficient help and replies to my emails, and as soon as I get the plans I will let you know. Regards   Alex

EURO 1000 - JULY 2009

Hello Bruce,

I have received your 'Illustrated Custom Boatbuilding' book and 'Build Your Own Power Boat' e-book and I am impressed with your knowledge, experience, and business. My next step is to purchase plans to build a luxury fishing boat. Regards, Bob

Dear B. Roberts, Our congratulations for your outstanding services. We appreciate your company experience and effort to sustain and improving technology in the field.

Thanking you for the kind cooperation in assisting our work. Looking forward for more successful years to come. Best regards. Ali Shafeeg.


VOYAGER 543 ... NEW WOOD EPOXY VERSION OF VOYAGER 542

Hello, Bruce!
I was surprised by how fast I received your study plans. You sent me the CD on August 23th, and I got it on August 29th! Thank you very much!

Regarding both options I ordered for studying, the Voyager 388 and the Voyager DS440, my best choice will probably be the first one, inspired by what you say in the book, ‘choose the smallest boat that will satisfy your current requirements’.  Thomas Ogrizek THIS CUSTOMER HAS NOW ORDERED A CUSTOM SET OF PLANS FOR THE VOYAGER 543 TO BE BUILT IN WOOD EPOXY.


TRAWLER YACHT 520 - JULY 2009

Bruce,
We have now been building for 5 weeks here in Singapore  and the hull is now taking shape, no major problems everything is fitting together nicely I will send a couple of mails with some photos of the progress to date. Dave
 


SPRAY TRAWLER 475  JULY 7th 2009

Dear Bruce, This is (Attached pictures ... see link above) as close as I could get to KARA 1 this year. Right now I am in the middle of Asia, Almaty-Kazakhstan and working to cover her expenses. Hopefully I will get a break in October and enjoy the murmurs of the twin Cummins 210. Apart from my work schedule things are well, and KARA 1 is at good hands. She is in tip top condition and so far friends are enjoying short cruises.  No complaints whatsoever.Best Regards Erhan KUM


JULY 7th 2009

Hi Bruce,  I have just browsed through your pdf file you send me earlier. Its awesome man ! Even I am  a novice but I felt your materials are a work of very high quality craftsmanship. Thanks very much thanks Regards  Mike


JULY 6th 2009

Dear Bruce, Your CD arrived today. I was very surprised at the speed it arrived here. Thank you so much. Best regards, Thombi


ROBERTS 53  - JUNE 2009

Bruce, I own a steel hulled version built in 86 and constantly upgraded. You have seen photos of some of the interior when we met at Annapolis Boat show one year. Your reaction to the quality of the woodworking was that it was very impressive.

I am now approaching the last part of my big boat days. Not because I have grown old, I am only 53. I just am moving into lots of other fun things and long distance cruising is not at the top of the list. The boat has been only a day sailor out of St. Petersburg now for the last few years.
 
I am only mentioning this to you so that if you learn of anyone you has fallen in love with your design but can't wait for the build time, I might be the answer. Feel free to forward my name around. I will be putting some photos and spec list together over the next few months. I am not in a hurry but I am moving forward. Sincerely,  Bob Glennon  16280 Bowline St. Bokeelia , Fl 33922  702-596-3377

NEW YORK 65 - June 2009

NEW Dear BOATDESIGNS,

thanks you very much for the quick delivery I have received the study plans. They are great. Full of information. I received the study plans for NY55 fiberglass (is the boat I am looking for), NY46 and R532. I would like to receive more information about the NY65 fiberglass version, if is possible, because I am undecided between NY55 and NY65 (both of them in fiberglass). Thanks in advance for your attention Kind regards Achille Castrogiovanni

I am pleased to say I was able to send the NY 65 drawings by return email ... Bruce


VOYAGER DS 544   JUNE 2009

Hi Bruce, Your study plans are very pleasing and accurate. The Voyager 544 is of interest to me, Thanks, Paul Tetu

Thanks, Paul Tetu

JUNE 2009  ... If you are in Europe .. Try out a Spray before building one for yourself .. Contact  http://www.spray-charter.com/


JUNE 2009  ...  CAT 35 / 36

JUST LAUNCHED ! - check out this attractive Power / Sailer CAT CAT 35 / 36
 


JUNE 2009  ... TRADER 65

Bruce,  We finally got your wonderful book.  It was on a bit of a journey in several different hands to get to us in the Bahamas.  When we finally thought we were going to get it, it came up lost from the bag of the person that brought it through the Marsh Harbour airport.  I kept calling the airport for days and someone finally found it in Customs! 

 
We think it is a beautiful book with a lot of great information.  We can only image how much work goes into putting all that information together.  We were thrilled with how the pictures of "Ciganka" looks.  Thanks for signing it also! Hope all is well for you.  Tomorrow we start our Summer run of youth charters with 15 to 20 people living on board every week through mid-August.  Yikes! All the best to you Bruce!  Thomas & Linda

ROBERTS 434  WOOD EPOXY  May 2009

Hi Bruce, 
Here is an update on my boat construction of your ROBERTS 434.  The more I get into this project the more I am admiring your skills as a navel architect.  I just realized that the engine can be made to easily be pulled up thru the cockpit floor without damaging the rest of the vessel.  Fantastic!  When I attended the Chicago boat show last winter, I did not see that at all on the factory models; in fact the engine compartment was so compact, I pitied the mechanic that had to work on it..  Have a Spiffy Good Day!   Earl


Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 1:38 PM

Subject: RE: Bruceroberts.com Web Order Received (9273 = $99.00)

Hi Andy,   Received the study plans last Wednesday so they arrived very quickly, very impressed with the amount , quality and detail of the information provided.  I am planning for my retirement in a few  years and obviously I am thinking of building a boat. My thoughts originally were wood/epoxy but after reviewing the supplied information I am thinking a steel kit would be a better way to go.  It just means I need to acquire some new skills which will not be a problem.  What you can help me with is an indicative  A$ cost of a steel kit and plans for the Euro 1000 delivered to Hobart. This will let me budget accordingly along with  large workshop, electric hoist etc   Regards Gordon Blunsdon Dealer Principle  PABX Sales and Service Pty Ltd

EURO 1200

The quality of cutting file is really super !  As, when the parts are now cut from plates all parts fit  together perfectly. My uncle and cousin are working for shipyard in sheet metal and welding jobs. They look how parts fit together as professional peoples are doing and comment that " that can not be done better" They mean the design and cutting job. Thats all know, Best Regards, Jussi Sippola


EURO 1400

Hi Bruce, 

I was having a look at your site and saw the customer feedback. The hull is all done and my sterling paint will be with me this coming week. I bought a blaster and I am very happy with the end result. Fitting out will hopefully get done in the coming months, I have lots of it purchased already.  My Blog has me talking to other builders…Jussi in Finland (about to start), Rick in Scotland. Nearly as far as me.  We hope to get the Euro1400 sisters together next year.. ! By the way, when I finish this,, I want to build a E 23 or 24, !! Any chance of a study type drawing in cad?  I see the plans are 6-7 K , that’s a bargain for that size of boat. Regards, Dirk.


ROBERTS 25

Hi Bruce,  Just thought I would let you know that I used to own a Roberts 25 design which I delivered up the coast from Batemans Bay to Sydney. When the weather finally turned in my favour I had no crew so, inspired by the ability of the Roberts design, I decided to sail her solo to Sydney.  

The Roberts 25 had a tiller pilot but no lifelines. I clipped myself on with a harness for the full duration of the voyage which was lucky as I encountered some serious weather. It ended up being 4 to 5 metre seas with a following breeze gusting to 40 knots. The waves were constantly breaking as they loomed above me but the Roberts held her course well and I never broached. In fact no water ever came aboard as she lifted to each wave and her hull shape gave a safe comfortable motion. In any other boat of the same size I would have been **** scared. My tiller pilot failed so at one stage I was on the helm for 12 hours straight until I could duck into Jervis Bay for a rest. An excellent and very seaworthy design. Thank you so much for that. Best Regards, Colin Skinner
 


PCF 40

Hi Bruce, thanks for the email, we bought our PCF 40 complete, she was built in Nova Scotia in 1982 by Shelburne Marine. Attached is a picture of Old Rosie, she is a great boat! My wife and I spend our summers sailing her on Georgian Bay ,Ontario. Thanks for the inquiry, Ben
 


September 2008

 

 

 

ROBERTS 53 / ( Now R532 )
SUCCESSFUL
FISHING BOAT !

 

Dear Mr. Roberts – Goodson, I am the current owner of a steel hulled Roberts 53 ( Now R532 ) ketch.  It was built in 1985 by a commercial fisherman for commercial salmon and albacore trolling and thus it has a fish hold where there would typically be cabin space.  I have owned this boat for five years and I use it for commercial salmon trolling in Alaska.  I have owned and worked on dozens of different boats and this Roberts 53 is my favourite of them all.  I hope to continue making a living on this boat for as long as I am healthy enough to do it.  This is more than a job to me, it is a life that I love. 

 

There are not many sailboat/commercial fishing boat combinations that work well, but this is one of them.  I use the sails to get out to, and back from the fishing grounds when the wind is favourable.  I use the engine for actual trolling, and for running in no wind or un-favourable wind.  The engine (a Detroit Diesel 371) also powers hydraulic fishing and anchor winches.  The boat holds 1400 gallons of diesel, and on a typical 5 day fishing trip burns around 120 gallons of fuel.

 

Sincerely, Frank Murray owner/operator of f/v AKVAVIT

 

Harrison "Smitty" Smith built the AKVAVIT in Stanwood, Washington, with a lot of help from his girlfriend Lorrie.  Smitty taught Lorrie to weld and apparently she did a lot of the welding on the AKVAVIT.  I haven't found any bad welds yet.  Smitty sold the AKVAVIT in about 1997 to a couple of partners who fished the boat for albacore.  They fished the west coast and out to Midway and down to Samoa.  I bought the boat from them in 2003

If you would like to read a wonderful book about the building, fishing and cruising of AKVAVIT .. Contact:

Lorrie Haight  9305 Sandridge Rd, Long Beach WA. 98631  USA
(360) 642 8090

EMAIL LORRIE:  lorriehaight@yahoo.com


MARCH 2009 - HERE IS THE FEEDBACK WE LOVE TO RECEIVE !
SPRAY 400

Hi Bruce, Joe Brady from Ireland  here. I Bought a set of Spray 40 cutting files from you about a year an a half ago. Boat worked out well, everybody happy. I have an interest in building Euro 1400 Aft cabin. Can you send me some information i.e. cost of cutting file and the option of you supplying the kit pre cut and delivered to Ireland, engine options etc. I would appreciate your suggestions on the matter.  Regards Joe


ROBERTS 345 - ROLLING THE RADIUS PLATES.

Bruce, I will take some photos while we are rolling and send to you.  It’s easier than I thought it would be and it leaves a fair hull with few seams to weld. You do have to cut your sheets at least 6” over-lap or the rolled piece my not fit the opening between topsides and bottom.  Regards, James
 


Roberts P.C.F. 40

Hi Bruce, I recently purchased a PCF40 after recovering the boat from a reef on Guam, where it had been aground for about 6 years. We are in the process of bringing her back to sea worthy condition. The boat's name is the Pearl. She was originally built in Papua New Guinea in 1978 and has crossed the Pacific four times over her past life. She was used primarily as a small cargo transport between the Pacific Islands.  I don't have the original drawings or specs on the boat (other than what's on the website). All of the paperwork, manuals, and it looks like the original plans were lost when she went aground. What I'm looking for is info on the design water line and recommended ballast weight and placement. Is this information available on line or will I need to purchase the full set of plans  Thanks for any information that you can provide on this. Best Regards, Bruce

BRUCE ROBERTS-GOODSON REPLIES:

Hi Bruce, Normally it is necessary for any new owner of one of our boats to purchase the complete plans if the original plans are not available .. the reasoning is that if no plans are with the boat then it was probably built using pirated or illegally copied plans.  HOWEVER in your case in view of your tenacity in restoring this PCF 40 then I suggest that a set of the much less expensive STUDY PLANS will suffice and also I will put you on the plans register for future reference. Regards, Bruce Roberts-Goodson

Hello Mr. Roberts,

 I hope you might have a few moments to help us find a supplier of very good quality Stainless Steel Ball or Cone valve fittings for thru-hulls.  The application in particular is exhaust for main engine and generator.  We have owned a few boats of your design, a 45 Mauritius and 40 steel ketch.  Both great boats, and your name came to mind first when I couldn’t find what I needed in the steel boat realm.  Thanks!  Brian Duff (We were able to direct Brian to a suitable supplier)


While we usually avoid giving advice on OTHER PEOPLES designs ... sometimes when the designer is no longer available then we do try to 'help out' ... Here is one such case that happened today.

Greetings:

In your book "The Complete. Guide to Metal Boats" (which I just purchased), page 207, references " 'beefing up' ...skegs...", directing one to the Bruce Roberts site. I find there, in "Newsletters", reference to "Safety Skeg" and the note to email you.
Please supply the information to "beef up" an existing skeg. This is on S/V BLUE, a 34' steel Ganley Shadow cutter. Thank you. Best regards, Jerry Purmal

REPLY FROM BRUCE ROBERTS: On Mon, 2/2/09, BOATDESIGNS wrote:

From: BOATDESIGNS <boatdesigns@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Safety Skeg
Date: Monday, February 2, 2009, 10:23 AM
 

HI Jerry, Attached is our 'fix' for some older skegs plus DRAWINGS ... Also ... our latest thinking is on this link.
 
Best Regards, Bruce Roberts-Goodson

Thank You!!!! I have it. Jerry


Dear Bruce,

We like to send you pictures from my fiberglass twin keel Roberts 432 SY DASI. The white one was from 2000 in skagerak and the others was 2008 in Minden / Weser. We have sailed now 28000 Miles. Greetings from Ulli Lanzke and Sissi

Roberts 432


Roberts 432 Version B (link to see more)
Dear Bruce,   We launched our 432 steel cutter in the summer and are very happy with her performance. She feels very solid, even in a blow, and is forgiving with the couple of novices we are. She doesn't heel much which is great because we have a main of 12 ounce cloth which will take a real beating. We were impressed with the speed down wind, 8kts in 20 kts wind, awesome!

She is sitting in Vancouver BC waiting for spring when we'll depart on a journey around the world!  Thank you for such an excellent design, can't wait to hit "the big blue" !    Best wishes for a prosperous  upcoming year,
 
Building has been such a great experience for us both, now let the fun begin!  Sandy & Gena   CSV Dulcie-Darlene
 
RESCUED ROBERTS 25.

Hi Bruce,  In 2005, we bought a very sorry-looking yacht we were told is a Bruce Roberts 25'.  She had met up with some rocks and 1/4 of her port side was a gaping hole.  When we first saw her, she was completely gutted, with her bilge full of water and littered with tools that the previous owner had left behind.

 
We have no history on "Spirit of Indulgence", other than we bought her off someone that thought he could do her up but then his marriage broke up and he moved to Australia.  I realise you're in America and we're in New Zealand and maybe someone else actually built "Spirit", but we would be delighted if you know anything at all about her. 
 
We launched "Spirit" last Tuesday and are delighted with how much room she has, considering she's the same length as our other yacht, a Spencer Stiletto (now for sale!).  We had a couple of nights away on her with our two children (8 yrs and 2-1/2 yrs) and enjoyed a really good sail home (winds too light on the way out).
 
Thank you for your time. Regards, Alison

 Roberts (CAT 35) tour boat version

 

Dear Bruce, Attached please find your 35 ft catamaran TOUR BOAT - (CAT 35) in Istanbul. 

It is unique, without anything even similar. She was very successful at all the tests of the Turkish Lloyd. I would like to thank you for the co-operation and wish you A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR. Huseyin KURTOGULLARI

 

 

Hello Bruce, I haven't emailed you since last spring,  I believe it was when I was fairing out the hull.  Anyhow I thought this would be a good time to give you an update on my project.  A couple of months ago I got the word from the wife that we were relocating to San Diego, California.  This presented a problem since the boat was not ready to sail and it was sitting in a boatyard along the Thames.

  I kind of knew it was a possibility about a year ago so I stepped up my effort but to no avail there was just too much work even with my trusted and ever so helpful Bulgarian mate. There were times when we both used a lot of sign language!  During the summer we finally got he hull where we wanted it and commenced  the spraying process. 

  The images you seen show the tent we used over the boat for the operation down on the ground and in shambles, it did the trick though.  I used Jotun Hardtop AS two-pack polyurethane, we put 4 to 5 coats over the epoxy primer.  This paint is fantastic but the logistics with compressors, air-fed masks, body suits was somewhat of a nightmare.  Over time we got a system down that worked well.  The deck and wheelhouse we started at the end of August and really just finished it in October. 

The reliably crappy British weather this past autumn didn't help either! The images you see are from about a week ago and just today we somehow got it out of the yard unscathed and on a lorrie down to Southampton. The crane at the yard (I think you can see in the distance in one of the images) could barely lift the boat.  Tomorrow they will load it on the container ship.  First across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal then onto Los Angeles.  I have made considerable progress on the interior but have no late-model images to send. Regards, Dave 

SEE PHOTOS of this Spray 36 in our e-book BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT.


From Ian Edelston in New Zealand

Here is the Roberts 53E we launched last month   ( Now R532 ) 

It went off really well everyone pleased. She sails really well and we are all wrapped!

Well done Bruce

TY 52O LAUNCHED  

Trawler Yacht 520 - THE  FIRST PLATE WAS TACK WELDED ON AUGUST 3, 2006  AND WE SLID HER DOWN TO THE SEA ON THE 18TH OF AUGUST 2007.

DEAR  BRUCE,

THANKS FR YR MAIL.  PLEASE FINS ATTACHED  SOME MORE PICS  OF "ANEMONE"   WHICH ARE ALREADY IN MY OUT BOX. I WILL ALSO SEND YOU MORE PICTURES  TAKEN DURING CONSTRUCTION.  BELIEVE ME "ANEMONE" IS THE BEST LOOKING BOAT OF HER KIND IN BODRUM, OR EVEN  IN TURKEY. EVERY TIME I  AM ON BOARD I CAN'T HELP ADMIRING HER  AND PRAISE YOU FOR YOUR  WORK.SHE IS A FANTASTIC BOAT, STEADY, WELL BALANCED, VERY COMFORTABLE , SEAWORTHY AND BEAUTIFUL. EVERYWHERE WE GO PEOPLE COME AND EXPRESS THEIR ADMIRATION.

"ANEMONE" IS  A  GREAT TRAWLER,  FIRST OF ALL SHE IS A REAL TRAWLER; EVERYWHERE WE GO PEOPLE COME AND ADMIRE  HER, ASK FOR OUR PERMISSION TO TAKE PHOTOS. SHE IS NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL BUT ALSO A VERY TRUSTWORTHY BOAT IN ALL RESPECTS.  WE  WENT INTO FORCE 7  WINDS AND SEAS, NO PROBLEM  SHE CAN HANDLE MUCH MORE VERY EASILY. WE  HAVE INSTALLED   2 x  VOLVO "D7C TA"  ENGINES  WHICH ARE RATED  265  HP AT 2300 RPM. 

WE ARE CRUISING  AT  10  KNOTS/ HR AT  1900  RPM.  THE FUEL CONSUMPTION  AT THIS SPEED  IS  ABT. 60 LITERS / HOUR.
OUR MAX. SPEED IS 12  KNOTS/HR  ALTHOUGH WE HAVE ONCE SEEN  13  KNOTS TOO  BUT THERE WAS A FAVOURABLE CURRENT.
AT 1600  RPM WE EASILY  MAKE  8,5  KNOTS  WHICH SAVES  A LOT OF FUEL THOUGH I HAVEN'T CALCULATED IT YET.
AT 1300  RPM WE  MAKE  A  NICE  7 KNOTS /HRS  WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT SPEED  FOR PASSAGE MAKING AND THEN THE FUEL
CONSUMPTION  WILL  CERTAINLY NOT EXCEED  30 LTRS/HR. I ALSO CUT OFF ONE ENGINE DURING CRUISING WHICH SLOWED THE BOAT LESS THAN 1  KNOT !      REGARDS, ALI

REPORT ON ANOTHER ... EURO 1200

Hi Bruce, I spoke to the owner who’s very happy with the way she handles and sails, stability perfect, manoeuvring great. 

He cruised for about 100 hours on her in 2006 (inland and coastal waters only) but did not get her up to full engine power. She does 9.5 kn on 2800 rpm and he estimates she will do 10 to 10,5 kn on full throttle.

He had some trim tabs fitted as advised by someone in Poland but had these removed as no noticeable effect.  

He hopes to receive around Euro 300.000,= and will then start building another boat, perhaps the Atlantic40.

Regards, Edgar


The Launching of 'MY Bethany'
FOR PHOTOS SEE  Waverunner 38A

Hi,  I would like to share with you some pictures of the MY Bethany, a 38 ft. waverunner that was built from the plans I bought from you, specifically the Waverunner 38A Aft cockpit version, semi-displacement steel hull, twin engine. I started building the boat in September, 2007 and after over a year, finally we launched it into the sea yesterday, Nov. 16, 2008. The interiors are not fully done yet and we will continue working on it while it is in the water.
My sister, who sailed from Vancouver, Canada to Davao, Philippines (where we live) with her husband, in their sailboat, the "Wiskun", has written articles about the launching; SEE BELOW

MY Bethany finally got introduced to her natural home – the sea. She is not quite finished but what is left to be done is mainly finishing the interior and installing the deck rails. 

Reflecting back, the construction is not all hunky-dory.  The experiences Kjartan went through may have to be a separate article. All I can say now is that he really needs time for himself – no swarms of Filipino workers around him, no boat talk, no “sir this” and “sir that”. He is a quiet man, with lots of patience, but I can say that his patience had really been tested well here.  

MY Bethany – named after the first grandchild of Boboy and Gene Bangayan , is a 38 foot motor yacht, Bruce Roberts design.   

It has the following hardware:

  • Seastar hydraulic steering system
  • Twin engine dual stations (lower deck and fly bridge)
  • 2 x  185hp Deutz Marine inboard engines
  • Quick electric windlass and 16 kg. bruce anchor
  • 7Kw Mase marine diesel generator
  • Coolmate marine air conditioner – seawater cooled
  • Raymarine Radar and GPS
  • Waeco Refrigeration
  • Rigid inflatable Westmarine dinghy

Electricals, instrumentation, navigation and indoor lights, wet exhaust system, pumps and plumbing, anchoring, exterior, deck and interior hardware, windows, Lewmar hatches and ventilation parts and supplies, and including the above (except engines), are all from USA and Canada. All others, including engines, alternator, batteries, propellers and shafts are either purchased or fabricated locally. Diesel and water tanks are also fabricated, each with a capacity of 200 gallons approximately.   

 

The forward cabin has a queen sized bed, closets and shelves. The galley is fitted with a sink, a 2-burner stove and microwave. There is a separate toilet and a shower room. The spacious saloon also incorporates the lower helm position, settees on both sides with plenty of room underneath for storage.  The aft section and fly bridge have seatings all around for outdoor entertainment and fishing. It is also equipped with swim n rinse shower head for quickly rinsing off after a swim in the ocean.  Dinghy davits are on the fly bridge to keep the dinghy from obstructing the aft section of the lower level.  Nothing is complete without a state-of-the-art stereo system to entertain and relax.

 

Hi Bruce,

I hope you remember me.  I had a boat building business in Alaska for several years.  Polar Boat and Yachts.  George Carter and Vince Mach.  We built three Roberts hulls and brought about six or seven sets of plans.  I am currently living on an Aluminum Cutter, build from a set of Roberts 53 plans.  It is a great boat and I constantly get compliments on it.  Last year I changed the Main to rollerfurling.  It is a FurlBoom from Australia and works great, however now I have an extra boom and Main.  The Main was made by Banks Sails in Oregon.  It is a very stout sail and in like new condition.  Thanks, Vince Mach

VOYAGER 542 - ALUMINUM KIT


Hello Bruce! 
We haven't communicated for a while, so I thought I would bring you up to date on things over here. Its time for my annual pilgrimage to the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, and once again, I have a new mission to accomplish.  In the past, I would attend the show and gather ideas for our "dream boat."  More recently, I would go and meet with your U.S. representative, Hal Whitacre of Whitacre Yacht Design, to enable the incorporation those ideas into one of your vessels.  Now that the first aluminum Voyager 542 kit is being built by Kanter Yachts in St. Thomas (London), Ontario, I am traveling to select and begin purchasing the equipment for a "dream boat" that is now becoming our reality.  The forward progress is exciting!
 
I have been continually impressed by the education, support and work provided to me by  ... Hal Whitacre through your Annapolis office has provided advice throughout the entire process of the project, and for the comprehensive answers he provides to those occasional questions asked by Manfred Kanter.  Manfred and I have both been impressed by the work done by Edgar van Smaalen in Holland.  The fit of the pieces and the quality of the material are impressive, and the large-size hull plates make smooth sections much easier to achieve.  This is important for us, because the hull will be left as raw aluminum for ease of maintenance, with only cove and boot stripes as accents.  No fairing and painting will cover any waves or blemishes that might be present, so great care is being taken in the build process.
 
The build by Kanter Yachts showcases the skills of their entire team, which is befitting a Cruising World "Boat Of The Year" winner. They have had previous experience building your steel designs in the past, and now work a great deal with aluminum.  Their welding abilities are ensuring a wonderfully fair hull.  They will also be performing the installation of the key systems that will allow me, after delivery in early Summer 2009, to power her on her own bottom from Lake Erie to Port Huron, where I will complete the interior fitting-out over the next 2-3 years.  Manfred has made his portion of the process quite enjoyable, and I appreciate the quality time he spends with me when I visit his facility.  I am very pleased that I chose Kanter Yachts as my builder.
 
That's about it for now - probably too "gushy" anyway - but I will periodically keep you informed of our progress as we achieve it.  I have attached some photos so you can see what a beautiful yacht she is becoming.  Best regards, Gordon Hellman

EURO 1400  September 2008

Bruce, I have been referred to you by one of your current kit builders who highly recommended your products. He is currently building a Euro14 and has been very satisfied with your product and customer service.  

I would like to enquire as to the price of a Euro 14 and Euro 16 Steel Kit delivered in the UK. I am, as yet, undecided on which boat I would like to purchase and am trawling through your site looking at spec’s. I am drawn to the Euro Range and anticipate purchasing either the 14 or the 16. 

Do you have a brochure that is easy to read offline so I can sit and read it rather than clicking through webpages? I would be grateful if you could give me a brief quote as above and a little insight into the pro’s and cons of each.  Kind Regards, Dale

 

TRAVELER 45  From: Brian Smyth [ mailto:brian.smyth@ns.sympatico.ca ]
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 9:45 AM
Subject: pictures of Lee Keely's  

Hi Hal, Well, I just got back from helping Lee and Sheila Keely get their new boat to Boston on their way home to the Chesapeake.  

We had a pretty rough trip across the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine, with south west winds at 25 knots and 8 – 12 foot seas.  The whole trip took 62 hours at roughly 7-7.5 knots.

The boat performed very well in the rough weather and at no point did we feel in any danger, even when we were taking a foot of water over the bow!  There were times when the whole foredeck was awash! So, I think we can safely say thank you for designing ANOTHER safe ocean worthy boat!  Thank God For Pilothouses!

Feel free to share these photos on the net, the owners are very happy and proud of their boat! Talk to you soon Hal, Brian
 


Hi Bruce,

I have received your latest e-book ‘BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT’ and I found the article on my Boat Building for Beginners Course on P77 Chapter 7, it looks great thank you.

I am most impressed with the e-book and feel it will be a great tool to assist students understand the different methods of boat building.

I will keep you informed of the response when the course gets going early next year, and I greatly appreciate your assistance with this project.

Regards, Barrie Callaghan


WAVERUNNER 38 FG.

Hi Bruce,  

Nice to speak with you too and thanks for your email. I look forward to receiving the plan and getting to grips with the reading material. The more I look at the write-up on your website the more excited I get about this project!!
 
Regarding your website Bruce, its a goldmine of information!! Very well done!! One of the best I've seen, and I've looked at a lot of them searching for a suitable project!  Thanks once again for your help. Take care!
Kind regards, Ian Simmonds.

VOYAGER DS 440   &  e-book BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT

Dear Bruce ,  With Many thanks received our ordered CD today .

The content for Build your own Sailboat and Study plans for DS440 is great and better than we expected, Could you please send me the same as per your following quotation, thanks & best regards N. Monavari

ROBERTS 345

Hi Bruce, Here are the Picture of my ROBERTS 345 Sailboat I'm very Proud of, everywhere I go other sailor and a lot of people ask me what is the brand of your sailboat? I tell them its a Bruce Roberts and then they all finish with that phrase "what a beautiful sailboat'' ,,, the hull shape the lines,  its a real sea vessel strong stable fast and beautiful. THANK YOU .. Francois


ROBERTS 434 WOOD EPOXY

Hi Bruce,  I have recently received your e-book BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT and it looks great!  I have had a chance to read through much of it and have found it to be of additional help.  Some of the questions I had lingering in my mind have been answered by tour book.  I wish to thank you for sending your book to me, I very much appreciate it. 

I have completed the deck and am now building the transom.  I am building the sugar scoop type with a small swim platform and steps.  I want 3 access doors to store two 30# lpg tanks, life raft, 2.5 gal gasoline container and 4hp outboard, 2 scuba tanks.  The doors need to be flat to use piano hinges and be water proof so I am building a flat stern. 

I am trying to incorporate as many bulkheads and corners to add strength in case the boat gets pooped by a wave.  I prefer to have a curved transom for the strength that it gives but find it too difficult to build with all the features I want.  I have anchored the staircase solidly to the bottom hull and the deck so as to act like a bulkhead.  Also the stair sides are built like a laminated beam 16" thick.  I am also building my own dingy davits out of wood formed into an arch.  I will send photos when I have them.

Have a Great Day ! Earl 

VOYAGER DS 440

FROM VOYAGER DS 440 BUILDER IN UK.
Hi Bruce,  Thanks for the E-mail addresses. It'll be good to keep in touch with the other projects. I have maintained contact with Norbert already.  I also received your latest e-book BUILD YOUR OWN SAILBOAT, thank you. Not had a lot of time to revise yet
but on first browse it looks like a real mine of information, I shall look forward to reading it properly. Best Regards, John Beal


SPRAY 475 TRAWLER  ... Built in Turkey.

Attached are the latest of KARA1.  I'm not sure whether they qualify for your e-book but they sure will qualify for the purpose she was built for. Thank you again on behalf of my friends. They appreciate every minute of their time spent on KARA1. They keep telling me '' THE BEST BOAT ON EARTH IS THE BOAT OF A FRIEND '' Best Regards Erhan KUM

 


EURO 1200

Hallo Mr. Roberts !!   
I bought your project EURO 1200. Now you can see my boat. I think that she is wonderful.  I have a planned to finish it within two years.  
I made this boat myself all ( to weld, to paint, to make a teak ) All this I work with my hands. I enclosed you some photos, Best regards, Andrej Kozjek

EURO 1200

Hello Mr. Roberts. First of all my sincere excuses for the late reply but this message has been laying unnoticed in the “drafts” folder in the last three weeks. Thank you very much for the info on props. It corresponds to my calculations, so we now feel more confident to order a pair of props with those characteristics.

The helm responds magnificently and the boat keeps the direction as though she was on the rails, even when encountering waves created by high-speed boats passing by. I’ll keep you informed. Best regards, Skipina Slavisa


 
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 7:24 PM

Hi Andy, Boy are you guys efficient, just sent an email to Bruce advising him that I would respond to you tomorrow and here you are as the next email. Will send photographs in the morning, Many thanks for the very prompt inter-company response. With best regards Rory


Bruce, I received your study plans on Friday. All looks good and are very detailed. 
Narrowed down to the two designs (Waverunner 342 or 38).  Regards, Nick 

ROBERTS 53   ROBERTS 532   VOYAGER 542  These are more or less the same design.

Hi Bruce,  We are the happy owners of a Roberts 53G built in a Gawler SA Australia engineering workshop many years ago.  Its our boat Enzio has admired and he wants to build his own, on similar dimensions to ours.  We recently spent 46 days safely crossing  NZ to Chile three storms and mostly confused seas, our beautiful Roberts excelled in the conditions. -regards Eoin aged 63 and Susan aged 61


NORFOLK 43 - MODS.

Bruce, Many thanks for answering in person and so soon and thank you for the updated design – I will now study this against the original drawings that I have to start working out what is involved / required to make the keel / rudder modification.  And thank for you invitation to contact you directly for more information, as I may need to take you up on this offer further down the track, once I get into the actual details of the modification.

Your personal support in this matter is most appreciated. Best regards,  John Casey


NEW YORK 55 OWNER / BUILDER

Hi Bruce. Have attached a few pictures of my NY55. I have relocated it, for finishing the interior, and she will most certain go into the water by end of Aug.

If you are interested I will send you some more pictures when afloat, and rigged. Although it has taken me 6 years to get this far, I must say that the design has been a pleasure to built, straight forward and uncomplicated. ( no kit ). I am especially proud about the way the hull looked before getting filler, so the total use off filler is less than 200 kg. Filler thickness between 2 & 4 mm. The crane operator said that the weight of the boat was 24.5 Metric Ton, and that includes 10t off Lead in the envelope keel. Its by the way build in Marine grade Aluminum. ( Hull 6mm, Superstructure 5mm ) I am extremely exited to see how she behaves under sail. Do you have any feedback from other builders ??? Kind Regards Kim Andersen


SERVICE !  Hi Bruce:  Well your email is right on time as I expected it would be.  When I entered the order I was waiting for an area to scribble in which designs I needed, but before I knew it, the order had been placed without the info.  So I thought to myself......"Oh well, Bruce will send me an email in due course." Thanks for your help, Robert
 


Hi everyone!  Thanks for the quick response to my SOS.  FYI, was able to resolve 'fuzzy' image issue by trying a different software. It's nice to know that help is just a few keystrokes away. Thanks again. More power to you!  Joel Aton
 


Dear Bruce,
Thank you very much for the replacement CD! I just received (and got it out of the case undamaged) and its great! Best regards,   Benjamin

Dear Bruce,
Two years back I ordered a plan from you (Coastworker 28). I built this boat in Kochi, India for a friend of mine. The construction took nearly eight months, working part time, and it was a truly enjoyable experience.
 
We 'shoe-horned' a venerable six- cylinder Leyland (90BHP) engine into it with a 3:1 reduction gear (the engine with GB weighs over a tonne!), because the boat is used primarily as a small tugboat, and this boat has been performing well for the past year and a half, keeping very busy in the backwaters of Kochi.
 
I am now thinking of building another boat, for myself this time- and my preferences are the Coastworker-1000 and Euro-1200, in that order.
 
Please let me know the prices for the pre-cut steel kits for these two boats, as well as the prices for cutting and building plans only, in case I decide to go that route.
 
Thank you and best regards,  Anthony Koithra

Hi, I have just received my CD and I enjoy it. There are a lot of information and pictures.

Stéphane Henaff

ROBERTS 434 WOOD EPOXY:

August 4th 2007

Hi Bruce, Thank-you so much for the advice to use an old handsaw for fairing in the hull.  It worked beautifully and was a real life saver.  I am sure it cut my sanding by 75% or more.  I will send a photo as soon as I paint.  Thanks again!  Have a Great Day!  Earl Rentmeester

CENTENNIAL SPRAY 38
G'day Bruce,
This weekend our Centennial Spray 38 "Spray Maker" will be blasted ready for the painting and fit out to start.  I have been taking photos along the way so have a good record of the build process, if you are short of material or would like something for the Spray News let me know.  My wife - the writer in the family - will be producing an article or two for the Australian Spray Society so we could use this or a modified version. I thing Spray Maker will be a first in a number of areas, the first Centennial 38 in New Zealand and the first to be junk rigged, so someone in the world of Spray's may be interested. By the way our builder, Bowline Boats, is really impressed with the boat and design and is looking to specialize in this style of yacht. Cheers Pete
CENTENNIAL SPRAY 38
Bruce,  What a year.... I have not had time to give you updates on our Spray... I see that you still have the picture on the CS38 page.  Well I WILL send over some new pictures by snail mail.  We have finished the hull and got the first coat or Green gloss on the hull - it looks great, you cant even tell that it is steel it looks that good.

Centennial SPRAY 45
We ordered preliminary plans for the Spray from Bruce and started adapting our layout to the 45 foot hull. When Bruce released his round bilge version, the we were convinced this was the perfect hull for us. The hull characteristics were a major for our layout without compromising the sailing characteristics. We sent our deck and cabin layout to Bruce and contracted with him to do a set of drawings using them.

A wonderful thing happened when working with Bruce; we had originally drawn the deck with a doghouse over the companionway. He, faithfully, had a doghouse in the drawings that he did for us, but he also made a slightly different version of the cabin which used a pilothouse with a steering station on a platform on the starboard side. He sent this alternate design to us as a gift.

We so much like the idea of the open pilothouse creating a bright open space out of the saloon and galley that we adopted it. We were able to take the general concept and implement it in the final design. Regards Ben Smith ... NOTE: Ben Smith uses his boat to run successful charters.


Centennial SPRAY 45
Dear Bruce, I can tell you my own impression of sailing the Centennial Spray 45. I made a trip cross the Baltic sea. She steering herself really, just need to carefully put sails on right position. I did not touch the steering wheel for more than 20 minutes, just look at compass. Excellent performance, just nice. Thank you very much for smart design. Best Regards, Victor V. Tchaburko

NEW YORK 46

Hi Bruce, First good sail was 120 nm ocean. We had only been out for 2 hrs sailing previously, though we had been motor testing / system testing for a few hrs as well prior to the trip.  Less than 14 hrs from point to point!!  Happy as I am! Had varying winds (5 to 17 knots) from 40 degrees apparent to about 200 degrees on the port side 90% of the time.  Smooth seas with a 3 metre swell. Will keep you informed and will send you some photos . Have only some on boat photos and am awaiting some more to be emailed.  Komeova is great and I could not be happier!! 
Great design!  Kind regards,
 Ray Crake

Coastworker 25
HI Bruce, I recently received my plans and patterns for the coastworker 25', 8' planning hull Steel / Aluminium. I must say I am more than happy. One thing I am curious about getting though is the patterns on a cad file, I have just noticed this information on the your web site and was hoping you could send me some information on the cost and the style of format e.g. dwg,dxf etc.. thanks once again      Brett Muller

ANSWER: We can supply AutoCAD files for any parts of the plans and patterns ... they are in DWG format.

Coastworker 25
HI Bruce, I ordered a set of plans for my best friend for Christmas, here it is 1month later & we are going to start putting the bottom on her today. The planing hull design is excellent. She's a weekend project because both of us have full time jobs. We can't wait to christen her "Keel Estate". Some pictures & updates are soon to follow....Regards John Dunn


Coastworker 25
Hello Bruce its some time since I gave you an update on my Coastworker, the boat is now finished and on the water. It lives on a mooring on Loch Lomond in Scotland. I have attached some photos for you, I am very pleased with the results, I have had some minor problems which included some leaking windows along with a fuel problem which I now have under control.

I will keep in touch, by the way since you put some of my earlier photos on your web site I have had a couple of people track me down in the UK one guy lives in London and is proposing to purchase some plans from you and build either a Coastworker or a Waverunner, I have given him some tips and ideas, his name is Andy and he lives in Buckinghamshire and plans to use his boat on the River Thames

Good luck  Kind regards  David Wren Liverpool England + 44 (0)201-207-0023 Work

Roberts TY40/42 owner reports:
"I launched this boat in June of '97 at Michigan city, IN. Shakedown cruise got a perfect 10. I just completed a cruise to Florida via the Tenn-Tom to Tampa where I completed the interior. I returned via the Intercostal, East coast, Hudson, Erie Canal and the Great Lakes. 
This vessel performed beyond my wildest expectations !
Fuel economy 10, handling 10, speed 9+ pitch stability 9+, roll stability 8 I used no ballast "  (Designers note: We recommend ballast in all of our trawlers). Robert J. Wouda


COMMENTS from CANADIAN TY 43 builder ... Maggie Mais:
Hi Bruce. Sorry its taken so long to reply. Life is hectic. 2 kids, 2 puppies, 2 birds, 1 unfinished boat and mother nature has kicked in with a vengeance. Winter is here all too quickly and we have paint to apply. The project is going well. Peter is going to start the paint on Sunday!!! The interior is 90% complete with the exception of engine hook-up, plumbing, batteries and engine room completion. We are so pleased with the quality of woodwork our shipwright has done.
 

The interior is done in maple, ceilings are tongue and groove pine. The windows and doors are in (diamond sea glaze). The galley is unbelievable. I love to cook, and my galley is used hard. The room with which to work was very spacious. So abundant it was, I had a kitchen cabinetry business in our local area design and build and install the galley. All we had to do was slide the fridge in and mount the gimballed stove. Countertops are Corona (TM), double sinks are recessed and we designed a bar area directly across from the galley, beside the circular steps leading to berth area. I must say, given our years of boating experience, we have designed and customized our vessels layout, far better than our land based home.  Fondly, Maggie A Mais.


COMMENTS from Australian builder of  Trawler Yacht 43
Numerous professionals have been coming in to see our TY43 build and all are amazed or surprised at the quality of workmanship and the fairness of the hull (thanks to your kit). One was the shipwright who will be doing the fit out. He comes from the timber boat building industry and his comments were "I've never seen anybody achieve this with steel.


FROM PROFESSIONAL BUILDER:
Hi Bruce,  Thought I would e-mail you a couple of pictures of the 43' Voyager TY. Things are going well, and should be setting side shell later this week. Will be setting keel and rudder tomorrow. Altogether we have about 60 hours in at this point, not bad considering we only have had 1 man working steady on it!!  Rumor has it there is a 57' possibly looking for a construction site from Colorado. We are having so much fun we'd love to build some more!!! Could you add us to your Metal Boat newsletter as a West Coast assembly company??? It would be great if you could. Well, Bye for now, back to welding! Bart Samaduroff.


TY 43 and Voyager 495 - KOREA
Hi Bruce,
Together with your designs, firstly trawler43 and Voyager495 were launched at Mokpo, Korea. Trawler 43, Perkins 180HP @2100 rpm for main engine- max speed 10 knots, wing engine Perkins65hp 6 knots, Generator 8kw Northern Lights and Mastervolt DC equipment, air conditioner main air, Windlass Muir Thruster side power 6kw, paint as per Awl-grip coating scheme. Water maker 30l/hr marine village USA


CENTENNIAL SPRAY 38
Hi Bruce, We finally, we have taken time off doing the interior jobs to do a sailing sea trial! A sedate and gentle sail of around 40 nm over 2 days, and our yacht performed wonderfully. In a steady 20 knots, we didn't bother to run the mizzen and and even partly furled the main, just to "get a feel" for how she handles. Just off the breeze we were easily able to achieve 6 knots, even making 7 knots and better at times. We had the full main set for an hour or so, and our yacht was well balanced and sailing with very little heel just off the breeze. Regards
Rob McGill and Nina Morissette

SPRAY 33
Dear Bruce, I took the Kangaroo (ex Bellavia) for a test sail today. Simply pure joy. The pilot house has not hanged anything. Now my wife came along (her first time on a sailboat) she loved the boat. I will send you some pictures soon of her with the sails up in a good breeze. I want to be on your Spray website. Best regards Asi
COMMENTS FROM ANOTHER SPRAY 33 OWNER ABOUT HIS BOAT "BLACK PEARL"
Our boat has cruised to Spain, Portugal and the Mediterranean, and has made two Biscay crossings in severe weather. We have nothing but admiration for her sea keeping qualities and we have never for one moment felt unsafe in her and she returned good passage times in strong winds, often unWe have recently completed a long term restoration of this boat.

SPRAY 33
I
have just received my plans for the Spray 33. I am overwhelmed by the number of drawings and the detail including deck fittings right down to the plans for the Roberts Dinghy.   This is not my first boat building experience. I have built what my wife refers to as "toy" boats, a 14' wood /epoxy daysailer and a 20' cedar strip canoe. This will be my first "serious" boat building experience and I am looking forward to getting started.  Having looked them over I can see where the cost lies. The plans from other designers do not compare.  I would not hesitate to recommend Bruce Roberts for boat building plans to anyone who might ask. Sincerely, Rick Deschenes 

SPRAY 33 in Kemer / Turkey mentioned to you by Suat Zeybek

Her maiden voyage was in the autumn of 1996 London to Antalya/Turkey aprx. 3500 miles single handed. I hadn't fitted any self steering as yet, so this first long passage was a good test of the Spray's legendary self steering qualities. If you take care to balance the sails she will steer herself for amazingly long periods of time.
In Antalya my Wife and I were married and we moved on board to begin our full time cruising life style. Now I really did begin to appreciate the Spray's load carrying capability, I have never seen so much stuff poured into just one boat.

We spent two full seasons cruising the Med and in September 2000 departed Portugal for the Cape Verde Islands via the Canary Islands. December the 1st found us leaving Mindelo/Cabo Verde and bound for Barbados. We still didn't have any self steering fitted, but then again neither did Slocum. No problem. Blue-Belle took 16 days to make the 2037 mile crossing, that's an average of 127 miles per day. Her best days run being 147 miles. For a heavily laden cruising boat with a 28 ft water line she could certainly turn in a decent passage time. We were delighted with her. We also found that running downwind she didn't roll as much as other boats I'd sailed under similar conditions.

We find the Spray to be a wonderful sea boat, and is a lot faster than she looks. When running in gale force conditions we find that our heavy weather staysail, sheeted flat amidships (a technique used by Slocum in his book) works well. The bow showing no tendency to dig in despite all the weight we carry up forward. One mistake we made in the early years was in reefing her down too early; the boat is very stiff and sails well in heavy weather. In storm conditions when it is more prudent to stop and we either heave to or lie to a parachute anchor streamed from the bow and attached to a bridle led back to a cockpit winch. In this manner we feel safe and secure.
So, would we part with our Spray? Would we change her for something else? No - not ever. After 8 years and 35.000 miles we finally have our ultimate cruiser.
Thanks Bruce, you gave us a great boat.
Kindest regards,
Derek & Hulya  S/Y Blue-Belle Park Kemer Marina Kemer Antalya/Turkey

TRAWLER YACHT 620 - Tom Springer's NEW Trawler Yacht launched in Canada.

Hi Bruce, This is Aaron, Tom's son writing to you.  I've been checking his email for him.  They left yesterday morning and were running in 20 foot seas, he said that the boat handled great.  I talked to them last night and everything was still going fine (calmed down to 5 footers).  Thanks,   Aaron Springer  

Hi Bruce, We finally got the boat home on the 19th of October. She is beautiful and performed well on the trip from Nova Scotia. Attached are a couple of pictures. She is beautiful and we are very pleased with her design. I intend to invite Hal up to see her when her systems are in order. Regards, Tom & Patty Springer.


Hi Bruce .  I just wanted too drop you a line and tell you that I went to see your 62 ft trawler  "Sorcery" is in the water now and is a beautiful yacht .  I met Mr Ralph Elliot ( BUTCH) and his lovely wife and was invited aboard for a look around. Beautiful. Butch and his wife Janice were very nice inviting us aboard.....Thank you Harold Metcalf

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