LORITA MARIA's tender showing the transom bow

Images(2)

Lorita Maria's Tender

Vessel numberHV000397

Builder Jeff Clist

Designer Alan Payne (1921 - 1995)

Date1963

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 2.03 m x 1.28 m (6.66 ft x 4.2 ft)

Terms

DescriptionThe plywood flat bottom dinghy is a simple shape with flared topsides and a transom bow. The flat bottom shape along with its generous beam and freeboard gave it a large carrying capacity. It was designed to carry in one trip the yacht's owner Norman Rydge, his wife and three children when they were using LORITA MARIA for cruising. It was built with two rowing positions which allowed the rower to adjust their position and trim the dinghy to suit the different number of passengers carried. A t-shaped forward thwart that accommodated the two seat locations for the rower was an unusual way to achieve this result, in contrast to a normal three cross thwart configuration.

Payne was well known for his detailed and well engineered yacht designs, and this is an example of the same attention to a project on a much smaller scale. Instead of quickly producing a design much like any other dinghy that was around at the time, he gave the project considerable thought and came up with a different and unique style and arrangement. The craft is shown on the sail plan drawing of LORITA MARIA, neatly stowed on the cabintop under the boom. It is thought it was designed specifically to suit that space, rather than being an existing design adapted for the purpose.

At least two others were built form the same plan, one was last seen in Broken Bay in the 1970s, while another was built by Alan Payne's brother Bill in 1964 as the tender for his Alan Payne designed yacht SOUTHERY BUSTER.

In 2010 the dinghy retains its original layout and construction, but appears to have had the joints at the stem, transom and chine taped and fibreglassed on the exterior. It has the builders nameplate attached to the beam under the small foredeck.

SignificanceThe wooden tender for the ocean racing yacht LORITA MARIA was bult in 1963 at the same time as the yacht by the yacht's builder Jeff Clist. It is an example of the varied design work done by the accomplished naval architect Alan Payne who also designed LORITA MARIA. In 2010 the dinghy remains with the yacht as its own tender.