ANTARES at the Classic and Wooden Boat Festival in 2012

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ANTARES at the Newport Wooden Boat Festival on Pittwater in November 2011

Antares

Vessel numberHV000450

Vessel Registration NumberKD477N

Designer Roe Designs

Date1958

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 15.85 m x 13.72 m x 4.57 m x 1.22 m, 22.36 tonnes (52 ft x 45 ft x 15 ft x 4 ft, 22 tons)

DescriptionANTARES was built by Bill Rogers who had been a shipwright with the navy. No documents survive to confirm the designer, which is said to be Roe designs. This could be the firm Saunders Roe from the UK; the hull has lines similar to a naval fast patrol boat, a type that this firm's marine division were once involved with in the 1940s and 1950s.

The 15.84 m long hull is planked in 38mm oregon timber fastened to spotted gum frames, with a Queensland beech deck and a teak coachhouse. This was solid construction in line with their intentions to make ocean passges, and it was fitted with two long range fuel tanks. However Bill Rogers became ill before he and his wife Flo could begin their cruising plans, and they never made any long ocean voyages, keeping their travels close to Newcastle and the adjacent coastline.

The Rogers kept ANTARES for over 50 years, and it was well known in the region. The current owner bought the craft from Bill and Flo Rodgers, and has made some minor repairs to the decking, otherwise leaving the craft in its original layout and construction. This includes the twin Cummins V6 diesel engines from 1955.

SignificanceANTARES is an amateur built 15 metre long bridge-deck cruiser, built in Newcastle NSW in 1958. It is an example of a large luxury motor vessel, a type more commonly built by a professional yard. The ten year construction period that began in 1948 saw it beome a landmark on its building site within Mayfield, Newcastle, and then ANTARES remained with the owner builder for over 50 years. The vessel remains almost largely original in all respects and shows many individual details the builder added that contrast with how a professional craft would have been made and fitted out.