Seaspray - Too
Vessel numberHV000857
Builder
Reg Fazackerley
Date1950s
DescriptionSeaspray -Too is a 12ft tender that was built during the 1950s by southern Tasmanian boat builder and mechanic Reg Fazackerley. It is clinker built with hull planks of King Billy pine, ribs and centreboard of blackwood. Reg Fazackerley was a prolific Tasmanian boatbuilder throughout the twentieth century, specializing in Huon and King Billy Pine dinghies, and building vessels to order. Seaspray-Too has mixed use as a tender, a rowing boat for regatta days with the Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania, and as a fishing craft.
Fazackerley usually built his vessels at the back of his home at 50 Duke St Sandy Bay or next to the holiday shack at Randall’s Bay. On average, it took two weeks to build a dinghy from the laying down of the keel to the final coat of paint or varnish. The Huon and King Billy pine planks came from Williams on Argyle St, grown Oak knees from Garden Island in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. These knees were collected on Fazackerley family bush walks or fishing trips and were allowed to dry out for 12 months before being used in construction. Initially all his boats were built of Huon pine, but later only the garboard strakes were Huon and the rest was King Billy pine. Seaspray – Too aligns with this later development.
Fazackerley boats can be identified by these design traits:
• King Billy or Huon Pine planks
• No ribs forward of the front seat
• A distinct tumble home on the transom
• Grown Oak knees
• The signature ‘R.F’, usually nail punched, and a year of construction under the seat
Fazackerley steamed his planks in a home made hot water trough of galvanised iron and Huon pine. He later installed a steamer. All his boat planks were heated via this system until they could be bent and clamped onto the boat frame. Many of his family members helped out in the building of these dinghies, small children doing putty work, and those older helping out with the clenching of copper nails through planks.
During World War Two Fazackerley was drafted to work at the Commonwealth Shipyard at Prince of Wales Bay as a foreman building many lifeboats and small hospital ships. After WWII he worked at the Hobart Marine Board as a foreman and carpenter and was also a linesman tying up boats on the wharves at Hobart and Self’s Point.
Seaspray – Too has been displayed at numerous boat festivals and regattas, including the 2010 Launceston Wooden Boat Rally, the 2012 Wooden Boat Festival in Geelong, the 2012, 2014, and 2016 Kettering Wooden Boat Regattas, and the 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2023 Wooden Boat Festivals in Hobart. In 2012 it was selected and featured in a promotional movie for ‘The Island House’ and adaptation of the Posie Graeme Evans book. The selection was based off the authors understanding of a typical Scottish Dinghy. Graeme Evans’ most notable work is the Dressmaker.
Seaspray – Too was restored over 2021-2 by Peter Higgs. It has a new stem, centre board case, transom re worked with splines, and knee fixed, plus the centre board cases entry through the keel and keelson strengthened with new Huon Pine cheeks. Once this structural work was completed many fixings were re-roved and riveted to tighten the boat. It is in excellent condition and every part of the boats structure is original.
Completed with the assistance of Peter Higgs, ARHV Steering Committee member and ARHV Council member and Dr. Dougal Harris ARHV Council member
SignificanceSeaspray – Too is a 12ft Tasmanian clinker dinghy reflective of the significant design practice of southern Tasmanian builder Reg Fazackerley. Built in the 1950s, it is a classic clinker dinghy style, built of Huon, King Billy and Blackwood, and is used as a tender and fishing vessel. It is in excellent condition and all components of the vessel are original. Seaspray – Too has appeared at numerous regattas and wooden boat festivals in Launceston, Geelong and Hobart, and has featured in promotional movies. It is an important part of, and fine example of, Southern Tasmania’s boat building history, teaching on the Fazackerley methodology of sturdy wooden dinghy boat building.
1938
c 1920