Bluebird Class

The Bluebird class has written its own chapters in Australia’s yachting history, a story that begins with a simple but strong foundation- a good design coming at the right time thanks to a designer with the foresight to see the opportunity and the enthusiasm to make it happen.

Bluebird was the product of Sydney Naval Architect Ken Watts. During World War II he considered what sort of simple yacht he could build when the war ended. He came up with a design which became the Bluebird, and although he never built one himself, he had created a design for a small yacht that could be amateur built in plywood, and allow sailors easy access to owning a yacht and enjoying sailing despite the hard economic times that were ahead. Bluebird introduced several features which, though neither original nor entirely novel, were certainly departures from standard Australian practice. The result was a plywood Bermudan sloop, 22 feet overall that was a surprisingly roomy little yacht—-combining appearance with the highly desirable qualities of being both easy and cheap to build, and it sailed well.

Beginning in 1947 the little chine sloop became one of the most popular "build-it-yourself" types of design over produced in Australia. It evolved with the times, starting as a plywood stock plan design, before becoming a production fibreglass hull and deck that you could finish off.

Of the numerous classes of small yachts and trailer sailors which have appeared particularly in the 1960s and through 70s the Bluebird stands out as one of the most successful and enduring.

It helped enormously when the popular magazine Seacraft got behind it, publishing two articles promoting the design, and following them up with reports on some of the craft under construction.

Excited by the prospect of this design, they published a preliminary one-page story in the July August 1947 issue.

“EASILY-BUILT SMALL PLYWOOD CRUISING SLOOP

Designed by Sydney naval architect Ken Watts, this craft is intended for a class of yachtsman not often catered for. Its construction will be so simple and inexpensive that it should prove the natural successor to the young man's open skiff.

The craft will measure 22 feet overall, 17ft. 6in. on the waterline and 7ft. 2in. at the beam. She will draw 3ft. 8iin., and her mast will stand 28 feet from the cabin top. Working sail area of 220 square feet will comprise 150 feet in the mainsail, 70 in the jib. on a modern all-inboard, high aspect ratio rig. Provision will also be made for a 120 sq. ft. light weather genoa.

The plywood hull, designed on developable, simple curve lines, will be surmounted by a streamlined cabin top, which will provide a headroom of four feet. This may seem little, but one could hardly build more into a craft of this size, without forcing the boom too high up the mast and ruining her sailing qualities.

Stability will be ensured by a cast iron fin keel; the outboard rudder will be easily dismountable. The roomy cockpit will seat four in comfort, and the designer has managed to fit two bunks into the cabin, still leaving room enough for stove and sink, and also for a 3 ½ horsepower, two-stroke engine, if desired.

The fin is easily removed, and in winter it may be rapidly exchanged for a skeg, to protect the propeller. when, with a shallower rudder fitted and with a small pennant staff in place of the mast, the boat converts into a smart little motor cruiser.

Further drawings and details of the plywood cruiser will appear in the next issue.”

As promised SEACRAFT followed up with a more in depth article on the design in September 1947.

“BLUEBIRD- SMALL PYWOOD CRUISER

DESIGNED by Sydney naval architect Ken Watts, this craft is intended for a class of yachtsman not often catered for. Its construction will be so simple and inexpensive that it should prove the natural successor to the young man's open skiff.

In view of the chronic world-wide shortage of suitable timbers for yacht planking, there seems to be a very good case in favour of the plywood yacht, provided that the design carefully avoids certain pitfalls. The chief of these seem to be the use of straight line sections, around which plywood cannot possibly lie naturally, and the making of chines too prominent forward, thus creating a hull with a tendency to pound.

In designing Bluebird the curved-line sections were arrived at by using the conical development method, about which so much has been heard lately. Consequently, it will be found that the plywood will lit around the frames as snugly and as naturally as the label fits around a condensed milk tin.

Apart from the much more pleasing appearance and the improved sailing qualities thus obtained, no internal stresses are locked up within the plywood itself to play havoc with beams and other framework, as would be the case if the plywood were forced over an undevelopable hull. Further, owing to the rounded sections, the chines completely disappear forward, and so the bow has all the inherent advantages of a round-bilged vessel. Add to these points the fact that waterproof plywood is strong and durable in relation to its weight and convenient to work, and it will be realised that a small plywood yacht of Bluebird's type definitely has a future.

Bluebird is primarily intended for the amateur builder who wants a fast, comfortable and able little vessel of smart appearance, with reasonable overnight accommodation for a crew of two, and a boat that is inexpensive to build and to maintain.

To get down to details, her length is 22 feet overall (so as to come out of a plywood panel, consisting of four standard 6 x 3 sheets, scarfed and bonded together); length on the waterline 18ft. 0 in., and beam 7ft. 4in. She is a fin-keeler, her fin consisting of a streamlined iron casting, giving her a draft of 3ft. Sin. This fin keel, which weighs approximately 1,000 lbs., is detachable, should it ever be desired to store the yacht ashore.

The final measurements differ slightly from original estimates, waterline length being six inches greater and beam two inches greater, and the draft half an inch less. These alterations were made to ensure a perfect conical development.

The plans show her to be a Bermuda rigged auxiliary, but if desired the motor could be deleted, thereby improving her sailing qualities somewhat. Again, if her tall mast is removed and her fin keel replaced by a skeg to protect the propeller, she converts into a smart little motor cruiser. To make this conversion properly however, a small inboard rudder would replace her sailing rudder, and of course some ballast would be necessary to replace the weight of the fin, to prevent her being excessively "light on her feet."

The motor planned for is a 3 1/2 horsepower, two- stroke model, with the flywheel forward. This allows it to be mounted in a low box at the fore end of the cockpit, as unobtrusively as it can be done in a small sailing craft.

As far as the rig is concerned this is entirely conventional in the modern manner, being all inboard, with a high aspect ratio and an overlapping jib, the whole supported on a hollow mast of box construction, standing 28 feet above the cabin top. Incidentally, this mast is the only part of the whole box-and-dice that might present any difficulty to the average amateur owner-builder. Such luxuries as sheet winches and a big genoa can be included if one's pocket book runs to such things, and can be provided for in the plans if required.

Total working sail area is 220 square feet, comprising 150 feet in the mainsail and 70 in the jib. The genoa would measure 120 square feet, bringing her light weather spread of canvas up to 270.

One cannot expect to find extensive accommodation in a vessel as tiny as Bluebird, but her cabin would be cosy for two, being equipped with a berth port and starboard, a two-burner kerosene stove to port and a sink to starboard. Shelves and lockers can be arranged to suit the owner's tastes and requirements, while there is room under the forward end of the bunks to install a toilet, though the designer does not recommend this, unless the boat is definitely required as an "over-nighter."

Lastly, as to the actual building, it will be seen from the drawings that it would be impossible to have a sailing yacht more simply built, especially if the hull is set up and built in the inverted position. The frames, built up from plywood mainly, are set up first and take the place of moulds. When the hull is completed, it is turned over to its natural position to receive deck, cabin, etc. The cast iron fin-keel (for which a pattern will be necessary) must be made in an iron foundry of course, and can be bolted in position when the vessel is practically completed.

The internal arrangement shown is tentative only and may be re-designed to suit any owner's requirements. It will be noticed that the stove, in the position illustrated, would need to be mounted so as to slide out from under the deck when in use, and to slide in again out of the way when not required.”

The design’s promise was matched in practice. Any amateur with reasonable woodworking ability could build one. The small two-stroke engine pushed them along at about 5 knots. There was room for two or three full-length bunks with sitting headroom, and space for a small stove. The cockpit, in some cases self-draining, was capable of seating six people or making up two extra bunks under an awning.

TALUA the first Bluebird, was commenced in February, 1948 and launched at Rose Bay on the 18th December, 1948. She was amateur built by D.M. (Max) Helliwell, who owned her until 1961. Seacraft in July 1948 showed images of one under construction at Dolls Point NSW, and then in September 1948 showed images of TALUA under construction. The first two Victorian 'Bluebirds' were launched in 1948 and sailed at Sandringham Yacht Club.

On Sydney Harbour the Bluebirds first raced with the 3rd Division of the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club, and amongst the few were TALUA, ALNIRA, RANU and POINCIANA.As more of these smart little boats appeared on the Harbour, Bill Gale conceived the idea of conducting a race for the class, and in February, 1955 he organised and conducted a race which he styled the Bluebird Championship. He used RANGER as the official boat with the start and finish in Taylor Bay. Nine boats turned out, including TERN from the R.S.Y.S. and CHEROKEE from R.P.A. Pittwater. Harold Vaughan's win in CHEROKEE was very popular as he had sailed down from Pittwater to compete.

At a get-together on the beach after the race Bill Gale presented the prizes (which he also donated) and, as this was the first race over held for Bluebirds as a class, it can be truly said that Bill Gale was the "Father of the Bluebird Class".

Bill's initiative bore fruit when the S.A.S.C. formed a Bluebird Class the next season, and as a follow-on he again held his Championship, donating the prizes as before, but also, on this occasion, having a programme printed. By the following season the Bluebirds were well established at the S.A.S.C. and a class had started at Middle Harbour; so Bill, content at having got the project under weigh and sailing with a fair wind, quietly bowed out.

The introduction of class racing for Bluebirds was an immediate success and numbers grew rapidly resulting in the formation, on the 29th of October, .1958, of The Bluebird Owners Association. The meeting was convened by K Begg, I.H, Wrigley, G. Brackenbury, J.l. O'Donnel and Misses P. and J. Warn, Twenty-four owners attended, 15 of whom were Amateur members, and I.H. Wrigley was elected first Chairman,

A constitution was adopted and a set of standards laid down covering sail measurements and material, keel and hull, rudder, spars and rigging and accommodation and crew.

Ken Watts, the designer, was elected Honorary Measurer.

The following season the first Official Annual Championship was held. It was conducted by the SASC at the request of the Association on the 18th and 19th of April, 1959 and resulted in a win for Harry Begg in POINCIANA with BANYANDAH second and ZEEHAN third. The handicap section was won by MANU, BANYANDAH second and TARNI third.

By the end of 1959 the Association came face to face with a problem which every class association has had to contend with sooner or later. The officials were becoming disturbed because—to quote from the minutes: "Several of the new yachts have been examined by Office-Bearers of the Association and it is evident that there are instances where the scantlings laid down in the original Bluebird Plans and Specifications have not been adhered to...". The minutes further stated that "...it is felt that if this trend is allowed to continue, builders may vary the specifications to a degree where adequate strength and other good qualities of the original plan and specification nay be seriously disregarded."

The Association took immediate action, and at a meeting in November, 1959, the Constitution was altered to road: "The Hull, its fittings fastenings and construction, is to be built in accordance with the plans drawn up by Ken Watts. The plan, specifications and scantlings are the minimum permissible. Stronger or heavier materials nay be used, but lighter or less strong materials nay not be used."

This made the Bluebird a restricted class, but not a strict one-design class. The introduction of fibreglass in the 1950s eventually impacted on the class when fibreglass hulls were put into production late in that decade. They also featured aluminium spars and outboard motors on stern brackets or in "wells" through the bottom of the hull.

Membership of the Association increased steadily and in I960 the first application for membership was received from an owner with a fibreglass boat. This resulted in a Notice of Motion at the meeting in August, I960 to the effect that "Bluebirds of identical design and dimensions built of fibreglass be considered for acceptance in this Association"

This notion was not actually put until the meeting held on the 28th November, 1961. It was lost.

In accordance with this decision the Amateurs barred fibreglass boats from racing in their Bluebird Division. A decision which, unfortunately, resulted in their ultimately losing the class to the Middle Harbour Yacht Club.

The reason was easily explained. Being unable to race with the S.A.S.C. the fibreglass boats joined the M.H.Y.C. fleet and became so popular that they finally outnumbered the wooden boats and were accepted with whom they have raced ever since.

It was not, however, until 1964 that their affiliation was changed from the S.A.S.C. to the M.H.Y.C, and until that date the Championships were still conducted by the Amateurs.

Fibreglass proved popular and added considerably to the classes longevity beyond the 1960s. Once again Seacraft helped, publishing a story in the January 1967 edition that included an interview with owner Dr Keith Jones from Mosman NSW who had fitted out a fibreglass Bluebird DERYN GLAS (Welsh for blue bird).

“Bluebird of Value

Dr Keith Jones took me for a sail in his state champion Bluebird DERYN GLAS one Sunday recently in a light to medium easterly, making to 14 knots.

Designed by Ken watts more than 10 years ago, this 22-foot hard chine class is a popular harbour racer and a comfortable cruising yacht.

‘I like Bluebirds because they are so versatile,’ Keith Jones told me as we slipped over the sea toward the slow swell of the Pacific Ocean. We were carrying the big genoa and she was moving very nicely.

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‘We have wonderful class racing. There are 30 racing with Middle Harbor plus a good fleet with the Amateurs and on Pittwater.’

DERYN GLAS is a fibreglass hull which Keith bought as a shell and finished off on the patio of his home in Mosman. Floors, bulkheads, bunks and lockers are plywood, cedar and maple. It took him seven months to finish her.

The total cost including $400 for aluminium mast and rigging, and $600 tor Peter Cole, sails — plus dinghy and best racing gear was $3500.

He. said fibreglass Bluebirds were gradually replacing the timber yachts. Although fibreglass was more expensive in (he beginning, savings on maintenance made up the leeway.

He races with, a crew of three or four — five is the maximum — and can sleep three adults and three children. He always cruises with his wife and young children.

"One of these days I'll buy a compass and a bit of ocean racing gear and do some JOG racing. We have a self-draining cockpit so all I need are life rails and a pulpit."

Keith said the yacht's windward performance is remarkable for its waterline length of 18 feet.

"I remember two special days when my Bluebird showed her capabilities and quietened so-called experts who said the class doesn't handle well in hard winds. Reefed down in a 60 imph westerly gale two seasons ago, we outsailed the No 1 Division yachts from Middle Harbor Yacht Club. Another day, in a 30 knot breeze, we thrashed some Dragons to windward with our full sails set.

"Many people object to the Bluebird’s weather helm but this fibreglass boat sails perfectly. She has more stability with balance trimmed into her and the five-square-feet larger rudder I fitted made all the difference."

As we made our way through the Heads in the slow south easterly swell and 12 to 14 knot breeze, I noted she handled well and was quite lively.

She seemed-to have quite a bit of weather helm despite the bigger rudder, but jibed easily as we set a spinnaker for the run through the heads.

Keith said that in the original Bluebird design there was a one foot square skeg on the keel aft, but this gradually had been left off. This may have something to do with the strong weather helm of some Bluebirds.

Pulling up the floorboards, he showed me the 500 lb of extra lead ballast the fibreglass boats carry under the floor. In the comfortable little cabin was a portable stove, an ice box — which fitted between the two long bunks — a small sink under the midship thwart, a 15 gal water tank in the eyes of her, and a small toilet concealed under a bunk before the mast.

Lights are from motorcycle batteries, sufficient to light the cabin and run the navigation lights. The quarter berths looked large, comfortable and snug.

An Evinrude outboard provides the auxiliary power when dropped into a small hatch aft in the cockpit. When not in use, it stows in the cabin.

Like most hard chine boats the Bluebird sails best with her lee rail just out of the water. Press them further and they are inclined to lie down and die. Keith said many newcomers to sailing who buy or build Bluebirds do not know how to trim them and tune them and often the boats suffer from weather helm and lack of balance which is very detrimental to their sailing qualities.

DERYN GLAS has been tuned to perfection as have half a dozen other Middle Harbor Bluebirds — racing there is very keen.

After several hours' sailing about in the increasing breeze, I had to agree that Keith's Bluebird is both inexpensive and a very versatile family yacht”.

More from Dr Jones comes through the MHYC book “The First 60 Years”.

“In 1961 I bought a 22-foot Bluebird-class yacht. It was purchased as a fibreglass shell and delivered using a truck from Firefighting Equipment 'commandeered' by Alan Keirle to 22 Lavoni Street. A team of friends carried the shell up the front lawn where it was set up on a concrete patio built for the purpose. I named it DERYN GLAS, which is Welsh for bluebird.

Timber interior fittings, bulkheads and so on were built over a two-year period. My late cousin, Les Atkins, a carpenter and cabinet maker, was of great assistance. Others who were to form the crew - Bev Bashford, Alan Keirle, Alan Ponton, Alan Underwood, Peter Polman and Vic Halloran -contributed time and labour.

In late 1963, having missed the start of the season, Deryn Glas was taken to Clontarf where John Jeffress fitted the cast-iron keel. When collected from the foundry the keel was over 100 pounds too light. To compensate for this, the lead ballast, put in the bilge for compliance with the waterline measurement, was removed. Plaster of Paris moulds in boxes of sand were made. John MacCallum assisted Alan Ponton melting the lead and making 'plugs' in the moulds. These fitted the appropriate areas very well and added to the yacht's stability.

The aim of reducing windage was taken into account when building the cabin hatch and other deck fittings. The main sheet hawse was designed with a curve to encourage the mainsheet to be more central when on a wind, but to run out towards the gunwales when running.

There had been stories of Bluebirds having trouble rounding up on spinnaker shy runs. For that reason, I took the plan's rudder design and enlarged it significantly in all directions. It also had a beautiful aerofoil cross-section and a square, non-breakaway edge along its bottom.

The mast and rigging were made by Peter Cole, then in Marrickville. He also made us a beautiful suit of sails.

Deryn Glas was launched on 16 November 1963 (the day on which in the President Kennedy's assassination was reported in Australia). From the first moment putting the yacht hard on the wind, it was evident to me that we had something exceptional. She was beautifully balanced, responsive to the helm and a sheer delight to sail. This was proven subsequently when a number of other skippers won races in the yacht, on occasions when I was unavailable. The first start was a Wednesday afternoon race (in days when a larger fleet turned out than today). DERYN GLAS won on handicap. The first start in the Bluebird Division resulted in a third place in the scratch start event. She went on to win the Autumn Point Score of 1963/64.

The Bluebird Division of those days provided great racing. The little boat could be used for racing, day sailing and even holidays aboard. Accommodation aboard was cramped and on DERYN GLAS we used a boom cover which allowed greater use of the cockpit and even allowed that area to be used as the galley when anchored. We customarily spent a week or more aboard at Cowan Creek just before Christmas each year - two adults, three children and a dog!”

Dr Jones also told of the racing in the Bluebird Division at MHYC

Bluebird Division racing was great, with Ron Ewen (KARALEE II) being champion in the early 60's. Tim Wilson was very competitive but departed for greater things in mid-1960. Toni Redstone (MANDY) was always to the fore. He went on to win a World Title in the Thunderbird class in California. Albert Byrom (ERPS KWERPS) was great in light weather. Doug Brooker built a timber Bluebird with a lead keel in the mid-1960s, and although he acquitted himself very well, the craft could not always pace the fibreglass version.

Other famous Bluebird names were Bill Liddell, David Noakes and Hewan Greenwood, who was exceptionally good. There are several still racing with MHYC - Keith Poole and Ben Nossiter for example.

John Conroy Snr commenced sailing at an advanced age and went through some traumas in his early learning period, but tenaciously honed his skills to become the best Bluebird sailor in the Division in LOTCHEN III in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with the aid of his son, John Conroy Jnr, who still sails with MHYC.

About 1964 there was a Saturday afternoon race held in Sydney Harbour in a north westerly which was recorded at the Sydney Observatory Weather Bureau at 84 knots! Only two divisions of MHYC completed the course. One was the Offshore Division. The other was the Bluebirds. DERYN GLAS won from MANDY after having to cover MANDY (in atrocious conditions) on one work up to Fort Denison”

The Bluebird continued to thrive and found wide acceptance around Australia in the 60s and 70s. Through those decades their claim to being "Australia's Peoples Yacht" was never disputed and many thousands of sailors began their keel boat sailing in them. In time the market and sailing changed, and the class declined. Many of the craft are still sailing, and can be seen on moorings all around the country. The remaining stronghold is in Victoria where the Victorian Bluebird Association has been active since the 1960s. Today's fleet is mainly based at Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and Hobsons Bay Yacht Club where both Summer and Winter regattas still attract double figures and the competition is fierce. Those that sail them today consider them as relevant as they ever were and pre-loved boats are in demand. Their fleet is over 20 yachts.

Few, if any, restricted classes have had to contend with more changes of constitution, alteration to rules or modification of specifications than has the Bluebird Class. The acceptance of new types of construction, the stepping of masts on deck, the updating of handicaps, the improvement of rudder shape, the positioning of the keel, the positioning and fixing of internal ballast, the limitation on slipping, beaching or careening, the minimum requirements for accommodation and fittings, were just a few of the decisions which had to be taken and covered by changes in the Constitution or contained in appendices. The changes were such, in fact, that they left the original requirements a long way behind and eventually an appendix was introduced stating that "Any yacht built prior to the 1st of January, 1965, which has been accepted for the class, shall continue to be eligible...".

Even the attempt by the Association to acquire the rights to the Bluebird plans and specifications ended in failure after a considerable amount of searching and negotiating had been undertaken by the Association's Honorary Solicitor, Mr. Geoff Hughes. In his report he said that it appeared that Mr. Norman Hudson had purchased then from Ken Watts and sold them to Boat Plans Pty Ltd and then for reasons which he had been unable to ascertain, he understood that Mr. Hudson had retrieved them after a court action. Mr. Hughes expressed the opinion that there was some doubt as to whether the plans were a registered design or whether, in fact, any rights existed.

To overcome the possible confusion another appendix was added, which read: "The Bluebird Yacht Plan means the set of Plans lodged with the Association and marked for identification by the signatures of the President, W.A. Killingworth, the Vice-President, D.A. Noakes, and the Secretary, M.J. Battye and dated the 1st of January, 1965"

It says much for Ken Watts' design that the little Bluebird survived all these vicissitudes and continued to gain in popularity and go on from strength to strength. And through it all the intentions of the Founders of the Association have been rigidly adhered to, namely "...that the rules shall be aimed at restricting the Bluebird Class Yacht within safe and reasonable tolerances as designed, and to permit of either amateur or professional construction."

But it is not only in class racing that the Bluebird has been successful. As a family boat, as a coastal cruising vessel, as a JOG racer, or simply as a "first deep-keel yacht", she has proved her worth.