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Thurloo

Vessel numberHV000043

Official Number374977

Vessel Registration NumberOR114Q

Designer Alan Payne (1921 - 1995)

Builder Fabricated Products

Date1946

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 11.9 m x 9.6 m x 2.9 m x 2 m (39 ft x 31.5 ft x 9.5 ft x 6.56 ft)

DescriptionTHURLOO is an 11.9 metre (39 ft) long sloop that was built as a racing and cruising yacht for Ernest Merrington. He required a boat that had six feet (1.83 m) headroom and was to be built of steel by his company Fabricated Products.

At this time the majority of yachts in Australia were built of wood, however in other places such as the Netherlands steel yacht construction was more common. Building THURLOO in steel would have created interest considering its relatively small size when compared to other steel vessels in Australia. THURLOO would have helped pave the way for this method which became more common for yacht building in Australia over the next decade. Designer Alan Payne was familiar with the material from his time at the Cockatoo Dockyard, and he returned to the material with a number of yacht designs using steel construction throughout his career. Payne also designed a yacht with a raised deck to help achieve the headroom required, and this was another feature he used again from time to time.

THURLOO has cruised the eastern coast of Australia and remains in good sailing condition after 50 years of continued use. The design lead to other commissions in the late 1940s for Payne, including one or two similar styled boats with high freeboard and short overhangs, and helped establish his long career in the field. THURLOO's sturdy, seaworthy construction and sea-kindly shape were features of many subsequent Payne designs.
SignificanceTHURLOO is a steel cruising yacht built in 1946 in NSW. It was built by the owner's firm in Sydney NSW, and was the first yacht designed by well-known naval architect Alan Payne when he established his private practice in 1945. It is also an example of a typical 1940s yacht, and noteworthy as anearly example of steel yacht construction from that period.