1960(?) Rhodes 19 keelboat floorboards...?

[Bocatura]

I recently bought an R19 keelboat #63 with sail #67. It has No floortimbers (ribs), or floorboards and there is no visible evidence that it ever did, although I've been told it must have at one time. So now I believe that I need to install these (or what?!?); I can buy either foam or oak "timbers" from Stuart for $395, but floorboards are $1850 (mahogany), or $2650 (teak)!!! Out of the question. I have acquired sufficient teak to make floorboards but lack a pattern - does anyone in SC own a keel version R19 I could trace a pattern from?
Should I install foam (lots more fiberglassing required), to add flotation & save weight - or go with the oak because it's easier to install?
New sails: jib or genoa? (Installing a CDI furler.)
Any other suggestions? Hull & deck just Awlgripped and look great...
Was this boat built by O'Day or someone else? Do the hull #63 & sail #67 agree for a 1960(?) boat?
Would this boat be potentially race-worthy or strictly recreational?
Many, many thanks to anyone willing to help bring me up to speed on these boats!
A 1st time R19 owner. Alan

 

[Sunbird22358]

If your RHODES 19 is Hull# 63, then I would place her as more likely a 1958 or 1959. At that time O'DAY technically did not build any boats, George O'DAY had the boats built by MARSCOT PLASTICS of New Bedford, MA. Marscot was in fact the original builder of fiberglass R19s in partnership with O'DAY. The R19 was developed from the plywood hulled SMYRA class (Southern Massachusetts Yacht Racing Association) which was created by adding a small cuddy to the "HURRICAINE" class sloop design by Philip Rhodes, those boats were built using a molded plywood hull made by a former aircraft company in Maryland. which Marscot finished off at their New Bedford yard. The SMYRA class also substituted a keel for the original design's centerboard. O'DAY had Marscot make mold off one of the plywood hulls and the R19 was created. Originally, O'DAY only offered the R19 as a keel model, but soon added the centerboard model for easier trailering. As far as how "race-worthy" this boat will be would be a good question to ask the RHODE 19 Class Association. However, if in good condition, or able to be brought back to good condition, I believe she would make a great family sailboat and as long as no major changes had been made that might make her "non-class legal" (I don't think the R19 Class is overly strict?), she may very well be competitive in one-design class racing. Certainly should be competitive in a "fun" regatta.

 

[Bocatura]

Thanks! Still trying to determine if the "2 63" #s on the bronze plate mounted inside the splash rail refer to month & year built or something(?) & hull #...
As yet am unable to read anything else off the plate (like builders name).
Also still trying to determine whether or not any of these early R19s came sans "ribs" & floorboards...Have already been in touch with R19 Association - not much help I'm afraid...

 

[Sunbird22358]

Well, the early (before 1973) O'DAY boats all had a metal plate with 2 numbers on it, a HULL# and a CLASS#. Hull# referred to how many total boats O'DAY had built (all classes) and CLASS# referred to how many of that Class (Rhodes 19 in this case). So, although I have hard time imagining this....... It is not out of the question that you might have O'DAY Hull#63 Class# 63. I think that the R19 may have been the first design that George O'DAY had built by MARSCOT (even though many claim the Day Sailer was the first O'DAY model, but my research indicates that the R19 came first) and so, you MIGHT (???) have the 63rd R19 built, and if only Rhodes 19s had been built up to that time, the 63rd O'DAY boat built. Certainly not out of the question? I'll attach a picture of the ID Plate from an early Day Sailer as an example. As I say, seems too strange to be true...... but it is not out of the question that you stumbled on to a "treasure"?

 

[Bocatura]

Wow - thanks for that. I'll have to try to decipher the rest of the info on the badly "patina"d plate. Once again, however, the two numbers are "2" and "63". Not sure how that translates via your formula... guess I'll have to continue investigating. Thanks very much for you feedback!

 

[Sunbird22358]

Oh, I misunderstood, thought you were saying both numbers were "63". Oh, well! It will be interesting to see if any more digits are visible on that plate.

 

[Bocatura]

Roger that - standby!

 

[Bocatura]

Startling Update!!! After consulting with Wendy Goodwin, pres. of Cape Cod Shipbuilding, I can report that we now believe that the boat is in fact not a Rhodes 19, but rather a Rhodes 18 that was built by them in mid-60's.
This explains the "missing" timbers and floorboards, the R18 did not have them! The similarities between the two boats are such that they can easily be mistaken for one another, as was the case with the boatbuilder who sold me the boat and believed it to be an R19, and myself, who simply didn't know better as a result of being far more familiar with other one-designs than with this particular one!
So, "mystery" solved - still a beautiful boat, and for what it's worth, a precursor to the R19. The original prototype!

 

[Sunbird22358]

Well, that answers a lot! And by the way, Cape Cod Shipbuilding is a great gang to talk to! I may be a bit biased though, sine they are located about 2 miles by water from my mooring!
Oh ,and you are not the first person to be told that they had a R19 when the boat was really a R18. Originally, the fiberglass R18 had a small cuddy, later eliminated, I think all the wooden ones (plank on frame) were, like the current FG ones, without a cuddy. Keel and Cb models were built (Still are!) I'm sure Wendy explained this, but for others.... if there is a "2" and a "63" on the builder's plate, that means she is the second R18 built in 1963.

 

[Bocatura]

Well, well - small world!!! I know the folks at CCS from my many years living in Bourne (Grey Gables). Yes, for sure, Wendy and her dad, Gordy are wonderful people! So, I wonder, by any chance do you know my good friend (since 1992 when I bought my F27 from him), Bob Gleason from The Multihull Source?
I spent about 15+ wonderful years living in the Cape and sailing the unparalleled waters of New England before sailing South to Belize for the next 15 years...
Now we find ourselves living 2+ hours from the ocean in landlocked Florence, SC and long to be back in beautiful New England...
(Deep sigh!)
Ciao,
Alan

 

[Sunbird22358]

Bob Gleason is actually a neighbor of ours, well he lives about 0.1 miles up the road from our summer home. We are also friends, but funny thing is... I see Bob mostly when I go to a Boat show, not so much around the water as I used to. I think I spoke with him only once this past Summer, I sailed by the Seawind catamaran that he had moored in the cove in front of our houses, and he was aboard. BIG Catamaran, like 39'! Although even that is small compared to the one another friend of mine had (although I never sailed with him) that was around 52' long. Bob has had quite career, and The Multihull Source has been a good local business. We enjoy seeing all the various Corsair Tris that visit each summer, although it got a bit crowded in our cove the year that the Corsair Nationals were raced n Buzzards Bay! Have you seen the radical powerboat he has now? Looks like it was chiseled out of a big block of something, and boy does that boat knife through waves! I'm not sure who built that boat, and I've never seen another, although I saw pictures of a sailboat that looked similar. Hard to believe that a multihull enthusiast would also have an old Stonehorse sloop, but a few years ago Bob did pick up one of those, Hull#3 I think, but he rarely uses her. I think it was more family pride that drove that purchase, since Bob's Wife, Jane is the daughter of Peter Duff (of Edey & Duff). The past 2 years one of his friends has chartered the boat for the annual Stonehorse Builders Cup, scored 2nd place the past 2 years..... would most likely have won 1st place this year..... but, the first day of racing was very light wind in the morning and without any auxiliary engine....... "Metaphor" was late arriving at the races and missed the first of two races that day (long sail from Wareham to South Dartmouth In light airs!). By the way, if you were to visit CCSB now, The Multihull Source actually leases part of the yard, the Southern end of the CCSB property is wall to wall trimarans!

 

[Bocatura]

Yes I know where Bob lives and have spent a fair amount of time there with them over the years - also know their facility in Wareham, even worked there from time-to-time and did many cross-country boat deliveries for Bob before moving to Belize where I had a small resort and a 40' cat that we did snorkeling & island-hopping excursions on with tourists & expats. Bob & Jane had always wanted to bring the boys down for a vacation but were never able to make it before we moved back to "civilization" so that our kids could get a decent education. But it sure was fun while it lasted!
I actually sailed 3 different multihulls down to Belize & back over the years - always an exciting trip complete with visits to Cuba & Mexico en route... Those were the days!