Scimitar

Boat Name: Scimitar
Designer: Phillip L Rhodes
Builder: George Butcher (from Port Adelaide), Frederick and Barry Purcell, and Henry Hamann in Geelong between 1958 – 1961.
Year Launched: 1988
Rig: Sloop 7/8 fractional main and club-footed jib
LOA: 45′
LWL: 32′
Beam: 11’9″
Draft: Draught – 5 ft 3” (board up), 8 ft 6” (board down)
Sail No: R140
Owner: Barry Purcell

History: Scimitar is a classic wooden racing yacht from the late 1950’sera. She has six sisterships that won many races in the USA and Europe. She was built in a boatshed in the backyard of the former Purcell family home on The Esplanade in Drumcondra, Geelong. Most of the hull construction was completed in 5 years, but family births, deaths marriages and the loss of the original plans in the Ash Wednesday bushfires caused the building project to continue for the next 25 years by three generations of the Purcell family. She is still owned by Barry Purcell and family.

The backbone of Scimitar, the keel, stem and horntimbers, are made from Ironbark that grew on private land in the Anglesea area. Her hull planking and deck are of Queensland White Beech, her ribs are of Spotted Gum, her cabin sides and coamings are of African Mahogany, the covering boards and kingplanks of Queensland Yellow Siris, and her mast and spars of Canadian Sitka Spruce.

Almost all the hardware was purpose made, including all the monel screw fastenings, chromed-bronze running backstay levers and roller reefing gear, and early geared winches. The steering wheel was made to resemble the road wheels of a Type 37A Bugatti once owned by Fred Purcell.