V 56 Rakoa

Rakoa has recently been ‘discovered’ by Alan Nebauer in a shed in Jervis Bay, NSW, Australia!

Category:

Description

Rakoa is a very unusual Vertue.  She is a very early Cheoy Lee built boat, but she also has a most unusual deck layout which is shown in one of the photographs below.

 

 

 

Rakoa’s coachroof only extends just forward of the mast tabernacle and the fore hatch is actually mounted on the deck.  This arrangement harks back to the early days of the pre-war, pre-doghouse Vertues built to the Monie drawings.  It leaves a lovely clear foredeck, at the expense of less headroom in the focsle accommodation.  Perhaps the logic of this was that with a long cockpit the boat was well suited to day sailing and short cruises, where ever she was first used.

 

 

 

 

 

Specification

  • Laurent Giles design No: 212 Cheoy Lee Ship No. 601
  • Builder: Cheoy Lee, Kowloon, Hong Kong
  • Launch Date: 1953
  • Hull Material: Probably teak on yacal
  • Deck: Canvas over ply
  • Engine: ?
  • Ballast keel material: Probably iron
  • Doghouse: Short
  • Cockpit: Long
  • Berths: Two plus
  • Rig: ?
  • Mast: ?
  • Heads'ls: ?
  • Backstay arrangement: ?
  • Home Port: Laid up Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
  • Current Owner: Unknown
  • Contact details: ?
  • Email address: ?
  • Other comments: Perhaps the first Cheoy Lee built Vertue.