or would anyone know if there are any QB's still in existence?

I'd love to know if there are any plans/boats still in existence...

any suggestions where he can be tracked down as there was a request on the tips forum for QB plans?

Are there any surviving boats at all. Now to see that class rebuilt would be a remarkable achievment, but not one I think we are going to see.

Perhaps we can leave this one open for some help, i'd love to see some pics and definitely the drawings, they were a boat well ahead of their time...

I don't have any info on the boat or whether it still exists but there is two people I remember might be able to answer the question, they are Darren Crick, and Ross Bennett both of, or around Ballarat. I found a D Crick in the Ballarat phone book - 03 53432548, too many R Bennetts, but Darren could probably give you his number.

Like I said, I don't know who the owner is, but I reckon Darren may have crewed (maybe)
So I help this helps

I won one of the last Vic State Titles on my old QB3, Decadence, in 1997 at Lake Boga, Vic. At that time, we had around 6 boats still active. I sold my boat (for $1,700 on a trailer!) to a guy from Ballarat who was going to sail at Lake Learmonth. That would have made 4 boats at Learmonth - the last active fleet of QB3s in the World!

Unfortunately, Learmonth has been a dustbowl for last few years as a result of the drought, so that's the end of the class. However I know of at least QB3 that is in the process of being resurrected and will be back on the water shortly - maybe with a kite!

I had an absolute ball sailing QB2s and then QB3s. In their day they were an absolute weapon.

In terms of plans, I think you'd have no hope. It must be 15 years since a boat was built - by Barry Marmion (who, as far as I know, is stil very much alive!). I doubt very much whether the mold could still be used.

results on the last few class championships were recorded in a newsletter which i was sent years ago and i had hopes that some photos of the cats in the last few very keenly fought championships would have survived.

I have no shots of my QB on the water and only photos of the last restoration about 10 years ago.

I probably have some slides, I know I have a movie (8mm) my wife shot at Lake Munmora on the Central Coast. It was blowing and a Tornado was racing also but I broke the mast when the spanner system failed. The 'T' cartwheeled.

The last person from the QB association I had contact with was a Peter Mc?something from Ballarat who was then working at Sovereign hill. He gave me tips and pointers on sailing my QB but I haven't heard from him in the past decade.

At that time some melbourne cat sailors were supposedly ready to pop out the first glass hulls from the original mould. I was very interested but never heard whether or not a glass QB was built

I would really like to build up a decent collection of images before the class disappears entirely so any donations would be welcome.

I scanned the photo of the goose, I found it in the filing cabinet at the lauderdale yacht club. Colin Bird and Kerry Wickham were the former owners of the boat. They moved onto a 5.8 and are now in the process of building a 35ft cruising cat.

Colin once said to me the problem with building a QB class was the lack of a manufacturer. people would come up to him with money in thier pockets to buy a Qb, and ask where to get one? when he explained you have to build one and it will cost 3/4 of a new 5.8 people would run down to the nacra dealer and buy a 5.8. most people would rather buy a boat than build one.

It was lacquared timber with a very hi gloss. I though it looked so good it could have been a grand piano.

In the US of A they have a beautiful fleet of timber boats called Sharks. I will find the site and post it.

Speaking of Yellow, I was at the Western Region (Vic) Easter Regatta at Lake Bullen Merri, at Camperdown.

The fleet consisted of the Vic Cobra State Titles and Dolphin State Titles, as well as the usual A's, Taipans, Mosquitos etc..

One thing that did catch my eye, but I think it arrived later in the weekend was QB3, sail number 307, bright yellow hulls, reasonable sails (Goodall) and looked quite tidy, I tried to get a picture, but had battery problems with the camera just when I needed it.

Regards

A sad and sorry end to a great cat.

Its been a long time since I saw my last QB2 - at Portland YC in the early 80's - Red hulls I think.

quote:

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Originally posted by mattaipan:
Hi All

Speaking of Yellow, I was at the Western Region (Vic) Easter Regatta at Lake Bullen Merri, at Camperdown.

The fleet consisted of the Vic Cobra State Titles and Dolphin State Titles, as well as the usual A's, Taipans, Mosquitos etc..

One thing that did catch my eye, but I think it arrived later in the weekend was QB3, sail number 307, bright yellow hulls, reasonable sails (Goodall) and looked quite tidy, I tried to get a picture, but had battery problems with the camera just when I needed it.

Regards

Matt

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The owner of that boat is probably a somebody Renshaw... I work with his brother Matt.

They bought the boat around Chrissie last year for $400... complete with holes in one of the hulls from where an adolescent dog has chewed through! However the mast was great, and the sails not TOO bad!

They went all out on repairs and funky jobs with glass and resin to get its strength up! The next step was a professional spray job... Bright yellow!

I haven't heard the latest for about 2 months, but I wouldn't be surprised if at some stage they go all out and get new sails and a spinnaker set up!

The boats name is "Bees Knees" (spelling could be different)

When I started this thread I was looking to get my hands on either any QB fibreglass hulls or the mould, last known to be in melbourne, and also any 30' masts, sails, rudders or other bits. Most Qb owners left in droves for then 'new' Taipans,and A's and other classes and Qbs dwindled to less than a handful being sailed or racing. I used to get a newsletter on the yearly nationals, but then I lost contact with those producing it.

This time last year I moved to Brisbane and my QB hulls sadly went to the tip, and the mast/beams went for scrap.

Interestingly people on this forum nearly all praised Qbs as a hell of a good cat, extremely competitive in its day and in the hands of a good skipper would still pose a good challenge to newer classes.

After the shift to brisvegas I realised I had lost all my Qb photos so I asked here if anyone had some shots I could copy.

I still get an occasional email from people in OZ and overseas inquiring about QB's from On the Wire.

There are some B's up for sale now and then. I wouldn't like to see them disappear completely without a written and photo history of some kind being left for posterity.

75 Hickory Drive
Narangba Qld 4504

cheers

Beez Neez has been sold and I suspect is no longer raced BUT he bought another boat called "T*N Party" (the letters between T and N are missing.. its not a swear word)

PS Hey Quest did I read your post right did you get QB2 plans for $20.00 from Lyndsay Cunningham? if so do you have his number?
Cheers