I have owned a Ferro boat and was a dedicated Ferro groupie in the early
seventies here in New Zealand. Literally hundreds of these vessels were
built in this country back then. Some were so well finished that it was
impossible to tell them apart from GRP.

I think Awhanee was built in the 60's, perhaps in Auckland New Zealand but I
am not sure of this, I am sure she sailed about Auckland back then.

She sailed in the Southern Ocean and was a very good boat from all reports.
I have many friends with Ferro boats, lots who have cruised the pacific and
some who have circumnavigated. I have sailed some thousands of miles on
various Ferro boats including my own.

I have seen some real horror shows masquerading as boats but mostly the
rough ones and the smooth ones that survive a decade or so are generally
very sound. I have repaired a few and watched the famous Ferro guru,
plasterer, designer and home builder Ev Sayers work his magic on one that
was so stuffed she was a tourist attraction at our local slip.

The things I like about Ferro is the low maintenance, cheap to repair, often
very cheap to buy and deep displacement. I don't like the lack of resale
value.

I think that Hartley's Ferro cement boat building is a good book, Jay
Benford wrote one too, Morley Sutherland put a great book together in the
early days. Samson made a good book too, and his boats are everywhere, I
recently went on board a lovely Samson schooner in Whangarei, she sailed in
form California.

There are perhaps forty Ferro Boats in Tauranga New Zealand and none seem to
give any trouble. One got run over by a fishing vessel while it was on its
mooring and another dragged anchor while unattended and sank after pounding
on rocks for a few hours.

Ferro is fine really. I would not be put off. My present vessel is an 18
metre steel Pugh and I spend more money on rust control each year than my
first Ferro boat cost me.

There have not been any new Ferro boats build down here for many years but
there are lots of very good examples over 30 years old still looking good
and providing lots of good sailing.

Cheers
"James" wrote in message
...
Ferro is an excellent material for building boats. and cheap in
comparison
to wood or GRP
But only if done correctly.
A substatial percentage of ferro boats built were done incorrectly or with
poor quality materials
Unfortunatly there is no realistic way of telling if a ferro boat has been
well or badly built once its done.... untill it fails.
Thus second hand they aint worth a light.
bare hull represents only about 15-20% of the total cost of a fitted out
sailing craft so the cost saving is tiny when stacked up against the
woefully poor value of a ferro boat.
Due to the above.......I doubt that any new ferro boats are being built...
but there are a lot about on the secondhand market.. and CHEAP! (but its
unknown how long they might float for)

"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
I have been admiring Bob Griffith's boat Awahnee, a 53' cutter for some
time and would like to find out how exactly it was built and what is now
regarded as a proper ferrocement construction regimen.

Does anyone know if the ABS, Lloyds or anyone else, has now established
a proven ferrocement protocol ?

Thank you.
--
Courtney Thomas
s/v Mutiny
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619