New little project Cuddles complete makeover

Hi, After Shipshape refurb, a friend of mine wanted to do his 34 ft cuddles .... so we started 3 years ago :-( we stripped it completely and are slowing putting it back together .... stripped to just a bare fibreglass shell ..... sanding, bogging, new swim platform, engine out, clean engine room.
Sprayed inside & outside, Putting in new timber work, jet bow thruster, new engine,m new battery, new hoses, nw skin fittings, new switchboard, LED lights, new windows, you know ... THE LOT ! As you all like pictures ... please enjoy ..... I can post more if you like .... the boat is not ready yet, we think another month or 2 ..... hopefully it will float .... Erik.

more pikkies

more ...

What a neat little boat. I had never heard of a Cuddles. Looks like you are doing a great job.

Nice pictures, what species of wood is that?

A development of the Cuddles 30, marketed in Australia as a "30", not '34", is the Resort 35,which is very popular in charter/hire fleets because it can sleep so many people. I`d say the 35 has a bit more underwater,maybe deeper draft, but I`ve not seen one out of the water in a while. They roll a bit due to the hull design but are good sea boats,the hull is supposed to follow North Sea Trawler design. A friend owns one, the cockpit is large and accommodating.He took it offshore in near gale conditions once, it performed well but had trouble making headway initially. The single engine is usually in the 50-80hp range so the hull must be easily driven
Looks like a a very nice thorough refit, well worth doing. The boat looks much like the Resort 35. BruceK

Very nice! I bet most of us wish we had a friend like you who would devote 3 years to rebuilding our boats!

Look forward to seeing the progress toward a finished project.

Yes, as Bruce mentioned, that is a Cuddles 35, later renamed the Resort 35. One of these of similar vintage, (but in better condition), was the first diesel cruiser we owned, and it was in charter in a hire company at the time. We continued that arrangement back then because it did not need much done to it that I could do, and we knew we had limited time to use it. The charter company maintained it and ran the book-keeping side of things, with us keeping 50% of the hire fees, and the boat was already built to survey, and it was quite a good tax offset, cost of maintenance etc being non-taxable. I was impressed at how well people who hired her looked after her. It only cost one anchor and chain (covered by insurance), in terms of 'damage' over the three yrs we owned her. In many ways still quite a good way to minimise the standing cost of owning a vessel if one does not use it a lot. Another way gaining popularity is boat owner sharing arrangements set up by the boat builders or retailers.
She was a good little ship, although lighter than our Clipper, and less roomy in the living area, had a nice cockpit and with dinette down, which slept 2, 4 in Vee berths, 2 each side, up front, 2 in a double to port with ensuite, (also a large head/shower opposite that), then another double down under the dinette accessed by a small companionway aft of the dinette = 10 berths. Not many 35 footers would offer that, hence the attraction of the design for chartering.
Good on you Erik for helping your friend out. Knowing what a great job you did of your Clipper 30, I can guess the end result will be fantastic. Are you getting out in yours at all...? We should try to hook up some time.
Resort 35

Church Point Charter

Hi Peter,
I am at Calypso bay for the moment ... Shipshape is coming out again shortly ... we are changing the v-berth into an island bed - setup , the toilet, shower needs to be moved from port to starboard ... a job for Bruce .... I also still have a bit of a leak in heavy rain ... Bruce to look at it, probably seal the timber around the flybridge.
but then ... it's time to go out and play he .... long time overdue .... In the mean time just helping the "cuddles" project.

Erik

Hey Erik, I will be very interested to see this for'd bunk mod. The vee berth is the one downside to our boat, and I've often envied the models with an island double. I have always put it in the too hard or expensive basket, but maybe not.....? If Bruce the Forsythe is doing work on it, presumably it's coming out at Horizon Shores. Can I have a butchers at it as this bunk to bed transformation evolves..?

Eric..... what species is the wood used v-birth and galley? Looks great!!!

Peter B said:

Church Point Charter

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The Integrity 35 on that site sure looks like a slightly stretched Island Gypsy 32 Euro.

Oh. Duh. Found this prior thread:

Integrity Yachts

I really like the shape of that hull.Looks slick and easily driven.

Yes, they are very easily driven. Ours only had a BMW 55 hp diesel - way past its best, yet it didn't have any trouble achieving hull speed, especially as being all fibreglass, from just 2 or 3 moulds, the only timber being interior fit-out, they are quite light as well. The rounded stern is Scndinavian in origin - based on North Sea designs for good handling in following seas. I never go to put that aspect to the test.

swampu said:

Nice pictures, what species of wood is that?

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Its NewGuinea Rosewood ......

What's the thinking behind that wing on the aft end of the keel? Roll reduction?

refugio said:

What's the thinking behind that wing on the aft end of the keel? Roll reduction?

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Yep, trying to get it a bit more stable as this keel rolls a bit .....

dwhatty said:

The Integrity 35 on that site sure looks like a slightly stretched Island Gypsy 32 Euro.

Oh. Duh. Found this prior thread:

Integrity Yachts

Click to expand...

The Integrity 35 was at the 2011 Sydney boat Show, 2012 Show is on soon. It`s like an IG.32/36,single engine + bow-thruster; practical well presented cruiser, with a smaller version built too. A Blue Seas cruiser has similar design characteristics, worth a look.
Popular Aussie boat sales sites are boatpoint.com.au and yachthub.com.au. Try searching "Halvorsen" for beautiful older restored timber Halvos, and "Island Gypsy" for a later boats.Take a look at "Palm Beach" too, they build about 12 a year locally,up to 50ft,not cheap,but beautiful. BruceK

shipshape said:

Yep, trying to get it a bit more stable as this keel rolls a bit .....

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Did you investigate traditional bilge keels?

I love what you guys did with that boat - great workmanship and design updates - but the stress on that wing during even a soft grounding are going to be large, and if you careen...

shipshape said:

Yep, trying to get it a bit more stable as this keel rolls a bit .....

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Ah Hah...a winged keel eh?...now where have we heard that before..? Let's see, Newport, Rhode Island, Americas Cup 1983...?
It just might help a bit on the move. Could be interesting if jammed into a mud-bank though - time will tell, I guess.

Peter B said:

Ah Hah...a winged keel eh?...now where have we heard that before..? Let's see, Newport, Rhode Island, Americas Cup 1983...?
It just might help a bit on the move. Could be interesting if jammed into a mud-bank though - time will tell, I guess.

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yes interesting isn't it, my friends "design" ; I am just the poor helper .... the wing is glued on ... I think when you hit something it will break loose .... but don't think it will do major damage and when it breaks ... lesson learnt

cuddles 35 essentials

Instead of the winged keel, which will be torn off when "banked", may I suggest 2 more think keels running down either side of the hull. These will stay clear of obstructions and can be made thick and strong to prevent roll.

Also, The cuddles manoeuvres like a pregnant yack at slow speed. Obviously due to the combination of single screw, sizable submerged displacement, and small rudder.
If doing a complete overhaul, a bow thruster and rudder extension would be a god sent. I used to love taking my cuddles out for the weekend but loath berthing in a crosswind when I was by myself. A bow thruster would be at the top of my list.

Welcome to TF Paris! Nice to have another Cuddles owner.
We all like photo's of new member's boats.

The newer models were built with a pair of bilge keels added, although they are still very "rolly" in a beam sea without further stabilization. The sails help considerably.

I'm not sure if my motor sailer version has a bigger rudder than standard, but I am slowly getting more adept at docking in the wind. Still, docking in a crosswind on my own is certainly a challenge.

Here's a photo showing my rudder and bilge keels.

hi
great job on the refit

i own a cuddles 30, and am after any information on its stability, line drawings etc. if you can help, please call michael 0416059960

Wow! Great work!