Boating New Zealand — January 2018

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Once the hull is planked up, the boat is flipped upside

down for fibre-glassing up to the waterline, the addition of

the keel, skeg, false stem – and outside finishing work.

David has gone the extra mile with Korora (Maori

for the little blue penguin) and finished her in wooden

spars and immaculate detailing.

LAYOUT

Originally rigged as standing lugsail with sprit boom

on both mainsail and mizzen, Korora has recently been

converted to gunter-rigged yawl with fixed boom. Some

version of the yawl is what most Navigator owners

prefer, as it spreads the sail plan and allows options in

more breeze.

Sail proportions are organized so the boat can

balance with either main alone or with the full

complement of jib and mizzen. In windier conditions,

or where low speed control is required, she can be sailed

under furling jib and mizzen, or “jib-and-jigger” as the

old sailors referred to it.

The mizzen is also handy for heaving to: just sheet

it in and drop everything else and she will sit quite

comfortably head to wind while you sort yourself out.

While the Navigator is a small boat, her relatively

generous beam of 1.8m and flat sections means that

she can carry quite a load. She has ample stowage space

for camping gear and chilly bins.

There is plenty of buoyancy with inbuilt tanks

under the foredeck, the side and stern seats. These

compartments, the openness of the cockpit, and the

space under the side decks provide ample space for

camp cruising and will still leave room for four adults to

enjoy an afternoon’s sail.

The Navigator has a near-vertical stem giving way

to a sharply-curved forefoot and a very fine entry,

enabling the boat to slice through a stiff chop with a

minimum of fuss.

Forward sections have a nice flare above the

waterline and the hull’s flat bottom and firm bilges

provide for excellent stability. The sheer strake curves

gently upward and inward to meet the slightly raked

transom with a touch of good old fashion tumblehome.

On the foredeck there is a small anchor locker to

keep the dirty anchor rode out of the cockpit and, on

the transom, the mount for a 2hp Yamaha is tucked

to starboard out of the way of the port side, offset

boomkin that holds the mizzen sheeting system.

ON THE WATER

Part work of art; part sensible practicality would be a fair

LEFT Underway with the

jib and jigger.

BOTTOM All sheets lead

back to the cockpit.

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