Flicka...a perfect cruiser???

[Frank]

Getting my version of 'the perfect lil cruiser' ready for south. Hope to leave by next weekend to trailor to Florida. Then home again for Xmas/newyears...then back down and over to the Bahamas. If timings work out I will cross the stream with 'Connie'...'Pixie Dust'...AKA-'gadjet girl'. Nice to make an ocean passage knowing some else is out there with you.I've always done it 'lone boat'..it would be a nice change. I'll have to leave earlier....she'll be faster(most all boats would be faster than the speedy flicka). Been too busy at work..but have gotten lots done. Inside teak varnished,fuel tank cleaned out(highly recomended..CRUD),new storm curtains,new dodger,new dingy with spray dodger( Judy's request...if momma ain't happy...nobodies happy)(the spray didn't bother me...tucked behind her ;))ext teak cetoled etc etc.Still lots to do.Can't wait.Have been e-mailing friends in the Abocos...it will be nice visiting again.

[Zen]

WOW!! NICE!

[AdriftAtSea]

Look forward to hearing about how the crossing goes... and seeing photos from both you and Connie.

[Cmdr Pete]

That's not the interior of a 20 foot boat.

You're not fooling me Frank

[AdriftAtSea]

Didn't you know.... most Flicka's had a Tardis module installed...that's why they're so good as long-distance crusing boats, even though they're small.  ;)

[s/v Faith]

Interestingly there was a Flicka that came into my marina YESTERDAY.....  :D

  and get this... the owners name is Frank!   ;) 

lol

  I remember the first one I went aboard, it was... get this.. ferocement!  some doubt there were 20' boats made of fero, but the Frank in my marina who has this one was aware of a couple others that had been made in Fero.

  I really like the little boats, and they have a record that any make would be proud of... many trans pac's, a arctic or two, and I remember reading of a Flicka rounding the horn a few (10?) years ago.

  Really great little boats.  ;D

[CharlieJ]

Remember- Bruce Bingham originally designed the Flicka to be home built in ferro cement. He won a Rudder Magazine design competition with Flicka back in the 60s. She originally had either a gaff or marconi rig. THe criteria of the contest was that the boat should be buildable for under $1000. Not including frills of course. There was at least one boat that WAS built for that amount. Whether it was complete with sails and engine I can't recall, but Rudder ran some pics of it.

(((Bows head over the demise of a GREAT boating mag. Sheds a tear also for the murder of Small Boat Journal)))

[s/v Faith]

Remember- Bruce Bingham originally designed the Flicka to be home built in ferro cement.

  No, I did not know that.... wow.

[Frank]

The 'flicka' was a design based on the 'newport' work boats in Rhode Island of over 100 yrs ago. Bingham stumbled on a couple of derilect ones in the 50's and was taken by their lines...which he copied. He submitted his drawings to 'rudder' magazine and they published them in 1972.....the rest is history. Several built in ferro cement,homebuilt fiberglass and wood.Northstar marine bought a 'plug' Bingham was working on in the early 70's (he needed the $$) and produced the 1st 'factory' hulls in glass with wood cabin/decks. Pacific Seacraft purchased the molds in 77 and went on to produce 434 of them over the next several years."Jubilee' is hull # 418 and was literally owned by an older knowledgable lady whom ordered it in late 92 and took delivery in 93. Only 'fresh water' sailed and stored inside every winter....I am happy to have found her.Pic is a ferro cement one.

[CharlieJ]

LOL- ok ok early 70s ;D The mists of age are closing in ;D

I know I drooled over the boat way back then. That was the same contest that Jay Benford submitted his Puffin design, which came in either second or third.  I still recall the ferro layup schedule however- it called for welded mesh, with every other layer reversed so the longitudinal wires laid alongside each other, for a finished thickness of 3/8 inch.

I saved the set of articles on building her for years. There was also somewhere an article on building a scale model of the boat- may also have been in Rudder.

And it WAS available  ( as a design mind you) with either a marconi rig OR as a gaff rigged boat.

[Frank]

Charlie...hats off to ya...you know 'flickas'.  Here's a gaff cutter.I'd be saying your memory is darn fine.

[Captain Smollett]

'Bout all I can contribute is:

Them Flickas sure are might pretty boats.  Keep the pictures coming...   ;)

Wasn't Rik with a Flicka posting here for a while WAY back?  I know he had some personal stuff going on, but has anybody heard from him?

[CharlieJ]

Rik and his wife are doing pretty good. Sandy had a stroke some months ago and  has been in rehab. She is regaining control nicely, but has a ways to go. So yes, he's not been spending much time on the internet.

Rik says he HOPES she is well enough to spend some time at the boat by Christmas. Laura and I are hoping so also- he's a really nice guy and a long time internet friend of ours. Plus we've met him personally too.

[CharlieJ]

Frank- here's another sail rig on a Flicka ;D Versatile hulls aren't they?  ;)

[Joe Pyrat]

Flickas are great boats.  Congratulations and may you and your Flicka have many wonderful days sailing.

[CapnK]

Frank -

What's yer latest news/pics here? And - what did you name her? I don't recall seeing that anywhere...?

[Frank]

update....Left Ontario with 5500lb boat,2400lb trailor and about 500lbs of gear in tow last tues. It was literally 'the lil truck that could'....my honda ridgeline pulled it all ..through the hills of NY..the mountains of PA and hills of VA,NC,and SC all the way to Florida...1570miles total and near $600 in fuel but we made it!! Pulled into Indiantown marina thurs night.It went better than I invisioned but was somewhat stressful. Been 'putting' around on her since.Got the mast up today and figured out the rigging. WOW..these Pacific Seacrafts are BUILT !...no..OVERBUILT !! The more time I'm onboard,the more things I do and see on her..the more impressed I am. The cooler really keeps ice,the fittings are all top grade,the rigging is overdone,the plumbing/wiring is extremely well done.All through hulls are bronze,through bolted with plywood backers,labeled and wired individually with a wooden plug.No wonder they were so expensive new.I'm putting a new dodger on tomorrow...kinda scary..it's my pattern..if it don't fit..OOPS.I'll cut a new opening port into the cockpit side for air to the 1/4 berth on thurs and do what ever else time permits.Then leave for home on friday to do Xmas/new years with Judy and the kiddies....returning early Jan. to launch and head to Bahamas.Judy will fly over in Feb.I'll take a few pics with the mast up tomorrow (dark now).The boats name is " JUBILEE". I can't change it. It was a one sailor boat...a knowledgable lady who's husband died in 1988.She found their 30 too much alone and ordered the flicka in 93. She told me that her  husband had always said 'if I ever order the boat I want,I'll call her Jubilee'....She named it and Jubilee it will stay.

[K3v1n]

Congrats!
I always liked the Flicka. When I was first searching around for boats I came across a web site called 'The Comfortable Pocket Yacht'. The guy had a Com-Pac 19 before he bought his Flicka. Wow...now that's a thought!  ;D

-Kevin

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Forest/2727/

[AdriftAtSea]

One thing about the Flickas is that they were really fairly high-end pocket cruising boats... so the hardware on them is usually pretty solid. I am a bit surprised that a Honda Ridgeline was able to handle the load... didn't think they were that beefy a truck.

Love to see some photos of Jubilee when you can.  One way to get them on the web is to get a free flickr.com account and post them there, and then post a link to them here.  Saves CapnK some server room and bandwidth.  :D

[Frank]

Here is my Ridgeline and Jubilee at the 'welcome to Florida' office...yep..the Honda did it.  I posted some inside pics back  about 20 posts on this thread