Prout Folding Tender

[Foster Price]

Hello Folks

Does anyone remember the Prout Folding Tender (from the 1940's/50's I think)
well enough to describe/draw it so I can figure out how it worked. As I
recall it was called a "Seabird".

Was it similar to the "Seahopper" designs?

Anyone recall how effective it was?

Thanks - Foster

[Andy T]

In article <97246871...@inv.ihug.co.nz>, "Foster Price"
<foster...@southlanddc.govt.nz> wrote:

I had one once.. came with my Polish Folkboat when I bought it...
Really simple design... 1/2 inch plywood bow and stern plates, Vinyl or
PVC cloth hull, with sort of 2 x 1 inch hardwood gunwhales that hinged
together like an old builders rule so they were only about 2 foot long
when folded up. these unfolded and dropped into slots in the bow and
stern plates to hold the hull in place. They bowed out, opposing the
hinges and stretched against the cloth which held them rigid... and then
3/8 inch plywood floor plates ( again hinged to fold into about 18inch
by 3 foot sections) were pushed into place in the bottom of the boat
which forced the material to stretch tight. If I remember correctly
there was some sort wooden strip, like the gunwhales, that went down
each side of the floor sections to stop them folding up.
With 2 people in there was only about 2 inches freeboard, but it was
lighter and easier to row than an inflatable.
You always had the feeling that it might suddenly fold up and drown you
though....<lol>
I can't guarantee the accuracy of the design.. it was a very long time
ago...( 20+ years..)
regards
Andy

[Ian Sandell]

I know someone who has one for sail. Apparently virtually unused.

Ian

On Wed, 25 Oct 2000 23:14:45 +1300, "Foster Price"

[John Perry]

Foster Price <foster...@southlanddc.govt.nz>
wrote in message
news:97246871...@inv.ihug.co.nz...

> Hello Folks
>
> Does anyone remember the Prout Folding Tender
(from the 1940's/50's I think)
> well enough to describe/draw it so I can figure
out how it worked. As I
> recall it was called a "Seabird".
>
> Was it similar to the "Seahopper" designs?
>
> Anyone recall how effective it was?
>
> Thanks - Foster

Yes, that was the first boat I ever went sailing
in. The one I sailed in was at least 10 foot long
with a stem bow and was purchased by my father in
the early 60s. My father had never been sailing
before but got the idea to buy this boat because a
friend of his had made a camping cruise down the
River Danube in a similar boat. I think it may
well have been called a Seabird. There were also
tiny versions with pram bows which were intended
as yacht tenders or fishing coracles. I was taken
with my father when he collected the brand new
folding boat from the Prout factory on Canvey
Island. We were shown around the factory which
seemed huge, but then I was small at the time. I
clearly recall the batches of wooden parts being
machined and varnished to make the folding boats.
It was quite a production line operation so I
imagine that considerable numbers were produced.
Come to think of it I noticed the rotting remains
of one lying on the seawall near Quay Point on
Foulness Island only a few days ago. When we
visited the factory there were also a number of
laminated wooden Shearwater catamarans under
construction and a huge cruising catamaran which I
think was about 100 foot long and we were told it
was the largest sailing catamaran ever built.

A fundamental difference to the current Seahopper
design was that the bottom of the Prout from the
keel to the chine was unsupported fabric whereas I
think the Seahopper has both the sides and bottom
panels in plywood with fabric used only to seal
the folding joints along the chines. When the
Prout folding boat was afloat the water pressure
caused the fabric bottom to bulge upwards making
the keel more prominent and making a very sharp
corner at the chine which probably caused much
drag. I have a suspicion that when the boat heeled
under sail the fabric on the lee side bulged
upwards more than on the windward side thus
reducing bouyancy on the lee side so tending to
destabilise the craft. The whole structure was
rather flexible and with the gunter mast stayed to
the flexible ply topside panels the lee shrouds
were usually pretty slack. My father sailed the
boat a few times but never much liked sailing so
after that I sailed it mostly single handed. It
was not a good sailing boat but it was my
introduction to sailing so it gave me much
pleasure. The next boat I sailed was a Mirror
dinghy which was a vastly better sailing boat,
both faster and more weatherly and with plenty of
bouyancy. I think that the safety requirements of
the Recreational Craft Directive would prevent the
Prout design being manufactured today.

Come to think of it, only a few days ago I noticed
the rotting remains of one of those Prout folding
boats lying on the seawall near Quay Point on
Foulness Island.

John

[Graham]

Someone elses version of the idea:

http://home.triad.rr.com/lcruise/ding1.htm