The Last Investigator

[Raya]

I always thought that the last Investigator built has sail number 172 but there is currently one for sale in Western Australia with sail number 179. I can't see why someone would put the incorrect number on a sail so this could be the real deal. The stated build date in the ad is 1977 which is before production ceased. The front hatch has 2 hinges so is definately a later design.

I remember hearing somewhere that there were a number of Investigators built in WA so maybe they used a different "block" of numbers for these boats. Can anyone shed any light on this issue?

[Ozzie]

Possibly because they were made by another company under licence from the original producer? ..which I think is mentioned in the old yahoo site. Interesting.

http://www.boatpoint.com.au/boats-for-s ... R=12758539

Note also the pics . Seems to be professionally molded fglass bar doors for want of a better word in frot of the head storage area . Anyone seen this before? Maybe a WA innovation , they are open but visible in one of the shots taken from the vee berth. Also interesting idea from owner is the timber floor with lift panel taken right through to the under cockpit area . He may even have removed the original floor completely. This would give you good access to the underfloor area for storage and bilge water removal I guess.

[pop49]

Hi Guys ( and Gals )
well I now have the above boat. And oh what fun so far. It is the earlier model which did have only one hinge in the front and 'her' original name was Molly Bloom . I bought her from fred on monday night and on tuesday took her out for a sail in the swan and got hit by a really good gust. Broke the tiller off at the rudder point, and pingged a strand of the lower shroud, had the gunwhale well and truly in the water ( helmsman just not quick enough on the main lol.)
This is in the first half hour. spent the rest of the day pottering with the little honda and got up to near 6 knots with a 5 HP, not bad at all.
Would be interesting to get some history on her, I know Raya has got the name in his list. would be good to find out what the correcy sail number is.
I used to race light wieght sharpies many years ago and had a lot of fun but now what to just enjoy the water. Still have the bikes to get my adrenalin fix for speed.
Am looking forward in having quite a few weekends away in her with my sons.
Have enjoyed all your comments and threads in this forum and have used this information to decide to get good old molly lol.

[Yara50]

Welcome Paul. Interesting that you have lower shrouds. Most have the diamond stays on the mast, and only one shroud on each side. Your tiller must have had some rot as the forces are not that great. Good luck with Molly, she might have been owned by a James Joyce fan, or perhaps an Irishman.
Look forward to getting some pics of your boat, as the original listing pics are gone.

[geoffr]

Welcome too Paul!

Sounds like you had almost the same fun I had on my second voyage out in QUMBU!

A bit of water in the cockpit is all just part of the baptism!

Coincidentally, I'm making a new tiller handle at the moment, using an axe handle I bought at a local hardware store for about $20. It looks far classier (and original) than the two bits of aluminum tubing strapped together that the previous owner used.

I'll post some pics once it's finished.

Cheers,

[Raya]

Another welcome from me.

Its great to see when a boat you see for sale pops up on the forum. I hope you have many fun times and adventures aboard Molly.

I guess I didn't look closely enough at the photos on the advertisement. The front hatch has been "upgraded" from a single hinge sometime in her life. I'm still not sure that the sail number isn't the real thing. When you run into other WA Investigator owners be sure to ask then their sail number. If you find another one around your number then that will prove the point.

Ray