INVESTIGATOR 563

Hi,
I would love to know more about the history of the Investigator 563, where & when did they start to build them & for how long etc.
I would also like to find out if there is a register of the boats that were built.

As I am very new to all of this, how do I find out how old my boat is?

Thank you for any help you can give me.

Hi Quando!
Welcome to the Investigator 'family'.
You can download a lot of info about this great design from the John Crawford marine website, based in Queensland. I think there's a little there on its history too.
There is also an Investigator Association that's still active.
I think Ian on this site can provide more details on joining it.
Cheers, Geoff

Thanks Geoff,
I will check out both leads.
Thank you,
Helen

Yes, I'd like to know where they were actually built, city and suburb. I have an old book that indicates they were manufactured by Yacht Sales, Careening Cove, Sydney. Perhaps someone knows for sure where they were laid-up. John

For those that may be interested I found out some info on the factory where our Investigators were built.

According to an old document archived on the John Crawford Marine site the Investigator 563 was constructed at 1 Campbell Pde Manly Vale Sydney, incidentally, about 1 klm from where I live.

I have gathered a few bits and pieces over the years from old yachting mags of the 1970's/ 80's. (That's what old people do!)
It would be a good idea to have a history/archive section where everyone could throw in their lot.
A tribute to the original designer David Shepherd.
Good thinking Helen.
Example from an old Sea Spray mag.

I too am interested in the history of where the boats were built - I went to school in Manly at the time they were made.
I know this post is over 8 years old so I hope no-one minds my reviving it to ask.
I would assume the first "however many" were built in Manly Vale.
Does anyone know if there is any way of knowing where each boat was built given that they were eventually made in several locations under license.

If you look at the article on the Investor moulds for sale, the dude that produced them in Newcastle ( Cardiff, at the current site occupied by a car dealership) is mentioned plus a bit of history. I think Ray may even have spoken to him. I think the various other manufacturers got well out of the business after the market collapsed on the 80s. I was surprised that the Newcastle moulds were still in existence. Ray may know but one can assume that when the various manufacturers built them they were allocated Hull/sail numbers as a group ie “ joe blogs gets 123 to 139” or maybe they worked on a central ordering system, allocating the numbers from “the big giant head “ in Sydney and pick yours up from so and so in Coonabarabran. Only thing a think I read in regards to numbers were that WA boats were outside the system number wise. Or maybe I dreamt that after a bad curry. Over to you Ray

Not really sure about this licence thing but do know that Bob........ (I'll think of his name in a minute) built the boats at Manly Vale, Brookvale and Lisarow in NSW and (maybe) at Cardiff before the moulds were sold. In those days boatbuilders moved around according to factory rents. In the process some kept the rights and marketing but contracted out the manufacturing at different levels and in different geographically places. I think you'll find that there was only ever one manufacturer at a time and the numbers were just progressive. A few builders tried the "builders in each state" trick to make a quick buck on the sale of moulds but it never worked FYI Careels were built successfully in QLD by a long -term owner but when the main moulds were destroyed by fire the QLD moulds were brought back to Sydney.

I'm not sure that the Investigators were made in several locations. As far as I am aware, the majority (the first 100 or so) were produced from one set of moulds in Sydney before the moulds were transferred to Newcastle. The first moulds were damaged by fire, I think around 1977, but were repaired. There was a set of moulds in WA but the production numbers were very low. These were the boats without the centreboard. It was more likely that the hulls were finished by several other retailers to their own specifications. There isn't a lot of information about the company but below is what I have been able to glean over the years. I am happy to be corrected, or to have additional information added to this timeline.

1974
Design by Kevin Shepherd in Sydney
From design to prototype took 12 months

The original idea of the Investigator 563 came from a Brisbane sailing personality ,Scott Barrett, brother of a well known actor Ray Barrett. this is why the original name was "Moreton Investigator"

1975
Production starts with 002 Sherlock

Investigator Yachts are being manufactured at:
Bay 20: 1 Campbell Parade
Manley Vale 2093
Kevin Shepherd

1977
Investigator Yachts being made in Sydney. Over 60 now produced.
Kevin Shepherd is working for Hood Sails

Investigators now produced in Perth by WesYacht.

1981
Investigator Yachts
1st Floor, 17 Sydenham Road
Brookvale

1984
Investigator Yachts in Newcastle are building Sonata yachts. The mouldings are sent to Shoreline Yachts at Mona Vale (Jim Vorsey) in Sydney for completion.

1985
Investigator Yachts
Lot 11, McQuarie Road
Cardiff Newcastle
Sydney agent was Shoreline Yachts

1989 Production ends with No 172

1989 23rd May – Director Robert Bernard places the company in voluntary liquidation.