"Flying Cloud", A Plywood Dix 43

Roy McBride is a professional boatbuilder who came to me in 1998 for a design. He had watched my project when building the Didi 38 "Black Cat" and was there to help on hull-turning day. He liked the radius chine plywood building method but the design that he wanted to build was a more cruising-oriented boat that I had designed for steel, the Dix 43. Roy commissioned some important drawings, like construction sections, keel and rudder, and worked from my Didi 38 drawings to show him the rest of the construction detailing. He designed a deck that was a mixture of our centre cockpit and pilothouse decks and he designed his own layout. Roy built "Flying Cloud" in two years, mostly by himself, launching her 16 years ago.

The time has come to move on and Roy sold "Flying Cloud" this month. The photos that Roy has sent me the past few weeks show how good his boat is after 16 years.

"Flying Cloud" on her marina in Hout Bay.

A pretty and efficient hull that belies her plywood construction.

Taken last week, this photo shows her modern round bilge plywood hull.

Beautifully detailed and crafted interior. This is in the pilothouse.

"Flying Cloud" under sail.

Clean, dry and accessible bilges.

Roy and his wife, Jean, are sad to part with "Flying Cloud" but life must go on. The new owner is getting a nice cruising boat that was well-maintained from launch through to the present.

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