Welcome Ingrid. Getting started.

In a recent moment of weakness, I purchased an early 1970s CL11 dinghy. The boat was available on the local classifieds, and as is often the case, had fallen into disuse. Fortunately, the work required on the hull appeared to be manageable, and the sails, rudder and rig were all present and in decent condition.

The CL11 was owned by a wonderful couple named Peter and Gabrielle. As we chatted I learned a bit about the boat's story as Gabrielle fondly reminisced about her late father Eugen, and how she was a little girl in tow at the Toronto boat show when her dad impulsively purchased the boat. Dad and daughter arrived at the family cottage with the little CL now in tow, where it saw occasional use through most of the intervening decades.

In later years she rested under a tarp, undisturbed, silently communing with nature. (the dinghy, not Gabrielle)

As we chatted further, Gabrielle and Peter shared that one of their 3 children is named Ingrid. I've always found Ingrid to be a beautiful, classic, name. Not sure why.

Eugen and his CL11 c.1972

And so, Ingrid she (now) is. Behold!

Admittedly, she looks a bit forlorn...

The Design

There isn't much CL11-specific information online. From the few photos and information I found, it seems Ingrid is a very early model, (hull no 266) with an interior liner and rig quite different from later CL11s. Her rig is very basic, and she is lightly and simply built. While somewhat crude in certain construction details, she may be lighter in weight than later models.

To be perfectly candid, some of the original construction is pretty poor, with plywood reinforcing parts exposed to moisture, fasteners inaccessible, use of mild steel fasteners, and some other avoidable stuff. I note that the later boats have a one piece interior liner which I would assume addresses these issues, while no doubt creating others. No matter.... its all fixable, and it’s likely that similar boats from that period are no different.

Would like to get more info on the rig and particularly the sail plan.

Apparently the CL11 is based on a 1956 Ian Proctor design named Gull, much as the CL14 is a Proctor "Wanderer" and the CL16 is is his "Wayfarer". Whether identical or merely similar is not clear however much can be learned from reading up on the gull, which, apparently, is raced with a spinnaker! These are quite popular in the UK, and have evolved over many decades.

Condition Overall

Fortunately, some of Indgrid's parts were stored indoors, and those - the rudder, mast and boom - are in excellent condition for their age. The mainsail is used but intact, and the jib was present but for the mouse-eaten sections. The hull, deck and gunwale moldings are intact and solid. Unfortunately, some running rigging proved to be missing, and what was there is not really worth salvaging. The wooden parts affixed to the hull had rotted. These include the capping for the centreboard trunk, the centreboard itself, and some little stand-off blocks for the rudder gudgeon/pintle. The hull had foam flotation installed, this was badly deteriorated and crumbling.

All in all, not good, and somewhat worse than I expected, but not unexpected in a 50 year old fibreglass dinghy.

Project Scope

Ingrid is to be restored as an attractive, reliable, next-to-zero maintenance boat that is fun to sail. I will Incorporate improved sail controls for fun but also for teaching novice sailors. All at a reasonable(ish) cost. Cosmetics are not a focus, but any repairs or upgrades will be done to a high standard.

Clean up and buff gelocat. Will try to resist the temptation to paint or repair battle scars.
Add tie down/towing points, cleats or similar for docking. Remarkably there are none.
Replace/update running rigging to optimize comfort and sail control.
Add oarlocks, refine seating for rowing, and locate or fabricate oars that can stow aboard. (newer CLs provide for a small outboard. This isn't in scope at this time.)
replace flotation
replace rotten wood, with starboard or similar HDPE.
replace centreboard
refinish rudder.
Configure stowage for mandatory safety gear, keys, wallets, phones.
Devise some kind of transportation system.
possibly configure a rain cover for use while docked

Out with the old - First, the dirt, then the foam.

After two days of heavy rain, several hose downs and a good scrubbing, Ingrid was no longer a biohazard. This exposed a chemical hazard in the form of crumbing foam flotation, likely composed of some long-banned carcinogen. This foam was glued to the deck and crudely taped in place with band-aid like straps of fibreglass mat. This was all removed in short order, using the Fein Multimaster.

Crumbling orange ... something.

A tale of Mice and Mold.

There was a nasty dirt and water trap (and rodent motel) as well, behind a flimsy glass bulkhead at the stern. This too was cut out. As built, this would be impossible to clean and unblocking the drain is extremely difficult, as access was blocked. What were they thinking?

I decided at this point that rubber gloves and a mask were required!

Note that as built, it is impossible to access the screws securing the lower rudder pintle. Pretty poor….

Next, all the remaining fiberglass edges and foam residue was ground off and the interior surfaces sanded smooth, ready for either new foam or glasswork.

Then the rotten plywood...

This now exposed the 4 plywood pads that were fiberglassed into specific areas of the boat to reinforce where hardware was mounted. Unsurprisingly these (save one) were also rotten, so again, cut, and grind down to the glass molding. All this prep was awful, very messy work but start to finish might have taken 3-4 hours. Well worth it as a thorough job here this makes the subsequent work much easier.

The rudder reinforcement. Of mice and mold!