25' Williams Timber Cruiser (1952) - RIVER GYPSY

“River Gypsy” is an old timber cruiser my wife bought five years ago (she doesn’t like being aboard “tippy” boats). She (the boat) was in poor condition with rotting timber, leaks and a smoky engine. I have spent a lot of lock-down time over the last few Covid years replacing the engine, cleaning out greasy, black bilges, removing rotting timber, redesigning and rebuilding the interior.

I’ve learnt a great deal during this project including how to clean filthy bilges using kitty litter to dispose of toxic waste, how to install sister ribs using several layers of marine ply strips, how to replace wall planking by stepping marine ply progressively upwards, how to upgrade the electrics, how to fiberglass and how to keep busy during Covid isolation.

River Gypsy was carvel built with 3/4” oregon planking. Most of the caulking has disappeared over the years and previous owners have relied on the timbers swelling to achieve water tightness. This theory works fine below the waterline, but above that, in long periods of dry weather the planks shrink such that gaps up to 3mm appear. On one particularly choppy trip we took last year across Port Stephens we arrived at our destination only to find the bilge pump working overtime. The water had poured in through the open gaps and filled the bilge almost to floorboard level! Suffice to say the return trip was much less eventful as the planks had swollen up and closed the gaps again.

Since that time I have done more to seal up the gaps and have finally stopped the leaks from rain as well. Once it was comfortable enough we took it up river and spend a night away on the Myall Lakes.

The day we went was not the best weather unfortunately. When we came out of the Myall River and entered the Broadwater, the wind was gusting at up to 60 knots from the WNW. It was impossible to chart a NNE path across the lake as the waves were coming straight abeam on our port side. We ended up tackling the waves head on and then turning to run down them, zig zagging all the way. Our mates waiting for us were very happy to see us arrive safely. The only water that entered the boat was through a small gap above the windscreen. Everywhere else was tight as a drum.

In a previous life the boat was used on a postal run between the port of Newcastle and Port Stephens, so she has evidently been a very capable, seaworthy little boat in the past. I think though that we will restrict our adventures to inland waterways – lakes, the river and the bay, hence the name we have given her – River Gypsy.

She is a lovely little boat that we, our kids and our grandkids enjoy. They refer to her as a cubby house on the water and get thrilled when they see the dolphins frolicking around her in the river at Tea Gardens. Hopefully with all the renovations completed, she will still be around for the next generations to enjoy as well.

Latest News – We just cruised up the Myall River from Tea Gardens to Myall Lake for six days of relaxing in the lovely Myall Lakes National Park. I was also able to take my trailer sailer “Wild Wood” up as well and do a bit of sailing.