Acquisition of the 1965 Naugus Typhoon

August 9, 2020

Over the last couple weeks, as my current project was in its final phase of completion, to my surprise I'd come across what would likely be my next project.  My wife and I had been discussing the need for a boat to introduce sailing to our little one - now just 18 months of age.  Having restored a few Cape Dory (CD) Thyphoons for myself and others, we knew what we wanted.  Recently, a daysailer was being offered at quite a low price given the state of condition she was in; however, she was also ready to go on a road-worthy trailer that was worth well more than the asking price.  It wasn't long before we had acquired her, and so we began making plans to bring her up - just a couple hours north to her new home.  

In the time that we were preparing her for arrival, I did some additional research on the boat to understand some inconsistencies that I had noticed between our new-to-us boat and the other CD Typhoons that I had owned and/or restored.  For instance, this Typhoon was laid up in 1965, yet the CD Typhoons began production in 1967, as Daysailer and a Weekender models.  The new boat had a cubby at the aft end of the cockpit and under the poop deck; CD Typhoons are fully inclosed aft of the cockpit.  Also, the coach roof on our "new" boat had a very similar dimension to the CD Typhoons, but lacked the small deadlights, one to port and one to starboard.  As it turned out, through the research that I was doing, I learned that this boat was in fact a Typhoon, but more precisely it was an Alberg Typhoon.  Carl Alberg, the Swedish born naval architect, had designed this "small yacht" for Naugus Fiberglass Industries out of Salem, MA.  It was the precursor to the massively popular Cape Dory Typhoon Weekender and Daysailer models.  In fact, Carl Alberg had roughly 56 designs to his name; nearly all of my boats have been Alberg designs.

Naugus Fiberglass Industries were producing boats in the 1950s and 1960s.  I am unclear as to when they ceased production, and the interwebs seem to have very little history on the company that I could manage to read without spending an inordinate amount of time.  The information that I could manage to get seemed questionable to what I knew of at least three boats: 1965 (mine), and two others I found listed for sale, a 1966 and a 1969 - well before the "First Built" date of 1974 shown on the SailboatData.com site for the Naugus Typhoon 18.  Upon her arrival, and after scrambling around on decks and below for a bit, I could easily see the shape and accommodation of the Cape Dory Typhoons that I had owned and that I had restored for others.  This was so clearly the work of Carl Alberg.

The picture above shows the Alberg Typhoon Whipser tucked away in a local yard, awaiting her restoration.  Below, I decided to show the listing photos that caught my eye and which would ultimately lead to me purchasing her for a bit over $1,000 US.These boats are incredibly fun to sale, and a blast to restore....the trailer alone, right!?
Rub rails would definitely need to go, with a rabbit cut down the centerline of the rail and a braided rope screwed in to further protect from dock rash...just not the look I am going for.  For that matter, all brightwork would be replaced.  A closer shot of the unusual rub rail design, below.
On to the more serious of the listing photos, and likely scared a few potential buyers off - full rot and collapse of the cockpit sole, shown below.

The original deck hardware certainly peaked my interest, as they were the original bronze.

A few days after landing the Naugus Typhoon in her temporary storage yard, I returned for a closer inspection and to snap a few photos to show current, pre-restoration condition.  Yes, those are plants growing out of the bilge.  By this time, over the years of neglect, the cockpit sole had rotted out and slowly collapsed into the bilge, becoming essentially a rich organic compost perfectly fit for sustaining one's onboard vegetable garden.

Bulkheads had had it too, and the cockpit seating.  Essentially all non-glass surfaces are in need of replacement.

The coaming boards were really the only pieces of brightwork that appeared relatively fine, yet will be replaced by fabricating new teak or mahogany boards.

The port coaming board as well was in decent shape.

A pair of Lewmar 6 winches were mounted as jib/genoa sheet winches to port and starboard, in very good working condition and an upgrade from the likely original bronze Barlow 15s.  Also, a pair of very cheeky looking jib tracks are mounted on the toe rails, just aft of the winch bases.
In the interior space, the small cabin, it appeared that the original settee had been replaced at some point.  The construction was minimal, and to just serve a purpose.  Two through hulls had been capped in place, whether for a sink drain and possibly a head.

As can be seen below, the cabin sole was also in a state of "slow, smokeless burning of decay (Frost)."  It too was half-eaten away by the elements and sprouting vegetation.

A good shot, below, of the cockpit sole to cabin sole transition...and bilge.  This will be fun!

You can see in the filling photo what appears to be the remnants of glass-in floor timbers to support the cockpit sole.  I really cannot wait to get in here and purge the old, grind down to fresh glass, and start the rebuild!

Here is a shot of the poop deck, with original bronze hardware, the top of the mast hanging off, and my next sanding cushion to protect the knees!

The little cubby peaked my interest, and I am beginning to formulate some fun ideas for this space.  It will no doubt be a finicky matter to reinstall the small bulkhead and platform however.

A better shot looking into the aft cockpit cubby.

And there she is...the original hull production plate: Typhoon No. 34 from Naugus Fiberglass Industries, Salem, MASS.

So she is now tucked away, boom and roller furling removed, tarped to at least preserve the mess, and awaiting a new life back in the water.

This will be the start of a fun restoration, and the beginning of what I hope will be my son's lifelong enjoyment of sailing, or just messing about on the water (or in the water for that matter!).