STARSHIP
Australian Cruising Machine
STARSHIP is a 13.5m (~44') multichine aluminium cutter, designed by Max Riseley. She was first launched in 1989, and is still owned and sailed (out of Pittwater, Sydney) by her amateur builders - Andrew and Vicky Bray. Having fulfilled their dream of sailing around the world with their two young (then!) children, Starship was returned to their front yard (where she was originally fitted out), and remained for 14 years, while the children completed high school and university, and became independent. Among various changes, the original white hull paint was removed (above waterline) and the bare aluminium clear-coated with Nyalic, prior to relaunching in 2009. Since then the yacht has been cruising closer to Australia. The above video was taken off Broken Bay in 2025.Starship is a very bespoke vessel , set up for single handed sailing, with an open layout to suit a couple with children, and incorporating many unusual features, including a sealed aluminium mast (in a tabernacle), a fully retracting ballast keel, and even the whole deck available as rainwater catchment.
Many features suit extended independent family cruising into remote places, but of course the abilty to reduce draft (to wading depth !) is useful in many anchorages and rivers, and even in residential canals.
Andrew ( an engineer), had built and cruised two yachts in the SW Pacific before building Starship, and contributed numerous technical and cruising articles to over 20 yachting and boating magazines from the early 1980's until retiring (at 70), in 2019. Many were published internationally under his Andrew Aussie Bray byline, and some were translated into French, German and Italian. Many of those articles were written or researched on board this yacht and many persist (credited or not!) on the Internet.
STARSHIPVital Statistics:
Aft cockpit cutter to “Latitude 44” design (1986) by Max Riseley.
LOA : 13.48m
LWL: 11.0m
Max Beam: 3.95m
Draught - variable : 2.4m to <1m
Design displacement = 9 ton (~11 in heavy cruising trim) .
Keel is ballasted and must remain at or below 2.2m when under sail!
Registration:
Australian Registered Vessel #: 852278
HIN#: AU WWA 159420 DA9
NSW Registration #: XY610N
Presently moored Pittwater:
Registered Owners: Andrew & Victoria Bray
Overall History:
Keel laid 1986 at Evans Head. Hull seams professionally welded (by Kevin Tarver), hull then transported to Avalon for fit-out by the owner (a mechanical engineer).
Launched December 1988
1989-94 -Circumnavigated the World.
1995 – removed from water and stored on shore at Avalon.
1996-2009 -Refurbished and various systems upgraded.
2009- re-launch late March
2011 - Sydney to Lord Howe Island return, -Sydney to New Caledonia return
2012-13 Australian Mainland anticlockwise circumnavigation
2015 -Tasmanian clockwise circumnavigation
Construction:
Aluminium multichine on T stringers on widely spaced aluminium frames to suit accommodation bulkheads.
Aluminium Alloys: Plate: 5086 H32; Stringers 6061 T6 : MIG wire 5356
Hull below waterline 6mm plate
Hull above waterline 5mm plate
Deck 4mm plate
Doghouse 3mm plate
Keel 12mm plate w 2 ton internal lead ballast.
Internal fitout based on 17mm plywood bulkhead bolted to 70x5mm aluminium frames, with Rimu timber trim and bookmatched Rimu plywood veneers. White melamine faced 3 ply headlining.
Keel retracts into hull using 2 x 50mm stainless screws w locking wedges. Reversing 12V DC electric keel drive through gears and roller chain, w manual back up. Keel able to support yacht on land, but has steel security pins as a back-up for slipping or to allow maintenance of the screws, drive etc.. Rudder is transom hung and retracts also to suit minimum draft.
Hull below sole is subdivided into 11 separate watertight tanks, 8 of which plumbed for use as drinking water tanks. Up to 2 ton fresh water carried, contributing to ballast. Full welded collision bulkhead at forward waterline, aft of anchor chain locker. Full height 17mm plywood bulkhead at forward end of lazarette, 3 x half height 17mm plywood bulkheads under forepeak bunk.
Corrosion Protection:
4 x 2kg zinc anodes on hull
Zinc collar on propeller shaft
Other small zincs under keel nose, within keel case, and zinc drain plugs in keel screw housings.
Hull below waterline painted with high build epoxy over chromate etch primer , with vinyl barrier coat before antifouling applied
Hull above waterline now unpainted but coated with clear Nyalic.
Deck painted w high build epoxy overcoated with acrylic textured non-skid
Mast and booms painted with two-pot urethane system.
Auxilliary Propulsion:
Auxilliary Engine:
BMW D50-2 -( intercooled )
Propeller 3 bladed fixed 16"x10"
Max ~7 knots @2800 rpm
Routinely ~5.5 Knots @1800 rpm
Diesel capacity: 2 x 200 litres
SAILPLAN
Keel is raised and lowered by two 50mm stainless butress thread screws, powered electrically. The screws are self-locking and can support the hull at any draft. However for peace of mind two steel pins are inserted prior to routine slipping. This also allows the screw mechanism and drive to be dismantled for maintenence.
SLIPPING/LIFTING DIAGRAM
The mast can be raised or lowered using jib pole and anchor winch, and rolled forward to stow for cruising in canals with low bridges.
Sealed mast significantly improves a yacht's capsized righting moment. All Starship's halyards are external.
Retracting keel allows access to shallow water (for more sheltered anchoring, or to explore rivers and canals) but also to dry out between tides - for convenience or maintenance. It also reduces the loaded height if transported by low loader on land.
VOLO (round bilged, retracting keel, built by Max & Sandy Riseley)
Cachelot (round bilged, retracting keel)
ADJA (fixed keel multichine)
"A cruising scribe's life is terrible hard" said Alice
Preparing an item for the Voyaging column in Yachting World Magazine, on Starship, anchored in Traitor's Bay, Hiva Oa, 1993.
...................................................................
Excerpt from aussibray.com website in ~2006. (no longer public).
Much of my writing springs from personal interest and practical experience in amateur boatbuilding and cruising, combined with my background in professional engineering, amateur radio, and now (2006) 25 years experience as a technical writer. My first decade of writing involved quite a deal of field testing and reviewing of boats and gear, working as technical editor for a magazine group in Sydney (Australian Boating, and Cruising Skipper magazines among others), but I became completely freelance before we set off on our circumnavigation in Starship. My "Practicalities" series of articles (initially commissioned by Yachting World magazine) is now in its 12th year and includes over 100 articles delving into technology and innovation in yachting gear and equipment, worldwide. Articles from this series have been published in many countries, and some even translated into French, German, and Italian (see list ). Closer to home for the past decade my growing interest in electronics has spun off into writing the Electronics Column for Modern Boating magazine.Acknowledgement
I 'm very grateful to the many sailing friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers who have, and still do share their practical experiences with me, and in many instances permit me to photograph details of their boats to illustrate my articles. It's not often possible in magazine articles to include direct references to when and where a particular photo was taken, or to credit folk who have contributed ideas to my research. There are many others who have helped in similar ways over the years, but I would particularly like to acknowledge the contributions over many years of Max and Sandy on Volo, Ruth and Jenno on Heckau, Jim and Anne on Insatiable II, Steve and Linda on Beowulf, Tony on Freedom, John and De on Innisfree (now on Sotalia), Raud on Little Wing, Peter and Joan on Downunder, Jon and Roxanna on Xaxero, John and Jenny on Burramys, Mike and Di on Pangolin, Frank on Swagman, Keith Thiele on Spitfire, and Ley and Niel on Crystal Blues .Thank you all.*I adopted the "Aussie" nickname to distinguish myself from the editor of Yachting World magazine, who is also an Andrew Bray. This began as practical measure when I started writing regularly for that magazine in 1992 (initially as their voyaging columnist and then contributing a practical article most months until 1998) and has stuck since. Sometimes my work appears under the pseudonym " Aubrey Gowen" - which were my father's given names.
MAGAZINES THAT PUBLISHED ARTICLES by Andrew (Aussie)* Bray. Many were researched, written, or related to experiences gained on Starship.AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINES
Australian Boating, Cruising Skipper, Trailerboat Fisherman (Technical Editor)
Offshore
Riviera
Modern Boating (Electronics Editor)
Australian Yachting
Multihull World
Power Boat
Australian Amateur Boatbuilder
Tradeaboat (Crusing Around Column # episodes)OTHER SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE MAGAZINES
Sailing Inland & Offshore (RSA)
Boating New Zealand
EUROPEAN MAGAZINES
Yachting World (UK)
Yachtiing Monthly (UK)
Practical Boatowner (UK)
Segeln (Germany)
Loisirs Nautiques (France)
Nautica (Italy)NORTH AMERICAN MAGAZINES
Sail
BoatWorks
48 North
Southwinds
Good Old Boat
Diver (Canada)
Latitudes & AttitudesASIAN MAGAZINES
Asian Marine
Sea Yachting
World Circumnavigation 1989-94
Following a post-launch shakedown cruise to Queensland and back to Sydney, Starship circumnavigated via South Africa, Europe, and Panama , giving primary school aged children (Sarah and Christoper ) screen-free introductions to Planet Earth!
With circumnavigation achieved and childrens' high school and university years ahead, Starship was craned ashore in 1995 and stored where she could be easily maintained, and refurbished.
Cruising resumed following Starship's re-launch in 2009
2011 - Shakedown cruise Sydney to Lord Howe Island returning via Port Stephens
2011 Cruise Sydney to New Caledonia returning via Brisbane
2012-13 Australian Mainland circumnavigation
2015 Cruise to Hobart for Wooden Boat Festival, returning via Tasmanian West Coast, King & Deal Islands.
STARSHIP EQUIPMENT LIST @ 251220
Cockpit Winches:
2 x Barlow 27 two speed self tailing sheet winches (staysail sheets), modified to be optionally driven by 12V gearmotors with push buttons + wireless remotes (used for halyards, reefing, furling , Davits)
2 x Barlow 27 two speed self tailing sheet winches (mainsheet, barber hauls, boom brake)
2 x Barlow 32 two speed self tailing sheet winches (Jib & genoa sheets)
Milwaukee 27V ½” reversible high torque rechargeable drill, used as portable powered winch handle for jib sheet winch.
Navigation Electronics:
Some Nav gear is mounted on a rotatable/sliding rack above engine box, viewable from nav area, starboard quarterberth, or the cockpit. There is also a rotating equipment rack in the cockpit, viewable from the helm or from under the dodhouse. Gear on this rack (and the main steering compass) are routinely demounted and stowed below. Cables to both racks are readily accessible for routine disconnection. The autopilot control can be quick-mounted on either rack . There is also a fixed radio rack just forward of the chart table.
Furuno 1720 radar #2302-7339 ((on rotatable/sliding Instrument rack)
Garmin GMI 10 NMEA 2000 display (speed log, depth, relative wind) (Doghouse)
Comar CSB200 class B AIS transponder (Radio rack)
Vesper WM570 AIS WatchMate (on rotatable/sliding Instrument rack))
Standard Horizon CPV 350 chartplotter/DSC VHF transceiver/ fog horn/hailer - w C-Map MegaWide Aust/NZ/ South Pacific charts (on rotatable/sliding Instrument rack)
Lowrance Elite 7” Chirp chartplotter/fishfinder (Demountable under doghouse)
Garmin GPS 152 trackplotter (on rotatable/sliding Instrument rack)
Prosser Weathertrend digital barometer
Electric Air horns (mast mounted)
Kestrel 1000 handheld wind speed meter
Handheld RDF receiver “EuroMarine Radio fix Navigator with BFO”
Entertainment Electronics
Conia CLCD1530 14” LCD TV/ monitor #09060314 (Saloon)
OceanTalk MOB5 -T1800 diversityTV receiver (analogue, so not usable)
Nuovo NUO51 DVD player (Saloon)
Kenwood KDC-MP336AX CD AM FM radio player w 6 speakers (2 in cockpit)- wireless remote (controls from fore peak)
DC Power Generation:
2 x 50W steerable BP solar panels (above cockpit)
1 x 80W steerable BP solar panel (Doghouse)
2 x 50 Watt steerable solar panels (Davits)
Blue Sky Solar Boost 2000E solar panel regulator
2 x Antenergy solar panel regulators
1 x 30W steerable Solarex solar panel (Doghouse ,not working)
Spreco Silentwind 400 12V Wind Turbine
Silentwind Hydrid 600 Wind Turbine controller.
Kubota 4hp single cylinder water cooled electric start Diesel 12V genset (customised, forepeak)
Additional alternator on main engine
Radio Transceiver Equipment:
Lowrance Link 5 DSC VHF radio (Demountable under doghouse)
GME GX600D DSC VHF transceiver #612000666 (Radio rack)
Uniden MC2800 27MHz marine transceiver #54000602 (Radio rack)
2 x DSI-Tech-Link VOX duplex headset communicators (for cockpit/bow/masthead comms)
Inmarsat portable IsatPhone .
HF marine and ham radio no longer carried, but one backstay is insulated for use as HF antenna.
Steering:
Primary wheel steering via chain/cables and spring loaded quadrant locking wedges.
Rudder is fitted with a controllable trim tab but this is currently locked.
Emergency steering available via ropes attaching directly to rudder.
Coursemaster 12V hydraulic autopilot . CM950 control mounts under doghouse or above engine box (replaced pendulum windvane self steering in 2018)
Galley:
3 burner gimbaled LPG stove w grill n oven, range hood , fan, 2 x 9kg cylinders in aft locker
Isotherm 12V fresh water cooled electric top access small freezer system
Ozefridge 12/240 V air/fresh water cooled 3 drawer refrigeration system.
drinking water outlet via carbon filter.
2 bowl stainless sink with drain, heeled pump out, and provision for temporary storage of grey water in flexible tank (lazarette)
LG MS 49G Microwave Oven
Engine:
BMW D50 3 cylinder heat exchanged marine diesel . Salt water circuit routinely flushed and stored containing fresh water. Two 12V alternators . ~7000 hours.
(Spare Hurth mechanical gearbox )
18" x 13" three blade bronze propeller
32mm propeller shaft w universal flexible couplings at both ends of intermediate shaft.
Two cutless rubber bearings in aluminium stern tube. Face seal on stern tube
2 x 200 liter 3mm aluminium Diesel fuel tanks w electric fuel transfer pumps and primary filters with in-line by-pass back-up (behind companionway steps)
12 V Electrics:
All circuits two wire w circuit breakers and/or fuses except main engine starter motor circuit.
1 x Bosh 90 AH flooded lead/acid Low Maintenance starting battery
3x ~100 AH deep cycle AGM lead/acid domestic batteries
1 x 18AH gel battery for essential backups, navigation isolation, security system etc.
Selectable battery banks w separate engine isolator.
Pumps:
Deck salt wash pump w outlet in anchor locker
Domestic fresh water pump to galley and shower
Diesel transfer pump (between main tanks or to heater header tank)
Portable electric bilge pump w hoses attached (bailing rain from tender)
Shower sump pump
Washing m/c tank pump
2 x electric bilge pumps in main bilge – one on automatic float switch
4 x small automatic bilge pumps (one in lazarette, and one in each of the 3 half height compartments under the forepeak bunk)
foot pump for salt water to galley.
2 x manual bilge pumps (in cockpit, serving lazarette and main bilge)
240V Electrics
15A Inlet socket (cockpit) connected to 25A double outlet via RCD device. No other permanently wired AC circuits, although Fridge, washing m/c, battery charger, and hot water calorifier can be powered via shore-power cords where AC available.
Reverse Polarity, AC wiring fault detector.
Ctek MXS 7 Battery charger
Lemair XQB22 top loading washing machine
Singer 319K heavy duty sewing machine
Inverters: All are stand alone devices, not permanently connected to AC devices or circuits
60 Watt 12VDC/240V AC inverter “Legend” Pi70L (DVD Player)
300 Watt 12VDC/240V AC inverter (Not working)
150 Watt 12VDC/240V AC inverter “Power Tech” (rechargeable tools, devices etc)
1200 Watt 12VDC/240V AC inverter “TravelPower HM1200” (Microwave, smaller power tools, washing m/c etc)
8ZED 2400 Watt12VDC/240V AC inverter (larger power tools etc)
Lighting:
4 bulkhead mount Cabin lamps (LED)
9 Dome ceiling lamps (all w both white and red LEDs)
BeeBee Automatic day/night cockpit anchor light (LED)
3 x 10m strings solar white LED lights on spools (deploy as bird deterrents)
Masthead tri-light and Anchor lights (LED)
Steaming light (LED)
Stern light(2) (LED)
Port n Starboard lights (2 sets, both LED)
Port n Starboard spreader lights (LED)
Aladdin mantle type kerosene cabin lamp
2 x red/white led doghouse ceiling lights
Stove lamp (LED strip)
12 V portable spot light
LED light below furler, illuminating water ahead of the bow - , wireless controlled
Insulation:
Most of the deckhead (including doghouse) has 60mm thick polystyrene bats above headlining. Most of the hull accommodation from sole up also has 60mm polystyrene insulation.
Heating:
Reflex Diesel drip type cabin heater w hotplate, header fuel tank and overflow sump, thermal fan
Ventilation:
2 x doraded vents (just forward of both quaterberths)
hood w extraction fan over galley stove
3 x Computer style fans over bunks (very quiet)
3 x 12v car type fans (galley & saloon & forepeak )
Solar + 12V extraction fan w dorade in heads
Engine Box extraction fan
Five aluminium coachroof hatches Four can be opened facing forward or aft
Fabric wind scoop for starboard quaterberth
Nylon wind scoop for forehatch
Opening doghouse front window
Shade:
Cockpit awning - attached back edge of rigid dodger.
Additional side and aft canvass pieces to further shade cockpit at sea or in port.
Battens for a larger deck awning can be stowed in transom long-storage tube.Heads/Shower area:
Lavac aluminium bowl marine heads w Henderson Mk 5 manual pump .
Jabsco electric mascerator pump.
20 liter aluminium holding tank.
Portable camping type toilet - 10 Liter Camec
Sink in heads/shower area with flexible shower hose etc.
Shower curtain w sump and pump
240V washing machine
Miscellaneous Internal Gear :
28 liter calorifier hot water tank (engine and 240V (marina) heating)
LPG hot water heater - present but disconnected as not approved in Australia.
11 x integral water tanks between hull and sole. Total capacity ~ 2200 liters . Total deck area plumbed for use as rain catchment .
Plastimo front reading 4” compass (viewable from starboard quarter berth)
Beta light hand bearing compass
Extensive folios of Australian East coast and many international charts w pilots, guide books etc.(all out of date)
Sounding Lead
Pneumatic tank level sensing system for most water tanks
C&P bronze micrometer sextant (German)
Merlin 2 celestial navigation calculator (Working)
NP401 sight reduction tables x3, Nories, Bowditch
4” Shatz Chiming Ships Bell clock (wind-up, with bell silencer)
6”dia clock w tide hand (electric in bronze porthole case) - saloon
100mm aneroid dial barometer
Prosser weathertrend Digital recording barometer
6” engineers vice – (mountable on binnacle or aft coaming)
Portable rechargeable vacuum cleaner
Tenders
9’6” Dehaviland Cub aluminium dinghy w fenders, oars (old, and leaks but serviceable),
6’6” GRP pram dinghy w fenders, oars,
Inflatable Zodiac 2.6m aero (new 2011 and only used a few times for drift diving- stowed deflated below decks)
Any of these tenders be carried in the Davits, but the tinny can also be carried on foredeck chocks, with the pram inverted on top.
Outboards
Yamaha 4hp 2-stroke
Safety Equipment:
1 x soft horsehoe life rings
1 x rigid horsehoe life ring
2 x throw-lines in bags
1 x automatic life ring light
3 x Fire extinguishers – dry power
Cockpit shower can connect to hose ( outlet in cockpit locker) for fire fighting.
Fire blanket
4x Smoke and CO detectors
Bucket & lanyard
8 man liferaft (not in survey - last re-sealed (without flares or batteries) 2011
Flares (3 x smoke + 3 x red hand held - in date -+ numerous out of dates flares including parachutes etc.
Vee sheet
2 x GME Accusat 406MHz GPS Epirb
GME Accusat MT410G GPS PLB
4 x inflatable life jackets
2 x inflatable life jackets w integral harnesses
2 x side-deck safety jackstays
4 x double ended safety harness lines -
Safety attachment points in cockpit and side deck jackstays
MOB Buoy
Sea anchor/drogue
MOBilert &20i MOB system w two personal tags (tags not working)
Rudder has footholds, platform has a swimmer hand grip, and passing objects (or persons) can be grabbed by someone on the sugarscoop platform.
Being a metal boat with grounded metal mast and a lightning spike above the truck Starship is naturally well protected against lightning strikes. The metal hull acts as a Faraday cage, potentially further protecting people below decks.
Rig:
Bermudian cutter -17m sealed aluminium mast (Allyacht Spars section #24) in tabernacle w external halyards and two sets of spreaders. Wiring in external duct.
10mm stainless steel forestay (new 2009) w ProFurl C420 reefer
8mm stainless cutter stay w Profurl N40 reefer
Caps, Intermediates and lower shrouds – stainless (new 2022)
2 x backstays (one with HF insulators inserted) – stainless (new 2022)
2 x stainless steel running backstays (not required but available )
1 x demountable stainless forestay for lightwind hanked sails
Mid-sheeted mainboom with Boom brake (control lines leading to cockpit jammers)
6m Genoa pole that can also serve as a derrick, and (using anchor winch and tackle) for raising/lowering tabernacle mast
1m aluminium lightning conductor on masthead. Mast electrically bonded to aluminium deck and hull
Self stowing winch for hoisting (XTM 12000 lb capacity 4x4 with wireless & manual control) Mounted in forepeak.
Sails: -all white terylene
Mainsail - loose footed, battenless - Scott sails - new 2016
light 130% genoa,(hanked)
100% high cut working jib w sunstrip - new Nov 2014.
Staysail w sun strip
Storm mainsail on separate track –
Mainsail boom cover - zippered boom bag supported by lazy jacks, with removable front section around mast
::Deck Gear:::
Timber encased stainless steel steering wheel with rim brake
Riviera White Star 6” compass w 1 degree card (removable0
Stern dinghy Davit
Genoa Pole 6m - also serves as derrick, and as strut when raining lowering mast.ext.
Timber chocks with eye bolts for securing tender on coachroof forward of mast.
