SMALL STEPS

Our very nice 14ft Paper Tiger had served us well for about 15 years, but it wasn’t getting enough use. Besides, I wanted a jib and a big, scary downwind sail.

I check TradeMe regularly for boats (it’s a sickness) and in January 2019 I saw the perfect candidate – a 16ft Ross 490 – good for two to four people depending on the wind strength. It had a big roachy main, jib and gennaker – complete with a launch tube. But the floor was rotten. Of course I bought it – and for only the second time in 10 years I tidied the garage to create room to begin the project.

Murray Ross designed the 4.9m Ross 490 while competing in the Jolly boats – he found the ‘more generously-proportioned gentlemen’ tended to end up on the trapeze/rails while the daintier crew members did the fun stuff. He envisaged a class where us fatties could be competitive. So designed a big boat and offered