TR3 - Helga
Owner
Owen & Eithne O’Connell
Provenance
The third and last protype, Helga, was built in March 1960 by Eric Rankin, following his time working in various boatyards in the South of England. She was exhibited in April 1960 in the first Irish Boat Show which was held in Dublin, where Eric won second prize in the Professional Builders category. She remained in his ownership until his death in 1975. She was then sold to Mick Brennen of Kinsale who had her until we bought her in 2016. She was beautifully restored by Jim Walsh that year. Owen has since replaced the keel in 2022 and the main thwart in 2026 in addition to various minor repairs.
Her main construction / design features are:-
- Cold moulded using 3 layers of mahogany laminate. Each layer is about 1.5mm thick. Each layer is run diagonally at 90 degrees to its neighbour.
- The Transom is made of 9mm ply mounted on a hardwood frame.
- The main thwarts have laminated curved ends that “hang” from the bottom of the inwalls and are fixed to the side of the hull.
- The gunnels are made up of 2 layers on the inside and one on the outside of the hull as per the later production boats.
- Built-in buoyancy tank forward of the mast and another forming the wide aft seat finished with a curved forward edge.
- She was built as a punt, however Eric Rankin fitted a centreline box which was tied into the mast thwart by a laminated curve forming the top of the box.
- Four bottom boards either side of the hog.
- Side seats that ran from the aft seat to the main thwart.
- Gunter rigged with a loose foot on the main.
