boat had a centre cockpit and aft cabin. It is not known if this vessel was ever completed or launched. Given that the boat was designed for cruising comfort, rather than racing, the Beachcomber 6.5 sails very well and, in the 1980s were often well placed in club racing. When properly sailed they were surprisingly close winded for a bilge-keeler, particularly when fitted with the later keel design. In 1980, the late Tony Bouzaid designed a very tall, flat, long-luffed but short-footed self tacking Genoa, known as a "Number 3 Jib", for the boat and this proved a highly successful windward sail. The Waiheke Incident. In the mid 1970s an early boat was being sailed in the vicinity of Waiheke Island, in relatively challenging conditions, for which it was somewhat over canvassed. It suffered a complete knockdown and, since the sails were not released, could not recover, which caused the loss of life of a crew member from a heart condition. Later investigation confirmed that, had the sails been released in a timely fashion, the boat could have recovered from a 90 degree position, albeit that the ballast was a little light to do so. The Press, at the time gave rather negative attention to the type of vessel involved, resulting in the Beachcomber gaining, for a while, a reputation it did not deserve, being markedly better in stability than many contemporary trailer sailers. The redesigned keels resolved any lingering issues about stability. Hart Brothers Marine Hart Brothers Marine was founded in 1970 by Raymond and Dennis Hart, fifth-generation boat builders whose' parents emigrated from Norfolk, bringing the family with them. Raymond Hart was lost in Little Shoal Bay, Auckland after being knocked unconscious and falling overboard when hit by the boom of the boat he was sailing on. Hart Brothers Marine itself was de-registered in 1996. References Keelboats