madboutcats Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 G'day had a great night with past Rivoli Bay sailors and one of them talked about a modified Stingray that was made in Darwin called a Black Witch, he said he had number 4 and number 19 which was the last one made does anyone know anything about these boats? Any pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 I think it was on gumtree or ebay for 1600$ about 4 month ago. apart from that i dont know. located in Vic or Tas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchlb44 Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 As far as I know the "Black Witch" is actually a one off design based on a scaled up Mosquito! The person who built it was (I think) a mozzy sailor. The one dee is talking about currently lives in VIC and as far as I know its dimensions are closer to a Tornado than a Stingray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 You could be right.. but i thought it was called black witch. I cant remember, ill see if i can find it in my info. Found it... Yep it was either named or black witch was the make. CATAMARAN 18FT BLACK WITCH CATAMARAN 18FT BLACK WITCH CATAMARAN 18FT BLACK WITCH Item Id: 230583434313 End time: 18-Feb-11 22:57:40 AEDST Seller: russ 100.0% Positive Feedback Member since 10-Dec-02 in Australia Location: Victoria, Australia Listing Status: This message was sent while the listing was active. from the guy who sold it "Hi, very similar to a Stingray but different hull shape at the bow and a straight fibreglass build not fibreglass/foam sandwich. Cheers. - russ As far as I know the "Black Witch" is actually a one off design based on a scaled up Mosquito! The person who built it was (I think) a mozzy sailor. The one dee is talking about currently lives in VIC and as far as I know its dimensions are closer to a Tornado than a Stingray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loose Change Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 The Black Witch is a Neil Fowler design who also drew the lines for the mosquito, Arrow and the Arafura Cadet. You could buy plans and build it yourself out of ply. As to the size of the beast, it was nearly identical to a Stingray ie. 18' long and about 8' beam I have never seen one in the flesh nor do I know what the sail area is. But to get an idea of the boat, think Mosquuito on steroids. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madboutcats Posted August 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Thanks for the replies, that may mean dagger boards and beams on top of the decks, would be very interesting to see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loose Change Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 And now for a bit of light reading and history..... Neil Fowler married Lois in 1949 and they had 4 children, Ted, Sue, Julie and Barry. Neil was an electrician and a telecommunications technician with the PMG when he and Lois moved from Adelaide to Darwin in 1961. He brough his Quickcat catamaran with him even though locals claimed that you couldn't sail in Darwin due to the strong tides. Neil designed and built the "Arafura" an 18 foot catamaran and by 1963 there were enough people sailing different types of boat for the Darwin Sailing Club to be formed. Neil was a foundation member of the club. Soon after the club indentified a need for a catamaran trainer. Neil designed and built the 11 foot "Arafura Cadet" which was adopted as the DSC training boat. In 1966 Neil, Bill Jelley, David Veal and a few other club members trailed their boats south to the Catamaran Championships in Sorrento, Victoria. An "Arafura Cadet" built by Ted Fowler and sailed by Peter Atkins was awarded a magnicent bronze trophy as the"most outstanding craft" of the championships. Neil designed many other boats, such as the Arrow, the Mynx, the Black Witch and the Mosquito. Many of these boats are still sailed in different clubs around Australia today. He also designed the "Wirraway", which ended up being commercially built in WA as the "Red Barron" cruising catamaran. Neil and Lois set up and operated a marine chandlery called "Seafleet" on the Stuart Highway. As well as designing catamarans, Neil enjoyed sailing them quite successfully. In 1969 the won the "B" class Championships at Cat Week and in Cat Week 1970 won the Black Witch class. Neil and Lois moved to Buderim in Queensland in the 1980's. Not only did he design and build boats but also built, re-built and repaired many different cars and motorcycles, which he and Lois took on many trips. Neil was also a skilful and successful pilot with nine endorsements and flew over 23 different types of aircraft. Sadly, Neil Lawrence Fowler passed away in 2006, he was 84 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_taipan117 Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Both Ted and Sue Fowler were sailing in Darwin when I arrived with my A class (a rhapsody) in the early '80's. I recall only once sailing against Ted on his black witch. He blew me away on a reach. Sue was sailing an arrow. There were a stack of arrows and mosquitos at DSC in those days. Needless to say the 80's were the peak of cat sailing. Sue "shacked-up" with another A class mate and we all went to the A class worlds at Blairgowrie in '87. Unfortunately have lost touch with both Sue and Ted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ymick Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 gday, i got a black witch bought the one i think your talking about from ebay from nice guy out the back of Donnie Brook you are correct 18" X 8", 30" odd mast Main is 33" X 8" and big jib big dagger boards and hydra style rudders big cross brace at front very heavy masts section the previous owner could tell you more probs as he was very well informed[me beginner] will take/find some pic for those interested i am a beginner but in the right hands goes very well two up[we beat disinterested A class in very light winds, me hanging off cross beam at front] in a bit of wind very exciting but a hand full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 There can never be enough sailing or boat photos.... keep 'em coming.... gday, i got a black witch bought the one i think your talking about from ebay from nice guy out the back of Donnie Brook you are correct 18" X 8", 30" odd mast Main is 33" X 8" and big jib big dagger boards and hydra style rudders big cross brace at front very heavy masts section the previous owner could tell you more probs as he was very well informed[me beginner] will take/find some pic for those interested i am a beginner but in the right hands goes very well two up[we beat disinterested A class in very light winds, me hanging off cross beam at front] in a bit of wind very exciting but a hand full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madboutcats Posted August 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 Thanks for the info ymick, are the beams bolted on top of the decks or do they go through the sides of the hulls like a Stingray? Is the front cross brace where your forestay attaches? Neil Fowler sounds like he was a special person with a brilliant mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper_dogs_0 Posted October 6, 2011 Report Share Posted October 6, 2011 hi,i,m from toowoomba Qld.i recently bought an 18 foot cat off ebay,and by the sounds of it it could be a blackwitch,but i have no idea,as i,m no sailor.ihad hoped to learn,but due to injury i,m not agile enough.so i,m in the process of rejuvinating it at the moment.any one with info on it please contact me on 0458239335,or more posts on forum thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gim Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 Is ymick still sailing his Black Witch 303? I read somewhere that he was finding it too big for one person? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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