About Us
Fine Line Boat Plans started in Gumdale, Queensland, Australia in 1967 as Bruce Roberts International.
BRIEF HISTORY
An Englishman named Andy Slorich had a small boat yard on the banks of the Tingalpa River and formed a partnership with Bruce Roberts to sell plans to owner builders. Thus Marine Park was born, where throughout the '70's and 80's many owner built boats were successfully completed. Andy also mass produced bare hull and deck kits, most notably the Longboat 21 and 27, the Adventurer 25, the Spray 22 among others, for owner completion. Andy retired in 1995, selling Marine Park to Shawn Arbor ( a well known catamaran designer), the boat moulds to various buyers (via auction) and the plan business to Bill Ingram (a Naval Architect that was working for him at the time). Bruce Roberts departed Australia in 1972 living in a variety of Northern Hemisphere countries. Once Bruce had established himself overseas he formed Bruce Roberts Designs and concentrated selling into North America while Andy kept the agents he had established throughout the rest of the world. In 1997 Phil Hogg bought the existing portfolio of plans from Bill Ingram and in 2000 the two companies, Bruce Roberts International and Bruce Roberts Designs, separated. In 2007 Bruce Roberts International changed its name to Fine Line Boat Plans to avoid client confusion. All original plans since inception (with the exception of the ferro-cement designs which had been destroyed in the late '70's) are now held at the Fine Line Boat Plans offices at Burnett Heads, Queensland. Read our Answers to Allegations.
CURRENT OWNER OPERATORS
Phil Hogg and Liz Thompson have over 60 years of sailing history in both racing and cruising. They were the first Australian vessel to transit the North West Passage, (Fine Tolerance and the Northwest Passage) have raced up to Japan four times, been rolled off the coast of Greenland and sailed in the Great Southern Ocean. In fact, there is not an ocean they have not sailed in.
Phil started working life as a radio technician in New Zealand, briefly did architecture at the University of WA, founded a successful fruit and vegetable retail wholesale business in Margaret River, before taking up sailing full time in 1992. His electronic and architectural training along with his maritime passion has served him well in his roll as proprietor of Fine Line Boat Plans.
He is also the author, in partnership with Liz Thompson, of the cruising Guide to the western Aleutian Islands.
Liz began sailing at an early age on here fathers succession of cruising and racing boats. Having now cruised over 100,000 nm if you have any questions relating to ladies and equipment on the cruising life then Liz can answer them.
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Roberts 310 Boat Plan
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