Goals
The goals of the restoration were -
  * to restore Aorere as closely as possible to her original design.
  * to use traditional methods and materials wherever possible.

  * to re-create a structurally sound yacht that could be safely sailed in all weather conditions.

Hull
 Aorere's hull was extensively rebuilt, with stem, sternpost and all framing being replaced.

 

 

 

Approximately 40% of the planking was renewed, along with every fastening in the boat, comprising thousands of bronze screws and copper rivets. All deck structure, skylight and hatches are new.

 

Rig
Aorere has been restored with a rig that is as close as possible to the rig she was launched with in 1898. There are five surviving photographs of Aorere with her original gaff rig and the new rig has been based on proportions determined from these photos.



Lloyds register of 1906 lists Aorere as having a sail area of 900 square feet and the new rig has been designed to match this area.



Aorere's mast measures 21'6" deck to hounds and the boom is be 27'6"'. The head of the mainsail is 17'6"  long and the luff 16'9". A topmast 20' long supports the jackyard topsail.

Sails have been made by the Hood loft in Melbourne and comprise mainsail, jackyard topsail, staysail, flying jib and jib topsail. Sails have been made from modern materials, but use a cream coloured cloth and cuts typical of the period. Mainsail, topsail and staysail are vertically panelled, while the jib is Scotch cut and the jib topsail  mitre cut. Detailing includes externally roped thimbles, with rat-tailed roped corners on all sails.

Mast, boom, gaff and bowsprit have been made from Oregon (Douglas Fir). Topmast and topsail spars have been made from aicraft grade Sitka Spruce.

Rigging is of galvanised steel. Ends are hand spliced and served, with contact points on spars fully leathered. Turnbuckles are handmade bronze.

Copper and silicon bronze fastenings have been used almost exclusively with virtually no stainless steel or galvanised steel fastenings being used..



Virtually all fittings have been cast new in Nickel-Aluminium Bronze with a few older gunmetal fittings being used. The bowsprit traveller ring is forged steel, galvanised and leathered. No stainless steel fittings have have been used except for the spindles in the wooden blocks.

 

Aorere was relaunched in February 1998 after two years of intensive restoration work..

After a several weeks of intense rigging and fitting out, Aorere sailedfor the first time after her restoration on the evening of the 21st of March 1998, the 100th anniversary of her original launch.