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LEGENDARY S&S Running Tide returns UTILITY CHIC Do-it-all dinghy

THE FROZEN SOUTH Painting in Antarctica LIVING ARCHAEOLOGY

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June 11–12 2022 A CL A SSIC E N V I RON M E N T FOR T R A DI T ION A L BOATS Birdham Pool is the oldest marina in the UK and our haven for classic and traditional boats. Even its location, just four miles from the historic county town of Chichester, nestled in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, reflects the pace and elegance of a bygone age. S T O R A G E , R E PA I R A N D M A I N T E N A N C E Looking after traditional boats is what we’re exceptionally good at. Our 30 tonne hoist and transport, dry storage ashore and a boat yard of modern

and traditional skills offered by our tenant artisans means we’re geared for storage, repair and maintenance of all watercraft.

To complete the experience, we have five-star customer facilities, café and great transport links complementing the enviable one-hour access to the Solent and sheltered inland location. Birdham is owned by Castle Marinas, a group of 11 coastal and inland marinas each with its own unique character. We are, and always will be large enough to cope, small enough to care.

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STEFFAN MEYRIC HUGHES, EDITOR

THE TIDE IS TURNING

PAGE 23 RUNNING TIDE PAGE 4

What is the most successful racing yacht in history? The question is not one we’ve dedicated enough time to at CB over the years. My own ‘off-the-peg’ answer would always have been Dorade, the first great S&S yacht from 1930, but there was always the occasional mutter about this other boat called Running Tide, which I’ll admit I knew nothing about until now. It seems she’s a legend in America, and possibly an equal or even greater candidate for the accolade. She’s an S&S sloop built in 1967 in aluminium at Huisman in Holland, with a retroussé counter stern and a fairly modern look by CB standards, where we still refer to Dacron as a modern sailcloth and Loran and Decca as modern navigational aids. All the same, she’s a lovely shape with those flush decks, and really at the very dusk of elegant design in racing under sail. Is she, as some have suggested, the most successful racing yacht in American history though? Or in world history? I’m genuinely stumped, so tell me in a letter to the editor. Best answer will gets the whisky...

COVER PHOTO: NIC COMPTON

ISSUE No 404

CONTENTS

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COVER STORY

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4 . RUNNING TIDE The poster girl of 1970s ocean racing is sailing again after a restoration... and she’s in the same family COVER STORY

22 . THE PRESENT The 1939 Mauric-designed yacht Lak II bought in secret as a present 34 . KOS EVANS Meet the yachting snapper who looks for the magic in the mundane COVER STORY

36 . UTILITY CHIC The new 14ft dinghy that can row, motor, sail and carry huge loads 40 . CLASSIC BENETTI Restoration of a 108ft Benetti motor yacht from the 1960s 46 . THE FROZEN SOUTH CB illustrator Claudia Myatt sails south to Antarctica, sketchbook in hand COVER STORY

52 . NEW SUTTON HOO SHIP The famous Anglo Saxon archaeological find is coming to life as a working vessel 58 . MIRROR FINISH Handy recap on varnish types and how to apply them 72 . THE LAST TYNE-SIDERS Meet the volunteers keeping alive the traditions of ship-building in the north east of England

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Schoon er days PAGE 6 2

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

RUNNING TIDE Built at the end of the classic era, Running Tide might just be the most successful racing yacht in American history. And after a refit, her future is just as bright WORDS CHRIS MUSELER PHOTORAPHY BILLY BLACK

RUNNING TIDE

he 2006 Newport to Bermuda Race was going to be that savoury moment for Beau Van Metre where he would proudly follow in his father’s footsteps. To do so would mean chartering the hottest race boats in the world and start trouncing the competition in ocean races. Al Van Metre, Beau’s father, a real estate giant from northern Virginia, had been an ocean-racing pacesetter in the intoxicatingly raucous and competitive days of the International Offshore Rule. It was in 1971 that Al bought the 60ft (18m), already-successful Sparkman and Stephens-designed Running Tide after a bidding war with media magnate Ted Turner that ‘Tide’ began a march to becoming one of America’s most decorated and recognisable yachts in ocean-racing history. Years later, after dark-hulled Running Tide was sold in the late-1980s into irrelevance, Beau thought the natural progression was to do as his father had done. With Beau at his side, the pair had ridden the waves of success with their best friends and family. In 2006, Beau chartered the hot Farr 60 Carrera, a boat full of professionals, the best in the biz, to start his own legacy. It was a flop. Not only was that year one of the slowest Bermuda races on record, it wasn’t the same. “Everyone was paid on that boat,” recalls Van Metre, whose sailing home has always been Annapolis and Chesapeake Bay. “The sailors weren’t as good as the sailors we had. Back then, we could give them a tee-shirt and maybe a plane ticket.” What Van Metre learned in 2006 was that he is his father’s son: meticulous, competitive, direct and with an extreme passion for racing sailing boats. But what surprised him was that he lacked the drive to go all-in on a racing campaign. He had done that, with his father. “That’s what we did back then,” he says. “We worked and we sailed.” It was the best time of his life, he recalls. What was different? A sexy, state-of-the-art racing yacht was not the object of desire for his children. They love their father but have other interests. Derelict in a Marseille marina alongside a few other corroded IOR dinosaurs and a 12-M yacht or two, Running Tide came back into Van Metre’s life. “I’d have years where I wouldn’t be thinking about it,” says Van Metre who bought the boat in 2018 and had her shipped to the States. “Then there were years I’d think about it a lot.” What followed after the purchase was a new, hybrid life for the old girl that would turn heads in the 2020s just as in the 1970s and also bring Van Metre’s family together on the water.

Right: Racing in the 1970s

THAT 1970S SHOW As a development of the S&S 12-Ms that began with Intrepid and her short, skeg-hung rudder, famously separated from the trailing edge of the keel, Running Tide’s lines were powerful. A slight tumblehome at her 14ft beam added a more useful form stability for bashing through ocean swell and her impossibly graceful sheer seemed unnecessarily attractive. Built in 1968 for Jakob Isbrandtsen by Huisman Shipyard out of aluminum, Tide was to represent what 6

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Above: 1970s poster girl

the shipyard could achieve in a smaller racing yacht. Huisman and Tide have stood the test of time, and out of the box, she won the 1970 Bermuda Race while also serving as a trial horse for an America’s Cup defender campaign. For more than a decade, Al and son Beau dominated the offshore races of the SORC in Florida and the Annapolis to Newport race in a time when dozens of new designs were launched every year and the best sailors on the planet swarmed the eastern seaboard to match their skills and try out new ideas. It was a magical, colorful time. And Tide was on the cover of every major sailing publication as a troubadour of the day. Starting with the 1966 Bermuda Race, when the family owned a then-ground breaking, fiberglass Cal40, Van Metre began his ocean racing career that never let up until the 1984 race. Fighting with the big dogs in Class A, Tide won the Bermuda race and the Annapolis Newport Race several times during that time. It was a stellar run, and a great time. There were just as many images in the papers and magazines of Tide’s cockpits full of beer and blue-jeans-clad crew as there were of her bashing through the waves off Annapolis or Nassau. “We enjoyed the sailing more than our wives did back then,” says Van Metre. “It was tough for them, all we talked about at dinner was sailing.” With the boat stateside for the first time in 30 years, Van Metre wanted to make sure he was refitting the boat for the right reasons. “Now it’s something different,” Van Metre says. “Back then the boat came first. I want the boat to be fun. Family enjoyment comes first. I don’t have the same desire like back then to force it.”

Main image: With a distinct stepped bulwark at the stem, Tide is a powerful machine upwind Inset: Beau Van Metre, a spitting image of his father at the helm

RUNNING TIDE

PICK-UP TRUCK TO YACHT With a clear aim towards day-sailing with family and the occasional ocean race, Van Metre put together a team that included crew and professionals from the past who, now successful America’s Cup and ocean racing professionals, cut their teeth on Running Tide. “Beau wanted the boat to be recognised, as you were standing on the dock looking at her, as she stood when she was original,” says Bob Sharkey, the project manager at Safe Harbor New England Boatworks. Sharkey grew up down the street from the docks in Annapolis where Running Tide was based in the 1970s. “I wasn’t sailor, but when I walked down the dock and saw that boat, for me it was such an incredible sailing machine,” he says. “Everyone around that age sailed on that boat. We knew the programme and the training.” Sharkey was lucky enough to race on the sleek sloop when he was just beginning his boatbuilding career. After spending the 1980s working on aluminium racing yachts in Newport, Rhode Island, and managing projects at Safe Harbor, he found himself in a unique position. “Lo and behold it was a perfect fit for me when she ended up here. It meant a lot to me to be a part of her second life.” Known for its composite race boats, Safe Harbor’s owners were anxious to refit Tide. Their builders had been with Sharkey during the heyday of the America’s Cup in Newport and are now building private and commercial aluminium yachts and ships to the same exacting standards including the 94ft (28.7m) motor yacht Contraband. Unlike a wooden boat where the shape fails and parts get soft, the aluminum craftsmanship by Huisman stood the test of time. But Tide, found literally with the same winces, instrument displays and cushion covers that where aboard when Van Metre dropped her off in France in 1987, needed some love. Not one piece of Running Tide’s interior or deck gear, save for the Bob Derecktor-built, stainless-steel destroyer wheel, was kept when the interior and exterior was media-blasted to bare metal. Surprisingly, it was unnecessary to re-plate the hull. Even the delicate Huisman deck beams were salvageable, though a few were replaced. It was, however, decided to replace the original FRP-overplywood deck in the same manner, as it was still a lightweight and practical solution. 8

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Above left to right: Government number traditionally carved; ‘Destroyer’ wheel was modified to give more space in the cockpit; Riggers weren’t afraid to go all-in on lightweight hardware

The old-style boxy foredack hatches by Goiot were replaced with more modern, flush-deck Lewmar hatches. And the winch farm was reduced from 16 manual powered winches to six hydraulic, cleaning up the gently cambered, flush deck. Modern rope clutches and hyudraulic systems were streamlined by engineers and designers. The double cockpits popular in the past were cut out and replaced with single, seated opening in aluminum. “Beau was worried about the look of the upgrades,” says Sharkey. “He thinks back to how his dad would have done it and he struggled with removing the original coffee grinder Barient winch.” “It’s a new boat,” says Van Metre. “It was more of a pickup truck in those days. Now it’s something different. More of a yacht.”

DREAM TEAM David Pedrick was a hard-working young yacht designer and draftsman in the late 1960s when Running Tide’s drawings came out of S&S’s New York City offices. Designing to the end of the 12-M era of the America’s Cup and having ushered in the super yacht era, Pedrick was Van Metre’s first call for the refit. America’s Cup winner and sailmaker Mike Toppa had raced on Tide with Beau and Al and led the sail design team. Though Tide’s keel was kept as-is, the mast and rudder were redesigned. Both were on the list for improvement in the 1980s before the Van Metres sold the boat.With carbon fibre, the mast could be almost half the weight, making the boat stiffer and able to hand more sail; and the obvious decision was to go taller. But adapting Tide to new tech rigging and sails wasn’t as easy as it seems. “We had no righting moment data except for a 1984 IOR rating certificate,” says Francis Meisenbach who worked on the project at Pedrick Yacht Design. “First we needed to analyse her current setup. Was she stiffer or more tender before? She was stiff. We can add 10 percent more sail area for that.” With the progression to flatter, more stable sails with their 20 per cent better efficiency, they could add that much more sail area. The new rig is 10ft (3.1m) higher. And with the stainless rigging replaced with E6 carbon standing rigging and lighter sails, the increase in mast height and sail area was aggressive.

LAK II

Clockwise from top left: Rebuilt aluminum cockpits are far cleaner than original; Modern instruments in the same place with glitzier appointment; Carbon chart table and touch screens; Bright-finished mainsheet traveller; Complex hydraulics hidden in the spartan forepeak; Carbon, wood and leather is a new signature

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

RUNNING TIDE

“What if we’re too tender?” says Meisenbach. “The consensus was that we could add lead to the bilge.” And that’s what they ended up doing. The new, deeper, skinnier rudder was also designed in much the same way. During trials when the boat was launched in 2020, Van Metre thought there wasn’t enough grip on the water, especially when the boat would be rolling around, dead downwind offshore in the ocean. As with the mast, where it was easier to compensate with lead for too tall a rig, Meisenbach said it was easy enough to add a few more inches to the trailing edge than cut up a new rudder that was too big. “David (Pedrick) has seen this all before,” he says. “He’s excellent at the ‘what ifs.’” With exacting, bright joinery work below, nothing like her bare, wet and abused interior from the early days, Running Tide is quite a statement. Former crew and others come out of the woodwork wherever she lies to reminisce and have a peak at the famous yacht. “It’s hard to use this term but I had to be ‘brought up to speed’ on this boat’s story and its old design technology,” says the 29 year-old Meisenbach. “I see what this boat means to people. We’re bringing something back. And watching her sail, she’s really sailing fantastically. A lot of these boats are scrapped. We don’t need to do that.” There’s no doubt that Tide is unmistakably that fabulous, strong, dark machine that was the object of desire for a generation of American and international sailors. And Van Metre is thinking about the boat’s future. “I thought about a trust, or a foundation,” he says. “I don’t have an answer for that yet.” The cool thing about historic objects like Running Tide is the depth of the relationships that surround them. Toppa, Pedrick, Sharkey... they are all having a new experience with this same boat, designing, building, creating, and also watching a family have another bite at the apple. That’s rare. “He’s so much like his dad,” Toppa says of Van Metre. “In appearance and in all the discussions, his approach was so pragmatic. There was a time I stopped and said, “You sounded just like your dad there.’” 10

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

IT’S NOT ALL DAY-SAILING RUNNING TIDE DESIGNED

S&S

BUILT

Huisman 1968 LOA

60ft 5in (18.4m) LWL

43ft (13.1m)

DRAUGHT

9ft (2.7m) ORIGINAL SA

1,515sqft (140.7m2)

Van Metre agrees that he’s not “all day-sailing” with Running Tide. When the world settles down from the pandemic, there will be more Bermuda Races and Annapolis Newport Races, hopefully with his young adult children. Al Van Metre had a little black book where he painstakingly wrote down wind speed, angles and more, each day of sailing. Beau is no different. Last winter’s project was calibrating the instruments. “Best way we can find speed is by getting the numbers right,” he says. What does the boat represent now for Van Metre? “I was always worried we wouldn’t get her back to Annapolis,” he says. “It saved my life many times. I’d pat the sides and say thank you.” Ocean racing aboard Tide was a formative time for Van Metre who even weathered a hurricane during the 1972 Bermuda Race. “A lot of it was camaraderie,” Van Metre says. “There were two to three eras of crews. It brought my dad and me closer together.” Van Metre hopes the boat will do the same for him and his children.

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Tell Tales

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Images: Australian National Maritime Museum

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RHODE ISLAND

Cook’s Endeavour ‘found’ off Newport RI The Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) believe they’ve

vessels in Australia’s maritime history. Based on both archival and

found the final resting place place of Captain James Cook’s HM bark

archaeological evidence, I’m convinced it’s the Endeavour.”

Endeavour, writes John Greeves. The ship is said to be lying just 500 metres off the coast of Rhode Island in the USA, buried under nearly 250 years of silt and 14 metres

World Foundation for 22 years investigating several 18th century ships

below the surface.

in the area.

But the announcement by the ANMM provoked a dispute between those involved, with one side casting doubt on the find. Cook undertook his first voyage of discovery between 1768 -1771, as

However, project executive director DK Abbass said: “The report that the Endeavour has been identified is premature. What we see on the shipwreck site under study is consistent with what might be

a scientific mission, while secretly under orders to search for ‘the Great

expected of the Endeavour but there has been no indisputable data

South Land’ – Australia. In 1778 the ship was scuttled, along with four

found to prove the site is that iconic vessel.”

others, during the American War of Independence, to form a blockade against an approaching French fleet. Kevin Sumption, director of the ANMM, said: “I am satisfied that this is the final resting place of one of the most important and contentious

Experts from the Australian museum have worked with US partners Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project (RIMAP) and the Silent

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

She wants the conclusions to be driven by “proper scientific process” and not what she calls “Australian emotions or politics”. The findings will be published imminently to allow archaeologists around the world to weigh the evidence for themselves.

TELL TALES

Biggest ever gathering of Fife yachts The dates for the Fife Regatta have been announced, from 10 to 17

11-14 July. Fife at the Squadron so far boasts 11 boats, including Viola,

June this summer, and the event has a title sponsor in Richard Mille,

Mikado, Cintra, two Moonbeams, The Lady Anne and Mariquita.

the luxury watchmaker. Registered boats currently stand at 26, making this fifth edition the biggest Fife Regatta yet since it was started in 1998. The organisers have scotched rumours that this might be the last one. The 2022 edition will see two days’ racing from Largs, two from

Richard Mille (pictured at the helm above) is the new owner of the 1920 Fife Moonbeam (see story below). Event director Fiona Houston said. “It is fantastic that Richard Mille is supporting this event and recognises the breath-taking beauty and elegance of Wm. Fife designed yachts, it is such a compliment to all

Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, two from Portavadie on Loch Fyne and

involved. After the past two years hiatus it is wonderful that finally we

two back at Largs.

can once again celebrate these timeless classics on the Clyde once

As some of the boats head south afterwards, the Royal Yacht Squadron is putting on a three day regatta, by invitation only, from

again.” fiferegatta.com

Team Fife sets up home in Brest A group of new Fife owners is putting considerable resources into creating a classic boat hub in Brest, Brittany. The owner of Mariquita (1911), Benoit Couturier, and the owner of Moonbeam IV (1920), Richard Mille, together with the owner of Moonbeam III (1903), have moved the three boats to the port, with famous French sailor Jack Caraës as team manager (pictured top right at Mariquita's helm). The newly created Team Fife also comprises William Collier, managing director of GL Watson & Co, who has been instrumental in the boats changing hands and who is consulting on authentic refit and restoration issues, as well as putting together a detailed history of each yacht. Initially the three boats will attend the Fife regatta in June and the Fifes at the Squadron event in July. Longer term, the owners intend to restart the old Cowes-Le Havre Race for classics (separate to the Cervantes Trohy Race organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club) and organise classic yacht racing from Brest and in the Channel, including a Richard Mille Cup with the

number of top sailors in the area, on top of the sheltered nature of

possibility of a significant new trophy up for grabs.

the Bay of Brest, which means the boats should be able to race or sail

William said: “What the owners want to do is create an

most days each summer. Team Fife will have a pool of sailors and

environment for the boats to do what they were designed for – high

shore crew, who will work on all three boats and more if the fleet

level sailing and racing. There won’t be charters or deck parties – the

grows.

yachts will be made competitive again in a traditional manner and they’ll be racing in northern European waters.

Friends Benoit Couturier and Richard Mille (left and right above) are classic car collectors and these are their first classic yachts.

“The long-term aim is to create a circuit in English and French

William Collier said: “Moonbeam III a big loss for the Mediterrean

waters, to attract other classics, not just Fifes, to come and race.”

but these boats always move around and the main thing is that they

Where necessary the boats are being brought back to “la configuration d’origine”, with new sails, standing and running rigging

are well looked after. "I think the whole scene will benefit from an injection of energy and

and deck hardware befitting their eras. Brest has been chosen for its

these owners have the strong desire to sail their boats competitively,

first-class support ashore, in terms of yachting facilities and the

plus the ambition to do a lot more on top of that.” CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

TELL TALES

Attend the Classic Boat Awards We’re offering Classic Boat readers the chance to attend the Classic Boat Awards ceremony, which takes place at 6.30pm on Tuesday 12 April, at The Royal Thames Yacht Club in Knightsbridge, London.

2022 Awards

The audience comprises some of the world’s leading boatbuilders, skippers, naval architects and historians, as well as many owners and enthusiasts. Presented by group editor Rob Peake with a guest speaker, the ceremony is a chance to celebrate the finest restorations and newly built wooden boats from the past year, while at the same time we reflect on some of the exceptional personal achievements that have made the pages of Classic Boat over 2021. The ticket price is £90. Follow the link below to book and pay for your tickets. Please note that due to the venue’s limited capacity, we only have a certain number of tickets available. Meanwhile, if you’re reading this shortly after the magazine’s UK publication in early March, you may still have time to vote in the awards. Voting closes on 15 March to vote in the Classic Boat Awards, with the winners announced in our next issue. Vote at awards.classicboat.co.uk Get your tickets to the ceremony here: awards.classicboat.co.uk/ classic-boat-awards-readers-offer

Brixham Heritage Regatta Entry is open for Brixham Royal Heritage Regatta, billed as the start of the classic sailing season in England’s south west. The regatta attracts around 40 classic boats to Torbay, with classes for “all sailing boats of classic design or of age over 30 years”. The sailing is led by the 100-year-old Brixham Trawlers and generally includes a variety of working boats, luggers, cutters, trailer sailors, dinghies and bermudan and junk rigs. Boats start congregating from Friday and registration is in the afternoon on board the Brixham trawler Pilgrim on Saturday. There are sea shanty singers and a fish pie supper at Brixham Yacht Club. The sailing takes place within Torbay, offering a variety of conditions in a “reassuring environment”. Enter and find crew via brixhamheritagesailing.org.uk

Yarmouth Gaffers Regatta The OGA’s Solent Gaffers will be holding their 2022 Gaffers Regatta at Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight over the Jubilee weekend of 1-5 June. The organisers have extended the event to take advantage of the extra bank holidays and there will be additional races, social events and other activities. The event is open to gaff, sprit and lug rigged boats, new and old, whether or not their skippers are members of the OGA. Registration will open around mid-April at oga.org.uk/areas/ solent/solent_news.html

14 14

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL MARCH 2022 2022

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TELL TALES

OFFSHORE

Join Pen-Duick VI around the world Eric Tabarly’s daughter Marie is looking for crew to help her sail Pen-Duick VI around the world. Volunteer crew would join Marie in the 2023 Ocean Globe Race, a recreation of the early Whitbread Round the World races and the innaugural edition featuring some of the boats that took part in the first Whitbread, in 1973. So far 24 boats have entered the Ocean Globe Race and many are looking for amateur crews.

final selection will be made.

Marie Tabarly has been

Contact Marie at contact@

sailing Pen-Duick VI for many

elementerre.earth

years, as the flagship of her

Meanwhile 700 sailors

Elemen’Terre Project. The 73ft

have applied to crew on the

ketch, built for Eric Tabarly’s entry

Nautor Swan 65, Translated 9,

in the 1973 Whitbread, has become “a floating think tank, a place of

in the Ocean Globe Race. The boat took part in the 1977 Whitbread,

exchange and meeting, to reflect on social issues and environmental

known then as ADC Accutrac, skippered by Clare Francis.

protection”. Marie said: “The decision to take part in a crewed round-the-world race, is not one to be taken lightly, but it is a beautiful tribute to Pen Duick VI and her jubilee. “With this in mind, I am inviting sailors to apply to be crew on

The Ocean Globe Race is billed as an amateur race, but up to 30% of each crew can be professionals. Meanwhile Tapio Lehtinen, who sailed in the 1981 Whitbread and the 2018 Golden Globe Race, has selected a young Finnish crew – average age 24 – for his Nautor Swan 55, Galiana, in the OGR. He said:

board, as this is a lifetime opportunity I wanted to share, and a way to

“I was fortunate enough, as a 23-year-old, to embark on a life-

meet new people on this adventure.”

changing adventure as a watch leader on board Skopbank of Finland

2022 crew training will include a busy programme of racing, including the Round Britain and Ireland Race this summer, after which

in 1981. I want to offer the same opportunity to young and spirited sailors from my country.”

Uffa Fox celebration gathers pace Twelve organisations in Cowes and East Cowes have joined forces

dinghies, keelboats and yachts. So far over 100 boat owners have

to plan Uffa Fox 50, a celebration of the designer and sailor’s life

expressed interest in the event including Firefly, National 12,

and to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. The focal point of

International 14, Redwing, Albacore, National 18, Jollyboat, Flying

the event, from 18–21 August, will be Cowes Parade where there

Fifteen, Fox 18 and 24 and Atalanta. There will be more than 100

will be a display of around 50 dinghies designed by Uffa Fox, a

boats on display, plenty of kit for racing and cruising sailors, as

number of which go back to the 1920s, with some going out

well as a wealth of talks on the main stage.

racing in the regatta on the Friday and Saturday. Also at the Parade, visitors will be directed to the Uffa Fox trail around Cowes and East Cowes, where examples of Uffa’s history and heritage can be seen at a number of exhibitions.

aspects of sailing. The event organisers said: "Today Uffa Fox is a name that

The trail begins at Uffa’s place of residence at Commodore's

comes to mind when one thinks of Cowes and its yachting history;

House, with an exclusive exhibition of his life where families and

a legend, an innovator, and a creative person full of character who

children will be able to enjoy fun interative activities. The journey

people remember and love."

continues with trail stops at the Sir Max Aitken Museum, Cowes

uf50.org

Heritage, Cowes Library, the Classic Boat Museum (a National 12 from 1935 is pictured at the museum, right) and Shepards Marina, where 60 or more Uffa-designed yachts and keelboats will be berthed. Organisers also hope to have on display Coweslip, the Flying Fifteen K192 gifted by Uffa to Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II. A memorial service is being planned on the morning of Sunday 21 August at Uffa’s grave in St Mildred’s Church, Whippingham. The Royal London Yacht Club will be running a sailing regatta on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 August, for Uffa Fox-designed

Uffa Fox lived from 1898 to 1972, one of the most highly regarded naval architects of his day and a great enthusiast for all

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

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TELL TALES

Classics at BoatLife Live There were more wooden boats on display than GRP yachts at BoatLife Live, a new boat show at the NEC in Birmingham, which took place in February. Attracting many admiring onlookers, among the performance sailors at the show as well as the lovers of wooden boatbuilding, was the planing lug-rigger that we featured in our January 2022 issue. Windsong (right) was being exhibited by Max Owles, who built her to the design of husband John, of Summer Boat Design. Also on the stand was Ash Faire-Ring (below), who is midway through his restoration the sailing barge Growler. Centre stage at the event was the Morgan Giles design, Falanda, that was sailed solo by 14-year-old Katie McCabe around Britain last year (below left). Katie was speaking on the show's stage about her voyage. The Hon Lady McAlpine was at the show (below right) promoting the Thames Traditional Boat Festival in July, one of the world’s great wooden boat festivals. Among a magnificent collection of river craft on show was a replica of a Rob Roy canoe, displayed by owner Graham MacKereth, and an 1895 Thames gig (in the foreground above), displayed by owner Graham Hubbard. Meanwhile The Motorboat Gallery was exhibiting a fascinating array of nautical memorabilia, ranging from photos of classic yachts, to bronze cleats, to ancient club burgees and more!

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

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Q&A LUCY GRAY, GENERAL MANAGER, CRUISING ASSOCIATION

Centenary bash for XODs as Royal Lymington marks 100 years

So what’s exciting about the new Cruising Association app? CAptain’s Mate is a trusted app packed with reliable first-hand information from our members. The app features 6,500+ locations in 70+ countries around the world and innovative features enhance users’ discovery of locations, with 20,000+ member contributions giving the expertise and insights that boaters need.

The Royal Lymington Yacht Club on England's south coast is celebrating its centenary in 2022 and its flagship XOD regatta, from 4-8 June, will be "bigger and more exciting than ever before, with great entertainment planned for the evenings". Racing will take place out on the Solent and will be "competitive yet friendly, lighthearted and fun, with many skippers and crews enjoying drinks and socialising together in the RLymYC bar afterwards". Enter at rlymyc.org.uk/xodweek If you fancy racing as crew in the event or in the Royal Lymington Yacht Club’s Spring Series in April, the club has a crew match and open day, taking place at

What sets this apart from other cruising apps and websites? The USP of CAptain’s Mate which makes it stand out is that it is trusted by the cruising community. The app has been developed by members for members to share knowledge on harbours, anchorages, marinas, ports, etc and reflects factual ‘know-how’ to boost the cruising experience of others. Importantly it is free from any commercial influence.

the club on Saturday 26 March from 10am to 12pm. Find out more at rlymyc.org.uk/CrewMatch2022 It was in the spring and summer of 1914 that the idea for the club initially grew, as weekly Lymington river races were held between Prams, a term used to describe yacht tenders that could be rowed or sailed. But before

What is the cost? CAptain’s Mate app is one of many member benefits. Full annual membership starts at £143.50. Under 25 members pay £26.50.

the first proposed club meeting could be held, war broke out. Major Cyril Potter reignited the idea in 1922 and he became the first commodore of the Lymington River Sailing Club. By 1928, membership had grown to 384. The Royal Warrant was granted in 1938 by King George VI, after which one club member recalls: "The black-ball technique was ruthlessly employed to

Does this mean the Cruising Association sees Pilot Guides as a thing of the past? CAptain’s Mate is complimentary, providing practical information on locations, whilst Pilot Guides provide nav data to ensure safe passage.

preserve the high social standing of the club which had but recently been granted the use of the prefix ‘Royal’. Anyone connected with the word ‘Trade’ was bound to be excluded from membership. "The committee of those days also established themselves as arbiters of candidates’ private morals. A friend of mine whose marriage had been dissolved was himself held to be the ‘guilty party’, though otherwise a completely blameless and talented citizen, was positively bombarded with volleys of black balls." A recent letter from HRH The Princess Royal to the club reads: "The Royal Lymington Yacht Club is one of the most active 'Royal' clubs founded in the hopeful days after the First World War. Since then the club has gone from strength to strength, promoting racing, cruising and social events, as more members joined. As

What are the benefits of being a Cruising Association member? The CA is a centre of excellence for the support of cruising activities. Knowledge and expertise is at our heart and our mission is to share that with our members, whether sail or motor cruising inland, coastal or offshore. Our website provides a definitive resource of cruising information, cruising guides and publications, expertise on rules and regulations, online forums, quarterly magazine, news, events programme, CAptain’s Mate and much more.

Patron of the club, I am always impressed to see the three burgees epitomising the stages of the club's progression, from a small river sailing club, to what it is today."

20 20

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Is the CA a rival to the RYA? The CA and RYA are complimentary in many ways. The CA is dedicated solely

to providing expertise and services to the cruising community, and our remit extends to representing the interests of our members abroad as well as UK based. CA members share the unifying interest of cruising and our goal is to provide unparalleled support through our vast cruising know-how. What work does the Cruising Association do in lobbying UK Government over marine issues? Our Regulations and Technical Services group (RATS) advocates for the cruising community and provides guidance on regulatory issues. What influence does the CA have with non-UK governments? We do have direct contact with non-UK Governments, but tend to support our members and contacts on the ground in different countries to engage directly with their national legislative organisations. How are lobster pots in Scottish waters being marked more clearly now? The key point of Scottish legislation was to specifically ban the use of rubbish, such as old canisters, to mark lobster pot ‘ends’. The ‘ends’ of static fishing gear now has to be marked with something fit for purpose, such as a proper buoy. This simple change makes all the difference as a buoy can be seen, even in a seaway. Can the Cruising Association help me if I run into trouble while cruising abroad? Yes, absolutely. We have a network of local representatives in 200+ locations in 60 countries. They can, for example, help source emergency repairs, find moorings, securing visas, translations and more. theca.org.uk

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THE BIG SECRET

As a surprise present to his wife, the Mauricdesigned Lak II was a lot more fun than diamonds WORDS NIGEL SHARP

LAK II

his is the story of a boat that has – twice in her life, at the very beginning and very recently – been a big secret, although the circumstances could hardly have been more contrasting. She was designed by André Mauric and built by Louis Grossi in Marseille in 1939. No one knows, so it would seem, what the boat’s original name was but her first owner was a Portuguese nobleman called Manuel de Carvalho de Ávila, the third Count of Ávila. It is thought that the boat was sailed for the very first time – with the owner, his wife and Mauric on board – on 3 September 1939, and that when they returned to the builder’s yard afterwards, they heard that France and Britain had declared war on Germany earlier that day. It was soon afterwards that the boat was kept a secret for the first time although the story varies as to the extent of this. One version is that her ballast keel was removed and hidden under a pile of coal for the remainder of the war, but it could be that it was the whole boat that was hidden in such a way and that her black hull helped the deception. Either way she survived the war. Soon afterwards she fell into the hands of her second owner and it was almost certainly then that she acquired the name that she still has today: Lak II. Pierre Fieux was a design engineer who worked for a French engine manufacturer and he had previously owned another Grossi-built boat called Lak that he had designed himself. A few years later Lak II was sold to Maurice Pommé and then, in 1957, to Baron Marcel Bich who was beginning to make a great deal of money by manufacturing ballpoint pens. Bich would go on to lead and finance four French challenges for the America’s Cup between 1970 and 1980 (with André Mauric playing a leading role in the designs) and it may be that it was Lak II that fired his initial passionate interest in this. Soon after the American 12-M Constellation defeated the British challenger Sovereign 4-0 in the 1964 America’s Cup, Bich bought Sovereign and gave Lak II to his brotherin-law and business partner Roger La Forest. Two more 12-Metres were then acquired: Constellation by Bich and Sovereign’s sistership Kurrewa V by La Forest. The ownership of these boats by La Forest and Bich was very much the beginning of the latter’s quest for the America’s Cup with Lak II playing an important role as a crew training boat, based in Hyeres. Bich’s boats

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Above: Morty and Louise on board Lak II in Cowes

never got progressed beyond the America’s Cup challenger trials but Lak II remained in the La Forest family, with Roger’s son Guy taking her over in 1993. In his hands she began to take part in various Mediterranean classic boat regattas but eventually it became apparent that she needed a lot of work. In 2005 Guy decided to take her to Classic Works at La Ciotat for a major refit. “Guy was of two minds, whether to abandon the boat or to have her restored,” said Butch Dalrymple-Smith, a partner at Classic Works who project-managed the work, “and luckily he chose restoration. She was well overdue for it.” At some point in the past, Lak II had received two very significant modifications. One was a new coachroof which was higher and wider than the original, and left “impossibly narrow side decks” according to Butch; and the other was that all of the original interior joinery had been replaced with poor quality plywood and chipboard. So the interior was stripped out and almost entirely disposed of, the coachroof top was removed and the teak deck and plywood subdeck was removed. This allowed access for hull repairs, which mainly consisted of the replacement of about 50 per cent of the Acacia steam-bent timbers (like for like) and repairs to most of the others. A few of the 1in (25mm) thick planks were replaced in iroko and, as so many timbers had previously broken, Classic Works decided to add a Douglas fir bilge stringer to strengthen the hull. A new plywood sub-deck was fitted with a laid, swept teak deck and varnished mahogany king plank, covering boards and margins on top. A new coachroof, to Mauric’s original design and with solid mahogany coamings, was also fitted. In terms of the interior, only the bulkhead positions were retained and all of the rest was built completely new, along with new electrics and plumbing. The wheel steering was removed and the originallydesigned tiller steering was restored. With the work complete in 2007, Lak II was relaunched in significantly better condition that she had been two years earlier. “Whenever there was a choice about what option to take in the restoration,” said Butch, “Guy invariably took the better, more expensive option.” Guy continued to race her, often with Butch in the crew. In August 2007, they won the Tropheo Conde de Barcelona in Palma, a six-race regatta with about 160 entries. “All my embarrassment about the cost of the restoration went away when I saw Guy’s face and the pride with which he accepted the prize from the King of Spain,” said Butch. “I knew that at that moment he considered it all worthwhile.” That was Guy’s biggest win in Lak II, but they also had “respectable results” in Saint-Tropez, Marseille, Barcelona and Menorca. In 2013 Lak II was sold at an auction to a new owner who kept her in the same parts of the Med where she had always been: Toulon, Marseille and Hyeres. In 2019 the mast was carried away. While waiting for a new one, the frustrated owner decided to put her on the market and buy a bigger classic boat. In 2012, Peter (aka Morty) and Louise Morton acquired Anteren, an André Mauric-designed 10-M cruiser/racer built in Marseille in 1963. She was in “a hell of a mess” according to Morty and so she spent

Clockwise from above: The new interior, fitted by Classic Works; The hull being restored by Classic Works; Racing in the BCYC Regatta last July

LAK II

several years being worked on by Fairlie Restorations and some other independent boatbuilders. However, they soon found that she wasn’t big enough for comfortable long-distance cruising, and at the same time she needed too many crew to go racing. “Then I met someone who particularly wanted to buy her,” Morty told me, “so we sold her to him. But we had both very much enjoyed the classic regatta scene and I think Mauric boats are sweet, really nice looking, so I asked Barney Sandeman to find another boat for us.” This resulted in Morty buying Lak II, but he decided that she would be a surprise present for Louise. First of all the boat was brought back to the UK on a truck, launched on the Hamble and towed over to Cowes. The secret might have been out at this early stage when Louise received a text from the photographer John Green who knew that the Mortons had previously owned Anteren. “I’m just looking at a lovely Andre Mauric boat crossing the Solent with her mast on her deck,” John texted. “Is that yours?” “I hope not,” replied Louise. With the boat in East Cowes, the engine was lifted out, the mast taken off the deck and a lot of gear was stripped off the boat before she was towed back to Hamble. The mahogany brightwork had fallen into a poor state in the Mediterranean sun and so Kustom Coatings stripped it back to bare wood and built up new coats, and also repainted the hull. It was at this point that some of the problems highlighted in the survey were found to be not as serious as first thought. The hull had been painted black – “not a great idea for a classic boat in the Med,” said Morty – and a lot of the issues were just cracks in the filler and paint. She was now repainted white and taken back to Cowes to be commissioned. Morty had decided that, as part of the surprise, he would enter Lak II in the British Classic Yacht Club (BCYC) regatta in July, in Louise’s name. As casually as he could, he asked her to keep that week free and she replied, even more casually, “whatever” or words to that effect, and mentioned that she was having her hair done on one day. His plan was, that on the morning of the first race, he would suggest to Louise that they take a stroll from their West Cowes home to Cowes Yacht Haven where all the competing boats would be moored “just to have a look around”. Once they had inspected the other boats for a bit, he would introduce her to her new boat on which the race crew 26

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Above left to right: The Muir anchor winch; Tiller steering was reinstated by Classic Works; The stemhead fitting

LAK II LOA

45ft 11in (14m) LWL

34ft 3in (10.45m) BEAM

10ft 4in (3.14m) DRAFT

7ft 9ins (2.35m) DISP

13.2 tonnes

– all sworn to secrecy and already in new crew clothing – would be waiting. He was confident he had ensured that all the right people in the BCYC were in on the secret but one crucial person had been omitted, resulting in an email being sent to Louise a few days before the regatta began. “Dear Louise,” it said, “thank you for your application for Lak II.” When Morty got home that evening, Louise asked him: “have you got something to tell me?” Although the secret was out, among the unintended consequences was one very practical benefit: Louise could at least go for an invaluable practice sail the day before the first race. She is an accomplished helmswoman having grown up sailing dinghies in West Mersea, and has also owned and helmed a Marieholm IF Boat (a wedding present from Morty) a Squib and four quarter tonners, but she realised that it would have been more challenging for her first helming experience on Lak II to be a race. As it turned out, Louise and Lak II produced highly respectable results in the BCYC regatta. Counting two firsts, two seconds and a third in Class 2, they finished second overall, just one point behind the 8-M Helen. “I’m actually really thrilled,” Louise said afterwards. “I have got quite a big grin on my face. The boat is perfect.” She is pleased that Lak II is easier to handle than Anteren, being that much smaller and needing about four fewer crew members, and having more manageable fractional (rather than masthead) spinnakers and headsails. And as secretary of the J-Class Association, Louise is particularly pleased with the resemblance of her new boat. “Morty thought that Mauric had loosely based her on the J Class and if you look at her she is almost a one-third model of a J,” she said. “Such beautiful lines.” Louise has no intention of returning Lak II to the Med – “lockdown has made us realise there are so many lovely things you can do in this country” – but she intends to partake in some of the UK’s classic regattas. Morty’s surprise might not have been as much of a shock as it would have been with other couples. “I am always the last to know when Morty buys a boat,” Louise told me. “But everyone else gets to know. Whenever I sit with the boys at crew dinners I say ‘I am sure there are other boats that I don’t know about’ and they all sort of smirk into their glasses of wine.” “I think I got away with it,” added Morty. “And it is a bit more fun than diamonds.”

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1952. Designed & built in steel by Koser & Meyer in Germany. She is a very nice ketch with a special character. She is ideal for long cruising period while easy to manage even with just one crew. She accommodates up to 6 guests in 3 cabins and up to 3 crew in 2 cabins.

1966. Refit 2010. This Eugène Cornu design has been built by the legendary Cantieri Sangermani in Italy, one of the best wooden boat shipyards in the world. She is a wonderful classic sailing yacht ideal for family cruising in absolute comfort. She has won many regattas including The Voiles de St Tropez and Conde de Barcelona. She features lovely warm interiors and is easy to sail!

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1930. Refit 2017. Built as Falcon by George Lawley & Sons (Boston, USA) and designed by famous naval architect Mike Paine. She is optimised for racing. She is set up for day cruising and racing. It was when she was purchased by the current owner in 2011, she became JOUR DE FÊTE. For six years, she campaigned very successfully in the Mediterranean regatta circuit, earning a name for herself for her immaculate level of maintenance and her outstanding beauty on the water, as well as her ability to win.

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Saleroom

By Dave Selby

BONHAMS

Sea-ductive sea bean That voluptuous inedible bean known as the “coco de mer” enthralled seafarers and mystified naturalists for centuries. In case the allure of this nature-made sculpture escapes you, the clue’s in the Greek botanical name Lodoicea Callipyge, callipyge basically meaning “nice arse”; and in the late 16th century King Rudolf II of Hungary and Croatia was so besotted, he paid 4,000 gold florins for one of the first to arrive in Europe. Early botanists and species gatherers thought the nut – which is nature’s largest seed and grows on only two islands in the Seychelles – might be a drift-seed, designed to be dispersed by the sea; yet it was later discovered that only infertile nuts floated when the mariners imagined they grew on underwater trees, while love-lorn sailors on early European voyages of exploration simply appreciated the curvaceous form. This example, which recently emerged on to the market, fetched £956.

BONHAMS

innards had decayed. Witnessing them “falling upwards” to the surface of the sea indigenous

ELDRED’S

Out for a duck Though America and Britain may be divided by a common language, some vernacular craft developed an ocean apart in the first half of the 19th century evolved along remarkably similar lines. What we call ELDRED’S

duck punts the Americans called sneakboxes, but both shared the same purpose: to blast wildfowl from the sky for pot and market. With minimal draft and the freeboard of an ice-lolly stick the stealth craft, which generally measured 10-20ft, were mounted with almighty guns sometimes with a bore exceeding two inches. When

YORKSHIRE MUSEUMS TRUST

fired from a prone position, those on the east coast of England could on occasion recoil as far inland as Chipping Norton, while those fired on the New Jersey marshes usually came to a halt in Wyoming. The English versions, which to this day present as much peril to hunters as they do to ducks, are generally grey and in its ultimate form evolved into the still active Norfolk Punt racing class. However, The American sneakbox (top) often had a canopy providing concealment and down

development of the similar American sneakboxes

wind assistance before being lowered last-minute to blast wildfowl; this model sold

largely stalled in the 1860s after many states banned

for $156. Below: English duck punt of early 1900s; many were lug-rigged half-deckers

them because of rapidly depleting wildfowl stocks.

BONHAMS

Campbell’s swansong By the time this signed photo was presented to a fan in 1960, Donald Campbell had broken the world water speed record six times in Bluebird K7, but with the benchmark raised to 260mph in 1959, the aging though much modified jet-powered hydroplane (here with its later Perspex cockpit canopy) was already operating beyond the record to 276mph in 1964, and in early 1967 peaked at 320mph before his fatal accident. This treasured memento belonging to a Lake District garage owner sold for £956.

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

BONHAMS

its design limit of 250mph. Despite that, Campbell raised

2 Southford Road, Dartmouth, South Devon TQ6 9QS Tel/Fax: (01803) 833899 – info@woodenships.co.uk – www.woodenships.co.uk

35’ Camper and Nicholson Jolina Sloop built by Clare Lallows in 1960. Major overhaul in present ownership including new rig and spars, sails, engine, keel bolts and more. Proven to be a very fast boat she has won a lot of silverware in classic and modern regattas. Easily handled by 2 crew but with space for the whole family to go cruising. Nicely maintained yacht with a January 2022 survey available. Hants £38,000

41’ Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter replica built by RB Boatbuilding, Bristol, in 2017. Traditionally built boat with all non-ferrous fastenings, pine planking on grown oak fames. 6 berths including aft double cabin and 4 singles. 6’3” headroom in the saloon. Used as a private sailing yacht since her launch, not for commercial sailing. 2021 survey available. France €220,000

33’ Miller Fifer designed and built by Millers of St Monans. One of the finest examples of a Miller Fifer to be found, owned by a professional shipwright for many years she has a meticulous annual maintenance program. Ford 95hp diesel with 4 blade prop gives 7 knots cruising speed. Well equipped and ready to go. A superb example, 2020 survey report available. Devon £36,000

33’ Miller Fifer motor sailer ketch built by Millers in 1961. Usual heavy construction giving a capable vessel with lots of internal volume. Easily handled Bermudan ketch rig with a Lister Blackstone 36hp diesel. 4 berths with separate heads and galley. Large wheelhouse for comfortable passage making. Good maintenance history over recent years, a very clean and tidy yacht. Cornwall £35,000

41’ Dickie of Bangor bermudan yawl built in 1956. Heavily constructed in larch on sawn oak frames, laid Oregon pine deck fitted in 1994. Lister Petter 40hp diesel. 6 berths including a double forward. MCA code of practice commercial licence until recently. Nicely presented and ready to go, 2018 survey available. A very attractive and well mannered yacht with a huge inventory of equipment. Devon £39,500

41’ Woodnutts Bermudan cutter designed and built by Woodnutts & Co. in 1938. In the same family ownership for over 45 years, she is professionally maintained regardless of cost. Pitch pine planking on oak timbers. Large volume interior with 6 berths and good headroom. A smart, substantial and capable yacht. Sussex £50,000

50’ Mayflower gaff ketch designed and built by Ashley Butler in 2012. Iroko on oak hull all copper and bronze fastened with a solid laid deck. 7 berths in 3 cabins with a light and spacious interior. Easily handled gaff ketch rig, nothing is too big on this boat making her a suitable family cruising yacht. Lots of deck space for entertaining. Very smart condition and in commission this season. Cornwall £250,000

14’ Yachting World Dayboat built at the Lyme Regis Boatbuilding School in 2010. Barely sailed since her launch she is in superb condition. Measured and rated so that she can be raced with the fleet, this is a competitive boat against the modern examples. Spruce planking on oak frames. McNamara Sails and alloy rig. Comes with an all over cover and road trailer/launching trolley all ready to tow away and go sailing. Hants £8,950

Another fascinating selection of traditional and classic yachts only from Wooden Ships. Call for true descriptions, genuine honest values and a service from people who know their boats.

Objects of desire WHALE ART NANCY BLACKETT

Followers of the Rolex Fastnet Race will be familiar with the stunning

Rub dry your dishes

photographs of Kurt Arrigo, who has now

on board, while fondly

released a series of whale

recalling the books

portraits after he went

that got you into

free-diving with a pod off

sailing in the first

Tonga. Kurt says: “The

place, with this

mother whale swam

“limited edition” tea

protectively alongside her

towel celebrating the

curious calf and it was with

90th anniversary of

her permission that I gently slid into the water, feeling vulnerable and exposed. On a

Nancy Blackett. Arthur

single breath I approached the playful calf who seemed keen to interact as the

Ransome’s former

mother watched closely. For 30 minutes I swam up to the surface for air, diving back

yacht is now well

down urgently, not wanting to waste a minute of this precious invitation, both myself

cared for by the

and the whales curious to download all that we could about each other. Once the

Nancy Blackett Trust

mother decided that playtime was over I watched them descend into the deep blue.”

on England’s east

Each shot is available as a fine art print in various formats.

coast.

From €158 (approx £137)

£10

shop.kurtarrigo.com

nancyblackett.org

SEBAGO MANITOU LOAFERS

BOAT TENT

Sebago probably didn’t name these handsome deck loafers after the S&S once owned by JFK, but the association does them no harm. Made of a “soft, yet thicker, resistant suede”, they feature a “leather sock lining” as well as “a fashionable vulcanized rubber outsole inspired by the historical ergonomic American high foxing boat shoe”, quite befitting a president, really. They’re part of a new summer range from Sebago. £100

sebago.co.uk

DOUBLE LILO Cast off from your anchored yacht in some gorgeous Mediterannean cove and float lazily, with your beloved by your side. This new double lilo is made by Oliver James, “creator of the world’s finest luxury upholstered pool floats”, who has been inspired by “iconic destinations such as the Hamptons and Los Angeles”. On pool on sea, the advantages are clear. £1,360, with ‘free express shipping worldwide, as well as duties and taxes included’

oliverjameslilos.com

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Given that this page seeks to feature objects of a certain style, this workmanlike tent is an unusual inclusion at best. For owners of wooden boats, however, who like to spend the less clement months of the year under a tarpaulin with varnish brush in hand, it could be just the answer. One of a new range of mobile ‘workshop units’ from Machine Mart, waterproof and easily assembled with push-fit connecting rods. The biggest, shown here, measures 40ft (12.20) LOA, 16ft (4.87m) beam and 14.5ft (4.39m) high. There is a round roof to ensure rain runs off, something even the best-attached tarpaulins never manage. £3,597 for the 40ft model

machinemart.co.uk

Superior varnishes for boat owners who want perfection

Antifouling

Visit us at

teamac.co.uk Classic Boat Half Page 2022.indd 1

Call us on

01482 320194

Keep in contact on

28/02/2022 09:43:30

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

CHARLOTTE WATTERS

Adrian Morgan

We woz robbed

Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory...

ver felt robbed? We reckon Sally woz, but it’s a while ago and forgotten; well, how could that be if I am about to remember it and, for the first time, record it in the annals of Classic Boat? Now I am not a racing man, or put it another way, I like to race whenever I can, but pretend not to care. Those who obsess about any one aspect of their lives, or pastime, be it golf, sailing or fitness, are doomed to disappointment. There is no such thing as perfection, indeed Muslims, I am told, believe only Mohammed to be perfect, which is why Arab boatbuilders leave something not quite right, so as not to offend. Whether that’s true or not, I always left some imperfections in my boats, though not from choice, or on purpose. Even winning a race often leaves a small sense of “could have done better”. That last tack to the finish; the wind shift missed. Once the prize is in the bag, doubts set in. In this case, however, there was no doubt whatsoever. Mohammed would not have approved, but the race our 80-year-old 5-tonner Sally II, Rona and I took part in that afternoon was nigh on perfect, which was why, when we sat at our table at the prize giving, cradling my pint (Rona had a large gin and tonic, I believe) we were well primed to stand and modestly walk to the podium to collect our trophy, and a handsome one it was, too. “And the winner is...” was quickly followed by incredulity. Sportsmanship dissolved like the froth on

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

“I like to race whenever I can, but pretend not to care”

my second beer; we were simply not prepared for the bit where the gallant runner-up congratulates the winner; we woz the winner, and we was robbed. I cannot claim I choked on my Doom Bar; I did let out an oath under my breath. It took a while to sink in that the silver salver now being admired on the table to our right should have been on ours. No question. Form filled in, yes; length and handicap, yes; crew, yes. Racing burgee, yes; declaration, yes. But no. We had come all the way from our mooring on the Hamble, towing our little tender, had enjoyed a week of classic cruising, had stopped off to attend a local regatta. And here we were, with our drinks turning sour. I had to find a reason. First over the line, our closest rival on handicap well astern. How? Why? “Ah, we seen you crossin’ the line alright. But you was towin’ a dinghy, so we thought you was jus’ cruisin.’” “Not surprised,” said a friend quite unfairly, “They never let ‘foreign’ yachts win, but that’s a new one on me!” It only happened once again, and it was in the first dinghy I built when I set up Viking Boats in a former cow shed near Ullapool, an 18ft (5.5m) Norwegian design, based on a racing centreboarder designed by an expat in America in the 1930s. This time, beer in hand, crew eager to claim their due, we awaited the foregone conclusion of a race in which we had all but lapped the fleet. Felicity John (for that was her name, a clinker double ender with a tall bermudan rig and weighty centreboard) had flown around the course in a brisk breeze that had led to several retirements. Our only rival this time, a very different craft, in the hands of a very skilled friend, was hanging in there, albeit the best part of a lap behind. Different venue, different reason. And the same reaction. How come? This time it was simple: the race committee thought we had only completed one round. We did our best to pretend we didn’t really care a fig for the trophy that by right was ours, finished our drinks and strode out. The postscript you can probably guess. As we passed the committee boat at the end of the next race in the series, I called out: “Towing a dinghy, but racing!” And the other regatta? “Two rounds completed!” Sally has the trophies still, but they are not as nice as the ones that got away. Does it matter? Only a race indeed! Believe that if you may!

ARTISAN BOATWORKS CUSTOM YACHT BUILDERS

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

KOS EVANS

Everyday miracles

Kos Evans has forged a successful career since her famous masthead shots of the early 80s. These days, she is driven by the desire to find magic in the mundane WORDS NOEL EMILIA GAZZANO

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

PHOTO C/O KOS

ver since she was a child, photographer Kos Evans has Kos stretches material reality to allow magic to emerge, but created images that show the extraordinary dimensions sometimes magic seems to bounce out of nowhere. She documented lying beneath ordinary objects and occurrences. With the restoration of Bluebird, the 1938 motor yacht built by Goole the camera her grandmother gave her, during family Shipyard for Sir Malcolm Campbell for a treasure hunt in the holidays she didn’t photograph people or beaches, but silhouetted Pacific Cocos Islands, famously requisitioned in 1940 for the sewage pipes, strange perspectives, shapes and textures. She has Dunkirk evacuation. “People said there was a ghost on board. One always been fascinated by the possibility of showing the day I was working out how to light a dark cabin to show the riveting interesting aspects of plain, common things. and metal work. All of a sudden I saw a white ball move across the Even today, her work is about sharing – and perhaps enabling room, like a lit piece of dust but the size of a tennis ball. It was – a poetic gaze on reality: “Take the boat restoration process: spooky: only the slightest light filtered into the room, not enough to everyone has seen one. I have shot many, the latest being Baruna, do that! I told a Swedish engineer on board, and to my surprise he a 1938 bermudan yawl designed by Olin J Stephens. Every time, showed me pictures of a light ball moving across the same cabin!” the challenge is to find an original way to describe it, creating a Scary experiences are opportunities for poetic narration through story that conveys the overwhelming work involved. When you images, like the time Kos was suddenly trapped in the darkness of see a finished project you think: that’s lovely; wonderful varnish. Nahlin’s hull, odd creaking sounds all around, with no idea of the The challenge is to go under the skin of a boat even when it’s a boat plan or how to get out. Nahlin is an impressive 296ft (90.2m) complete wreck, and to transform it into something beautiful steam yacht designed by GL Watson, built in the UK by John Brown with an image”. Kos’s research entails the willingness to stay & Co and launched in 1930. In 1936 King Edward VIII chartered within a specific reality allowing it to happen, absorbing every it to propose to Mrs Simpson. “When I went on board she was in detail, down to the history that cannot be seen but exudes from Liverpool, about to have her whole interior stripped out. It is the objects: “I want to show the sadness of a boat that hasn’t been spookiest boat I have ever been on! Enormous. Entirely rusted restored yet, but also the beauty of that sadness, the stories that inside. Massive steam engines, two boilers the size of houses. We every inch of wood can recount, the love that used to be there were in the bowels of this huge, creaking thing, when the power – and somehow is still present. And I make an art piece out of it”. suddenly went off. It was the end of the day, so we were in complete Kos’s gaze stems from the capability of challenging the basis darkness. We had only been there for a few hours, so we had no of observation: “Sometimes, when idea of how to get out. We finally turned shooting photos of horses, I look at on our torches, but it took us some time them as if they were sailboats: the to find our way through the labyrinth.” “You never think of volume, details, movement. My work is Fear and wonder go hand in hand restorations projects about seeing reality in unexpected when photographing classic boat as dangerous shoots. ways, stepping out of what’s obvious”. restorations. Once cleared out, from the Throughout her career, Kos has indeed top of the deck down to the keel Nahlin It’s bloody dangerous, stepped free from conceptual and measures about 90ft (27m): “I climbed but so beautiful!” physical limits. Her iconic masthead on the metal framework and looked photos originated from such a feat: down into the boat, trying to get different Kos Evans “Around 1980 to earn extra money I angles to show the size of the project. gave out pamphlets for one of the The deck wasn’t a deck anymore, just powerboat stands at the London Boat Show. Weirdly enough, scaffolding planks everywhere. One wrong step and I would have given my recent work with Bluebird 1938, the company was fallen 90ft. You never think of a restoration project as a dangerous Blue Bird Marine: owned by the Campbell family, it sold shoot. It’s bloody dangerous, but so beautiful!” Castoldi jet engines for boats. We had a bet with the Yamaha Shooting from mastheads, climbing on boat skeletons during stand as to who would go up the 100ft (30m) mast of a tall ship. restoration projects and performing balancing acts for the most I volunteered. One morning we all crept in before the show challenging regattas, Kos’s work transforms fear into wonder, the opened. I climbed up the mast: it was difficult because I’m petite same wonder we feel looking at her pictures: the vertigo of masthead and I wasn’t wearing a harness.” Rather than being scared, she perspectives, the hopeful sadness of broken wood about to be turned her back to the mast, looked down and experienced restored, the childlike curiosity of peeking through planks into the overwhelming beauty. She quickly went back up with her camera. mysteries of the classic boat microcosm. “Baruna belonged to two Kos’s masthead photos were immediately noticed by the press. owners for 40 years, after which her decline began. She was even At the beginning, her fame might have stemmed from the fact sunken at a certain point. The woodwork was completely decayed, that she achieved such a feat in a man’s world. Nonetheless, as but we could still feel the love that had been there before. When she points out, gender should never be a factor: the quality of they were stripping her back,we saw a little black petrified crab in work must speak for itself and the originality of these masthead the bow and wondered how many years it had been there. A gem!” photos came from the intuition of shooting with long lenses. Kos laughs, evoking another emotional dimension of her work: “It’s funny: people today wonder why I didn’t just send a the intimate yet powerful imagination we have all experienced as remote camera or drone up there. Back then there wasn’t such a children, the ability to see the magical side of reality, beyond the thing. Moreover, drones shoot with wide angles and you cannot materialism and practicality that so often characterise adult life. use a 300mm lens on a remote camera. I chose long lenses to get And isn’t this, after all, one of the reasons we sail, and do so on detail shots from a completely new angle. The pictures were so classic boats? Because ‘things’ still speak to us: the ancient helm, graphic, the shapes so beautiful! the creaking planks, the mast, the sea itself.

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2021

MYSTERY 14

RIFFING ON THE PERFECT ALL-ROUNDER The new Mystery 14 is born from the precision of CAD and CNC, but the end effect is a broad all-rounder WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY NIC COMPTON

t’s one of the wonders of the CAD/CNC boatbuilding revolution that small boats can be designed and built surprisingly quickly and without the need for any huge investment. Take the Mystery 14. Matt Newland at Swallow Yachts in Wales had just launched his new motor launch, the Whisper 300, and needed a tender to reach it on its mooring on the Teifi estuary. His previous tender was an unwieldy kayak which was neither beast not fowl and was hopeless in any sort of a breeze (I know, I had to paddle it!). So he sat down and drew his ideal tender/workboat, something that would act as a ferry getting people out to the big and which his kids might like to knock around in when they got a bit older. The result was the basis of the Mystery 14. Colin Evans of Evans Boatwork had spent most of lockdown building the Whisper 300 and, once that project was complete, built two Mystery 14s: one for Matt and one for himself. Now, I should make clear that Colin is a very experienced boatbuilder who trained at the IBTC back in the early 1990s and has 30 years’ experience repairing wooden boats and building dozens of small boats, both for himself and for Swallow Yachts, not to mention lecturing in composites at Pembrokeshire College in Milford Haven. Anyone who has seen the Whisper will appreciate that his standard of finish in the realm of plywood/epoxy construction is absolutely top quality – so much so that’s it’s easy to assume the boat is built of GRP rather than wood. With such an easy familiarity with the medium, Colin was able to take Matt’s drawings and, having cut the parts on Swallow Yacht’s CNC machine, assemble the boat without need of a building jig or any complicated set up. He simply made the keel and transom, set up the frames and wrapped the planks around them to achieve the desired shape. It sounds so easy, but of course only

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Opposite: The new Mystery 14 resplendent during her maiden sail on the Teifi estuary in Wales

someone with Colin’s expertise can assemble a boat with such a relaxed approach – and even then some improvisation was needed. “This boat is a complete product of CAD and CNC design,” he says. “It’s all cut on a CNC machine, including the finger joints; it’s basically a kit. Ideally, it would be good to have a building jig, especially for the bow, because there’s quite a lot going on there even though it looks quite simple. It’s not tortured ply, because it’s a developed surface, but there is a ‘fudge factor’ between the design and the practical material. There’s quite big ‘fudge factor’ in the bow of this boat.” Matt’s drawings provided the shape of the hull, but the details of the fit out were left entirely to Colin to figure out – not a big ask for someone with his level of experience. Figuring the exact shape and size of the bulwarks for a 14ft dinghy comes as second nature to an experienced boatbuilder, so there was no need to specify these details. Yet this “making it up as I went along”, as he calls it, is actually the result of all that accrued knowledge, as soon becomes clear.

ON BOARD When I sailed the boat in October 2021, it was fitted with two transverse thwarts and a foredeck – side seats were added at a later date. All were built of 4mm ply which was then backed with foam and fibreglass, vacuum-bagged to achieve a perfect bond. The result is an elegantly-shaped thwart which weighs a fraction what it would if built out of solid timber. Clever stuff, but it’s all in a day’s work for Colin. In the same spirit of simplicity, the boat’s oars are the type you see on working boats around the world, with square shafts and long, narrow blades – the very opposite of the spoon-bladed oars beloved of rowing

MYSTERY 14 clubs across the land. Yet, as well shall see, they are perfectly effective. Rather than fit a leather collar though, Colin has gone for a remarkably simple solution: a couple of wraps of fibreglass bonded with epoxy, finished off with a lick of paint. It’s a small but symbolic act of innovation (defiance even) – an attempt to find alternative ways of doing things with new materials but with a traditional aesthetic. And, while GRP might not seem as ‘eco’ as good organic leather, Colin points out that might not always be the case. “My background has always been traditional wooden boats,” he says. “But there’s new technology coming out all the time. There’s bioresin and matt made from coconut fibre. So instead of using a bit of leather, maybe it’s time to develop something else? Maybe in the future it will be bioresin and some sort of hemp matt. Maybe the whole boat could be built like that; it’s an easily-moulded shape. Or it could be built with locally-sourced timber, and you could go down that route.” With the current version of the boat, Colin’s priority was to make it as light as possible, to make it easier to launch and recover with a trailer. The bottom planks are of 6mm ply while the side planks are 4mm – all sheathed with glassfibre/ epoxy. The result is that the bare boat is just 80kg, and fully assembled – including the rig, rudder and centreboard – it comes out at under 100kg, which is a very respectable weight for a 14ft dinghy. The prototype Mystery 14 certainly looked the part as she cut through the water of the Teifi estuary, lit up by the late autumn sunshine. With her strong sheer, almost plumb bow and high-peaked lug sail with a Welsh flag fluttering at the peak, she looked bold and confident – no surprise given that Matt and his father Nick before him have been designing boats just like this for about 30 years. Close-up, the inside of the boat was clean and uncluttered – almost sparse – with that professionallooking finish born of Colin’s boatbuilding expertise combined with a very nice paint job from Swallow Yacht’s in-house painter Gregorz Baginski. It turned out this was not only my first sail on the Mystery 14 but Colin’s too, as the boat was only launched for the first time a few days before and the sail had arrived the day before. Colin had barely had time to sail the boat himself, never mind tweak the rig and make those all-important adjustments, before I tried her out. In the gentle breeze blowing that day, it was hard to get a real sense of how the boat might perform. Off the 38

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

MYSTERY 14 LOA

14ft (4.3m) BEAM

4ft 10in (1.5m) DRAUGHT

7in (0.2m) DISP

c100 kg SAIL AREA

72.6 sqft (6.8m2) PRICE

£10,000

wind, with the sheets eased, she found her pace and flew along quite happily, but her performance to windward did seem a little disappointing, especially in light airs. Colin would be the first to admit that the boat’s rig is nothing fancy: just a simple loose-footed lugsail, with a sheet on each side tied off on a bulwark cleat either side of the boat. With the sail lowered and the oars out, it was a different story. Despite the oars’ simple construction, their balance felt just right and the boat carried enough momentum to make rowing a real pleasure. (Though note that Colin was in the boat with me at the time, which suggests a solo rower might want to carry some ballast, perhaps in the form of a jerrycan of water or a large rock, as I sometimes do with my Western Skiff.) Despite the boat’s full hull shape, it felt as if she really came into her own under oars, and I could have quite happily carried on rowing her all day. Likewise, the Mystery 14 performed brilliantly well under outboard, as a beast of burden, with her spacious hull providing ample volume and her gently flared bows keeping the spray off her precious cargo. One photo on Colin’s social media page shows the boat laden with six adults, with plenty of freeboard left. Since I joined Colin on that maiden sail, he has made several changes to the boat, including fitting a pair of side benches so the crew can adjust their position (and weight) more easily. He’s made a clever floorboard that lifts out and slots between the middle and the aft thwart to make a large sleeping platform – perfect for campersailing. He’s also adjusted the position of the mainsail sheet cleat to give a better shape to the sail – and she certainly seemed to be sailing well in recent photos he posted on social media. Colin has also been experimenting with an electric outboard: the 3hp Kicker, which provided more than an hour of power at half throttle – enough for a tootle up the river, knowing you have a sail and oars to take you home if necessary. The Mystery 14 is still in development, but it certainly has the potential to be the good all-rounder that Colin wants it to be... not that he’s fixed on the boat’s current incarnation. “Because of the type of construction, the internal layout is infinitely developable,” he says. “So if someone wanted it to be motor only or something, it’s all doable. The guts of the boat is the hull, and then you go from there.” It’s a refreshingly open-minded attitude which means that owners can have a semi-customised boat to suit their needs. What the next boat will look like really is … a mystery.

STILLETO

Clockwise from top left: A solid tiller arrangement; Chromed brass rowlocks; Combined halyard and parrel; Heading out across the bar with reefed main; She rows like a dream; Stainless steel fairleads

We speak to Richard Sykes, owner of the classic 33-metre Benetti Odyssey III, to detail the painstaking restoration WORDS ROXANNE HUGHES

STUART PEARCE/YACHT SHOT

AN EPIC ODYSSEY

ODYSSEY III

uilt by Benetti in 1967, Odyssey III began life as hull number FB67 – one of the Italian shipyard’s Mediterraneo 33 series – and was first launched as Admiral Bolitho. An icon of Italian yacht building and superyacht style, Benetti reached international acclaim in the early 1960s, when it became the yacht brand of choice for the global elite. It was one of the first players in yacht building to transition from wood to steel construction, heralding the birth of the modern luxury motor yacht. Delivered at the pinnacle of this era, it was Odyssey III’s classic and timeless design that appealed to Richard Sykes, who bought the yacht in 2016 with the aim of carrying out a restoration. “I have a passion for classic cars, and I tend to admire anything that’s vintage,” he explains. “It was the aesthetic of this period of boat that appealed to us, especially the Benetti brand with the steel hull and canoe stern.” At the time of Richard’s purchase, however, the boat was unable to move under her own power, the hull and systems were badly corroded, and the propeller shafts completely seized up. Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, UK, had been responsible for a significant refit of the boat back in 2005, and the vessel was returned to them to bring Richard’s vision for Odyssey III to life. The boat, which was lying in Mallorca, had to be released by the Spanish government and towed across the Bay of Palma for installation aboard a freight carrier that would then transport her to the UK. With A2B Marine as project managers, the scope of works scheduled to be carried out was extensive, with

A2B MARINE

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Above: Pictured circa 1967, then named Admiral Bolitho

plans to transform the deck spaces into desirable al fresco living spaces, reconfigure the crew quarters, upgrade all internal systems and completely refurbish the interior. The yacht also needed to be brought back into MCA coding for chartering. First, however, the structural integrity of the yacht had to be assured and, upon further inspection, the extent of the corrosion was worse than originally thought. What ensued was an intensive and painstaking process of steelwork repairs, structural works and careful reapplication of materials to renew adhesive bonds. Of course, the level of works that unfolded could not have been foreseen and understandably came as a surprise to Richard, who reveals that the project ended up going over budget by about three times the original figure. “It certainly wasn’t a project for the faint hearted,” he reflects. “Like with any restoration project – whether it’s a car, house or boat – you have to go in with open eyes. I would have been foolish to think that I could do it with a tight budget in mind.” While Richard’s vision and dedication kept the project moving forward, Pendennis’ extensive experience with restoration projects was incredibly valuable considering the project’s unexpected obstacles, and Richard accepted the shipyard’s guidance with immense gratitude. He adds, “Pendennis did a fantastic job at educating us along the way. The advice was to replace as much as we could because it’s a false economy to do half a job. And I don’t regret doing that because, as a result, we have the aesthetics of an old boat, but the workings of a new boat – it’s the best of both worlds.”

ORIGINAL TWO-STROKE DIESELS

Below: During rebuild at Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth

A2B MARINE

One system that wasn’t completely replaced, however, was the propulsion. The engines aboard Odyssey III today are her original two-stroke engines – a model first innovated and implemented for use in tanks during World War One. Retaining this ‘beating heart’ of the boat, while the rest of her was almost completely rebuilt, was a non-negotiable point for the owners. It would have been far easier, and perhaps more costeffective, to replace the original engines with new ones, but this meticulous restoration process is testament to the careful dedication to originality that ran throughout the project.

ALL PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE: STUART PEARCE/YACHT SHOT

Clockwise from top left: Complete and afloat; Side-deck with builder’s logo; Aft deck dining; The distinctive canoe stern; The sun deck; Master suite

ODYSSEY III

A2B MARINE

SIDE-BOARDING LADDER During the process, Richard was also advised to incorporate a side boarding ladder, which ended up being one of the most significant structural changes to take place. The design replicates that of one seen aboard a classic Feadship motor yacht of similar size and style and is intended to improve access to and from the water particularly when the boat is at anchor. To install the ladder to the yacht’s port side, the shipyard team needed to cut into the side of the hull and establish the necessary hinging and operational mechanisms, a process that risked damaging the yacht’s longitudinal structure. As such, these major works required advanced engineering and the bulwark itself needed to be reinforced to protect the longitudinal load. While this was an intrusive process, which also impacted on the port guest cabin and meant that a larger scale interior refit was required, Richard now sees the ladder as one of the yacht’s greatest amenities. “The nature of these old boats, especially those featuring a canoe stern, is that they are very difficult to get on and off when at anchor and it often can be the thing that stops people buying these boats,” he says. “We decided to invest in a top of the range side boarding ladder and, while it is a luxury, it transforms the whole use of the boat for swimming and tender rides.” Stability issues can be another potential negative of older yachts, impacting on-board comfort. While Odyssey III was already equipped with stabilisers to smooth her motion under way, zero-speed stabilisers were added during the refit project to give increased stability at anchor. “They are a significant addition to the enjoyment of the boat,” Richard adds.

SPACE ON DECK One of the overall objectives of the refit was to transform Odyssey III into a successful charter yacht and, as such, creating exterior decks that optimised the available space and offered versatility of use would be key. The sun deck is a perfect example of this: the space stretches all the way from the funnel aft to the yacht’s stern. A U-shaped bank of seating was installed on the sun deck aft, and this is sheltered by an optional bimini that required a stainless-steel framework. Amidships, space has been created for 44

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

STUART PEARCE/YACHT SHOT

ODYSSEY III DES/BUILD

Benetti, 1967 LOA

108ft (33m) BEAM

20ft (6.2m) DRAUGHT

8ft (2.7m) ACCOMM

8 guests in 4 cabins; 7 crew POWER

2 x Detroit 590hp, Speed 10/14 knots, Range 3,000 miles

freestanding sun loungers – perfectly positioned to enjoy the elevated views. This space also happens to be one of Richard’s favourite features on board. He comments, “The sun deck is much bigger than most modern boats – certainly than most of the comparable Benetti yachts – because of the way it has been designed to allow for a lot of flexible areas for different uses. For a 33-metre yacht, there is a lot of external space.” Odyssey III’s interior layout largely remained the same, with small amendments made to the positioning of furniture in the saloon. Throughout the interior, however, cosmetic upgrades were made, and the upholstery was replaced to elevate the yacht’s finish to the luxurious level of tactile comfort desired. In every instance, great care was taken to remain sympathetic to the yacht’s original styling, with the works intended to restore and improve, rather than replace. After two years at Pendennis Shipyard, Odyssey III was as good as, or better than the day she was originally launched. The time, effort and financial investment given to the refit is evident – one could have even built a new boat in the same time and for less money. But, as works progressed and passions grew, Odyssey III became a labour of love for Richard and everyone else involved. These days, Odyssey III is available for charter. camperandnicholsons.com

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INGOMAR Great opportunity for the quick decision maker. This super fair built steel hull of 36.8 m is now offered at a fraction of the new hull build price at € 350.000 (ex VAT) The hull was built by Graafschip in the Netherlands, to the lines of the iconic racing yacht INGOMAR. When completed, the yacht could be ideal for charter- or private use. For more information please contact us at: T + 31 (0) 299 315 506 info@hoekbrokerage.com

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

SKETCHY IN ANTARCTICA CB illustrator Claudia Myatt sailed south, as artist in residence for Friends of Scottt Polar Research Institute WORDS AND ILLUSTRATIONS CLAUDIA MYATT Classic Boat illustrator Claudia Myatt has been back in the Southern Ocean with her sketchbooks, this time as Artist in Residence for Friends of Scott Polar Research Institute. As guest on board the Royal Navy icebreaker HMS Protector, her voyage in December 2021 took her in the wake of past explorers, from the Falklands to the whaling stations of South Georgia and Deception Islands, the remote and uninhabited South Sandwich Islands and South Orkneys then down to the Antarctic Peninsula. In her sketchbook she tried to draw not just the scenery, but a host of impressions and stories as well as life on board ship, using drawing as a way to try to understand the many ways that Antarctica and the Southern Ocean islands hold such a powerful fascination for us. 46

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

VOYAGE TO ANTARTICA

Above: Albatros and Viola at King Edward Point

Deception island Active volcano and site of an old whaling station. It’s sheltered water inside the 5km-wide caldera but the entrance is called ‘Neptune’s bellows’ with good reason!

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

VOYAGE TO ANTARTICA Left: South Geogia A place full of the ghosts of whalers and explorers – now an important and carefully protected conservation area Below: King Penguins

Signy Island One of the South Orkney Islands, site of a British Antarctic Survey station, manned in the summer months

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

VOYAGE TO ANTARTICA

Above: Penguin on iceberg

Horseshoe island Site of Station Y, a 1950s research hut still with its original contents and now a historic site

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

VOYAGE TO ANTARTICA

Left: Bird life – snow

Above: Ship’s company’s memorial

petrels, prions and

service at Shackleton’s grave. He died

cape petrels

on South Georgia 100 years ago.

Surveying Thule South Sandwich Islands. The ship was engaged in extensive surveying, mainly updating charts and in some areas surveying bays

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NEW SUTTON HOO SHIP The remains of the Anglo Saxon ship found in Suffolk in 1939 rocked the world of archaeology. Soon, it will be time to see a recreation afloat WORDS CATHERINE LARNER PHOTORAPHYANDY MILLS

ANGLO SAXON SHIP

he shadow of a vast, ancient vessel has lain in the ground above the River Deben in Suffolk for 1,400 years. Believed to be the burial place of the East Anglian king Raedwald in around 624AD, stains of timbers and rusty iron rivets were all that remained when the treasure, one of the richest finds in England, was removed and installed in the British Museum in the famous excavation of 1939. Now, historians, shipwrights and many volunteers are using the specifications meticulously gathered by those wartime archaeologists to reconstruct the Sutton Hoo Ship and gain a greater understanding of our earliest maritime history. “We knew it was a rowing boat,” says Professor Martin Carver, chair of the Sutton Hoo Ship’s Company, the charitable organisation running the project. “It had tholes that you place the oar against to row. And this boat definitely had royal pretentions – it was meticulously made and incredibly large. But assembling it shows us what works and what doesn’t – the ship is teaching us what it should look like. “The more we work on it, the more we realise what a thing of beauty it would have been. There seems to be no limit to the care and ingenuity that’s been taken in constructing this ship.” There would have been a crew of up to 40 oarsmen rowing this 90ft (27m) ship and, using the tools and materials available at the time of build, the team is in no doubt that this was an incredible construction. “The sheer size of this boat on the water, and the quality of the materials and the craftsmanship of its construction means this boat was, and will be again, a picture of excellence,” says Carver. It’s an ambitious project of considerable significance and interest to historians, archaeologists, shipwrights and enthusiasts around the world and it has been a long time reaching fruition. “I’ve sat on many committees discussing how to make a reconstruction of the ship buried at Sutton Hoo,” says archaeologist and trustee for the project, Angela Care Evans. “This time it looks like it will actually happen!” Now retired, Angela joined the British Museum as a postgraduate in 1967 and even then there was talk of creating a full-size replica ship, she says. “We made a plastercast then a fibreglass model. We even got a quote from a shipbuilder. But we didn’t know what we would do with it when it was built, so nothing came of it.” The intent this time is very much to see the ship afloat and it says something of the commitment of the team of experts and enthusiasts that they have got this far. “We don’t know what the original ship was used for before the burial,” says project manager, Jacq Barnard. “We don’t know how far it would have travelled. Would they have rowed it into battles? Would they have carried cargo? Would they have lived on it? We don’t know its capabilities but we do know it was probably on the water for about 20 years.” Every step of the process, from investigating the evidence of the first Sutton Hoo excavation to the modern technology (including radar, X-ray, 3D digital design and photogrammetry) facilitated by a team of academics in Southampton, is enabling the

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Above: Alec Newland at work, the River Deben visible in the background

team to interpret the data and recreate it as a fullsized ship. “Because we’re working with the outer shell of the ship from the archaeological dig, there is no evidence of the seating or the oars that would have been used,” says Jacq Barnard. “We have created a section of the ship from plywood to experiment with seating positions and the angles, weight and length of the oars, and how these might be secured. We make a small change and then test it. If it doesn’t work, we put it back and think again.” With each step forward in the construction, more questions are raised and decisions made. “Normally you would pay a naval architect to design a boat for you and those instructions would be handed over to a shipwright who would build it,” says Joe Startin, a trustee of the project. “But an archaeological reconstruction isn’t quite the same thing. There is a lot of information to extract and different interpretations to take on board.” Based across the river from Sutton Hoo, on the Woodbridge waterfront, the Ship’s Company is working in a community space called The Longshed which was given to the town through a redevelopment of the derelict Whisstocks boatyard site. While their schedule was interrupted by the pandemic, of course, they hope to launch the boat in the spring tides of 2024, almost 10 years since the developmental work began. “The biggest surprise, I think,” says shipwright, Tim Kirk, “is how accurate and how skilled the Saxons were – and this ship was built using axes.” The vast trunk of a tree that forms the keel of the ship was placed in The Longshed last summer, and the team has been steadily cleaving this 150-year-old green oak, and the stem and sternposts, with axes, into the required shape and size. With this now in place, molds have been fixed to guide the positioning of the planking. These timbers will all be individually sourced, and crafted using Anglo-Saxon techniques and tools. “As a modern boatbuilder,” Tim says, “when I want a piece of wood, I go to the timber yard, but for this ship I’ve got to go to the forest and find a tree. We spent 18 months searching for the right tree for the keel.” And it takes patience, dedication and care to bring the timber into the form required.

Clockwise from top: The replica in frame; Alec Newland doing fine axe work; axe work; Jo Wood carving with an axe; a fifth-size replica of the ship; Tim Kirk and Jacq Barnard

ANGLO SAXON SHIP

“Working with an axe doesn’t really involve muscle strength, it’s a lot more about concentration,” says Alec Newland, a nature conservation graduate who is working full-time on the project. “You’re not hacking away with an axe and getting sweaty – it’s fine work, taking off small pieces at a time and coming down to very accurate lines.” Alec is affectionately known to the team as an Anglo-Saxon in their midst because he has embraced everything about the period – using tools based on those which have survived from that time, wearing clothing in the style and fabric and even living under canvas at one point. “It’s hard to switch off,” he says. “I do find myself dreaming about the keel! I could easily get obsessed with this project because I’m so passionate about it. I have such a respect for the skill and craftsmanship of the Anglo-Saxons.” Many of the volunteers involved in the shipbuilding are retired professionals and some, like David Turner (the oldest member of the team at 89), can bring their own insight and experience to the project. “I made a modification to the clamps we were making,” he says. “As an engineer, I could see the force that was being applied was wrong. But it amuses me sometimes, the detail we’re working to.” There are some 60 people currently engaged in the project, and more will be needed as work progresses. In addition to building the ship, volunteers are fulfilling other tasks such as research, documenting, photography, marketing, fundraising, and rowing

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Above left to right: Sae Wylfing; Laurie Walker inspects the ship in frame Below left to right: Assessing the fifth-size replica; A GCI image of the Sutton Hoo ship

trials too. At present the team has the benefit of a half-size replica boat called Sae Wylfing, for waterbased tests but Jacq Barnard hopes the local Coastal Rowing Clubs will feed into her Saxon rowing squad. It will need around 120 rowers to undertake the extensive water-based trials when the Sutton Hoo Ship is seaworthy. “As soon as we launch the ship we will have lots of scenarios to test,” she says. “We don’t know how they would get into the boat, with 40 enormous oars, or if they would sit or stand to row. How would they hear their instructions to row and how would the helmsman see to steer the boat? “We need to get to a point where we’re confident enough to take it into trickier waters, and possibly out to sea. And the final stage will be establishing whether it could be put to sail. These trials will take several years.” “There’s a real buzz,” says Joe Startin. “We cannot wait to watch this magnificent vessel slide down the slipway into the river. Rowing this ship will be really, really thrilling.”

To learn more about the project or to help fund it, visit saxonship.org. You can support the project by sponsoring a rivet to help with the fundraising and be an ongoing part of the ship’s legacy. All rivets are numbered and the owners given details on their location on the ship.

Bristol 6.0

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For Sale

Call: +39 392 955 0983 or Scan here for more information! CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

VARNISH

HOW TO VARNISH A timely precis of two recent articles: what varnish to get and how to put it on. WORDS COLIN HENWOOD. VARNISH GUIDE OVERLEAF BY NIGEL SHARP

DUST CONTROL

Golden rule number one: never to dip you brush into that can. NEVER. The material in that can leaves the manufacturers completely clean, so let’s keep it that way. You always decant the varnish into a clean graduated mixing pot. With a known quantity of varnish you can accurately add the correct amount of thinner using a small graduated measuring pot. On the side of the manufacturer’s can it will probably tell you the thinning ratios. Always use the manufacturer’s thinner rather than ordinary white spirit which slows the drying time. If your workshop is stone cold, say below 10 degrees C, then you can add an accelerator, such as Epifanes TDA, and this needs to be very carefully measured.

cherish for years. The roller sleeve can be a cheap foam variety or a smaller diameter mohair sleeve such as an Anza Elite that does not shed fine hairs. The foam brush has a chisel point that leaves a track as you lightly stroke it through the varnish bursting the bubbles and removing the dimpled surface left by the roller. The plastic roller tray attracts dust electrostatically, so always line it with kitchen tin foil. Apart from the tray itself, the roller sleeve, the foam brush and the tin foil are single use and thrown away, so you may take a view on this practice. The second golden rule, for long-term brush care, is never leave it with the tip resting on the bottom of a pot of dirty thinners. Drill a hole through the handle of the brush so it can be hung in a pot with the bristle tip off the bottom by about ½ inch (12mm) and pour in about 1 inch (25mm) of white spirit (see photo). Spin out the brush in a bin and it’s clean and ready to go. Once you have finished varnishing, pour any leftover varnish into a another pot (never back into your precious stock of clean varnish!), clean out the brush in the graduated mixing pot with white spirit, cleaning both at the same time, then spin out the brush and hang it back in the storage pot. Place the cleaned graduated mixing pot upside down on a polyethene covered surface for use another day.

THE TOOLS

HOW TO APPLY THE VARNISH

There are two application methods that suit this type of varnish. Firstly, a 4in (10cm) roller with a foam brush for tipping off is ideal for large areas. Secondly, a brush, not a throwaway item but something you keep and

The key to success is a very logical approach, a brushing or rolling pattern that spreads the material evenly over the whole area and finishes with a fine tipping off in one direction. The usual starting point is well in from and

Ideally, prepare the work in one place, clean it thoroughly, then move it into another (clean) place to apply the varnish. If the piece of work is a whole boat, then clean the boat and its surroundings in situ. Towards the end of the job, a simple polyethene tent over the boat keeps airborne dust at bay. You need a good workshop vacuum with a small brush head to remove most of the dust then a tack cloth to really deal with the fine deposits before applying any coating.

THE VARNISH

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

edge and take the varnish out to the edges. On anything other than a flat surface, avoid putting a loaded brush or roller into a corner where a dollop will squeeze out and run, or, brushing onto an edge or over a hole will also squeeze out varnish that will not be able to resist gravity. Before moving onto the next area or piece, check back for any runs, curtains, missed areas, and the odd drowning bluebottle; if you are quick, these can be dealt with before the varnish shows the first signs of curing.

PREPARATION BETWEEN COATS This is the part of the job where some loose heart, but it is not that bad if you know a simple technique that is quick and efficient. The first thing to understand is that these varnishes (and paints) need a mechanical key, they do not stick well to a shiny surface and the classic “peeling paint” image is because of poor preparation between coats. The prep must also remove any dust pimples and any other lumps. Between the build-up coats the technique is to lightly “de-nib” the surface with P240 or P320 grade paper, this can be in your hand or on a cork block and it is very quick but you must be thorough. The surface will still have more shiny bits than dull/ scratched bits, so, using a soft abrasive pad such as maroon 3M ScotchBrite or Norton Beartex, dull off the whole area. The target is to do just enough work and not too much, you are trying to build-up the varnish layers not remove them. Be wary of using a machine at this stage as it is very easy to take too much off. The spongy ScotchBrite is very useful in the inside of a clinker dinghy where it will efficiently abrade around the roves and ribs.

PREPARATION FOR THE FINAL COATS The most common question is “how many coats?” Well it depends. The idea is for the build-up coats to fill the grain of the timber and arrive at a well covered and deep gloss surface. If the surface in question is horizontal, then about six coats will suffice. On a more vertical surface it will be more like eight coats. At this point, to achieve that mirrored gloss finish the surface will need a more

rigorous preparation. If you are lucky enough to own a finishing sander that links to a vacuum then this tool is ideal for larger areas, otherwise use a cork block and sand dry or a rubber block for sanding with water, the abrasive grade to use is P400. You are aiming for a “flat” smooth surface completely abraded. The real danger is that you inadvertently rub through back to the wood which is, obviously, a retrograde step. With wet sanding it is especially easy to rub through as you cannot see what you are doing through all the water clogged with deposit, so, the trick is to have a squeegee to hand and regularly scrape off the water to see how you are doing. With everything perfectly prepared carry out a very thorough clean up with the vacuum followed by the tack cloth. I always apply two “final” coats as the first flat-down removes a significant thickness from the build-up coats, the second preparation is very light as the surface should now be flat but you still aim for a completely abraded surface. During all the build-up coats you will have established a system of brushing or rolling out the varnish that avoids runs and missed bits on the pieces you are coating. You will also know the quantity of varnish you need to decant and the ideal quantity of thinner to add for the varnish to flow and brush out easily. So you are ready for the final two coats that will give your project a great finish. To get to this point a few things need to be aligned; firstly, the workshop or the space you are using for coating needs to be as clean as possible. Secondly, the ambient temperature should ideally be around 18 degC, the pieces you are going to coat and the varnish all need to be at the same temperature, and this temperature needs to be maintained so there is no chance of condensation and the materials cures properly. Lastly, you need to be as dust free as possible, the wooly jumper you have been wearing all winter while you build this boat needs to be discarded and replaced with one of those hooded white coveralls favoured by murder scene investigators. I always carry a new tack cloth with me and re-clean every item as I varnish. CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

VARNISH

VARNISH GUIDE Varnishes have been protecting timber and enhancing its appearance for hundreds of years and today there is a wide, and sometimes confusing, choice available to boatbuilders and owners. SINGLE-PACK VARNISHES Still the most popular kind. Brands include International and Hempel (formerly Blakes), Epifanes, Jotun, Awlgrip, Skippers and Le Tonkinois. Many of these are formulated from long-established recipes – Epifanes Clear Varnish, for instance, was first made in 1902, while Le Tonkinois’ recipe goes back 200 years – and still include natural ingredients such as tung oil, pressed from the seed of the Chinese tung tree. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to apply, and their flexibility is sympathetic to the movement, and expansion and contraction, of solid timber on traditional boats. Their downsides, however, compared with more modern alternatives, is that regular maintenance coats need to be applied, particularly in areas of high UV light. They are also relatively soft although some manufacturers produce a polyurethane version that gives a little more durability. While most single-pack varnishes have a gloss finish, some are available with a satin or matt finish for cabin interiors, and many others can have matting agents added to them.

TWO-PACK VARNISHES Two-pack varnishes have been around for a good 30 years and they are currently produced by all the singlepack manufacturers mentioned above apart from Le Tonkinois. They are particularly good for filling grain on bare wood and for quickly building up film thickness, as in most cases multiple coats can be applied in one day. In fact, two of Skippers’ products – Poliglass and Acriglass UV – can have as many as six coats applied in a day. The chemical bond negates the need to sand between coats – which is not only labour-saving but also contributes to the faster build-up by not rubbing any thickness away – although many professionals might give a light rub to avoid an accumulation of imperfections. The finish tends to be harder – particularly with polyurethane two-packs which is what most of them are – and has greater longevity and so a reduced need for subsequent maintenance coats. There downside is that they are more expensive and harder to apply than single-pack varnish, and as most of their hardeners contain isocyanates, there are considerably greater health and safety considerations. They are also less flexible, although this is less of a problem on cold-moulded or splined topsides, or on plywood. Acrylic two-packs are a little more flexible and a little easier than two-pack polyurethanes and they can also be polished which can be useful to remove dust 60

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

from a less-than-perfect initial coating system or to breathe new life into a finish dulled by age.

SPECIALIST PRODUCTS In recent years some varnishes have been specially formulated for oily tropical hardwoods such as teak and iroko. These include Jotun’s Benar Marine and also Epifanes Wood Finish Gloss. Coelan, a single-pack product that comes with its own primer (pigmented red or yellow), has been on the market for about 30 years. It is extremely flexible and has established a reputation for great durability, but it has a very short shelf life and there are varying opinions about the difficulties of application. Deks Olje is another coating with a separate base coat and top coat. Deks Olje D1 is a penetrating oil. This can be used as a stand-alone matt product, but overcoating it with Deks Olje D2 varnish gives a gloss finish. Hempel’s Wood Impreg is another saturating primer – introduced on to the market within the last two years – which can be used as a base coat for any of the company’s single-pack varnishes. Awlgrip’s Awlwood is a single-pack moisture-activated acrylic urethane varnish. The application process (which starts with its own coloured primers) is universally acknowledged to be very quick and easy, while its quality of finish, its hardness and longevity is seen by many as almost revolutionary among single-pack products.

CLEAR PENETRATING EPOXY SEALER THE WORLD’S FINEST WOOD PRIMER Makes varnish or paint last Glues the top coat to the wood Glues wood fibres back together Waterproof but breathable Made largely of wood resins Penetrates deeply Stops tannin bleed

Christian Carleton used Epifanes varnish over CPES on Taurus (pictured right) in 1991. He writes: “You are welcome to use my name, my experience, and any photos of the boat in your testimonials. I am a true believer in your CPES product. I have been using it since 1991 on every piece of wood I put into a boat.”

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CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

TOM CUNLIFFE

THE BRILLIANCE OF BRILLIANT A rollercoaster voyage on the schooner Brilliant with philosopher, seaman and friend George Moffett ILLUSTRATION CLAUDIA MYATT

first met the schooner Brilliant back in 1983 in Mystic Seaport, Connecticut, USA. She was 51 years old and was working as a sail-training vessel. The following morning, I was aboard racing round the cans. This was long enough ago for her skipper to have done time as a Grand Banks schoonerman. He was a hard case and we eclipsed the opposition, mainly through the tireless efforts of George Moffett, the skipper’s number two, who had the hands switching fisherman staysails the size of a pub car park at each tack to keep those vital topsails pulling to leeward of the fore gaff. When I stopped sweating after this workout, Moffett and I began one of those saltwater friendships that holds for a lifetime. In 1931, Olin Stephens, then only 22 years old, was commissioned by Walter Barnum to draft a yacht capable of being rolled over in a hurricane and coming up intact. Equally demanding was the statement that every piece of material, whether wood or metal, be literally perfect for the use intended. Brilliant was launched in the depths of the depression by Nevins on City Island, a stone’s throw from Manhattan. Barnum knew what he wanted and added that the yacht be as fast, weatherly and handsome as possible. Nevins didn’t let him down. Nor did Stephens, but after crossing the Atlantic in under 16 days, she was soon commandeered by the US Coastguard for war service before

being bought by Briggs Cunningham, a man of many parts who I once watched racing a sports car against Stirling Moss at Oulton Park in the 1950s. He gave her to Mystic Seaport Museum in 1953. The next time I shipped out in Brilliant was in the autumn of 2000. Now under Captain Moffett, she had just won the transatlantic Tall Ships’ Race and was homeward bound. I was signed on as ‘pilot and watchkeeper’. First impressions are important, and as I strolled down the dock in Gosport I saw that George had not let things slip. No ‘gold-plater’ in Saint-Tropez could beat the perfection of her varnish, unblemished after 4,000 stormy miles. Her pre-war bronze winches shone like the sun while her gold-leaf cove line looked fresh from the painters. Brilliant’s race crew had paid off. A fresh team flew in from the States that night, augmented by a Brit or two, and we left in the morning, bound for Cowes. The weather served up just what nobody wants with a green crew. Some of the deckhands had never sailed before and hardly any had operated a big schooner. Christine the mate rose to the challenge with a briefing I wished some of my Yachtmaster Instructors could have heard, and away we went into a rising force seven with driving rain and visibility you could cut with a blunt saw. My job was to keep Brilliant in deep water while George and Christine somehow managed the willing hands into setting a

remarkable spread of canvas. As soon as the gaff foresail and boomed staysail were sheeted home off Southsea, the boat overtook her engine, carrying a touch of lee helm. Next, Christine invited Theo, a strong lad from the Isle of Wight, to join a lighterweight American girl and try their strength on the main halyard. They did the ship proud and, as the last inches of luff were cranked up, someone hit the sheet and Brilliant took off at eight knots, a wall of water swishing aft down the side decks. All trace of lee helm was swept away as I experienced the remarkable balance shifts that are part of the schooner-rig package. While a couple of novices filled their wellies out in the ‘Green Room’ on the lowslung bowsprit, the number two jib was let out of its cage and the log swung onto the thick side of nine. Brilliant was now tracking as if on tramlines but we were rapidly running out of Solent. How Moffett and his mate were going to tack her was still a mystery as I slipped them the wink. As though setting field placings for a scratch game of baseball at a Sunday-school treat, they deployed their awestruck crew. I spun the wheel. Brilliant’s head swung steadily through the wind as the backstays were shifted and the jib sheet was thrown off the winch. All that was needed now was to heave in the new sheet. The cranking seemed endless with the winchman’s eyes popping, before the longed-for cry of, “That’s well” rang out and he subsided into the scuppers. Full-and-bye once again, we thundered away towards Gilkicker. We couldn’t see the fort in the driving mist, but it had been there the previous day so we let her rip. Nine knots and a half eats the life out of a foul neap tide and a couple more tacks brought us into Cowes with our blood fizzing. By the time we swung merrily home together from the Island Sailing Club, the Americans had organised a sort of ‘swear box’ for the Brits, who had to pay up every time they took the ship’s name in vain by using “brilliant” to describe excellence. In my case, being charged a pound for so innocuous a crime made a refreshing departure from the usual heavy hit on behalf of the lifeboat every time I revert to dockland vocabulary. Happily, reciprocation was not difficult. Although strong language was rarely heard from the Yankees, when it came, its colour and creativity did credit to the seafarer’s ancient calling. Two mornings later we were in Weymouth looking to a dawn start for rounding Portland Bill inside the race. The wind was forecast southeast six, veering southwest and strengthening. More rain was in the air as we slipped our lines, with me pointing

out that even near slack water a southeaster can shove the tide rip right up to the rocks if it’s blowing hard enough. “She can take it,” was George’s confident reply. So we set course to try our luck off the Bill. Half a mile short of the lighthouse we ran into the overfalls, with big square stoppers lining up ahead as we motor-sailed onwards at seven knots. I looked forward, reassured myself that the watch had clipped on and uttered the ancient sailor’s prayer, “For what we are about to receive…” The low cliffs of the Bill were a quarter-mile to leeward as we smashed into the first of the race. I’d been worse than apprehensive, but I needn’t have worried. Brilliant didn’t even slow down. The seas swishing aft broke against hatches and burst skywards, reminding me of a Northumbrian promenade in an easterly gale and me, a kid, leaping between them, but there was no escaping this avalanche. We hardly pitched as we bored through it, submerging the whole length of the deck, but in no time it was all over and we were squaring away for Devon. For good measure, the wind now breezed up to a full 40 knots, forcing us to drop the main, double-reef, then re-hoist it in a madhouse of buffeting Dacron and flying spray. I glanced at Christine while all this was going on. She and Moffett were directing three youngsters at the forward end of the boom as I cracked my biceps passing the clew lashing. The five of them were so relaxed they could have been discussing the agenda for the next parish council meeting. Meanwhile, a young lady at the wheel who would have left Julia Roberts trembling for her job, kept the schooner firmly to her business with a natural touch that many a racing helm would have envied. So cool were the whole lot of them that I started to see how the Yankees held onto the America’s Cup for so long. Lyme Bay’s gone in a forenoon watch at 10 knots with a bit extra thrown in for Old Glory, and by early afternoon we were off Berry Head. A quick beer, a session in the excellent drying room at Dart Marina, then away into the night again with a schooner’s breeze under Cassiopeia, bound for Ireland and home. George Moffett died 10 years ago, still a young man in his mid-60s. Philosopher, seaman extraordinary, and my friend, he was, simply, unique.

Getting aﬂoat

OUTLAW

Heroine of the Admiral’s Cup The 48ft 9in (14.9m) bermudan cutter Outlaw became a symbol of offshore ocean racing when, in 1963, with teammates Noryema III and Clarion of Wight, she beat off a dozen other yachts for the right to race for the Admiral’s Cup. The race series, which included a Fastnet, was first held in 1957 and won by Britain, who then defended successfully in 1959, but in 1961 the Americans had taken the cup. It’s fair to say then, that in 1963, all eyes were on the trio of English yachts; and they rose to the occasion, winning the series and bringing the cup back to Britain. You can tell by looking that Outlaw was radical for her day, with the (disguised) reverse sheer design by John Illingworth, light alloy mast and cold-mould build in seven skins of mahogany, by Souter’s in 1963. The commissioning owner was Sir Max Aitkin, an MP and newspaper proprietor who did as much as anyone to promote British powerboat racing and sailing after the war. Twenty years later, Outlaw was found languishing in Cowes and rescued by a 30-year-old sailing enthusiast, and her new life began. After an 18-month rebuild, she headed south to Portugal, then on to the Mediterranean, where in 1989 she found her new home on the Côte d’Azur. For the last 32 years she has been raced and cruised by that same owner, between southern Italy and the Balearics, taking part in all the major Mediterranean regattas in Argentario, Imperia, Antibes, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Barcelona and Mahon, to name just a few, winning the overall Classic Prada Cup in 2000 and the Panerai Trophy in 2005, as well as many other more recent victories. Now after a 37-year stint of ownership, Outlaw has being put up for sale, “in better condition than at any time since that 1963 launching” according to the broker. “At home cruising or racing, she is a real allrounder, beautifully built, fully equipped and with a good sail inventory.” Lying Antibes, France, Asking E250,000, edmiston.com

To see boats for sale go to classicboat.co.uk 64

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

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www.workingsail.co.uk 07949 805274 . 07790638084 CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

BROKERAGE

Boats for sale Looking to sell your boat? Reach over 50,000 readers each month

To advertise call Andrew Mackenzie +44 (0)207 349 3718 or email andrew.mackenzie@chelseamagazines.com

PLUS For more boats to buy go to

classicboat.co.uk/buy-a-classic-boat

PINTAIL OF AVON.

Sloop with bilge keels and long centre keel. 27ft 6ins – 8ft 9ins – 3ft 6ins. Designed by Hugh Rossiter and built in 1966 for himself at his yard in Christchurch. Iroko planking on steam bent Canadian Rock Elm timbers with marine plywood deck, Trakmark sheathed. Built to Lloyds class 100A1. Bukh DV20 2 cylinder diesel. Alloy mast. Wooden boom. Tan sails. Big refit at Elephant Boatyard 2021 Lying: Solent Price: £18,000 Email: charles_rossiter@hotmail.com • Tel: 07802 422951

ROSSITER PINTAIL – LOA 9M.

A wonderful mix of classical looks with minimal maintenance, built in 1978 and undergone a major refit in the past few years, she is a fantastic example of these sea-kindly heavy displacement boats. Beta 25 engine; cutter rig, lying Cornwall. £21,000. Email: tehidy@ansome.co.uk • Tel: +44 7774 633 479

TWELVE-FOOT CLINKER, MAHOGANY ON OAK, DINGHY WITH STANDING LUG SAIL.

Built in Cowes in 2007 but virtually as new. Mainsail (75 sq.ft.) and jib (26 sq.ft.) made by James Lawrence of Brightlingsea, unused. Galvanised road / launching trailer. £5,000 Images and details by e-mail: james.anderson.49@btinternet.com

SIBYL OF CUMAE

For sale Sibyl of Cumae, a 51 ft. William Fife from 1902. She is a very beautiful and fast boat. She sleeps 5. Sibyl has always been maintained to a high standard. Recently all the electricity and navigation instruments have been renewed and updated. She is double planked mahogany and ceder under the waterline, oak frames and a lead balast keel. She will be ready to sail in the Fife Regatta in Scotland in the Spring of 2022. Laying in S.W. England. Asking price £235.000. For more information, please contact Cornelius van Rijckevorsel on 0044 (0)7816932312 or email at: corneliusvanrijckevorsel@ googlemail.com

TRADITIONAL WOODEN OBAN SKIFF.

This is a beautiful example of a traditional wooden skiff was made to order to a very high quality by traditional wooden boat builder A&R Way Ltd. Unfortunately the owner died before he could sail it. The boat has been stored with the boat builder since. The boat cost £22,500.00 to build, will accept £20,000.00 Ono. Contact: alhudson123@aol.com or 07936 106020

‘AMALI’ 47’

Beautiful elegant wooden classic with unique charm, sweeping lines and topside flare. Privately commissioned and constructed using modern techniques in 1991 by Sean McMillan (now Spirit Yachts). Cedar Mahogany Teak & Ash. Fully equipped and offered in excellent condition. Two helm stations, ample entertaining areas on deck and an interior with spacious and well thought out accommodation. Sleeps 8. Semi displacement. Cruising 8 KNOT (max 12). Twin very fuel efficient Volvo Penta diesel engines. Range 500NM. £185,000 Contact: jvg@amalioflondon.co.uk • Tel: 07785 954 900

SPIRITUS FB605.

26ft Classic British Folkboat. Built by John Perry in 1983, she is arguably the prettiest wooden competitive/cruising Folkboat around. New Collars mast, new sails, new echo and log. Yanmar 1GM, Loo. Repainted and varnished this year. Laying Lymington. Price: £21,000 Email: stephen@short-films.com • Tel: 07836 282888

DRAGON FOR SALE – CHIME – 1959 BORRESEN. Former very successful Wooden Dragon for sale. Requires major refit. Lying Aldeburgh. No mast and trailer not included. Price £500. Tel. 01420 538799 • E-mail: timcstreet@yahoo.co.uk

LE TEMPS PERDU

French gaff cutter, LOA 12,60m, length on deck 9,60m, Beam 3,30m, Draft 1,80m, engine Volvo Penta. Built in Granville, Normandy 1964. Hull iroko on oak frames, coachroof mahagony, teak deck. Successes in several Classic Boat regattas. Well maintained with boatsmancare and in first class condition. Owner selling now for reasons of age. Location Andratx, Majorca. GBP £49.900. Contact: canvey@hagengrote.de Phone: 0034 606379226

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

GRIMA. 1972 EX SCOTTISH CAR FERRY.

Built to Lloyds A1 spec. High quality steel displacement hull with retro fitted bilge keels. Completely overhauled. Excellent condition. 12 Berth. 2 x English Electric Kelvin TA6 engines driving twin Ulstein gearboxes with VPP. £170,000.00 as seen. NO TAXES. River Severn, Gloucester. Email: Ken.Lovegrove@outlook.com

BOATS FOR SALE

Brokerage listing

C L A S S I C A N D V I N TAG E YAC H T S We hope that you enjoy our selection of vintage and classic sailing yachts. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any further information on any of the yachts featured here.

57ft Hacker/Robinson Marine Commuter Launch 1935/2015

52ft William Fife Cutter 1940/2013

60ft Dallimore Bermudan Ketch 1937

Restored with passion and skill, the Commuter Yacht JUDITH R is a remarkable exemplar in motor yachting history, both technically and in popular culture, and in her attributed designer John L. Hacker’s place beside Henry Ford in the story of the successful application of the internal combustion engine. JUDITH R is a beautiful, tastefully upgraded piece of living, usable history. One imagines halcyon days spent aboard, cruising fast or slow, in the footsteps of not just first owner, Paramount Pictures president Barney Balaban - who used her to speedily and elegantly commute from Connecticut home to Manhattan office and named her after his daughter, Judith Rose - but also, one imagines, an impressive roster of stellar guests.

The last yacht launched by the famous Fairlie yard in Fife’s lifetime, SOLWAY MAID only had two owners, and it shows in her remarkable authenticity. Conceived and built speculatively, thereby incorporating everything Fife thought best in such a yacht, she was advertised just before the Second World War as a “Fast cruiser suitable for ocean racing”; it’s hard to think of a better description. A Mediterranean-based regatta winner since the mid-1990s, she offers the unique opportunity to become only the 3rd owner of The Last Fife; of an absolute gem; of a yacht that will always look after you; that’s fast enough to win prizes, and extremely cool enough for strong envy.

BLUE TROUT is the largest expression of the remarkable designer-builder relationship between Norman E Dallimore and William King & Sons that majored on fast cruisers with classic good looks, attention to detail, the finest of materials and great sailing qualities. And she may be one of the best proven, having taken her present owner safely and comfortably, singlehanded from Greece to England - with a little detour across the Atlantic via the Canaries and Antigua along the way. In more recent seasons, though sailing less miles, she has been very carefully cared for and upgraded, remaining afloat and well covered from the elements when out of commission. BLUE TROUT retains the capability of heading once again to blue waters very comfortably.

£1.25M VAT not paid

£395,000

£375,000

Lying UK

Lying Malta

Lying UK

45ft Wanhill Gaff Cutter 1889/2001

49ft McGruer Bermudan Ketch 1973/2020

40ft Charles E Nicholson Bermudan Cutter 1930

THALIA is an astonishing throwback to the earliest, 19th-Century days of organised yachting, yet she’s a thoroughly practical, easily handled classic yacht. Wanhill of Poole is a name etched in the history of that period, and THALIA carries that direct lineage with her, together with the old world charm and amazing looks that have rescued this characterful cutter more than once from the chainsaw. Her Millennium restoration undertaken with skill and passion, honoured and enhanced in current ownership, has ensured a long future life, surely well into her third Century. In recent years THALIA has taken part in transatlantic adventures her original designer and builder couldn’t have dreamed of, and she’s been a cherished family cruiser-racer closer to home.

BORDER LEGEND is a resurrected masterpiece from when finely built wooden yachts were still just about the norm, and designers and builders could call on a century or more of handed down skills. Her design by George McGruer is a natural evolution from the renowned work of his father, James, and her build was by the last generations of a highly skilled workforce managed by the wider McGruer family since the 1890s. Circumstances saw her fall on hard times before recent rescue and a major refit under current, experienced ownership - so that one of the finest, last generation wooden yachts is now available for the pure enjoyment - and it can only be that - of her next owner.

Any yacht featured in the superb pre-Second World War series of ‘Uffa Fox books’ is without question a special one, and DRIAC may be best known these days from her inclusion in Fox’s ‘Sailing, Seamanship and Yacht Construction’ (1934). From a time when the design of the ideal offshore sailing cruiser was still evolving and much discussed, Uffa waxed lyrical about this characterful Charles E. Nicholson design which had comfortably reeled off well over 5000 miles in her first two seasons, including Portsmouth to Malta and back, under the command of her redoubtable first owner, A.G.H. Macpherson. DRIAC is still taking people on sailing adventures and, as she has always done, entrances with her looks, presence, and no-nonsense sailing ability.

£265,000

£225,000

£82,500

Lying UK

For further information please contact: +44 (0)1202 330077 info@sandemanyachtcompany.co.uk

Sandeman Brokerage FP CB APRIL 2022.indd 2

Lying UK

Our classic and vintage yachts & motor yachts are available to view at:

22 Market Street, Poole, Dorset BH15 1NF, UK

– www.sandemanyachtcompany.co.uk –

MEMBER OF ABYA

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

01/03/2022 13:07

Craftsmanship

Edited by Steffan Meyric Hughes: +44 (0)207 349 3758 Email: steffan@classicboat.co.uk

C/O THE BUILDER

Yard News

SECTION HEAD SUB SECTION

HAMPSHIRE

UandI – original speed I recently wrote in these pages that boats are only half of themselves

the original. The result is surely not so different from the boat that raced

without their people. In the case of Uandi (‘You and I’), I was dead right.

in 1897 against her 10 sisters. Now, she is the sole survivor. Soon, I’ll be

When Alastair Garland came across the Fife-designed Belfast Lough day

telling the whole story of how Alastair somehow managed to save 85 per

racer propped in a field back in 1995, it was her lucky day. Alastair is

cent of her planking as he replaced the stem, the wooden keel, the rudder

always busy restoring other people’s boats in his shop on the northern

post and the horn timber while keeping her archboard with the carved

fringes of the New Forest so he wasn’t in a hurry, but at last the yacht is

name. As a sailor, I’ll also let you in on how it feels to helm this remarkably

sailing again. His restoration philosophy is to retain everything he can of

rapid boat. So hold fast, dear reader... Tom Cunliffe

MYLOR, CORNWALL

Oldest Oyster dredger Built by Hitchens & Ford of Feock in the 1870s, Shadow is thought to be the oldest surviving boat built specifically for oyster dredging. She was used as a yacht for a while between the world wars and was last in commission as an oyster dredging boat in 2012. Soon after that she was bought by Chris Ranger (generally known as just ‘Ranger’), an oyster fisherman who also owns the 1966 oyster dredging boat Alf Smythers (they are commonly referred to as Falmouth Working Boats). “I wasn’t looking for another boat,” said Ranger, “but I really want to save Shadow for the fishery.” About a year ago he moved Shadow from the beach at Mylor to a yard in a nearby farm where he hopes to restore her if he can raise the funds to do so, and he has enrolled with Patreon to help with this. See faloyster.co.uk for more information and, to make a contribution, visit patreon.com/Ranger_OystermanArtistMariner.

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

CRAFTSMANSHIP

LYMINGTON, HANTS

New Folkboat hub One story that has emerged from the pandemic, which has been such a

according to Simon, who has sailed Folkboats for more than four

busy time for so many boatbuilders, is the establishment of a new

decades – “I was extremely young when exposed to the boat!” This year, to celebrate eight decades of the Folkboat, the UK will host

boatyard set up to cater for classic restoration and maintenance – with a focus on the most popular cabin yacht of all time, the Folkboat –

its very first international Folkboat regatta – the Sessan Cup, which will

which is 80 this year. Fanatical Folkboat sailor Simon Osgood has now

be held from 19-22 September at the Royal Lymington YC, itself

taken over the 15,000sqft premises formerly known as Green Marine,

celebrating its first century.

and the yard has been picking up work from the start. “My initial thought was to take on the site and install the guys who had refurbished my Nordic Folkboat – Dan and Rob McAdam, two highly skilled boatbuilders with more than 30 years experience, and who I have much respect for,” said Simon, who owns a Nordic Folkboat (his fourth), a Huntsman 31 and a Yarmouth Scow. These were the first boats to go into the shed, but they were soon joined by an XOD, then the Folkboats started to come in. The yard has now restored three to concours standard by Simon’s reckoning, all GRP but at least 30-40 years old, giving more fire to the GRP restoration movement that has been picking up rapidly over the last few years. Today, the yard has eight Folkboats in various states of repair and restoration, including a 1999 John Perry-built wooden example. “It’s like a piece of furniture”

ST IVES, CORNWALL

St Ives sailing punt nears completion The launch of Flute an Arrow – the latest St Ives sailing punt – is imminent. Early in 2021, former classic yacht skipper Nick Mahlich recognised that another lockdown was a chance to fulfil a long-held dream to build a boat from scratch and approached Jonny Nance to make it happen. “This has been a joint project, as Nick has participated throughout. Given that building a boat is just about the most creative thing you can do with wood, this project has been essential therapy for us both during the winter months of Covid restrictions” Jonny said. Her name comes from a term of endearment my father used when we were small. It’s actually an anglicisation of a Cornish expression, once popular in the St Ives district meaning ‘child of my heart’, thereby forging an association with the town while helping to preserve a little piece of history.” Flute an Arrow is rigged with a loose-footed lugsail. She is 11ft 6in (3.5m) overall and planked with 10mm (3/8in) tight, vertical-grained Douglas fir on steamed oak timbers. Designed and built by Jonny Nance, the St Ives sailing punt won ‘Prettiest Boat’ (small-boat class) at Falmouth Classics 2016. Anyone interested in a similar build can contact Jonny on jonnynance@gmail.com. CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2021

MARINE DIRECTORY

To advertise call Andrew Mackenzie +44 (0)207 349 3718 or email andrew.mackenzie@chelseamagazines.com

Marine Directory

BOATBUILDERS

Hayling Yacht Hayling Yacht

BOATBUILDERS

COMPANY COMPANY

DAVID MOSS BOATBUILDERS

Established as wooden boat builders in 1935, and trusted to refurbish and repair yachts such as Lively Lady and Robertsons Golly, we are a family run business that takes pride in refurbishing new and old boats - from simple re-caulking to full refurbishment and teak decking.

Hayling Yacht Co

Quality boatbuilding in wood 8’-50’, clinker, carvel or strip-plank, spar-making, painting , welding, lay-up facilities

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Repairs - Restorations

31ft gaff cutter Polly

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Photo: Keith Allso

Call 02392 463592 for a chat with friendly, experienced staff. www.haylingyacht.co.uk Photo: Peter Chesworth

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Wooden Boatbuilder

Yacht Restorers

Rowing Boats, Sailing Dinghies, Motor Launches Mayflower Dinghies, New Builds, Repairs, Restorations Fowey, Cornwall Tel: 07973 420568 • www.woodenboatbuilder.co.uk

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Visit: www.seahopperfoldingboats.com CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Phone:+44 +44(0)1445 0 7892 731 889 189 191 Phone: Email: alasdairgrant@hotmail.co.uk Mobile: +44@isle (0)7892889191 Facebook: ewe boats Email: alasdairgrant@hotmail.co.uk www.isleeweboats.co.uk www.isleeweboats.co.uk 3a Isle of Ewe Aultbea, Achnasheen Facebook @ isleeweboats IV22 2JW, Scotland Scotland

visit www.classicboat.co.uk

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3/6/08

08:25

EQUIPMENT

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CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

CRAFTSMANSHIP

YARD VISIT: NORTH EAST MARITIME TRUST WORKING MUSEUM

THE LAST TYNE-SIDERS The volunteers keeping the Tyne’s shipbuilding history alive WORDS BARRY PICKTHALL PHOTOGRAPHY PPL PHOTO AGENCY

ere’s a yard hidden away in the industrial

Below left:

from 20 or more volunteers all with mugs of tea in their

heritage of the North East, a veritable time

Famous painting

hands, preparing to sit down with their lunch boxes for an

capsule harking back to the great ship and

by Edwin Straker

engaging natter.

boatbuilding days on the River Tyne when

of the Northumberland

gave me a guided tour starting with the covered slipway

years the two aircraft carriers HMS Ark Royal and HMS

coble Blyth,

where the coble Peggy, which volunteers had fully restored

Illustrious slid down the slipways, together with my far

typical of the

a few years ago, was awaiting a winter refit. “It’s as much a

more modest classic yacht Sea Jay.

comercial beach

club as a museum” Landells explained. “A lot are retired and

boats in the

have found it a great place to come. We have craftsmen

North East

from all walks of life and the shared expertise means there’s

World War Two kept the coal, iron and shipbuilding industries well stoked but by the mid-60s and early 70s, shipyards along the Tyne were struggling under cost and

not much that we can’t tackle in house.”

delivery pressures from Korea and Japan. And along with

Below right:

them crumbled the smaller boatyards sandwiched between

Cutaway and GA

asked, and immediately, a shout from the circle of lunchboxes

the large slipways that fed like pilot fish off their larger

of the Rhodes

joked, “None: There’s no room here for know-alls!”

commercial cousins. Now, the ships, the yards, the skilled

6-tonner Sea Jay

jobs, and the cacophony of sounds that once surrounded

“How many boatbuilders do you have in the group?” I

Perhaps not,but judging by the workmanship on the restoration of the Bedford, a traditional pulling lifeboat

the river have all gone, with one exception – the North East

Facing page: The

currently on the stocks, there is no shortage of woodworking

Maritime Trust working museum in South Shields.

museum; The

skills here. Built in 1886 by LB Lambert at South Shields for

team of retired

the princely sum of £330, she’s a pulling, surf lifeboat

themselves busy maintaining the past by restoring wooden

craftsman – all

measuring 33ft 2in (10.1m) LOA, 10ft 8in (3.3m) beam, with

boats up to 40ft (12.2m) long with strong links to local

volunteers

3ft 6in (1.1m) draft and was propelled by 12 oarsmen. A

Here, a keen band of skilled volunteers, all retired, keep

history. The two sheds and slipway where wooden fishing cobles had once been built, was re-opened as a working

ballast tank, when filled, provides extra stability. After her naming ceremony, the lifeboat’s capabilities

museum in September 2005, ironically the same month

were tested. With crew in place, she was filled to the

that The Lyme Bay – the last new ship to float down the

gunwales before a word from coxswain led to her cork plugs

river – sounded the final death knell for the industry.

being removed. The boat emptied itself in just 52 seconds.

I found the museum, more a traditional boatyard, tucked

Alec Renwick, Chairman, and historian Steven Landells

great ships like the Mauretania, Carpathia, and in later

Later, competition from the RNLI ‘s next generation of

down Wapping Street, once a thriving ship and

motorised lifeboats stationed at North Shields split

boatbuilding strip alongside the Tyne, during my search for

opinions, with The Tyne Lifeboat Society maintaining that

any signs of John Swinburne & Co, where my own

their surf rowing lifeboats were better suited to local

traditional Rhodes 6-Tonner Sea Jay had been fourth in a

inshore conditions. A motor was fitted in 1935 but proved

line of five 27ft (8.2m) wooden classics built between 1964

unsuccessful. Before finally being taken out of service in

and 1965. My unexpected arrival drew a warm welcome

1937, the Bedford was launched on 55 occasions and saved

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

CRAFTSMANSHIP

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2021

CRAFTSMANSHIP

50 lives. The Trust’s project is to restore the Bedford back

Above left:

was building commercial fishing cobles, and when James’

to her original (no engine) condition. This is expected by June.

Boatbuilding was

son Maurice took over after the war, he moved the yard to

already in decline

larger premises up river in Templetown, hoping perhaps to

and prepared to take on any task, even down to making

on the River Tyne

feed off the fit-out work from Readhead’s Shipyard next

traditional cartwheels, despite there not being a wheelwright

in the build-up to

door. This was one of the more enduring boatyards, fighting

among them. Trustee David Parker takes up the story:

WW2. This photo

the inevitable until the early ‘80s. The yard is now an extension

“After 135 years, the wagon wheels on the Bedford’s

from 1938 shows

to Riverside Quay owned by the Tyne Port Authority.

lifeboat cradle were found to be very rotten; to the point of

the remains of a

collapse and we had to research the traditional art of wheel

boatyard on

1950 on the Lawe, now a housing estate in South Shields, to

wrighting. We found that each wheel comprises of three

Green’s Terrace,

build leisure craft. He supplied Ullswater YC with six Jack

significant parts; the hub, the spokes and felloes. Each is

South Shields

Holt-designed GP14 dinghies when the club was first

The museum’s workforce are all skilled with their hands

fashioned from different timbers to maximise the

John Swinburne started his boatbuilding business in

formed and went on to build a series of Rhodes 6-Tonner

characteristics of the wood. The hub is of elm, the spokes

Above right:

performance sailing cruisers designed by local naval

are oak and the felloes are made from ash. Various jigs were

Four locally built

architect Paul M Rhodes. The company also fitted out a

made to facilitate the cutting of intricate shapes on the

pulling, surf

number of 34ft (10.4m) glassfibre-hulled motor cruisers.

band saw before being fashioned by hand. Once assembled,

inshore lifeboats

a steel tyre is heated then shrunk around the entire outer

including The

market as the industry graduated from wood to fibreglass,

circumference to bind everything in place.”

Bedford, during a

and Swinburne was one to be caught out by the transfer in

1910 parade on

technology. “Glassfibre was always a dirty word in our house”

the Tyne

recalls Swinburne’s Son, Dave, adding, “he was a real

When heated to a dull red, the steel tyre expands by 1/8thin (3mm) for every 1ft (30cm) of circumference, so when quenched with water, this contracts to crunch all the

The mid-60s was a turning point within the leisure

craftsman who loved working with wood.”

wooden components together. “It’s quite a dramatic part of

Facing page,

the wheelwrighting process,” he adds, conjuring up

clockwise from

UK boatbuilding industry; one of feast, famine, ambitious

thoughts of what modern-day health and safety rules might

top left: The main

expansion plans then bankruptcy. In 1965 he had plans to

make of this once ancient art. Take it as read that a crew

workshop; David

rebuild and cover the entire 8,000sqft of waterside space

from the local South Shields Fire Training Centre was on

Herron, Alan

with a state-of-the-art facility to build boats up to 65ft with

hand to provide additional expertise!

Bolam and Stan

an eye to servicing the large fleet of commercial fishing

When completed, the Bedford will be placed on

Grey work on The

vessels based across the water at North Shields Fish Quay.

permanent display in South Shields, alongside the 1918

Bedford; First of

But as his son recalls, “There was a credit squeeze, and

Tynemouth lifeboat Henry Frederick Swan, one of the

a new set of oars

despite Dad having a full order book, the banks would not

first self-righting motor/sailing/pulling lifeboats, and the

ready for painting;

consider loans. Those plans for expansion never came to

trust’s first long-term restoration, completed in April 2020.

Richard Branson,

fruition and he was forced to borrow £5,000 from a private

Derek Seymour

investor who saw an opportunity to take over the yard in

Federation Review for 1959 shows 16 member companies in

and Alec Renwick

1967 and foreclosed. Dad not only lost the business and his

the Tyne region: Clelands (Successors) Ltd; Donnelly S;

quench the steel

savings, but his prized Jaguar and life insurance policies. It

Harrison & Son; Hill’s Construction Co Ltd; Lambie

tyre around a new

broke him. He got work in a local shipyard, but he was like a

(Walsend) Ltd; Mitchelson & Sons; Palmers Hebburn Co

wooden wheel; A

caged lion and died at the age of 49.”

Ltd; Patterson & Co; Robson’s Boatbuilders Ltd; St

coble in the

But the work of John Swinburne and the many other

Anthony’s Slipway Ltd; John Swinburne & Co; Tyne Dock

second shed

skilled workers of the Tyne now lives on in the work of the

Engineering Ltd; Aln Boatyard at Alnmouth; J&J Harrison at

awaits attention;

North East Maritime Trust Museum and boats like Sea Jay

Amble; W Campbell at Blyth; and J Eric Brown at Durham.

Cheers!

which will continue to bear the torch well into the 22nd

A look through the Ship and Boat Builders National

All have now gone, covered by housing estates, yacht

Sadly, the Swinburne story was one replicated across the

century. There is no entry fee to visit the museum, but there

clubs or marinas. One of the oldest boatbuilding names was

is a particular welcome to those prepared to roll up their

R Robson & Co established in 1830 on the edge of the Tyne

sleeves or donate a small amount towards the restoration

at Shadwell Street, South Shields, now renamed Wapping

work. The museum is supported by local industry including

Street and close to the present North East Maritime Trust

International Paints and South Tyneside Council and has

Museum. The founder’s son James Robson served his

won grants from Comic Relief and the National Lottery.

apprenticeship there from 1918-1923 and after his father’s retirement, ran the business until 1945. Their stock in trade

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

nemaritimetrust.co.uk

CRAFTSMANSHIP

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

CRAFTSMANSHIP

Boatbuilder’s Notes

By Robin Gates

Bevel gauge from a hacksaw

The carpenter’s bevel gauge is usually too big and bulky for the delicate

1 The bevel gauge

angle-finding of fitting knees or transferring bevels while planking a small boat. When fitting a new plank you need a gauge that sits snugly between 2 Grind off the the exposed frame and the edge of the plank already fitted at each station. saw-blade teeth It should also be finger-adjustable yet sufficiently rigid to hold a measurement in transit between the hull and the bevel board. The solution favoured by many a frugal shipwright is to rivet up a small bevel gauge from an old hacksaw blade. Conveniently, the blade comes

3 File the wavy edge, old paint and rust

pre-drilled for riveting courtesy of the two holes attaching it to the saw frame. At a shade under 3in (7cm) this example (1) is small enough to reside in the apron pocket and always be at hand.

4 Cut to length with tin snips

You’ll need only the two ends of the blade to make the gauge but keep example while grinding the teeth back to a straight edge (2). Although grinding makes the blade straight-edged in one plane it will not be completely flat-faced because the teeth are typically ‘wave set’, but the

5 Forming the copper rivet 4

high points of the wave along with old paint and rust can be removed using a file (3). Resist the urge to hammer the blade flat because the hardened edge is brittle and may shatter. Grip the blade securely while severing the required ends using tin snips (4); this is safer than snapping the blade. When riveting the two pieces there’s no need for a rove and indeed this sleek and pocket-friendly tool is better without one. To make the rivet saw a piece from a 10g square copper boat nail, rounding corners to make a snug fit in the hole. Feed the rivet through both blades with 1/16in (1.6mm) protruding on top and the other end gripped in the vice, then ‘mushroom’ the rivet using a ball peen hammer (5). Turn the joint over, nip the free end to 1/16in (1.6mm) and mushroom that to achieve a finger-adjustable but not sloppy level of friction in the joint. Smooth the curved ends and round sharp corners using coarse emery paper or the edge of an oilstone. If after extended use the joint loosens simply tap the rivet tighter with a hammer.

76 76

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ROBIN ON THIS GATES AND FACING PAGE: ROBIN GATES

it whole for the time being because it’s easier to handle that way, for

SECTION HEAD SUB SECTION

Traditional Tool By Robin Gates

FRETSAW Frame saws with their narrow blades

with the frame. Whereas the blade of

Clockwise from

Proprietary fretsaw tables can be

and deep throats are especially useful

a coping saw has pins at each end

above: The 1900s

small and flimsy but it’s a simple matter

for their manoeuvrability. A turning

which simply slot into position, the

fret saw, table

to make a broad and sturdy one using

saw, for example, will navigate the

ends of the finer fretsaw blade are

and seahorse;

odd timber lying about the workshop.

quick curve of a knee or breasthook

clamped by metal plates tightened by

Adjustable blade

This table made from a salvaged MDF

with the agility of a jetski, while its

thumb screws, and the procedure is

clamp; Cutting

chair seat is fastened to an oak

smaller cousin the coping saw excels

more fiddly. The top clamp has a

on the down

bracket and clamped to the bench.

with daintier tasks like removing waste

large wingnut to adjust blade tension.

stroke

from dovetail sockets. Much less do

The fretsaw is descended from the

A hand-powered fretsaw would be an unrealistic choice for the

we hear of their near relative the fretsaw,

18th-century marquetry saw and

professional with extensive work in

despite the key role it has played in

demands similar sensitivity and

hand, but for the true amateur having

ornamenting the interiors of vessels

vigilance while following an intricate

time to invest in detailing a small boat

as varied as riverboats and stately

design, so the worker is normally seated

interior a spell of tea-and-biscuit-

ocean-going yachts.

while the wood is supported at a

fuelled fretwork remains a viable

comfortable height by an overhanging

alternative to the all-pervasive

more efficient power tools displaced

table. A small sector cut from the

electron.

the elegant fretsaw decades ago. If

table allows the blade access while

you did fancy, say, an Art Nouveau

supporting the wood on either side.

Perhaps this isn’t surprising, since

NEXT MONTH: Screw cramp

interior in 2022 then doubtless its naturalistic perforations would be delegated to the safe but unfeeling touch of CNC laser machinery. But 120 years ago every twist and turn of fretwork depended on the meticulous eye and steady hand of the craftsman steering a wire-thin fretsaw blade. Having drawn the pattern on the ROBIN GATES

wood, the blade is threaded through a small hole, with teeth facing the handle so as to cut on the down stroke. The blade is then reconnected CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Letters LETTER OF THE MONTH SUPPORTED BY OLD PULTENEY WHISKY

The stunning Starling Burgess I would just like to say how much I enjoyed the March issue, not least because of the stunning Starling Burgess. Who might have guessed that thousands of years on, carvel boatbuilding could still be evolving, and to these giddy heights? I was also interested to read of the rebirth of Brynhilde, having seen her in the Med some years ago while on holiday. The Bristol 6 looks like a fine little day launch, just the sort of thing I could use for taking the grandchildren out fishing for mackerel. And I thought the Angela Harding article was a nice surprise. My wife even took an interest in CB for the first time, as she has read The Salt Path but of course knew nothing of the illustrator of its front cover! Keep up the good work. Peter Tilden, Southampton

West Solent ODs, firewood timber and more

I really enjoyed your piece on the West

and Carina certainly comes into that category.

in the September issue, with the October one

Solents in the August issue. That might seem

The piece on our mullet boats was also very

waiting patiently – they are very slow to arrive

a bit strange for a Kiwi, but I read Peter

good. I have a slight acquaintance with Dave

here in NZ.

Heaton’s Cruising many years ago, and his

Nigh, who occasionally pulls his boat onto a

John Wicks, New Zealand

enthusiasm for his West Solent Dinah was

trailer here to take home for some TLC. The

infectious. While I wouldn’t fancy an ocean

boats frequently race up here on the Upper

crossing in one, they’re excellent little boats;

Waitemata; I see them from my front porch

when Lotto finally comes through for me, I

(oops!) foredeck. There’s always something to

might ask Peter Brookes to build me one for

learn, eh? In Nigel Sharp’s article on NZ

day-sailing and local racing with Clearwater

timbers I learned something I should have

Cove Yacht Club. (World famous in West

known; that Macrocarpa isn’t a native. “When

Auckland!) The other article on Carina was

oi were a lad” ‘Macro’ was a second-grade

also of great interest. About 12 years ago in a

firewood (it’s very resiny and tends to spit

moment of probable perversion, I went over

sparks when burning) but now is an

to the dark side and bought a motorboat, so I

acceptable boatbuilding timber. Currently I’m

also have an interest in sensible motorboats,

deep into the piece on the lovely Irens ketch

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

Menai Straits Race

I came across your article on the Menai Straits Race in 1937. I have a brass plate related to the race from boat 12, Betty. I will be listing it but wondered if you had any info on the boat itself? Is it still around? I saw that some are scrapped etc. If this boat is still around, this plate should be in it. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. Peter Turgyan

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Cover - April - Cruise v3.indd 1

15/02/2022 08:12

IN THE APRIL ISSUE  Antifouling: the best sort for your needs  Boat test: the cruiser with an America’s Cup style keel  First-person account of the horrific GP smash

GIACOMO COLUMBO

NAEMA

We revisit the racing mahogany

The grand schooner Panda was launched in

runabouts built by Giacomo

1938 from the Camper & Nicholsons boatyard

 All aboard: disabled sailing

Columbo on the shores of Lake

in Southampton, to a design by Alfred Mylne.

Como from 1957 onwards

We meet Naema, the new replica

 Better crewing: top tips from Eilidh McIntyre

PLUS…

MAY 2022

Meet East Coast sailor, fisherman and yachting historian

On sale Friday 14 April,

Robert Simper; a coastal motor-sailing voyage from the East

2022

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Jack Francis Jones; and much more

30 YEARS AGO April 1992, CB44

Issue number 26 of Classic Boat, back in April 1992, features a fleet of International One Designs on the cover. Roger Lean-Vercoe’s article looks at how the class declined in the 1970s before enjoying a resurgence, one that continues today – the IOD Falcon is among the current crop of nominees for the 2022 Classic Boat Awards, after a thorough refit at Woodbridge Boatyard. She’s been in the same family for more than 35 years, but we can’t spot her in this article. The April 1992 issue of Classic Boat also takes a look at a very different fleet of wooden boats, that which resided on the beach at Hastings, West Sussex. These fishing boats were sturdily built, but not many of them remain in Hastings today, alas. Elsewhere Robin Gates, who still writes for Classic Boat in 2022, puts together a superb article on Adela, otherwise known as Heartsease of the Big Class. And in an article as humorous as it is fascinating, Peter Cook flicks through some wonderful old photos from Beken and others, to see what yachtsmen and women wore in the days before modern foulies. They were decidedly more dapper in those days, it must be said, and more comfortable. An 1894 list of ‘what amount of outfit it is necessary to take away on a summer cruise’, includes the must-haves “one suit of thick pilot cloth” and “one pair of warm slippers”. 80

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

 Pilotage: sailing the Hebridean anchorages

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Sternpost Articles in India Rubber... Sinking and drowning are overlooked in the canon of British inventions, says Dave Selby

ince 1987 Classic Boat has to Halkett: “Is that a canoe in your made a massive contribution pocket, or are you just pleased to to popularising sinking, and see me?” However, despite the closely associated discipline accidentally inventing the puffer of drowning, not least through jacket, Halkett was rather deflated the stirring and inspirational when the Admiralty wrote back efforts of our readers, some of saying: “My Lords are of an whom have even managed to do opinion that your invention is it on the Norfolk Broads, despite extremely clever and ingenious, its distinct lack of low-lying coral and that it might be useful in atolls. Indeed, the fact that exploring and surveying you’ve been discovering new expeditions, but they do not ways to do it for over 35 years consider that it would be shows commendable applicable for general purposes in commitment and is a tribute to the Naval Service.” Snooty, or that spirit of innovation and what! Nevertheless explorer John invention which makes you Franklin used a larger version on proud to be British. his 1845 Arctic expedition and Yet even in the centuries was never seen again. before that, when sinking-related Meanwhile, evolutions and leisure drowning was mostly the further prototypes of Halkett’s preserve of a lucky few within a PIC: BONHAMS poncho boat can be seen every five-mile radius of Cowes on the Isle of Wight, there were moves year at the Southampton Boat Show on stand C351 or C352, afoot to democratise the pastime, and I’ve found evidence that in where a company that changes its name every year is running a addition to inventing everything else including the Spinning Jenny, crowd-funding campaign offering investors the opportunity to get Sinclair C5 and Rickets, Britain also invented drowning and in at the bottom – quite literally – of what promises to be a sinking, as this photograph of a rubber dinghy at the 1851 Great buoyant market – but then again may be not. Exhibition of that year proves. I really am not kidding, and if any Back at the 1851 Great Exhibition the extraordinary Classic Boat reader can find an earlier photo of one I’ll give you photograph of the stand with the rubber dinghy on was captioned one of my three-dozen spare Seafarer echo sounders (PP9 battery “Articles in India Rubber,” and intriguingly ascribes it to not included). Macintosh, presumably as the manufacturer of the products on The race to revolutionise recreational drowning dates back to display. However, if you look closer, you’ll notice rather 1823 when Scottish chemist Charles Macintosh developed a way of disconcertingly that one of the contraptions in the boat looks bonding rubber to fabric to create a waterproof raincoat, several suspiciously like a haemorrhoid cushion, which points to the rather years before the invention of rain by another Brit. In 1839 the unnecessary invention of piles by a vindictive British inventor who Duke of Wellington who invented the sandwich or cardigan, or felt spurned by the Admiralty. possibly the rather rubbery Wellington sandwich – I’m never sure This fascinating 1851 glimpse of the future is astonishing in which – devised an inflatable pontoon. Its success at floating can be another way, because the photograph was credited to none other gauged by the fact that he then developed the than Henry Fox Talbot who granted exhibition Wellington boot. organisers use of the new pioneering technique he first “Since 1987, Meanwhile in the early 1840s Macintosh got into made public in 1835. Yes, I know Louis Daguerre was a patent spat with an uppity American you’ve never also up to something at around the same, but he Classic Boat heard of by the name of Charles Goodyear over the wasn’t British. has done much vulcanising process of stabilising rubber. This in turn The six million visitors who thronged to the Great to popularise led to the invention of lawyers, which further spurred Exhibition in London’s Hyde Park – around a third of sinking, and the greatest scientific minds in Britain to develop a the population of Britain – included luminaries such means of drowning them. An early attempt was the as Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, Karl Marx, its closely “boat cloak” personal drowning system developed by Charles Dickens and Tom Cunliffe, then aged 12, who associated naval lieutenant Peter Halkett which transformed a bunked off school for the day to bag this ex-display discipline of rubberised poncho into a rubber dinghy by means of early Avon Red Crest at a massive discount. To this drowning.” built-in bellows in the pocket. This was one of day he swears by at, and quite often at it. The rest is history’s great lost opportunities because if only Mae history. Come to think of it, I regret what I said about West had lived earlier she would no doubt have said lawyers. I’ll be sunk without one.

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2022

VENTIS

T h e C l a s s i c Ya c h t S h i p y a r d

info@ventis.nl +31 228 312 542 Vlakwater 7, 1601 EV Enkhuizen, The Netherlands

RESTORATION

NEW-BUILD

WOODEN SPARS

S/Y NYALA

VENTIS

The 57’ Sparkman & Stephens design yawl S/Y Nyala was completed by Ventis in 2018. Since her launch she has successfully completed two Trans-Atlantic passages and many nautical miles in the Caribbean. A 2019 Classic Boat Awards Winner SY Nyala is the definition of Ventis craftsmanship.