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DECEMBER 2022

T H E W O R L D’ S M O S T B E A U T I F U L B O A T S

REGATTA REVIVAL A classic summer in pictures

BUGATTI’S BABY Ettore’s motor dinghy built new MARITIME PAINTING

Best art of 2022

JAMES ROBINSON TAYLOR

Behind the lens

NORTHERN LIGHT Legendary 12-M races again KINGS OF PIN MILL

Ransome’s yard

www.classicboat.co.uk

NORTHERN LIGHT

When she was christened in 1938, no one could have envisioned how aptly named she would be 84 years on. Heading south from her home port of Gothenburg, she has lit up the Baltic 12-M circuit with an unending stream of victories WORDS: RON VALENT PHOTOS: SOMMERWERCK PHOTOGRAPHY

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

NORTHERN LIGHT

t may seem odd to call a yacht built in 1938 a newcomer but that is exactly what Northern Light is in the Baltic 12-Metre class. She was bought by a group of Swedish sailors who wanted to challenge the hegemony of the Danish owned Vim, the Danish/Finnish consortium owning Wings, and the other predominantly German-owned top 12-Metres racing at various events in the Baltic such as Flica II, Trivia, Sphinx and Jenetta. After her first full season racing in 2022, she has done more than just challenge the old guard but has thoroughly turned the accepted order upset down with deciding wins at Dyvig Week in Denmark and the Robbe & Berking Sterling Cup in Flensburg, Germany. Where did this race horse come from? By 1938, although only 30 years old at the time, Olin Stephens was already accepted as one of the foremost naval architects in the world. His amazing talent was consolidated into business success with his winning designs Dorade (1929) and Stormy Weather (1934). These powerful ocean racers won both the Bermuda Race as well as the Fastnet several times and, 90 years on, they are still winning races consistently on the classic regatta circuit as well as in more challenging events such as the Sydney–Hobart Race and the Trans-Pacific Race which, for instance, Dorade won in 2013. Together with W. Starling Burgess, Olin Stephens also co-designed the J-Class Ranger, which convincingly beat Endeavour II in four straight races in the 1937 America’s Cup. Between 1958 and 1980

Below: Early days. Racing in America Facing page: Bottle smooth finish shines during the Sterling Cup in Flensburg

Olin designed six out of the seven successful defenders of the America’s Cup, which during that period was sailed in 12-Metres. In 1938 Stephens designed his first two 12-Metres, Nyala and Northern Light. Both these yachts were developments of his immensely successful 6-Metre Goose. At the time considered to be a breakthrough yacht, which possibly put down to the fact that, like Ranger the year before, she had been extensively tank tested before Olin arrived at the final design. The influence of this 6-Metre origin can be seen in Nyala and Northern Light in their slightly narrower bow section, when compared to their younger sisters. Interestingly enough this narrower bow not only seems to work surprisingly well but also aesthetically gives Northern Light a rather slim and aggressive “get out of my way” look which might also have a psychological effect on her opponents! Both the yachts were built at the Henry B. Nevins Shipyard in New York. They were constructed with double planking of mahogany and cedar. This building method, although complicated and expensive, gives an enormously strong and durable hull. Nyala is now owned by the fashion company Prada whose CEO Patricio Bertelli is an avid sailing enthusiast. Nyala is in mint condition and sailed by the same professional team that sails Prada’s America’s Cup efforts. She has been world champion several times in the Vintage Division (yachts built before 1955) and is still one of the fastest 12-Metres in the Mediterranean or wherever she shows up for that matter. She is particularly fast in light weather. In May 1939 the 12-Metre Vim was launched and arguably this was certainly one of Olin Stephens’ most successful and fastest designs. Owner Harold Vanderbilt of J-Class fame asked for an out and out racing boat to win races and he certainly got one. She swept the board both in America as well as in Europe when she came over to race here. She was also packed with innovative technical advances such as an aluminium mast and rod rigging. For the next 20 years she was the boat to beat and nearly succeeded in becoming the defending yacht in the 1958 America’s Cup, which was disputed in 12-Metres after this class was chosen for the Cup. She never stopped racing despite moving to Australia, where the Australians used her as a trial horse to help hone their Challengers for the America’s Cup, and then back again to Europe. Since 2014 Vim has been owned and campaigned intensely on the Baltic circuit by the Dane Patrick Howaldt, and she is in perfect and nearly original condition. Since then she has resumed her winning ways and has come out on top in nearly every regatta including several world and European championships. Unbeatable so to speak until …. June 2022. Enter Northern Light and owner Hans Eliasson and there is a completely new ballgame.

THE BEST PEDIGREE Northern Light was given to Alfred Loomis Jr for his 24th birthday by his father, after he had graduated from Harvard Law School. This possibly kick-started the yachting career of young Alfred Loomis as afterwards 6

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

US-14 NORTHERN LIGHT DESIGNER: Olin

Stephens LAUNCHED: 1938 LOA: 70ft (21.33m) LWL: 45ft (13.72m) BEAM: 12ft (3.65m) DRAUGHT: 8ft 75in 2.67m SAIL AREA: 259sqft (79sqm) BUILD: Double-planked mahogany and cedar on white oak frames with silicon bronze fastenings

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

NORTHERN LIGHT

he became rather famous as the author of several excellent yachting books, and the winner of a gold medal at the 1948 London Olympics in the 6-Metre Class. In the 1970’s he was manager of the Independence-Couragious America’s Cup syndicate that defended and held on to the Cup against ever stronger Australian challenges. Northern Light had a similar career to Vim where she was continually upgraded and used as a very competitive trial horse for Columbia in the 1958 defence of the Cup as well as again in 1962 and 1964. She continued racing such as in the gruelling ChicagoMackinac Race but then sadly came on hard times. In 1984 her owner was unable to pay for her berthing costs and the boatyard took over ownership. Sadly during a storm surge she was lifted onto a piling, which pierced her hull and sank. This could have been the end of this already great yacht if it weren’t for philanthropist and 12-Metre lover Bob Tiedeman. Tiedeman is credited with saving several classic yachts as well some 12-Metres, and extending their useful lifespans by putting them into a charter business out of Newport on the American East coast.

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

Above: Concentration and readiness before the tack Above right: Northern Light chases Nini Anker to the windward mark Below left: Hull fully stripped at the beginning of the refit by Vindö Marine in Henån, Sweden Below right: Planning the layout on a 12-Metre

He bought Northern Light unseen in 1984 and raised her from the bottom of Lake Michigan. He then spent two years restoring her before bringing her back to Newport to join Gleam and Mariner, two other 12s he had in his charter fleet. The original interior had been removed during the late 1970s and replaced with an open set up, with a navigation area, galley, cushioned settees and a private head. Actually a very useful layout for both chartering and racing. Besides her money-earning day-charters, she also continued to race competitively and won several regattas including the Classic Yacht regatta held annually in Newport, RI and her class in the Edgartown Yacht Club 12-Metre regatta. She was placed 10th in the classic division in 2001 in Cowes during the world championship, and second in the vintage division in 2009 in Newport RI. During the restoration he replaced the rusting steel floors with bronze ones, rebuilt the rudder, lengthened her mast back to her original proportions, replaced planking where it had been damaged in the storm, and then gave her a fresh coat of paint and anti-fouling, which had her shining as new. Over the years Tiedeman

Above right (top): Magnus Holmberg helming Above right: Trimming the genoa on the original Nevins coffee grinders Below left: Northern Light with her new racing cockpit by Vindö Marine Below right: Simple but functional interior of a racing 12-Metre

was needed to get Northern Light into regatta form. Owner Hans Eliasson continues the story: “When we bought her in America she had basically been out of the water for seven years and was in moderate condition. We had seen a survey from another group that had looked at her but thought that was a bit pessimistic so we decided to go ahead with her anyway. In the end, it turned out to be quite correct! Haha! So the cosmetic patch-up turned into a real refit/restoration, which among others, involved reinforcing the hull and deck in several places and especially around her chain plates near the mast. We also routed out the seams below the waterline and then filled them with epoxy and splines. We didn’t do much to her appearance as we were now working purely on improving her boat speed. I didn’t buy a classic yacht, I bought a racing yacht. That’s what she was designed to do and that’s what we intend to do with her. Every decision we made was based on the principle: Will this make her go faster? Will it make her point higher?” After her first refit last year Northern Light was launched at the end of May. The summer was mainly spent getting to know the boat and working with a number of different crew members who would have the

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

PHOTOS: RON VALENT

continued to maintain and upgrade her, keeping her in a good as possible condition for a “working boat”. When Tiedeman died in 2006, his widow continued his charter business but in 2015 taking care of this fleet of seven large classic yachts proved to much for her and Northern Light was stored ashore and put up for sale. After Gothenburg Sailing Club organised the 2019 European Championship for 12-Metres in Marstrand two of the organisers, Hans Eliasson and Lasse Molse, started thinking about acquiring a 12-Metre that could challenge the fastest 12s for European and world championship titles. They had been adversaries for decades in the Dragon class but now, as the end of their sailing career approached, they thought a nice round up of that would be by sailing together in a boat. Slowly word of their plan reached other sailors and Leif Möller, another experienced sailor, asked to be allowed to join the group. But they were all Dragon sailors with little or no experience with a wooden boat but when they saw Lasse Molses’exquisitely restored wooden Dragon at the Gothenburg Boatshow they knew they had found another member for the team to fill that slot. Lasse had also sailed on Vim for 10 years and knew perfectly what

NORTHERN LIGHT

time and interest to race an old 12-Metre. In total about 40 crew were tested out of which a nucleus of 20 of them are expected to form the backbone of the 16-strong crew required to handle the boat. Many of the sailors come from the Dragon class and Magnus Holmberg from the America’s Cup Victory Challenge has acted as helmsman during the summer. During that summer Northern Light took part in a regatta in Denmark against several other 12s and it was soon apparent that her old mast was too weak and bendy, which affected her upwind performance. The group looked at acquiring a new mast but in the end they managed to buy a second-hand aluminium one off another 12 for a fraction of the price. She also benefitted from a complete new sail wardrobe from North Sails, and new winches and more modern equipment to make sail handling easier. Much of the boat’s current equipment has been with her since she was built in 1938 and these parts will be saved in case any subsequent owner of the boat wants to refurbish her back to original again. Hans Eliasson continues: “This year we did manage to do a bit more serious sail training, but Dyvig was our very first regatta. We were actually as surprised as everyone else at how well Northern Light performed. We knew she was a fast boat, but this has completely

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

Above: Nini Anker. Launched in 2013 to a johan Anker design from 1939 that was never built Below: From left to right: Northern Light, Nini Anker and Vim. Three of the top boats of the 2022 season

exceeded our expectations. Especially since we expect to make her even faster in the future.” There was some muttering in the fleet about professionals on board but this was quickly put to rest by Eliasson. “Nobody on the boat is paid. We just put together a good crew of experienced sailors based on friendship and camaraderie. Five old guys and a bunch of kids. I am 75, Lasse Molse, the tactician in Dyvig, is 80, and Magnus Holmberg, Leif Möller and Jesper Stålheid are all in their 60s. We all come from Dragon sailing so we do have plenty of racing experience.” Magnus Holmberg of course is not just any sailor but one of Sweden’s top helmsmen having represented his country at three Olympic Games as well as two America’s Cup campaigns for Victory Challenge in 2003 and 2007. Besides co-owning several 12-Metres including Vim, Patrick Howaldt is also vice-president of the International Twelve Metre Association and responsible for the Baltic area. We asked him about the unexpected success of Northern Light and also that of Nini Anker, another new 12 that came second during the Robbe & Berking Sterling Cup. “I am of course really pleased that there is new blood entering the scene with the enthusiastic owners of these two boats helping the class forward. We always knew that Nini Anker would be a fast boat. Last year in Helsinki at the World Championship she was simply unlucky so I am really happy for the owner and his crew that things went so smoothly this year. It was a bit of a surprise that Northern Light did so well but she did benefit from a very good refit and also there has been a lot of top level design input that has optimised her to a higher level. And then her crew are a very experienced bunch of top sailors with a lot of miles built up sailing Dragons and other very competitive classes. If you want to win in the 12-Metre class you need sailors like that.” The team behind Northern Light has certainly stirred things up in the Baltic and it is of course fitting that this exceptional, historic yacht has found dedicated owners who are putting so much effort into her. The team plan to keep on improving and racing her hard until 2024 when they hope to organise the World Championship in their home port of Marstrand.

Tell Tales

Classic Boat’s address: Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London, SW3 3TQ cb@classicboat.co.uk Follow the Classic Boat team on Twitter and Facebook

PHOTO: SIR ROBIN KNOX-JOHNSTON ARCHIVE/PPL

Knox-Johnston reunited with compass Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has been reunited

a few rupees in Bombay back in 1964 and I

with his binnacle compass, stolen from

made the Binnacle from teak. The top is a

Suhaili back in 1969, when she was on

typical Lifeboat compass from the time. The

display in Rochdale, writes Barry Pickthall.

compass was handed in anonymously to

The compass was handed in to a local

Holyhead Maritime Museum back in April and

museum earlier this year by an

the curator took the trouble to contact me. We

anonymous woman, thought to be the

don’t know who handed it in but suspect it

wife of the thief, who may have died. Sir

was the widow of the thief. I am very grateful

Robin collected it this month.

to her whoever she is. It needs some TLC. The

Sir Robin said: “The compass, that guided

hinged cover is missing, as is the small oil

Suhaili back from India and the non-stop

lantern at the side whose casing has been

around the world, was stolen from her in

dislodged but can be fixed. The compass

1969 when she was on show in Rochdale.

needs oil but I have that. It’s great to be

The compass and its cover were bought for

reunited after so many years.”

Double award for Britannia The Britannia Sailing Trust, responsible for the restoration in

substantial amount of money. The trust is indebted to various grant

awards at the National Transport Trust’s annual award ceremony.

makers including the lottery fund for providing essential funding.

One for the excellence of the project and the Peter Allen award given to the best of the best of this year’s restoration projects. The Britannia Sailing Trust was formed in 2014 when the badly deteriorated Britannia was discovered in Brixham. She was initially motored down to Gweek and then, for practical reasons, was transported overland to Winkleigh in central Devon. Britannia was launched in 1915 out of the Worfolk Brothers’

Sam, at 79, a master boat builder and consultant to the Trust, still works daily on Britannia alongside Andy Cornish, also a master boat builder. Vicki Samuels along with India Guest has worked tirelessly with great success to raise funding. Over a quarter of a million so far. Now, nine years after rescue she is shaping up well. Hull planking is completed, decks on, bulwarks in place and the railing done, including the beautiful curved taff rail. The cabin tops are ready to

yard in Kings Lynn. She was the largest of her type ever built and

fit. The Trust is looking very positively at a launch date in the

is now the last one of her type left in the world. After stripping

Autumn of 2023 in Exeter. The final tranche of funds will be needed

her back, removing substandard timbers the trust was surprised

to complete her and get her certified for chartering.

at how many of her original timbers, harvested from the Royal Forest of Sandringham, were still sound.

As with all large vessel restorations, Britannia has soaked up a

Devon of Britannia, a 60ft East Coast smack, recently won two

As with all these large projects, the Trust is constantly looking for funds. While Vicki and India concentrate on the large funding

Sam and Vicki Samuels who owned, lived aboard and

applications, The trust is always in need of small monthly donations

brought up their two boys on Britannia from 1973 until 1996

to cover static costs such as insurance, power etc. Donations can be

when they sold her, are both heavily involved in this award-

made at britanniasailingtrust.org, and anyone donating to the

winning restoration.

project on a regular basis will have the chance to sail on her.

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

TELL TALES

Classic Channel Regatta 2023 The next Classic Channel Regatta will run from 17-25 July 2024. This is later in the month than usual owing to the tides needed for the lock at Paimpol. For those interested in signing up for next year's event, here's the outline of the programme: 17 July – Registration at Dartmouth 18-19 July – Racing off Dartmouth 20-21 July – Classic Channel Race – Dartmouth to St Peter Port 22 July – Passage Race – St Peter Port to Paimpol

Falmouth Packet Ship

23 July – Rest day in Paimpol. 24 July – Round Île de Bréhat Race & Danse des Classiques 25 July – End of Regatta Prizegiving and Party in Paimpol Updated information will follow in due course.

An ambitious project is getting underway in Cornwall, to build and then operate a replica of a Falmouth Packet Ship, writes Nigel Sharp. In 1688, Falmouth was

Meanwhile the 2022 Classic Channel Regatta was

appointed as the Royal Mail packet station and, from then until the arrival of

another resounding success, proving once again that this is

steam in the mid-19th century, Packet Ships carried mail and messages under

more than just a regatta, it’s a celebration and festival and

sail to and from various parts of the British Empire.

regatta all rolled into one. Competitors at this year's event

Ian Woodford is now heading up the project to build a replica of Walsingham,

were also treated to glorious Mediterranean weather –

an 80ft LOD 'standard' packet ship, the lines for which still exist. The original

sunny and hot with light winds filling in just enough for all

vessel was built in 1794 and then served all over the world for more than a

the week’s races to go ahead.

quarter of a century, during which time she was taken as a prize by a French frigate before being re-taken by the Royal Navy soon afterwards. When

To find out more about the Classic Channel Regatta, visit classic-channel-regatta.eu

complete, it is expected that the new Walsingham will take part in worldwide regattas and maritime events, and will be used for sail training, education, charter work, TV and film roles, and transporting cargo under sail. Regarding the build, Ian has been in discussions with boatbuilder Luke Powell who is being very supportive. To get things under way, Ian needs to raise funds and he is keen to hear from volunteers who might help him do so. thefalmouthpacketship.org ian@thefalmouthpacketship.org

Marjorie was built in wood by Orvis for the Ipswich grain

MARJORIE, 1902

merchants R. & W. Paul Ltd in 1902, writes Sandy Miller. She spent her working life in the East Anglian grain trades, interrupted by World War I duties as a coal carrier to the continent, and is a rarity among current barges in that she has never been de-rigged, even as a tea-room at the West India Docks in the 80s! She was sold straight out of trade in the 60s, competed in the last series of Thames Matches in the 60s, and has been owned by barrister Simon Devonshire since 1993, based at Hoo on the Medway and wintering at St Katharine Docks. She initially underwent a substantial rebuild at Stargate Marine (Robert Deards) in Hoo, with green oak for replacement frames, and opepe for planking. Simon raced her in the staysail class before adding a bowsprit in 2003. Highlights have included wins at the Colne Match in 2003, 2010 and 2021, and ‘Champion of the London River’ in 2008 (with barging legend Jim Lawrence at the helm). She was holed and nearly sunk in a racing collision with Repertor at the 2008 Swale Match and has since also had her starboard quarter rebuilt in 2013, new steel lee-boards fitted in 2020 and port quarter planking replaced this year. She is a regular at barge matches and a real crowd-pleaser.

SANDY MILLER

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

TELL TALES

CORNWALL

Plastic-free pirates aiming to change minds The self-styled plastic free pirates, Clean Ocean

around mental and physical

Sailing in Cornwall, ran a project to coincide with

health, including climate anxiety

World Mental Health Day 10 October, inviting

and reconnection to the self

people “to join them in the fight against plastic

and the natural environment.

pollution and look after their own mental health

These conversations about

at the same time”.

mental health provide practical

On board the charity’s 115-year-old boat,

coping tools and a greater

Annette, and assisted by a therapist, participants

understanding of the benefits

in the Ocean Well-Being project learned positive

of physical activity and time

ways in which active participation in sailing and

spent in nature.”

other activities can improve wellbeing, while

Meanwhile, ship's

simultaneously contributing to the conservation

cook Stuart Woodman led wild

of the marine environment.

food foraging trips. One

Monika Hertlova, co-founder of Clean Ocean Sailing, said:

participant said: “We went sailing and collected plastic waste. But I

“During sailing trips on our 115-year-old traditional wooden boat

had no idea what that would actually be like. I was surprised by the

“Annie”, participants can experience sailing, kayaking, rowing, and

kind and welcoming atmosphere and the very unpressured approach;

wild swimming alongside activities with a positive environmental

there was a warm invitation to try things. It was a hugely empowering

impact like beach cleaning, processing marine plastics for recycling

and inspiring day, which has really changed things for me. I’m

and re purposing.”

desperate to come back, learn more and grab more plastic!”

The Annette was built 1908 as a gaff-rigged schooner, 66ft (20.11m) LOA and 55 tonnes, built in carvel oak planks on oak frames. The charity said: “Project therapist Sarah MacQueen helps provide a safe space and opportunity for individuals to explore concerns

The charity collaborates with Band of Brothers, Thera Sea, Simons House in Falmouth and NHS referrals to recruit participants who would most benefit. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/cleanoceansailing2020

Helsinki Classic Yacht Symposium returns The Helsinki Classic Yacht Symposium will resume with a 10th edition after a two-year break due to the covid-19 pandemic. The event runs over the weekend of 24-26 March 2023, with a six-hour symposium, dinners, a historic boatyard excursion, and an international naval photography workshop, writes Martin Nott. The theme for the 10th edition will be Design and Desire in Times to Come. The symposium will “take a deep dive into the future of classic yachting and classic yachts of the future, discussing evolving aesthetics, design and restoration principles and crewing and ownership”. The event is organised by Helsingfors Segelsällskap (HSS) in collaboration with seven other major yacht clubs in Finland. For more information contact Kristina Lindqvist, programme coordinator, at hss@helsinkisailing.com

Join us at the British Yachting Awards A limited number of tickets are

the 22-year-old White triplet

available for the British Yachting

brothers who won silverware at

Awards, the annual celebration of

Cowes Week, and the school-age

the mainstream racing and

crew of Embley, who won the

cruising worlds, run by our sister

Round the Island Race’s ISC

title Sailing Today with Yachts &

category, beating more than 500

Yachting. The ceremony takes

entries – as well as the best

place at 6.30pm on 28 November

boats, events, marinas and sailing

at the Royal Thames Yacht Club,

kit of the year.

Knightsbridge, London. The nominations are listed

CLASSIC BOAT DECEMBER 2022

Book your ticket, including a Champagne and canapés

online at britishyachtingawards.

reception, for £90 via www.

com. Among the nominees are

sailingtoday.co.uk/news/

16-year-old Cal Currier who

exclusive-offer-to-join-us-at-

sailed solo across the Atlantic,

british-yachting-awards/

FOR SALE REDUCED $1.5 million

Photo Gallery

Broker Participation

M/V NYMPH M/V NYMPH

HISTORIC, 1913 Early American Motor Boat with Edwardian Old World Charm Last of a special breed, beautiful fiberglass hull, 30yr T&T hauls with 50 ton travel lift. This amazing vessel has been meticulously restored over a eight-year period. Originally built in 1913 by The Matthews Boat Company in Clinton, Ohio.

1913

75’- 0”

For more information: samwright0887@gmail.com