THE CATBOAT CHRONICLES
Legacy & desire lead to Gil Smith masterpiece
FLY AWAY, WHIRLWIND
Whirlwind II is a true catboat, imagined by her owner Yarrow Thorne and built by Artisan Boatworks in Maine
WORDS PEARL MARVELL PHOTOS ALISON LANGLEY
STELLA’S A STORY
The clinker-built Stella yachts have found the elixir of eternity: it’s a cocktail of glassfibre and epoxy
WORDS AND PHOTOS NIGEL SHARP AND STELLA CLASS ASSOCIATION
32x2_CB_0326.
The Duchy 25 from Cockwells is a development of the popular 27, but the new baby in the range is powered by an outboard and ready to hit the roads
WORDS NIGEL SHARP PHOTOS C/O COCKWELLS
RISKY BUSINESS
How do insurers view wooden and older boat risk and is it getting harder to find cover?
WORDS NIGEL SHARP
Rumours and letters have floated around Classic Boat HQ regarding the apparent increasing difficulty and expense of insuring wooden boats, so we have taken the opportunity to talk to a number of people in the marine insurance business to find out what has been going on.
Firstly, to explain how insurance works, companies that deal with marine (or any other) insurance are split into different categories: brokers, managing general agents (MGAs), underwriters and insurance companies. Insurance companies mostly work behind the scenes, and they are the ones taking the financial risk, as it is they that pay out in the event of a claim. Lloyd’s of London is a particularly wellknown insurance company and it is backed by a large number of syndicates, each of which specialises in different forms of insurance. Underwriters also mostly work in the background assessing the risks on behalf of insurance companies, and in that respect they play a vital role in balancing risk against reward for those companies. Boat owners wishing to take out policies would mostly deal with a broker or MGA.
Companies from each group tend to form strong and stable relationships with each other over periods of time so that when, for instance, a boat owner contacts a broker with a view to taking out a new policy, the broker will – after ascertaining the details of the boat itself and the specific insurance requirements – have a good understanding of the best companies to approach for quotations. “We have a panel of about eight insurers that we work with,” said Sandra Pascoe of Everard Insurance, “and we have worked with them all long enough to understand their appetite so that we can whittle it down to say three or four to approach with each specific enquiry.” That is a typical and well-trodden strategy adopted by most brokers and this will lead to further discussions between brokers and owners regarding the resulting quotations. For many owners the best quote will be the cheapest one, IE the one with lowest premium, but for others there may be other more important considerations and it is always worth studying the terms of the suggested policies While most brokers are free to approach any MGAs or
insurance companies on behalf of their clients, others have more specific arrangements. Brokers Hayes Parsons, for instance, owns its own MGA, Admiral Marine. But Admiral has its limitations – an upper value of £1.25m, for instance, and no classic boats over 40 years old – so Hayes Parsons also uses other insurance companies, most notably Beazley Insurance. Haven Knox Johnston is another broker which has its own insurance company, MS Amlin.
Pantaenius Yacht & Motor Boat Insurance is an MGA but “to all intents and purposes to the client we look like the insurance company,” said Pantaenius’s Simon Hedley. That is because the company has an established history of setting the premiums, making underwriting decisions and setting the conditions of insurance policies they provide – for the majority of boats, anyway – without recourse to the insurance companies, thanks to the expertise of its own team of underwriters. They also have their own internal claims department, settling most claims without reference to their panel of insurers. “The insurance companies trust us to set the rates and make responsible decisions, and as long as we deliver a good return on their investment, we can continue to do that,” said Simon. “If we sold it too cheaply, or paid more claims than the premiums we collect, those relationships would pretty soon end.”
Navigators & General, which has a long history in the marine insurance sector and is now part of Geo Underwriting, a specialist MGA, operate in a similar way. “The current climate now is for insurers to say, ‘look, you’re the experts. You know what you’re doing. We’ll give you the security and providing customers are receiving the advice they need, we’re happy’,” said Navigators & General’s John Tuckwell. Pantaenius, Navigators & General and Admiral all deal with individual boat owners as well as brokers.
The Basic Boat Co is a broker of sorts and is part of the Howe Maxted Group. They only offer third party insurance and as such are also able to provide quotes without recourse to their insurance company, except for boats over 60ft or if something is out of the ordinary.
Boats for sale
To advertise call Hugo Segrave +44 (0)7707167729 or email hugo.segrave@chelseamagazines.com
LILY OAK
Built for the 1960 Boat Show, Lily Oak is a 20ft Wooden Iroko clinker built Devon beach launch. She has recently been restored and comes with a fully rebuilt Lister period engine (Still to fit). Includes a galvanised Tyrone Snell twin axle breaked trailer. Allegedly named by her first owner after a Second World War vessel and owned by Lord St Leven, owner of St Michaels Mount, and later used as a ferry from the Mount for 18 years. Lots of history in this beautiful boat, she’s now in need of a new home. Currently located in LA6, can be delivered. Open to sensible offers. demtremelling@yahoo.co.uk / metremelling@aol.com
RING 16FT 10 EX OFFSHORE RACING BOAT
PFM raced mid-late 80’s, 90 horse power Yamaha, full rig 1984
This boat does require new flooring, however the hull is very sound and the trailer has three new tyres recently fitted. A chance for you to buy a piece of history. Collection in person - Hertfordshire area. Price £1,950 ONO Contact: Mark on 07791747291
PARTIALLY
RESTORED UFFA FOX LOOE REDWING R101
CLINKER DINGHY
Built circa 1949), 90% rib renewed with copper riveted steamed green oak. Plank repairs and new deck, fittings and finish required. Timber mast boom and tired sails, timber and original metal fin. Inc. good condition road trailer and launching trolley. Stalled restoration project and boat deserving of TLC by enthusiast with potential to race via Redwing Association. Shropshire. P.O.A. Contact: lozz.dee@icloud.com.
M.V. SEACREST (1910–20)
M.V. Seacrest – built for service, now o ering timeless life afloat. Ex-Admiralty Harbour Steam Launch, a rare survivor of Britain’s working naval past. 52’ teak-on-oak with handsome sheer and bilge keels. Thoughtfully converted, diesel-powered, three cabins, bath, galley – a true floating home. Awaiting her next careful custodian £75,000. Mark Scorer +44 7973 626036
OCEAN LADY – 1950
A well-maintained cruiser. 35’ LOA, 28’ LWL, 9’1” beam, 4’10” draft, carvel-planked in mahogany on oak timbers with a long keel and pretty canoe stern. Refurbished Solé Mini 48 diesel, large deep, safe cockpit. Original varnished mahogany interior includes V-berths, large saloon, galley, and heads with over 6’ headroom, 200w solar panel, Taylors diesel heater, tender, outboard, 4 man life raft, and dry-berthing legs, she’s a joy to handle singlehanded and has plenty of room for the family. Lying Portland, Dorset. £18,500 Contact: 07702175830 Gill@gillmeller.com
13m.by3.5m launch Designed by Jumbo Goddard and built by Halvorsen Gowland in Sydney and completed in 1973.Hull planked in Huon pine with teak upper works.Can be inspected at Whaley bridge Derbyshire £34,000 Contact: Roger on 07966138720 or via francisrogerlees@gmail.com
RAGAZZA BELLA
1955 Bianchi e Cecchi Sportsman, built for a Genoese shopkeeper, restored in 2019/2020 at Bristol’s Underfall Yard and now enjoying life in the Bristol’s floating harbour. She comes with a 2016 Indespension Big Dipper trailer, a delightful bespoke swim ladder, 1992 four stroke 50HP Mercury outboard and a full winter cover. She is 5.49m long, 1.8m in the beam. Lying Bristol Harbour.
£21,000 ONO Contact: Ian Wilkinson. ianwilk2000@yahoo.com 07496448879
NATIONAL SWALLOW “BOOMERANG” NO 75
Built by Bond in 1981 for Jeremy Buckwell from whom we purchased Boomerang in 2016, fibreglass hull with wooden/lead keel. ( Jeremy won the Championship in 1983) 7770mm overall hull, almost new jib by Batt. North main, jib and spinnaker, spare sails, new tacktic 2024, depth gauge, antifoul stripped back last year. A very wellmaintained Swallow, equally suitable for relaxed cruising (2–4 crew) or class racing (2–3 crew). Ready to sail. £3000. Overhauled galvanised twin axle road trailer £2000. View in Godalming. Contact: Ring Robin on 07836 228671 or email rwknibb@gmail.com
PRIOR 37 - MALOUINE
Designed by Alan Buchanan. LOA 37’, Beam 10’, Draft 6’9”, Disp. 7T. Exceptionally well built by Priors of Burnham (1962). Teak on rock elm with bronze floors, knees & ring frames, and lead keel. Malouine is as solid as the day she was launched. Main refits: 2003 new ¾” teak on ply decks; 2012 rewired & new instruments; 2013 saloon stripped and refinished; 2017 mast step replaced & frames refastened; 2018 keel bolts checked, bilges painted; 2019 new upholstery; 2023 engine (Volvo 2003 28hp) stripped and rebuilt, new heads, seacocks serviced; 2025 minor re-caulking. Excellent spec for cruising. Once owned by Douglas Gill, Malouine has been in the current ownership since 2000 and is a much loved family cruising boat. She is comfortable on coastal meanders and instils confidence on lengthy passages. Currently maintained by Walsteds (www.walsteds.com) in Svendborg, Denmark. Malouine has EU & UK VAT paid status for this sale by quirk of Brexit regulations. €40,000. Contact: Andrew at aapfleck@gmail.com or +44 (0)7825569085
CHANCE 37 - PEGASO
Completely refitted and modernized example of Wauquiez/ Britten Chance classic. Deck redesigned, new winches, clutches, tracks etc. Volvo MD2 diesel rebuilt. Extra batteries, new instrumentation, autopilot. New standing/ running rigging. Carbon genniker boom. These boats (95 built) were known for windward ability and stiffness, with 45% ballast ratio. Pegaso would be an excellent choice for races like the AZAB or Round-Britain. £79,500 Contact: nick@nicholas-millard.com or 07816668737