BUTTERCUP
Beckett. Like so many aspects of British life, the
aftermath of World War One saw a revolution in the
Broadland yachting scene leading to the swift demise of
the pre-war racing yachts. Their downfall was triggered
by the dramatic rise in the cost of labour which affected
both the construction and crewing of these magnificent
sailing craft. As a result, smaller and more affordable
half deckers such as the Broads One Design and the Yare
& Bure One Design sailed by unpaid amateurs became
increasingly popular and took their place as the focal
point of Broadland regattas. In contrast to many of her
contemporaries, Sayonara continued to compete in this
more modest era and was taken to Ernest Woods in July
1926 to be shortened by nearly 5ft to her present length
of 29ft 6ins to enable her to sail as part of the B Class.Some of the Broadland hire fleets brought temporary
salvation for a few racing yachts after World War One
including Sayonara, which joined the Wroxham based
hire fleet of Ernest Collins for the 1928 season as
Buttercup. The modifications for the three-berth yacht’s
new role included reducing the overall size of the rig and
removing the bowsprit. It is unclear if the heads, primus
stove and lifting cabin roof with sliding hatch were fitted
as part of this work or while she was still in private
ownership. However, discerning hirers were still able to
enjoy the experience of spending their holiday on board
a pedigree racing yacht even if she was a little cramped
down below compared to the other generously
proportioned, purpose-built craft available for hire.
Her first listing within the annual Blake brochure in
1928 focuses on her sailing performance by describing
Buttercup as, “a very fast boat suitable for those who are
used to handling racing craft”. The same listing reveals
that a week’s holiday on Buttercup cost between £6
and £9 5s per week depending on the time of year.RETIRED FROM HIRE
Buttercup remained at the mercy of hirers until the end
of the 1967 season when she was purchased by Les
Mogford, who had laid her up at Wayford Bridge before
moving her to Sheringham and ultimately to May
Gurney’s works at Thorpe, where she caught the
attention of her current owner Patrick Richardson in- Despite her broken back, Patrick was captivated
by her inherent beauty and decided to embark on one of
Below: plans drawn
up by Ernest
Woods show
Sayonara’s revised
profile after work
carried out in 1924C/
O^
THE^ MUSEUM^
OFTHE^ BROADSButtercup heads back down Heigham Sound with
Patrick Richardson at the helm. Top right insert: the lead counter weight
at the bottom of Buttercup’s mast enables it to be raised by one person