Classic_Boat_2016-03

LETTERS

Send your letters (and also any replies, please) to:

Classic Boat, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place,

London SW3 3TQ

email: [email protected]

Thanks

for Tom

Info sought:

Brightlingsea

1922 cutter I would like to

congratulate you on

the inspired decision

to get Tom Cunliffe on

board. Having read

most of his books, he

never fails to amuse

and inspire.

Mark Postma,

Somerset, via email

Tackle tickle

I laughed so hard

over Tom Cunliffe’s

last column, about

losing his anchor, my

fellow commuters

must have wondered

for my health. Thank

you Tom and CB for

enlivening an

otherwise tedious

winter morning.

Christopher Stanley,

via email

I’ve just bought a 1922
cutter called Ayesha,
designed by and for
A Boyes, who was one
of the directors of the
builders Aldous of
Brightlingsea.
There seems to be
very little information
about her and I wonder
if Classic Boat readers
could help.
I am especially
looking for line
drawings and have
been told she features
in an advertisement in
Yachting World in 1920
or 1921, but I have not
been able to trace it.
If anyone had any
information on her, I
would be very grateful.
Richard Bond, via email

Milne Skimmer

We owned Wapipi

One good Tern

In vain I have researched boat designer Peter

Milne in an attempt to find any reference to the

‘skimmer’ type of dinghy called the Piccolo. My

dad purchased one in about 1961 (sail number

23). It was sailed locally until about 1977, when I

believe it was given a Viking-type burial in

Sandown Bay on the Isle of Wight. Oh how I

would like to see the plans of that lateen-rigged

dinghy, just to help fill in the gaps of my

memory. It was the first dinghy I sailed single

handed when I was about seven. I suspect the

lessons learned designing this boat helped in the

design of the Fireball. Can anyone help me back

up my fading memories of this characterful

sailing dinghy?

Adrian Simons, via email

I was excited about the article on

Whooper in the November edition of

your magazine. We owned Wapipi,

her Jack Laurent Giles-designed sister

ship, from 1976 to 1980. We bought

her in Ft Lauderdale and immediately

got rid of the petrol engine and sailed

her engineless for the next four years.

We cruised the southern United

States then the Bahamas and she was

ideal for the latter, being shoal draft.

Her doghouse had been extended,

reducing the cockpit size. She was

wonderful off the wind and with a

good swell would surf at the drop of

a hat. Friends purchased her and kept

her in Florida for 12 years before

selling her. I have searched for news

of her since then in vain. I hope she is

still being looked after.

Bruce Polkinghorne, via email

I thoroughly enjoyed your article last month about Tern.
You named some of the key contributors to the project but
a number of others deserve a mention – and our gratitude.
Much valuable information was provided by Iain
McAllister, from early photographs which proved essential
for historical accuracy, to Iain’s considerable knowledge of
the works of Tern’s builder, John Hilditch.
William “Winkie” Nixon contributed enormously with his
vast knowledge of the various Belfast Lough OD classes, as
well as a detailed knowledge of Tern’s whereabouts over
the last 50 years.
Gordon Finlay, archivist at the Royal Ulster YC, was
generous with his time and effort, to the extent of ordering
that the optic drinks stand behind the yacht club bar be
dismantled on our behalf to access some original
photographs of the Belfast Lough OD fleet!
Francois Chevalier proved a most valuable consultant
and checked the fairing of Tern’s lines.
Sourcing high quality custom-made bronze hardware
was made possible by Gregory Ryan, Christian Terr’eaux,
Colin Frake and Ashley Butler.
Finally Tern’s owner deserves special thanks for his
vision and understanding of what a remarkable yacht he
had acquired, along with his desire to see her returned to
former glory, as do his representatives, captains Iain Cook,
Brendon Haye and Nick Svolis. Restoring Tern was a
thoroughly captivating project.
Robert Eldridge, Ocean Refit, via email

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