Craftsmanship
C/O MIILU BOATS
81
CLASSIC BOAT JUNE 2019
Edited by Steffan Meyric Hughes: +44 (0)207 349 3758
Email: [email protected]
Yard News
Two of Arthur Ransome’s boats are currently
sharing the workshop at Robertsons Boatyard.
Nancy Blackett, the Hillyard 7-Tonner built in
1931 as Spindrift, but renamed by Ransome after
the heroine of so many of his children’s books,
is having her annual spruce up ready for another
busy season. The 28ft (8.5m) Bermudan sloop
featured as Goblin in We Didn’t Mean to Go to
Sea, first published in 1937.
Ragged Robin III (ex-Lottie Blossom) is
undergoing some more substantial work, including
recovering her deck with ply and glass sheathing for
greater protection and strength, while leaving the
original tongue-and-groove deck unharmed to retain
her original feel below decks. Also in the yard at
present is a Cornish Crabber built at Robertsons in
1988 and now back in for some major varnish work.
Work has been done to the yard itself, too. This
has included reclamation of mud banks to provide
additional hardstanding for overwintering boats,
putting on monthly free boat advice clinics
presented by Robertsons staff and visiting
specialists, and even a newly built holiday-let
apartment with views over the river and boatyard.
WOODBRIDGE, SUFFOLK
Two Arthur Ransome
yachts reunited
KOTKA, FINLAND
Another yard story
NY STATE, USA
Hacker to
expand
Summer was slowly melting the ice from the shores of southern
Finland as we went to press and at Miilu Boats, that meant
the chance to launch and shake down the latest build.
'L' (she's yet to be named) is a custom-built Coquina
daysailer designed by NG Herreshoff in 1889. Yard owner Jari
Vanhatalo explained: "She has a 110sq ft (10.2m
2
) standing
lug sail at the customer's request, instead of the original
130sq ft (12.1m
2
) yawl rig, and small fore and aft decks over
watertight compartments."
The hull is strip-planked in red cedar, the rig and decks are
in Oregon pine, and brightwork is in mahogany. The sail is from
the small, family-owned Traditional Rigging Co of Appleton,
Maine, with bronzeware from Davey & Co of London. She comes
with a trailer for towing and boom tent for protection against
the elements when she is on the buoy.
The famous firm of
Hacker Craft, who
still build their
runabouts as they
always have – in
mahogany – is
seeking to expand
operations in
Europe and is
actively seeking
dealers. You can see
some new Hackers i
n this month’s New
Classics (p73) or
visit the website at
hackerboat.com.
Nancy Blackett (left)
and Ragged Robin III