Edited by Steffan Meyric Hughes: +44 (0)207 349 3758
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Yard News
Here is a recent photo of the ongoing restoration work to the 1938
bermudan schooner Armide. She was built at the Bas Fort shipyard in
Marseille, designer unknown. She has spent her recent years in the
south of France, taking part in regattas like Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez,
but has been for some time now in the capable hands of the team at
the Classic Works yard in La Ciotat, run by Erik Wirta with Alex Laird
and Butch Dalrymple-Smith. The work to Armide is adding up to a
thorough restoration for the yacht.Edgar J March, the 65ft 6in (20m) steel yacht inspired by the pilot
cutters of Lowestoft, made her maiden voyage from the Polish port of
Gydnia where she was built, back to Stockholm through 35kt winds
and snow. Rigged but not finished, motor-sailing with a reef in, she
made 10.5kt through the water and a little more when surfing. “It was
wet on decks with no bulwarks fitted and cold below decks,” reported
her Scandinavian owner, who is hoping to complete the boat, designed
by Mylne Yacht Design, on a budget of roughly £300,000. She is now
at the ex-naval yard on the island of Beckholm in the Swedish capital,
where work will continue. Edgar J March, a long-keeler with a
traditional gaff cutter rig on solid wood masts, was named after the
maritime historian and author who did so much to preserve British
LA CIOTAT, FRANCE workboat heritage by recording the lines of boats from every port.
Schooner Armide looking
better every daySTOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Home through snowy seasC/O ALEX LAIRDBOYNE CITY, MICHIGANNew mid-century classic for the Great Lakes
An unusual custom project designed by
Stephens Waring Yacht Design of Belfast,
Maine, is now in build at Van Dam Custom
Boats. She has been designed as a solid
cruising yacht but tuned specifically for
her owner to enjoy sailing the Great Lakes,
which can produce rough conditions.
“She combines distinction with grace,” say
the designers, going on to describe a form
that squarely pays homage to yachts of
the 1940s and 1950s. The project is
unusual in that most Spirit of Tradition
designs echo yachts of the 1930s. The
restrained overhangs and slight
tumblehome do have a simple mid-
century elegance to them.
The cabin trunk and hard dodger
complete the picture visually.
Constructionally, she’s in cold moulded
timber with a traditional laid, swept deck.
Rig is the period-correct fractional sloop.