Practical Boat Owner • http://www.pbo.co.uk 23
Drascombe/Original Devon
Dabber and Lugger
The Drascombe/Original Devon ranges
are highly popular, particularly the Dabber
and Lugger. The two brands build
essentially the same John Watkinson-
designed craft, the Original Devon boats
by Honnor Marine and the Drascombes
by Churchouse Boats.
The 15ft 6in (4.72m) long Dabber is
simple to tow, rig and launch, but still
accommodates four adults. She is
generously canvassed, giving her an
impressive sailing performance, while on a
windless day she can be rowed or
motored with a 2.3-4hp outboard. Offering
high stability (RCD category C or D), ease
of handling and a spacious cockpit with
plentiful stowage, the lightweight 550lb
(250kg) Dabber is a great family dayboat,
also offered as camping versions.
The slightly larger 18ft 9in (5.72m)
Lugger was the first Drascombe built,back in 1968, and since then over 2,000
have been launched. Like the Dabber, she
is easy to launch and recover, and
handles deftly under sail. She can be
sailed, rowed or motored with a 4-6hp
outboard, but being longer and heavier
(750lb/340kg) than the Dabber, needs a
marginally more powerful towing vehicle.
Both have recessed rear and foredecks,
with adjoining side benches, and an
outboard well with transom slot so it can
be tilted up out of the water under sail.
The Dabber has a transom-mounted
rudder, protected by a skeg, whereas the
Lugger’s rudder needs lifting out before
taking the ground. Both have a galvanised
steel centreboard in a GRP encasement,
with a purchase to lift it.
The sail plan for both comprises a
gunter-rigged mainsail with a mizzen
sheeted to a bumpkin. The Dabber has a
removable bowsprit for the headsail tack,
which attaches directly to the stem head
on the Lugger. All sails are loose-footed,
with no booms to watch out for.
Contacts Devon – Honnor Marine,
01929 427855, honnormarine.co.uk
Drascombe – Churchouse Boats,
01794 301827, drascombe.co.ukTo p Elegant-looking Drascombe Lugger
under sail
Above Original Devon Dabber sitting
pretty on a trailerBUYING A NEW DAY SAILER
I regularly meet folk who have worked
their way up to a large family cruising
yacht and then downsized again, often
remarking: ‘I found we hardly ever used
the cruiser because we felt we had to go
off on long, well-planned forays. Whereas
with our trailer-sailer we are out on the
water almost every weekend’.
If downsizing there’s a good chance
you’ll have the funds to buy new, so all
you need to decide is which boat suits
your needs most ideally. If, like me, you
simply want a stable little boat that sails
well, won’t tip the grandkids overboard,
has enough dry stowage for the usual
safety kit, spare clothes and a decent
picnic... oh! – and looks downright
gorgeous too... then there are a surprising
number of classically-styled, open day
boats still being made in the UK.TRAILER-SAILERS
Gregory Hunt