CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2016 85YANGON, MYANMAR
New lease of life for schooner
NETHERLANDS
J builders uniteWith skilled labour available at $11 (£7.80) per day, giving an ageing vessel a second lease of life is a
real option in many parts of southeast Asia, as boat owners have known for some time. Trevor
Appleby found the Dudley Dix-designed, 1990-built, 100ft (31m) steel schooner Dallinghoo laid up in
Malaysia in a “poor state of repair” and bought her wth a view to making her lovely once again. This
he achieved by a general restoration to good condition, but also by having a counter stern added (she
previously had a transom stern). He has had the vessel re-rigged to keep everything in proportion and
the boat should look a picture when she sets sail once again with a new suit of tan-coloured sails. The
new aft deck, as well as adding elegance, has meant an extra 11ft 6in (3.5m) in LOA, providing enough
space for a good-sized aft deck and a lazarette.
The work was supervised by two Australian shipwrights, and carried out at the same shipyard – the
Myanmar Shipyard – that built the steel Wm Fife replica schooner Sunshine (102ft/31m) in 2004
(CB213). Myanmar (Burma) is also the home of Burma teak of course, so the finest teak was available
at the best possible price. Dallinghoo was named after the small Suffolk village where Captain Francis
Light (the future founder of Malaysia) was born in 1740.
Vitters Shipyard and the management
of Claasen Shipyard have united to
form Claasen Shipyards. Vitters is
currently busy with two new sailing
yachts of 100ft (31m) or over, not to
mention the world’s largest J-Class
Svea. Claasen, whose Truly Classic
127 is shortlisted for this year’s CB
awards, and builder of the J-Class
Lionheart, is currently building its
third Truly Classic 90 and a Pilot
Classic 77, as well as various refit
projects. The yards will retain their
existing separate facilities, but
collaborate on future projects.
The Claasen yard is pictured above,
the Vitters yard below.BRISTOL
Re-skinned
When we reported in last month’s YN that Glendhu,
the 1950-built, 25ft (7.6m) Mylne-designed Glen Glass sloop was
being skinned in three layers of utile using the tired hull as an armature (rather
than a blank chequebook restoration, a continuing diet of bodges or the chainsaw), we were
not sure what to expect. Well, judge for yourself. Pretty enough? We don’t know much about
Mylne’s Glen Class at the moment – but we will, having already begged the owner for a sail
and the rights to do the full story (he said yes!).
TIM LOFTUS