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The Jouet "Cap-Horn", designed by Jean Jacques Herbulot
When stories are told about the early days of short and single-handed long distance ocean racing, the names of Chichester, Hasler and the French hero Eric Tabarly are the most easily remembered. It's...
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"A" ~ the spectacular mega yacht designed by Philippe Starck
The French designer, Philippe Starck is best known for his furniture and kitchen gadget designs, including his iconic lemon juicer. He is not, as far as I know, a naval architect, yet the most exciting...
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Stone Horse 23
The Stone Horse 23, cutter-rigged pocket cruiser.Sam Crocker designed the Stone Horse 23 in 1931 after the tradition of the small working vessels that evolved along the New England coast during the...
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Golif - the first all-plastic sailing yacht?
The 23ft Golif was built from 1962 by the Jouët works at Sartrouville. Jouët claim she was the first production small offshore cruiser to be entirely built in GRP, and she caused a stir on her...
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Lacoste 42 - handsome yacht - but a marketing fiasco
I usually contribute posts about French boats to this blog, but when I heard last week that Sparkman and Stephens, the most illustrious yacht design firm of the 20th century, had moved, after more than...
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Maïca and her sisters - a classic Illingworth design
There are not many ocean racing characters whose exploits and achievements rival those of Captain John Illingworth. He was already a well-known and successful yacht racer before the war, but it was in...
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Fowey River Class
The Fowey River Class is a 14 foot traditional dinghy which is actively sailed in the Cornish harbour town.Based on a knockabout day boat by Reg Freeman in the late 1940’s, the design of which was...
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St Michel II - Jules Verne's yacht returns!
The happy band of sailing men seen in the picture here are volunteers from the "Cale 2 l'Ile" association based in the French port of Nantes. The association aims to save some of France's nautical...
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Muscadet - the French "peoples' boat"
Philipe Harlé's Muscadet is a French legend. In the early 1960s the Muscadet helped “democratise” the sport of sailing, making ownership of a real coastal cruiser affordable for the ordinary working...
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Elizabeth - Copper Ore Barge
An unusual although no less deserving and interesting boat, sadly neglected was brought to my attention by Tedd Gregg, who kindly sent in these photos and history.Ted writes, "Lying on the shore of...
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Joshua
Bernard Moitessier will always be remembered as the strange Frenchman who might have beaten Robin Knox-Johnston to be the first man to sail singlehanded non-stop around the world. Instead, on the last...
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Nicholson 48
I’m not really a fan of centre cockpit yachts, but the exception proves the rule as they say. The first time we went aboard a Nicholson 48 was in Scotland Bay, Trinidad. Growler monkeys could be heard...
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Foxer Dinghy
Members of the Hamble River Sailing Club Foxer Fleet can be seen sailing every weekend, out on the water all year around summer and winter alike.Designed by David Thomas (who also designed the Sigma...
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Slacktide
Here’s something very different from Dave Zeiger of TriloBoats which are a family of barge/scow hulls that have been adapted for fast and easy construction in plywood. Dave and his family have what...
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Swan 38 - The Definitive Cruiser/Racer
Readers of novels are willing to believe the most outrageous and tortuous plots - in the case of my, as yet, unfinished novel it's about unethical journalism, civil service corruption and murderous...
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Brigand
We had an interesting letter from Francesco Tomei who describes himself as " proud italian owner of the wonderful Brigand 7,50 - Nonnopio."The Brigand was built in Italy by C.I.M.A. shipyard during the...
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Fairey Atalanta
Decked out for the Royal Jubilee this Fairy Atalanta has it's origin if not precisely in the Coronation year 1953 but is certainly a product of that post war period of English enthusiasm and...
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Fairey Duckling
Hugh Coryn wrote to say that he had recently acquired a Fairey Duckling, built 1962 still varnished complete with her original suit of Williams sails. Although still usable Hugh's intention is make...
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Bill Trip's fast and beautiful boats
Hinkley Bermuda 40In the last two decades of the Cruising Club of America (CCA) rating rule, William H. Tripp Jr. designed fast, beautiful and innovative sailing yachts. He became known for winning...
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The Columbia 43: a classic Tripp racer
The Columbia 43 is a big, muscular boat made for long ocean races. The boat is largely forgotten now because its birth coincided with the death of the rating rule it was designed to race under.With a...
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