intheboatshed.net

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Bluebottle; in the first photo young Prince Charles is aboard

Prince Philip’s well known Royal Yacht, the International Dragon class yacht Bluebottle is now on the pontoon at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth, and is being regularly sailed around Falmouth Bay.

Built in 1948, Bluebottle was presented to HM the Queen and HRH Prince Philip as a wedding gift by the Island Sailing Club of Cowes, Isle of Wight.

The International Dragon is a one-design three-man keelboat designed for cruising or racing.

Over the years, Bluebottle has had a varied and successful racing career; the highpoint was the 1956 Melbourne Olympics when her crew returned with a Bronze Medal.

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Uffa Fox’s Flying 10

I’ve managed to recover my photos from the Beale Park Boat Show a few weeks ago, and to celebrate this small miracle I thought I’d show you these shots of a sweet little Flying 10 racing keelboat designed by Uffa Fox.

Curiously for such a rare and precious craft, there was nothing to say what it was and its history, and nothing at all to indicate who owned her of who had brought her to the show. It’s probably a blessing for the person concerned, for if I’d been able to find them, they would probably have been subjected to a blizzard of questions. Nevertheless, if anyone can add some more information I’d be very grateful to hear from them please!

The little boat’s dimensions are striking: length overall 14ft; beam 3ft 11in; draught 1ft 6in; waterline length 10ft. My guess is that he intended her as a teenager’s racer, but I fear the cost of making a keelboat like this would have been too high to create a large market, and so this sweet little boat remains a rarity.

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Rob Roy canoe

Today, reader Jeff Cole alerted me to this image of a Rob Roy canoe on a lagoon at Warrock Station, Australia in around 1900. It can be found in the Victoria Museum’s online archive, and the link is here.

Thanks Jeff!

Incidentally, Jeff sails an Oughtred Macgregor similar to the one Chris Perkins built, although rigged with a single sail, and here are some of photos he has kindly sent of his boat and where he sails:

For more intheboatshed.net posts on canoes and sailing canoes, follow this link: Canoe posts.

Want to comment or add something? Email intheboatshed.net: gmatkin@gmail.com

Chapter XVII: ‘Unfortunately Captain de Boulay did not patent his invention and in consequence anyone is at liberty to make the rolling gear. Almost any shipwright will supply it to order, but they do not always fit it correctly.’

Chapter XVIII: ‘The sail came over with great force but with the boom end hitting the water as I anticipated, all was well.’

Want to comment or add something? Email intheboatshed.net: gmatkin@gmail.com

Seamanship for Yachtsmen Chapter headings:

Chapter I Introduction
Chapter II Small Cruising Yachts
Chapter III Getting under Way
Chapter IV Getting under Way (continued)
Chapter V Seamanship under Way
Chapter VI Seamanship under Way (continued) Continue Reading »