I was very pleased to receive this email from Dick Wynne today:
“I just came across your excellent blog while winding down in the office for Christmas. You might be interested in my boat Constance, launched this July.
“She’s to the Albert Strange design Wenda of 1899, and was built by Fabian Bush at Rowhedge, near Colchester, from clinker larch on oak & elm, spruce spars and a ply deck. Sails are by Steve Hall of North Sea Sails.
“Although she’s a Victorian design I think she makes a very practical little day-sailer-coastal cruiser, even if she is a little cosy inside for some. I’m no expert but am told she is a good performer, which I guess her combination of slimness and sail area ensures. She is certainly a pleasure to sail. She lives on a mooring at Walton, but is now ashore there for
some more fitting out.”
My thanks go to Dick for an uplifting email in the desperate days before Christmas: a little flattery is always welcome, and Constance is a delight for anyone who, like me, has a weakness for canoe yawls.
If any other readers would like to send us photos and notes about their boats, please mail them in and I will be very happy to include what I can.
Boatbuilder Fabian Bush’s website is here:
http://www.fabianbush.com
By the way, there’s an Albert Strange Association who have an interesting, not to say tantalising website:
http://www.albertstrange.org
More photos of Constance in build and on the water can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dickw/sets/
