Tom Naismith’s Sandpiper wins the Water Craft Boatbuilding Awards 2008

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Laurent Giles-designed Sandpiper wins the Watercraft Boat Building Awards

Tom Naismith’s Laurent Giles-designed Sandppiper Surprise
won the Water Craft Awards at the Beale Park Thames Boat
Show this year. As usual, click on the photo for a
much larger image

Finally, we have the boat that won the Water Craft Boatbuilding Awards for this year – Tom Naismith’s striking Laurent Giles-designed Sandpiper, which he has named Surprise.

Although only 20ft on deck, she’s clearly a big boat for her length, and Tom reports that she took seven years and £20,000 to build.

Sandpiper is the big sister to the smaller Sanderling – and the even smaller but much better known Jolly Boat. I think Tom deserves a prize just for completing her, but I hope she now gets some serious use, as I’m sure she makes a comfortable little ship.

By the way, I notice that there’s an 18ft version for sale at Boats & Outboards, and there’s also a picture of one of these boats on the Classic Marine site.

10 thoughts on “Tom Naismith’s Sandpiper wins the Water Craft Boatbuilding Awards 2008”

  1. I own the Sandpiper you refer to on the Classic Marine site.She was completed in 1998 and I have owned her for 5 yrs.Anchoress as also featured on the front cover of the Laurent Giles plans catalogue.The MD of Laurent Giles said it was one of the best amateur built boats he has seen and he conducted the build and commissioning surveys.She is kept in Lincolnshire and will be sailing out of Fosdyke Marina in the Wash next year.

    1. do you still have this boat?
      I have just bought a Jolly boat.
      I only live at Sleaford and would love to join you on a days outing from Fossdyke.
      I do have a water ways key for the barrier.
      regards Geoff

    2. I’m looking at taking on an unfinished Sandpiper and I’m searching for owner’s experiences with them. I’m in Canada and I don’t think there’s another in the country! Do you still have yours?

  2. Hi All,

    Can I clear up the confusion caused by the classic marine website and the text above. The Sandpiper (20') is the stretched Sanderling (18') not the other way round.

    You can see mine motorsailing at : http://www.yourboatpix.co.uk/pixSearchService2.ph

    Congrats to John for fine build. I have had to modify mine though to improve her behaviour, happy to say more if anyone is interested…

    Stuart

  3. Looks fine to me now thanks! Very prompt reponse.

    Happy New Year to all by the way and good sailing! The Wivenhoe reggatta is much earlier this year so do check diaries and I'll maybe see some of you there.

    Stuart

  4. Hello Stuart,

    Curious about what sort of modifications you did to your SANDPIPER to improve performance?

    Lawrence

  5. Hi Lawrence,

    Essentially extended bowsprit and added rudder extension to give better balance and prevent the rudder from losing grip. I also had horrendous weather helm (without the mizzen!). I did not have a staysail and this has increased pressure in front of the mast. The original rudder was not profiled either. I need new sails which will be coming from James Lawrence at some point which probably pushed the centre of effort too far aft. I am adding a mainsail track for this year and will try to profile the centreboard as best I can for this season. Not major stuff but it all helps, I was keeping up with some big gaffers this year doing 7.5 knots… Oh I forgot to mention runningbackstays to keep up luff tension int he forestsay.

    Stuart

    1. I’m looking at taking on an unfinished Sandpiper and I’m searching for owner’s experiences with them. I’m in Canada and I don’t think there’s another in the country! Do you still have yours?

  6. Hi Stuart,

    Thanks for your detailed reply. I appreciate that. I had another Sandpiper owner mention the weather helm issue with his boat as well. He used two headsails, but I see in a recent photo of his boat that he is back to one as per origonal plans.

    Thanks for your reply.

    The laurent giles Sandpiper design is a fine looking boat.

    Lawrence

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