Tag: marcus lewis

Marcus Lewis dinghy for sale – and a Percy Mitchell tosher too

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Fowey boat builder Marcus Lewis has this newly built 11ft clinker-built rowing dinghy for sale.

The handsome little boat is based on a tender to the sailing yacht Veronique owned by Colonel Treffry, of Place near Fowey in the 1930s. It is planked in spruce, with steamed oak timbers, mahogany top strake and seats, and will be supplied complete with a pair of scoop paddles, bronze rowlocks, and a cover.

Marcus tells me he’s currently building two Fowey River dinghies scheduled for completion this spring: the planking is almost complete, the green oak is ready to slice for timbers, and the copper nails are on order.

Also, the 18ft Percy Mitchell-built Tosher Marcus has stored for some time has got to go because he needs the space it is currently occupying.

It needs a complete rebuild, but Marcus says it has suberbly shaped hull suitable for almost anything. ‘The last owner put in a big Lister two-cylinder diesel and went fishing, but the usual treatment these days is a gaff rig, with a 4-5ft bowsprit, jib and staysail, with a topsail if you are feeling adventurous.

‘It bit of time would have to be spent working out the sail plan and centre of effort, and a bit of a calculation about an additional keel – she has no external ballast keel at all, but a 300-400lb shoe well bolted underneath, and a bit of internal trimming ballast would keep her down to her marks, and make her a stiff enough to sail well.’

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Lovely Youtube video of classic Troy racing yachts off Fowey

There’s a high definition version featuring different music here. The film was taken by Troy class racing yacht skipper John Forsyth, who captured his material by strapping a camera to various parts of his boat.

We’re glad he did. My thanks to Fowey traditional boat builder Marcus Lewis for pointing out this one!

PS –Max, who writes the Bursledon Blog has a post on the Troys, and a few nice photos.

Fowey boat builder Marcus Lewis restores a classic Uffa King National 12 racing dinghy

  

  

 

Marcus Lewis spent some of his summer renovating this splendid Uffa King National 12 dinghy

Fowey boat builder Marcus Lewis sent over this collection of photos showing some of the things he’s been working on during the summer of 2012, including this magnificent Uffa King National 12 class racing dinghy. Here’s what he says:

‘Just thought I would fill you in on what we have been up to over the summer, apart from the usual repairs, maintenance, and replacing broken bowsprits on Troy class racing yachts, we have had a major rebuild to do on an old National 12. Flook, boat number 888, was one of the last Uffa Kings to be built – she is believed to have been built around 1947.

‘This Uffa Fox design revolutionised the National 12 class in the 1930s.

‘Flook had been in a barn for over 20 years, but had a few split planks, a few old patches, delaminating decks, usual sort of stuff. We went right through her, refastening the centreline, replacing eight planks, completely re-timbering her, cleaning up her original wooden mast and re-rigging, re-decking, and a good varnishing all over.

‘The owner also had a new set of sails and is now enjoying watching his grandchildren coming to terms with a rather tippy National 12!

‘We have also had Wayfarer number 11 in for a bit of a tidy up, refastening the panels to the stringers, making good old repairs, paint up, repair original wooden mast, re-rig, etc.

‘Cheers, Marcus’

That National 12 looks great after your had work. I wonder whether those youngsters knew what grandad had got them in for – though in those days I guess the boat likely had a nice heavy steel keel to help keep things under control. It’s also nice to know there are still some of the earliest Wayfarers afloat – I know not everyone loves them, but I’m a little soppy about them as I learned to sail in a Wayf, and round our way their numbers are dropping like flies…