Classic Boat

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When we look back at the late 1960s today, most of us, whether we were there or not, would not immediately think of its defining ethos as the veneration of tradition. Almost every rule was being torn up and rewritten, from the arts to society to science, where the world was gearing up to send men to the moon. Despite this, it was also a time when some of the finest wooden yachts ever to sail, were built. By this time, strip-plank was established, GRP had already mostly taken over new-builds, and epoxy was around the corner. The last few plank-on frame yachts from this era are often special – and Rinamara, launched from the McGruer yard in 1968, was no exception. She’s our cover boat this month. She’s also…

the last mcgruer

Calum Sillars was just nine years old when the boat of his dreams was launched. He and his family lived at Shandon on the east side of Scotland’s Gareloch, where the boat-mad boy learned to sail first on Cadet dinghies and the Bristol Channel pilot cutter Hirta (then owned by his uncle) and later on Dragons and Gareloch One Designs (designed by James McGruer). The family’s home overlooked the water, and directly on the other side of the loch was the yard of McGruer & Co in the village of Clynder. It was a constant source of fascination to the young Calum. “We lived about as close to McGruer’s as you could get on the east side of the loch,” he remembers. “Every morning, I’d throw my curtains open and there…

med regatta series for old yachts

A newly formed Vintage Classic Yacht Club is aiming to fill the gap left by the Panerai circuit by grouping the big Mediterranean regattas into a series. The Mediterranean Champions Cup Series will comprise five of the main French, Italian and Spanish classic regattas over this coming summer and beyond, with silverware up for grabs. The Vintage Classic Yacht Club (VCYC) has already attracted more than 20 of the regular Med competitors, including Jour de Fête, Viola, Marga, Olympian, Outlaw, Rowdy, Argyll and Spartan, and is encouraging more owners to sign up. The club is also looking for sponsors and partners. Watch manufacturer Panerai sponsored a series of regattas in the Mediterranean (and in the Solent and US) until it pulled out of the classic scene three years ago. VCYC president and co-founder Jonathan…

west country classics series

The prizegiving took place recently for the first ever West Country Classics Series, sponsored by Pantaenius, which ran over last summer. The series comprised three events – Dartmouth, Falmouth and Fowey Classics – and results from two of them were combined to identify four winners. The prizegiving was hosted by Saltash SC with skippers and crews gathering from the 10 boats that completed two or more of the events. Eight of the 10 boats were gaff or lug-rigged, the oldest being the Looe Lugger Our Boys, launched in 1904. Sue Treneer, who has helped run Falmouth Classics for 35 years, presented the prizes. Winning boat was the gaffer Cynthia, built in 1910 in Falmouth, owned by Peter Lucas. Second was Mary Ritchie, a 27ft (8.2m) gaff cutter built by John Fuge in…

entries open for falmouth classics 2022

Entries are open for the 35th edition of Falmouth Classics, supported by the new 2022 headline sponsor Atkins Ferrie Wealth Management. The 2022 event will take place from 17-19 June with visiting craft arriving on 16 June. Classic and heritage boats built or designed on or before 1972 are eligible, as well as boats built traditionally, to an earlier design or with gaff or lug rigs post 1972. Classic power craft, including boats powered by steam, are invited to join the event and participate in the Sunday morning parade. Chairman Keith Tullett said: “In 2021, Falmouth hosted the largest gathering of classics boats in the south west and was the second largest in the UK. Of the 153 entries more than 40 were built before 1950 with several dating back to…

unesco recognises clinker boats

UNESCO has recognised the significance of the Nordic clinker boat tradition, by including it on its list titled 'The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’. Johanne Engelund Tjøsvold, of Nordic Clinker Boats, said: “This is a confirmation that the international community clearly states that this cultural heritage must be preserved for posterity. It also means that it is lifted into a larger context and becomes part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage.” All the Nordic countries grouped together to nominate the clinker boat tradition for the UNESCO listing, as well as 200 groups and companies involved in building or using clinker boats in the region. Johanne said: “This is a big and important status boost for our field. The clinker-built boat is a special Nordic boat type, which for around 2,000 years has been…