I am re-opening this Guest Book for a trial period as from 04.01.08. Please feel free to use it.

A Selection of Entries - more recent ones at the top of the page:

" I just purchased a sailboat that has been identified as a "Tern," approx 14' LOA, with mast and boom, but no other rigging. Can anyone help me figure it out? Thanks,

Sandy Lea

Somerville, NJ, USA " Slea123@aol.com

(24.08.03)

" I am looking for a small cruising yacht for bay day/overnight cruisnig and easily handled by one person.I am after specs for the Admiral 21 yacht designed by John Swarbrick and built originally in Western Australia. Also I am seeking specs of the Crossfire 20 yacht which I believe was built in Sydney. I think that either of these designs would be suitable.Any info would be appreciated.

John Toner" rower42@hotmail.com

(23.04.03)

" Do you have any information about a Coronado Sailboat 23 ft. it's old but in good shape. Want specs so I can get sails etc. solid keel Can't find any manufacture links. too old I guess. Help!!!!,

Randy Ryden." randyryden@cox.net

(22.04.03)

" G'Day Fellow Boaties,

I am trying to find out about a style of gaff rigged traditional open boat called a 'Winkle Brig'. I would like to know if they were a traditional working boat and if so from where. Any infomatiom much appreciated - perhaps you can point me in the right direction.

Thanks in anticipation,

Simon Hill." whinging_pom@hotmail.com

(21.04.03)

"Dear Sir;

I am trying to locate someone who can give me a good opinion on the possiblility of converting a Thistle class racing dinghy into a crusing dinghy. If you know anyone who might help please forward my email address.

Thanks.

Stan Roberts " R357B1C3@wmconnect.com

(18.04.03)

"I have recently acquired the sailboat I grew up with in the 1960s on a lake in Maine. It is a Flying Tern, which has a plaque reading: E.G. Van De Stadt, Scheepswerf N.V., Zaandam, Holland. Someone lost the aluminum rudder overboard and replaced it with a plywood one, which has broken. Various parts of the rigging are missing, and we cannot remember exactly how it should be rigged. We cannot find anyone who knows anything about this boat. We have checked the Van De Stadt website and can find nothing on this boat. It was a great day-sailer, and we would love to be able to enjoy it again. Can anyone help us?

Please e-mail us at jlucarelli@gwi.net"

(29.03.03)

"I am looking for simple plans for outriggers. At age 75 I could probably get back in after a spill, but I would rather stay upright."

(03.02.03) TRulfs@aol.com

"I have business premises situated between Manchester and Leeds. These consist of a 3.5 acre outside storage facility for boats, motorhomes and caravans. I have recently got the 'sailing bug', and now I want to look into the possibility of offering second-hand trailer sailers for sale, on a brokerage basis, from my premises. Perhaps, ultimately, I may even get to represent selected boat manufacturers. Anyone got any ideas or pointers that could assist me in this new venture?

Thanks in anticipation."

(13.01.03)tony@locations-unlimited.co.uk 

"Does anyone know anything about an Alien 21 trailor sailor? She was designed by John Swarbrick and built in Australia. "

(29.12.02) gruber@olypen.com

"ahoy! i just came into an "islands 12 " and can find no info about it. it was stored fairly well and it has been a labor of love. i really liked your website concept and was hoping you or any other members would have any info on this boat or the manufacturer. i live in arizona, and will be taking her out on the sea of cortez with my two young sons and would like to know her characteristics. we will call her "gallway mistress" what the old sailers wives in ireland would call their seafaring mens vessels. i,m new at this e.mail stuff and i hope im not asking to much. hope to here from you soon and may neptune smile upon you. tony b." (11.10.02) Bohfam@aol.com

"I became familiar with your site whilst I started looking for a small boat, at that point a dinghy. I have eventually ended up buying a Hunter 490 which was bigger than I was originally looking for, but this has been a fantastic buy. My email is just really to say thanks for the informative website which has proved very useful. I am keen to get in contact with anyone with a similar size boat and get some ideas about how they may have fitted up the small shelter up front. I attempted to email one of the contacts, from Wales with a small 14 fter on your photo page but I seemed unable to contact them at that email address. If you are aware of any other H490 owners or similair boats it would be great if you would could forward me any contacts or any ideas. Thanks again, Robin Coleman." (31.09.02) robin_susan@yahoo.co.uk

"I SEE LOTS OF WINKLE BRIG GAFFERS FOR SALE. A POOR MAN'S CORNISH SHRIMPER? DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LIKE TO SAIL? ANY REPORTS PUBLISHED?"

(24.09.02) PANDT@abellars.freeserve.co.uk

"I have recently come into the possession (for free- the price was right!) of a 12 foot sailboat with absolutely NO identification on it. I was hoping to find someone more familiar with sailboats than I who might lead me to the manufacturer as this boat is complete except for a sail.

The boat is 12 feet long, 4'9'' wide at its widest point. Made of fibreglass. Empty weight is ~125 pounds, full displacement would be 150-175 pounds most likely.

Very interesting features are that the boat has a double skeg, a dagger board, and a foldable rudder.

There are storage compartments in the bow in front of the mast and in the stern below where a traveller would be. These appear to have covers that can be secured.

The mast is a long aluminum mast, there is also an aluminum boom and what appears to be an aluminum gaff rig.

We think it might be of English manufacture.

Does anything sound familiar? do you have any recommendations for journals or books that might lead me further along my research?

I do and would appreciate any assistance you might be able to provide, Bill.

Many thanks,

John MacLennan, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA. " (30.08.02) sdiwi@netsense.net For pictures of John's boat visit the Boat Identification Page

"We are looking for a Drascombe Scaffie trailerable sailboat. If you run across one please notify us.

Thanks,

Don Gerrard." (19.08.02) dongerrard@aol.com

" Came across your website while surfing the web for information about a Flying Tern sailboat I recently acquired. So far I've come up empty handed. The boat is a 14 foot daysailor built in 1966 by E.G. Van de Stadt of Holland. It is in very good shape, but needs some attention. I'd like to restore to original condition. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tom Decker."(02.08.02) The4Deckers@aol.com

" Dear Sir/madam,

I have recently been given what I think may be a Klepper Master folding boat. She is a little over 11' in length with a beam of some 3'6".

If you are interested, my son has placed a series of pictures of her on his website at http://www.delarre.net/steve/pics/

As you will see, she is currently filling up the leanto at the side of my house and the missus is not best pleased. The quicker I can get a cover for her the better! The only thing missing is the hull cover. Would, by any chance, you know where I might purchase a new cover or even get one made?

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thank you

Steve."

Steve Delarre. (05.07.02) steve.delarre@btinternet.com

"Sir:

I have recently purchased a mac-dinghy and need help rigging it. Do you have or know of anyone that can help?

Thank you

CHEERS."

John Price. (11.06.02) jp8driver@aol.com

"I just rescued a Snark Sunfish hull from being sent to the dump by an acquaintance. It is in repairable condition. I'm looking for all necessary rigging, or measurements to duplicate what's necessary. It ain't rocket science. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated."

Bill Gyorgy. (23.05.02) Billg@cwnet.com

"I spend my working life dealing with equipment for very smart expensive boats. Your type of sailing is I belive a complete antodote to this and a much more sustainable, and dare I say, enjoyable type of boating. Does anyone have experience of building out of doors? I have no workshop at present but am deperate to build something."

Roger Nadin. (29.04.02) sales@wseven.com

"Greetings

I am not just sure who I should be addressing this to. However I have been enjoying your web site for about a year now and could resist no longer. I just wanted to say I have enjoyed both the pictures of your boats and I believe John's storys. I have been sailing off and on for a long time and have enjoyed similar times. Keep up the good work ."

William Hunt. (27.04.02) olesailor2002@yahoo.ca

"I have been checking out your great small cruising site recently, and I thought you might like to put up a few pictures of my Caledonia Yawl. I started building her when I was 17 and in grade 12 in Australia. It took 3 years of part time building to complete. That was back in 97 and I have been realy enjoying sailing her since. She is a great boat that can take a lot of wind. I have had a few great cruises in her down in the Derwent Estuary where I live. It is realy ideal cruising down here with only a 2 foot tide and basically no currents, just wind. The only photo's of her on the net are at Duckflat wooden boats.

http://www.duckflatwoodenboats.com/pictures/oughtred/caledonianyawl3.jpg http://www.duckflatwoodenboats.com/pictures/oughtred/caledonianyawl4.jpg "

Mark Mumford. (25.03.02)

"I have just visited your website and I am excited about your ideals and concepts, re: sailing softly on the seas. Thank you for your consideration for the planet and persons like me. I know that there are many others who would be interested and supportive if they just knew that this movement was afoot. I have decided to establish a local chapter of the Club here in Santa Cruz, CA USA. We are on the Pacific coast, on Monterey Bay, the gateway to an important marine sanctuary. The harbor is filled to the brim with large macro-sailboats and any number, size and type of power boats. I do believe that it's time that they became aware of the goodness and potency of micro-sailboats."

Denis Lienemann. (19.01.02) BrotherDenisA@aol.com

"I live on the coast of Texas, USA and build my own shallow draft sailboats for cruising the Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico. The one I have now is 11' lol. It sails great! I named her the "NON-cents (with a cents sign). She's built out of yard scrap and is the most comfortable small sailing craft I've sailed! Tie the rudder and sleep... I'm thinking of building a Beach Comber Dory. What do you think? I like your designs and I'm new at the building end of it. Keep on sailing! Mark P.S. I've sailed New Zealand and Aus too! New Z is DA KINE!"

Markus Dundee. (18.11.01)

" Just a quick note to tell you about our boating.

We own a lifting keel Feeling 720 which we keep on a swinging mooring on Windermere. As we live only a stones throw from the Lake we feel it is important that we can trail our boat easily. Despite her size we have found the boat very stable to tow with our petrol Shogun and can comfortably cruise the roads at the legal speed limit. This despite having a healthy respect for the gross weight of the boat and trailer of 3100kg.

We have trailed to the Hamble and northern Holland where we have lived for three weeks at a time aboard, with ample stowage for two adults, one child and a 3 metre inflatable with outboard !

Following many years of racing some pretty extreme offshore yachts, I would not call the Feeling 720 a "sportsboat" but she is a very stable boat which will take a lot of punishment without a problem and still give some startling passage times.

Her accommodation includes large double aft cabin with standing headroom, Heads with sea toilet , vanity unit basin and hanging locker, good sized chart table with nav. station and dedicated forward facing seat L shaped galley with ice box, large double berth in saloon and good sized cockpit with a really huge locker and separate life raft stowage. All this plus a Yanmar diesel and it still looks sleek and sporty !

We can easily launch ad recover her ourselves thanks partly to her excellent new RM Trailer ( worth every penny ) although we always use a crane when abroad, and who wouldn`t at £10 per lift !!!!

Like you we are very frustrated that the bigger manufacturers are ignoring the small boat market. It would appear that the attitude is that if you sail a small boat then you do so because you can`t afford a big one, and consequently the smaller boats on offer are very basic to keep the price down. The fact that not everybody wants to spend their precious holiday in a dirty harbour waiting for a weather window to embark on their cruise seems to have escaped them How much nicer it is to arrive by road exactly where you want to cruise letting P&O fight the North Sea and its meteorological tantrums !

This year we hope go trail to Denmark, and next year perhaps to Sweden. Keep flying the flag for small boats and if anyone needs any info. on our car, trailer, boat or cruising grounds, please feel free to give out our e-mail address. ( thestables@onmail.co.uk )

Regards

Dave, Gill and Vicky ( 4 yrs )" [June 2001]

"I'm deeply impressed, and in full accord, with your Principles. I live in an eco-friendly house, in an eco-friendly neighborhood, sail a 14' West Wight Potter (fiberglass, unfortunately, but otherwise impeccably eco-friendly), and have been a sailor/cruiser for forty years."

Pat Murphy, Rafiki Kidogo, West Wight Potter #239, Satsuma, FL and Shutesbury, MA. ejmurphy@amherst.edu http://home.earthlink.net/~emmettjmurphy/index.html

"I am looking for a boat, I think it was made in England. It compares in some ways to the Laser but is lighter and suits a person under 120 pounds. I cannot remember the name. Can anyone help me?"

Please reply to Kate at: kburns2@san.rr.com

"Hi there,

Great site. We're a Sea Scout Ship in Rocky River, Ohio and have a Drascombe Lugger and 27ft 1967 Tartan. I,ve seen all the work you put into your boat. WoW great job. Did you make your own sails? I,m glad you're having fun with it.

Ed Scheffner

Skipper SSS #726

RR, Ohio"

"I was referred to your site through the W.W. Potter chat list. I agree with you completely regarding the environment. I've owned (6) sailboats for the last 27 years and advocate them as an option to power boats. Keep up the good work.

F. Gibb"

"I'm 15 years old and I've been sailing dinghys for about 10 years. I race dinghys on the weekends, and spend the rest of the week playing with small boats (never with engines!). I have built a small ply punt which will plane with a pair of oars and I am currently (almost finished) building an international moth skiff for racing. Throughout the term I look forward to cruising on our Hood 20 yacht in the holidays.

I have been interested in building a pocket and was particularly impressed by the "sleeper" dinghy.

I think this is a fantastic website and would be honoured to become a member of the club." James Francis - Australia.

"Bill I have a 17 foot LoweLine aluminum canoe. A buddy and I have outfitted it with a Lateen sail and twin electric aux. motors. The batteries are sealed and recharged by a small solar panel as well as by the motors themselves when I am running under sail. It is necessary to put a small charge on them from home, most of the time. In my estimate I am using less .25 cents of bought electricity on an average full day of boating/sailing. On a good day I come home with fully charged batteries.

I have a pulley/cable system that steers the rudder so that whether running with the motors or sail or both, steering is done from the wheel in front of me. We built all the mounting from scrap aluminum from where we work. The sail was salvaged from a Snark sailboat whose plastic hull had sun rotted. I have had much pleasure from this boat. Being a canoe , I have it rigged so that motors and rudder raise for exploring shallow creeks. At the same time it is a deep V hull design with a small keel which makes it seaworthy.

I also own a small cabin cruiser, regular boat, I have started to wonder which one I enjoy more. I hope my E.A.S.Y. (electrically assisted sailing yacht) and I qualify for membership in your club. I sail in the Tallassee Ala area mostly." Glenn Dean.

Hi Bill!

Great site! Sailing and being green go together well! The environment is certainly taking a serious beating with this ferocious world economic globalization! Who suffers most? The poor and illiterates of this beautiful planet of our! What is the solution? Green all the way in a progressive manner that is! What do you think?

Fair and steady winds!

Redwane.

"Bonjour Bill, Thanks for the good work! Great site! You can't find a better selection of small sailboats sites in the whole WWW! Fair and steady winds Redwane" The DS 16 Discussion Group February, 2001.

"The original reason for contacting you was that in the seventies a Polish friend and I sailed a very similar trip to the one you describe in your article covering your trip up the Thames. My friend Krzysztof brought his Polish built Enterprise dinghy to the UK on board a Polish freighter, which dropped him at Tilbury docks. He then sailed up the Thames for a couple of weeks, getting as far upriver as Bourne End in Buckinghamshire. I then joined him for the trip back to the Thames estuary.

I recall a wonderful exploration of the waters right round Canvey Island and a very warm reception at the Benfleet Yacht Club. I don't think that it is any longer possible to sail right round Canvey? Even then I seem to recall that we had to push ourselves physically forward with the paddles through the weed to the west of the Island. I also recall having to lower the mast to get under a road-bridge.

One aspect of your trip which brought a smile to my face was staying overnight up one of the creeks off the Thames. I distinctly recall doing the same, although I can't remember which creek it was. On the river itself in the seventies there were very few if any places to moor or drop anchor in relative safety. We had been turfed off the pier at Greenwich because we couldn't afford to pay, so we sailed a bit further downstream and found a creek on the north bank of the river. My almanac suggests that it may have been Bow Creek. As we settled on the mud, the smell of.....I dare not think what..... was overpowering, but by then it was too late to do anything about our predicament.

After a reasonable night's sleep squeezed on either side of the centre-board case, we were awoken by the sound of activity on the river. As the noise was getting rather too close for comfort, I lifted up the boom tent, only to be confronted with the black riveted hull of a river tug pulling two lighters. I reckon they were no more than twenty feet away. My heart stopped as we were hit by the tug's not inconsiderable bow-wave. I am convinced that it was only the fact that our weight was concentrated so low in the boat that saved us from a muddy grave!

That seems a long time ago now, and the facilities on board my Etap seem absolutely luxurious by comparison, but I enjoyed that cruise greatly. I remember that Krzysztof's ideas of culinary hygiene were not all that developed. At the end of each meal, the cutlery was simply licked clean and put in the tool-box! To create enough space for the tinned food which he had brought with him (to conserve the tiny amount of hard currency he had been allowed to bring with him), all the buoyancy bags had been removed........

That's all for now, thanks again for an enjoyable site!" John Booth. February, 2001.

"Came upon you while cruising about looking for Drascombes (I have a Lugger) and Dovekies and the like. I build the Constant Camber Adirondack Good boat, a nice light, strong, pretty 17' x 43", 105 lb. rowing and sailing boat, Number 64 on the ways now." Mason Smith. February, 2001.

"I have built a Barrow Boat and your vessel looks like a good next project." Clive Hall. February, 2001.

"I found your site quite interesting. I'm going to sign to a local Yachting Club, but this is my very first time with sailing (and I'm still in doubt whether to sign to the Dinghies class or to the Yngling). Anyway, your site is very useful, pretty easy and efficient to surf (!) and well done. Thank you!" Enzo Coronne. February, 2001.

"We also have a 1967 27 ft tartan We're SSS Ohio # 726 out of Lakewwood,Ohio. That is just west of Cleveland, Ohio Ed" Edmund Scheffner. January, 2001.

"Just bought a Drascombe Lugger1023 Freedom. Have sailed Mirror 16,505, Laser, Gull (for the kids) Fireball (which I still have). Currently sail chartered 36 footers in the Solent. Am 59 and have been early retired for 8 yrs. Great to read your web site." David Peck. November, 2000. 

 

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Canoes, dories, sharpies, dinghies up to 12' and the like.
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