Found in Bradwell.    Odd rounded transom.  Timber, construction, planked in ply and built in Rhodesia, the owner who built it planned to use her to escape, sailing from South Africa.  I hope to find out more.  Yes here is the latest.... This is Mr. Scrace's  boat Sail No 111.  Built in Rhodesia and later shipped to the UK after many years sailing the South African coast.  As it is so modified we will leave it here with the M.G. designs.  Tony thinks MG actually designed it separately.  She is 30 ft long and with extra rig and ballast.  Hollow bilge keels too. ( they are fuel tanks!)  Tony was looking for  a shared ownership  agreement with maybe one of our number to fit her out and get her back in the water for 2006.  She does not really need restoring, just sorting! All is there, a coat of antifoul and a lick of paint on the topsides.  The gear on board is all 1970's but most works, Tony admits it might want more up to date gear as time goes on...

March 2007, Tony has decided to offer her for sale, and has sold her via our  For Sale pages.!!  the new owner Norman has now registered,  has the masts back up and hull part painted!!

August 2007, ' Eirene' has been launched into the Blackwater!  She will be out and about with the EOG later this year.  Norman has changed the galley and heads and altered the accommodation to suit her new role as a coastal cruiser.  I expect the companionway will get altered next! More pics of her soon.

Review in Y.M.

A  'Good Hope' Design by M.G. Seen here at Burnham.  There is a Ferro version of this, the 'Barrier Reef', in the R. Colne, sadly now a houseboat!  'Cabonade'

The drawings of this design are now on CD!

A Lone Gull II.

Owned by Malcolm and Cynthia Jolly

We have started a page just for  all the Lone gull II designs that we have owner information on,  courtesy of our Advisor Malcolm Jolly.  See the advisors pageWe have a list of all known Lone Gulls and some more photos here.

Click here to go to the Lone Gull II page

Who owns it?

Where is she now?  David Ellis would love to know.... Well now we know!  Thanks to Andrew for this letter

Just a quick line to say that my father Bill Turton owned 'Sixpence' for many years. I can still remember travelling to the East Coast with my father to view the boat - it was painted an awful pale blue - everywhere!!

Based at the PMC (Penarth Motorboat and Sailing Club) in South Wales, Sixpence was raced very successfully, both crewed (sometimes by me) and single-handed for many years, and also took a large family on many fondly remembered holidays to Devon, Cornwall and the South Coast.

She was also entered in the AZAB (Azores and Back) race some years ago, sailed by Jack Taylor, also of the PMC. JAck's adventures in this race featured in an hour-long ITV programme which was available on video at one time.

My brothers and sisters all loved that boat, and were truly sad when she was sold. The last we heard was that she had been restored to her thirties splendour, and was moored somewhere in the Mediterranean. There was a sister ship 'Sequence' which also sailed from Cardiff at one point. She was almost identical except she lacked a bowsprit.

My father has many many photos of Sixpence, racing, cruising, or just holidaying. He also has many of MG's books, and once even met the great man at an Earls Court Boat Show.

Andrew Turton 

This is Tinka, 'almost' another sister ship to Sixpence.  Seen here in Italy, where she went in 1988.

October 2006, Tinka has been sold and the new owner has been good enough to send in pics and offer the plans to us so we may scan them and place them on CD for all!    I have given her a page of her own.     (click on the underlined words).

Below are details of another 'almost' sister ship! 

Below are more extracts from an old YW magazine, from 1957.  This boat was designed by MG for his own use, he must have been sailing it in the early 1960's.  kindly  sent in by   Phil Bianchi.

This is part of the write up on her.

     The accommodation.

So the question remains, 'Where is sixpence'?

Tinka

The last seven pictures  of Tinka have been forwarded from Silvio in Italy, June 2010, along with the paper copies of the original drawings!  I will be having these scanned and will be able to send them out on CD to anyone interested, at cost! thanks Silvio, a generous gesture.  Your ship is a credit to you!

Was first launched in 1959. She is a modified Maurice Griffiths Maplin Class Ketch. Her hull is carvel mahogany on Irish oak frames. She has a pitch pine keel and bilge stringers.

Lying Northern Ireland. 

As a footnote I have just found an article written by Jim Andrews.  Jim wrote for P.B.O. for years and was best known to most for his Catamarans...  however in his book 'Twelve Ships a Sailing', he reveals he built this boat!  He also reveals that due to an accident with the frames, she was rather slacker bilged that she aught to be and so over built she floated a lot deeper than she was supposed to.  A lesson for all, try not to  alter  the designs.  The designer knew what he was about.

Seems she sailed all round the western Isles and Irish waters and always gave a good account of herself, where is she now I wonder.  December 05.

July 2010, we have just heard from the new owner, he has joined us, welcome Peter, he keeps her in Bangor Marina, County Down.

Demelza came from Plymouth last year, 2009, she was moored in the Cattewater and was a brokerage sale from Tony Hole Marine - very helpful and obliging outfit.

We don't know much about her, being a brokerage, but whilst repainting her on the hard at her current home, West Bay Dorset, a visitor told me he knew her - had been moored next to her for a couple of years.  Didn't know the previous owner though.
 

PS any Volvo Penta MD series wizards in the group?

The Swin was designed jointly by M.G and  Alan Buchanon. 

She is a 'Finesse 27'   jointly designed, we believe, like the 24ft version, with  L. Harbotell and M.G. Built by Platts boatyard of  Leigh, Essex.. 

An extract from a letter regarding MG and the Finesse class from Alan Stacey

Alan Platt certainly told me about the initial poor performance and subsequent revisions of the Finnesse. (With MG)

I spent a very pleasant few hours with him in his yard at Thundersley on two separate days some years ago . The first being when I asked him to make me a new mast for Stella Marie (receiving a severe dressing down for breaking one of his masts) The second day being when I collected my smart new one.  I had cause to be near Southend about two months ago and went to see if he was still around. The yard is obviously closed and a house or two built on the site. So it would seem that another yard building "proper boats" has gone.

I kept Maplin Maid for a few years, the previous owner, Fred Aurtherell, also did,  before me, in this old bomb hole off Small Gains Creek, there was enough water to scrub her off at low tide. Fred always told me he thought Hitler was not such a bad bloke for giving us this nice big hole with loads of water to scrub off with!!

One winters night she went adrift. January gales. I went out in fisherman's skiff to look for her. I found her on the mud by Two Tree Island, she had let her riding scope get caught around her bridle anchors. the power of chain is amazing and she wound the 2 anchors together as she was wind rode then tide rode  as she swung. When Fred saw the ball of chain and anchors sticking out, he exclaimed 'Christ we caught a mine'. I laughed so hard I sat down in the snow covered mud.  At Five in the morning in a howling gale miles from anywhere on a freezing night, I did not laugh much longer.

I worked at Leigh, Johnson and Jago's,  1972, 73. J and J's had long since stopped building 6 tonners and the ones I knew were all like MM, full length keel. Moon river of Maplin had bilge keels fitted by us so she would sit upright of Thorpe bay. She often made a drop thru somewhere, so I was told. Fred reckoned it was because she pounded a bit on the foreshore as she took the ground. Maplin Maid was always as tight as a nut. There were one or two  5.5 tonners around, a bright red one, I saw her a lot up Lawling creek or the next one up, she had a bowsprit and bumpkin. The beach boats built in J J's like 'Grace Darling' and skylark, were all built with plates, 'Skylark' used to sail into Chalkwell beach and take out trippers. As a nipper, my job was to look after the plank whilst they took out trippers, I
got paid a tanner for a tide. eventually Mum took me on a trip, I was mesmerized by the muddy water being churned up as we crossed the flats..  that was it for me, I was set for life, I was about 7. had no chance since.  I tried to buy 'skylark' but she was chartering off the pier or something?? He wanted 20 k??  ah well.
 

'I have some old photos of when we were repairing 6 tonners  as we called them, the Bawleys.  I think the Cocklers we called 5 and 'alf tonners.  (This was because we also repaired the real cocklers and bawleys,  like 'Renown', 'Valiant'. 'Navigator', 'Letitia 2' and little Stevie Meddles 'Ranger 3'. she was the first to have a fwd 'wheil'arse' ...)  The latter are of course the commercial fishing boats!  I will look them out!

Thanks Chris for the memories!

She is presently undergoing a refit and  the owner may part with her in 2005, watch this space!

She is up for sale, see the 'for Sale'  page.  April 08.

Whatever MG design she is, she is certainly looked after!  If that is you Marc, you should look pleased!  Yes it is Marc and we now believe she is a Vulcan.  We have been able to put another Vulcan owner in touch..

Do we know any more about Banjo?  I seem to remember seeing her on the Blackwater years ago, she is now on the Exe.  Was she in an M.G. book or Classic Boat?   We have put the owner in touch with our Lone Gull II rep.  J.W.

      These last three interior pictures of 'Banjo' show just how nice she is..  and Antonia is going to keep the name too!  Pleased to hear that.  Now where have I seen that picture of her, was it East Coast rivers maybe??

April 05, Antonia is back on the water, and having sorted out the rigging, and managed to get the heads door open again after they tightened the rig excessively, she hopes to get out sailing!  Looking forward to more pics.  Glad the bush telegraph we have worked for you, She has been in touch with several other owners!

She is sailing in Australian waters!

Feb 09, info from Ed and Helen Geasly,  they say she is still lying in east ferry marina where this pic was taken.

The owner, Miles has just contacted us, November 2008.  she is called 'Egretta'.

      Many thanks to William for these excellent pics and the additional information on 'Banjo',

August 2007, have just spoken to a former owner, who spent a long time restoring her, he also gave me the name of the person in my village he bought her from!  I know Eric!  Small world.

Mail him at the following address, leave out the spaces and put the @ symbol in instead of 'at' of course!  'phil at soundmin.co.uk'  (For those worried about 'web crawlers' trolling through and picking up their addresses this is a neat trick!  Most of us have good enough spam killers to prevent problems, but for the nervous, it works!)

The pics of her afloat show her in Tollesbury, Woodrolfe Creek.  The times I must have sailed past her and not noticed!  I still have a mooring there!

September 2007, we have just heard that this vessel was destroyed by being  set afire...  The owner could not sell it and the farmer wanted his field back..  What  sad end.

Sadly the pics do not enlarge.....

Looks just like a Riptide to me!!

For a long time we suspected these boats were designed by MG, thus their inclusion, but November 2008 I can verify that they were designed by Kenneth Evans.  They were moulded by Colvic craft in Witham, Essex and the same company that built the Snapdragons, that became Thames Marine, but sadly they are not MG's. 

Best regards, Bluey.

We have now firmly established that these boats were actually designed by Kenneth Evans, who's yard built many as well.  we will leave them here and, as they are so similar to the MG designed, 25ft Medusa, their owners may like to stay as 'Friends'. November 2008.

'Silver Fox'  Designed by MG in the 1930's and seen here in 1945, racing!!  Not a shape one would associate with MG today. Thanks to Ian Clarke for sending this in.

There was a pic of a sister ship, the 'Silver Seal', but not good enough to print...

She is listed as a 25ft, 7 ton  of the 'Olive Mary' design.  MG told me that the plans for most of his pre 1939 designs, were lost due to enemy action... The Y.M. store was bombed.  he did not regret it as he said they were not his best!

The following was received from Paul Rockley, the owner of the original 'Olive Mary' can anyone help him track down the sister ships?  Hopefully a pic of her will be forthcoming soon. 

October 2006...  On the left 5 pics of the beautiful 'Olive Mary'!

'with reference your research on Maurice Griffith's designs. I purchased "Olive Mary" (7ton gaff cutter, built by Harry King & Sons in 1931) in 1993, kept her in Cornwall for 9 years before moving back to North Wales. "Olive Mary"  now swings happily on her mooring on the Conwy river. If you are in contact with any of the owners of her sister ships and can put me in touch with them it would be much appreciated.'

Thanks. Paul    

mail me at:- paul.rockey at btopenworld.com

The last four pics are of 'Olive Mary' taken by Paul after she had been spruced up for her 77th Birthday in 2008!   And here's to many more. 

A credit to you Paul.

The last 4 pics Paul has found show her being built at Pin Mill in Harry King and sons  yard, and her launching in June 1931. splendid pics.

       July 2009 Paul has just resent these scans in for us as they were lost in the change over a month or so ago!  Great finds!

Good to hear that Olive Mary and Silver Fox are still afloat.

My father and mother owned their sister ship Wendy May until 1992 and I am delighted to report that she is still going strong.  She was built at Deganwy in 1936 of larch planking on oak. She was laid up during the war and recommissioned in the 1950s. The first owner we know of was John Challis who cruised her extensively around the English South and West coast. My father bought her from him in 1974 and sailed her up to Kirby Creek in the Walton backwaters where she was based for several years. During her time on the East coast she took part in annual OGA rallies including the notorious (and riotous) Heineken Challenge from Stone on the river Blackwater to Amsterdam. In her my family explored the Deben, Stour, Orwell and Alde and went as far as Norwich on one memorable summer She also made many North Sea crossings.    

In the late 1980's, we sailed from Harwich to Findhorn on the Moray Firth where she was based until Dad sold her in 1992. During this time, ,my parents cruised the West coast of Scotland and Wendy May became a familiar visitor to many island harbours and sea lochs. She has sailed through Corrievrechan twice, anchored off Staffa (in a flat calm) and visited Glasgow as one of the floating attractions at that City's 1990 Garden Festival. During the passage for the latter, my father put in at Irvine Maritime museum for the night and was offered the choice of either berthing alongside the trawler "Altair" (refloated after being sunk with all hands in the Firth of Clyde) or alongside the Longhope life boat! As he said later, it had been a long passage from Oban so if any ghostly visitors came aboard that night they were too fast asleep to notice.       

 Her current owner is - or was - the OGA Secretary and she is berthed on the Conway and cruises to Ireland regularly.       

I know of one other - "Singapore" - but have no idea if she is afloat and if so where.   

Wendy May was the only one of the four sisters not built by Harry King and it’s a coincidence that she and Olive Mary are both based on the Conway. Her present owners are Phil and Lynn Slade. Singapore was sighted by my brother on the Deben in the 1980s so she may still be in those parts.   

 Jim Munro

Letter from MG on the left sent to us by Jim, many thanks, this is what makes this site unique!

John

Lily the Skipper is nor living on her in N.Z.  The old website for her adventures has gone, but Lily tells me there is a new link, www.oceanswatch.org  An organisation doing similar things that she and Amadis will no doubt be involved in!

We have this design drawing on CD if anyone fancies restoring or better, building one, in timber or ferro!

Construction: Lead ballast keel, 4 tons; ironbark keel timbers and deadwood; jarrah carvel planking to waterline, Queensland maple topsides; karri ribs and stringers. Ply / glass decks and superstructure.

WOW a lot of MG boat!  lifted from the net, found by J. Stevens  of course!

lifted from the net, found by J. Stevens of course! Updated Feb 2009.

June 2007, we understand she is 'under offer'.  Hope the new owner gets in touch!

This picture of 'Windsong' was sent in by Mark, who very nearly bought her. He tell me that she was built with no floors, but was later modified as she always leaked!

The last we heard one of our registrants had salvaged and purchased the boat, and was making his way back to France with it.  more later we are sure!!

Update October 2007, Lone Gull is back in Europe, in France and Steve has written a book about her adventures, more later on the books page.

This extract has been copied from Mike Kay's brokerage off the net,

  Thanks to Warren Stevenson for spotting this.  So which design is she??

In my book she should have a weighted mahogany centreboard, but there is no mention of that on this listing, I wonder if it were removed, as many others were...

The former owner is a shipwright and wrote the article on her rudder on the tips page!

A double ender with fine lines, called the 7 Tonner in some books and this one was the first built by Seacraft in Essex, but I have a sneaky feeling she was not the first of her class, which might be known by another name....

The new owner, John has just joined us, congratulations John, a fine looking ship.  She will be cruising the South West of the UK.

Recently found write up in Y.M.

By wonderful chance, I came across Athaena while doing some research on a boat.

I have just seen some of the pictures of Athaena and she is as beautiful as I remember.

Athaena was built entirely by my father, a very well respected cabinet maker, to a design named "Athaena," by Maurice Griffiths.  My parents were and are ardent fans of the Griffiths designs and had been looking to get back into sailing since selling a previous boat my father had built and sold.  The family fell for her lines and rather than buy anything it was decided to build Athaena, we new at the time she was the first one to be built.  My father started building February 1978 & she was launched in May 1979.  She was built at the rear of his business premises in Marlborough, Wiltshire and was constructed in the evenings & weekends.  We have pictures of the build and launching.

My parents are away sailing on their present boat but have all the details and plans, I was quite young at the time.

Athaena is a single chine Griffiths design, when they were at the '78 or '79 Southampton Show they saw her exact drawings on Terry Erskine's stand, advertising the new Golden Hind 26, which rather pleased them as the Golden Hind 31 was high on their "dream boat," shopping list at the time.  My understanding is Terry had approached Griffiths to design him a smaller 31, & he had sent back the Athaena plans.  They were changed slightly, i.e. double chine & semi-hung rudder similar to the 31.  His first boats had the coach roof straight through, however when he saw Athaena he preferred the drop coach roof, hence the later ones had the stepped coach roof option.  Terry also added a little bit of weight to the keel.  I assume Terry's yard built the plug for the 26, but it certainly was not Athaena.

Terry & my father became quite good friends & he helped with supply of some of her fittings and at one time they looked at teaming up. 

Athaena is a fantastic little yacht & consistently had admiring looks more than any boat we have had since, she introduced me to my love for the sea.

She was launched & kept at Ridge Wharf in Wareham at the top of Poole harbour.  There was one other Golden Hind 26 there, owned by Eric Porter of the Forsythe Saga fame & Golden Hind 31's Gander & Moon Beam? (Moon light we believe), owned by Mark Urry.  Also 'Goosander' moored up there the original no.1 Golden Hind, built by Hartwells.  We were rafted up next to Gander.

In the late summer of 1983 we sold her to a Gentleman from Newbury who I know offered her back to my father a few years ago & I assume this is when she was sold to John.  At the time my father was building a house but was very concerned she found a good home.

Athaena was sold as he had his next boat underway.  We brought what I believe was the only GRP Golden Hind 31 hull produced by KR Skentelbery in Plymouth, who brought the moulds after Erskine.  He had the GRP hull, cockpit & main bulkhead, with some drawings.  Fallow was launched in May 2005 - a tall masted cutter rig, like Athaena.  The tall mast had been produced for the North American market, and she was a quick boat.  My parents re-designed the interior & used their contacts with Terry Erskine & suppliers for fittings, my father designed Fallows walk on Bowsprit, as he had Athaena.  Fallows coachroof was mahogany, like Athaena, and he tried to use some of the aesthetics of Athaena to influence Fallow, for instance adding slightly more camber on the coachroof and she obviously needed the teak decking (similar style to Athaena,) It was agreed with Skentelbery to launch her as no.250, it wasn’t known exactly what number they were up to at the time.

Interestingly Mark Urry moored just behind Fallow for 6 years and the standard layout he used for his Golden Hinds was taken from Fallow, he did many drawing of her, both inside and out and you will see Fallows styling in his boats.  Again he drew much advice on the building from my father.

Fallow was sold in 1990 when we had a new Rival 36 built by Rival Bowman and have kept her in Lymington ever since, and my parents are somewhere in the Channel on her now.  My father has recently retired but is ready for his next project.  They are now finding Foe rather large and are missing the shoal draft & bilge plates - he has been threatening to build another Athaena, or find Fallow - she went to the North East.  Who knows?  I know we would certainly value contact with Athena’s owner & we have much information and drawings on her, as also on the 31.

With regards & thanks 

Jason Solly

July 2008

Maurice Griffiths Cockler on eBay, also, Sailing Boats, Boats Watercraft, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 10-Apr-09 20:33:59 BST)