Unknown sail

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johnconradlee
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun May 01, 2005 8:45 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Unknown sail

Post by johnconradlee »

Whilst having a tidy in the vintage boat bits grotto that is the scout hut and having found the expected bits of 1950s oppies, wayfarer sails and spars from Stormalongs etc I found in a rotten bag a gaff with a cotton sail rolled round it in rather nice condition. It has an "S" with a dot in it and number 11. The obvious "S" would be Stormalong but it doesn't look big enough and S11 is an boat that the sailing club doesn't have any records of.
So I was hoping someone here might be able to answer the question "what is the sail from?".
John Lee
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Nessa
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by Nessa »

any chance of a pic?
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solentgal
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by solentgal »

Hi, I'm new on here, first post, and, strangely enough, one of the reasons I joined is that I am interested in Stormalongs. I assume you are refering to the 12ft clinker class with the bowsprit sailed around Portsmouth? We owned number 2 in the early '60s and I learnt to sail in her when I was very young. Although we had the bermudan mast for her, (but no sails) we also had what we were told was an optional cruising gunter rig, which did have the "s" on the tan sail, and the number "2". I knew of number 7? at Langstone and number 10? (I think, could it have been 12?) in Emsworth in the 80s (I may have the numbers/locations reversed) and these both had bermudan rig. I have never seen another Stormalong with gunter rig, so I wonder if this was rare, and your mystery sail could be one of these?
Interestingly, I have just found an ad for a Stormalong and it may be our old number 2..............I am awaiting info from the vendor at present. Samantha.
Sami.
johnconradlee
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Location: United Kingdom

Re: Unknown sail

Post by johnconradlee »

Yes I am referring to the Portsmouth Sailing Club Stormalong.
There were definitely 2 rigs the racing rig and the cruising rig.
'Smuggler' (I can't remember the number) was owned for may years by the late Peter Stewart, who's son Bob currently (along with myself) runs the Sea Scouts. The last we heard it was owned by a chap in Emsworth (or Bosham possibly) I think but he was looking to sell it due to illness.
I'm going down to the club later so I will photograph the mystery sail, see what we have relating to Stormalongs, and see if I can get the details of the chap selling "Smuggler" (I think its still on the notice board).
John Lee
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solentgal
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by solentgal »

Great, I'll look forward to more info :) Sami.
Sami.
johnconradlee
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by johnconradlee »

Hi Sami,

Back in 2003 Portsmouth Sailing Club held a "heritage evening" to try and inform younger members (like me) of club history, record what the older members could remember (before it was lost) and clear up the rumours and speculation. From the discussions of that evening the following list of Stormalongs and owners/helms was arrived at.

S1 - "Stormalong" - Keith Feltham
S2 - "Scorpion" - i)George Dubber, ii) 'Reg' Harris and Roy Inkersole, iii) Harry Butler
S3 - "Spectre" - Eric Brinton and Pat Miles
S4 - "Smuggler" - Peter Stewart
S5 - "Satanita" - Roy Feltham
S6 - "?" - sailed by Owen Debham
S7 - "Shrimp"? - Ken Wigmore?
S8 - "Sagitta" - Harry Ireland
S9 - ?
S10 - ?
S11 - ?
S12 - ?
(S13 was not built)
S14 - "Surprise" - Major Philip Cooper (in 60's), sailed by Les Barber, Carl Sparrow? in the 1980s

From a quick look in the club "archive" I came up with the following names and boat numbers from the race results summary for 1953 and 1954 (unfortunately this only gives the boats that came first second and third in the Stormalong/handicap classes and we only have this for these two years).

S1 - Keith Feltham
S3 - Pat Miles
S5 - Roy Feltham
S6 - B Webb
S7 - K. Hornsey
S8 - H. Ireland
S12 - N. Ridgewell/ L. Walters
S14 - Major Cooper

It appears therefore that S2 wasn't in the top 3 in any race series in '53 and '54!

I think there are some photos of Stormalongs racing which I shall try to obtain.

Anyway S4 "Smuggler" was at Bosham completely restored and for sale back in August 2007 (I think the club notice board is an archive in itself!) and may still be for sale. I have an e-mail address that I can p-m you if you'd like.

I'm not sure how locally you are currently but if you do manage to obtain a Stormalong please bring it down to Portsmouth Sailing Club one day.
It's the club's 90th anniversary this year and at some point (we were hoping for this year, but it hasn't happened yet) we want to get as many historic club boats and indeed any Feltham built boat together for a bit of a rally.
This invite also applies to any of the 10' Wyllie Dinghies (1930s), any other Stormalongs (1950s) and I suppose for completeness any surviving PSC Cherubs from the 60s and 70s.

Oh whilst I think about it, the mystery sail may be a Stormalong as apparently some had a dot. I'll tale a picture when I remember to bring my camera. I wonder if Lucas' got lazy and missed the dot off later sails?

Regards,

John
John Lee
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solentgal
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by solentgal »

Hi John,

Many thanks for all the trouble you have taken to pass on info.......all very interesting. My apologies for delay in replying, but I have been trying to make contact with the owner of the Stormalong I saw for sale........I suspect it is sold, as they are not answering email and I can't get them on the phone either, but I will keep trying.

I also rang my Dad to see if he could remember any more about our boat, and who it was sold to etc. It seems my memory is clearer than his though....I was at a very impressionable age I suppose.....and he has little recollection, other than to confirm that we bought "Scorpion" (though she had no name at that point, just the sails with number 2 on) from a chap who lived in the bungalow on the waterfront at Prinstead (Emsworth). I remember seeing it with the "for sale" notice, parked just outside his drive opposite the Sea-Scout hut, and this would have been around 1962. Maybe that will jog someone's memory?
One thing we do remember, .....when we sold her (probably around 1964/5), we kept the racing mast, my Dad not realising the significance of the boat and her heritage. At some point, My Dad says, a chap from the club rang and was upset that he had missed the opportunity to buy "Scorpion" and return her to the club.......we have no idea who this was. Ring any bells with anyone?
It is unlikely that I will be able to buy a Stormalong unfortunately, as I couldn't really look after such a boat properly with limited funds, and where I live (Havant, by the way) with unsecure storage, but if I did, then I would be very happy to visit the club with her.....I had hoped that the one I have seen advertised is "Scorpion", and would have made a special effort to find a way around the storage/money issues if it were indeed her!
I do have a very poor copy of a photo of "Scorpion", and my Dad has another.....I'm going to attempt to load my copy on here shortly.
I hope this is of interest to folk, my Dad was delighted when I told him all the history, made his day :)

Regards,

Sami.
Sami.
solentgal
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by solentgal »

Just a quick p.s. I can't load the picture, apparently it is too many pixies high and wide...(I even tried loading it sideways, but it just won't load :cry: ) Sorry folks,

Sami.
Sami.
Rupert
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by Rupert »

If you are scanning the hard copy of the picture and then trying to load it, try changing the quality of the scanner - the default setting will probebly be about 300 dpi (whatever that means) and if you change the setting to 100, or 96, or an option it may give you around there, you stand a chance of ending up with a file small enough to post.
The other way (and I've never done this, but believe it is simple) is to sign up to a free photo hosting site, and then paste the link to where the photos are. I believe somewhere on the forum Neil has posted more details on how to do this in such a way that other people don't have to sign in to see the photo. Hopefully a computer whizz will come and make this clearer!
Rupert
Pat
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by Pat »

Better way - just email it to me - web at cvrda dot org and I'll post it. I can use it in the dinghy database too.
solentgal
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by solentgal »

Hi Pat,
I tried to do what you said, but I don't understand the email address you want me to send the pic to? Could you enlighten me please. If I can't send it direct I will try and use Flikr or something as suggested earlier,
many thanks,
Sami.
Sami.
roger
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by roger »

Hi I love these threads about boats Ive nevereven heard of.

Pats email address is Pat at cvrda dot org. just repalce the at with @ and dot with . It keeps the spammers and hackers at bay Im told.

Roger
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solentgal
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by solentgal »

Thanks Roger, I have tried that (with a capital P) let's see what happens :)
Sami.
Michael Brigg
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by Michael Brigg »

I have the 1949 Yachtsmans almanac which in its "Dinghy section" records a "Portsmouth One-design Scow Class. LOA 11'3", Beam 4'9", LWL 9'8", Sail Area 68sq ft. Clinker built, Spruce on Elm/Oak. Manufacturedy the "Forton Launch Works." (No longer operating, My practice is based in Forton, Gosport.) Could this be a description of a Stormalong?

The Sail plan suggests originally a "Standing Lug, with a jib, later discarded, so I suppose this makes this unlikely to be mixed up with a boat carrying a bowsprit.

I've not seen anything like these in the harbour, although I wonder if the concept lives on in the Fareham Lugger, still regularly raced at Fareham Sailing club, Sunday mornings, before the bar opens.

Aha, I've just found an illustration!
Potrsmouth OD Scow 001.jpg
Michael Brigg
roger
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Re: Unknown sail

Post by roger »

Not disimilar to the scows that are sailed all around the Solent, all with their own slight variation. Nice little boats I learnt to sail in one as did Rupert I think. Dint like tacking in any sort of chop which is why the modern versions carry a jib.
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