Unidentified 16ft sailing Dinghy

[Keith66]

Right i confess, I feel guilty! I found this boat 30 years ago in Aldeburgh suffolk, she had been written of following a sinking while racing. No one there could tell me where or when she was built save that she was built before WW2.
Her name was "Spoilsport" not a name i would choose but i have no idea if its her original name.
Loa 16ft, beam just under 6ft, rig was bermudan with large sail area, jib set on bowsprit with approx 3' 6" outboard (mast was non original alloy)
Carvel planked in pine, close seamed with no caulking, close set rock elm ribs about 3" apart. Centreboard case is long with its centre filler piece extended right out to the ends. The case was through bolted with 5/16" bronze bolts.
Quality of construction is o
Original deck was half swept laid deck with Honduras mahogany covering boards & king planks with sitka spruce planking.
The deck was damaged in her last sail & salvage & had been planed down so many times the edge nails were showing so it was removed.
She had a sister at Oulton broad but that boat also had no builders plate or history at all, it was known she was thought not to be a broads class.
I started the restoration but she got put on the back burner as i built my buisness up. Years passed & she ended up down the yacht club on death row. This summer she escaped being burnt in a spate of grass fires and i had a look at her.
I decided that if i did not get her in my workshop the next trip was to the club bonfire. She is now on the trailer waiting to roll, Once in the shed i have to fix her! In shape she is reminicent of an INT 14 but bigger & beamier.
Any clues as to what she is or who built her would be gratefully appreciated.

Couldnt work out how to post pics directly so here is a link to Photobucket.
http://s641.photobucket.com/albums/uu136/muddundee/

[roger]

Lovely boat. Im sorry I havent a clue what she is but keep us up to date on the restoration.

Rog

[Ancient Geek]

Looks like one of the many -all different- half deck centreboarders built for private and hire use.
Most likely to have had a gunter rig but anything from Gaff to bermudian.
Ours was called "Tern".
Ended her days on a bonfire.
Could be any one of many boat builders in an around area.

[Keith66]

My boat had the number 2 on her mainsail the other boat was no 3 or 4 so there were a few others.
I have worked on many boats over the years & only rarely come across one so well built, looking forward to getting stuck in!

[ICLYM]

Hi did you ask Peter Wilson at Aldeburgh Boatyard about her. My suspicion is she might be a Bombay Tom Titt. There have always been several of these boats on the river.

Ivan

[Keith66]

That is the yard i got her from, Peter Wilson had not long taken it over i believe, there was no info from them on what she was & i did ask! Still its the first lead i have had in 30 years so its worth a look!
Update, just had a google & the Bombay Tomtit is 18ft long saw a photo and they are rather different though similar construction. Atb
Keith

[Ancient Geek]

Keith,
No doubt you also found the Royal Engineers Yacht Club History which mentions Tom Tits in Karachi & Bombay as club boats, and also Seabirds which are also a North Wales Class, all CVRDA'ble!
The Jardine Twins at Lymington (Adrian & Stuart.) are both Reoyal Engineers and might provide a first pass access to the REYC archives.
Also the Royal Bombay Y C has excellent albeit paper archives their secretary is a good egg and would do his best I am sure. They still have a class of Seabirds too.
That transom looks quite new and very Broads Boatyard like!

[Keith66]

The transom was replaced about 25 years ago by my dad in the first go at restoration its iroko, trouble is it doesnt match the mahogany so may have to be either replaced or veneered over. I am fortunate that some years ago i aquired a quantity of Honduras mahogany from a barclays bank that was being ripped out. there is just enough left to go into this one!