Looks Like a British Moth?

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cweed
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:14 pm

Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by cweed »

I'm helping a friend clear a large garden with 50 years of hoarding and have uncovered what I would have thought to be a B.M., but it obviously has or had an unstayed mast. ( Remnants of sail on two piece mast had insignia area missing) Also the hull, (GRP) looks more elaborate than other B.M.'s I've seen. It also has a dished rear deck. The boat has been buried beneath scrap metal, soil and all other detritus for decades. It's been painted several times.

Any ideas if B.M. s were built unstayed ?

I have photos, but too big to upload...........

If anyone is interested in the boat, the remnants of the spars, the rudder stock and a basic launch trolley, let me know by P.M. ing me and the owner will probably be pleased to see it cleared. The boat is in Weybridge, Surrey. I have a few photos taken today.
realnutter
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Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by realnutter »

Interesting.. Steve emailed me the pics:

Image

Image

Image

Image

It does look like a British Moth....
Matt

Int Moth K2992
Alan P.
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Location: Allier, France

Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by Alan P. »

And a MK2 Granada under the bush in the background?. I never owned one but used to use my brother's. Loved it and a bit of a change from my Triumph 2000.
OK 1211 Peter Crew wood 1968
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PeterV
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Location: Locks Heath, Hampshire

Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by PeterV »

Looks like a BM to me, and looks like it had a stayed mast, why do you think it was unstayed?
PeterV
Finn K197 & GBR564
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cweed
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Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by cweed »

It looks like an unstayed mast as there appears no anchors for the shrouds and the forestay, unless filled and painted over. There is a definite socket in the deck for the mast.

The mast is as light weight as a Minisail ( no offence intended) and one section appears to be broken. The mainsail, was blue and white stripe) is quite small; may not have had batten pockets. Will check.

Next time I go I'll take another pic., and the tapemeasure.
STEVEB
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Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by STEVEB »

Hi,
It looks a lot like the composite BM I sold recently and Weybridge is just down the road from me so happy to have a look it.
Is that a trailer in the background as well?
Regards
Steve :?: :D
STEVE
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Laser 41420
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cweed
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Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by cweed »

Steve.

That is a trailer, but beyond redemption, everything seized solid, due to go for scrap next week. There is so much scrap / junk / rubbish it's not possible to put aside anything that's not immediately serviceable...........


It's not a composite. Also it was upside down with a trolley or trailer on top and who knows what else on top of the trolley, and has left a substantial impress in the hull.
STEVEB
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Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by STEVEB »

Hi,

It was just the hull shape I recognised however it does look familiar, we saw several similar hulls at Desborough SC several years ago, perhaps this is one of those that
someone tried putting an old unstayed rig on as an experiment.

Sounds like the hull is knackered then, is there anything worth salvaging?

Steve :cry:
STEVE
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Laser 41420
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Godfrey
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Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by Godfrey »

Looks to me like the British Moths sold/marketed maybe late 60s as a Solent Super-moth. I think I have the sale brochure somewhere. Strange deck layout but several were built but not sure who moulded them. Sail number would be around the 500+ number if traceable. Looks like it has been messed about with during its rather unfortunate life. The class permits keel stepped masts but very rare (I only know of one) and you had to build the deck accordingly.
Godfrey
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Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by Godfrey »

The "Eric Willis" designed moth. Bloody awful things.
Built by 'Dolphin Plastics' of Basingstoke, whoever they were?
cweed
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Re: Looks Like a British Moth?

Post by cweed »

I had another look at the boat last week. The mast step is definitely a socket. The remains of the sail are attached to a basic boom, and it has a luff sleeve as a Laser would. There are no apparent fitting areas for shrouds or forestay anchors.

Following on from Godfrey's comments, presumably the boat is not worth saving? or if it is, does anyone know of a B.M. rig and sail cheap enough to make the boat seviceable, preferably in the south east?

It's available free to anyone who wants it............ Please reply soon as it will have to go shortly.
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