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News & Events

SPRINGFIELD is now back in Devon  - (September 2011)

On the 27th of September, the Morgan Giles motor launch 'SPRINGFIELD' was lifted onto the Isles of Scilly supply ship 'GRY MARITHA' for a passage to Penzance. From Penzance she was taken by road to Dartmouth where she is now based. Her new owner intends to remove her cuddy, her additional raised top forward planks, which are not original, and reinstate her as a Gentleman's Motor launch, in her original layout.

It is believed that this is the first time she has been out of Cornish waters since the 1930's. Built by Morgan Giles in 1926, she has full length planks of Teak on Oak. She remains in very good condition, with the intended work very much worth carrying out.

At home on the River Dart.

Departing Penzance.

Being lifted onto the GRY MARITHA.

Waiting for the tide in St Mary's.

Early days in the Isles of Scilly.

Refit work on West Channel One Design 'DESTINY' continues - (September 2011)

Nick Elkins, co-owner of DESTINY, is doing a first-class job on her refit. Nick and co-owner, Ben Warren, decided to remove her cabin sides and coaming and replace the original African Mahogany with Iroko. As of October 2011 she now has a new cockpit coaming, cabin supports & sides and a new deck. Nick and Ben are aiming to have her back in the water by May 2012.

DESTINY showing off her new cabin sides and coachroof supports.

Nick Elkins at work on his boat.

SPRINGFIELD is still in the Scillies - (March 2011)

SPRINGFIELD's new owner recently travelled to the Isles of Scilly with the intention of bringing her back to the South Devon Coast. SPRINGFIELD has been in the Scillies for at least 70 years, for many of those years she was running as a family owned passenger ferry. She is one of the best known vessels in the Islands as she has transported thousands of passengers over the years.

On the day of the launch she showed that she was reluctant to leave, after craning her up the trailer that was intended to take her to the water was found to be a little too short for the job, rather than risk damaging the vessel the launch date has been postponed until May when a longer trailer will be available.

Refit work on DESTINY is now underway - (December 2010)

After three months on the Dart, DESTINY is now out of the water again and under a good winter tent allowing her owners to start the refit work at Noss Marina.

On the hard at Noss and awaiting her work tent to be built.

Lift out at Noss Marina.

West Channel One Design yacht DESTINY back in the water - (September 2010)

After being out of the water for the last four and a half years, DESTINY was lifted back into the River Teign before being towed round to Dartmouth. Dartmouth shipwright, Guy Cottam, towed her round to Dartmouth following two days of preparation work.

She will now spend the remainder of the autumn taking up on a deep water mooring on the Dart while her prospective new owners put together their plans for her refit.

DESTINY moored on the River Dart after her tow round from Teignmouth.

Sailing on a sea of tranquility - (June 2010)

BBC Spotlight went sailing with Sea Sanctuary, The Cornish based charity which owns and runs Leopard.

Click the image on the right to view the video.

Cruiser returns to Teignmouth after 50 years - (August 2009)

Click the image on the right to see the full article. (2.4Mb)

This story was kindly supplied by the Teignmouth Post

2009 Salcombe Keel Boat Regatta - (June 2009)

The Salcombe Festival, held over the weekend of the 12th to the 14th of June, incorporated a classic keel boat regatta. The original idea was to get the 3 known remaining Salcombe ‘A’ class yachts sailing together with a handful of other locally based keelboats. Unfortunately Atalanta did not make the regatta this time but the hope is that the event will be repeated in 2010 and then we will hopefully see all three ‘A’ class yachts - Joan (A1), Wiluna II (A4) and Atalanta (A14) matched up. Wiluna II took first place overall, on corrected time. The event looks set to grow.

See Wiluna’s listing under the Salcombe ‘A’ class heading for more photos of her racing at the regatta.

Photo kindly supplied by Kathy Mansfield.

For more photos of the event see www.kathymansfieldphotos.com 

The newspaper write up below shows Andrew Johnson and Peter Stratton, co-owners of the Morgan Giles built Wiluna II, receiving a cup and a half model of Wiluna II from Keith Musto.

"SAILING enthusiasts gathered at Cliff House on Sunday June 14 for the Salcombe Festival five race regatta and prize giving.

In the first race, which was supervised by race officer Tim Street, Salcombe Festival’s On the Water representative Sue Alsop chased up the owners of including two magnificently restored A class yachts, Wyluna and Joan.

In mist on Friday and Saturday the yachts had some close racing, and in the evenings some convivial shore based entertainment as part of the Festival.

Amongst the fantastic specimens of yachts were the beautiful 1937 Swedish five meter vessel, owned by The Rear Commodore of British Classic Yacht Club, Intombi, the 1934 William Fife design, and Salcombe’s based wooden Dragon HKG6 Wanderer, which was built for the Mexico Olympics in 1968.

Sailing company Cremyll Sailing, sent along two 22 square meter yachts, Uffa Fox's 1930 K1 Vigilant, and U5 Patriot to take part.

The smallest boat to attend was Miss Winifred, an exact replica of Nathaniel Herresshoff's gaff-rigged Skimmer built in Rhode Island in 1893.

After the Parade of Sail on Sunday one last glorious race was held in bright sunshine in the Estuary which made magnificent spectator sport from the shore.

The event was generously sponsored by Musto Outdoor Clothing, with ex Olympic helmsman Keith Musto himself presenting the trophies on Sunday afternoon. The Musto Performance Trophy went to Dave Gibbens for racing Intombi so gallantly after waiting over 50 years to do so.

A4 Wiluna, skippered by Peter Stratton and Andrew Johnson took first place overall on corrected time, with Mark Dowie's Dragon second, and U5 Patriot third. Cornelius Van Rijckvorsel's S11 Sensa, the brainchild of the whole regatta, was awarded the Concorde D'Elegance trophy donated by Denise Coffey. Prizes were also awarded for the Bang and Go Back Race, and the 100 minute Pursuit Race for the Chris Millward Trophy.

David Cohen, Salcombe Regatta Chairman said in a speech: ‘On behalf of everyone, we would like to thank everyone who came to celebrate Salcombe.’

Dates are already being discussed for a Classic Regatta next June, and more pre 1968 wooden keelboats will be very welcome."

Keith Musto, Andrew Johnson, Peter Stratton

Photo supplied by Andy Shorten

Newspaper extract kindly supplied by The Kingsbridge and Salcombe Gazette.