The Admiral's Little Ship?

[JennyMorgan]

John, was the middle row, second from the right your boat at one time? The Nobs & Snobs Yacht Club, Lowestoft.

[Hockham Admiral]

Not that early, Peter. When your pic was taken the entrance to the RNSYC was directly East and the incoming swells were at times quite horrendous!

Here's one of Friday Girl 2 in Hinderlopenin '04:

Note the inverted cone!

She was a 30 foot double-ender at 7 tons unladen (over 3 tons of pig-iron encapsulated in her full length keel) and kept us safe in the middle of the North Sea when a passing ferry asked us on Ch 16 if we were OK. I thanked him and he went on to say that his anemometer was showing a steady F8 gusting to F9+.

A picture ashore shows her lovely canoe stern with the 15 inch fully variable pitch propeller, which ranged from full ahead to full astern. You might notice the Decca antenna which we had in the late 80's. Also the very useful Aries wind-vane steering, which had already done a circumnavigation on Friday Girl's sister ship! The Aries had a very strong brutal construction and had no other purpose in life but to steer an ocean going yacht in all conditions including survival.

 

We were so very lucky to own her (from '85 until '05) and she has a very special place in our hearts.   

[JennyMorgan]

Lovely boat, John. I always hankered after one.

[ChrisB]

Lovely boat, was she built by Northshore at Itchenor?

[Hockham Admiral]

Chris, hi.

Pennington Yachts near Lymington built her for Freeward Marine and she was marketed as the Freeward 30. 

Later modifications resulted in the Fisher 30, although ketch rigged.

[Islander]

Hi John, am I right in thinking the further development was the catfisher catamaran which was also ketch rigged.

Colin

 

[ChrisB]

I never really understood the various models but I do remember some Fisher moulds at Northshore in Itchenor. Boy they did not scimp on the mat and resin there.

Built like the proverbial out houses.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

They eventually ranged from (i believe?) 25ft up 44 ft. The range consisted of Fisher and Freeward 25s, Fisher and Freeward 30s, Fisher 37 and 44. For some reason, i think there may even have been another variant, but i`m a bit vague on that. There was a Catfisher, but whether is was originally built using two  modified Fisher or Freeward hulls  with a platform section between i don`t know.  I always said i would like a Fisher 44, but without the mainmast. A trawler yacht with a staysail.

[Hockham Admiral]

20 hours ago, ChrisB said:

I never really understood the various models but I do remember some Fisher moulds at Northshore in Itchenor. Boy they did not scimp on the mat and resin there.

Built like the proverbial out houses.

They certainly were, Chris. When we changed over to a keel cooler Alan Goodchild told me that he'd never seen such thickness in a glass hull before.

Sorry, peeps, to questions about further developments, as I didn't particularly like the "improvements" that Fisher developed and didn't follow them on.

As an aside we sailed Friday Girl abeam a Fisher 30 ketch. I could (and did) outpoint her by a few degrees and had the edge on boat speed too.     

(Here's a pic, taken in Enkhuizen, which shows her huge trawler bow off to good effect.

[SwanR]

Goodness, there are a number of posts around at the moment that are making me go "Wow"! And here's another one. I never realised that you had done all that sailing John. Or the other boats that you had owned.

Wouldn't it be great to have some of our very esteemed members write up their stories in our members area. I see so much written on here that leaves me thinking that we have many people who have done so much with their lives that is way beyond a little cruise on the Broads!

I am fascinated and would love to know more if people are willing to share.

[Hockham Admiral]

Thank you, Jean.

Try this thread from back in 2011

 

[SwanR]

Thanks for the link John. I must come back to this tomorrow and take a look. :)

[Hockham Admiral]

And this one, Jean:

 

[loribear]

hi john, i don't understand alot of these words that's used, so what does it mean when it's ketch rigged ? please. lori

[JennyMorgan]

5 minutes ago, loribear said:

hi john, i don't understand alot of these words that's used, so what does it mean when it's ketch rigged ? please. lori

The mizzen is stepped forward of the rudder post, simple!

[JennyMorgan]

On 12/1/2017 at 13:30, Islander said:

Hi John, am I right in thinking the further development was the catfisher catamaran which was also ketch rigged.

Colin

 

A friend of mine had a Catfisher, very comfortable cruising boat. Problems came with the mast step loading on the bridge deck exceeding the capability of the build.

[Islander]

There was one here on the island for a while. It was eventually sold to a guy in Scotland. This one had the same problem as the side decks would pool when it rained. Obviously lacked support in that area which was surprising when you saw how well it was built. I was tempted to buy it but Ruth doesn't do flappy things otherwise I would have bought a catalac!

Colin

[ChrisB]

6 hours ago, Islander said:

There was one here on the island for a while. It was eventually sold to a guy in Scotland. This one had the same problem as the side decks would pool when it rained. Obviously lacked support in that area which was surprising when you saw how well it was built. I was tempted to buy it but Ruth doesn't do flappy things otherwise I would have bought a catalac!

Colin

Always wanted a Catalac after reading Rosie Swales book. We went to the Boat Show to look. The Trouble was mooring it. With two small boys we could not risk rowing in the dark on a Friday night to a swinging mooring and marinas in Poole at that time charged double due to the beam. We hung onto the Centaur for a while and bought the Berwick which was a ketch rigged version.

[Islander]

I must admit to going to Earls Court every year to look at the catalacs. I ended up sailing my fathers early Prout on the Blackwater estuary. A small boat but great fun. The mid 60's and 70's was an innovative time in the boating world now the modern boats are getting like cars with all the hi tech materials and electronics. I like to be able to fix it myself if poss. As for Rosie. Now there was a girl of many talents.

Colin

[ChrisB]

47 minutes ago, Islander said:

 

 

 As for Rosie. Now there was a girl of many talents.

Colin

Ummm! Yes. Her sailing gear was a tad unconventional for a circumnavigator.

[ChrisB]

PS. I am the proud owner of a signed copy of her book " Children of Cape Horn". Took ages to get to the front to get her to sign. What a colourful life she has had!!!!!

[Islander]

I no longer have my copy. Bookshelf space is a bit limited on our boat. I must get another copy or download and read again.

Colin

[ChrisB]

"Just a Little run around the World" is also a good read where she runs unsupported 32000 km in aid of Prostate Cancer and a Russian Orphanage.

[Hockham Admiral]

13 hours ago, loribear said:

hi john, i don't understand alot of these words that's used, so what does it mean when it's ketch rigged ? please. lori

Lori, Hi.

Friday Girl 2 is a sloop, i.e. single mast.

Here's a ketch rigged similar boat (in fact a Fisher 30):

 

 

Edited December 9, 2017 by Hockham Admiral
changed pic

[JennyMorgan]

This might help, Lori, look at row three: