Arthur Ransome

Speleologist · April 27, 2023

3 hours ago, LizG said:

Am I right in thinking that Ransome never used real names for his boats so maybe he picked up on White Boats, realised they were generally named after butterflies and just picked a butterfly at random which wasn't listed as a White Boat??

That certainly seems to be generally the case, although some years ago I had contact with a member of another forum who owned a half decker called Flash, that had reputedly once belonged to Arthur Ransome, and thus seems likely to be the Flash that the twins sail with their father. I actually got to sail the boat.

LizG · April 27, 2023

The difference there though is that it was his boat? Did the Flash you sailed resemble any class sailed on the Broads?

Speleologist · April 27, 2023

It was a typical half decker hull that had more recently been fitted with a more modern Bermudan rig, which was definitely not original. I suspect it was one of the many one off designs that predated the establishment of the one design classes.

LizG · April 28, 2023

I had another thought earlier as to why he called this racing yacht Grizzled Skipper in the Coot Club

The species gets its name due to the fact the skippers are fast flying - skipping about but Skipper also means Skipper as in boat terms!!!

In 1934 when the book was published we already had Dingy Skipper, Lulworth Skipper, Essex Skipper and for a period no. 11 was called Silver Skipper (1927 - 1930) - not a proper name although there is Silver-spotted Skipper - that doesn't leave many British Skipper species left! He could have gone for Small, Large or Chequered but instead he picked Grizzled? Maybe no 56 was renamed Grizzled Skipper because the new owner liked Arthur Ransome's books?