The “W” BOAT CLASS REGISTER
(updated May 2011 E&OE)
NB - We are very anxious to receive any updated information
| W-1 | ARROW (ex-Dart, ex-Huahine) |
| Built: | 1924 |
| Owner: | Phil Plumtree |
| Location: | Essex |
| Notes: | Arrow underwent a full restoration in 1998/99. Boat weighed at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on 18 June 1997: 4.36 metric tonnes. In 2003 went to south coast to compete in RIOW and The British Classic Yacht Club Regatta which she won overall and the Moonbeam Trophy for the BCYC round the island race. The season was rounded of with a trip to the med for the Regates Royales in Cannes and Voiles de Saint Tropez. She returned in 2004 to win class at the 80th Anniversary in Cowes week returning to the Med in 2005 and 2006 for Voiles d'Antibes and Voiles de Saint Tropez Sails with 180° large genoa & both symmetric & asymmetric spinnaker |
| W-2 | SUVRETTA (ex-Dinah) |
| Built: | 1924 |
| Owner: | Ben Van Dyke |
| Location: | Levington, Suffolk |
| Notes: | Re-launched June 2009 Keel from “Sapphire”. |
| W-3 | SQUIRREL (ex-Fenella) |
| Built: | 1924 |
| Owner: | Paul Churchill |
| Location: | Ashore at Maldon, Essex |
| Notes: | Undergoing final stages of restoration.Should be sailing in 2011 |
| W-4 | SAPPHIRE (ex-Sapphire W) |
| Built: | 1924 |
| Owner: | Scott Yeates |
| Location: | Lt. Braxted, Essex |
| Notes: | Out of water since C.1987. Awaiting restoration. FOR SALE. |
| W-5 | PANDORA now renamed ‘Sunseeker’) |
| Built: | 1924 |
| Owner: | Mr McN MacKenzie |
| Location: | Ullapool |
| Notes: | Raised coach-roof, cut down rig, aluminium mast, extra plank on topsides, new deck, cast iron keel, new engine with propeller through rudder. |
| W-6 | RED ROVER (ex-Poppet, ex-Red Rover) |
| Built: | 1924 |
| Owner / Location: Unknown | Article in Yachting Monthly in June 1934 indicating a Mr. H.St.J.B. Strang bought “Red Rover” out of Burnham-on -Crouch in 1931 and shipped her to Barcelona, Spain. Present whereabouts unknown, but possibly at Villamoura Marina in SW Portugal in late 1999. NB - MORE INFO REQUIRED |
| W-7 | DILKUSHA (ex-Calypso) |
| Built: | 1924 |
| Owner: | Peter Methven - Understood to be for sale. Location - Cornwall. |
| Notes: | Original W-7 boat believed to have been replaced by the then owner Lt.-Colonel H. C. Guest in 1931 by a new boat taking the same name & number. See Lloyd’s Register of Yachts. Lloyds Register indicates that possibly this boat was renamed “Calypso” and re-numbered W-6 after the original W-6 went to Spain?. Rebuilt at Gweek yard, Cornwall and exhibited at London boat show 2005. Engine. |
| W-7 | CALYPSO (ex-Dilkusha) |
| Built: | 1924 Berthon Build Number: 209 |
| Owner:Major L. W. Payne (Lloyds Reg. 1973) Kingswear, Devon | Location - Unknown |
| Notes: | Original W-7 boat believed to have been replaced by the then owner Lt.-Colonel H. C. Guest in 1931 by a new boat taking the same name & number. See Lloyd’s Register of Yachts. Lloyds Register indicates that possibly this boat was renamed “Calypso” and re-numbered W-6 after the original W-6 went to Spain?. |
| W-8 | DINAH (ex-Noreen) |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Owner: | Hugh Kemp - Understood to be for sale |
| Location: | River Ore, Orford |
| Notes: | Deck-stepped mast, cut down rig & engine with propeller-shaft through the rudder post |
| W-9 | CYRILLA |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Owner: | Grégoire Destremau |
| Location: | Jard-sur-Mer, Vendée, West France |
| Notes: | Restored 1999. With aluminium mast and Volvo Penta engine. |
| W-10 | LINETTE |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Owner: | Glen Sansom |
| Location: | West Mersea, Essex |
| Notes: | Boat restored by Peter Brookes for himself c 1996. Weighed at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on 19 June 1997: 4.40 metric tonnes |
| W-11 | HALLOWEEN |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Owner: | Adrian & Jill Mulville |
| Location: | Blackwater/Orwell |
| Notes: | Restoration completed 2001. Mast 16" aft of correct position. |
| W-12 | HARLEQUIN |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Owner: | Justin Varcoe |
| Location: | lostwithiel, Cornwall |
| Notes: | Engine with propeller-shaft through the quarter. Cut down rig. New coach roof. |
| W-13 | No yacht built with this sail number. However a West Solent hull built in 1926 and originally named “Miss May” is “W-13”. By 1935 she appears in Lloyds Register and renamed as “Mystery”. “Miss May” originally owned by H.G. May, also called “Miss Fizz”, and not registered by him. broken up 2006 |
| Owner: | Mr. V.R.Robinson, Rasli Bungalow, |
| Location: | Last sailed in 1983. Out of water in Little Haven Pembs, Wales. |
| Notes: | Only a bare hull, no deck. Very poor condition. Mast in 3 pieces. Due to be restored in 2001. NB MRE INFO REQD. |
| W-14 | PERSEPHONIE (ex-Margie) |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Notes: | Broke up on rocks below the South Caernarfon Yacht Club after breaking her moorings in SE gales at Abersoch in 1956. |
| W-15 | BLUE HAZE (ex-Poppet II, ex-Red Jacket) |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Owner: | Dr. M. Karkenny (Lloyds Reg. 1980) |
| Location: | unknown |
| Notes: | No reply to letter sent in 1994. More recent rumours of her in Canada. NB - MORE INFO REQUIRED |
| W-16 | QUIZ (ex-Hyacinth) |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Owner: | Richard Thomas |
| Location: | under restoration at Ardleigh, Essex |
| Notes: | Was ketch-rigged & engine with propeller-shaft through the rudder post. |
| W-17 | JANETTA |
| Built: | 1927 |
| Owner: | Part Owners: Roderick & Liz Kalberer Part Owner: Scot Yeates |
| Location: | Lt. Braxted, Essex. |
| Notes: | Varnished topsides. FOR SALE Awaiting new Owner. |
| W-18 | BLACK ADDER (ex Black Adder, ex-Kitmus) |
| Built: | 1927 |
| Owner: | Richard & Sue Taylor |
| Location: | West Mersea, Essex |
| Notes: | Grounded on Chichester Bar in 1948. Insurance write-off & keel sold off. Restored with new iron keel in Bosham. Iron keel replaced with “Suvretta”s (W-2) lead keel in 1998. Restored Maldon (Classic boat feature Feb 97); re-launched Aug 1998. Weighed at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on 8 July 1999: 4.16 metric tonnes. Sailed to Solent for 2009 BCYC Regatta (photospread in Classic Boat Oct 09 and Nov 10). |
| W-19 | ERIN |
| Built: | 1927 |
| Owners: | Jim & Catherine Dines |
| Location: | Maldon, Essex |
| Notes: | In final stages of restoration.Possibly afloat 2011 |
| W-20 | HARKAWAY (ex-Goosander) |
| Built: | 1927 |
| Owner: | Mr. David Moss |
| Location: | Skippool , Lancashire. |
| Notes: | Harkaway had been out of the water at the Glasson Dock Yacht Co., Lancs. for about 15 years to Summer |
| W-21 | NIOLA (ex-Oonah) |
| Built: | 1927 |
| Owner: | Mr. I. A. Taylor (Lloyds Reg. 1979) |
| Location: | Hesketh Bank |
| Notes: | No recent news. NB - MORE INFO REQUIRED. |
| W-22 | VIVACIOUS |
| Built: | 1927 |
| Owner: | Ian & Martine Murdoch |
| Location: | River Orwell |
| Notes: | Boat weighed at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on 20 June 1997: 4.50 metric tonnes. |
| W-23 | NATICA (ex-Ann) |
| Built: | 1928 |
| Owner: | Frank rouget Luchaire |
| Location: | Cannes |
| Notes: | Boat weighed at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on 9 July 1999: 4.37 metric tonnes. Restored 1997, Containered to NZ in Aug/Sept 2004 and return. Engine installed 2010 Sails with 180° large genoa. |
| W-24 | GELASMA (ex-Carmela, ex-Oriole) |
| Built: | 1928 |
| Owner: | No details. |
| Location: | No details. |
| Notes: | Last registered in Bembridge, IOW in 1948. Possibly lost as “Nabler” on Portland Harbour Breakwater on 7 Sept. 1967 NB - MORE INFO REQUIRED |
| W-25 | ESTELLE (ex-Soy) |
| Built: | 1929 |
| Owner: | No details. |
| Location: | No details. |
| Notes: | Sold out of Heybridge Basin, Essex in 1970’s, last seen in a small dock at Butler’s Wharf on the Thames around 1992 / 93 in a poor state. Now moved. NB - MORE INFO REQUIRED |
| W-26 | JADE |
| Built: | 1930 |
| Owner: | Frank Vaughan |
| Location: | In garden in Cork, Ireland. |
| Notes: | Relaunched after “restoration”. New raised deck above a new top plank, engineand cut down rig. Owner willing to sell for what it has cost him to date (C. £15,000 in 2001). Plans re-launch in 2002. |
| W-27 | EMERALD |
| Built: | 1930 |
| Owner: | |
| Location: | St. Vincent, Caribbean |
| Notes: | As a houseboat / yacht. Last seen Spring 2001. NB - MORE INFO REQUIRED |
| W-28 | MELODY (ex-Melody A) |
| Built: | 1930 |
| Owner: | Bas Witsel |
| Location: | Amsterdam, Holland FOR SALE |
| Notes: | Planking seams routed out & epoxyed, hull scrim covered & epoxyed, Yanmar engine, steel rudder and cut down rig. |
| W-29 | MISCHIEF (ex-Fide) |
| Built: | 1930 |
| Owner: | Kevin Fuller |
| Location: | Maylandsea / Heybridge Basin, Maldon, Essex |
| Notes: | Boat weighed at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on 9 July 1999: 4.53 metric tonnes. |
| W-30 | BENITA |
| Built: | 1930 |
| Owner: | William Scott |
| Location: | Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington. |
| Notes: | Boat weighed at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on 9 July 1999: 4.42 metric tonnes. Yanmar engine with prop through the quarter, installed 2000. Roller-furling jib. |
| W-31 | OONAH |
| Built: | 1933 |
| Owner: | Paul Smulders |
| Location: | Victoria Harbour, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada |
| Notes: | Restored with new small rig with short mast & boom. Large coach-roof. Bulwarks. 10 hp diesel engine. Wood stove. Updated Jan 2002. |
| W-39 | WINNIE-MARIE |
| Built: | 2010 by Peter Nash at Baltic Wharf, Totnes, Devon |
| Owner: | Mike and Nettie Palmer |
| Location: | Brittany |
| Notes: | See major feature in Classic Boat Dec 2010. |
"NABLER"
One of the above West Solent Class yachts without details (No: 6, 24, or 27) was renamed “Nabler”, sail number unknown. She was owned by Bert Brickell of Weymouth from 1961 to September 7th 1967 when in a Force 10 gale she broke her moorings and was destroyed on the breakwater at Portland Harbour, despite efforts of Royal Naval divers who attempted to save the boat. They were airlifted off by helicopter. “Nabler” was not recovered.
“Nabler” was fibre-glass sheathed and had a small part of the counter stern cut off. She had her original rig.
OTHER “W” BOAT CLASS YACHTS:
ARGENTINA
Five West Solent Class Yachts were built for the Buenos Aires Yacht Club in Argentina in 1924 and originally named after local Indian tribes. Their names are CAUTÈRE (ex-Timbu), YAGÁN, MANDOLIN II (ex-Querandi), SPRAY (ex-Toba) and ONA. At least three of these yachts are still understood to exist.
INDIA
One West Solent Class Yacht was built & launched in Bombay in 1934, named VALIANT. Due to teredo worm, dry rot and loosening of fastenings she was initially fibreglass sheathed, then later broken up.
AUSTRALIA
Maybe one boat in Australia, reference to such in club records.
Overview
| Year | Yard number | Listed as | Built name | Other names | Last name | Sail No. | Last seen | Year | Condition | |
| 1 | 1923 | 197 | LOD | Sapphire | Sapphire | W4 | Braxted | 2008 | hulk | |
| 2 | 1923 | 198 | LOD | Pandora | Pandora | W5 | Ullapool | 2011 | cruiser | |
| 3 | 1923 | 199 | LOD | Arrow | Dart / Huahine | Arrow | W1 | Levington | 2010 | restored |
| 4 | 1923 | 200 | LOD | Fenella | Squirrel | W3 | Maldon | 2008 | restoration | |
| 5 | 1923 | 205 | LOD | Poppett | Red Rover | W6 | Spain | 1939 | n/a | |
| 6 | 1924 | 207 | LOD | Suvretta | Suvretta | W2 | Levington | 2010 | restored | |
| 7 | 1924 | 209 | LOD | Calypso | Dilkusha | Calypso | W7-W6 | Falmouth | 2008 | restored |
| 8 | 1925 | 235 | LOD | Cyrilla | Cyrilla | W9 | Brittany | 1998 | n/a | |
| 9 | 1925 | 236 | LOD | Dinah | Noreen | Dinah | W8 | Aldeburgh | 2008 | cruiser |
| 10 | 1925 | 237 | LOD | Linette | Linette | W10 | Braxted | West Mersea | restored | |
| 11 | 1925 | 238 | LOD | Halloween | Halloween | W11 | Ipswich | 2011 | restored | |
| 12 | 1926 | 242 | LOD | Harlequin | Harlequin | W12 | Lymington | 1998 | cruiser | |
| 13 | 1926 | 245 | LOD | Persephonie | Margie | W14 | wrecked | 1956 | n/a | |
| 14 | 1926 | 251 | LOD | Red Jacket | Popett II | Blue Haze | W15 | USA | 1980 | n/a |
| 15 | 1926 | 252 | LOD | Quiz | Hyacinth | W16 | Essex | 2010 | under restoration | |
| 16 | 1926 | no number | 6 ton sloop | Mystery | Miss May | Mystery | W13 | destroyed | 2008 | n/a |
| 17 | 1926 | 267 | WSRC | Janetta | Janetta | W17 | Braxted | 2008 | hulk | |
| 18 | 1927 | 277 | WSRC | Erin | Erin | W19 | Maldon | 2008 | restored | |
| 19 | 1927 | 278 | WSRC | Harkaway | Goosander | Harkaway | W20 | Glasson dock | 1998 | cruiser |
| 20 | 1927 | 279 | WSRC | Vivacious | Vivacious | W22 | Ipswich | 2011 | restored | |
| 21 | 1927 | 281 | WSRC | Oohna | Niola | W21 | Hesketh Bank, Lancs. | 1979 | n/a | |
| 22 | 1927 | 282 | WSRC | Black Adder | Kitmus | Black Adder | W18 | Mersea | 2011 | restored |
| 23 | 1928 | 309 | WSRC | Ann | Natica | W23 | France | 2008 | restored | |
| 24 | 1928 | 310 | WSRC | Carmela | Oriole | Gelasma | W24 | destroyed | 1967 | n/a |
| 25 | 1929 | no number | WSRC | Soy | Estelle | W25 | Butler's Wharf | 1992 | n/a | |
| 26 | 1930 | 357 | WSRC | Jade | Jade | W26 | Cork | 1998 | n/a | |
| 27 | 1930 | 358 | WSRC | Benita | Benita | W30 | Aldeburgh | 2010 | restored | |
| 28 | 1930 | 359 | WSRC | Melody | Melody | W28 | Holland | 2008 | cruiser | |
| 29 | 1930 | 360 | WSRC | Mischief | Fide | Mischief | W29 | Maldon | 2011 | restored |
| 30 | 1930 | 361 | WSRC | Emerald | Emerald | W27 | Poole | 1998 | n/a | |
| 31 | 1931 | 413 | WSRC | Dilkusha | Dilkusha | W7 | Falmouth | 2011 | restored | |
| 32 | 1933 | 439 | WSRC | Oohna | Oohna | W31 | Canada | 1998 |