Three boats that will not leave anyone indifferent

What is the coolest yacht? Perhaps everyone will decide for himself. But what is the opinion of experts in the field of navigation and maritime history?

Tom Cunliffe, Eddie Worden Owen, and Chris Tibbs gave their in-depth comments on which boats they considered the coolest and most innovative. Of course, opinions are very subjective. But this is the only way to arrive at a conventional common denominator. The experts have chosen their favorites and are ready to voice them.

Lady belle

Tom Cunliffe chose Lady Belle. What does he say about this boat?

“It has been 50 years since my wife and I visited the Western Solent. This was on our first tiny yacht. There we saw a bunch of sails coming from the sea, ”says Tom Cunliff, recalling the emotions from the first meeting with Lady Belle. She was smaller than we could have imagined, but the sails made her look bigger than she really was. The Lady was smaller than the other boats."

Three boats that will not leave anyone indifferent

Lady Belle was built by Harley Mead in 1909.

“During our distant youth, we lived in a village on wooden boats on the Hamble River. Lady Belle was part of that youth. "

"We've always wanted her, and when she went on sale half a dozen years ago, my daughter and her husband bought her."

"So, still in Gumble, she goes out to sea with a young family, teaching two perky guys the manners of a sailor."

General characteristics of Lady Belle:

Maximum speed: 7 knots

Length: 8.5 m

Launched: 1909

Beds: 4

Price: "Not for sale."

The ultra 30

Eddie Warden Owen chose The Ultra 30.

“The Ultra 30s were the coolest boats, way ahead of their time,” says Eddie Worden Owen. He ran the Ultra 30 for several years.

The Ultra 30 track was an original sailing concept. She was comfortable for both spectators and yachtsmen. The circuit was small and the race was televised on the BBC Grandstand, the main Saturday sports show of the 1990s.

This has attracted Olympic yachtsmen and commercial sponsorship.

The boats were monstrously powerful, with bowsprites up to 15 feet in length and over 500 square feet of sail, operated by a crew of nine, requiring complex crew coordination in any maneuver.

“You had nine crews. And then we put trapezoids on each - this led to a huge increase in speed. It was incredible to sail with such a sail and with such speed. "

“Even the best of them will roll over and by the end of the 20 minute race the crew will be completely exhausted. And we would have three races a day! ”Owen laughs.

General characteristics of Ultra 30:

Maximum speed: 25 knots

Length: 30ft / 9.1m

Launched: 1988

Sleeping places: 0 (9 trapeze)

Price: £ 65,000

Mariquita

Chris Tibbs chose the Mariquita boat as his favorite.

“Built in 1911 as a 19 meter yacht, Mariquita is one of the most beautiful yachts afloat. I have been fortunate enough to be the navigator on board most of the time since its restoration in 2004, ”says weather guru Chris Tibbs.

“With all the rigging and sails downwind, the Mariquita is very wide (about 125 feet). There is always one rigging crew on board, as it is impossible to rein in the yacht while sailing at the same time.

“When sailing without winches, the entire crew is needed to raise the sails or pull the mainsail to turn. And that requires a lot of teamwork.

“Race start is especially impressive when big classic yachts are vying for position. This is never a gentleman's race, but a full-fledged competition.