Building new winkle Brigs

[Old Forum]

Julian Swindell
   
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 05:32 pm:      
I've had an email from someone in the States, saying he is interested in commissioning a new Winkle Brig. Does anyone know if Ferryboat Yard would still build one? Someone once told me that they still did build to order, but not speculatively.

[Old Forum]

David Cawston
   
Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - 11:45 pm:      
The last I heard was that the moulds had been sold by the Ferry Boatyard but I believe that happened a while before the Ferry Boatyard stopped selling WBs and they ordered hulls from the new owners of the moulds as and when they had an order. As I say I could be totally wrong on this but it is the way I have interpreted snippets of conversation. Who has the moulds now I do not know.

[Old Forum]

Andy Dalby
   
Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 11:33 am:      
We visited the boatyard a few years ago and were told by the people who bought it that the moulds had been destroyed. About 3 years ago a WB owner in Chichester Marina told me Eric had split up with his wife and closed down. I last spoke to Eric about 10 years ago. Perhaps he'll read this.
Might all be an urban myth though!

[Old Forum]

Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Sunday, April 01, 2007 - 11:36 am:      
I actually telephoned the yard last week, as I thought they might have leads on secondhand WBs, boats coming in for repair etc.
The response was that they don't really have anything to do with WBs any more, and Eric is more or less retired, but 'maybe we should think about doing them again, because I get 3 or 4 enquiries a week.'

[Old Forum]

mrh
   
Posted on Monday, April 02, 2007 - 03:28 am:      
There was one small ad in either Classic Boat or Watercraft a few years ago offering the moulds for sale. So maybe they are still out there somewhere. Maybe the sleuths at one of those magazines should help track them down to help resurrect production. On the other hand, Eric B is presumably still alive and should know where they went. Always loved these boats, never figured out how to ship one to USA.

[Old Forum]

David Cawston
   
Posted on Monday, April 02, 2007 - 07:14 pm:      
Winkle Brig 14 was shipped across the Atlantic to New Mexico. It is many years since I was last in touch with the owner and I do not know if she is still at the same address but if you email me direct I will give you her address and you can but try.

Eric 'retired' from the Ferry Boatyard and moved to a farm in Wales (minus wife) and I have been told does not and will not have any dealings now with anything Winkle Brig related, a shame.

[Old Forum]

Simon Hill
Username: Simon_hill

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2007 - 01:13 pm:      
mrh (whoever you are)WB 39 was shipped to Australia on its trailer in a container. One tip - take the trouble to unbolt the tow bar coupling once at the container depot and it should fit into a 20ft container rather than a 40ft one! Also check out port and customs charges at the recieving end - we got stung this end but by then it is too late to do anything about it. On another tack, smaller boats have sailed the Atlantic if you are feeling really game!!

[Old Forum]

Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 10:38 pm:      
It occurred to me whilst looking over Winkles these last couple of weeks that the design, or something quite similar, might lend itself to fairly straight forward home construction in ply, ala the Lysander. Design copyright permitting, of course.

[Old Forum]

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Friday, June 01, 2007 - 09:57 am:      
I am sure there would be no problem in doing this. Selway Fisher Design produce a wide range of pocket gaffers and he is always willing to alter a stock design to meet your needs. you just dont call it a Winkle brig!

[Old Forum]

Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Friday, June 01, 2007 - 01:14 pm:      
They do have some interesting designs. That 8' footer! bizarre! And I've always fancied something steam driven - a pocket Clyde puffer perhaps?
They are sweet looking boats, but - is it just my eye?- does the cabin superstructure tend to the cutesy? The WB has a purposeful, seaworthy look about it. It would be interesting to see what they would come up with though, with a WB as a target.
Anyway, even if I did have the time to build one, (and eternal optimist as I am, I know that I dont!)I have a deposit down on WB#46, awaiting trailer servicing and arrangements for collection!

[Old Forum]

David Peck
Username: David_peck

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Wednesday, May 07, 2008 - 07:19 pm:      
Adrian's article June 07 sparked a memory.
Apart from sailing, my other great interest is Model Engineering. A 14yr project building a freelance 7,25" gauge freelance quarry engine has just been completed (weighs about a ton) and I'm now on with a 4" scale Burrel Traction Engine. As a consequence I was at a Model Engineering exhibition in 2006 when I came across a Winkle Brig day boat converted to steam power. I couldn't find any number on the boat but it got me quite excited. There was no one on hand at the exhibit to give me any information. I will attempt to attach a picture, a bit blurred due to the poor lighting

[Old Forum]

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 09:18 am:      
I thought Martin Cartwright's yawl conversion was a bit extreme!
Thinking on the whereabouts of the moulds, several of us had emails from Eric Bergqvist a few weeks ago saying he still had the moulds. I resplied to him but have heard nothing back. Has anyone else heard anything more?

[Old Forum]

Adrian Evans
Username: Adrian_evans

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 04:24 pm:      
That's a great find, David! Makes me feel less out on a limb with my other boaty project, converting a Dart18 cat to pedal power...yes, really!
Incidently, if you don't know it already, you might enjoy
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/
- some tremendous feats of model engineering.

Julian - that's exciting news about the moulds!

[Old Forum]

Andy Dalby
Username: Andy_dalby

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 06:03 pm:      
I had an email back from Eric. I wanted to know the gelcoat colour reference for matching.