Oysterman 22

ianc1200

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Seen an Itchen Ferry recently?

er. for example the legendary Fanny of Cowes and her almost equally legendary owner, Nigel Warren:

ecr2018-fanny-smiller.jpg


22ft 9ins on deck, 8ft 6ins beam, 3ft 6ins draft, sail area SIX HUNDRED AND ELEVEN SQUARE FEET, built 1872 and will beat the pants off just about anything...

Set foot on Fanny (she lives in the RHYC marina now) and you are in no doubt that you are on a serious racer; no varnish; lots of Dyneema...

I don't doubt that Paul Gartside (my favourite living designer) had the Itchen Ferries in mind when he drew the Oysterman.

In light airs Memory 19's have had her beat though (see East Coat Race 2018).
 

banger

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Fred Drift was about the Church construction bit, Mr Kingfisher, back to the subject, I had a Tamarisk 24, sailed out of Martin Heard's yard in Mylor for a while, Cornish built, had more headroom than the original North Sea Craft built example, nice boat but made a fair amount of leeway due to the shallow draft, that one I sold to a gentleman in Warsash who rebuilt it and as far as I know, still owns it.
Regarding the plastic Itchen Ferry, chap I knew on the Hamble bought one, ripped off the rise on superstructure and was going to build a wooden superstructure that is more suitable to the hull, left the Hamble at that time so don't know what the result was, but would be interested to know, I was, at the time, contemplating to do the same.
 

Zagato

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Terry and Martin Heard about 11.00 minutes in... Enjoy. Sold my Drascombe, would like a 24 ish foot boat I could trail to my house over winter. Not sure I am brave enough to buy a wooden hull. No funds at present, just dreaming.


I would love a Heard 28. They have come right down in price over the last few years. Cannot trail it sadly, need to keep costs down...
 

Seajet

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Crewing on a Heard Falmouth Working Boat in a regatta was one of the best experiences of my life to date, and by this stage I doubt it will be surpassed !

There were a couple of the grp Itchen Ferries at my club in the late 1970's - I'm afraid they didn't exactly live up to ' Classic ' hopes, IMO undercavassed, overweight, tubby and draggy - though I'd have thought they must have quite good accomodation for their size - I think I have the original brochures.
 

Oysterman22

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Oysterman 22 is way too big to trail as such, but good value I believe if you are prepared to refurb. Only 19 built from what I know.
 

NealB

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GRP Itchen Ferrys aren't that rare.

There's also the Tamarisk 24, possibly the first 'plastic gaffer' (predates Cornish Crabbers, etc.), which though a new design (by David Cannell, who also designed the Samphires, Calypso and Northsea 127), reportedly drew inspiration from the Itchen Ferry and Falmouth Quay Punt. There was later a Tamarisk 19 and 22.

I used to own a Tamarisk 29, 'Laxey Gander', when we lived on he Isle of Man.

An absolutely fabulous 'plastic gaffer', from the design point of view.

Sadly, we discovered some serious rot in the decks, the first winter after we'd bought her.

When we got the surveyor round to have a look, his words, on stepping aboard, were, "my god, I've no idea how I missed this lot".

I won't bore you with the details, but we sold her, for a giveaway price, and she was shipped to David Moss's yard at Fleetwood for repairs.
 
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LittleSister

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I used to own a Tamarisk 29, 'Laxey Gander', when we lived on he Isle of Man.

An absolutely fabulous 'plastic gaffer', from the design point of view.

Sadly, we discovered some serious rot in the decks, the first winter after we'd bought her.

When we got the surveyor round to have a look, his words, on stepping aboard, were, "my god, I've no idea how I missed this lot".

I won't bore you with the details, but we sold her, for a giveaway price, and she was shipped to David Moss's yard at Fleetwood for repairs.

I'd forgotten the Tamarisk 29.

Did you manage to get any recompense from the surveyor?
 

NealB

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BigWelshPirate

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I have an Oysterman 22 "Pilgrim" since 2016 and would be happy to get in touch with any other Oysterman 22 owners, or previous owners who know these sturdy pocket yachts

thanks,

John
Hi John, we have an Oysterman 22, number 19 (1989) Called Seren-y-Mor based I. Guernsey. We know of a couple of other owners and are also keen to swap/pass on information about the boat. It is being completely refurbished at the moment.
 

Wansworth

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Yes, it has foundations only a few feet deep, is built on clay and has fallen down at least twice (once when the tower where the Octagon Lantern is now fell down, and there used to be a tower north of the porch...).

Basically "built strong" isn't something I recognize when it comes to mediaeval churches. What is left is strong enough, but it's only "strong enough", usually after a period of trial and frequently fatal and dramatic error!
Our house and probably all the stone built houseesand hovels since Roman times have been built in that way,thick walls to lend stability.The stone is a sort of stratered kind easily broken and smallish pieces,here in Galicia,we also have granite but that’s a different beast,visited pre Roman site and it basically could have been our house?
 

May Edith

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Hi John, we have an Oysterman 22, number 19 (1989) Called Seren-y-Mor based I. Guernsey. We know of a couple of other owners and are also keen to swap/pass on information about the boat. It is being completely refurbished at the moment.
Hi. Just joined the forum. I have had an Oysterman since 2003 on the Dart. Best boat ever. Bob
 

Padraicdeb

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I have sailed in one, Mrs Mouse. Proper little ship. Very pleasant to be aboard. Has changed hands since I was on her, and not sure of any others in Scotland.
Mrs Mouse is in commission and sailing on the west coast of Ireland. I purchased here in 2017 in Plymouth. A great seaworthy boat. Padraic
 

Seadog Steve

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Hello,my first post on ANY forum! I’ve owned Jenny, a lovely Oysterman 22 since 2014.
I agree with all your positive comments about these amazing little ships.
We chartered a Shrimper 7 years ago in Falmouth but found it too small for two and a large dog to live aboard.
While we on the Shrimper we spotted a well proportioned, good looking gaff cutter, we later found out it was an Oysterman, one thing led to another and we ended buying one! We keep Jenny up the Percuil River St, Mawes. She’s a great boat for the lovely cruising waters in Cornwall and is very at home. Although she carries a large sail area, it is very manageable with furling headsails and an easily reefed main. I have made several ‘improvements’, the two most useful have been fitting Anderson self tailing winches and a lifting tiller. Looking forward to sailing her later this year, hopefully!
 
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