Anyone owned or sailed a Morecambe Bay Prawner?

[fredrussell]

I’m not usually a wooden boat kind of guy, but I’ve always had a soft spot for these boats. There’s a nice example for sale at the mo and it occurred to me that I’ve seldom seen them mentioned on The Forum. Anyone on here ever owned or helmed one?

 

[MisterBaxter]

No but I've sailed an Essex smack, which is a pretty similar boat. Very steady and solid, not great to windward but heaves to very well, can have a lot of weather helm depending on the detail of the rig. Lots of rope and sometimes quite heavy gear. With the right rig you can spread a huge amount of sail in light airs and reef down low and snug in stronger winds, but you have to do a lot of work in the transitions!
Very much about the individual boat too, some of them seem to have a kind of magic around speed and balance and some very much don't...

 

[Piddy]

My Parents had one in the late 60's. 33' long and very low freeboard so quite wet. It had a huuuuge tiller that took a bit of manhandling.
Bought in Heybridge Basin and sailed round to Portsmouth, afterwards kept at Wicormarine alongside the pier.
I was a very young man at the time!

 

[fredrussell]

Cheers for those replies. There was one on the Orwell near me that ended up being offered for next to nowt to a good home. In the next life perhaps…

 

[MisterBaxter]

There are a few GRP ones out there, a mould was taken from a Prawner of about 28' lod and a small number of really nice boats built. I saw one in Bristol once which I seem to remember was called Minx, lovely looking boat.

 

[C08]

There are a few GRP ones out there, a mould was taken from a Prawner of about 28' lod and a small number of really nice boats built. I saw one in Bristol once which I seem to remember was called Minx, lovely looking boat.

Still very nice on a pontoon near me.

 

[claymore]

Complete bugger to manoeuvre with their offset propeller.
Wet but nice to sail - lots of work!