Calling all Sea Wyches

[VicS]

The Owners Association would welcome all past, present and future Sea Wych owners to get in touch as this year is the association's 40th anniversary.

The annual rally will be taking place on the spring bank holiday weekend and the following week at Bembridge as usual. ( 2-9 June)

This year there will be no rally fee for Sea Wyches and skipper.

If you have a Sea Wych be there.

Full details and booking form from the rally organiser, Martine Foster

I understand that a visit to the recently relocated Classic Boat Museum in East Cowes is being arranged.

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[maxi77]

As an ex Wych owner I wish you all a very good time

 

[electrosys]

Sea Wych ... I wonder ?

Hope you don't mind me tacking onto your thread, but I'm hoping you (or another 'Sea Wych' bod) might be able to help solve a conundrum.

When I were a lad - so we're talking 1950's/60's here - I used to spend hours dreaming about a boat called the Sea Wych, Sea Wytch, or similar. If memory serves, and that's the problem - 'cause it doesn't - it was a wooden boat, maybe a kit, or more likely 'plans for ...'.
All I can remember for sure was that it was a small boat (perhaps trailerable ?) with a small square cabin and a very salty-looking curved tiller. The tiller was such a pronounced feature, that it may also have been a double ender with a deep rudder.

Over the years I've tried from time to time to find out more about that boat, which for me as a growing lad living in the heart of The Midlands was nothing more than an inspiring small advert in the back of a yachting magazine - or was it 'Exchange and Mart' ? But whenever I've tried a search, it's only the Sadler Sea Wych which is mentioned.

I wonder if I'll ever find out ?

Thanks for reading this.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I think Percy Blandford had a design called sea witch. I did have an advert from Small boat owner but cannot find it now.

Just found my old Lysander plans and it shows an outboard powered boat with a small cabin called witch or sea witch

 

[Seajet]

electrosys,

well the grp Sea Witch ( as in VicS's boat ) used to be advertised as a kit in the magazines, showing the hull & deck together with all the components.

I remember an example called 'Dutch Courage' at Bembridge during what I think was an owners' association rally; she had two engines, and just about a whole chandlery's worth of kit !

 

[VicS]

electrosys,

well the grp Sea Witch ( as in VicS's boat ) used to be advertised as a kit in the magazines, showing the hull & deck together with all the components.

I remember an example called 'Dutch Courage' at Bembridge during what I think was an owners' association rally; she had two engines, and just about a whole chandlery's worth of kit !

Yes the Sea Wych was originally only sold as a kit for home completion .

One or two boats may have been built at Sadler's factory, I'm not sure but later built or partly built boats were offered, I believe, by the builders who bought the moulds from Sadler. Nearly 600 were moulded by Sadler and about another 50 by the later owners of the moulds.

One has only recently been built from kit that had lain untouched in barn somewhere. I believe the story is scheduled for publication in the July PBO

Dutch Courage, SW 546, originally built by Jim Randall, was just about the most over equipped of all!

The current President of the association I believe built the very last one actually moulded

Mention must be made of the late John Marchant who sailed his Sea Wych, Sea Dog, around Britain some years ago. No fuss, no bother, same boat all the way, no dramas with engines. Just got on with it and did it.
After that he sailed Sea Dog out to the Med. Then back again partly through the French canals the following year

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