Classic GRP Yachts; this is mine, where is yours?

[Sybarite]

Production of boats using fibreglass technology has been around since the 60''s. Nowadays, many of these boats are considered as classic designs with classic appearance. This is my Macwester sloop 31ft built in 1971 and still going strong.View attachment 73989View attachment 73990

A modern classic and the best of the Feelings.... IMHO.

A 1983 Feeling 920 which I have owned since 1987.

 

[Yellow Ballad]

A boat to admire as you row to shore, you might reconise her Mr Fantastic...

I was talking to your wife the other week as she was painting antifoul on a certain Macwester that may be fore sale? I'm sure someone will snap her up.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

A boat to admire as you row to shore, you might reconise her Mr Fantastic...

I was talking to your wife the other week as she was painting antifoul on a certain Macwester that may be fore sale? I'm sure someone will snap her up.

The Ballad is a beautiful yacht and a classic. My wife has been the antifouling expert for the last 12 years!!!

 

[westhinder]

So basically are we saying any boat built before, say, 1980 is a classic? .

Fundamental question that everybody has chosen to ignore so far.
It can’t just be a question of age, there must be more to it.
Let me try to suggest a few aspects:
- typical of its era, a good example of what was considered a good, seaworthy vessel, well built using the materials and techniques available at the time
- belonging to a period in the past, otherwise it is not possible to judge what is typical of that period
- to many, Classic will have overtones of elegance, beauty and desirability, hence the distinction betwee typical and classic

Of course, this is opening a can of worms, for who is going to judge that boat A is just typical, whereas boat B is a ‘true classic’?

As far as I am concerned, a Rival 34 is a true plastic classic

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Fundamental question that everybody has chosen to ignore so far.
It can’t just be a question of age, there must be more to it.
Let me try to suggest a few aspects:
- typical of its era, a good example of what was considered a good, seaworthy vessel, well built using the materials and techniques available at the time
- belonging to a period in the past, otherwise it is not possible to judge what is typical of that period
- to many, Classic will have overtones of elegance, beauty and desirability, hence the distinction betwee typical and classic

Of course, this is opening a can of worms, for who is going to judge that boat A is just typical, whereas boat B is a ‘true classic’?

As far as I am concerned, a Rival 34 is a true plastic classic

The Rival 34 ia a yacht with a big pedigree

 

[fredrussell]

...It can’t just be a question of age, there must be more to it.

This is indeed what I was getting at.

There was a thread on here a year or two ago that attempted to compile a list of 'true classic' plastic boats. It soon descended into everyone adding their current MAB or a design they had a misty-eyed regard for for any number of reasons.

I reckon the only true guide is calculate an average selling price (and NOT asking price!) of the last ten examples sold of a design and work out some sort of formula involving the original price of said design, versus the number of years since its introduction, to give you a figure that can be compared to other designs.

Contessa 32s currently sell for a good deal more than similarly well presented Rival 34s, yet few would consider the former to be a vastly superior boat. Both are easy on the eye, well made and good seaworthy boats, yet one usually costs a lot more.

And yes, I'm a cold hearted philistine and almost certainly should have been an accountant! But surely not every 50 year old floating pile of osmosis (FPO) is a classic?

 

[chriss999]

I withdraw my Kingfisher. Sturdy, seaworthy & typical of its time. But not even the fondest owner could call her elegant.
Thank you for the pictures, and keep them coming!

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

"Classic" is very subjective and therefore is down to an individual to declare what yacht he feels should be a classic and an absolute personal preference.

 

[doug748]

I had the good luck to moor next door to my old boat this summer, here we are, two for one:

Marieholm IF Boat in the foreground, which I had for ten years - surely the prettiest of GRP small boats?

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

my 1972 nantucket clipper.....

View attachment 73994
View attachment 73995

Unique looks

 

[LittleSister]

Here's Vim, my 1969 Co26.

First Mate wants to know is your tender named Vigour or Ajax?

I withdraw my Kingfisher. Sturdy, seaworthy & typical of its time. But not even the fondest owner could call her elegant.
Thank you for the pictures, and keep them coming!

No! I vote it back in.

"Classic" is very subjective and therefore is down to an individual to declare what yacht he feels should be a classic and an absolute personal preference.

Agree. (Otherwise I won't get a look in here!)

 

[johnalison]

Other than my current boat, which will possibly become a classic, the only boat I have owned and would dare to propose was my Mystere, as in this crummy photo. The Mystere never became very well-known but a few hundred were built, originally by Langstone Marine, who were building Fishers at the time. The designer was Fred Parker and it resembled the Javelin but had a prettier stern. The interior had a different designer and was quite clever, though much of the sole was sloping. My next boat was a Sadler 29, and even her mother wouldn't describe her as pretty.

 

[chriss999]

Thanks, Sis.

 

[ProDave]

I suspect just about all the boats at my harbour could in some way or other be described as "classics" Certainly sounds better than MAB's

 

[westhinder]

I suspect just about all the boats at my harbour could in some way or other be described as "classics" Certainly sounds better than MAB's

View attachment 74028

Where is this?

 

[Don107]

I don’t know if she is a classic but this is my Sailmaster 845 built in 1984

Regards Don

 

[ProDave]

Where is this?

Avoch on the Black Isle

 

[Robert Wilson]

This was mine,

Javlin30,​

in the summer in front of the house with Gruinard Beach behind.
Sadly Khamsin is now ashore in Ullapool until April 2109.
All our boats are special to each of us, but I consider myself to be more fortunate than others

 

[Seven Spades]

Here's my 1970 Deb 33

What a nice looking set of sails

 

[Robert Wilson]

Other than my current boat, which will possibly become a classic, the only boat I have owned and would dare to propose was my Mystere, as in this crummy photo. The Mystere never became very well-known but a few hundred were built, originally by Langstone Marine, who were building Fishers at the time. The designer was Fred Parker and it resembled the Javelin but had a prettier stern. The interior had a different designer and was quite clever, though much of the sole was sloping. My next boat was a Sadler 29, and even her mother wouldn't describe her as pretty.

So similar to the Javelin - which of course has a prettier stern...… ​