Cobra 850…

[Wansworth]

Any comments about this David Feltham design,bilge keel version,thanks

 

[dgadee]

There’s a FB site. I have a Seawolf 30, more sporty.

 

[LittleSister]

Any comments about this David Feltham design,bilge keel version,thanks

Normal service is resumed.

Hurrah!

 

[Tranona]

It was the designer's favourite boat.

 

[LittleSister]

It looks, in principle, a good choice for your needs. Commodious for its length and age, and reasonable, though not sparkling, reported sailing performance. Whether this particular example is OK you will have to check for yourself.

Is this the same boat you were looking at that was advertised as dating from 1992, when you'd identified this was after production had apparently stopped, so might be a home-completed fit-out, or perhaps just wrong date stated?

You'll be able to see the quality of the fit-out, etc., when you view.

Presumably you have done an advanced Google search of the ybw.com domain and found the numerous precious threads over the years on this model?

 

[Wansworth]

It was the designer's favourite boat.

I worked in theyard but at the end of the yacht building period when David Feltham had split from theyard,Iworked on various cobras or sea wolfs the26 and the thirtycertainly one sea wolf 30 has magnificent bonded knees and bilge keel bedding!…the yard had switched to a range of fast runabouts which held no interest for me.Atone end of the yard was a stack ofmoulds ….some problem with bankcrupsy and who owned what .

 

[Wansworth]

It looks, in principle, a good choice for your needs. Commodious for its length and age, and reasonable, though not sparkling, reported sailing performance. Whether this particular example is OK you will have to check for yourself.

Is this the same boat you were looking at that was advertised as dating from 1992, when you'd identified this was after production had apparently stopped, so might be a home-completed fit-out, or perhaps just wrong date stated?

You'll be able to see the quality of the fit-out, etc., when you view.

Presumably you have done an advanced Google search of the ybw.com domain and found the numerous precious threads over the years on this model?

Yes it seems to fit the bill,the engine has had lots of work done and the photos look good,maybe a tentative inspection next weekend

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I worked in theyard but at the end of the yacht building period when David Feltham had split from theyard,Iworked on various cobras or sea wolfs the26 and the thirtycertainly one sea wolf 30 has magnificent bonded knees and bilge keel bedding!…the yard had switched to a range of fast runabouts which held no interest for me.Atone end of the yard was a stack ofmoulds ….some problem with bankcrupsy and who owned what .

I think you have just set alarm bells ringing for many Cobra and Seawolf owners, "is mine a Wansey boat"

 

[Wansworth]

I think you have just set alarm bells ringing for many Cobra and Seawolf owners, "is mine a Wansey boat"

 

[Wansworth]

No need to fret,took a whole week to laminate carefully the knees i way of the mast and finding the right pattern that aligned the studs with the cast bilge keels,the yard owners were into horrible runabouts and had no idea about yachts.

 

[Daydream believer]

Yes it seems to fit the bill,the engine has had lots of work done and the photos look good,maybe a tentative inspection next weekend

No tyres- So what bit are you going to kick?

 

[dgadee]

I worked in theyard but at the end of the yacht building period when David Feltham had split from theyard,Iworked on various cobras or sea wolfs the26 and the thirtycertainly one sea wolf 30 has magnificent bonded knees and bilge keel bedding!…the yard had switched to a range of fast runabouts which held no interest for me.Atone end of the yard was a stack ofmoulds ….some problem with bankcrupsy and who owned what .

So ... have you any idea how many Seawolf 30s were actually built? Some say 10 and that the sail numbering started at 50 (mine is 55 from 1985).

 

[Wansworth]

So ... have you any idea how many Seawolf 30s were actually built? Some say 10 and that the sail numbering started at 50 (mine is 55 from 1985).

I worked in the Shipyard at Littlehampton must be1988\90 we’re sea wolf and cobra yachts had been moulded and fitted out but by then the new company was into speedboats and moulded only one or two yachts……sorry have no idea of how many were actually moulded

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I worked in the Shipyard at Littlehampton must be1988\90 we’re sea wolf and cobra yachts had been moulded and fitted out but by then the new company was into speedboats and moulded only one or two yachts……sorry have no idea of how many were actually moulded

We're you ever involved with making a hull mould ? They are things of real skill.

Or did builders contract out like they do rudders ?

 

[Wansworth]

We're you ever involved with making a hull mould ? They are things of real skill.

Or did builders contract out like they do rudders ?

No,moulded making indeed a raftsman’s job……I was a lowly laminator,with wood aspirations!

 

[Dellquay13]

I worked in the Shipyard at Littlehampton must be1988\90 we’re sea wolf and cobra yachts had been moulded and fitted out but by then the new company was into speedboats and moulded only one or two yachts……sorry have no idea of how many were actually moulded

I worked in the Shipyard at Littlehampton must be1988\90 we’re sea wolf and cobra yachts had been moulded and fitted out but by then the new company was into speedboats and moulded only one or two yachts……sorry have no idea of how many were actually moulded

Hmmm, I have a 1988 Seawolf 30… maybe I have slow laminated knees?

If Wansworth is feeling nostalgic in his endless search, for a boat he might have laminated, he could look it up on apolloduck

 

[Snowgoose-1]

No,moulded making indeed a raftsman’s job……I was a lowly laminator,with wood aspirations!

I'm sure you were very good at it.

 

[dgadee]

Hmmm, I have a 1988 Seawolf 30… maybe I have slow laminated knees?

If Wansworth is feeling nostalgic in his endless search, for a boat he might have laminated, he could look it up on apolloduck

Great sailing boats. I was going to sell mine (three boats are too many) but a change of mind - crew said no.

 

[Wansworth]

Great sailing boats. I was going to sell mine (three boats are too many) but a change of mind - crew said no.

My opinion of David Feltham is he was a unassuming man always ready to help and responsible for many of the popular small yacht designs

 

[samfieldhouse]

I have an 850. Fabulous boat.
More than happy to have a chat about them, feel free to give me a call on 07788100148.
Faster and more spacious than a centaur. Easy to handle single handed and perky; a new set of sails transforms them.
Solid in a blow, I’ve been caught out in 35kts and felt completely comfortable.

I had the very great pleasure of going to meet David in his last few weeks and he was indeed a lovely chap.

We have a super Facebook group (www.cobrayachts.co.uk) with lots of marque specific knowledge as well as access to all of David’s drawings and plans.

It was the designer's favourite

That’s not what he told me, but we don’t talk about that