Cygnus Vedrae, Black Swan class motor yacht

[ianc1200]

Black Swans

A review from March 1950 Yachting Monthly; my copy of this is falling apart & not a great scan. Also a photo of the Black Swan Deglet Nour, from July 1955 Motor Boat and Yachting. Deglet Nour is moored about 3 miles from where I'm sitting at one of the Wargrave boatyards.

 

[stuhaynes]

A review from March 1950 Yachting Monthly; my copy of this is falling apart & not a great scan. Also a photo of the Black Swan Deglet Nour, from July 1955 Motor Boat and Yachting. Deglet Nour is moored about 3 miles from where I'm sitting at one of the Wargrave boatyards.

Thanks Ian

This thread keeps bringing up all sorts of stuff I've not seen that is really good to keep. As a matter of interest we had our regatta at the beginning of September and Tony, the son of Pat Jones who owned our boat from 1967 (for 22 years) came to visit many of his old childhood memories. He filled us in with lots of boaty detail and memories from that time. Pat, as many of you know, was Commodore of the Ripon Motorboat Club for many years. Pat continues to be as helpful as ever, nice bloke.

Thanks again Ian. If you find anything else.......

Regards, Stu

 

[ianc1200]

Stu, I assume you've got the Ripon MBC guide, the photo I posted was the only one of the three which would scan well. I've still got some more CV photo's in an old Waterways World article - about the last flash locks - which I haven't been able to find yet.

IanC

 

[stuhaynes]

Stu, I assume you've got the Ripon MBC guide, the photo I posted was the only one of the three which would scan well. I've still got some more CV photo's in an old Waterways World article - about the last flash locks - which I haven't been able to find yet.

IanC

Hi Ian, I haven't got the guide, but hope to get a copy. All being well we intend to take the old girl away May/June next year and once we can confirm a date we're going to try to book some space at Ripon boat club and 'take her home' for a visit for a couple of days.

Seeing the pictures of 'Deglet Nour' prompted me to Google her. I was quite shocked to see her up for sale for £38,000!!!

Just out of interest. I've had a look at the waterways maps to find a route from Doncaster to the Thames and noticed river access (via the Wash) almost to the Thames, broken by a shortish narrow canal. Unless there is a waterway route that I've not spotted Cygnus must have been taken by road to Bradford where she turned up in about 1967 when Pat bought her. Unless of course she took the sea route out of the Thames. Not sure I'd fancy that though.

Your posts and pictures are always gratefully received. Regards, Stu

 

[ianc1200]

Stu

Been in my loft and now found the article Pat Jones wrote. It's a six pages, from the "Waterways World" of April 1991, and it's to do with the last flash locks. I think would be of limited interest to others, but if you pm me your e mail address I can send scans. There's two photo's of CV, one taken from behind on the same occasion as the Ripon Motor Boat Club guide dated 72', the other a tiny shot of her also at a derelict Sutton Lock in 69'.

IanC

 

[stuhaynes]

Stu

Been in my loft and now found the article Pat Jones wrote. It's a six pages, from the "Waterways World" of April 1991, and it's to do with the last flash locks. I think would be of limited interest to others, but if you pm me your e mail address I can send scans. There's two photo's of CV, one taken from behind on the same occasion as the Ripon Motor Boat Club guide dated 72', the other a tiny shot of her also at a derelict Sutton Lock in 69'.

IanC

Hi IanC

I've PM'd you. Thanks for taking the time

Stu

 

[brompton16]

Fiesole

Came across this thread by chance. I owned Fiesole from 1985 to 1987 and kept her at the Thames and Kennet Marina near Reading. When I bought her she was in a boat yard near Windsor race course.
I believe she was originally named Renee D and I met a chap near Henley who told me he used to crew on her and she had been over to Holland and Germany.
I remember Deglet Nour being ashore at Wargrave in a very sorry condition at that time. She had a back cabin and was then restored to the original condition. I too have a copy of those model plans mentioned in a previous post.

 

[stuhaynes]

Came across this thread by chance. I owned Fiesole from 1985 to 1987 and kept her at the Thames and Kennet Marina near Reading. When I bought her she was in a boat yard near Windsor race course.
I believe she was originally named Renee D and I met a chap near Henley who told me he used to crew on her and she had been over to Holland and Germany.
I remember Deglet Nour being ashore at Wargrave in a very sorry condition at that time. She had a back cabin and was then restored to the original condition. I too have a copy of those model plans mentioned in a previous post.

Deglett Nour was up for sale recently for about £38,000 I believe. I've seen recent pic's of her and she looks really sweet.

I think that only 5 Black Swans were built (I may be wrong), If I am right we now know of all 5, including the one that was exported to Persia.

I may have asked this before, it's me age....

The engine on Cygnus is the 30HP Coventry Godiva (CDB). Does anyone know whether this model was unique to Coventry or based on another manufacturer's engine. I ask because if it was based on another engine it may well make finding spare parts easier. I've not needed anything in the last 10 years but access to some parts would be comforting.

Thanks as always

 

[sarabande]

isn't that Godiva engine the basis for the Fire Service pumps in the Green Goddesses ?

 

[ianc1200]

Stu

What are the five you know of?

I can think of Deglet Nour, Cygne Noir, Getrudis, Fiesole, Cygnus Vedrae, plus as you say there was one which went to Persia.

regards

IanC

 

[Captain Coochie]

Blimey , i always wondered why Mr Wilson had a bigger shed than me . Now i know .
I moor at Wilsons , Tamesia was out at the weekend in Sunbury .

 

[stuhaynes]

isn't that Godiva engine the basis for the Fire Service pumps in the Green Goddesses ?

Hi sarabande, it was the base unit for the pump on many GG's. When I found this out (maybe 2 years ago) my first thought was great! Many of these GG's did virtually no mileage at all and the auxillary engines likewise. It appears that the government flogged the lot off. I'm sure that I could find one.... but I'd have to find somewhere to keep it!

It's really spares I'm interested in but I've found nothing so far. A spare head gasket would be brilliant!!

Stu

 

[stuhaynes]

Stu

What are the five you know of?

I can think of Deglet Nour, Cygne Noir, Getrudis, Fiesole, Cygnus Vedrae, plus as you say there was one which went to Persia.

regards

IanC

Hi Ian

Never was good at maths, I'd forgotten about Cygne Noir!

As you know, Pat Jones and I are in fairly regular email contact and he emailed me about Gertrudis some weeks ago. Apparently she was at Ripon MBC (don't know what year that would be) for a short while, before heading up the East coast, across the Caledonian canal, down the West coast and then back in on the Leeds Liverpool canal. Single handed at that. Late last year Kath and I delivered a 60 foot wide beam from Leeds basin to Rodley (6 miles, 6 hours, 13 locks) and it made me believe that with a 3' 3" draft we'd struggle to get through it! (The canal that is) It's of interest to us because we're looking to plan a couple of weeks away, taking our 3'3" &ss with us!

Regards, Stu

 

[bigshineybike]

A sad footnote to all the above. The last of Wilsons Sheds were removed from the island this past month October 2020.