Do you recognise this boat?

W

wild foamy

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Hi everyone.
I've recently bought my first boat/project/barnfind, it's a 15ft sailing boat (the guy I bought it off said it was a Norman Sea Shanty) with a Stuart R3M inboard and I'm struggling to find any information about it, the sales are dated to 1981 but that's as close as I can get without finding a makers plate.

It's a fibreglass hull and deck, with a (currently rotten) wooden cabin, hopefully I'm looking to rebuild the cabin and get it out on the water, hopefully someone on here recognises it as it would be interesting to know a bit about its history



 
I would consentrate on finding the hull origens. The cabin is an eyesore that anybody who invested in the moulds for the hull and deck, would not have fitted. (at least I hope not...) The reversed shear looks 60s
DW
 
There was a Seashanty 18. A ketch designed and built by Norman Pearn in Looe but no similarities I am afraid.

the hull shape is very similar to the Sunspot as sailor man suggest but AFAIK only made as a twin keeler with skeg hung rudder and outboard powered
 
Wow, I really need to brush up on the lingo methinks, only words I really got were rudder and outboard lol, I was told by the seller it was Norman Pearn.

The cabin I kind of like, the little portholes make a change from the modern square-windowed stuff, may alter the design when I rebuild it though.
 
VicS said:
There was a Seashanty 18. A ketch designed and built by Norman Pearn in Looe but no similarities I am afraid.

the hull shape is very similar to the Sunspot as sailor man suggest but AFAIK only made as a twin keeler with skeg hung rudder and outboard powered
Click to expand...

It does appear to have bilge runners and a skeg
 
It may well be a Pearn hull. They did fit the little Stuart to their boats. Hope you get it to work as a lovely thing to use if it does - and a pig if it chooses not to.
 
Mad Pad said:
God,it's ghastly,PLEASE take it to another thread!
Sorry,this for classic and wooden boats.
Click to expand...

Harsh! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all. I like the hull and quirky portholes, too. The coachroof is a bit "garden shed" for my taste but she is only 18' and you need a bit of height to make it habitable.
 
It's only 15ft, which is a tad confusing...

I'll be doing the woodwork over the next few weeks so it gives me scope to adjust the design.
 
Looking again.... Is it possible that the original 'Windows' were the shape of the panels that include the round portlights? Makes more sense than the pyratical look it has now.
Re the engine: They do have a rep for being cantankerous. But, modding the magneto to coil ignition can save plenty of grief. I understand that one uses the contacts in the mag, but use a 12v coil to get a decent spark. Needs a battery, that can be used for other things too, as long as a small alternator is also fitted to the engine. Citröen 2CVs use a little 35amp unit which shouldn't sap to much power. Reason I mention this is that a bloke had a launch with a ST engine over in the States and did the coil mod. Since he only used it for day trips, the battery had plenty of charge without an alternator. He said it transformed the unit into a reliable easy starting engine.
 
I take it the STs are a 6v system from standard?

I'm going to start off with a strip clean and build and go from there, if I can atleast get the engine to run that gives me more scope to modify/upgrade
 
That isnt a Norman Pearn Sea Shanty.
They built proper little motor sailors reminiscent of the local angling boats as either sloops or as motor boats for that part of the world, I will dig out an image as I know I have seen one somewhere. It looks to me like a Sunspot 15 with bilge keels removed and a shallower transom hung rudder fitted on a vertical transom. Obviously a different coachroof deck and cockpit. My guess with that many modifications is that it was done professionally so maybe Norman Pearn did modify it for an owner. It wont win anything in the beauty stakes but every boat is somebodies pride and joy so good luck and get on with it, am sure it will provide some memorable times afloat.
 
Re the Sunspot 15, here is a copy of the Builder's brochure for reference.

Sunspot15P1.jpg


Sunspot15P2.jpg
 
Topcat47 said:
Harsh! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all. I like the hull and quirky portholes, too. The coachroof is a bit "garden shed" for my taste but she is only 18' and you need a bit of height to make it habitable.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Don't listen to the naysayers OP, looks have nothing to do with the joys/ frustrations/ memories that your first boat will bring you. I have a Jouet Golif, people have mixed feelings about its attractiveness, but it's my baby and I love it. Fair winds!
 
Thanks for the input peeps :), you sure are some knowledgeable folk, I've been getting in to the rebuild now... And oh dear, every single piece of wood is rotten :( have thus decided to strip everything and start from scratch.

Engine is out now, if it doesn't run after a service and points clean it will be having the coil mod, only problem Is I can't tell if the starter/dynamo is 6v or 12v.
 
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