Dunkirk Evacuation

[Guest]

Hello

My family have recently purchsed a beautiful motor-sailer with an interesting and possibly distinguished history which I would like to confirm and find out more about.

The boats name is the "Spray of Cromarty", though this may not be her original name. Built by Thorneycroft & Co. in Southhampton in 1929, she is a gaff rigged ketch about 40 ft in lenght, 10 in the beam and has a draft of 4 ft.

The previous owner told us that there is a brass strip running right around the gunnel which may have had something to do with detecting U-boats during WWII. He also said that she may have taken part in the Dunkirk evecuation in 1940.

We bought the boat as a refurbishment project as much for the pleasure of sailing it. I would be very concerned about aquiring as much information as possible about her before going at the refurbishment work so as to restore her to her former condition as best we can. I thought that someone in Classic Boat or the like might be able to point me in the right direction, so any help would be appreciated.

Mise le meas,

Séamus from Dingle, Ireland

 

[Guest]

You should have had no trouble in verifying your boat was not at Dunkirk. The Dunkirk Little Ships association have all the official Documentation and although There are a handful of boats which were there and have not been traced it is unlikely that you will be entitled to fly the association's ensuing at the bow. As for the brass strip round at the gunwale it is more likely to be for antique chafe than detecting U-boats There again you could feed your crew nothing but carrots, it is certainly cheaper than radar.
Try searching for Dunkirk Little Ships on your search engine

-{)>

 

[peterk]

hi seamus(can't get the accent...),

The name, length, draught and rig all point towards an early copy of
Joshua Slocum's 'Spray'.

That's definetely nothing to be sneezed at.
There is a British Slocum Spray Society...(try via google.com)

good luck,
please let me know!

...peter, www.juprowa.com/kittel
Joshua Slocum Society International - JSSI

ps. apropos Dingle: Do you know a fellow named Patrick Garvey,
sailor, ex-fisherman from Dingle?
We were friends in California in the 80s, lost track.

 

[Guest]

I don't see her any of the offical lists but as you say she may well have been renamed. Try to trace her history and see if you can find out her 1940 name and whereabouts. That should give you some definative to work with.

Give me a shout if you need another name checking!

 

[Guest]

To: andrewpocock; peterk; SYMBOL

Your responses are much appreciated and I will certainly post anything of significance that I chance accross. Just look out for a Dingle post.

As you can probably guess I'm a bit of a greenhorn where this is concerned. The idea of the Spray being at Dunkirk is a nice little bonus to wish for, but as I siad before, my main aim is to find out the true history and more importantly, her original finishes, fixtures, etc. to alow me to finish her as closely to the original as is possible. At least, that's the good intention..

Thanks and regards,

Séamus