Forming a User Group for Fastnet 34 Yachts

[Fisgard Lag]

FASTNET MARINE 34
I recently purchased a Fastnet 34 sloop named Olli (formerly Goldie) and was surprised to learn that only 40 of these fantastic vessels were ever made. The thought occurred to me that the 39 other owners could probably share a good deal of experience if they got together so I set about a search. I have now found 9 of the vessels just through internet searches ('Sheerwater', 'Seventeen-o-three', 'Sirocco', 'BLEUET' (found this lovely looking example in HMS Dolphin Marina), 'Ambition', a Fastnet 34 in Troon (couldn't read the name on the advert), my 'Olli' (Plymouth), a blue Fastnet 34 in Holylock and finally another on the Yealm (or so the harbourmaster told me last time I visited). It would be great if owners of the remaining Fastnets were able to contact me so I could arrange some kind of 'members club'. Any advice greatfully received (hope I am not breaking any rules).

 

[Strathglass]

It would be good if you can get some sort of communications going on between owners. This can only be to their mutual advantage.

But, in all small interest groups like you suggest it is usually the case that all the work falls on one or two people.

I myself am the owner of a similar type of yacht (Contention 33) produced in slightly higher numbers (62) at about the same time. By the time one considered how many of them are now liable to be outside the UK or just laid up/neglected and not really used. There are perhaps optimistically one or two dozen actually in active service in the UK and all the owners will have different priorities.
So far I have found the names of about 15 of them over a ten year period.
I don't there is much scope for forming a long lasting 'owners association' for my boat.

Just my opinion - Best of luck if you decide to try.

Iain

 

[vyv_cox]

Friends owned Fastnet 34 'Sibbereen' until about 5 - 6 years ago. You may well have seen a photo, as YM often use an archive one of this boat at the Cork regatta. Google brings up http://www.drbmarine.co.uk/Boat sales/skibbereen/skibbereen.html

A remarkably wet boat due to the very rounded topsides. Otherwise an excellent cruising yacht that also races well.

 

[earlybird]

FASTNET MARINE 34
only 40 of these fantastic vessels were ever made. The thought occurred to me that the 39 other owners could probably share a good deal of experience

A few years ago, one was fairly comprehensively wrecked whilst trying to enter Portpatrick, so I think you might find only 38 other owners at the most.

 

[bikedaft]

friends fa in law has one at bowling. will ask him to get in touch

looked at one about 3 years, good boat. the one i looked at had been poorly finished off inside, but otherwise excellent

 

[Captain Haddock]

Don't ask just do it!

Just go for it. If you are interested then set it up for yourself.

If others want to join in then all the better. I was originally going to set up a website for my Hustler 30 as there was no association. I then saw there was no central association connecting the different Hustler classes together. So I thought why not do it for them all?

I'm glad I did as I've already met some like minded individuals who love their yachts and are also looking for other people and sources of information pertaining to their boat. By you acting as a hub you are creating the network and connecting other owners, I like doing that.

There's certain things I've created that are members only such as the owners register as I don't think that should be publicly available (privacy and all that).

Yes it may take time to find people but as I've done it in the first place due to my enthusiasm for the class then it doesn't matter about how long or how many.

I'm an IT man and have had many years experience running BBS's/Web design/forums so it was a pretty straight forward thing to do for me. However, if your new to creating sites then start off with a simple blog site and build on it over time. Just make sure there's a place for people to communicate together or directly to you and you connect your members together.

Check out the Hustler Owners Association to see what I've done it may help give you some ideas.

Build it... and they will come

 

[Fisgard Lag]

Fastnet 34

Thanks for all of your comments. So far no contacts from other owners but I will look at setting up a blog.

 

[stevesails]

Hi. I am the owner of the Fastnet 34 "Skibbereen" mentioned earlier. Just picked up on this thread. Skib is No1 and in very original condition. You still hoping to form an owners group?

Steve

 

[1114C]

Hi

have not got a fastnet but have been involved in setting up a similar group

was interesting trawling the web looking for other oyster 26s (50 or so of them so similar in number to the fastnets) and is good to set up the group so would heartily recommend it

a wordpress blog is an easy way to set up the site

 

[PETMAC]

Fastnet 34 seol na mara

Hi, I am one of the woners of the yellow fastnet at Bowling on the Clyde. I am very much in favour of an association. We do a lot of sailing in her - about 2000nm per season - and have done a lot offshore to Faeroes, Iceland and Norway. I find them to be great sea boats, fast and comfortable. We have had her since new having purchased her in 1980 and she is still going strong.
Peter

It would be good if you can get some sort of communications going on between owners. This can only be to their mutual advantage.

But, in all small interest groups like you suggest it is usually the case that all the work falls on one or two people.

I myself am the owner of a similar type of yacht (Contention 33) produced in slightly higher numbers (62) at about the same time. By the time one considered how many of them are now liable to be outside the UK or just laid up/neglected and not really used. There are perhaps optimistically one or two dozen actually in active service in the UK and all the owners will have different priorities.
So far I have found the names of about 15 of them over a ten year period.
I don't there is much scope for forming a long lasting 'owners association' for my boat.

Just my opinion - Best of luck if you decide to try.

Iain

 

[benboard]

I own the boat in Troon and she is now in Cowes on the Isle of Wight where we live and race her. She is called Skibbereen and we have owned her for 8 months now and bought her from my father in law. I would be interested to find some other Fastnet 34's and owners if they are about.

 

[Seajet]

Fisgard lag,

go for it - a free and easy way to set up an owners association is a Yahoo group, several classes do this.

Do be aware that the comment about one person doing all the work is completely true, moreso for me as I run a website with a Yahoo group for private chat, but as long as you have the time and enthusiasm it's very rewarding.

I charge a token fee which goes towards but does not cover things like site hosting, printer ink and postage for those not on the internet; I also offer members a free ad' on the class website if they decide to sell, which seems to work well.


The Fastnet is a great boat and deserves support.

 

[patond]

Carna Lass - Toward Sailing Club - Kyles of Bute - Scotland. Get in touch. I know of Fastnet 34 lying on hard at Tighnabruaich boatyard - has been there some time.

 

[Captain Skirmish]

Fastnet 34

Hello, I have owned my Fastnet 34 (Skirmish) for the past 18 years, I have her moored at Brixham. She is a 1976 hull and was. ADR by the original 'Fastnet Marine' in Southern Ireland. I love my boat & don't think I could ever sell her, we've been through a lot together and she's always 'held up'. When Nick Vass last undertook the insurance survey he said these were built before anyone understood the term 'value engineering' in effect built like a 'Brick S... H....'
An owners club sounds in intriguing - not sure how many of these wonderful boats are left scouring the high seas nowadays but it would be great to get them all photographed & listed.

You can contact me direct on john_taylor666@hotmail.co.uk and I'll pop you a photo of Skirmish over.

Regards,
John.

 

[Barron-Robinson]

Fastnet 34 Owners Club

Well I have bitten the bullet and formed a user group on Yahoo. Pse register at fastnet34-subscribe@yahoogroups.co.uk.

Dave Barron-Robinson
Barronrobinson@me.com

 

[bazzjazz]

Hey,

Did the user group ever get off the ground? I emailed the link above but it bounced.

I am in the process of purchasing a Fastnet34 and would be interested...

Barry