Greetings! from a McGruer Owner

[KAIROS]

I'm new on this forum. Just discovered it. I am restoring a McGruer Lorne class sloop. Built in Scotland in 1963. I generally visit the WoodenBoat Forum and have the same name there.

I'll drop in and try to contribute as much or more than I take away. I believe the link to the website summarizing my boat's restoration is shown here automatically, but if not here it is:

http://www.yachtflyers.com/ABLE/

Jack

Here she is on the McGruer 'ways on launch day:

 

[Ludd]

Respect!

I don't often visit the "torture chamber" aka classicboat forum ,being a cowardly sensible grp sailor!
I'm on the Clyde at present(right next to Fairlie(Fife's yard) .Came across you post while browsing and have to say you've done a job to be proud of,she's a lovely boat.

 

[maffra]

I'm new on this forum. Just discovered it. I am restoring a McGruer Lorne class sloop. Built in Scotland in 1963. I generally visit the WoodenBoat Forum and have the same name there.

I'll drop in and try to contribute as much or more than I take away. I believe the link to the website summarizing my boat's restoration is shown here automatically, but if not here it is:

http://www.yachtflyers.com/ABLE/

Jack

Here she is on the McGruer 'ways on launch day:

You should be proud of yourself ,ABLE looks wonderful and lucky to have such a caring owner,. Thanks to your info, I have contacted Peter of SULE-SKERRY and given him information & photos of the CR8 I used to own (Debbie CR8 K22 built 1966 by James McGruer).
As we are only caretakers of these lovely boats, it is important for people like yourself to keep the history & tradition of them alive.They are now a rare species & should be protected. Well done & happy sailing. MAFFRA

 

[Amulet]

I'm new on this forum. Just discovered it. I am restoring a McGruer Lorne class sloop. Built in Scotland in 1963. I generally visit the WoodenBoat Forum and have the same name there.

I'll drop in and try to contribute as much or more than I take away. I believe the link to the website summarizing my boat's restoration is shown here automatically, but if not here it is:

http://www.yachtflyers.com/ABLE/

Jack

Here she is on the McGruer 'ways on launch day:

I'm sure I saw her being built! My dad used to drag me round McGruers to get tips when he was building Amulet, and she was of interest because she's of comparable size. Unless they built two of them in 1963 it must have been her I saw. Well done - she looks fantastic.

Amulet was also launched in 1964 - she's still a bit scruffy after her last restoration, but you've inspired me.

The Amulet Story

 

[KAIROS]

Cheers

I'm happy it makes us all happy that we are working to keep these wonderful works of art sailing. These boats are an inspiration to us and everyone who encounters them. Like any art, a gift to the world. And really fun too!

Cheers to all.

 

[KAIROS]

i wish I were there then

I'm sure I saw her being built! My dad used to drag me round McGruers to get tips when he was building Amulet, and she was of interest because she's of comparable size. Unless they built two of them in 1963 it must have been her I saw. Well done - she looks fantastic...

I've done enough research to send me back to the McGruer yard in the early 60s, but I can't seem to get in there.....I can't seem to get a feel for what the yard was like. Shipyards are magical places full of magical people. I wish I could understand McGruers a little more deeply.

Your AMULET is gorgeous. There was another Lorne built in earlier 63, but she had a painted hull. Wind of Lorne is no more.....she broke up after washing ashore.

 

[Amulet]

My memory is faded. The boat that I saw was at the stage of fairing the hull. They were planing off the splines (or whatever they call them) between the planks, so I don't know whether she ended up painted. I went to school with a son of one of the McGruers (have to admit I've forgotten his name). Also Ewing McGruer was a champion of Scottish wooden boat building and came up to Fort William to see Amulet at an early stage in the building - and actually suggested some last minute changes to the fullness of the bow. I still have some papers by him among my father's design notes. At that time I was crewing a Dragon out of the Royal Northern on behalf of my school (badly).

I can remember Wind of Lorne, though not what she looked like, because I sort of associated her with Wind on Clynder (who I think is now down by me on the East Coast).

Sadly I don't think there are any photos of McGruers in the collection I have. I can remember the yard layout, with the boat builders beavering away, and work going on outside on the biggest wooden mast I've ever seen. I also remember Ewing's office, with half models on the wall and a full model with an experimental rig in the corner.

 

[KAIROS]

the designing is the thing...

... I also remember Ewing's office, with half models on the wall and a full model with an experimental rig in the corner.

The design process is most interesting to me. I guess I've done enough and read enough that many other aspects of creating a boat are more evident (but not necessarily within my ability). The process of getting a whole boat concept from brain to paper, and it working pretty much as imagined, is beyond me. I designed a home from scratch and built it. Design constraints are a little different . I suppose I should just design and build a little boat if I want to start grasping the design aspect.

 

[Psychosailor]

Greetings from a McGruer

Well, where to start? My name is Lorne McGruer and between 1957 and 1960 when I was between six and nine years old, the McGruer & Co. yard was my playground. John was my paternal grandfather and the managing director, being an actual boat/yachtbuilder. His othe eight or nine siblings all worked in different capacities in the yard. I actually met the previous owners of your yacht in Victoria, B.C. when it was named Kairos and was on exhibit at the Victoria Classic Boat Festival.