Gypsy Moth - sad sight!

gunnarsilins

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My family and I took a trip to London last week and my efforts to pull my wife and daughter from Oxford Street was succesful for one day!
So we went to Greenwich.

I was there last time for about 10 years ago. At that time it was possible to get on board Gipsy Moth and she looked like beeing in fair condition.

But now - a sad, sad, sight!
Locked up, dirty, mildew, flaking paint.....

A very lonely and neglected yacht out there - alone in the cold...

I understand it must be a question of money - but inside Cutty Sark we were asked for contributing to the fund rising for a forthcoming renovation of Cutty Sark.

But nothing similar for Gypsy Moth!

Why?
 

tony_brighton

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I understand she is going to be taken away for renovation this year and put on display at Chatham. Or was it put back into commission.
 
G

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Even as a schoolboy in the 1960's they asked for dosh !!.
The feeling of excitment and I cant wait to do that came over me when I walked around the ship .
Look what they did to me .
Then it was up to see the Museum ,great stuff for a young lad
Mick
 
G

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The fact it is still around comes as a surprise but a welcome one. I remember reading his books as a lad and dreaming of the around the world sail. Good to see it might be getting a refurbish, it is well deserved.
 
G

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Re: Gypsy Moth

Either use a boat/car/steam locomotive/pogo stick etc. or scrap it.

As far as Gypsy Moth 4 is concerned, the boat has hardly been used, just left to rot in concrete for 30 years. The previous owner, the sainted Francis Chichister insisted on a minimum displacement length ratio and then whinged that in didn't have enough ballast. Anyhow, by all contempary accounts he wasn't a very nice man.

Will this thread continue?
 

Jeremy_W

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Gypsy Moth IV

I can't imagine Chichester worrying too much. He loathed the yacht and blamed the designers (Illingworth & Primrose) for all the handling faults. They in turn blamed him for interfering at all stages of the design. Primrose robustly defended the suitability of the GM4/Galway Blazer hull shape.
 
G

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I did the same this summer and included the maratime museum. I finished the day sick. If anyone is thinking of grenwich for a day out don't bother. My comlaint, the neglet you saw of GM4 plus a museum that glorified war and empire, don't we have fishermen, boatbuilders, yachts sailers, marine scientists, navigaters, designers... All we got was nelso and the empire builders apart from a small exibit of shackltons trip which was interesting but not much about the see and Robin Nox Johnsons boat which was great.

Roly, Voya Con Dios, Glasson, Lancaster
 

gunnarsilins

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Greenwich Maritime....

...museum surprised me as well.
I wouldn´t say it was bad, but with Great Britains marine heritage in mind, I agree with Roland Stockham, there was a lot of bits and parts missing.

In Stockholm the maritime museum has a big permanent in-door exhibition covering the history of yachting with full size Skerry Cruisers and other milestones in the evolution of Swedish yachting at stand. Even a GRP Maxi 77 is cut in halves and displaying its interior. Major Swedish builders and designers are well represented together with half-models of their most famous designs.

This surprises me, you guys in England practically invented the thing of sailing for fun. And you have all these legendary builders, designers and races. But there is almost nothing of yachting in this big museum!
At least what I could see.
 
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