info on boats by James Frances Jones

[fedor]

hi all,

I am a happy owner of 31 ft carvel mahogany on oak sloop, built in yar 1970 in Belfast. Design for the boat was produces by James F Jones ( I am not sure about the spelling of his name). Apparently he designed quite a few wooden boats during 1950-1970s. Does anybody know anything about him and where I could learn more about his designs? All information is much appreciated.

Fedor

 

[Mirelle]

Jack Francis Jones

Lived and worked in Woodbridge, Suffolk; brother of George Jones, who was the YM correspondent for this area and a yacht broker. Active from 1946 onwards, when he more or less took over the practice of William Maxwell Blake, until, I fancy, 1971, but I am not wholly sure about that date.

A prolific designer, whose designs are often hard to identify, because he did not follow a distinctive "house style", unlike, say Laurent Giles, who had recognisable "trademarks". He sold my boat "Mirelle"to her previous owners, in 1950, because they were fed up with motor boating and wanted to learn to sail (she is a 12 ton gaff cutter, but they managed it!)

Jack Jones had two draftsmen under him, the first was "Kim" Holman and the second was Peter Brown. It is said, jokingly, that if a Jack Jones design is a yawl with long, elegant, ends, she's a Holman, and if she is a beefy, shoal draft, motor sailer, she is a Brown! However, this is not to be taken too seriously, the incredibly elegant "Sephine II" looks like she should be by James McGruer, and the solid gaff ketch "Celandine" looks as if she should be Maurice Griffiths, but actually they are both "Brown's"

Most popular design would have to be the Kestel, a clinker built 22ft centreboarder with remarkably good performance, but there are many, many others of all sizes and types, from offshore racers to large powerboats.

My favourite would have to be "Corista", a sort of "butch" version of "Dyarchy" , with a foot more beam and a foot less draft, which was apparently lost in a fire in Scotland some years ago.

Hope that helps a bit.