info on ex naval yacht

[mbs]

does anyone know of or have any info on an ex naval training vessel 'Griffiths'.
It was built in 1956 i believe by Morgan Giles.

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[jleaworthy]

Are you sure of the name? There was a Dartmouth yacht called 'Griffin'. She was the first large yacht I ever sailed - in 1964.

As with all the Morgan Giles yachts she was about 43' long by 9'6" beam and drew about 6' or so. Originally built without engines they were first fitted with petrol motors and later with Sabb HG 18 HPdiesels. Built of teak with lead keel they displaced about 16 tons and were the most superb seaboats. Originally fitted with a fractional rig (with running backstays) they were later converted to masthead rig with a much smaller main and were definitely slower in light airs.

They were sold out of the RN around 1980.

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[Mirelle]

Most of these boats are still about - I see at least one every summer.

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[mikesharp]

Are you sure that the yacht was a Morgan Giles? Our club (Marabu Sailing Club)owns a 50 Square Metre yacht now named Kestrel but she was called Griffin (V26) when she was at Dartmouth naval college. Kestrel is one of the Windfall Fleet, built for the german forces by Abering and Rasmussen in 1937 and taken as a prize of war at the end of the hostilities. Marabu a 100 Square Metre and our main boat, was aquired the same way but is a little bigger at 58ft and around 25 ton.
Kestrel is for sale if anyone is interested.

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[jleaworthy]

Do you know the dates when your windfall was at Dartmouth? The naval colleges, both Dartmouth and RNEC Manadon, swopped names when a new yacht was commissioned in order to keep the same theme for their yachts. Dartmouth yachts were named after mythical beasts such as Griffin and Wyvern; Manadon yachts from Arthurian legend hence Gawain, Galahad, Guinevere.

The yacht I sailed at BRNC in 1964 was a Morgan Giles.

Interested in your reference to Maribu. I had the opportunity to sail her cross channel in the mid sixties but was unable to take it up. Regretted it ever since. Best wishes to all your club members.

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[mikesharp]

Not absolutely sure when Kestrel was at Dartmouth but thought it included 1964. Marabu is still sailing across the Channel and further afield. This year in Southern Ireland and next year West coast of Scotland for the summer season. Had a cheery wave after leaving Royal Cork at Crosshaven from a local who saw her over 50 years ago when she was sailing there under Portsmouth Command.
Our Open day is at Portsmouth on the 12/13th June, probably at Gun Wharf and all welcome.
Up to date information is available at www.marabusailingclub.org

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[hkeay]

The Morgan Giles 13 ton STCs used at BRNC were not windfalls but bult specifically for BRNC and were delivered in 1959. As noted above they were all named after mythical beasts except the name was neither GRIFFITHS nor GRIFFIN. She was actually called GRYPHIS. She was the Grenville Division sailing yacht. There was previous windfall yacht (50 sq mtre I believe) called GRIFFIN that was sailed at the college just after the war.

I sailed GRYPHIS when at the college in 1965 and 1967. There was a german windfall yacht there at the same time. She was a large Bermudan cutter called CAPELLA, sailed by Hawke division.

Full details of the 13 tonners can be obtained through the Teignmouth Museum and Historical Society who hold a wide selection of drawings.

 

[mburlingham]

I met a young man while sailing in the Ionian a couple of weeks ago. His father owns a Morgan Giles named "Martlet" which he keeps in the Falmouth area. Can you confirm that one of the BRNC division's STCs was called "Martlet"? I sailed at BRNC in 68/69 and at RNEC 69/72. I was in Jellicoe Div at BRNC and cannot recall now whether our STC was a Morgan Giles 43 or a prize boat.

 

[Talbot]

Capella was still Hawke Division's boat in 69/70. She was the last of the Windfalls. Used to work significantly when going to windward, tough luck if your bunk was in the wrong place, - you got wet!

 

[Vamoose]

If my memory serves me correctly I think that Marabu is/was a windfall yacht and in the early 60,s was based in HMS Vernon Creek Portsmouth.. I would be interested to hear what happened to her as I had some "exped" great trips in her

 

[MASH]

Martlet was assigned to Blake division in 1982-3 when I passed my dayskipper in her. The MGs were disposed of in 83, some having just been re-decked in the Sandquay yard and were offered at really silly prices. They were hugely over-maintained by real old-fashioned shipwrights and would have been a bargain. They were replaced by Contessa 38s, the first of which arrived in Spring 83 and were immediately condemned as hopelessly inadequate in strength and durability, no way Midshipman proof. They were indeed very flimsy compared to the MGs. They are still in service and in fine fettle to this day.

I have found a record of one of the MGs being sold recently in Mallorca but she was not named.

It would be interesting to know where the others are.

 

[widgeon]

Martlet was Blake Division's yacht. I sailed her in 75/76.