Kim Holman Cruiser Racer Sloop MERIVA

My father, Jack Coote, was a friend and work colleague of George Farmer, member of the Crouch YC and the original owner of Meriva. Jack had sailed on George's previous boats Lady of Spain, Mystico and Lothian, offshore racing out of Burnham-on-Crouch with EAORA in the late '50s and '60s.
I remember going to see Meriva in build at Tucker Browns and my OH recalls being impressed by one of the boat builders who was using an adze with great skill on her keel.
She was a typically beautiful Holman design but George did not keep her long. I believe this was because the new IOR Rule of 1970 meant that, like many other owners at that time, he could not afford to keep building new boats by new designers in order to remain competitive.
Good to see that, at over 50 years old, she has been lovingly re-built for long distance cruising and was racing at the Antigua Classics Regatta.
 
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