Memories of first yacht. Debutante 21

[bluevelvet]

Clearing out a box in the attic I came across my old Wasp trailing log that I used on my first yacht bought in the late seventies. As a 22 year old with very little spare cash I purchased this yacht lying forlorn in a corner of the boatyard, it had been holed in the bow area and poorly patched up to get it out of the water.
The Debutante is an all plywood built yacht so repairs are easy and with a very basic interior painting and refurbishment was easy and cheap. Launching my first boat at Renfrew on the river Clyde was a great day never to be forgotten and after the first night bailing her out until she took up we headed down river pushed by an old Seagull outboard at about 3 knots. Hoisting sail at Greenock and heading off under sail was a magic feeling. Every weekend I would be on that yacht and just loved the feeling of freedom it gave me and every trip was a real passage and great learning curve.
Over time I became aware that lots of other sailing boats seemed to pass me and that going to windward in anything other that a flat sea I appeared to tack back and forth to the same spot having sometimes a minus VMG. For a 21 footer she was a roomy boxy yacht but sailing like a brick it was time to move on after a couple of years.
It was a very cost effective way to get on the water back then and I when I look around now I see that their are loads of seaworthy yachts out there now available to get in boating on a shoestring and wonder why boating is not so popular with the youngsters today.

 

[doug748]

I found a snap:


Courtesy David and Dianne Fincham

Nearly bought one myself as a first boat but it had lost it's skeg in an incident and I fortunately thought better of it. They were considered fine junior offshore boats in the day. Not seen one for years but the similar Muscadet still seems popular in France.
In the end I bought an even smaller and even slower Hurley Silhouette but was happy enough.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

My first cruiser as well. Bought from a couple of Club members for £600 in 1971 in an orchard in Bewdley found a fair bit of rot in port quarter. Rapidly learnt plywood repair skills! Towed her to Stourport behind a rear engined Renault R11(?). Very hairy, front wheels nearly off the ground! Launched in basin now a car park. Took her down the Severn, explored the Avon until ran aground just above Bidford and finally down to Sharpness all with a Seagull. Sailed the Bristol Channel, took her by road to Torquay, explored the West Country and sailed her back to Stourport over next 4 years. As long as you didn’t try to go to windward she was a very Sea kindly boat. Wild inflation at the time. Sold her for £750. Club friends miffed.

 

[johnalison]

Suitable for sailing on Lake Titicaca, according to Tristan Jones.

 

[CalicoJack]

My dad brought one in Rye in c. 1972. It had a 6hp Vire 2 stroke inboard. We had a lot of fun with it, but the problem was that in Rye, by the time it was afloat the tide was really running hard and it took for ever to get out of the river. Fond memories though.

 

[Refueler]

Always had a liking for the Deb .... we never owned one - but we knew a number of owners all those years ago.

 

[Wansworth]

Spent a wet afternoon on a deb in Dartmouth,seemed massive,four sitting round the table,to my fifteen footer?

 

[yoda]

Started yacht sailing in a Deb, Dad bought her in about 1974. She had been modified and had a dog house and cabin extended aft as was the cockpit. The Seagull lasted about a season before being replaced with a 7.5 Mercury that was far more practical, We had our best ever result in the Round the Island Race in her in a race with a foul wind. We just made it home before the time limit sailing past dismasted yachts on the way back up the Solent. It was also my summer lodgings on the river at Wareham while I explored Poole in my Mirror dinghy.

Yoda

 

[Dan Tribe]

The shape & performance of the Deb never appealed to me but I have known a few owners who hold them in high regard and affection.
Cheaper boats like this were often sailed by impecunious but enthusiastic people and were out most weekends, whereas the the "proper" yachts with all the gadgets often languished at base for their richer owners to find the time or right conditions.
This sort of popular yachting seems to be disappearing fast.

 

[Refueler]

The shape & performance of the Deb never appealed to me but I have known a few owners who hold them in high regard and affection.
Cheaper boats like this were often sailed by impecunious but enthusiastic people and were out most weekends, whereas the the "proper" yachts with all the gadgets often languished at base for their richer owners to find the time or right conditions.
This sort of popular yachting seems to be disappearing fast.

Some years ago was an article in the yottie mag called :

Small Boats go further .... or similar to that !

Writer went round marinas and clubs asking about amount of hours owners did on their boats .... the small boats were literally out as often as possible even if only for an hour or so ... while the larger boats stayed tied up ... owners saying by time they organised others to crew ... put gear on etc. it was only occasional .....

 

[Tamar]

Suitable for sailing on Lake Titicaca, according to Tristan Jones.

I read all his books in my youth... turns out he stretched the truth quite a bit ?

 

[Tamar]

My first boat, a bilge keel kestrel 22, was always a bit tender on the port tack.
When I got her home after a sail of 60 miles I discovered why, she only had one keel...the other had dropped off and the bolt holes patched.

 

[Robin]

I bought mine, renamed 'My Lady' in Western super mud and moved her to Poole from where she did many happy miles with family (SeLf first wife, son and border collie) up/down the Channel. Had an inboard hand start Stuart Turner 4hp 2 stroke that was game for a laugh but did aid getting to windward slightly. Felt like betrayal when I sold her for a plastic Halcyon 23 with diesel donk.
Happy Daze!