Nova esperro class yacht

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bunco

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I've only just joined and I am hoping that someone out there can help with my query. I have just inherited a 20ft wooden yacht from my late father. She is belived to have been built on the Isle of Wight in the 1950's. She has 2 berths, is Bermuda sloop and a fin keel, any info would be greatfully received.
Cheers all. <font color="blue"> </font>
 
working on memory, which gets things muddled, but:
one of that class did a transatlantic and there was a book when such things were thought remarkable.
Colin Mudie involved as designer??
some of that might be correct - don't know which bits.
regards...spuddy
 
If it is a Nova Espero class, then (one of) the books you are looking for is "The Wind calls the Tune" by Stan Smith and Charles Violet, which is the story of two transatlantic crossings. The first was Newfoundland to Yarmouth (the boat was then an open boat with an upturned dinghy as a "cabin") and the second was Yarmouth to New York, after a rebuild which increased the topside height, added a cabin, changed the rig and I believe added a ballast keel. The book was published in the Mariner's Library series and there is also a second book in the same series written by Charles Violet about a singlehanded trip in the same boat through the canals to the Med and back, although I cannot remember the name.

Nova Espero was built in Yarmouth by Stan Smith's father. I don't think Colin Mudie was involved, but he was involved in "Sopranino", subject of (yet) another book in the series.
 
Hi Bunco

By sheer co-incidence I attended a talk at my yacht club in Yarmouth (RSYC) last weekend which was entltled:-

'A talk by Mr Colin Smith (Senior) entitled 'Sailing Home From Canada' the story of his epic transatlantic passage with his brother Stan in 1949 in the 'Nova Espero''

Colin and his brother Stan sailed out to Canada after the war with a view to emigrating, and building boats. They apparently designed the 'Nova Espero' on the voyage out on a liner, and then built the boat and decided to sail from Dartmouth to Dartmouth to promote the venture.

His talk was one of the more interesting I have attended, and Colins recollections of the privations of sailing back in an open boat both detailed and amusing.

I am sure he would be happy to give you any information you need. May I suggest you contact him via the Secretary of the RSYC.

http://www.royalsolentyc.org.uk/

I hope this helps

Cheers

Graham
 
Do you have a picture? Maybe you found out some more by now.I owned a smith built twenty footer too....just sold her after twenty years with much regret.
 
Hi, just read some books about the Nova Espero 'the wind calls the tune' by smith and violet and 'solitary journey' by charles violet. Is this the boat you have? I would be very interested to hear what happened to this little boat over the years and would love to see a photo - is the boat for sale? regards Bob
 
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