Nunn Brothers, Waldringfield

Andrew Adamson

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104_9590.jpgWe have a sailing boat built by Nunn Brothers in 1951. We know very little about her and if there are other similar boats still around.

Please let us know if you have any information.

Green Dragon
SSR184184


Regards

Andrew Adamson
 

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Welcome.

Boatbuilders (obviously) with workshop on the quay at Waldringfield. Started before the war and built all sorts of small craft and larger yachts to order. Popular builder of Dragons (assume you have a Dragon given the name of your boat). You may get more information from www.britishdragons.org
 
Phenomenally well regarded builders of racing boats, especially International Fourteens, International Canoes and as noted Dragons. In the Thirties and Forties, if you wanted a racing dinghy to be at the head of the fleet with, you went either to Uffa Fox or to Ernest Nunn. Also built a good number of cruising yachts. Plenty of Nunn built boats still around, and as Sailorman says, contact Seamark Nunn (Christine and Mark Nunn) for the history of the firm. Oh, and they are good chandlers, online and in the shop.
 
From my old Lloyd's Register of Yachts (1964), she is an auxiliary sloop to a design by JD Calder. LOA 30', LWL 22'11", Beam 8'1", draft 4'9", GRT 5.80. Originally fitted with a Stuart Turner P55 petrol engine and sails by Taylors. Nunns built another yacht of the same design (Sea Rhapsody) about 4 years later.
 
Welcome.

Boatbuilders (obviously) with workshop on the quay at Waldringfield. Started before the war and built all sorts of small craft and larger yachts to order. Popular builder of Dragons (assume you have a Dragon given the name of your boat). You may get more information from www.britishdragons.org

Thank you for the welcome and the information. I'm not sure she is a 'Dragon' she's a cruising boat.
Thank you for your help.
Andrew Adamson
 
From my old Lloyd's Register of Yachts (1964), she is an auxiliary sloop to a design by JD Calder. LOA 30', LWL 22'11", Beam 8'1", draft 4'9", GRT 5.80. Originally fitted with a Stuart Turner P55 petrol engine and sails by Taylors. Nunns built another yacht of the same design (Sea Rhapsody) about 4 years later.

Thank you for taking the time, very interesting. That's her!
Andrew Adamson
 
Thank you for taking the time and for the information. She is on Loch Fyne at the moment I'd love to take her to Waldringfield when I get the time.
Regards
Andrew
 
Phenomenally well regarded builders of racing boats, especially International Fourteens, International Canoes and as noted Dragons. In the Thirties and Forties, if you wanted a racing dinghy to be at the head of the fleet with, you went either to Uffa Fox or to Ernest Nunn. Also built a good number of cruising yachts. Plenty of Nunn built boats still around, and as Sailorman says, contact Seamark Nunn (Christine and Mark Nunn) for the history of the firm. Oh, and they are good chandlers, online and in the shop.

Lovely to see that so many people remember my Grandfather Harry Nunn and his younger brother Ernie Nunn with their boatbuilding firm in Waldringfield. But as far as I am aware there has never been anyone in my family called Christine or Mark Nunn! Where did you get that one from? Andrew Nunn
 
Lovely to see that so many people remember my Grandfather Harry Nunn and his younger brother Ernie Nunn with their boatbuilding firm in Waldringfield. But as far as I am aware there has never been anyone in my family called Christine or Mark Nunn! Where did you get that one from? Andrew Nunn
A user name from your youth Andrew :encouragement:
 
Lovely to see that so many people remember my Grandfather Harry Nunn and his younger brother Ernie Nunn with their boatbuilding firm in Waldringfield. But as far as I am aware there has never been anyone in my family called Christine or Mark Nunn! Where did you get that one from? Andrew Nunn

Widespread local folklore! Obviously entirely mistaken - sorry!
 
Hi Andrew.....I used to own Green Dragon and know something of her history. I owned her in 1984-88. Nunns had finished trading by then but the surveyor ( Peter Brown) from Woodbridge, unfortunately now deceased knew her well. She was built after the war from timber stored during the war, larch on oak with both sawn and steamed frames which made her quite kindly and flexible. I remember her very long mast and heavy boom, splined for roller reefing. She was 7/8 th rigged when I had her, all the drive was on the main, the jib just to get her forefoot round when tacking....there was a huge cotton foresail but I never used it. She had a stuart Turner in her but I believe the next owner was going to put in a diesel. I believe that she was built for the coronation year? together with another boat very similar ( there was an article in Classic Boat years ago about them). She has sailed up the Ismuiden canal to Amsterdam and on into the ZuiderZee and I sailed her up and down the East Coast dodging sandbanks! and into all the east coast rivers etc. She was a well known boat in these waters. I guess the SS number is due to the BlueBooks being withdrawn....she was a fully registered British Vessel when I had her. I sold her to a chappie from Purbeck, Dorset. I hope that you have as much pleasure from her as I did.
Best wishes
Steve Binnie Colchester Essex
 
THANK YOU!

Steve,
I apologise for the long delay.. To be honest your reply brought a tear to my eye. She is much loved by us and she does bring us great pleasure. It is strangely warming to hear of her previous life and how she was.
If you are ever near Loch Fyne, you'll be welcome!
Andrew Adamson
 
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Ernie Nunn is often mentioned on our boat, we have many visitors who always ask... 'what is she?'
He was obviously a great boat builder.
Regards

Andrew
 
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