Oldest GRP boat still in comission?

[oldharry]

The thread on Classic Boats asking which was the oldest boat still afloat, together with the old GRP boats thread on this forum set me thinking: just how far back does GRP go?

So who knows where the oldest GRP hull still in comission is? I think derelict GRP doesn't qualify - the boat needs to be still useable and in use. 'Hull' because a number of early GRP boats were composite glass hull wooden decks.

My old 'Portly' shown on the Old GRP Boats thread can start the running at 1960 - 48 years old. More Pics will be interesting too.

 

[graham]

I have seen loads of 60s boats but never heard of any grp 50s boats so I think 1960 must have been one of the earliest. Is the hull really 40 mm thick?Thats incredible for a 19 footer!

 

[oldharry]

Yes, wherever I needed to drill through - we reckon she was built to match wooden scantlings wit a bit extra for good luck! She weighed more than my current 24 footer!

 

[ianc1200]

There are several Thorneycroft "Danielle" GRP boats still around on the Thames from the late 50's, reportedly very thick hulls.

IanC

 

[DavidTav]

Well I used to have a Wineglass dinghy which was all GRP and very old. Mine was one of the early boats and this dinghy was designed in 1958. Some history here Wineglass if anyone interested.

 

[Grajan]

There was a GRP boat built at McAllisters of Dumbarton I believe in the late 50's and like the 19 footer was built to wooden scantlings
I last saw her in Inverness about 10 years ago but still looking pretty good so I imagine she could still be in that neck of the woods
The first boat I sailed on was a Sea King 27 Yawl from that era designed by Charles Violet (Nova Espero fame!) and built by King Aircraft in Hillington Glasgow for the Glasgow Herald build a boat for under a thousand pounds!!!
She was unconventional for her time being strip planked and then glassed inside and out. she also had an "S" Drive to a feathering prop which was a real innovation at that time
she was also fitted with a GRP mast (before carbon fibre was even thought of) built to replace the original wooden one broken when the yard were were lifting her out for winter storage however mast bend was a serious problem which I believe was never cured. she was eventually scrapped in the '90's Ahh but what memories!!!!

 

[Lakesailor]

Scott Bader reckon the first grp boat (using their resins) was made in 1950.

and from the reinforced Plastics Handbook

 

[dombuckley]

I seem to remember an article in PBO a couple of years back about a GRP yacht called Norwood (gettit?) built in about 1952, which claimed to be the oldest GRP yacht. Massively over-engineered with timber-sized scantlings, consequently she was still in excellent condition 50 years later.

 

[AndrewB]

I once owned a Kingfisher 20, built in 1959. I have a dim memory the brochure claimed this was the first production yacht class in the UK to be built of moulded GRP. Early models are still in commission.

 

[oldharry]

Interesting - the first Classic 19 was circa 1958 IIRC and continued in production until around 1963

 

[FAITIRA]

I had a Westerly 25 1966, not 40mm but incredibly thick hull by even my present 1988 Nic 32 standards, which is pretty impressive.

 

[Grajan]

Thats the Boat !!!! "Norwood" last seen in Inverness