Robber class 25' 1/4 tonner

[tarik]

Greetings


Does anybody have any info re the Robber, either as a day sailer or voyager?

Many thanks for all replies.


David

 

[Tranona]

it is neither. As its name suggests it is a 1970's quarter ton rated racing boat. Could be a day sailer if you like performance boats, but definitely not a "voyager"

As usual Google is your friend - plenty of sources of information there.

 

[FullCircle]

All true as Tranona says. Lovely little round the cans racer, but interior was very basic.
As a day sailer, no trouble at all, as no running backstays, but you need to check the deck layout works for you single handed (of that's what you want to do), as it was for a crew of 3 or 4 normally, 6 on a blowy day!

Very cheap now.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

My father had one in the early 1970's, we raced and day sailed her around Abersoch in North Wales.
A very beamy boat, 10ft on a 25ft hull, lots of sail area and a big spinnaker.
Very quick in it's day, it would plane, but a handful in anything over a force 4, if you were short handed, it relied on crew weight and beam when going to windward, rather than weight in the keel.
I remember it, through the haze of time, as a fun and responsive boat to sail in the bay, but not something I want to do extended cruising in.

 

[lpdsn]

Very cheap now.

Quarter tonners are having a bit of a revival.

 

[Tranona]

Quarter tonners are having a bit of a revival.

Yes, and Robbers are successful now as they were first time around.

 

[Daydream believer]

I watched the first one racing at Burnham week years ago-- They pinched one of my crew ----the bar stewards--The bow dipped a bit if too many crew went on the deck at once , but went like s..t off a shovel for the time.
Should have won a prize for the coloured sails.
I also recall A director of Tucker Brown ( David Saunders) telling me of one capsizing in the Crouch & the crew standing on the keel to right it. David was indignant that a flysheet was advertising it as a family cruiser.

 

[Pye_End]

Here is a rather impressive modified Robber:

http://www.oceanracetrack.com/media.aspx?id=3250

Impressive turn of speed, and beating wind angle.

More here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99fSpnjdR7I

 

[ex-Gladys]

I looked at several in 2003 and even had one surveyed. I'd disagree with the "basic" down below for a 25' boat, they were so wide they had "wing" berths in the saloon, and it was very airy. I eventually pulled out due to soggy decks, and the repairs being about 25% of the value

 

[Piddy]

My parents had one in the late 70's.
Adrian Jardine sold them from Burnham BEBS marine IIRC.
The original Robber was a Swedish boat and was reckoned to be the fastest 1/4 tonner for a couple of years but was handicapped by losing it's rudder in successive cups.
When BEBS bought the rights a cabin was added making it the Robber 3e.

When I was a young man, we cruised ours extensively across the Channel to Brittany and the CI's. For sure it wasn't cruising in luxury but I don't recall any great hardship. In the right conditions it was very fast - we never got the best out of it in light winds (probably because it was loaded with cruising gear) but with a crew and any kind of wind, she flew along.

Ours had a small inboard diesel but for performance, an outboard would have been better.

 

[lpdsn]

I watched the first one racing at Burnham week years ago-- They pinched one of my crew ----the bar stewards--The bow dipped a bit if too many crew went on the deck at once , but went like s..t off a shovel for the time.

Too many on the bow can be one. Racing a half-tonner in a F8 with a spinnaker up all of us moved aft of the helmsman to avoid submarining. We were really chuffed though as the TP52 class abandoned their race because of the weather.

 

[Daydream believer]

Too many on the bow can be one. Racing a half-tonner in a F8 with a spinnaker up all of us moved aft of the helmsman to avoid submarining. We were really chuffed though as the TP52 class abandoned their race because of the weather.

The smaller they get the dafter they get.
I always remember a 50 + cadet open at Stone SC . Club racing abandoned, but the open went ahead. Boats capsizing everywhere. My kids thought it great fun& still talk about it years later.