Sea Smew/Bombay Tomtit dayboat

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reeac

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I own one of the above and hope to write a history of them. A carvel/centre plate 18 footer designed in 1895 by Linton Hope and built initially on the Clyde as the Sea Smew. They were originally gaff rigged but from 1920s onwards were converted or built with Bermudan rig. The Clyde fleet was exported to Bombay at some stage. There are 4 at Orford [all built by Nunn of Waldringfield between 1929 and 1947] - anyone know of others around the country?
 
Hello,
are you sure the sea mew is the same design as the Tomtit?
For what I know, the Tomtit is the same design as Black cap, a Thames half-rater (in storage somwhere at the national maritime museum). It looks like the Tomtit has less freeboard than the boat on the picture. Maybe the same design with one more plank, it would be nice to check.

After Black cap, a serie of boat were build by Turck and send to India, this became the tomtit.
At some time the Tomtit class was racing in Naini Tal, Bopal, Bombay, Karachi, Rangoon. The boats still sails in NainiTal and Rangoon.
I will look tomorrow at the drawings of the Seamews and Tomtit to check.
Here is a picture of a nainital Tomtit.
 
sea smew/tomtit

It was Peter Wilson of Aldeburgh boatyard who told me that they began life as Sea Smews before their name was changed to Bombay Tomtit. He's reckoned to be a good authority on wooden boats. He has a book of lines of various boats including the S.S./B.T.T. so I can check up on what title and date is associated with the drawings.
 
you are right, the Helenburgh sea mews and Bombay Tomtit are similar (except the bombay are clinker)
The Nainital Tomtit are similar to the half rater Black cap.

both are very nice design by the great Linton. :)
 
Musette said:
you are right, the Helenburgh sea mews and Bombay Tomtit are similar (except the bombay are clinker)
The Nainital Tomtit are similar to the half rater Black cap.

both are very nice design by the great Linton. :)
Click to expand...

I note that you say "Helensburgh sea mews" which partially answers one of my questions i.e. who built the Clyde fleet? Do you know who the Helensburgh boatbuilder was? [Incidentally, I believe that they were Sea Smews not Sea Mews].

I'm puzzled by carvel/clinker as all the Orford B.T.T.s are carvel. Probably another reason to look at the lines held by Peter Wilson.
 
Clyde one design

It seems the Clyde boats were built by a Mr Allistair of Dumbarton at a cost of 33 pounds.
ref: Dixon Kemp

It is quite possible that different Yacht clubs choose different construction method but with the same design, it could be a way to reduce cost.
I am pretty sure the IOW boat is clinker.
 
I have just started the rebuild of a similar dinghy to the Tomtit, Called Spoilsport at the time she is carvel planked with swept laid deck & small bowsprit 16ft long x 6ft beam. She came from Aldeburgh in the early eighties after being wrecked. Peter wilson couldnt identify her at the time, though there were reputed to be a couple of siser ships.
 
Musette said:
It seems the Clyde boats were built by a Mr Allistair of Dumbarton at a cost of 33 pounds.
ref: Dixon Kemp

It is quite possible that different Yacht clubs choose different construction method but with the same design, it could be a way to reduce cost.
I am pretty sure the IOW boat is clinker.
Click to expand...

Have had another chat to Peter Wilson. The original boats were Sea Mews, not Sea Smews -I must have misheard him first time around. He also said that they were built by McAllisters of Dumbarton. We had another look at the lines in Dixon Kemp. It does seem as if there were both clinker and carvel versions. I now have a list of 19 Bombay Tomtits although they may not all still exist.
 
Seamew/Tomtit

reeac said:
I own one of the above and hope to write a history of them. A carvel/centre plate 18 footer designed in 1895 by Linton Hope and built initially on the Clyde as the Sea Smew. They were originally gaff rigged but from 1920s onwards were converted or built with Bermudan rig. The Clyde fleet was exported to Bombay at some stage. There are 4 at Orford [all built by Nunn of Waldringfield between 1929 and 1947] - anyone know of others around the country?
Click to expand...

Now, 11 months later, the story is pretty well sorted and coming out in a 34 pp. book next month. I'll be selling them at cost price [about £6.50] so hopefully this doesn't count as an advert.. It feels good to have unearthed the details.
 
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