Sigma 36 'True-Brit'

[True-Brit]

Hi all,
Im the (relatively) new owner of the Sigma 36 'True-Brit' & would love to hear any history or story's (good or bad) with regard to her. I know she was used in the BBC documentary "In At The Deep End' when Chris Serle sailed on her for the 1985 Fastnet Race & that she did a lot of charter work & she had a few sisters but thats all.....
She has just completed a 15 month total re-fit so is now in very good health again.
If anyone has any info it would be great to hear.
Many thanks Mike

 

[Racecruiser]

I'm afraid I have no knowledge of True Brit but I too did a Fastnet on a Sigma 36 in 83 I think. We got a good result and I remember a good trip to the Lizard then a fairly gritty Irish Sea crossing with water washing up from the bilge and making the aft cabin berth distinctly damp - worth considering although there may have been a mod to fix that later.

I always thought the rig was too big for single spreaders, runners kept things under control but could be a damn nuisance at times. Cream Cracker was the 'works' 36 I think, sailed by David Hopkins. He would know more than most about the boats and has probably surveyed most of them.

 

[boguing]

Might I be right in thinking that she started life with Britannia Sailing? Based at Shamrock Quay in the early 80s. Rings a bell.

 

[sailor211]

Might I be right in thinking that she started life with Britannia Sailing? Based at Shamrock Quay in the early 80s. Rings a bell.

I was also thinking she was one of Captain Roger Justice's charter fleet.

 

[RobbieW]

I was thinking Bulldog Sailing but also based in Shamrock, I dimly remember that two companies rose from the ashes of one when the owners of the one company fell out. Cant remember any names now though

 

[Elessar]

Hi all,
Im the (relatively) new owner of the Sigma 36 'True-Brit' & would love to hear any history or story's (good or bad) with regard to her. I know she was used in the BBC documentary "In At The Deep End' when Chris Serle sailed on her for the 1985 Fastnet Race & that she did a lot of charter work & she had a few sisters but thats all.....
She has just completed a 15 month total re-fit so is now in very good health again.
If anyone has any info it would be great to hear.
Many thanks Mike

lets have some pictures! Great to hear of the refurb, please share.

I love sigma 36s. If I was buying a saily boat I would definately consider one. Lovely looking and sail well. Seemed like a racing car when I first started sailing one, though I admit I was graduating from a mirage 28 bilge keel.
Fond memories, nerdy boat spotters will recognise this as one (not your one), my daughter in this favorite pic of mine is now 6 months pregnant!

 

[Seajet]

As I posted on the 'TV series' thread...

I may be wrong, but I seem to remember True Brit being part of Britannia School of Sailing; if the set-up I'm thinking of, I saw her in late 1992 with a very good lady skipper / instructor on board and a great graphic of a stylised ensign / Union Jack on the transom ( of the boat ).

 

[True-Brit]

True-Brit

Roger I belive was the first owner however there was a gent going by the name of Sabastian involved in there somewhere????? It was David Hopkins that told me about her being on the BBC documentary about the Fastnet in 85. First I'd heard of it but after doing a little research I found he was right. I'm lead to belive there where several Sigma 36 all owned by the same sea school with similar names, I did find some sail bags when I brought her with the name 'True Glory' on them so that must have been one! I love everything about the boat & she so easly to handle (my wife doesn't sail well) so I single hand most of the time & once your used to it she's fine & she go's so well on all points, such a good all rounder. I do agree it does seem a tall rig for single spreader set up but I guess they must of had a reason for it I've never had a problem.....I have converted her over from tiller to Wheel steering (cobra) & have fitted a 1005mm folding wheel so as to still allow access to the lockers.

 

[True-Brit]

True-Brit

When I brought her she had been renamed 'Absolute' & had been for 10 years i believe, but I changed the name back & have had the transom flood filled with a huge Flying Union Jack again. In the early photos I have obtained of her from Bekins she had a Cannon, two soldiers & a flying Union Jack on the transom. After 160 hours of wet & drying the hull back & a re-polish that has brought her up like a mirror, complete with new windows & frames all round she looks like she just left the factory & down below she has been completely rewired, all new electronics & everything has been changed over to LED (domestic & navigation) & new DVD & Flat screen tv. Galley re-finished complete with new cooker & complete gas installation. All woodwork has been stripped back to bare wood & re varnished. Keel dropped & bolts checked & keel re-bedded back on. All new soft furnishings throughout along with all new headlining throughout. Heads stripped out & refitted including new toilet & pipework. New fuel & water tanks from Tec Tanks. Topped off with new standing & running rigging & a complete new set of Kemp sails with Seldon roller furler.
Yeah I've spent too much I know but what a boat....glad the wife doesn't read this!!!!

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I was thinking Bulldog Sailing but also based in Shamrock, I dimly remember that two companies rose from the ashes of one when the owners of the one company fell out. Cant remember any names now though

Eddie Edrige went off and started Bulldog Sailing - with Bright Sparke and Celeste. Hope and Glory and Boadicea were another 2 ultra British names in the fleet & stayed with Britannia.

 

[tat27]

First offshore

I did my first offshore race to Fecamp on a Sigma 36 which might have been True Brit in 1992 - I think it was Bulldog but it might have been Britannia.

I then did a Fastnet campaign with Eddie E's Bulldog Sailing but on a Jeanneau Sun Fizz in '93 where we came last but one (or two) out of a fleet of 250. Wish it had been a Sigma 36 instead...

I think Celeste did the Fastnet as well that year.

 

[Summer wine of cowes]

Hi
my name is Mike, I skippered True Brit from early mid 80s till the 1990ish and took her on two Fastnet races and many RORC events as well year round sail training for Roger Justice (Britannia sailing).
true brit and I had many good adventures together, she never let me down and thro' her I meet many good people. there is a poster/photo of her at the start of a Fastnet race she is heading towards the camera with the needles cliff behind if I find out more details about it I let you know you can email me on svsummerwine@gmail.com

 

[capnsensible]

I did my first offshore race to Fecamp on a Sigma 36 which might have been True Brit in 1992 - I think it was Bulldog but it might have been Britannia.

I then did a Fastnet campaign with Eddie E's Bulldog Sailing but on a Jeanneau Sun Fizz in '93 where we came last but one (or two) out of a fleet of 250. Wish it had been a Sigma 36 instead...

I think Celeste did the Fastnet as well that year.

Cor, I can remember that Jeanneau, one of the first boats I taught on commercially. Gonna drive me dafter that I cant remember the name! Nearly bought Bulldog 20 odd years ago, didnt quite work. Ah, memories...

 

[True-Brit]

Hi Guys,
Great to hear the memory's please keep them coming, I have noticed a repair to the Port side rear that looks like it must have happened early on in her life as the gel colour match is perfect, it would be great to find out how this battle scar happened....

 

[Fenders]

Hi Mike

After reading your post the name rang a bell. I have just looked through my log book and I sailed on True Brit 3rd - 11th November 1996. The weather was appalling, mostly F8-9 but I had a fantastic time and really learnt a lot about poor weather sailing. I seem to recall that there were only a few boats out that week. True Brit was the perfect boat for such conditions. She handled beautifully.

True Brit was part of the Britannia fleet and they were based at Shamrock Quay but also had premises at Warsash. They had a couple of other Sigmas. One was called "British Bulldog" I think. They also had a fleet of Dufours which were all named with the word "Knight". The ones I had sailed were called Knighthawk, Knight Express, Knightingale and Knight Twicely. There were a few more but I can't remember their names. Britannia also had a Beneteau 350(?) called Flirtation.


I hope you are happy with her.

Fenders

 

[SigmaJon]

Hi,

I have a Sigma36 called "British Eagle". I would also like to know any of her history? I always thought she was a sister to British Beagle, but I can find nothing about her. She has had a lot of repair work and seems to have hit something with her keel in the past.

Thanks
Jon

 

[Sig]

Hello. I have a Sigma 36 ex Hope & Glory ( changed the name to Via Col Vento of Brighton ) think she was part of the Britannia fleet of sigmas back in the 90 s. I bought her back in April 1997 .At the time she was looking very tired and in need of a bit of tlc .Back then and still worked and lived on the east coast of Italy.After a year of going back and forth to work on her I decided to sail her back to Italy . 16 September 1998 left Brighton marina with a crew of 3 non sailors and I.one of those trips you will never forget. But that's another story . Sigma did us proud . Never let us down didn't break any thing and allways kept us safe in all weathers and we had all weathers. I still have the boat . She's had a total refit and still a great pleasure to sail . Good to hear that other owners out there are keeping these old girls sailing . I

 

[ditchcrawler]

I did my Coastal Skipper Practical with Britannia on the Sigma 36 Boadicea in October 1995. A brilliant boat and skipper.
He regailled us with stories about squadies coming home from the Falklands and been sent on sailing trips on the Sigmas as Rest and Recuperation. R and R they did not get.

 

[Daydream believer]

Fond memories, nerdy boat spotters will recognise this as one (not your one), my daughter in this favorite pic of mine is now 6 months pregnant!

So what are you saying -- " Sigmas make you pregnant"
Better not let the mistress near one then

 

[Seajet]

Sig,

I'm pretty sure I remember ' True Brit ' in the late 1980's, at the time she had a very good lady skipper, well respected by the instructors for Solent School Of Yachting I was training with.

She - the boat, not the lady instructor as far as I'm aware - had a very stylish Union Flag on the transom ?