lpdsn
Well-Known Member
A classic is a boat that has gone right through the MAB stage and has subsequently had a fortune spent on it.
So...how exactly do you define "classic"?
- Thread starter Greenheart
- Start date
rustybarge
Well-Known Member
It's probably easier to define a classic car, and maybe it's got to do with 'the nostalgia' of when you were a youth, than the beauty of the lines.
My first car was a Mini; that's' a classic.
My first Boat was a Mirror.......that definitely was Not a classic.......Damn!
!
old_salt
Well-Known Member
Not wishing to double post see my post #5 http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?394238-Old-gaffers&p=4720682#post4720682
rustybarge
Well-Known Member
Aah Yes, that's a classic to you though....your definition.
My mini didn't have any hemp ropes, gaff rig or even an anchor and it floated my teenage boat!
My mini didn't have any hemp ropes, gaff rig or even an anchor and it floated my teenage boat!
old_salt
Well-Known Member
Aah Yes, that's a classic to you though....your definition.
My mini didn't have any hemp ropes, gaff rig or even an anchor and it floated my teenage boat!
If we are talking Cars My first was a "Classic" a Ford Classic I had it for 12 years 1961 to 1973 did just about everything you could to the engine at one point it could have been taken out and dropped straight into a F1.
It was good for over 145 at it's best. loved blowing Lotus's off on the Preston bypass.
The only trouble was I kept blowing it up.
I did over 200,000 miles in it.
Eyore
Well-Known Member
I differentiate between classic designs and classic boats . Classic design is something iconic like a Vertue or a Contessa 32, but only one of those two is a classic boat by my definition. Then again a lot has to do with ones age and what one grew up with, admired and aspired to as a youngster. Not sure pure age alone is enough any more than the construction material is , but like it or not its a very subjective definition and all I know is, my boat is a classic:encouragement:
OldBawley
Well-Known Member
When entering a French or Italian harbour, and people welcome you and refuse harbour dues, the boat could be considered a classic.
When entering a Turkish harbour or marina and you are waved away, it must be a wooden classic.
Turks despise anything smaller than 54 feet, is not a French made mass product, is not shiny white and has no servants working on it.
They are even painting all the older gullets white. Looks cool to them and repairs can be done with putty in stead of wood.
When entering a Turkish harbour or marina and you are waved away, it must be a wooden classic.
Turks despise anything smaller than 54 feet, is not a French made mass product, is not shiny white and has no servants working on it.
They are even painting all the older gullets white. Looks cool to them and repairs can be done with putty in stead of wood.
rustybarge
Well-Known Member
If we are talking Cars My first was a "Classic" a Ford Classic I had it for 12 years 1961 to 1973 did just about everything you could to the engine at one point it could have been taken out and dropped straight into a F1.
It was good for over 145 at it's best. loved blowing Lotus's off on the Preston bypass.
The only trouble was I kept blowing it up.
I did over 200,000 miles in it.
After the Mini, my second car was a Cortina MK2, I dreamed and dreamed of getting a Lotus engine for it; nearest I got was to put
the trim bits off a MK2 'E' 1600cc and wide wheels [mine was 1300cc].
Boy that car was slow and heavy after the Mini.
IMO, the Cortina MK 2 is not a classic.
Last edited:
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Sticking to boats...aside from definitions applicable in Turkey...is a Hillyard a classic? It's wood, it's old, it's very pretty by today's moulded plastic standards, and they were very popular...but wasn't their method of construction more closely related to economy, than any particular quality?
Perhaps that combination of appealingly wooden, slightly shed-like styling is itself decidedly classic. What a pity modern builders don't incorporate more old-world styling cues in their bland new plastic boats - a bit of subtle colour in the gunwale, a wooden rubbing strake and brown Treadmaster, might put some of today's caravans in a quite different category.
Perhaps that combination of appealingly wooden, slightly shed-like styling is itself decidedly classic. What a pity modern builders don't incorporate more old-world styling cues in their bland new plastic boats - a bit of subtle colour in the gunwale, a wooden rubbing strake and brown Treadmaster, might put some of today's caravans in a quite different category.
born2sail61
Well-Known Member
how about
1: out of production for 30 years
2:having an active owners association
3: has completed transatlantic voyage
4: being a kingfisher!
ok,ignore the last one,I thought I might get away with it!
1: out of production for 30 years
2:having an active owners association
3: has completed transatlantic voyage
4: being a kingfisher!
ok,ignore the last one,I thought I might get away with it!
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
I doubt that age alone can cut it. I really do like early Westerly designs, but I'm not convinced they're classic, they're just old. I don't think I revered them when they were new.
Cornish Crabbers are much better qualified because however new they may be, their styling is intrinsically old. Oddly enough, I've never particularly wanted one.
But, it must relate to how seriously the designer & builder takes that trad styling - reproduction items are great if they employ old visual effects with updated construction/materials.
The Westerly is nice, but old, not classic: View attachment 41788 ...while the Crabber is classic, even if new: View attachment 41789
I may be along again shortly with a different interpretation.
jwilson
Well-Known Member
From our separate Yachtsnet web page where we list yachts for sale we consider "classic" :-
The definition of a “classic yacht” is a fairly elastic one. Few would argue that a J-class from the 1920s is a classic yacht. What about a James Silver “gentlemans motor yacht” from the late 1940s, or Laurent Giles’ beautiful Nicholson-built “Lutine” from 1952?
Is however a Rustler 36 (which could have been built in 2014) a classic yacht? It certainly derives it’s pedigree and hull form from the 1942 Folkboat, which general hull form Kim Holman enlarged, refined, and progressively reworked into the Stella, Twister and then the Rustler 31 and 36 designs.
So if a 2012 Rustler 36 can be a classic yacht, can a 1971 Contessa 32? Some would say no, as this has a separate keel and skeg/rudder, instead of a traditional long keel. Yet separate keels and rudders were already well known well over a hundred years ago, Herreshoff having started to build such designs in the early 1890s. And if a 1971 Contessa 32 can be a classic design, why not also a shiny new-built one from Jeremy Rogers?
There are also yachts that started life as working boats, whether pilot cutters, fishing boats or the Colin Archer sailing lifeboats? Many such boats are still sailing at over 100 years old, though now used purely as yachts. Others were built as yachts by the same yards that built working versions, such as the Miller Fifers, or the Falmouth Working Boats, which you can still have built now in GRP either as a yacht or a working sailing oyster dredger.
Finally, there are the modern yachts which are consciously “retro” - the Spirits, Morris’ and other beautiful yachts in modern materials. The new Rustler 33 is very much in this mould.
We believe in a fairly flexible definition of the term classic yacht, in much the same way that some quite modern cars, and cars that were quite commonplace in their day, can now be called classic cars. We are happy for a classic yacht to be built of any material, as long as she is beautiful in her own way, and suited to her purpose, be it cruising or racing.
If you are thinking of selling a classic yacht our system of lots of really high quality high resolution photographs and full details really does encourage buyers to travel to view. Call us on 01326-212234 to discuss the sale of your classic yacht.
The dictionary definition of the word “classic” is:
from the French classique, from Latin classicus, of the highest class of Roman citizens, of the first rank, from classis.
Also serving as a standard of excellence: of recognized value, traditional, enduring, eg. classic designs.
The definition of a “classic yacht” is a fairly elastic one. Few would argue that a J-class from the 1920s is a classic yacht. What about a James Silver “gentlemans motor yacht” from the late 1940s, or Laurent Giles’ beautiful Nicholson-built “Lutine” from 1952?
Is however a Rustler 36 (which could have been built in 2014) a classic yacht? It certainly derives it’s pedigree and hull form from the 1942 Folkboat, which general hull form Kim Holman enlarged, refined, and progressively reworked into the Stella, Twister and then the Rustler 31 and 36 designs.
So if a 2012 Rustler 36 can be a classic yacht, can a 1971 Contessa 32? Some would say no, as this has a separate keel and skeg/rudder, instead of a traditional long keel. Yet separate keels and rudders were already well known well over a hundred years ago, Herreshoff having started to build such designs in the early 1890s. And if a 1971 Contessa 32 can be a classic design, why not also a shiny new-built one from Jeremy Rogers?
There are also yachts that started life as working boats, whether pilot cutters, fishing boats or the Colin Archer sailing lifeboats? Many such boats are still sailing at over 100 years old, though now used purely as yachts. Others were built as yachts by the same yards that built working versions, such as the Miller Fifers, or the Falmouth Working Boats, which you can still have built now in GRP either as a yacht or a working sailing oyster dredger.
Finally, there are the modern yachts which are consciously “retro” - the Spirits, Morris’ and other beautiful yachts in modern materials. The new Rustler 33 is very much in this mould.
We believe in a fairly flexible definition of the term classic yacht, in much the same way that some quite modern cars, and cars that were quite commonplace in their day, can now be called classic cars. We are happy for a classic yacht to be built of any material, as long as she is beautiful in her own way, and suited to her purpose, be it cruising or racing.
If you are thinking of selling a classic yacht our system of lots of really high quality high resolution photographs and full details really does encourage buyers to travel to view. Call us on 01326-212234 to discuss the sale of your classic yacht.
The dictionary definition of the word “classic” is:
from the French classique, from Latin classicus, of the highest class of Roman citizens, of the first rank, from classis.
Also serving as a standard of excellence: of recognized value, traditional, enduring, eg. classic designs.
rustybarge
Well-Known Member
When that word 'gentleman' is applied to houses on a brochure it has a totally different meaning; Don't ask how i know!
Oh hang on a minute, maybe it has exactly the same meaning!!
Eyore
Well-Known Member
What has a transatlantic voyage got to do with anything ? That really confuses me. Just because Thames barges were built for east coast estuaries and rivers but have never crossed the Atlantic does it make them anything less than an iconic classic? No.
PuffTheMagicDragon
Well-Known Member
So, my boat has been out of production for more than thirty years? Yes
She has sweet lines? Absolutely! It is said that her designer couldn't design an ugly boat if he tried.
Quality construction? You bet! She was built by Wauquiez, UP to a standard, not DOWN to a price.
Fit for the purpose? She can go anywhere and will take care of me long after I would have given up.
Does she sail well? Absolutely, even by an old single-hander.
Transoceanic voyages? Yes, numerous and including some circumnavigations.
So, is my boat a 'Classic' or not?
She has sweet lines? Absolutely! It is said that her designer couldn't design an ugly boat if he tried.
Quality construction? You bet! She was built by Wauquiez, UP to a standard, not DOWN to a price.
Fit for the purpose? She can go anywhere and will take care of me long after I would have given up.
Does she sail well? Absolutely, even by an old single-hander.
Transoceanic voyages? Yes, numerous and including some circumnavigations.
So, is my boat a 'Classic' or not?
Eyore
Well-Known Member
born2sail61
Well-Known Member
sorry,a poor attempt at humour/a vain attempt to bestow classic status on kingfishers. i'll try harder next time...
PuffTheMagicDragon
Well-Known Member
I thought it was a Westerly Centaur till you mentioned the Wauquiez bit.
Actually, my previous boat was a Westerly Centaur, CR1279.
My present one, the one about which I was asking, is a Wauquiez Centurion 32, designed by Holman & Pye and built in 1973.
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Very pretty. The Centurion is definitely a modern classic in my book, reminds me of the Contessa 32.
View attachment 41798
Eyore
Well-Known Member
Maybe to define the term we need to categorise into classic and modern classic which would cover both the traditional wooden oldies and the more modern like Puffs lovely Centurion 32.