E39mad
Well-known member
We are discussing the Victoria 34 none of which I am aware of were completed by Northshore.
Victoire 1044 v Victoria 34 .... any thoughts?
- Thread starter NealB
- Start date
We are discussing the Victoria 34 none of which I am aware of were completed by Northshore.
Solwaycruiser
Active member
With regards to the Victoria 34 didn't Westerly end up building a few at one time? Seem to remember something about that when I considered one a long time ago. There may have been some sort of issue with ballast specification of Westerly built one(s) if I remember correctly but it is all a bit vague. Ended up with a Vancouver 34 which was an excellent boat. Of course I may be totally mixed up on this one.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
Solwaycruiser
Active member
Think it is the way E39's post is written that may be confusing. If I may re-write as I understand it -
Northshore purely moulded the Victoria range under contract FOR Victoria Marine. VICTORIA MARINE THEN fitted out the boats themselves in Warsash iirc
Sorry not trying to shout just don't know how else to show the slight changes made to the original quote.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
That's how I read it. It may apply to the V34; it certainly doesn't apply to the whole Victoria range,
Solwaycruiser
Active member
Oh well here was me thinking it was E39's post that was unclear and now realise it was me that was confused by your response to it!
E39mad
Well-known member
Apologies for any confusion ... can you enlighten us as to which models were completed by Northshore and when?
NealB
Well-known member
Does anyone know more about any Westerly involvement?
Last edited:
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
I think the earlier ones were. As someone wrote, Westerly did some of the later ones, though I have a feeling that they made the hulls. Basically, it's complicated - Victoria contracted out all sorts of different things to all sorts of different people over the years. Sorry if I sounded snappy and terse earlier .. I really ought not to post while in a telephone meeting!
Sybarite
Well-known member
No personal experience of either but I met two skippers of Services' Victoria 34's and they were scathing about them.
NealB
Well-known member
Did they say why they were so scathing?
I imagine the use in the Joint Services is somewhat different to that of a middle aged cruising couple, like Jos and I.
JimBrown
New member
I think it's funny that according to Chuck Paine, the British Victoria Marine versions were structurally less well built than the American (Morris) versions in order to meet the expectations of the British buying public.
The 'Lloyds Approved' hulls were less rigid and strong, required the sole to be messed up in the 38 and the 'encapsulated' keels made them less stable.
The 'Lloyds Approved' hulls were less rigid and strong, required the sole to be messed up in the 38 and the 'encapsulated' keels made them less stable.
E39mad
Well-known member
The Victoire looks like a lovely boat - just seen online the two available through De Valk brokerage Holland.
Goldie
Well-known member
Familiarity breeding contempt perhaps - 'service issue hence no good'? I skippered and instructed for the Joint Services for many years as a 'guest instructor' (starting when they still used Contessa 32s) and I recall the general consensus regarding the Victoria to be that there wasn't anything more suited to the job. I know one or two guys who expressed preferences for something more racy, but something like that wouldn't have stood the workload and you wouldn't want to let loose a newly qualified DS in something fragile or sporty. The fact that they've been in use now for coming up to 25 years, day in day out, in all weathers with all sorts of crews, speaks volumes in my book.
Sybarite
Well-known member
They weren't specific as far as I can remember. But they did feel very strongly on the subject.
RobBrown
Active member
Just caught up with the posts. Paul H is Old Varnish. Just reading about his trip down to Cape Horn in the Victoria 38 in his book One Wild Song, on Kindle. Very well written and extraordinarily moving.
Surprised at alleged poor reactions to sailing the V34 in some posts. Don't really think Chuck Paine has ever designed a bad blue water boat and in my eyes, the Victorias are mini Bowmans.
Surprised at alleged poor reactions to sailing the V34 in some posts. Don't really think Chuck Paine has ever designed a bad blue water boat and in my eyes, the Victorias are mini Bowmans.
Last edited:
NealB
Well-known member
I must have missed those posts!
The only criticisms of the V34 I can recall are my own observations (and Geoff Pack's) on the standard of interior fitout, and then Sybarite's anecdotal 'scathing' comment about .... errr ... errr.... we don't know.
The rest sound pretty enthusiastic .... and I certainly count myself as a fan.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Not sure how much score you can allocate to reports of Victoria 34s sailing badly. We've certainly sped past some of the service ones in the Solent, but it took us a long time to overhaul a man&wife one on a Guernsey-Jersey leg once. V34 performance is maybe down to crew ability, boat prep and sail quality, rather than anything inherent.
NealB
Well-known member
Interesting: thanks Ken.
Just to avoid doubt, may I ask a few questions, please?
Were you Twistering or Arconaing at the time (I'm assuming, but surprised by, the latter)?
What point of sail?
What sort of wind and sea conditions?
(Apologies if this sounds a bit like something that ''nobody expects'')
Last edited:
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
In the Arcona. The Jersey sail was a lightish weather reach, slightly sloppy sea.