Went mildly crazy, bought a Prelude

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gmatkin

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After years of noodling with smaller boats and wondering when and where I could build Bolger's Black Skimmer (don't know why, it just appealed, and I liked the sail plan and the idea of leeboards on the Thames Estuary) my gf and I have finally bought a little Prelude.

Are there other Prelude people out there please? What can we expect from the little boat? Where can I learn more about it? Is there a place where Preluders hang out and chat?

Anyone who wants to get in touch, please reply here or at my private email address gmatkin@clara.net .

Gavin
 
Mate bought one a few years back, bit tatty

Helped him on his first sail from Hamble to Port Solent, went very well though it worried me there was no backstay. It was windy and we ran under jib alone

The tiller was green and rotting so I took it home snd rebuilt it - looked lovely afterwards and he cleaned up the boat meantime

Great little boat and good legs in the Solent - he enjoyed many a good sail

Enjoy!
 
Hi & welcome
we had one from 1974> 77
had the mouldins (Hull + Deck) from Rydgeway Marine fitted the interior trad way.
she was mast Hd rigged/ fin keel but really think the fractional rig was proberbly better suited to the deck layout.
had loads of fun in her East Coast sailing Aldebough to Burnham no instruments or radio & times no tranny radio so on holiday no news at all.
you wont regret having her thats for sure
 
Thanks for the warm words about the boat fella - this one has the masthead option, and so a backstay is standard - as is a quite sizeable spinny. And I'm delighted to say that it seems to have been very nicely looked after, and was even stored indoors over the winter.

I think this boat will be fun.

Gavin
 
Haven't seen a masthead version but would probably feel happier with that (sorry sailorman - I've very litlle experience here)

Welcome to the forum, where are you going to sail her?
 
Thanks!

Out of the Oare, near Faversham, not too far from home in Kent, and a reasonable, easily justified price. The only thing will be always making sure we get back on time to get into the creek...

Gavin
 
Sailorman, I'm ashamed to say I haven't looked. (blush!) The original manual, though, shows what looks to me like a pretty big piece of cloth - certainly big for someone who has spend years sailing some very small boats, often with kids :-)

Gavin
 
[ QUOTE ]
The only thing will be always making sure we get back on time to get into the creek...

[/ QUOTE ]

What better way to learn? Best to investigate the best bunk arrangement when she's lying on her side - that way it will look planned and deliberate!

I'll try to dig out some photos
 
Oh theres lots of you Swale lot round these parts. Welcome Gavin, pop over to Essex on occasion, weve got loads of drying creeks too.

Was this the one on Boatshed essex site? Looks like a bargain!
 
yep ive done it ..trying to get back into oare creek having left it too late. The tide goes out of there like when the plug is pulled in the sink. Stuck on the mud for 9 hrs. Tretended to be checking the keel as other boats went past down the swale.
 
Me too, how do you think I made my way up the creek? Took a month, but I came to know it well and eventually the penny dropped. I became tuned to a falling tide, not before time as my crew muttered

It's likely that most of us learned from cock-ups. Long may it continue!
 
We had a 3/4 rig prelude on bilge keels for a few years from 1976. First we kept her on the Severn at Lydney sailing in the terrific tides of the area. Later we moved to the East Coast and still found her a great boat, sailing better than any other twin keel boat of her size and often giving fin keel yachts a surprise. Being pretty light she is fun and responsive to sail. We had fairly basic gear on board keeping everything easy and simple. The only problem we had was the plywood blade of the lifting rudder which we broke twice in heavy weather, (the tales would almost be worthy of Yachting Monthly Confessional) If your boat still has the lifting blade replace it with one that is fixed and can therefore be full width at the top instead of tapering in to minimal width at the point of most stress.
 
Hi, Gavin. Nice to see you on these forums. Hope you enjoy the Prelude. Not quite the character of your own designs or Bolger's but should provide some great sailing for you and yours without a great deal of maintenance. Have fun.
 
Friend of mine bought a prelude last year. Originally fin keel but had been converted to swing keel..... bit strange but ideal for east coast where it's kept.
I have spent a few days on board and found: ..... light, responsive on helm. Easily managed sail plan (tacks on a sixpence, sheeting the genoa very quick/easy). Ok, not quite in the Sonata class, but still fun.
Downside, bulkhead not glassed in so it creaks/groans while sailing and occasionally when not sailing! Also will not sail under mainsail alone.......... just luffs up and stalls, quite a surprise the first time it happened.
 
Can I just say (particularly in the light of the churlish whingeing elswhere) what a fine salty thread this is, full of sound advice and seamanlike sentiments. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Had a v. steep learning curve on the Creek with my Caprice; went on the putty opposite Barry's place at Hollow Shore, whilst turning back at the top of springs - got it off 12 days later. On my jetty could not get clear at all during neaps.
 
They sail well and are remarkable sea boats.A friend of mine sailed his bilge keel version from South Wales to Ireland a few years back .
 
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