Westerly Popcorn 1/4 tonner

[Judders]

Anyone know anything about these?

There is one for sail at the boatyard and it looks like it should be fairly rapid. Cheap too. But are they any good? I thought I knew my boats but I'd never heard of these. Although it's only a foot shorter than the GK24 it looks far, far smaller.

 

[PeteCooper]

Perhaps ask here?

http://www.quartertonclass.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

 

[Judders]

Good idea, thanks. Have posted there.

There is nothing on the Westerly OA site but then they make no mention of the Westerly J24s either and I am guessing that this one is of similiar vintage.

I am aware that this boatyard have got it wrong before. A MkI Foxcub was recently sold as an Express Pirate.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
Good idea, thanks. Have posted there.

There is nothing on the Westerly OA site but then they make no mention of the Westerly J24s either and I am guessing that this one is of similiar vintage.

I am aware that this boatyard have got it wrong before. A MkI Foxcub was recently sold as an Express Pirate.

[/ QUOTE ]


A "Popcorn" aint a Westerly /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Judders]

[ QUOTE ]
A "Popcorn" aint a Westerly /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

That is my suspicion.

Any ideas what it is though?

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
A "Popcorn" aint a Westerly /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

That is my suspicion.

Any ideas what it is though?

[/ QUOTE ]

It aint a suspicion, it's a fact......dunno who built 'em, seen quite a few for sale though.

If you like that sort of thing, what about this for a bit of a bargain?

http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/display.phtml?aid=65169

I have no connection.

 

[Dipper]

A friend of mine had one of these. It's a Popcorn 23 and not built by Westerly as far as I know. I believe there may be a Dutch connection somewhere along the line - designer/builder?

My friend's had a lead keel but was still a little bit tippy. With the right crew it could be a fun boat to sail. He had one cruise in it to the West Country from Weymouth taking the inshore passage past Portland Bill. I think he came across some 'interesting' weather during the cruise but the boat and (inexperienced) crew pulled through OK.

One further comment. I am not an expert but I don't think the Popcorn would be a ¼ tonner. It is more likely to be a mini-tonner.

 

[Judders]

Indeed. It certainly looks too slight to be a 1/4 tonner to me.

So it is not a Westerly and not a 1/4 tonner. Doing well this broker aren't they?

 

[Dipper]

I have just come across an old survey report for my friend's Popcorn. The designer is given as Joust & Volic although a more recent survey says Jouse & Volic. The builder is listed as 'unknown'.

It seems to have been built in 1985 and had a beam of 8' 4" and draught of 4' 6".

 

[Dyflin]

Something in German if anyone speeks ze language?

"Das ist eine Popcorn 23, der Schweitzer Werft Portier. Die haben die Formen ungef. mitte der 80er nach Bremen verkauft."

But I gather it means the boat is built by the Swiss outfit Portier?

"POPCORN: 6.81m x 2.48m x 1.35m Tiefgang, 1/8-Tonner (Minitonner) nach IOR, absolut hübsches, freundliches und kleines Regattaboot im Outfit der Anfangsachtzigerjahre. Gebaut von Portier/CH, später auch in Lizenz bei Emka (das waren Sparversionen). Die schweizer Boote sind gut gemacht. Eine Popcorn wurde ~1981 (anlässlich der damaligen Minitonner WM) von Speedwave zum "Spätzleexpress" getunt..mit Heckverlängerung und E-Motor...hat gut abgeräumt.
Ich habe noch `nen kopierten Yacht-Test der Popcorn, den kann ich Dir scannen (Yachtarchiv leider nicht mehr verfügbar)...P/Nne mir einfach Deine E-Mail..."

Seems to verify it.
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[sailorman]

dont know who moulded the "Popcorn" but dont belive it was westerly.
if you contact Mike Nunn of "Seamark - Nunn- see thier web site for contact details) he had one from new

 

[Dipper]

It looks as though later ones were built by Emka Yachtbau (in Bremen?).

This is quite intriguing! It seems a shame that historical information like this regarding a rare but not unknown boat is so difficult to come by. Surely someone, somewhere must have compiled a reference for the majority of leisure yachts built?

 

[Auntie Helen]

[ QUOTE ]
Something in German if anyone speeks ze language?

"Das ist eine Popcorn 23, der Schweitzer Werft Portier. Die haben die Formen ungef. mitte der 80er nach Bremen verkauft."

But I gather it means the boat is built by the Swiss outfit Portier?

"POPCORN: 6.81m x 2.48m x 1.35m Tiefgang, 1/8-Tonner (Minitonner) nach IOR, absolut hübsches, freundliches und kleines Regattaboot im Outfit der Anfangsachtzigerjahre. Gebaut von Portier/CH, später auch in Lizenz bei Emka (das waren Sparversionen). Die schweizer Boote sind gut gemacht. Eine Popcorn wurde ~1981 (anlässlich der damaligen Minitonner WM) von Speedwave zum "Spätzleexpress" getunt..mit Heckverlängerung und E-Motor...hat gut abgeräumt.
Ich habe noch `nen kopierten Yacht-Test der Popcorn, den kann ich Dir scannen (Yachtarchiv leider nicht mehr verfügbar)...P/Nne mir einfach Deine E-Mail..."

Seems to verify it.
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]I speek ze language although my knowledge of nautical terms in German is a bit dodgy.

Anyway, it appears to be saying the following:

“That is a Popcorn 23 by the Swiss shipyard Portier. They sold the moulds to Bremen in the mid 80s.

POPCORN 6.81m x 2.48 depth, 1/8 Tonner (mini tonner) following IOR, absolutely beautiful, friendly and small regatta boat in the style of the early eighties. Built by Portier (Switzerland), later also licensed by Emka (they were cheaper versions). The Swiss boats are well built.” The rest seems to be about a Popcorn rather souped up winning the Minitonner World Championships.

 

[Dipper]

That has just jogged my rather deficient memory!

A further Google search has thrown up this page relating to Seamark Nunn and buried within the text is this -

"In the past we built OK, Solo and Challenger sailing dinghies as well as the "Popcorn" 22ft fin keel yacht.”

That explains why Mike Nunn had one from new. Maybe all of the UK Popcorns were built by them?

 

[sailorman]

there were 3 ( possibly 4 ) @ Waldringfield s.c on the Deben
Hagar - Fred larkman
???? - Roger Hansford
???? -- Neddy Nunn
Cornucopia ????

 

[ex-Gladys]

I looked at one at Burnham a few years ago called Shear Stress. It was built on the Crouch somewhere, only my memory can't remeber where. That was a bit sad in condition terms. Smaller internally htan a Sonata.

 

[spungenunn]

Hi, this is Andrew Nunn at Seamark Nunn. Very interested to read all the discussion about the Popcorn. We built 7 of these great looking mini-tonners between July 1981 and May 1982, after we acquired the moulds from Cobramold (although I'm not sure whether they ever built any themselves). My father Mike raced the first one we built (aptly named "Cornunndrum") with some success on the East Coast - the boat was very fast in light airs, but also planed easily with the kite up in some decent breeze. The 7 boats we built had sail numbers 10 to 16 and were all sold new to customers who sailed them on either the Rivers Deben or River Orwell in Suffolk.
According to the sales brochure from 1981 which we still have, the Popcorn was originally built by Yachtwerft Portier AG (from Meilen, Switzerland) and designed by Fietje Judel & Rolf Vrolijk (amongst the best raceboat designers today). She was the production version boat that had won the Mini-Ton Worlds, apparently.
If Judders wants a copy of the Popcorn brochure I will gladly send a copy (rather dodgy 1981 photocopy!).
cheers,
Andrew Nunn

 

[Dipper]

Thanks for coming back to us with that information. I wouldn't mind a brochure as my friend's former boat is still in our club and I'm sure the current owner would be interested. I'll pm you my address.

 

[sailorman]

Welcome Sponge
how did you get that name /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

cheers
Seagoon F.C. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Twister_Ken]

Oooo, wot a nice man.

PS I think I've seen your buoy.