What is a Deben 4 tonner?

[Mukes]

Following the post about the Deben Association - google has failed me. What defines a Deben 4 tonner? I have found several for sale - all look similar but of different designers and builders as far as I can see. The reason for asking is they look very similar to my boat - Reg Freeman designed, built by Johnson and Jago in 1935 - but launched bermudan. Is it simply that the Deben 4 tonners were built by yards on the Deben?

 

[Mirelle]

A Deben Four Tonner is/was designed by William Maxwell Blake and built by Claude Whisstock as a "stock" boat.

Whilst the hulls are identical, there are at least two rigs, gaff and bermudian, and two cabin configurations - some boats have conventional coach roofs and some have raised topsides in way of the cabin.

The Deben Six Tonner is/was an enlarged version designed by Claude himself (Blake died in 1939)

There are several other standard four tonners, here are some:

"Z" Four Tonner (designed by Dr T Harrison Butler and built by a furniture factory whose name escapes me (very well built, incidentally))

"Zyklon" - as "Z four tonner but built by someone else.

Four Ton Blackwater Sloop (fairly unusual, most are 2 1/2 or 3 tonners

Four Ton Hillyard (bit more common - nb designs vary over time)

Johnson and Jago Four Tonner (bit like Blackwater Sloop - 3 tonner more usual)

and no doubt others - a four tonner is a useful size boat!

 

[Mukes]

Cheers Mirelle.

 

[Roach1948]

There is also the Dallimore designed "Burnham Sloop" 4 tonner of which Roach is a derivative - again designed with either coachroof or raised sides such as below.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

'tis the size Mariposa aspires to. As Mirelle says; a useful size boat.

 

[Mukes]

I have found her to be a useful size - big enough for myself and Mrs Mukes to stay on for a week yet small enough to put off friend's and family. The prospect of having to take out the in-laws could put me off sailing for life!