What is a Deben 4 tonner?

ianc1200 said:
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As it was on the next page of December 1936 YM, when cross checking with LLoyds, this boat Scotia was also built by Whisstocks, and is designed by WM Blake - so perhaps a Deben 6 tonner.
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Scotia was yard No. 99. But she isn't a Deben 6-tonner – they were designed by my father, Claud. The first of those wasn't built until after WWII.

Dr Crawford was out family doctor - but I have no idea if it's the same Dr Crawford! Our "Boat Book" merely lists him as W G Crawford.

This is the first drawing or detail of Scotia that I have seen - so I'm extremely glad to have it for the records!

Cheers -- George
 
ianc1200 said:
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From YM December 1936, built by Whisstocks, designed by WM Blake - hopefully these are Deben 4 tonners!
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They are indeed!!

If you go on to our website - http://www.whisstock.com/page_02.php?page=02&page_id=2.17&design=153 you will find quite a lot of information about the Deben 4-tonners, including a list of those built and facsimiles of two of the brochures. And the original plans are available to download for free (you do have to register - but it's also free). I'm also in touch with several current Deben 4-tonner owners.

Cheers -- George
 
Dr Crawford who owned Scotia was noted as "Dr Wm Crawford" in the Lloyds Register of 1939.

George, were there smaller versions of the Deben 4 Tonners (Deben 3 Tonner?). There's a boat at Titchmarsh which seems to bear some resemblance but smaller. Hopefully I'll get a chance to chat to the owner this weekend.
 
ianc1200 said:
Dr Crawford who owned Scotia was noted as "Dr Wm Crawford" in the Lloyds Register of 1939.

George, were there smaller versions of the Deben 4 Tonners (Deben 3 Tonner?). There's a boat at Titchmarsh which seems to bear some resemblance but smaller. Hopefully I'll get a chance to chat to the owner this weekend.
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No there weren't. There was a 3-tonner called, I think, the Blackwater sloop – we had one for years in the yard named "Catspaw" - a really nice little boat. And there were other 3-tonners. It was the time of those seaworthy small yachts, which I reckon can be a lot of fun and serious cruising boats without such vast amounts of maintenance.

Cheers -- George
 
My brother and I shared ownership of a 1948 Gaff Deben 4 tonner, 'Reginald the Dane' in the early '80s, however we renamed her 'Kismet' as we felt that was a bit of a mouthful. She sailed beautifully and was very capable. I see from the listing that she was originally named 'Swallow'.

Prior to that I owned a very pretty 19' LOA Bermudan sloop, named 'Black cat' , built in 1939 by Eversons, and a few years ago she was still sailing on the Deben in showroom condition. I was often asked if she was a smaller version of the 4 tonner, but as George says there were a lot of similar yachts built in that era.

I have no idea if Swallow / Reginald the Dane / Kismet is still sailing - I hope so.
 
Reginald is still sailing on the Crouch, I nearly bought him but the survey let it down, however he is owned by a shipwright who fixed the problem and was going to keep the boat, must give him a call and see if he still owns the boat.
 
banger said:
Reginald is still sailing on the Crouch, I nearly bought him but the survey let it down, however he is owned by a shipwright who fixed the problem and was going to keep the boat, must give him a call and see if he still owns the boat.
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She may be called Reginald but she's still a lady and ... umm, we're apparently not supposed to mind that sort of thing these days! ... :encouragement:
 
banger said:
Reginald is still sailing on the Crouch, I nearly bought him but the survey let it down, however he is owned by a shipwright who fixed the problem and was going to keep the boat, must give him a call and see if he still owns the boat.
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That's great to hear, we did a lot to her in our time with her including recaulking, new mast, new deck covering and eveñ a replacement Stuart Turner P5:D. But that was a long time ago.....

The ensueing comments explain why we knew HER as Kismet, and not Regie.:)
 
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Well, here she is on launch day in June 1948 (as Swallow)

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Cheers -- George
 
Just a slight addition to the thread, I have just been turning out the workshop and came across a Yachting Monthly of October 1951 that I had bought at some boat jumble, it's the Earl's Court Guide and in it is an advertisement for a Deben 6 tonner by Whisstocks priced at £1500 and underneath that a 4 tonner at £785, also they had just nearly completed No 48 .
Interesting also was an Ocean Baby , similar size boat at 22' new at £1500, in fact the magazine has several boats of that size being offered so there must have been a very active market at that time,six years on from the end of the war.
 
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