Wild Lone

[dcboat]

I've recently come across one of Maurice Griffiths' old boats - the 1906 Cardnells-built Wild Lone. She's mentioned in several of his books. This historic yacht is now ashore and in very poor condition but just about restorable. I am not commercially interested in her, but would like to draw attention to her plight in case there's anyone out there looking for a restoration project or anyone with ideas on how she could be saved. She's a 28' shoal draft centreboarder and would make a good family cruiser. The current owner would quite like to see her restored also, but has neither the time or the funds to do much about it. He would almost certainly sell for a realistic price - all her gear is there and OK; she last sailed in 1990.
Any ideas?

David Cartwright,Boatbuilder.
Tel/Fax +44(0) 1986 785322
http://www.dcboat.com

 

[Guest]

Have you considered posting a message on the Eventide Owners Assn website?

Hope someone takes her on, as a museum exhibit if not a sailing restoration.

 

[dcboat]

Thanks for the suggestion Rob,
I've contacted them.

PS on re-reading the book, she's 24ft LOA not 28.

David Cartwright,Boatbuilder.
Tel/Fax +44(0) 1986 785322
http://www.dcboat.com

 

[Guest]

By a strange coincidence, I was reading one of my all time favourite books - '10 small yachts' - on saturday night, which is why your post leapt out at me.

Does she still have " Nellie, 1906" carved on her rudder head? It would be lovely if she could be sailing again in time for her 100th birthday.

Apart from Storm, who is alive and well, I wonder if any of the other boats in the book have survived?

"These little ships are as desirable as the moon, and about as elusive - bless ' em!"

 

[paulstevens]

This is a really worthwhile project. I have owned 3 yachts buit by George Cardnell since 1970, Arklight (1926), Arklight 11 (1936) and Sirius(1935) carrying out major structural refits on all 3. All were canoe yawls and Arklight was my first boat. She was 22' and was never fitted with an engine. I won quite a few cups with her and also survived a F9 in the north sea when I was too young to know any better.
A few years ago she was taken as a bad debt by a large marina operator who cut her in half, fitted a counter (the type found in shops) and used her as a salad servery at one of their caravan sites, I think on the IOW. An apalling act of vandalism.
George Cardnell was father to George and Tom who broke away just before the war and set up the Cardnell Bros yard at the head of Lawling creek. Their father built his boats in nearby Steeple and the boats were pulled on cradles across the feilds for launching at Pigeon dock. I have a splendid photo of one of the larger canoe stern centre cockpit designs, (maybe Saida) being pulled by two heavy horses.
Construction of all the boats I have seen was unusual. Some hulls were double skin with 2 layers of fore and aft planking, this sometimes confined to the underwater sections only.
A little known builder but one who created some super boats. I would be very pleased to hear from anyone who knows the boats. pmstevensamydsa@hotmail.com

 

[Twister_Ken]

Wild Lone II

Extracted from the intro of the book, 'Sailing around Ireland' by Wallace Clark.

"Wild Goose, designed in 1936 by Maurice Griffith...He aimed at and got an easy going ten ton cruiser which he could sail himself, with a comfortable motion in a seaway... The thirties was a time when seasoned wood was available and inexpensive, and she was built by Harry King of Pin Mill, who planked her over American elm timbers with 1" pitchpine as hard and clean grained as I have ever seen.

Wild Lone II as she was originally called... is rigged as a Bermudian yawl...Her white hull, 33 feet long, supports a 50 foot mast, raked in the fashion of the mid-'30s...a short bowsprit points up in the air, as though sniffing the breeze and longing to be off. Her bow is straighter than is common in postwar cruising yachts, with clean shoulders behind it which throw the swell aside and keep the decks dry. A 20 feet mizzen mast is stepped abaft the tiller where the counter stern begins its overhang."

Not the Wild Lone referred to here, I know, but presumably the yacht which followed her in MG's ownership.

PS book written 1976, republished 1990, ISBN 0-907528-17-1

 

[Doghouse]

Re: Wild Lone II

Wild Lone II changed her name to "Wild Goose" after Wallace bought her. She has a long history of many voyages under Wallace's ownership, including the circumnavigation of Russia about which a further book was written.
She sank in July 1998 whilst entering the mouth of the River Bann on the north coast of Northern Ireland but was raised 3 months later by members of the Causeway Coast Maritime Heritage Group.
A Project to refurbish her was started but eventually fell to one of the group's founding members, Robin. The work was completed just the summer past, with her first voyage being a family trip to the Western Isles of Scotland.
Her journey started in Pin Mill all those years ago but still has a long way ahead.
I would hope that Wild Lone I finds a willing home as she is part of maritime heritage. Anyone who reads Maurice Griffith's warm story of her in Swatchways and Little Ships would know her emotive value.
I'm just sorry I can't help but I have just bought "Borer Bee" the 24ft Eventide built in 1959 in Singapore, and sailed from there to UK by Lt Cmdr E. Atkinson