Login
Get your free website from Spanglefish
This is a free Spanglefish 2 website.
13 July 2014
First UK Boat Resurfaces

An historically important Pedersen & Thuesen Dragon has re-emerged from long-term dry storage in the West Country. GBR 289 Rapier has been bought by doyen of the Dragon class, Martin (Stavros) Payne. Appropriately for a Torbay man, Rapier was first bought new by John Day of the Torbay fleet in 1956. At that time he called her Scimitar and enjoyed racing success in her until 1963, when she was sold to the Vans-Colina family, still in Torbay. She remained within the family until 2000.

Rapier is currently undergoing some restoration work with David Heritage in Cowes (www.davidheritage.co.uk) and we hope that Stavros will keep us updated with photos and progress. One of the decisions he has to make is choice of hull colour. As can be seen from the photo below, she is currently dark blue, having previously been red; however, she would have left the yard in 1956 fully varnished. The second photo shows that at some stage the port helmsman's draw has been repositioned under the forward end of the cuddy. It must also have been shortened somewhat as there is not much room between there and the mast.

  

Click for Map
sitemap | cookie policy | privacy policy | accessibility statement