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  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

This one… for Asher! (and others OPFers too ;)

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
I have recently posted quite an extensive thread with loads of images there, reporting of a full day shooting a large private sailing yacht: Thalima.

While we were anchored a nice old gaffer went to sail very close to us, I couldn't resist to shoot a few pics…

Here's one:

Moonbeam3.jpg

And as I know that Asher is always curious, below are some details on that boat:

Moonbeam of Fife III was built by Fairlie in Scotland for an eminent London Lawyer in 1902 after he constructed Moonbeam of Fife I & II in 1858. This elegant cutter was constructed to race, navigate and offer the most elegant surroundings on board a vessel which truly is from a by-gone era of style and luxury.

Moonbeam of Fife III was refitted to an extremely high standard in an extensive project which took place in two stages. From 2004 to 2005, Moonbeam of Fife III underwent a refit at the Monaco Marine facilities in Cogolin, France until being moved to the Fairlie Restorations yard in Southampton, UK in 2005 to 2006 where she spent nine months being restored her to immaculate conditions.

Dimensions:
LOA : 24.86m (81.56ft)
BEAM : 4.75m (15.58ft)
Draft : 3.29m (10.79ft)
Propulsion: 1 x 150 Cv
Type : PERKINS 6354 6 CYL

Number of Guests : 10 + 4 crew

Moonbeam3-2.jpg
 
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Well, Nicolas,

This is so elegant and fabulous. This is for the very few who are blessed with fortunes in money. My fortune is in my family and I am not jealous, but I do take off my hat and salute them.

I notice that the main mast is about 1/3 away from the front and so this reduces the size of the main gaff-rigged sail and creates room for smaller additional sails that I guess allows the boat to be trimmed better according to the power of the wind. I presume this gives the crew much more control as to the surface area of sail exposed to the wind and hence the load so the boat doesn't heel too far and capsize. But that is my guess!


Moonbeam3-2.jpg




I imagine that all the iron bolts and nails have to be replaced! Huge job! I would love to sail on such a grand boat. I wonder whether they added power winches in the renovation!

Asher
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Well, Nicolas,

This is so elegant and fabulous. This is for the very few who are blessed with fortunes in money. My fortune is in my family and I am not jealous, but I do take off my hat and salute them.

I notice that the main mast is about 1/3 away from the front and so this reduces the size of the main gaff-rigged sail and creates room for smaller additional sails that I guess allows the boat to be trimmed better according to the power of the wind. I presume this gives the crew much more control as to the surface area of sail exposed to the wind and hence the load so the boat doesn't heel too far and capsize. But that is my guess!

Perfect guess!

Moonbeam3-2.jpg

I imagine that all the iron bolts and nails have to be replaced! Huge job! I would love to sail on such a grand boat. I wonder whether they added power winches in the renovation!

Asher
Well when the boat was refitted I'm pretty sure they did changed all of them!
As well as a large part of the hull' wood planks.

For such boats, they do exact replicas, so they do respect the orignal gear.
Ive not been on board, so I don't exactly what kind equipment they do have onboard.
I just know that the "modern" winches where mounted on sailing yachts in 1900/1905 so they probably have some on board.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Nicolas,

I feel so good that I have learned enough to guess how things might possibly work. However, I know, that you know I am a landlubber!

Still, I respect the craft of the designers and builders who had no computers and first carved models of the hull with simple tools and then enlarged the shapes, again by hand, with countless measurements and with clever but simple home-made instruments, to transfer the 3D design of the model to full size paper plans, for real planks and beams!

Then it had to be built and that required generations of technique and skills transferred, often within one or two families. The men that built these boats and the crews that sailed them, were a match for any government naval shipyard. In fact, in a storm, private boats like this, might very well join rescue attempts and even help bring back to port stricken coastguard cutters!

One thing for sure, the seamen earned their communities respects when these boats were built.

Now, if one is wealthy, one can simply buy a boat and become the captai! Renting such a vessel, at least one gets a crew!

However for myself, (in no small part, as a result of your sharing your love for sailboats), instead, I express my admiration of these gaff-rigged boats by my sculpture:

_mg_9190 copy.jpg

This is before the waves were added.

Asher
 
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