Adventurer

Rater No 24 “Adventurer”

“Born out of a Romantic moment”

It was 1983 that I had my first experience of Bourne End Week, which had a lasting impression on me in more than one respect.

I was a bit “itinerant” at the time doing lots of big boat sailing in exotic locations round the world and had been staying with an old friend, Liz Saunders between regattas, in the Hamble. Liz was part of the Kingston “Offer” family and her uncles though in their 70’s were still keen Rater Sailors. Liz had been asked if she knew of anyone who could fill in as one of the crew was ill and I found myself volunteered to sail in Estelle. We won several races that week though my lasting memory was off Dick Offer, well into his 70’s climbing the mast to retrieve a halyard. 

At the end of that week at the Friday disco I met my future wife, Debbie who had come to BEW just to give her brother Philip a lift from Central London. By the end of the evening Phil had been left to sleep in the Upper Thames showers while Debbie and I went back to London: – we were married the following July 1984 in Henley on Thames, so I owe a lot to the Raters.

They became a sort of passion and over the years I always tried to attend BEW. 

At some time or another I determined that I should have one built and agreed with the Rater Association the build format and tolerances which is where it sat for a number of years till the financial crisis in 2008.

Over a few beers in Thames Sailing Club I had been wound up by Ossie Stewart (he has this effect on people) as to lack of progress and I then determined to put my money where my mouth was.

You all know now it was Ossie’s fault!

I approached his nephew, boatbuilder Jamie Stewart, who I knew had carried out his University thesis on A Raters and was keen to build one. We agreed if I put in the money for materials and labour at cost he would build the boat and we would share it. 

We only had the old lines of Scamp to go on but fortunately I was able to call on the services of old friend and yacht designer Hugh Welbourne who in return for several crates of Mountgay Rum put the lines drawing though his computer from which Jamie was able to have a male plug for the hull built. He then used a mould taken off a 5.0.5 for the deck resulting in a beautiful looking and comfortable boat to sail which is also very quick tacking in any breeze

As the build proceeded the costs were getting rather high and Iain Donnell was bought in is as a partner in the syndicate. That was not a “happy marriage” and I ended up having to buy his share out but such is life!

 It took a number of years for Adventurer to be successful. There was too much weight forward and it was not until the mast (and its weight) was moved back 8 ins in the boat that she was transformed. Though at the time most people put it down to a change in paint job from my beloved palatinate purple to Jamie’s preferred bullet grey

Her first success was Queen’s Cup 2014 where she was helmed by Simon Blake but she has regularly been on the podium since. Her best year so far being 2018 where she came close to a clean sweep and won both Thames Championship and Queen’s Cup.

We look forward to future years’ successes and with Jamie always keen to experiment then who knows!

by Jock Wishart 2020