Tara

Tara was the last boat built from the Ulva mould before it was destroyed and the only one with a carbon-fibre-aramid hull.  She was built as Caprice V by Steve Neal in the boatshed at Tamesis and completed in May 2001.  She was finished in something of a hurry for the Ossie Stewart run Caprice IV syndicate who wanted her for BEW.  This accounts in part for her reduced freeboard and cockpit depth compared to others from the mould and the extensive use of softwood where hardwood would have been better.  The minimum class weight is 750lb, so she carries a fair number of corrector weights thus negating the advantage of a light building material.  On the other hand, the hull is strong, stiff and easy to maintain.

Caprice V moved to UTSC in 2003 when she was bought by Brian Reed, the late Patrick Walmsley and me, although I am now the sole owner.  We had previously been sailing Dainty Too and were looking for a boat which would be easier to maintain.  The name was confusing and as we had no link with the other Caprice we decided after the 2004 season to rename her Tara.  Film buffs and literati will know this is the name of the house in Gone With The Wind.

Tara has been based at Bourne End since 2003 with regular excursions to sail on the Broads in the Three Rivers Race.  We’re pleased to be the only Rater which has always had a lady in the crew for the race and the only one to have been skippered by a lady – Rosie on three occasions.  Our best results are a second to finish and twelfth on corrected time.  We’ve taken her twice to sail on the Seine at Les Mureaux and occasionally for the autumn regattas at Minima and Tamesis.

Tara on the Seine 2017.  Nicki, Dan, David – Photo DTF