Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms I cant stop looking at..............?

Giles, That is a beautiful boat. Is it a Ron Holland design or an S&S? I remember sailing one around the Isle of Wight, what a wonderful experience.[/quote]

It's a Sparkman & Stephens from 1972. To my eyes, its one of the prettiest boats ever to come out of the Nautor yard (against some pretty stiff competition).

The photo is from the last day of the 2019 Voiles de Saint Tropez, heading in to the finish line; we beat all of the lightweight boats with fancy carbon sails in this picture; we had the lowest IRC rating in our class and had sailed a blinder that day.

She still has the original trim tab on the keel (very fashionable at the time); most of the class have got rid of them because they cost half a foot in rating under IOR, and certainly didn't give that much advantage. In the right conditions she is like a magic carpet to sail, but pretty slow in light airs, and like all boats of that era rolls like anything downwind in a blow. She has massive headsails (the big spinnaker is 150M2, and quite a handful when things get a bit frisky).

Any boat is a money pit but then what else can you do with money but spend it? If not why esle work to get it?

Personally, I cant see the point of a boat without a mast and whats more floating in a ditch.


Yes, they are fun. I sailed a Farrier 32 foot equivalent in the Bristol channel once, when the Polish 3 master sail training ship was motoring down to sea. And in a wind that couldnt have been more than 15 kn we sailed a full circle round the Polish barque at anywhere between 12 and 18kn. All calm and under control too. Very impressive.

But you are wrong in one respect - I wouldnt dream of having one on a drying berth. Far too light build and too easy for rocks and rubbish to damage the hull and even hole it. We had a 24 ft cat do just that on a mud berth near here. Wore through the hull where it grounded.


Pal has just managed to get rid of a Swan of that sort of age and about 40/45 ft. Only way he could shift it was to take a Ferrari 355 in as a part ex. It really was an expensive boat to keep up to scratch and a problem to crew properly since it neede quite a few people.

Yes !! watched them all. Hes very good isnt he

I wouldn't want to keep such a boat on a drying mooring, but the ability to creek crawl, and occasionally take the ground opens up so many possibilities.



That's exactly why I've resisted joining the syndicate. The boat eats money, and as you say, was designed to be sailed with a large crew; we race her with a crew of 8 or 9. I would want any boat that I own to be fun to sail short handed.

Lovely boat ! and great name


Did you use the boat as a constant cruiser or holiday home ?

Hahah 'floating in ditch'

I think if there's an itch there, and you can scratch it, then you should.
A "stick n rag" boat on the open sea never appealed to me because it's not something I'd experienced when I was forming an opinion on boating, I'd experienced a motorboat " in a ditch" and lochs and I loved it. Each to their own in my opinion.
Sure, boats are a money pit, but how can you put a price on an enjoyable and relaxing hobby? A Morgan could well be described as a folly by some people, personally I think it's worth every penny I invested in it. I don't want to be on my deathbed with covid thinking I could have done this and that but didn't!

I worked at an undertaker's for a number of years, there was a saying there, " there are no shops in the graveyard"

I initially avoided locks especially when single handing and its still a relief to get to the end of a long flight but I actually enjoy using them now. Having said that the Canal and River Trust who took over management of canals and many rivers from British Waterways a few years ago, had a big volunteer recruitment drive. As a result many of the long lock flights have such to help you through, dramatically reducing passage times.

A 55 foot boat length will certainly ease concerns with shorter locks but gives a quite dramatic reduction in accomodation space inside given outside width of hull is limited to 6 foot 10 inches to allow passage through the nominal 7 foot narrow canal locks.

As mentioned above and with eyes open to any limitations I might suffer I spec'd a 60 foot length and was pleased it was not built a fraction of an inch more. The Salterhouse wide locks on the Calder & Hebble navigation with nominal length of 57 feet were the greatest challenge so far, but I managed them by positioning diagonally after removing front and rear fenders, but with absolutely nothing to spare. Even then I could only have managed ascending in a lock due to top gate cill considerations. I would add that with the 15mm base plate I spec'd and vintage diesel my boat is quite heavy nudging 20 tons, giving a draught of 34 inches! Yes I've been aground many times in shallow sections but as the bottom is usually mud have always managed to continue even if an occasional short tow was involved in the case of poorly dredged bridge holes.

The boat safety certificate due every four years after new is usually passed without issue if you keep your boat reasonably well maintained, with most I know carrying out their own. Bitumen blacking of the hull every three years involving a haul out can be a notable expense but hoping to do the work myself this year, Covid limitations permitting.

Do you have to have a lift out for the safety certificate or is it a box tick.......Em

The latter Em although it covers many safety related aspects including electrical, gas, diesel and stove installations. Stowage of related in correct locations etc.


I'm registered as a continuous cruiser Bonesie but don't live on the boat. Each winter I find a different marina to keep the boat allowing a change of view when staying onboard. Due to Covid the boat is spending a second winter in Thorne though.

Generally with ad hoc moorings on the canal banks you are allowed a maximum of 14 days. Visitor moorings vary from 24 hours to 7 days max. The low life's who abuse these rules are given the tongue in cheek title of "continuous moorers" although C & RT now have regular patrols in most locations.