Galatea
... and her new tender Άκις (akis)
We became the new keepers of Galatea in August 2007. She's a 1910 design by Albert Strange (http://www.albertstrange.org) and it the transom version of design number 112, which in its canoe sterned version is known as Cherub III, Albert's own last boat. Galatea was built in 1930 by Anderson, Ridgen and Perkins in Whitstable in Kent, of pitch pine on oak frames. Although designed as a gaff yawl, she was built as a gaff cutter, presumably similar to her sistership Ariel. Sometime, probably around the 50s or 60s, she was converted to Bemudian cutter, in which form she came into the hands of Richard Blomfield, who looked after her for over 30 years.
Richard Blomfield maintained her very much in traditional and authentic style and around 1996/7 had her rerigged as per the original design ... as a gaff yawl, including the 1910 design roller reefing spar on the jib. That and other work like a new transom, was done by Alan Staley at Faversham in Kent.
Galatea at an Albert Strange Association sailing meet in 2014.
Galatea just before we bought her, on her old mooring at Wrabness. The headsail spar is off for repair .. you can see it lying to port, so the bobstay is also slack.
The crew's quarters. These little chaps live inside the bottle screws and seem totally at home in the rigging. Their hammocks are to a traditional design. I haven't yet managed to get them to do any work, other than cleaning up flies..
August 2008
We've now had Galatea for a little over a year. I spent quite some time over the winter cleaning, burning off, painting and varnishing, rewiring and so on. Still more to do, though as those toe-rails remains rather drab. I repainted the hull in a very pale cream and now wish I'd stayed a little darker. This winter she'll go darker again.
We unstepped both masts and I sanded most of the spars back to bare wood, coating them with Coelan. This is impressive stuff if hard work to apply to spars. Rather like painting with thick treacle. Unfortunately my arrangements to do this undercover were scuppered by the boatyard owner who took my slot in the shed. As a consequence they were done outside in less than perfect weather and are a little "pebbledashed" as a consequence. Not too bad but definitely not the concours finish they should have been. Made spending a total of UKP 500 of cranage and Coelan seem a rather poor deal!
We went to the Albert Strange Association meeting in Brightlingsea where we met up with a few people we already know and rather more that we know now. All those new names and faces will take a little while to get used to. The sail back to Maylandsea was loosly in company with Jamie Clay and others on Firefly, when we were able to take and later exchange photographs.
So,,, now we have a couple more photographs for the web page. One of Galatea (foreground) and Charm (background), with cockpits full of Strangers, one of Galatea under sail and one of Firefly under sail.
Galatea's and Charm's Cockpits with assorted Strangers
Photo by Jamie Clay; Thanks Jamie.
Galatea Under Sail
Photo by Jamie Clay; Thanks Jamie.
Sails are by Wilkinson's in Faversham. The sails are quite a few years old now, but after a valet people thought we had a new set, as they're still in fine shape. They're really well made with great fabric, roped edges, leathers and so on. I've just had a lugsail made by them for a new tender. It cost a bit more than the quote from another very well known sailmaker, but extra was well worth paying. This too is a superb sail to an exceptional standard.
Firefly Under Sail
Photo by yours truly
