Gulvain
Encyclopedia
Gulvain is a 55-ft ocean-racing sloop
named after the mountain Gaor Bheinn
(or "Gulvain"). Designed by Jack Laurent Giles
for Jack Rawlings
, she was based on the earlier boats Maid of Malham and Myth of Malham. She was built in Shoreham
by Sussex Shipbuilding Company, owned by Rawlings, and launched on 27 June 1949. She was made from Birmabright
, making her the first ocean racing yacht to be made from an aluminium
alloy
. Aluminium was used for strength, not weight: she displaces 16.5 ton
s and weighs 23 ton
s, including ballast
. She was one of the first boats to have a metal mast
. Her hull
has a reverse sheer, and she has a Masthead rig
.
She proved to be a very successful boat, winning her maiden race from Cowes
to Dinard
and back. She was forced to retire from the 1949 Fastnet Race
, but performed well in the Newport Bermuda Race in 1950, and was first home in the first postwar transatlantic race from Bermuda
to Plymouth
immediately afterwards. She was skipped for both races by Humphrey Barton, and amongst the crew was Tim Heywood
. She was bought by John Tassos in 1965, and by Robert Schyberg in 1988. She was renovated in 1991 and took part in her second Fastnet Race in 1991.
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
named after the mountain Gaor Bheinn
Gaor Bheinn
Gaor Bheinn, also known as Gulvain or Culvain, is a mountain in Scotland, to the north of the road west of Fort William , and south of Loch Arkaig. It is composed of banded granite and shaped like a letter Y, with two tops connected by a ridge running from northeast to southwest, with the northern...
(or "Gulvain"). Designed by Jack Laurent Giles
John Laurent Giles
John Laurent Giles was a famous yacht designer. He and his company designed more than 1000 boats from cruises, racing yachts to "megayachts". He is best known for his design of displacement sailing yachts like the famous 7.6 meter Vertue of which 230 boats made, or Wanderer III...
for Jack Rawlings
Jack Rawlings
John W. Rawlings, known as Jack Rawlings is an English former amateur footballer who played as an inside forward.-Club career:Rawlings played as an amateur for Enfield, Hayes and Hendon.-International career:...
, she was based on the earlier boats Maid of Malham and Myth of Malham. She was built in Shoreham
Shoreham-by-Sea
Shoreham-by-Sea is a small town, port and seaside resort in West Sussex, England. Shoreham-by-Sea railway station is located less than a mile from the town centre and London Gatwick Airport is away...
by Sussex Shipbuilding Company, owned by Rawlings, and launched on 27 June 1949. She was made from Birmabright
Birmabright
Birmabright is a trade name of the former Birmetals Co. for various types of lightweight sheet metal in an alloy of aluminium and magnesium. The constituents are 7% magnesium, sometimes 1% manganese, and the remainder aluminium...
, making her the first ocean racing yacht to be made from an aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
. Aluminium was used for strength, not weight: she displaces 16.5 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s and weighs 23 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s, including ballast
Sailing ballast
Ballast is used in sailboats to provide moment to resist the lateral forces on the sail. Insufficiently ballasted boats will tend to tip, or heel, excessively in high winds. Too much heel may result in the boat capsizing. If a sailing vessel should need to voyage without cargo then ballast of...
. She was one of the first boats to have a metal mast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
. Her hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
has a reverse sheer, and she has a Masthead rig
Masthead rig
A masthead rig on a sailing vessel consists of a forestay and backstay both attached at the top of the mast.The Bermuda rig can be split into two groups: the masthead rig and the fractional rig. The masthead rig has larger and more headsails, and a smaller mainsail, compared to the fractional...
.
She proved to be a very successful boat, winning her maiden race from Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
to Dinard
Dinard
Dinard is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.Dinard is on the Côte d'Émeraude of Brittany. Its beaches and mild climate make it a popular holiday destination, and this has resulted in the town having a variety of famous visitors and residents...
and back. She was forced to retire from the 1949 Fastnet Race
Fastnet race
The Fastnet Race is a famous offshore yachting race. It is considered one of the classic offshore races. It takes place every two years over a course of . The race starts off Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England, rounds the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and then finishes at...
, but performed well in the Newport Bermuda Race in 1950, and was first home in the first postwar transatlantic race from Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
immediately afterwards. She was skipped for both races by Humphrey Barton, and amongst the crew was Tim Heywood
Tim Heywood
Geoffrey Beresford Heywood MBE DL , known as Tim Heywood, was a soldier and bureaucrat. He served as the chief signals officer of the Long Range Desert Group in the Second World War...
. She was bought by John Tassos in 1965, and by Robert Schyberg in 1988. She was renovated in 1991 and took part in her second Fastnet Race in 1991.
External links
- Yacht's website
- Humphrey Barton from the Ocean Cruising ClubOcean Cruising ClubThe Ocean Cruising Club is an international club administered from the UK for cruisers. Members are identified by a distinctive blue and yellow burgee with a stylized Flying Fish on the blue part of the flag....
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