The life of N1833 Water Nymph. Design: Mark 9, designed by: Ian Proctor in 1959
Previous boat names: Water Nymph, Wood Nymph, prior to reverting to Water Nymph.
Owned by my father in the late 60's and early 70's and in which I crewed for him in many races and open meetings. Waternymph was rescued by me from sure death at Llangorse SC in South wales in the late 80"s where she was found abandoned lying in the grass with much rot apparent. Reborn at Tamesis Club following extensive work and enjoyed a couple of years sailing on the Thames at Tamesis and Ranelagh. Following my move to Scotland she enjoyed a few outings and cruises on the Forth and was raced at Strathclyde Loch SC in 1994 where I taught my wife to sail and where we placed 2nd in the Club Championship despite having to sail off a modern handicap! She has now been idle now since then. Currently sitting on the trailer in my garden awaiting some of my time and attention.....
Claim to fame -quote from Robin Steavenson's "Story of the National Twelves" -
"Perhaps the best performance on record of the IX is during the practice for the 1961 Burton Week when in a light steady wind the fleet was led by Geoffrey Coop's IX, Water Nymph and my Witch Hunter for the first round. Then John Oakeley in his X, Ad Lib, came through on the beat, but on the run home Witch-Hunter came up from 10 seconds astern to finish about a minute ahead,...Geoffrey's Water Nymph was a close third".
Here is a picture of my father and I sailing Waternymph at Llyn Aled SC in 1970. I am 8!
After languishing in garden and garage since the mid 90's Waternymph is now with Brian Herring where she will undergo a complete restoration, refit and modernisation and will be back sailing again in 2009! Can't wait!
The work on WaterNymph has been progressing well. Brian has been recording the restoration of Water Nymph with photographs and I post a selection here to document progress for those interested.
Here are some internal views - decks off and centreboard case out to repair rot in the hog and keel. A new centreboard case with wooden plate will go in to replace the old heavy alloy plate.
Here are some internal and external views of the rot in the hog, with the keel now also removed
With everything stripped out Brian weighed the hull - 63kg - not a bad place to start from for a 50 year old boat!
Here are some views of the damaged areas cut out ready for the repair and rebuild to start
Here is the new hog and keel going in
Hull exterior being cleaned up and new centreboard slot and bailer cutaways
Another internal shot showing bailer cutaways and sidebench supports renoved
More pics to follow as progress continues. A new suit of Alverbanks is on order to do the rejuvenated hull justice...and be her first suit of new sails (not hand-me-downs) since the early 60's suit of Windward sails she still has! My children are excited by the thought of sailing the boat their grand-father used to sail in! The question is what Club shall we base her at...?
Here are some pictures of my father and I sailing WaterNymph in 1972/1973 at Llyn Aled SC high on the Denbigh Moors. The pictures are not the best but I think nicely capture the atmosphere of Llyn Aled in th early 70's. Sadly the Club is no more!
next pic
and next
finally got round to finding the rest of the pics I intended to post.....
Coming ashore - I especially like the early 70's fashion. thats me in the yellow lifejacket...
another view of Llyn Aled
and two scenes of WaterNymph moored between races on a windless day...
WaterNymph celebrated her 50th birthday with completion of her full restoration by Brian Herring. Brian has done a superb job and she is now back home in Scotland ready to sail.
The pictures below show Brian and Ros conducting her first "sea trials" and encouragingly she seems quick enough to hold her own in a modern fleet - rounding the windward mark first and then opening a gap on the next two reaches. Brian then retired whilst in the lead to make adjustments to the Board and rig.
Some photographs taken by Brian Herring. Competing for the Shotgun Trophy at leigh and Lowton SC 25th August 2012. Crew Haydn Griffiths.
Scottish Champs Annandale 2011...chasing Howard Chadwick in N2266.....pic courtesy Jennie Clark.