N2760 Grimalkin

[National 12 Webmaster]

The life of N2760 Grimalkin. Design: Cheshire Cat, designed by: Michael Jackson in 1973

[philipcosson]

on ebay 27/03/07

[djsalt]

Purchased the Boat from Ebay, spent days sanding/ painting/ varnishing it. Then sailed on the Tamar for the season. Great little boat, no leaks or problems but now i'm off traveling to NZ and it's up for Sale.

New wheels on launching trolley, x2 sets of sails (one set is very old but usable).
Marine Paint and Varnish new this season.
Collection from nr Saltash/Plymouth or can be sailed and delivered somewhere along the Tamar!

Ready to sail!

[tonyelgar]

11/ 10/ 07 - purchased Grimalkin. Currently in weymouth, hoping to come to some open events soon!

[tonyelgar]

Grimalkin after some fettling  

[JohnMurrell]

And when the boat was new a Needlespar Mast cost £45.05 fully rigged and the boom was £11.95. A main from Ace of Clubs (now Westaways!) was £31.00 nd the jib 13.50.......................................................
 
 

[tonyelgar]

 

[tonyelgar]

Grimalkin sold to Jemremy Farrow. I understand she shall be sailing in the Evesham area on the river.

[jeremyf]

Yes indeed !
Now residing in Evesham and about to hit the water!
A few little fettles yesterday ( gooseneck position, haliyard cleating, elastics  etc, a few more this evening ( adjusting trolley to fit my combi) and we will be on the river this sunday.
Plans for the winter include a light rub down of the outside and repaint in a bright Cheshire cat Orange complete with graphics but a serious strip of the varnish. She seems to be in really good nick and I would like to have her as attractive inside as out. She is made of rally good timber and it should be shown off. New mast probably and Santa might even come up with some new sails ??

[jeremyf]

Oh, and that name has got to go .....
Something Cat related I think ??
I was thinking of 'Ginger Pussy' but my wife said NO, cant think why ??

[Tim Gatti]

Jeremy - - don't know if you were aware but her name is already cat related.  It's an old word for 'cat'
A grimalkin is also a word used for an old or evil-looking she-cat. The term stems from "gray" (the color) plus "malkin", an archaic word for demon. There are some famous cats of that name in literature too - starting with Shakespeare going right through to some great kid's stories published recently.  The boat, like the name, carries a lot of history - I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to change it - she might get upset and put a curse on you!

[JohnMurrell]

Jemery,
As Tim says, the boat has always been called Grimalkin - right back to the day that Richard Holtum launched her at Queen Mary all those years ago - so a name change could put the curse of the Wicked Witch of the North on you!!!!!!!!! Also the light blue is actually the original colour that she was painted by Impact Boats.

Having disappeared off the classes radar for a while, I saw her racing on Plymouth Sound whilst I was racing my Mini Tonner, she then appeared for sale in the Western Morning News in the autumn of 1994, just as I was thinking about buying another Twelve (I got bored of keelboats!). All it needed was a quick look to see that she just needed a lick of paint and varnish and she would look as good as new - those Ace of Club's sails you have were unused when I bought her!

I took her over to race at Salcombe and that was the start of the classes resurgance on the Estuary! I kept her until 1998 when I sold her on to Chris Cleaves and bought 3396. Chris decided to re-deck the foredeck in the winter of 2000,having broken the original Needlespar mast that Autumn, and then living up to his nickname (Chubby!!) decided that he was too heavy and sold her to Peter Sturgess's son. She rarely touched the water after that, living in a barn outside of Malborough where she languished until rescued in an ebay auction 03/07.
 

[jeremyf]

John / Tim,
Thanks for filling me in on the missing detail.
The name issue is amusing - you can see I never benefitted from a classical education !
I might think about the name - but sorry - the colour has to go. It has made me think though - could be that a nice sharp grey would go well ??
Sails are 'OK' will last us for a bit whilst we get used to her - then a new boom and mast as well as a new suit!
She seems ideal for the river, really quite nimble. Now its just Lesley and I that have to get up to speed !

[jeremyf]

Well !
SWMBO had a real go at me last night !!
The name stays or she reckons I will be hexed!
The colour stays !
No work on the inside till the kitchen is refurbished !
Oh, and adverse comments regarding my lowly status as a 'Cabin Boy' - thinks I need to try harder:o
 

[Tom Ward (Guest)]

Just to add a contemporary tag to the comments already posted re. the name I can add that the creator of my character, the author Joseph Delaney, adopts the name 'Grimalkin' in his series, 'The Wardstone Chronicles'. Five books in a series have been published so far beginning with the title 'The Spooks Apprentice' and the sixth is due early in 2009. In the forth story, 'The Spooks Battle', the Malkins are one of the three clans of Pendle witches at the centre of the plot. 'Grimalkin' is a most feared elder witch of the Malkin clan who has been reponsible for murder.
..............'Grimalkin' is the 'assasin witch'.

Warner Bros hold the film rights to the first story and the film of 'The Spooks Apprentice' is well into pre-production. I should be appearing on the big screen soon, staff in hand.
The stories are directed at children but just like Harry Potter they are attractive to adults. They are fast paced, exceptionally well crafted, and I highly recommend them to parents of 8-14 y.os. for encouraging their kids to read. ...................available at all good book sellers!

Tom Ward, Appentice to the Spook.