Is this a 12 or something else

[Alistair (Guest)]

I bought this as a national 12 but there is some debate as to wether or not it might be a tideway, its 12 ft, clinker built and has a gaf rig.  What do people think?? Also what is the best stuff to use to fill in small cracks and splits in the wood.

Thanks

[MikeDay]

Hard to say from the photos but it doesn't look right to me, especially the transom.  Very few Twelves have ever had gaff rigs.  If it's a Twelve, it should also have a vertical stem (can't tell from your photos).  Finally, it should have a number carved into the transom or the thwart.  That number will be lower than 1153 (the number of the first glued ply Twelve).  No number = definitely not a 12.  If you can find the number, we might be able to verify via the class record.

Mike D
N3496

[tedcordall]

We've got lots of tideways at our club, though I've never studied them closely. I'll go and have a look and let you know.

[Ken Goddard (Guest)]

I agree with Mike Day's summary. Another point: gaff rigged boats dont usually have long slender masts like this, but shorter stoffer masts. I tend to think that this is not a National Twelve, but one from a number of local one designs which existed at clubs round the country, such as the Helford River One Design, or Axe Yacht Club One Design.

Ken Goddard
Vintage Wing Representative ( for a few more days)

[tedcordall]

I've been and had a look at the tideways. Its definitely not one. The transom is too square and the forefoot isn't rounded enough. There is also a quite distinctive tumblehome on your boat which the tideways don't have. Most of the tideways also have a really stumpy mast about as long as the boat, though one or two are bermudan rigged and have taller thinner masts similar to yours.

Can't help with the woodwork either, I'm afraid.