Sunday, October 18, 2009

Romilly Pocket Cruiser

In the last six months we've seen the Romilly pocket cruiser come up a couple times and it never ceases to delight...
Phil Holden, the author of the website; Roxane & Romilly, Traditional Hi-Tech wrote to me today from the UK:


"Quite a few people have contacted me recently and provided excellent photographs and descriptions [of Romilly]. I wanted to let everyone know that there is new content on the site and to give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed. The web site is now becoming a valuable resource for Romilly and Roxane owners."

"Some articles are very inspiring, I would never have decided to build a Romilly in cold moulded veneers but Thomas Huber's hull looks stunning. Bill Buchholz has built using lapstrake construction and has modified the rig to high peaked gaff in a very simple way. Constantinos Peraticos has built a lovely Romilly which looks very Greek simply by the choice of colour scheme."

"Other recent articles provide practical information on hauling out and cabin layout. I've found every one valuable and have delighted to see the excellent photographs which are now on the site."

"We now have contributions for Romilly and Roxane owners in Greece, Scotland, Holland, England, Ireland, Germany, Finland and the US."

"If you visit the site you will see that I have reorganized it on a subject basis rather than by date."

The photo is provided by Bill Buchholz who has built the Romilly clinker fashion, rather than strip planked and changed the lug rig to a gaff. Here we see him coming home - near midnight - in Finland.

His explanation of the changes:

"Regarding the lapstrake construction, I really felt that it would look good with this design. Romilly has some sort of work boat inspiration behind her and while I don’t know for sure, I suspect that a lot of the coastal fishing boats on both sides of the Channel were clinker."

There is a lot more on Phil's website and I heartily recommend a visit.
.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Super boat!!! My compliments.
We are buiding the boat for the next year trip, from London to Istanbul via European rivers. A Ness Yawl with some little modifications.
But now I really love this boat details.. Uhhm...Tomorrow in the shipyard will talk about it.

Hi Michael, how are you? Finally back from Greece and Turkey where I left Brancaleon. (in Kos island, Greece)
Everybody loved your blog in Greece.

We sailed with Meltemi (the super wind of Aegean sea)Simply flying!! Constantly 40 knots for one week and waves not bigger than 10 feet. Many islands to stop them. Just a storm jib and we made quite(sic) comfortably 6 knots. Suffering and two hands on the mainsail 9. Wind "al traverso" or "giardinetto". (90° or 120°)
And sun, allways sun.
Will soon send you some pics.

All my best and hugs

doryman said...

Il mio buon amico!
Al traverso or giardinetto, what more could a person ever want?!!? (Only if life were always so sweet...)
I was just thinking of you and wondering how (and where) you are. I was not aware that you had joined Canto Mediterraneo, though I knew Brancaleon would soon reach her winter port.
I'm very excited about the trans-Europe trip and anxious to hear more details. The Romilly would be a great boat for such a trip and would give more diversity in sailing options. But it would be much heavier and harder to row, much like the Eun Na Mara. I understand that it has been built lapstrake (or clinker) and is much lighter that the strip planked boat.
Anther good design would be the Chebacco by Phil Bolger, which, built clinker fashion is a very pretty boat: http://dory-man.blogspot.com/search?q=chebacco
All the best to you, too, my friend!
a presto,
michael

Anonymous said...

Grande Michael,

waitying for you here. One day you will come I am sure. Or I will come there.
We can really take care of your beautiful mind here.

I was, in truth, refering to Sparrow. I posted it in the wrong place, even if I am totally in love with Romilly too..

All my best and buon vento


How are you? And Mistral?

doryman said...

My friend,
I had a feeling you might be talking about Sparrow, she is so much like your Ness Yawl.
Kees, the man who built her is from the Netherlands, I believe, and he has sailed with Iain in RAIDs in Europe.
I would love to take the opportunity to join you on your next journey to the Black Sea. It would be a highlight of my life. As always, it comes down to money and time.
michael

Anonymous said...

Just come! We will find the money, you can find it there too to come. When you will be here you will forget money, all the people will help us. I already received a brand new powerbook from Apple, a new Iphone (lost my old phone falling in the water one day) some new solar panels from the Solon industry www.solon.com and so on.. I just work a lot to talk about our new project, about our commitment to talk about water, about the river's problems, the people problems, the possible solutions for a sustainable local economy and so on.. We don't ask but people offer to us spontaneously their help. Not easy but when they see our transparency, lack of greed, and serious planning they come and join our project. It is really wonderful. I was very pessimistic before.. Try Michael, find your sun and share it..you are already doing it with your marvellous and intense blog..
You WILL BE WITH US somewhere along the 5000 km between London and Istanbul. That's all. I know it. We know it. Right?

All my hugs to you and the waters around you
g

cco'h said...

Wonderful boat! And an equally wonderful blog, which I have only just discovered!

doryman said...

Giacomo,
You make me think. London to Isanbul. What a dream!

michael

doryman said...

cco'h,

I'm so glad you stopped by and enjoyed yourself... please come back anytime! There are lots of nice boats around here, and if there is anything you'd like to explore let me know.

michael