THIRD PILOT CUTTER TOM CUNLIFFE ON NIGHT TWO NEW-BUILDS PERRYMAN ON PILOT TILMAN’S APPROACH TO CLASS NOTES: PILOT REVIEW PAGE 22 PAGE 27 PAGE 28 CUTTERS PAGE 34 SAIL HANDLING PAGE 38 SCILLONIANS PAGE 93 Old meets new Barry pilot Tallulah from ‘Company car’ The legendary A different, CUTTER in cut and thrust returns to the Gweek; Pegasus of an elite explorer’s own and short-lived, SPECIAL off St Mawes Bristol Channel from Bristol professional methods breed of boats A new twin for Peggy

A labour of love for builder Dave Cockwell has produced a The new: Dave Cockwell’s Polly Agatha Left: The original – Peggy, the 1904 luxurious charter boat – and there’s even hanging room for a Rowles-built pilot cutter from which Polly Agatha’s lines were taken ball-gown, reports Martin Smith. Photographs by Ray Little

ave Cockwell has traditional values; her owner, Kim Hartley but, really, she is 2002 Dave decided that to free up enough you can just tell when you start Dave’s project. Her hull is an exact copy of time to pursue his project he would up- Dtalking to him. Immediately our Peggy, the 1904, Rowles of Pill-built pilot sticks and move the family to Falmouth, conversation began, words evoking good cutter that is today owned and sailed by where they had kept various boats – includ- historic working practices, such as appren- Diccon and Jan Pridie, based out of Bristol. ing a Quay Punt – to take on small projects ticeships, engineering, seasoned timber, Over the years Peggy (CB39) has been and begin building the pilot cutter. bespoke service and hard work, began to something of a muse for Bristol-born Dave What he hadn’t accounted for was that crop up. And it certainly helped the image Cockwell. “I set up a workshop at the once again business would become so brisk that we were sat aboard Polly Agatha, the Underfalls yard in Bristol in 1996 and at that the project would again repeatedly be new pilot cutter that Dave’s Falmouth- the time I had done some sailing on Peggy postponed. Before long he realised that based fi rm of boatbuilders had recently with Diccon and Jan. By 1999 I’d decided time-wise he was no better off than when handed over to her new owner. that I wanted to build a replica of her for he was in Bristol. “I was that busy with Polly Agatha is about to embark on a myself, so I took her lines in 2000.” But ferries and motor that I thought, if career as a sea-school and charter boat on the large amount of work he had on at I don’t crack on and build this pilot cutter, the south coast of England in the hands of Underfalls began to get in the way and in I’m going to end up as a motorboat builder. DAN HOUSTON DAN

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The extensive cockpit electronics can be Brightwork is fi nished hidden behind panels with fl exible Coelan

At around a third larger than Peggy would have worked with, Polly Agatha’s rig gives an abundance of power

Plenty of jobs to keep a sea-school crew occupied

, So I turned down some work and made a However, her fate was still not settled as, sailing characteristics of pilot cutters in the in January 2008 it had taken 15,000 – but She’s built of 15⁄8in (41mm) larch on further aloft – up her substantial Douglas-fi r start.” Even so, by 2005 the plan had with a further twist, this buyer later pulled pages of Classic Boat, he thought he’d fi nd he now owns an exact replica of a classic 18in (460mm) centred, 6 x 3in (150 x – and out along the hefty that changed again. Now with four young out following a change in business circum- out what all of the fuss was about. As a wooden craft into which a highly skilled 75mm) oak frames with an opepe cen- extends just beyond her elegant counter, children, Dave realised that owning a large stances. Polly Agatha, by now planked and result his path crossed with that of Dave boatbuilder has put his heart and soul for treline. She goes like a train, thanks largely imagining the array of canvas we were sailing boat was not a viable option; though with deck beams fi tted, was once again Cockwell, and Dave was keen to show him many years. And she’s a superb training to her rig being, at 1,232sqft (114.5m2), about to spread. Winds were forecast to be she was still only in frame, Polly Agatha looking for an owner. the part-fi nished Polly Agatha. Kim was and entertaining vessel. around a third larger than would have been 16mph southwesterlies and as I checked would have to be sold. Enter current owner Kim Hartley. At smitten, and by January 2007 the plan to Now, ‘exact’ and ‘pilot cutter’ are words her normal working rig. Other than the the wind-indicators and burgees in the That year the Southampton Boat Show the time Kim was taking a step back from run a sea-school and charter business was that generally should not be written too bronze fastenings used throughout, and marina around us, I estimated it to be all of invited Dave to put together a classic boat his career in the property business, and formulated around getting Polly Agatha close together in this age of the design’s the deck (teak-covered plywood/epoxy that and some. So, as we were aiming to feature. Classic Boat magazine became the busying himself sailing and renovating fi nished and on the water. ‘modernisation’ but, right down to the composite) she was built the same way as carry full sail for photography purposes, it media sponsor and Dave took the bold step Cygnet of , his 1906, Borgoigne’s of It looks like a savvy move on Kim’s part, empty wine bottles in her ends and the lead Peggy, more than 100 years ago. promised to be a Thesporty restoration sail. of the Lord of exhibiting the still in-frame Polly Agatha Kingston-upon-Thames-built 39ft 10in too. Not only did he end up getting some- pigs cemented beneath her fl oors, Polly’s As Dave, Kim and I with some eight or With Kim preparingNelsonNeat whatdrawer continues is – still,note slowly for in a bid to fi nd a buyer. Miraculously, this (12.1m) – and a vessel with which he thing of a bargain – Dave accounted for the hull is as original as practically possible. so friends and ex-trainees gathered on the him, a fairly unfamiliarthe joinery boat,but – behind steadily I confess the at theto did the trick. A potential customer with the had thought he was very happy. However, remaining work taking 12,000 man-hours, There’s no strip planking, no minimising jetty to prepare for our review sail, I having a quiet scoff companionwaytoHälleviksstrands myself when step raising Varv, money to take the boat forward emerged. after repeatedly reading about the excellent when, in fact, by the time she was fi nished of wetted area and no external lead keel. couldn’t help letting my eyes wander ever- the was mentionedOrust island, – maybe Bohuslän. the

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wind would ease a little, I thought. you get that set to its optimum and then ‘man and boy’ that fable has it always sailed Everyone, however, eagerly accepted the set the main and to match it. When you pilot cutters had coped, but it’s another plans, explained at our pre-casting-off get it right, the boat suddenly starts to aspect that lends itself well to the briefing. Kim’s method for controlling the perform. You can feel it start to pick up.” sea-school scenario. We set about heading crew is with a light touch: he’s professional And, of , he’s right. During one roughly towards Cowes in order to give and clear, yet not over-authoritative, and spell when I was alone at the tiller I was the crew time to become familiar with the it’s a friendly mix that should stand up well putting up with a small amount of lee- feel of the vessel, and Kim gave crewman in the charter and training game. helm. Lazily, I didn’t feel the need to re-set Gary Wakefield the job of reading the The plan for Sailing, as the sail as we were soon to turn about and head manuals in order to perform the initial set business is called, is that Kim, a commer- back towards the Hamble, but you could up on the electronics – “He’s a pilot, so he cially endorsed Yacht Master, will tell the boat was not happy. Everyone likes reading instructions,” was the host and skipper the corporate was contentedly chatting forward, explanation for the delegation. and family charter packages but Dave came and took it Soon, though, Dave and Kim were that will take Polly Agatha as a chance to point out how staring aloft, and they weren’t inspecting from her home port on the small are the adjustments the altostratus, conversation was turning River Hamble around or needed on a boat like this. to the yawning space above the gaff and across the Channel, west to Hauling in on the main- thoughts were congealing around the best Falmouth plus, of course, sheet, moving the huge boom way to deploy the topsail. I’d already local charters in the . perhaps less than a foot, the gleaned from the size of the rig that Kim is Kim’s a member of the British helm balanced to just a modicum a skipper who likes to fly a lot of canvas, Classic Yacht Club and plans to take of and the boat imme- and as we were on a photo-shoot, he had in as much of the south-coast and West- diately felt more lively, picking up speed the perfect excuse to indulge himself. We’d Country classic circuit aboard Polly as the and settling into a groove. With just a few already shaken out – in fact, unrolled – a business allows, with plans to enter the handfuls of mainsheet the whole boat had reef, and before long the triangular topsail Round the Island Race, BCYC regattas, taken on a feeling that is hard to describe. was heading cloudwards too; with no com- the Pilot Cutter Review and, perhaps, the I began to speculate to myself about sail plaints from the photographer, we took on Pendennis Cup later in the year. Alex Day, power and the best use of it, likening it to decidedly more heel. a friend and qualified instructor, will take two engines that may have the same With plenty of keenness still apparent the sea-school and RYA trips once Bowsprit theoretical peak horsepower yet one gives among the crew and an abundance of Sailing has been accredited. a broader spread, making volunteers for each task, I Whatever your view regarding the rele- it much more pleasant in “These boats give shirked the deck duties vance or otherwise of pilot cutter folklore use. Whatever the reason, you back what and headed down the today, surely there can be no better type of a well set in a you put in” central companionway to vessel on which to learn the philosophy of decent breeze, despite all familiarise myself with the sailing in addition to its pure mechanics. of the weight aloft is a joy to helm, and layout below. The companion steps emerge Those new to sailing can only be anyone new to sailing could surely not help into an area just aft of what is a spacious, impressed by the amount of space – accom- but be captivated by it; while the intricacies comfortable and bright saloon. Directly to modation is as comfortable as any you will of getting the most out of such a rig seem port is an L-shaped , which, with vast find on a medium-sized yacht – and echoes to keep even the oldest hand interested. Frigoboat fridge, stacked with beer cans, of the history of sailing are never far away. Our day’s sail had begun as we entered and an additional capacious drop-in cooler, When it comes to the technical side of Southampton Water and raised canvas. gives away something about the style of the sailing, there are pluses too. As Dave Relaxation spread among the crew as the entertainment that’s envisaged. There is Cockwell puts it, “These boats give you hugely under-stressed 75hp Caterpillar also, though, a large diesel-fuelled oven Above left: galley with hob and oven back what you put in.” To illustrate his diesel was turned off and we headed up and twin hotplate for hot meals. Above right: aft cabin and bed point better, he took me through the right wind. As usual, raising the gaff was a Kim has put a lot of thought into all Main pic: Saloon viewed from the nav way to sail a boat of this type. “The most communal affair requiring four crew, with aspects of how the boat is going to work in station. All fit out is in satin finished important thing is that you sail by the stay- peak and throat each needing one to haul practice, and has tried to rationalise many light oak and pale colours sail, that’s the key to it all. On the wind, and another to tail – I wondered how the areas, not least in attempting to minimise the number of different fuel types – diesel, over. Opposite the galley is a comfortable each side. Storage within the table again She has been built gas, meths, lamp oil, etc – that are often and spacious nav station with its extensive gives a clue to Kim’s idea of entertaining; exactly as Peggy needed to power heaters, cookers, lamps, electrical control panel. From the nav seat carefully nestled in purpose-made drawers was 104 years ago engines and so on on bigger boats. Hence it’s easy to access repeaters from the cock- is a comprehensive crystal inventory con- the choice of diesel oven, hotplate and pit-mounted Raymarine electronics and sisting of a full set of wine glasses, a full set heater – the boat requires no gas. E120 chart plotter. There’s also the option of champagne flutes, a set of large tumblers With another piece of forward thinking, of overlaying the display from the Echopilot as well as shots glasses – easily enough glass the bane of many charter boat guests and forward-searching sonar keeping the navi- for a riotous party. those who moor near them – the diesel gator well up to date with position and Moving about below is a straight- generator – has been discarded. Instead condition data. forward affair even when underway, firstly Builder Dave auxiliary battery charging is carried out The saloon itself consists of chintz cov- due to the boat’s exceptionally easy motion Cockwell sits amid silently by an onboard fuel cell running on ered sofa benches down each side of a hefty and inherent stiffness and secondly because the ribs during the ethanol. It’s an additional and slightly oak double-leaf table. The sofas double as of the inclusion of well-placed and substan- build process exotic fuel, but the boon of peace and single berths, and further outboard, at the tial handholds. Also, the space is well quiet looks like paying back many times height of the sofa backs, are additional cots broken up so it’s always possible to find a

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Polly Agatha LOA 45ft (13.7m) Polly Agatha’s make up LWL 40ft (12.2m) The construction of Polly Agatha’s hull is the same as the 1904 pilot Beam 13ft 6in (4.1m) cutter Peggy, from which her lines were taken, though with larch Draught 7ft 6in (2.3m) planking on oak with opepe centreline, whereas Peggy was oak on Displ 22 tonnes oak, with probably elm garboards and keel, and silicon-bronze screws and bolts throughout, rather than Peggy’s bronze nails and iron clamps and rivets. A teak covered plywood/epoxy composite sub-deck has been incorporated for additional strength and stiffness. Beyond her construction though, modernisation has been extensive in the way of equipment and fit out. Her 75hp Caterpillar engine operates through a 2:1 gearbox and a Dutch-built, hydraulic bow-thruster assists with manoeuvring. She has a total of 390Ah of domestic and engine 12 volt battery supply, which is charged by either a Max Power fuel cell or the engine. Lighting throughout the boat is by low amperage LED. Her navigation system is a Raymarine sailing package augmented with EchoPilot forward-facing sonar and McMurdo Navtex. All woodwork above decks has been treated with Coelan flexible polyurethane coating, while her hull is painted with International yacht enamel. All spars are from Noble Masts and her , by Traditional Rigging of Bristol, is of galvanised fittings and wire, with ash blocks. Sails, which include a spinnaker, are from SKB of Penryn, Cornwall. spot in which to wedge your hips, whatever even hanging space for a ball gown – get right. And with all these lines, tacking the sea-state or tack. Throughout the inte- another of Trudi’s stipulations. Again, is an involved affair, requiring a slow turn rior the refreshing fit-out is in pale ‘pippy’ finished in light oak, it’s at least as airy as from the helm, followed by an increasingly oak treated with a satin varnish finish, off- the rest of the boat, despite the huge bed sharp turn as she gets close to the wind, set with white satin-painted wooden and limited headroom. The main heads otherwise she will not get through stays. surfaces, while overhead are large opening and shower room can be accessed from this With both and jib sheets on long iroko skylight hatches. cabin or the main saloon. tackle arrangements lying along the side- The airy, stylish feel is all finished off Without giving away any signs as to his decks, the released sheets need to be run with chromed fittings and a careful use of view on the interior, Dave is keen to point up the deck by hand immediately they’re mirrors. Apparently, Kim’s wife, Trudi, out that Cockwells is happy to build future let go so that the sails come across cleanly. stated “I don’t want something resembling craft to whatever specification is required, And the knack is to catch the two an old men’s club down there,” and the and all aspects can be made to suit cus- tight on the weather side before they fill concept works very well. Traditional pipe tomers’ requirements. Cockwells has – easing the sheets is a lot easier than haul- and slippers it may not be, but welcoming, just laid the keels for two more pilot ing them back in. cheerful and comforting it certainly is. cutters: a 27-ton version for charter With an increasing amount of Going forward past the hefty keel- operator Classic Sailing Ltd, which experience under our belts, tacks stepped mast there is a forward cabin with is similar to Polly Agatha but 3ft were becoming tighter and a heads and shower cubicle directly in the (0.9m) longer, and a second, at there was far less fuss to the bow, which also has some hanging space 55ft (16.7m) and 40 tons, an exact manoeuvres. It became easy to for foulies. This cabin is again bright, hav- replica of the Rowles-built Pet. With imagine the feeling of achieve- ing a large hatch offset to port overhead, a price tag of £450,000 ex-VAT and m e n t t h a t w o u l d and potentially contains a upwards, and a build time of over eight- proliferate after a couple further four berths, though the two upper een months, Dave is keen to get of days on board when a berths are of the canvas sling type and can potential customers to sign up early, crew starts working be slid back if not used. particularly as he buys all of the materials properly together and When found, the last two of the ten – wood, lead, bronze etc – at the time of begin to feel like they are berths come as something of a surprise – contract, thus isolating customers from really sailing this powerful, beautiful they are located in the aft cabin beneath potential price changes through the build and historic craft – she really does give the self-draining cockpit. Here, without and ensuring the wood is correctly sea- back what you put in. doubt, lies the owner’s cabin. Centrally soned at Cockwells’ own timber yard. But, on this day, I felt that the one located in the hull-width room is a full- Going back on deck, I found the crew who was getting the most back from sized, pocket-sprung double bed. There is coming to terms with tacking Polly Agatha: Polly Agatha was builder Dave Cockwell. good provision of floor space to either side she has running backstays as well as three After all the difficulties, his Peggy replica so movement around is easy, though over- sets of sheets, and no , so there’s was finally setting off for a life afloat, affect- head space is limited and the engine, plenty for everyone to do. As I looked ing the lives of an unimaginable number of housed behind layers of sound insulation is again at the amount of sail aloft, I couldn’t people, perhaps for the next 100 years. located at the forward end. It is a sumptu- help thinking that setting the four-part Polly Agatha will be on show at the ous area, having oodles of stowage and backstays was the most important job to Southampton Boat Show, berth No383

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