Yacht "Swift"

[Swiftlady]

Merry meet! - Shwmae! - Hello!

I am the Lady of Yacht Swift - a beautiful gaff rig cutter 30ft, 1931 teak built out of Plymouth, a working boat but with the most beautiful lines.

I first met Swift in 1988 when I visited my best friend John the Sailor in Plymouth to take her on her virgin sail since refitting with him as new owner. I stayed on board with him in great comfort with Swift's warm stove keeping me cosy.
John was about to sail her to the Hebrides with his girlfriend who had just gone up there ahead of John.
Being mischievous I played up locally as his "second lady," which I was not in any way; fussing over him royally, and delighting in the small wave of scandal that resulted. John's male standing was much enhanced needless to say.

On her virgin sail with us (which was my virgin sail too) I was utterly captivated by the experience. Words still fail me for that first day becoming part of a mighty wooden person who was in turn part of massive water and skies and air pressures.
Unfortunately John didn't realise how delicate my face was so didn't warn me to wear a sunhat or block. I have ever since been less a pale rose and more a ruddy one as my pic shows!

The joke of playing up as my captain's 'second lady' was very much a joke on us though as slightly less than a year later I became the first and only Lady for John and Swift. A huge surprise as neither of us thought of each other like that at all. But apparently the lady Swift has a history of love stories.
I spent my honeymoon sailing the Hebrides to bring Swift home to Wales, including the Corrie Brechan and Crinan canal - never will I forget throwing string up 20ft canal walls! - and me a city girl too!

Returning to Plymouth some years later with our baby boy, John went to the boatyard and chatted with the blokes there without me - they remembered him well. Much talk of Swift of course but eventually John mentioned he'd married. Ah they asked ... which one? The second one said my John. Mmmm they said. Thought you'd end up with her, best thing that.
I was highly flattered to hear it.

We were 40 when we got together so I came to sailing late. I remember making drawings of Swift to understand her better solemnly labelling her bits like a map so I knew their names.
Sadly we both had long illnesses that stopped us sailing for many years and poor Swift has been much neglected. Her mast has gone and there are some small patches of rot, though thank goodness wet not dry.

But at last as we turn 60 we're getting her much overdue restoration going. Her lovely teak is to be stripped back and oiled, and a solid Scandinavian pine mast crafted just as she had originally pre war, plus new engine, etc etc. Having been burned by the likes of Humphrey Poulson in the past on a "professional" refit, we are doing almost all this third refit ourselves.

Our strong young son - now almost grown up - has been sailing with dad on smaller boats as he's grown up, including some day sails with the ICC, but not on Swift herself since he was too young to remember it now. To him poor Swift is a looming structure in a boatyard with a tall ladder to climb up to reach her. But Swift is definitely now waking up again.

Our greatest dream is to sail Swift together once again, and to share her with our son as a young man. That won't be till 2010 - there's a lot to do, but I'll keep you posted.

[sharpii2]

You ought to snap a picture of her.

[Manie B]

Good story !!!

keep up the good work

and PLEASE post pictures - a small cheap digital camera works well

[lazeyjack]

nice to hear a humane story
i was out biking today
I met this ole geezer, abt 72 who had sailed around the world on his Nicholsen 48, he had been simply EVERYwhere
He got here, Mooloolaba Au and she died
he is so lonely now, sold the boat, so I invited him to dinner
Cruising folk, generally make interesting company, their children end up being well rounded, lively, and fun
I started sailing too late too, I was 13, thats why I was not world champ!!
I bought a P for my sons at early age, they ignored it, and sit by pc all day
heartbreaking