Pre-1950 Boats Still Floating, 2025 | River Deben Association

As explained in this introductory RDA Journal post, we’re beginning a year-long project to identify our oldest boats of any type and size—just so long as they’re floating! (Either with the tide, if they live on a beach or are in use as a houseboat, or seasonally if they are laid up ashore for part of the year.) Venerable wrecks like the Lady Alice Kenlis (1867) who no longer rises with the flood, or the longer term inhabitants of the Woodbridge Boatyard’s ‘rehoming shed’, can’t qualify – unless their fortunes change. Many do, however!

Here we list those already identified. If you’d like to add yours, please see the introductory RDA Journal post linked above, which includes a form (and/or email/postal addresses) that we’ve love you to use to let us know about her!

They’ll be added to this page (in batches) in the order we receive the submissions, so you can return, scroll to the bottom of the page and see what’s been added. If you’re looking for a specific boat, you can use the following (alphabetical) TOC – simply click the link to jump to the boat.

Cachalot

30′ length, 9′ beam, 4’3″ draught. Auxiliary gaff cutter with topsail.
Built in 1898 in Folkestone, Kent as a gentleman’s yacht.
Owned by Steve Yates for 20 years, used as a pleasure yacht.
Bought at Suffolk Yacht Harbour, now moored at the Tidemill Yacht Harbour.

See the RDA Journal article “‘Cachalot’ (1898): a ‘gentleman’s yacht’ and a Dunkirk ‘little ship’”.

2007: restoration, deck

Image 5 of 11

taking out more wood . . .

Peter Duck

28′ length, 9’6″ beam, 3’6″ draught, 8 tons. Motor sailer ketch.
Built in 1946 at King’s in Pin Mill on the River Orwell as a pleasure yacht.
Owned by Julia Jones and Francis Wheen for 25 years, used as a pleasure yacht.
Bought in Woodbridge, now moored at Kyson (April-November) and laid up at Woodbridge Boatyard.

Initially built for author Arthur Ransome and kept on River Orwell. Came to Deben 1957, owned by June and George Jones. Sold 1984 after George’s death but remained on Deben except for period approx 1996-1998 when in St Petersburg.

Peter Duck.

Stinger

14 feet, 317 lbs. Dragonfly no 17.
Built in 1949 at Robertsons for one design racing and day sailing.
Owned by the Dragonfly class for 15 years, and is now for sale! Used for racing and pleasure sailing.
Lives at Waldringfield.

This was the first Dragonfly to be launched (despite her number). Believed to have spent many years down at Wrabness. Previous owners: Cyril Stollery (1949), Tim Spurg (1997), J Turnbull (known to own in 1999), unknown owner – boat is found again (2005), David Copp (2010). Restored 2024 by Richard Smithson and James Palmer at Larkmans over 10 months.

Stinger.

Imogen

14 feet, 291 lbs. Dragonfly no 4.
Built in 1949 at Nunn Bros, Waldringfield for one design racing and day sailing.
Owned by Richard Smithson for 22 years, used for racing and pleasure sailing.
Lives at Waldringfield.

Previous names Temper and Trent 2. Previous owners: Paul King (1949), Leo Upton (1967), RW Tattersall (1976), Peter Maddison (1980), Philip A Peg (1994, 1997). Major restoration undertaken by Richard Smithson in 2022: ‘She was in a terrible state with her keel pushed right up into the center of the boat. I restored this boat by myself and basically only the planks are original and even some of them are new. This project took me a year but I was retired, working on it nearly every day.’

Imogen.

Wings

14 feet, 288 lbs. Dragonfly no 5.
Built in 1949 at Nunn Brothers, Waldringfield for one design racing and day sailing.
Owned by Spencer Wicks for 12 years, used for racing and pleasure sailing.
Lives at Waldringfield.

Previous owners: GA Revett (1949), WS Kean (1972), Alan Canham (1977, known to still own in 1983), Mr Tapani (1991), Harry Storey (1994), Jonathan Hopper (1998), Rosanne Black/Reid (2003, 2013). Restored 2020 by Richard Smithson and Larkmans: ‘This boat has had major work carried out on it by myself and Larkmans as a rolling project.’

Wings.

Leo

14 feet, 311 lbs. Dragonfly no 9.
Built in 1949 at Nunn Brothers, Waldringfield for one design racing and day sailing.
Owned by Robert Bellfield for 4 years, used for racing and pleasure sailing.
Lives at Waldringfield.

Original name Oriel. Previous owners: Jack Hoylans (1949), David Mace (1971), RN Squirrel (1976), P Bellfield (1982 & 1983), Lee Douglas (1993), Chris Baker (1993), John Palmer (2008), Peter Blythe (2013). Restored 2009.

Leo.

Pink Djinn

14 feet, 321 lbs. Dragonfly no 10.
Built in 1949 at Nunn Brothers, Waldringfield for one design racing and day sailing.
Owned by Richard Smithson for 19 years, used for racing and pleasure sailing.
Lives at Waldringfield.

Original name Windrush. Previous owners: D Thompson (1949), John Buck (1967), CRC Bradbury (1976), G Reeve (1982), Michael Hearn (1983), Ron Josslyn (1999), Garry Newton (2006). Restored 2015 by Richard Smithson: ‘A total rebuild with every plank removed and the boat totally re riveted. The only original part again are the planks. This project took me ten years as I only had evenings as I was then still working.’

Pink Djinn.

Prinses Juliana

72 feet, 45 tons. Originally sails and motor, now just motor.
Built in 1910.
Owned by Paul Scoggins for 4 years, used as a houseboat.
Bought via local estate agents, moored at Robertsons Boatyard.

Photos forthcoming.

Seafarer

54 feet. Engine now decommissioned.
Built in 1949 as a fishing trawler.
Owned for 9 months, used as a houseboat.
Bought from a good friend, moored at the Ferry Quay.

Photos forthcoming.

Jubilee

21 feet, 3 tons. Cherub, sail with auxiliary engine.
Built in 1935 at Eversons as a cruiser racer yacht.
Owned by Woodbridge Boatyard for 5 years, used as a cruiser racer yacht.
Bought at Larkmans, now moored at Woodbridge Boatyard

Built for Rev D Symon. Owned by Mr B Green for 35 years before being bought back by the yard.

Photos forthcoming.

Lasher

120 feet, 300 tons. Dumb barge.
Built in 1949 for general cargo.
Owned by Woodbridge Boatyard for 5 years, used as a floating workshop.
Bought on the River Thames, now moored at Woodbridge Boatyard.

Used by Tate & Lyle for transporting sugar on the Thames. Used by Trinity Buoy Wharf 2000-2020 as a pier. Towed to Woodbridge Boatyard in 2020 where she is used as a floating workshop for the maintenance of large vessels.

Photos forthcoming.

Ariel

21 feet, 3 tons. Cherub, originally with an 8 hp Stuart Turner, now a 12 hp Dolphin.
Built in 1934 at Eversons as an estuary cruising vessel.
Owned by Tim Everson for 5 years, used for pleasure (therapy!).
Bought at Woodbridge Boatyard, now moored at Methersgate in season, ashore at Woodbridge Boatyard in winter.

Originally named Annette. Kept on the Broads by the owner before last.

Photos forthcoming.

Lynette

21 feet, 3 tons. Gaff rigged, inboard engine originally a petrol Stuart Turner, now a diesel Beta 14.
Built in 1937 at Eversons as a DYC racing cruiser.
Owned by Dennis and Marvyn Godfrey for ~12 years, used for racing and cruising.
Bought at Melton Boatyard, now at Woodbridge Boatyard and/or Melton Boatyard.

Photos forthcoming.

Mist

26.5 feet, ~5 tons TM. Sails, originally no engine, now electric drive.
Built in 1907 in Ireland as a gentleman’s yacht.
Owned by Russell Read for 5 years, used for leisure.
Bought at Melton/Woodbridge, now moored at Kyson, wintering at Larkmans.

Sank at her moorings in 1990s in the Gareloch, Scotland; recovered but abandoned on the beach; rescued from there in 2006 by members of the Albert Strange Association; rebuilt 2007-2016 by John Krejsa of Woodbridge. Only the keelson and ballast keel are original. (See The Deben #54, Spring 2017.)

Mist.

Maid Marion (originally Westward)

39’6″, 5′ draft, 18 tons. Sails and (still the same Ford 6-cylinder) engine. Cornish lugger.
Built in 1925 by Percy Mitchell in Port Mellon (Cornwall) for fishing.
Owned by David Hunt (the Hunt family have owned her for 60 years), used for pleasure.
Bought in Cornwall in 1964, now at Ramsholt.

See the forthcoming RDA Journal article.

Photos forthcoming.

Cariad

12 feet. Sails and oars.
Built in 1948 at Eversons.
Owned by Robert Brinkley, used for pleasure.
Lives at Felixstowe Ferry, and is sailed all year round (weather permitting).

“Built for use on the Alde/Ore and passed down through the family, until coming into my ownership.

The mast and spars were second hand at the time of building and are still in good condition, I also have the original cotton sail.”

Photos forthcoming.

Clytie

30 feet on deck, 6 tons. Sails, originally no engine, now an auxiliary diesel.
Built in 1922 at Eversons for pleasure.
Owned by Jo Master for 37 years, used for pleasure.
Bought in Woodbridge. Lives at Methersgate in summer, Woodbridge in winter.

“Built for the current owners’ Great Grandfather Sir Clifford Paterson (War Scientist & Founding President of Waldringfield Sailing Club) and Daisy Paterson neé Ogden. They enjoyed cruising down to the Crouch and the Blackwater and up to their favourite destination of the river Ore. Daisy kept written logs of all their times onboard. These were later illustrated with photos which gives us a valuable insight to cruising life in the 1920s. Initially they had no engine, and their communication was by telegram. Plastic was yet to be invented (no plastic water or fuel containers, no manmade fabric for clothes or bedding or sails, cooking with paraffin, no electric anything onboard). Their daughter Joan and son-in-law Fred Brown took over ownership post war. There were no family members willing/available to take up the baton of Clytie ownership when Fred was too old to sail her.

We bought her back after 15 years out of the family following ownership of John Chapman in the 1970’s and 80’s. We rebuilt her and launched her in 1993. We sailed Clytie with our 3 children during the 90’s and 00’s and we now welcome onboard our grandson who is the 6th generation to sail on her.

Clytie is the longest resident yacht on the Deben built in Woodbridge.”

Photos forthcoming.

Cherub

21 feet, 3 tons. Sails, originally no engine, now an outboard.
Built in 1924 at Eversons for pleasure sailing and racing.
Owned by Alan Baxter for 6 months, used for pleasure sailing.
Moored at Methersgate, currently undergoing work at Woodbridge.

Cherub is believed to be the first Deben Cherub of seventeen constructed. Based on a design built for launching from Aldeburgh beach. Deben Cherubs became the first successful small Cabin Yacht Class racing on the East coast.

Photos forthcoming.

Alando

26 feet, 6 tons. Sails, originally no engine, now an auxiliary diesel.
Built in 1923 at Brightlingsea as an oyster smack.
Owned by Vanessa Cartwright & Jago Hurley for 1 year, used as a yacht.
Bought on the Deben, moored at Woodbridge.

“Converted to yacht in the late 30s then used for liveaboard! Scotland, Cornwall, Kent, then back home to East Coast ~ 2000.”

Photos forthcoming.

Trouwe Hulp

60 feet, 45 tons. Sails, originally no engine, now an auxiliary diesel.
Built in 1900 in Groningen as a cargo barge.
Owned by Jago Hurley for 4 years, used as a home.
Bought in Krommenie, now moored at Robertsons.

In trade until the 90s, then a sail charter vessel. Still in original form with cargo hatches.

Photos forthcoming.

Little Hulper

12′. Originally oars, now a gaff rig.
Built in 1940s in Aalsmeer as a rowing punt.
Owned by Jago Hurley for 4 years, used as a tender.
Bought in Woodbridge, now moored at Robertsons.

Unknown history. Same craft as used by Clara in the Riddle of the Sands film.

Photos forthcoming.

Jacoba

97′, 20′ beam, 100 tons. Luxe motor.
Built in 1924 in Groningen for cargo trading in Holland.
Owned by Michael Monk for 7 years, used as a studio/home.
Bought from previous owner Simon Read, at Robertsons since 1980.

Built as a luxe motor in Groningen, launched Nov 1924. Taken by Nazis during 1940 and traded on Rhine. Returned to Holland 1945. Lengthened in 1950s and traded as Har-Mar. Out of service 1979 – bought by artist Simon Read, shortened and converted to a houseboat/studio.

Jacoba.