Cork Week

Congratulations to Ian Travers who won IRC Class 6 at Cork Week in his Bolero, Bandit.  Good effort and an impressive scoreline against a good mixture of boats.  The UK boats are look forward to coming to Kinsale, Ireland in June 2009 for Sovereigns Week......  

Pandemonium

Welcome to the Class - Willy McNeil and Mike Pascall who have bought the 1990 Giovanni Ceccarrelli designed 1/4 tonner from Greece and renamed 'Illegal Immigrant'.  Currently lying Poole with everything removed and looking rather sorry for itself, apparently.   Mike and Willy are coming to the Class Party in Cowes Week so we look forward to meeting them.  

Skandia Cowes Week 2008 - Invitation to THE party of the week.......

This year for the first time, the Quarter Tonners have their own class start (1120 or 1130 each day depending on whether it is a line or committee boat start).  A list of entries can be found on the Cowes Week website - www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk together with the results for those of you not participating.   

Quarter Ton Class Drinks Party at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club on Sunday 3rd August 6.30 to 8 pm for all Quarter Ton owners and their crews...... - whether you are sailing a/your quarter tonner or not, we would love to see you.   Tickets are £10 and can be purchased in advance from This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it   It gives us a great opportunity to put faces to names, get the 'on the water' banter going for the week, set up side bets, get the other crews drunk, etc etc. Look forward to seeing you there.

DRESS CODE:  Men - long trousers, collared shirts.  Ladies - Chic.  

SuperNova, Solidarity and Tom Bombadil

Are all for sale.  Check out the Forum for details. 

Round the Island Race (again)

Jan Ford who sails on Ayanami has sent through this wonderful photograph taken from their boat of Sgt Pepper (Richard & Anna Thomas) during the Round the Island Race.  It reminds me of those on the limit conditions we had from the Needles round to Bembridge.  What a great race.   

Round the Island Race

Congratulations to Darren Marston and his team on Catch who won the Elephant Boat Yard Trophy for the first Quarter Tonner under IRC in the Round the Island Race.  It was an epic race and one that will be discussed for many years to come.   On Espada we had stashed a brilliant picnic below but downwind between the Needles and Bembridge Ledge in limit conditions (who didn't broach or chinese gybe?) we were unable to go below and retrieve anything.  Indeed discovered that lunch too far forward causes excessive nosediving...... The Catch boys sailed hard (and partied hard afterwards as well) and deservedly won the class.   Second was a Waarship who has yet to come and play with us - 

For all information, press releases, photographs and results on the 2008 Quarter Ton Cup, go to www.rcyc.co.uk 

Wanna know what some people are up against?

Here is a picture of Morty's rig.  Less than a week to go to the Quarter Ton Cup, and on borrowing the second podger to step the rig (the first one broke yesterday) the current Quarter Ton Cup Champion Morty's rig snapped in three when Ritchie put a little pressure on the base to get it through the deck at 8pm this evening.   Morty has every intention of not buying a single new thing for his boat, Anchor Challenge, before the regatta next week and I can assure you the boat is very..... how can I say it .....old.    Still, not to be put off by small detail like no rig, he has gone off to Southampton this evening to search out Catch's old rig and rigging......  If he turns up next Sunday evening, I think a bottle of Mount Gay may well be in order.......

Women's Open Keelboat Champions

A Quarter Tonner wins!  Hurray. Good for the class.  It must be all that practicing against the boys that has done it!

A weekend of varied weather provided the backdrop for the three day Poole Regatta 2008. The largest IRC class with 18 boats entered was IRC 3, with 15 coming to the line. Chris Hawkes GK24 'Minx' and 'Ayanami' were the only 2 Quarter tonners racing. Sadly missed were Diamond and an unknown, we think, Farr one-off called Northern Dancer with a quarter ton size rating but which never showed.

As with all handicap fleets there was a great mixture of boats from the Sigma 33's to MGC27's, an Impala amd a couple of big one off's. A bit like last Cowes week except that all the courses were triangle/sausage, so all those Quarter Ton windward/leewards provided a great training ground. Saturday was breezy with a Force 5/6 easterly ripping into the course area off Studland Bay giving some good long surfs downwind. Only two races were possible one rather long, the second incredibly short, with the bigger boats doing well, thumping through the swell to win, but Ayanami hung in there close behind.

Sunday was glorious as the rain had passed through overnight to leave a sunny day with a Southerly Force 2/3 that provided enough little shifts to make it interesting. The backdrop of the Purbeck Hills and Old Harry Rocks made great scenery. The bigger boats didn't do quite so well, with the Impala 'Parallel Universe' (obviously set up well, recently belonging to a Quarter Ton man!) getting a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, but the consistent Ayanami managed a 2nd, 1st,2nd.

Monday, as you will know, was completely blown out by the weather which left 'Ayanami' as the overall class winner with a 2,3,2,1,2 score and Chris Hawkes 'Minx' a very good 7th (7,6,9,5,8) amongst so many bigger boats. An MGC27 Tiger Lily was 2nd (4,3,4,3,1) with Parallel Universe (6,7,1,2,3) 3rd.

It was a great weekend, and sponsored by International Paints, the 1st prize included a voucher for 2 cans of rather expensive anti-fouling, not much use to you dry sailers, but then Ayanami has never been a 'dry' boat. On the delivery trip to Poole, Mike served up Pimms (with ice and mint of course) on the windward rail before we got to Gurnard! But we are aware of our place in the order of things and when Parallel's owner said how good we were going, we did point out that we know of 20 faster Quarters we could bring next time! His face sank!

Roger Swinney

100 boats now registered on our website!

Wow!  Not bad! and they come from as far afield as China, Russia, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, NZ and The States......  Prize to the 100th boat to register is a David Thomas boat lying ashore in Exeter and for sale - 'Imagination'

Crew required for Cowes Week

Olly Ophaus is looking for crew for Supernova for Cowes Week.   Please make contact with him direct if you are keen, willing and enthusiastic about Quarter Tonners.    This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Brits 1st, 2nd and 4th in the Obelix Trophy

(Trafalgar) Battle No 2 took place last week with 6 British boats v 9 French Boats in a mixture of racing conditions in Benodet.   This is a really good regatta to attend with the efficient launching facilities all included in the race entry fee and everything readily available. Espada helmed by Peter Morton and crewed by the girls (Louise, Liz, Libby, Lucy and Nicky) won with Bullet 2nd (Mike, Howard, Dougal, John and Charlotte) and Runaway Bus (Paul, Peter, Vicky, Nigel & David) 4th.   Third place was  'l'homme angleterre honoraire', Laurent Beaurin in 45 deg South on account of his participation in racing the season on the British side of the channel for the past 3 years!  Ayanami threw a drinks party in a fabulous house they rented just up from the Yacht Club which started the regatta off well, and Guy Pronier head of the French QT class organised a lovely dinner on the Friday night attended by 10 crews and the President of the Yacht Club de l'Odet.  Full results can be found on www.yco-voile.com.  Some photographs have been uploaded into the photo gallery.  If anyone has any others they would like to include, please send through to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  

Samurai in the West Country

Congratulations to Samurai from Plymouth who reports some good results in IRC having recently won the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club Spring Series and the second leg of the Falmouth Triangle race against a stiff IRC fleet.   Go the QT's.....

Cowes Week Notice of Race

The Cowes Week Notice of Race has now been published and they have featured a pic of a Quarter Tonner. Mine, not yours - sorry lads, so I am rather chuffed.  The bow on picture of Espada, taken by Rick Tomlinson, has also been used on the homepage of the www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk website on the Ladies Day Button.  Check it out - and enter this great regatta..  Don't forget we need 15 boats for our own class.   One gentlemen on the forum of the Cowes Week website is looking for a Quarter Tonner to charter...so if any of you are in two minds as to whether you are going to race your boats, please consider this option as it will swell the numbers. 

Quarter Ton Cup

Third entry has arrived in from John Spottiswood who owns the MG26.   The interesting and most exciting thing about the first three entries is that they are all from boats who have not competed in this event before.  

I have had an email in this week from Olivier Hays of Farrniente, the Farr 727 from Le Havre.  He is sailing over just prior to the event (that deserves a bottle of Mount Gay in itself) and will be looking for a fourth crewmember to help them (drink it!).  Any offers?  

Manzanita Spanish Website

Carlos Rosell Tornel has just registered his Manzanita with us and it is well worth taking a look at his website - www.manzanita-quarterton.com.  I don't speak spanish (should have worked harder at school!) but you can get the gist!   

Stewart 24

Is a Stewart 24 a Quarter Tonner? - answers please to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Benodet Regatta

The current list of attendees from the UK looks like:  Espada, Bullet, Runaway Bus, Ayanami, Catch, Jackflash and Odd Job.  Is there anyone else planning to go?  Entry deadline is 19th April - you can take the entry fee with you and pay at registration as they don't seem to offer credit card details on their entry form.   Guy Pronier tells us there are already 10 French boats entered and we don't want to be outnumbered or beaten by the French!!   If anyone is looking for crew, there is a message on the forum by a keen sailor from Brest who is looking for a ride.  (always useful to have a french speaker on board!)   A bientot.....

Poole Regatta - and a reply from Roger Swinney

Ayanami is going to Poole.  It is well worth doing.  Two years ago we won a £50 International Paints Voucher worth more than the entry fee!   Hope the Runaway's got the wheels back on the Bus in the time for Benodet.......

Quarter Ton Cup

I am pleased to say that we have received the first entry form for the Quarter Ton Cup from Love in the Mist, a Waarship based in Hamble.  I am delighted to welcome Malcolm Donald to this event for the first time.  Entrants from last year may remember that he came out on his boat to watch and video the event.  

Round the Island Race

Last day for early bird entries (cheaper entry fee) is 29th March so get your skates on.  We have The Elephant Boat Yard Trophy for the first Quarter Tonner in IRC so don't forget to enter as a Quarter Tonner.   www.roundtheisland.org.uk

Not bad news - sad news

I don't normally like to report bad news, but since this photo is widely available, I might as well show it here. Sadly, Runaway Bus, the only quarter tonner to make it to the start line in the Red Funnel Easter Series last weekend lost her rig on Sunday. He is hoping to be back up and running for Benodet.    Thanks to Rick Tomlinson for this photograph.

This week's Quiz

Can you identify the designer/model of this boat.  James Blackburn, some of you will remember came to the 2005 QTC with Quartet but then emigrated soon after to New Zealand.  He has been following our progress and sent this email - 

'I have been following the class antics with interest from NZ and with the arrival of our baby Ewan thought we had better give up the Elliot 5.9 we bought when we arrived and return to good ol' IOR.  We have just bought an old 1/4 of unknown design and age approx 81, though she never seems to have been allocated an international sail no.  We have some heavy weight reconstruction to do with new decks and cockpit as the old one is rotten through. She is quite long at 28' with a long tapered transom which (to be honest) doesn't look that fast!  That said the plan is to keep her original and forego the weight and keep the inboard diesel - still hope to be back on the water by September and keep the bigger boats honest at Onerahi Yacht Club.  If anyone in the Class has any views over the design, I would love to hear from them.'   

email -  This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Dufour 1300

Can anyone tell me whether a Dufour 1300 was a Quarter Tonner?  Geoff Windle from the US has bought one and registered details on this site, and I have also heard from Lasse Aabel from Norway who has also bought one. (two in one week is pretty good going!)  (17 March - Matt Clark (Lancelot) tells me there is a Dufour 1300 on the French Quarter Ton Website - so they probably are....) 

Tracking more boats....

Morty has found two more one off's in Northern Spain designed by the late Pepe Gonzalez and with any luck they will be on their way back to the Uk at the end of February.  These boats currently are owned by the Spanish Navy and one was sailed by Prince Philipe in the QTC in Bayona.  He also has his spies in Italy looking for some of the later boats.  Considering 7 out of the last 8 QTC's were won by Italians there must be a Aladdin's Cave of Quarter Tonners in Italy.  

Update from Russia

Interesting registration this week from Ivan from Moscow of his Conrad 25 called Ulan.   He tells us that his boat was built in Poland and they sold more than 100 to Russia.  50 regularly race in Moscow and 30 in Vladivostok.  QTC 2010??!! What about it boys...... There is a class association website www.25ft.org.   Tom Bombadil is a Conrad 25 so maybe Kevin Georgski and Chris Frostonov would like to send me a translation.

New Contact Details - 14 Feb 08

Please note that I am no longer working at the RCYC and my new contact details are on the contact page - Louise   

The Runaway Bus Trophy

Paul Kelsey, owner of Runaway Bus has kindly donated a perpetual trophy to the Quarter Ton Class to be known as 'The Runaway Bus Trophy'.   This year it will be presented to the Quarter Tonner with the best combined results for the Nab Tower Race (run by the Island Sailing Club) and the Tiny Mitchell Trophy (run by the RCYC) over the weekend of 20th and 21st September 2008.  Many thanks Paul.

Fitting Out

What news on fitting out your Quarter Tonner this winter?   Last year, I posted reports on fitting out and it was the most looked at article on this website.  Send me through your snippets.  Where your boat is, what work you are doing etc etc, and I will post it under News 08. John Spottiswood has started the ball rolling....... This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Blackpool and Fleetwood Yacht Club

Back in December I reported that Murphy's Law has been sold and gone to live at the Blackpool and Fleetwood Yacht Club.  Yesterday I received this email:

'I have recently bought the Starflash Jonathan Star.  She is now back at Blackpool and Fleetwood Yacht Club having a full refit and hopefully will be ready for the coming season. I used to sail on Jonathan Star 25 years ago when she was owned by my late Father in Law Ron Smith who had a lot of success with her racing in the Irish Sea in the early 80's so its good to have her back in the family!  We are going to sail her  in Irish Sea events in 2008 as with being Commodore of our Yacht club this year I am quite tied with local events.  We have a growing Quarter Ton class at B&FYC and next year we will all hopefully be joining the Southern Fleet for some of your regattas' - Ken Bailey.

Great, we look forward to it! - Louise

Quarter Ton Class Association Meeting

A meeting will be held for all owners and crew of Quarter Tonners at the Royal Southampton Yacht Club, Ocean Village, Southampton on Friday 29th February at 7pm in the library to discuss the 2008 season.   Drinks in the bar will follow and if anyone would like to stay for dinner, it is possible to book tables in the dining room (02380 223352).  I have posted a copy of the minutes of the last meeting held on Sunday 20th May 2007 under the News section for 2007.  Please email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it   if you are planning to attend.

Pacifist - back in original hands

Duncan Peace has recently bought Pacifist - a boat he designed during the Winter of 1981 - a couple of years after graduating from Southampton University.  

'She was built by Steve Etheridge and Neville Hutton and work commenced in the Spring of '81 and she was launched in time for Cowes Week. I continued to sail the boat for a couple of seasons, culminating in the 1/4 Ton Cup in 1984, then sold the boat to concentrate on a career and some one design racing - mostly J24's.   Refit work has commenced and I hope to be on the water in time for the Quarter Ton Cup in June.' 

Look forward to welcoming you to the Class.

It is emails like this that keep us going......

" I'm so glad I found your site while surfing today. It was great seeing some of your images of fine old quarter ton yachts. I was fortunate to be involved in the class in the US back in the 70s & 80"s, and also still the inherited original owner of a Doug Peterson Quarter Ton ( Oliver) manufactured by Plastrend (Composite Technology) back in the 70's. My father was an avid racer and thankfully shared his passion with me and changed my life. I have some old pics of US boats " Star Eyed Stella, Magic Bus, Fun, Expresso, Business Machine, Ticled Pink, Diablo, and others as well as a good assortment of UK boats that I took photo's of at Cowes Week back in the late 70's.  Oliver has been mothballed for many years now with plans to refit once my time allows. I would be glad to locate, Scan , and share these with you if you have a use for them, additionally I belive I have some NA 1/4 Ton Newsletters that could be shared. Thanks for the memories." 

Jon Salis
Palo Pinto Texas

Sovereign's Week 2009

The Management Committee of Kinsale Yacht Club would be delighted if the Quarter Ton Fleet attends their regatta 24th to 27th June 2009 in Kinsale, Ireland next year.  Put the dates in your diary lads. This will be a good one.

Great pic for an Ad

I happened to be reading Yachting Monthly Feb 08 edition ( which is part of my job, honest!) and came across this ad for the Jersey 08 regatta.   Great pic of 'Catch', who won the QT class in 07 and also local Jersey boat 'Jackflash' owned by Peter Crabb in the background

A New Quarter Tonner? 

Check out the China article in News 07.   Alistair Skinner has sent photographs and a report through from Shanghai where he has purchased a brand new (25 year old) but never completed or launched Dubois designed Quarter Tonner.  

Favors changes hands

The day before the QTC this year, I appealed through this website for crew to help the French 3 man team on Farrniente who had sailed over from le Havre.   Responding to the call at short notice was John Spottiswood, a Director of Raymarine, who bubbled away with excitement over the weekend.  Since then he has quietly been searching for the right boat to join the class and last week completed the purchase on the MG 26 Tony Castro designed Favors.  Congratulations John.  We are pleased to welcome you into the fleet.   We look forward testing the latest Raymarine products.

The now famous picture of 'Coutts' - Catch during Cowes Week 2006

Check out Rick Tomlinson's website. The 2008 desk calender features the picture of Catch doing a Chinese Gybe off Egypt Point during Cowes Week 2006 www.rick-tomlinson.com