Minimalist Cruising part 8, Atalanta Et Al

courtesy Joann

courtesy Gavin Atkin, intheboatshed

courtesy Gavin Atkin, intheboatshed

courtesy Gavin Atkin, intheboatshed

courtesy Joann

courtesy Joann

Gavin Atkin over at intheboatshed brought these boats to light today.  Built by the legendary British yard Fairey Marine both the Atalanta and her slightly larger spinoff  Titiana would serve well as minimal cruisers.The series started in 1955 and it's a model of the  streamlined thinking of that period- soft curves, but these may add seaworthiness. That said, these look like very interesting cruising boats, with a center cockpit and  small aft cabin, perfect for the singlehander. They were hot moulded, using the technology from the war years. In fact, Fairey was responsible for many aircraft built during WWII using this same method. It's a lovely boat, full of soft curves . Not many iterations were built but you might pick one up. Put a junk rig on her and sail around. The harbor, the island, the world. Click the here to reach the owners group.

Minimalist Cruising 9.1:Buttercup

Following up on my recent post about a design I am thinking about, Mike Wick of the TSCA Delaware River Chapter sent me this article about a small twin keeler from 1937, Buttercup. Designed by Robert Clark, built by Rowhedge Ironworks, Essex, England. Commissioned and owned by Charles E. Foster. The article is either from the Rudder or Yachting Monthly, I'm not sure which. She was dubbed the sailing sausage, but by all accounts performed admirably. I wrote Gavin Atkin of intheboatshed asking whether he knew any more about this design. He sent me this from Andy Cunningham of Cunningham Marine a great article on twin keels. The design anticipates the Uffa Fox Atalanta which I wrote about earlier. It also anticipates much of the postwar British investigation of small twin keel cruising boats, about which much more later. If anyone has readable photos of this boat, please share!