Tuesday 10 September 2013

The Audacity !

Blogging can be a bit of a mugs game. Sometimes it feels like you are shouting down a long dark tunnel and there's no way of knowing whether there is anyone there to hear you. 
The software tells you how many hits a page is getting but how many of those are from robots, trawling silently through the dark searching for e-mail addresses and how many are just accidental landings from some lonely heart in search of firm buttocks? 
I do know that if you mention the name Oughtred the world will come seeking the enigmatic master and I suspect that Katie Beardie has a secret admirer as she seems to get an inordinate number of hits.  Maybe its those buttocks again.   
Sometimes there is a faint answer in the darkness, a voice you haven't heard before, who actually knows what they are talking about and that can be very encouraging. 



You'll remember I posted a wee while ago about this little boat in Fairey Princess or Ugly Duckling well I've had a couple of comments and it turns out she's not a Fairey, or Ugly.......

Anonymous said...
Not Fairey,not ugly.

She is an Audacity class designed by Laurent Giles for JOG. Built from 1959 until the mid sixties. There are elements from Sopranino in the layout.
She has a deep drop keel and rudder. The side fins on this boat are non standard but practical.
Supposed to be a good performer. I think it very handsome but the side windows are a little large.

And Jim Bresson wrote to say.

Hello,

I confirm, she is an Audacity 21.
The side "keels" are not on the original design.
I bought one of those in Plymouth last year and we sailed her back to Britanny, France, my brother and I.
She isn't the prettiest boat, but I must say she has her look and her sailing performances are surprising. We did the Plymouth Aber Benoit passage in a sloppy sea and it was quite windy. cast off at 6 am, we were on the other side in the middle of the night and had to slow her down to be able to land in Saint Pabu in daylight.
The interior is well design for a 21 feet boat and you can go almost everywhere we the board up.
She is mentionned in the Lee/Philpott book on Laurent Giles.
Built by Walter Lawrence , an aerocraft factory.
I don't think there is a lot of them sailing out there, and never saw any on the water.
I hope this one will get back on the water one day. She is really a fun and interesting sailboat!

If anyone wants more info, don't hesitate.
Take it easy,

Jim

So there you go an Audacity 21. designed by Lauren Giles no less, there is even one for sale on  Apolloduck it looks in quite good condition. 



There's another one here  boatshop24

I feel encouraged, so for now I'm going to keep shouting down the tunnel, don't forget to shout back now and again. 



3 comments:

Bursledon Blogger said...

"Publish and be ignored" is the blogger's mantra most of the time - but getting good responses like that makes it seem more worthwhile

Richard said...

Keep Blogging---
Your audiance (sp) is out there and we "Need" you

Rebuild BSA C15 said...

Definite Audacity, have been looking at one in the yard for 12 years. Keels were probably added due to the centreboard being seized in the up position by rust. (same as mine, but I have removed it for replacing). This one still has the original pine mast and I would love to get the dimensions of the spreaders and the chainplate layout for the shrouds. Is this boat in a yard that can be contacted in Mumbles?? Rgds Nigel - Audacity "Bight of a Klew"