Historic Yacht

Hello,I'm new to this forum and to be perfectly honest know next to nothing about sailing! I have joined very specifically to see if anyone can tell me anything at all about the yacht 'Suzette' in this photo. The date would have been about 1920, and the location probably the Suffolk or Essex coast. 'Suzette' belonged to an ancestor of mine, and I am keen to find out any descriptive or technical details that might apply to this boat. I realise it's probably difficult from just a fragmentary view, but anything anyone might guess about its class, type, length, materials, whatever - would be most appreciated.

Edited by MirandaPender - 21 Feb 16 at 5:43pm

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MirandaPender Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 16 Location: Essex Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Post Options Post Reply Quote MirandaPender Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Historic Yacht Posted: 21 Feb 16 at 5:43pm
	Hello, I'm new to this forum and to be perfectly honest know next to nothing about sailing! I have joined very specifically to see if anyone can tell me anything at all about the yacht 'Suzette' in this photo. The date would have been about 1920, and the location probably the Suffolk or Essex coast. 'Suzette' belonged to an ancestor of mine, and I am keen to find out any descriptive or technical details that might apply to this boat. I realise it's probably difficult from just a fragmentary view, but anything anyone might guess about its class, type, length, materials, whatever - would be most appreciated. Edited by MirandaPender - 21 Feb 16 at 5:43pm

JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6660	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Feb 16 at 7:58pm
	Probably not the best forum, although I'm not sure what is. At a very ill informed guess she's a gaff Yawl, maybe in the 30 or 40ft length region - the spars look a bit small for something bigger. There may be some sort of archive of UK ship registry that might help, I have half a memory something of the sort exists.

MirandaPender Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 16 Location: Essex Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Post Options Post Reply Quote MirandaPender Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Feb 16 at 8:17pm
	Thank you for those observations, JimC - any little clue is helpful! I'll have a look to see if I can find an archive of the sort you mention.

Van Mentz Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 27 Aug 12 Location: West Wight Online Status: Offline Posts: 32	Post Options Post Reply Quote Van Mentz Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 21 Feb 16 at 9:38pm
	Lloyds Register of Shipping. A yacht of that size at that time would most likely have been registered with Lloyds but it has always been voluntary to do so. The register will give such information as her builder, date, dimensions, displacement and owners. Judging by her beam I would hazard she was a good 50' in length plus bowsprit but I agree with Jim C her spars look rather light for that. Gaff rigged and a ketch or yawl.

MirandaPender Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 16 Location: Essex Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Post Options Post Reply Quote MirandaPender Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Feb 16 at 8:04am
	Thank you, Van Mentz -,that is most helpful!

didlydon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 15 Oct 08 Location: Margate England Online Status: Offline Posts: 280	Post Options Post Reply Quote didlydon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Feb 16 at 10:58am
	Very interesting! It would be really worth sending this to Gavin at www.intheboatshed.net as he is based in the South East & his website features lots of historical stuff like this. Very best of luck to you.
	Vareo 365

MirandaPender Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 16 Location: Essex Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Post Options Post Reply Quote MirandaPender Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Feb 16 at 11:10am
	I will do, didlydon - thank you! The reason I am interested is that I'm a singer-songwriter, currently writing a series of songs based around tales from my family history (and believe me, there have been some bizarre incidents!) The story attached to 'Suzette' is that my 2x great-uncle apparently named her after one of his mistresses - that's his 2nd wife in the photo, not the mistress and I thought it had the makings of a song..... I would like to find out all I can about the yacht so I can weave some details into the lyrics.

didlydon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 15 Oct 08 Location: Margate England Online Status: Offline Posts: 280	Post Options Post Reply Quote didlydon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Feb 16 at 11:45am
	Wow! Great tale Miranda! Yes, family history can uncover some wonderful stories.... Definitely send this pic & all the info to Gavin & he'll post it up I'm sure. Good luck!
	Vareo 365

MirandaPender Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 16 Location: Essex Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Post Options Post Reply Quote MirandaPender Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Feb 16 at 12:03pm


MartinG Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 18 Oct 12 Location: Oxford Online Status: Offline Posts: 15	Post Options Post Reply Quote MartinG Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Feb 16 at 12:10pm
	Could this be the one? http://easternyachts.com/souzette/history.pdf good luck Martin
	49er 865 K6 159 RS800 1133 (sold)