History of Poppy?

[Kari and Lawrence]

Hi everyone, last Friday we viewed a Nic 38 named Poppy of Liverpool. The current owner told us she had been originally named just poppy but the owner prior to him had let the registration lapse and the name got re-issued so he ha dto opt for the “of Liverpool” bit.

There was no makers plate to verify the year of completion and no hull number!

Can anybody out there, especially Mr Lines, give us any more info?

Regards kari and Lawrence

[Jeff]

Hi Kari & Lawrence,
From my Owners list, which is by no means up to date, I see that ‘Poppy’ is listed as Hull No’-24, Yard No’-965, & Official No’-335558, which is usually carved on a teak plate fixed to the forward cabin teak surround above the bunks.
1) F.M. GILL 1968 1970
2) W.D. LAMBERT 1974 ?
3) J. GOODALL 1976 1988
4) PHILIP HAWES 1988 2000
5) UNKNOWN-NO INFORMATION…………..
Jeremy Lines may have more info’ & maybe you can give us details of the previous owners since 2000.?
Cheers,
Jeff
Nic-38:’Sea Eagle’

[Kari and Lawrence]

Hi Jeff,

Yes, many thanks for that info, Marilyn had provided the hull number. She also has the owners info, no 6 and current owner Jon Chapman, don’t know about number 5!

Regards Kari and Lawrence

[Stephan Lautram]

Hi Kari and Lawrence,

I saw that Poppy is still for sale and from this forum realized that you have viewed Poppy.

Would  you be able to tell me what are you thoughts about Poppy?

We are currently looking for a Nicholson 38 but there isn’t that many around, Poppy being the only one I know of and maybe the nearest to us (Kinsale, Ireland).

It looks like she is on the market for a while, is there anything you could tell me about her?

Thank you very much

Best regards

Stephan

[Kari and Lawrence]

Hi Stephen,

I think there are quite a few around and it’s worth looking at them all, at least pics online. Poppy doesn’t have the hard top cockpit cover, it’s a canvas arrangement. She has been re-engined and I believed she has probably received some epoxy treatment. The boat was rewired by the owners son, also both father and son undertook the re-engine work. The engine hour Meyer starts counting as soon as the master switches are turned on and the batteries are now beneath the chart table. She sits on a swing mooring during the season and ashore in winter. Unfortunately, whoever runs the moorings, positioned another vessel too close and there was some contact and damage but only to the toe rail. Which the owner repaired but not to a professional standard. He bought the boat hoping that his son and grand kids would be crew but they have gone more down the dinghy sailing route. To that end, when we viewed, Poppy had been used as a hotel while the kids participated in local dinghy regattas and confectionery wrappers were still to be found within lockers of the forepeak.

She is part 1 British Registered but when the previous owner sold, the registry weren’t informed. So she would still be listed under that name and in Liverpool but actually she’s on the East coast. That registration would of long ago lapsed but I’m not sure if it would hinder transfer!

The guy is getting quite elderly and I believe the boat is somewhat of a millstone! She has been on the market for quite some time, so would of thought and bargain could be easily secured!

Hope that helps and regards Lawrence

[Voltair]

Poppy and Voltair were both for sale over the winter in Suffolk Yacht Harbour. Although I meant to, I never got around to looking over Poppy to see how she compared to Voltair, but I do know she won’t have any problems with elderly teak decks – because she hasn’t got any!

Have a look at this link from Clarke and Carter http://clarkeandcarter.co.uk/boats-for-sale/all-Sail/?AdvancedKeywordSearch=nic%2038

There is a picture and link for full info.

Regards,  John Kingsley

Ex-part-owner of Voltair

[Stephan Lautram]

Hi Lawrence and John,

Thank you for your feedback. In regards to the hard top above the cockpit, I know that Poppy was built in 1968, so would be an early version of the Nicholson 38, hence this could be a reason why she has a soft top. However, is the hard top on the Nich38 also removable? Would it be easy enough to make one?

Also for those used to sail the Nicholson 38, how practical is it to sail single handed?

Thank you

Regards,  Stephan

[Jean Clair]

Hi Stephen

Yes the hard cockpit roof is removable and there are stowage, for want of a better word, “brackets” on the coach roof just forward of the windscreen, to take the roof when not in use.

I have sailed Jean Clair single handed for the some time now, although we have roller reefing foresail and in mast reefing main with lines led to the cockpit beneath the windscreen which obviously helps.  As with all singlehanded sailing its early preparation that makes for an easy life.

Regards

Alan

[Moderator]

I asked Jeremy whether Poppy would have originally had a hardtop. Here is his answer:

The only 38 that never had a G.R.P. canopy was 38/2 PENTANORA now TOPSPIN. I have a photo of POPPY with the canopy in 1988 but Mr Chapman was certainly wanting one in 2005 but it appears that the Halmatic drawing for it was missing, it is only shown in outline on the Sail Plan.

In regards to sailing single handed, I would say our Rainshadow can be single-handed if you trust the autopilot to steer the boat while you go forward to raise the sails. The PO did single-handed her in the protected waters of the Pacific Northwest when the boat still had hank-on headsails. We added a roller furling headsail. However, we have not run mainsail running rigging aft so it still requires going forward to raise/lower/reef the main – and going aft for the mizzen. Having said all that – we have never single-handed Rainshadow because Van and I enjoy sailing together.

Marilyn, moderator

[Kari and Lawrence]

Hi Stephan,

 

Many apologies for my and others error on your name!

 

Yes a hard top could easily be homemade. I single handed down to the Canaries last November,  then to the Azores in March and finally back home to the Gower Peninsula, South Wales arriving mid June. We have Harken headsail furler, conventional slab reefed main, without any lines in the boom and nothing led aft! We have a Hydrovane, which works beautifully but impedes tacking with the mizzen, although tacking is still possible, one just tacks, leaving the mizzen aback, once the genoa is sheeted home I nip out upon the after deck drop or remove the windvane, tack the mizzen then replace the vane. In certain conditions and interior ballasting of stowed gear, I find she’ll sail beautifully upwind without the windvane fitted.

 

Hope that of use regards, the Nicolisa team.

[Voltair]

Of course, it is a matter of experience and expertise with GRP, but I would have said it would be REALLY DIFFICULT to make a new hard top, unless you had another one to copy from or from which to make a mould.  The joint line between hard top and windscreen top is complex and the seal here is critical to stopping the waves getting in.  Also, establishing the cut-outs for the sail viewing panels and mounting the latter in a waterproof manner will also be quite tricky, as well as positioning and creating the sockets for the tubular rear supports.

Certainly NOT a job I would like to undertake!

[Author]

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