Introducing the Florin - Margherita on steroids!

For a while now Phil Swift, who designed the Shilling, and Dick Philips who now builds them, have been discussing a larger version  - now christened the Florin. Part of the rationale was to offer better accommodation for the crew and also enhanced value for money as the labour to build a 21 foot boat is much the same as that for the 17 foot Shilling. I have been fortunate enough to be party to several design meetings and I have to say, Phil is doing a great job and Florin looks as sweet as Shilling does and should sail as well too. Here he is with the model he has made to develop ideas on.

Although only four feet longer, Florin is materially larger than Shilling.  Here is the Florin model along side Phil's original Shilling model.

This was really brought home to me at YOGAFF when I found myself moored alongside the first production Shrimper 21.  It was significantly bigger than Margherita in all respects - and much bigger than a nearby Shrimper 19 too. The cabin interior layout was hugely better than the 19, which I have never rated very highly. Looking at the pair of them, I think that the Shilling is far the prettier boat and I think that Florin will outshine the Shrimper 21 in every way.

Here are a couple more pictures of the Florin model, showing how well Phil has kept the sweet lines of the Shilling

There was a write up about the Florin in the May/June 2015 Issue of Watercraft Magazine. from where these drawings are taken. Meanwhile, detail design continues.

Vital Statistics at the moment are:- 

LOD 21ft (6.4m)

LWL 17ft (5.2m)

Beam 7ft 9in (2.4m)

Draft 18"/42" (0.46/1.07m)

Displacement 2535lb ( 1150kg)

Sail area for yawl 260sq ft ( 24.4sq m)

If you want to know more, contact Dick Philips at Willow Bay Boats, who will happily build you one - at a very keen price for the first customer!

Go on, you know you want one....................

2015 already.....Well, time flys doesn't it?

Sunset in Keyhaven

If you are looking at this Blog to learn more about Shillings, perhaps to buy one or have one made, take a look at the earliest postings where you will find lots of build photos and other details.

I never intended this Blog to be a blow-by-blow account of everything I do with my Willow Bay Shilling "Margherita", but I am a bit ashamed of one post per year!.  

I keep a diary (not really a log) of what I do and, to date I have spent over 150 nights on board since 2008 and a similar number of days sailing.  I have learned to live with and love little Margherita. she does everything well and is much admired.  Any limitations are mainly down to her modest size, but as I mostly sail on my own, she works for me!

In summary, 2014 was a good season for me with several trips to the Solent for Old Gaffer Association events, and lots of local trips too.  2015 has started well with another successful YOGAFF at Yarmouth, although I spent rather longer there than planned due to ferocious Westerly winds.  When I did sail back to Poole it was in the company of several Yarmouth 23s, which quickly fell behind in my wake, and a friend in a lovely Yachting World 5 ton cutter with which I was neck and neck all the way to Poole.  Margherita is fast when you have a decent breeze and calm(ish) seas.



Here are a few pictures from YOGAFF 2015.

Entered in the race this year was the wonderful Mariquita, designed by William Fife the third. She rather dwarfed all of the usual gaffers. There was the usual gaffer competitions as well, with Gaffer's Log yacht racing, broom pole jousting and scratch dinghy sailing. Lots of fun.

Nutmeg - a David Moss Sea Otter 18 Canoe Yawl

And then the wind got up and it rained! - so I stayed put for four more days!

Sailing Home to Poole - taken from the YW 5 Tonner "Joelle"