A member’s boat described

Name : Tad Builder : Long Island Boats

Tad is a standard Privateer — sail no.5. I bought her new in 1991 as a present to me when I took an early retirement from my full time job. She is rigged as a gaff sloop and is a delight. She suits my desire for pottering single handed and is easily launched and recovered. I carry full safety gear as recommended by the DCA and launch and recover fully loaded.

The rigging is very simple, being stainless wire down to pennants which tie to shroud plates. She is unashamedly old-fashioned in appearance even sporting a bowsprit and pin rail. The centreboard is weighted and is fitted with an up-haul as is the rudder. There are three watertight compartments giving plenty of buoyancy. There are limber holes for ease of drainage and cleaning. As produced, she is in my opinion, not suited for sleeping in but no doubt DCA members would be able to make their own mods to make this possible.

She is built from a modified Selway Fisher design and looks and is very seaworthy. The main can be reefed with points which are already fitted and of course, the gaff can be scandalised. Being gaff rigged she likes to be sailed free so there is no hard pinching in of sheets and in a strongish wind I usually back the jib to help her tack to overcome a slight tendency under those conditions to miss stays. This probably covers my bad seamanship rather than any fault with Tad!

I have sailed her on the Crouch for just over three years now and have never regretted buying her. I have sailed with a crew on a number of occasions and there is plenty of room. I am a member of the Up River Yacht Club here in Hullbridge where I live and the nicest comment I have heard about Tad was from a fellow member who remarked that it was great to see a ‘proper’ boat and in a nutshell, that is just what she is.

Nicholas Apps now make several versions of the Privateer, offering a slightly stretched version with a topsail and I believe a gunter rig is available. So obliging is Nicholas Apps that he will listen to any requests and try to incorporate them into his basic design. The Privateer is a thoroughly traditional boat being a pleasure to own and a delight to sail and sets you out as an individual in this mass produced age.

Specification of latest model from this builder

Basic dimensions: Sail areas:

LOA 15’ Jib 18 sq’ LOD 13’ Main 52 sq’ Beam 5’ Topsail 13 sq’ Draught 6”/3’ Genoa 28 sq’ Weight 250 lbs Total (jib) 84 sq’ Buoyancy 250 lbs Total (genoa) 94 sq’

Prices from £2,877 with no VAT payable.

The Privateer is built to a very high standard in ply/epoxy with a multi-chine hull. Classic Boat magazine describes her handling as follows:

‘The Privateer is very stable, well balanced and easy to handle; there is good headroom and visibility under the boom; it points up well to windward and has a huge amount of internal volume for its length; a very sharp forefoot, fine lines, flared planking and considerable depth of hull make it a dry boat; it is therefore ideal for both family and single-handed sailing; launching, recovery and handling ashore is easily achieved by one person on the excellent Eagle ET18 combination trailer.’