N2149 Xanthus

[National 12 Webmaster]

The life of N2149 Xanthus. Design: Sparklet, designed by: Leslie Landamore in 1962

[Roly Mo]

We bought Xanthus in October this year, from Geoff and Liz Playford. She's quite the prettiest boat we've seen - painted pale blue and in quite wonderful condition for her age. Sailed her for the first time this year, in the YOSC Winter Sail, and found her interesting to sail - seemed very steady but I'm not convinced about masts without spreaders yet! Am also keen to explore how I can control the rig more but am exploring this very cautiously as I don't want to induce hull strain, and intend to fit a dangly pole very soon. Looking forward to doing some vintage meetings once I've got the decks revarnished.

She's the pale blue Sparklet in the boat listing - lovely hull shape!

[icecreamman]

Many moons ago and I do mean many moons ago. I remember Geoff and Liz Playford sailing Xanthus, then merely varnished (she was painted when we relaxed the rules on seven plank boats to allow owners to plane off some of the protruding planks for smoothness) and sported red sails. Geoff always said these stopped the glare of the sunlight.

[Roly Mo]

Over the winter we've been puzzling how to fit jib cleats (to help my small crew) and looking at how we could get our Proctor C mast (I do like my spreaders and dangly pole) to fit.  Lots of work in the run up to Hykeham and we had her ready just a week before.  Everything seemed to work very well but the piece de la resistance has to be the new mast ram, devised by Howard Chadwick after the first race at Hykeham.  Suffice to say it's yellow, round and usually seen at Wimbledon and is held in place by lots of tape but boy it doesn't half work well!  The dogs are just a bit cross at not having a ball to play with any more!:)

[Roly Mo]

Post on behalf of Geoff Playford:
 
The wife of the owner of the well known firm of Landamore of Wroxham was a keen river sailor and her husband, Leslie Landamore, designed a National Twelve dinghy for use on rivers of the Norfolk Broads.  The design was called "Sparklet" and many similar boats were built for river sailors, including Geoff Playford who, for many years, sailed Xanthus on the River Ouse at Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club at Naburn near York.
 
Geoff changed his allegiance to dinghies and took to sailing a cruising yacht in the south of England and for 16 years Xanthus remained in his heated garage near Leeds.
 
More recently Bernard Clark, the new owner, raced her at the same club, taking an interest in the Vintage section of the class.  He has already sailed her very successfully at open events.