N3345 Fearsome Flybynight

National 12 Webmaster · 19 Mar 2007, 11:15

The life of N3345 Fearsome Flybynight. Design: Final Chapter, designed by: Michael Jackson in 1987
Original boat name: Musical Express.

DavidW · 19 Mar 2007, 11:34

Frances & I commissioned Andrew Turner to build us a Final Chapter in 1990 to replace the Cheshire Cat (3139) he had built for us in 1981. We were excited by the new design which seemed to be the answer to our rather above average weight. We new that Andrew could make a pretty boat - this had always been important to us.
Andrew crafted the foils and we kitted her out with a Kappa mast and P&B sails. We got through a couple of masts and themn followed someones advice to change to a Superpar, M8 if my memory serves; I was never convinced that that was a good move as we seemed to loose some speed - the mast never bent aghain though!
We named her Fearsome Flybynight continuing on from Midnight Express (3139) as those of a litary leaning will recognise it was the name used by the Railway Children for the midnight express.
Andrew did us proud - she was certainly well built and very pretty.
She enjoyed the limelight featuring on the front of the newsletter - a picture taken the day we took her home from the builder.
We enjoyed this boat for many years - sailing her we were almost invariably in the top 3 as we rounded Blackstone at the end of the first beat during Salcombe week - sadly we never quite seemed to be able to hold that position till the end!
Sold in 2001 to Gareth Humphry at Spinnaker who changed the colour from red to blue. We replaced her with a composite Waller Chapter.
Gareth has since sold her and I met the new owners at the dinghy show in 2006 - hope to see them on the water soon!

David Wilkins

DavidW · 07 Apr 2007, 11:35

David & Frances - Salcombe again!

target · 04 Jun 2011, 02:08