How to catch a lobster. An appeal

[Crusader 3244]

Linda is watching episode 2 of the Coroner; 'How to catch a lobster'. Via iPlayer.

There is a young man who has gone missing from somewhere along the West Country Coast. His GF hasn't seen him in over a week. His boat is gone.

What sort of boat? "It's a national 12, a wooden one, named Hispaniola and it has a blue bottom."

A sail number would have been useful, Luv. Knowing the era would help. Should we be on the lookout for clinker, four planks, or cold-moulded ply?, I say. I did a quick search of the database and trumped nothing.

So if anybody knows of a blue-bottomed National 12 named Hispaniola and it's whereabouts then they may be able to help solve the mystery of a missing person in a fictional setting.

Of course the boats disappearance might have nothing to do with the young man's disappearance. Within the fraternity there exist individuals that just cannot resist a new acquisition to add to their personal fleet.

How incriminating would it be if Hispaniola turned up in barn lying next to Dolly Daydream?      [with tongue firmly in cheek, of course]

Could there be an innocent explanation, I wonder. Might he be sailing his way to Brightlingsea? Not that I would recommend it. And even I wouldn't need to set out so soon.

He could have read Frank Dyes account of sailing a Wayfarer to Iceland and Norway and been inspired.

"Don't give up hope, girl, he might turn up in the Bay of Biscay," should have been a line in the script.

[Dave Croft]

Interesting. I think that something like this actually happened once, some years ago ... I recall hearing a story (I think it was Janet Bloor who told me) about a phone call one night from the coast guard. A capsized National 12 was found in the channel and the coast guard patched the phone call through to the SAR pilot... Maybe Janet could add some more detail, if I am right that is!
Dave C

[JohnMurrell]

Dave, you are quite right!

A certain Mr Savell's boat was found in the Channel, capsized with it's trolley still attached

It was recovered in one piece and returned to Millbay by the Salcombe Lifeboat with one C Winzar as Duty Cox