N119 Chipmunk

[National 12 Webmaster]

The life of N119 Chipmunk. Design: , designed by:  in

[ken goddard]

Beryl Higgins (nee Cook) was born in 1928 and grew up in Surbiton, which gave her easy access to the River Thames where she learned to sail with the Sea Rangers.  Her first 12’ National was N 119, which she purchased for her 21st Birthday in 1949 for £65.  Her father thought that her sailing was just a phase that she was going through and didn’t think it would last, but he gave her some money towards the boat, with the rest coming from her salary as a newly qualified architect.  The boat had been built in 1936 by Morgan Giles at his boatyard in Teignmouth, Devon.  It had been sailed on the Thames by its first owner, Guy ……., for two or three seasons before the War but had then been laid up in Hart’s Boathouse on the Portsmouth Road at Surbiton during hostilities.  After the war Beryl often used to talk to ‘Old Jack’, who worked at the yard, and looked longingly at the boat, which remained in storage upstairs next to the varnishing room.  She eventually asked the owner if he would be prepared to sell, which he was.

N 119 had been named “Chipmunk” by its original owner and this name was retained.  It was a heavy boat with a full 50lb iron centreplate.  The light coloured hull was made of larch and the cleat pins were brass.  Buoyancy was provided by five rigid copper tanks.  Beryl based the boat at Thames Sailing Club, which was next door to Hart’s boat yard.  There was only an iron fence between the two and initially the boat was still kept at the yard before being moved next door to its new home.  Although it was berthed at Thames, because launching on the rollers was easier there, Beryl was also a member at the nearby Minima Yacht Club and often sailed the mile or so along the river to race there.  She used this time to teach her crew’s how to sail, particularly because the competition was stronger at Minima.  She would often win races at Thames but it was harder at Minima, where she did well to come second or third.  She would sail in the 12’ National races and, at the end of the season, they would work out the positions for the vintage (pre-war) boats, which Beryl won at Minima one year.  The highlight of sailing at these two clubs came in 1953 when they staged a joint Coronation Regatta, which Beryl won.  It was the only race that she ever won where they fired a large cannon as she crossed the finishing line.  She only kept the trophy for a year but was given a large glass and four small tumblers to keep, each decorated with the Royal Arms as a souvenir of the coronation.

Ken Goddard N.2300, November 2008

[edwillett]

A picture taken from Minima YC's Centenary publication "One Hundred Years on Kingston Reach". It is titled "National 12 119, June 1953, passing Nielson's Sail Loft".