N3208 Mongrel

[National 12 Webmaster]

The life of N3208 Mongrel.  Design: Crusader, designed by: Phil Morrison in 1981
Previous boat names: Wind Flower, Moolight Shadow, Magpies.

[Antony]

I owned this boat briefly, from late 1989 until 1991.  I only managed to sail her in one Burton Wk (Landudno in 1990) before I bought a Design 8 in time for the summer season in 1991.

I believe that she was owned for many years (possibly from new) by Patrick Elcombe, and then for a couple of years in Suffolk by the guy that I bought her from (I cannot remember his name).  She was re-decked by Gerry Ledger while in my ownership.

I sold her to John Hugo who took her up to Scotland.

Antony Gifford
1/07

[Antony]

Whoops, on reflection I think I must have sailed her at Burton Wk in both 1990 and 1991 (Paignton)!
Antony

[John Hugo]

N 3208 was built by Rowsell Bros.   Patrick Elcombe may not have been the first owner.   He describes modifications he made in the Tuning Guide.   I believe Anthony sold her to Julian Hood who sold her to me in late 1995.    I sailed her on the Tyne and in Scotland before buying N 3475.   Since then, she has been sailed by friends in Scottish N 12 opens,Etc.   Lack of time and storage have left her varnish and gunwales in a poor state, but I have just sold her to Angus Beyts, who is taking her to Fife, to give her a new lease of life.      

[Antony]

Good point John, I forgot that I had sold it to Julian!!
Antony

[John Meadowcroft]

Antony

i think that you had this boat at Exmouth in 1992.  I remember your father taking a rather dim view of your decision to sale across the infamous bar on the way home from a race which ended up with the gunwhale needing more attention from a boatbuilder than it would have otherwise required.

Meds

[artyman]

Patrick Elcombe came 25th in the Nationals at Pevensey Bay in 1987  I came 26th in 3259 with Rob Eastwood crewing me. We were alongside each other in the boat park.

[Patrick]

I think Steve Bullmore was the first owner and may have supplied some of the veneers from which she was built.

Patrick Giffordi

[Iain]

I bought the boat from Angus
The boat is now being sailed (Badly) at Loch Lomond Sailing Club
I am sailing the boat with my son Scott and sometimes my daughter Katie
The boat name and colours have now changed........
The boat is called Magpies and has a diagonal black and white stripped hull..........I literally have a sinking feeling, but I am sure things will improve allround.
 

[Guest (Guest)]

My family owned this boat originally and sailed it at Desborough on the Thames. The hull (shell format) was made by Rowsell & Morrison but the boat was decked by my Dad and all the internal layout including the famous slanting seats which were supposed to allow the crew to naturally slide forwards as you moved to leeward but I kept falling off them much to the annoyance of my Dad! 
She was originally all varnished but owing to a technical problem with the varnish this was immediately after 1 sail changed to a black hull with varnished decks. 
The boat was originally called "Applejade" and then was changed to Moonlight Shadow. I was never aware of the name Windflower but I was very young when I crewed in her.
She was very quick in her day and dearly loved - Cadet sailing took its toll though and my Dad become a committed Roady and trailed my boat around the country!
Love the living archive for each boat - great to think back to how my sailing began.
Fiona (now a roady to 3 Optimist sailors)

[edwillett]

Advertised for sale on ebay August 2012. Located in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. Ebay pics below.

[tamesis 1]

Just to report that I have taken over a very sorry, totally stripped out Magpies hull here at Tamesis! I have already started to restore her. Her actual hull seems to be in good shape, her decks less so but saveable. She is a lovely boat and of course the Crusader a lovely shape too. 
I used to own Hooligan, a pipedream and superb on the river. Migrated to merlins - the main tamesis fleet (over 40 boats) but saw Magpies languishing at the back of the dinghy park and realised that I could not just let her die! I fully intend to race her here.
So anyone with any bits and pieces - mast and spars or anything they want to get rid over (clear out garage ?!) please do let me know! 
The aim - to have her sailing by the late Autumn!
Now september. boat refurbished, hull very good considering she spent the winter outside and uncovered! have had to paint the decks but fixed the de-lamination of the plywood decks very successfully indeed - can pass on how to anyone interested of course!
Afraid the stripes have gone too - all too fiddly for me to keep up. Now assembling bits and pieces - need a mast and spars. Going to use a cut down merlin rudder/tiller set. Hoping I can pick up a center board but may have to make one! 
Intend to sail her single handed and experiment with different rigs - even just one sail for here on the river, with maybe a higher mast so will get a local handicap. should be interesting. anyone tried something similar for river sailing?  Thought I might try a Hadron sail set-up or even the Rooster version of the Laser rig which is nearly 1/3 larger!

[tamesis 1]

Now completed the restoration. Renamed her Mongrel as she has so many different bits and pieces!
hope to have her on the water as soon as I can locate a suitable centreboard - no luck so far.
Putting a merlin mast - all ready - on her for single handed river sailing. should be interesting!