Owen Ball

I sank on my maiden voyage, she went over in a squall and that was that, the fellow club members suggest that I bolt on a drop torpedo type keel when sailing on the lake. It just appears that the ballets in in sufficient, yet she lies beautifully on the water line, when pushing her over manually she rights perfectly, but o so disappointing on the lake.

Hello Michael, She is scratch built plank on bulkhead ,mahogany planking 8 x 3, After sanding and finishing the hull I applied a layer of tissue fibre glass, then polished with 1500 water paper and then buffing compound. The deck housing accommodates the radio control servo winch for the sails 1:1 for the fore sail and 1:3 disadvantage for the main sail then a second servo for the rudder. Hoping to launch finally at the club in a month or two, the detail is never ending as I am sure you are well aware of. Kind regards Owen

Hi Michael, this is my BCPC 1:20 now busy with the radio control, your build fascinates me especially with the bigger scale Kind regards Owen

YACHT ACTIVE:- BRISTOL CHANNEL PILOT CUTTER that my father, Jack Ball one of 5 lived on with their parents. She was built in 1883 by W.G.Luke & Co. on the Hamble and for the first 20 or so years she was owned by a Southampton pilot. In 1910 she was bought by a Cardiff pilot-James Duggan. She was sold to the Cardiff pilot company in 1913 for £325 and remained with the company-by 1915 being used as a lodging house for the pilots. In 1919 she was sold to Samuel Starling Ball of 68 Kimberley Road Cardiff. Who was my grandfather. He sold her in 1923 to a Mr Fenwick of Bourne in Lincolnshire. She then had various owners in the 1920s and 1930s including a Col. Bramhall of Earls Court London and a Viscount Fitzharris of Basingstoke. After the Second World War she passed through various owners the last known being Henry R. Amis of Ealing London in 1956. Her dimensions were (in feet) 54 length, 13.2 beam, draught 8. I believe Her first engine was installed in 1923 so when she was in our family’s Ownership she probably had no engine-just as when she was a working pilot cutter. I have a silver trophy for ‘sailing round the Island’- I think this was a race in the Bristol Channel and refers –possibly- to sailing around Lundy? Hope that this is of some interest. Owen Ball The inscription on the trophy:- CARDIFF YACHT CLUB REGATTA SEPT 10th 1921 FIRST PRIZE PRESENTED BY THE CLUB WON BY YACHT ACTIVE OWNER MR SAM BALL

Hi Michael I am in the process of building based on the little bit of nostalgia below, the Hull is just about done now and will post you in time to come with a few pitures, what a commendable job you are doing, enjoy following your progress. Best regards Owen YACHT ACTIVE:- BRISTOL CHANNEL PILOT CUTTER that my father, Jack Ball one of 5 lived on with their parents. She was built in 1883 by W.G.Luke & Co. on the Hamble and for the first 20 or so years she was owned by a Southampton pilot. In 1910 she was bought by a Cardiff pilot-James Duggan. She was sold to the Cardiff pilot company in 1913 for £325 and remained with the company-by 1915 being used as a lodging house for the pilots. In 1919 she was sold to Samuel Starling Ball of 68 Kimberley Road Cardiff. Who was my grandfather. He sold her in 1923 to a Mr Fenwick of Bourne in Lincolnshire. She then had various owners in the 1920s and 1930s including a Col. Bramhall of Earls Court London and a Viscount Fitzharris of Basingstoke. After the Second World War she passed through various owners the last known being Henry R. Amis of Ealing London in 1956. Her dimensions were (in feet) 54 length, 13.2 beam, draught 8. I believe Her first engine was installed in 1923 so when she was in our family’s Ownership she probably had no engine-just as when she was a working pilot cutter. I have a silver trophy for ‘sailing round the Island’- I think this was a race in the Bristol Channel and refers –possibly- to sailing around Lundy? Hope that this is of some interest. Owen Ball The inscription on the trophy:- CARDIFF YACHT CLUB REGATTA SEPT 10th 1921 FIRST PRIZE PRESENTED BY THE CLUB WON BY YACHT ACTIVE OWNER MR SAM BALL