On 9 April Classic Boat Magazine announced their annual awards at a champagne reception hosted by the Royal Thames Yacht Club, London. Four East Coast boats had been nominated for awards and we’re pleased to report that ‘Laerling’ was a winner and ‘Sparklet’ highly commended. This is the 19th year of the Awards and there were a record-breaking 20,000 votes. A notable feature of this year’s awards was the higher-than-usual number of sailing yacht restorations.
WINNER 2025 Spirit of Tradition: ‘Laerling’
Design Paul Spooner, Paul Spooner Design & Jim Dines, Build Downs Road Boatyard, 2024, 52ft (15.8m), Gaff ketch
‘Laerling’ (Norwegian for ‘apprentice’) is a mix of new and old, with a traditional steel hull based on Colin Archer and other designers, hybrid propulsion, and redundancy in almost everything for adventure in far-flung places. The young apprentices who built this wonderful boat attended the Awards ceremony, along with the owners of ‘Laerling’, Chris and Peta Torrance, designer Paul Spooner and Jim Dines, Downs Boatyard. ‘Laerling’ was built by two Heritage Marine Foundation apprentices Adam Payne and Kane Gooch with additional support from Jasmin Klimke, TS Rigging and Marine Services Ltd. Heritage Marine Foundation is a charity that exists to ensure essential traditional maritime skills are passed on to young people.
RUNNER UP 2025 Restored sailing vessel over 40’: ‘Sparklet’
Design and Build Herbert Bunn, 1905, LOD 41ft (12.5m), Rig gaff cutter
The unsympathetic conversion of the Edwardian Broads racing yacht Sparklet to a modest cruising yacht before World War One destroyed her flowing lines but helped ensure her survival into the 21st century. Thanks to Henry Harston and a team at Broadland Boat Builders, she’s back to original.
NOMINATION 2025 Restored sailing vessel under 40’: ‘Yet’
Design and Build Aldous, 1898, LOD 36ft (11m), Rig gaff cutter
The ex-fishing smack ‘Yet’ has been rebuilt from wreck by Dan Tester who, with late father Barry, has established a microcosm of perfection in such boats over many years. This one is for himself and his wife Marion, and she remains engineless, the way she was built.
NOMINATION 2025 Gstaad Yacht Club Centenarian of the Year: ‘Growler’
Design TH Hughes, Built by Whites of Conyer Creek, 1922, 34ft (10.4m) LOD, Gaff ketch
The resurrection of ‘Growler’, a half-sized barge yacht from bare hull, was carried out over four years by Ash Faire-Ring. He started the project aged just 17 while still at school. The hull was partly sound, but there was some re-planking to do and the rest of the boat was a hulk. Ash was lucky enough to have some mentors and inspirations, like local man John Owles and, further away, Greg Powlesland.
Find more about the ‘Growler’ project here
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