Silver Gull 19

When I first saw the GIF image of Silver Gull 19 at Tom MacNaughton’s web site I fell in love with the little boat, but at the time I was betrothed to my Matt Layden Paradox, and I was committed to fashioning her to perfection for a long-term relationship. The trouble with fickle me is that I flirt with many pretty vessels and very easily fall in love with them, but no mistress likes sharing me with other beautiful girls. I can only have one love at any time if I am to devote myself wholly to her. That makes life difficult, because I am torn between the one who has my time and the one who cannot have it, because I am otherwise occupied. The truth is I want them all at the same time and share them equally, which is impossible.

Because of my lack of fidelity I sold my Paradox ‘Faith’ to the very first person who offered to take her unto himself! I admit, the offer was good, and I doubted such an opportunity would come again. Afterwards I had a pang of guilt that I had given her up so easily, but that underlines my fickleness. Every two years, or thereabouts, I look for the favours of a new mistress. Before ‘Faith’, there were a string of them over many years. Now, almost in my dotage, my zest for lovers continues, and early this year I acquired ‘Ladybird’, a Seawych 19’ sloop. She is a bit of a witch, a white one at that, but overcoming her spells has been my business. I think I have her under control. She no longer luffs into the wind at every gust, because I’ve sorted her balance and learned her ways.

I have plans for ‘Ladybird’ and me; we shall take a cruise together along the South Coast to the romantic West Country. We’ll enjoy the scenery as we skip and dance with galloping white horses. At Exmouth we’ll bask in the sun and lounge on the sands, while overhead whirling terns will squeal when tiny crabs scurry among the weeds. The sound of surf on the bar and the unique elixir of ozone will sooth us as we idle away priceless moments. It will then be time for the fair West Wind to usher us homeward past Portland Bill, St Catherine’s Point, Selsey Bill, Dungeness, South Foreland, North Foreland; then we’ll relish a fine reaching frolic across the tumbling waves of Thames’ gaping mouth, followed by a hard beat into the Crouch and our time together will be over. I shall abandon my love for yet a new beauty who will share with me precious moments before Father Time may toll the bell, and fickle love is no more.

Note

I am eyeing Silver Gull 19 as a future mistress, but will she be too much to take on? I’ll need two years to fashion her to my fancy, and like all beguilers she’ll cost the earth.

Here are her shapely measurements:
LOD 19'7" LWL 13'7" Beam 6'6" Draft 3'0"or 2'8" Sail Area 95 sq ft Displacement 1,885 lbs.
Ballast 785 lbs

This is where she can be found, but she’s mine first! Hands off!!

http://www.macnaughtongroup.com/silver_gull_19.htm