Huckle (The Maori Hunter)
Cherub 1494
Known Owners:
* Tom Gatehouse (-2006) * Laurence Trim (2006-)
Design: Spencer 7
Year Built: 1969
After months of varnishing, polishing and family fun. Huckle (The Maori Hunter) is back on the water again.
-Previously
Hmmmm, Laurence is re-modelling “The Maori Hunter” to the all new “Huckle (The Maori Hunter)”. Whilst speed records are not anticipated, a whole lot of love has been devoted to her and she should soon be ripping up Bough Beech.
Life before 2000
(Summary below written in 2000 by Jim Champ)
This boat is an astonishing survival from the late 1960s. Here we see the classic design from before the “flattie” revolution fuelled by Bowler, Beashel, Bethwaite, Marten etc at the start of the 70s. Its complete with the short batten rig favoured in the UK (but nowhere else) at that time, and an original style asymettric spinnaker. The boat seems to have been built from a kit, and is very much in line with Spencer's plans.
The pictures below show the typical layout of the period. Note how the side decks are continuous with the foredeck. The alloy poles to support the daggerboard case. This is a more veed and very much more rockered shape than has been seen since in Cherubs (some other classes though!). Under the foredeck the carpentry is the arrangements for the forward sliding daggerboard. Note the bulkhead where the tank goes full height at the bow and the block for the tackle to pull the board up.
The traveller was typical. Note self bailers (remember them!). Locating these in Cherubs of that era was always tricky - difficult to find a place where they would drain and not be destroyed by being jumped on.
The entry was really quite fine for a boat of the period - especially if you compare it with contemporaries like the Scorpion.
The boat is moderately deep Veed right through to the transom. Sterns went flat as they are now in the early to mid 70s.
The original sails are shown, and predate the larger jib that was adopted in 1970. The sail area is probably around 100sq ft - 9.3m2, and spinnaker 60sqft - 5.6m2. Its all a bit different now!
Asymmetric Spinnaker 1968 style! One of these days I must blag a ride in this boat to appreciate what a horror gybing this must have been. Thank goodness for bowsprits!
This is the oldest active Cherub I know of in the world right now.
Credit
all Photos are © Tom Gatehouse, 2000/2001. Many thanks to Tom for the material and to Jim Champ for the words.
Images
1494
- Designs: Barton/Spencer 7
- Builder:
- Construction: Wood
- Location: Bough Beech (Sevenoaks)