The Drascombe story
Those who preferred more leisurely sailing in smaller boats were also well catered for. Although the Drascombe Lugger pre-dates the 1970s, this was the decade in which the popularity of the designs took off and some 4,500 from 14-22ft have now been built across more than a dozen different models.
The original 18ft Lugger, built in wood by designer John Watkinson in 1965, was an undecked open daysailer with an easily handled loose footed yawl rig. Watkinson took his first wooden production model to the 1968 London boat show, where it proved unexpectedly popular – he took an order within half an hour of the show opening, plus a further ten before the show ended. That led to him licensing Honnor Marine to build the boats in fibreglass. When they exhibited the first boat in 1969 sales took off.
Large families loved the big cockpit that meant children could bring their friends sailing and there was heaps of space for picnics. The outboard engine is mounted well aft to keep noise as far away from the crew as possible.
Further designs soon followed, with the 22ft Longboat unveiled in 1970. Unlike the Lugger, this was also offered with a small two-berth cabin, giving additional flexibility. Yet the boat weighs only 480kg, so it can be towed by a relatively small car, while the simple rig with short masts makes for quick and easy launching and recovery. A clear measure of the success of the concept is the Drascombes are one of a handful of designs from their era that are still in build today.