John Jack on Major Brooks' Yacht

Date Added: 05 August 2011 Contributor: John Ferguson Year: 1955 Picture No: 2979

Albums: People

4 Comments

John, this brings back memories!!! - which yacht is this, looks too early for Sabrina? I remember a few of us "youngsters" sailing Sabrina on our own from Invergordon to Cromarty - Richard Brooke obviously trusted us!!! At that age it felt like crossing the Atlantic!!!! Comment left on 09 August 2011 at 13:49 by Campbell Ross

Hi Campbell. I think this is Ariel. Comment left on 15 August 2011 at 19:34 by John Jack

I have just come across this post and would like to say that the yacht shown is definitely not Sabrina.I give three reasons for this opinion. 1) The jib-sheet winches on Sabrina were not deck-mounted but were on blocks integral with the cockpit coaming. 2) The running backstays were mounted on a slide which ran on a rail on the deck and were tensioned by a block and tackle, whereas those in the photograph are tensioned by a Highfield lever.3) Sabrina's tiller was circular in section and covered in canvas, painted white.
If not Sabrina and if owned by Richard, the only other yacht it could have been was Ariel.
I have fond memories of sailing many times with John Jack.
Richard very generously let me sail Sabrina any time I wished, in return for looking after her at Invergordon.
Happy to say that she was completely restored in Germany, having reverted to her original name of "Fintra".The restoration can be seen on the web at www.fintra.de. See post no. 2049 on this site. Comment left on 08 May 2020 by Gordon Legge

You're right,John. It was Ariel. For some reason or other, I forgot about Ariel! Either the brain is definitely not as good as it used to be, or the name Sabrina had more memorable recollections....!!! Comment left on 17 May 2020 by Campbell Ross

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