© Andy Carter
Saunterer Yacht
Saunterer Yacht
From Dartmouth to the South Pole
This is the tale of how a yacht has taken a Dartmouth couple on an amazing adventure: raising funds for an expedition to the Antarctic marking 100 years since the Scott Expedition – which claimed the life of the yacht’s previous owner, the famous Captain Oates.
Guy and Chloe Savage had no idea that they were embarking on a labour of love as they drove to a yard on the River Clyde on the west-coast of Scotland to view an antique Charles Sibbick-designed 60 ft long yacht.
As they looked at Saunterer, they saw a boat which was not seaworthy – Chloe says the ‘rain was coming right through it – there were leaks everywhere’ – but they had been looking for a ‘project’ and both knew it was for them.
‘We fell in love with it and bought it, fools that we are,’ Chloe laughs. The couple fully subscribe to the belief that you don’t own a boat – you are simply its caretaker as it ages and develops and finds new uses, places and experiences.
They now own a yacht suffused with history and craft after a loving restoration – which has almost its complete original superstructure 111 years after it was built.
The couple, who have been together for ten years this year and were married in 2010, knew there was a rumoured connection to Captain Lawrence Edward Grace Oates, who travelled with Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated Antarctica exhibition of 1912.
Captain Oates sacrificed himself in an attempt to save his colleagues, walking into a blizzard after uttering the immortal line ‘I’m just going outside and may be some time.’
However, the possibility of a famous connection did not influence Guy and Chloe’s decision to buy the boat – they knew it was perfect for them – and Guy’s shipwright skills meant they were very well placed to do the work themselves.
After the purchase, the couple had the boat brought to Dart Haven Marina. With some trepidation, they had it put straight into the water – and were relieved to see her float.
‘We thought she might just sink straight away,’ said Chloe. ‘But although she did take a lot of water on it was ok – until it went in we had no idea at all.’
The long job of restoring Saunterer was made more complicated when Chloe and Guy had to move aboard much quicker than they had previously anticipated – just a week after she arrived in Kingswear - but the hardy duo took it all in their stride and got to work.
‘It was a lot of work. Guy’s self employed and has the skills and flexibility, so obviously did the majority of the work; but I chipped in covering the cushions and other little jobs – as well as making sure he was fed and clothed!’ Chloe said. ‘We have the help of talented and very generous friends to thank for helping us to get it all finished. Lee Rogers, John Cuthbertson, Stephen Norvill and Tom Evans helped us so much, it wouldn’t be on the water in the state it is without their input and incredibly hard work.
‘Now we have a beautiful boat - both to look at and to sail - all the hard work is absolutely worth it.’
During their restoration, Chloe and Guy started to look into the history of the beautiful yacht, and found it has had an exciting, exotic and full life of incident and adventure.
Commissioned by John Simpson in 1899, she was built by Charles Sibbick & Co of Cowes to Lloyds Classification 18 A1 and launched on March 27th 1900. 18A1 meant she was expected to last 18 years.
‘The materials they used back then were so good that she is still going strong,’ said Chloe. The boat is made from Teak and is as durable as they come.
Simpson received a racing flag for Saunterer - she was Gaff rigged at the time, although in the 1930s she was changed to a Bermudan rig. In 1905 she was sold to Captain Oates. He is said to have spent many happy trips on her – trips he recalled during his final days with Scott in the Antarctic.
After that the boat had a number of interesting adventures - one of its owners repeatedly grounded her, causing little damage to the hardy boat – before ending up doing charters in Scotland, and coming into Guy and Chloe’s possession.
The connection with Captain Oates inspired them to look it up in Lloyd’s Shipping register and contact The Royal Dragoon Guards to get information on the famously doomed Captain.
Then a chance meeting in a Dartmouth pub has led to Guy and Chloe lending their help and support to an expedition to the Antarctic.
Lt Cdr Paul Hart, deputy leader of the 2012 British Services Expedition to Antarctica – which is going to the continent in the ‘Spirit’ of Scott’s expedition, not to recreate it – was sitting in a Dartmouth pub, reading Captain Oates’ biography earlier this year. A fellow patron of the pub mentioned in passing that ‘his boat’s on the river you know’.
Lt Cdr Hart, at the Britannia Royal Naval College preparing the scientific parts of the expedition, excitedly got details of where Saunterer was moored and quickly got in touch with Chloe and Guy. He asked them to become involved in raising awareness of the expedition, help with training for the members of the intrepid team, and take sponsors out to experience the type of sailing Oates and the rest of Scott’s expedition would have been used to.
This resulted in first Saunterer being moved to Sandquay yard below Britannia Royal Naval College for the summer, and then on Friday April 1 Guy and Chloe received a visit from the First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope – who officially launched the expedition.
‘We are happy to help the 2012 expedition in any way we can,’ said Chloe. ‘We will spend the summer visiting events around the British coast to raise awareness of the trip, take out team members for training days and help to raise funds for it if we can. The idea is to raise funds for Help For Heroes, as well as undertake some very important scientific work.
‘Antarctica is warming up quicker than any other part of the Planet and they will be looking at why, as well as exploring areas of Antarctica that have not been explored before – it’s an inspiring plan.’
Saunterer will be visiting a number of events over the next few months, including Brixham Heritage Regatta in May, the Plymouth Classics in July and Fowey Classics, Falmouth Week, Salcombe Town Regatta and Dartmouth Royal Regatta in August.
‘We’ve been told that because Saunterer is so old we shouldn’t sail her – that she is an antique,’ said Chloe. ‘But we want to use her as she was meant to be used – you never own a boat, you are only her caretaker. Saunterer has been connected with some amazing people and events during her life – I hope we can add to her story.’
For more information visit Saunterer’s website www.saunterer.co.uk and for the British Services Antarctic Expedition 2012, visit www.bsae2012.co.uk.
First published May 2011 By the Dart
