Built of pitch pine over rock elm frames Cockleshell's hull is original except for replacement floors, mast step and deck covering. A new rudder to the original pattern was fitted for the 1989 season.
Cockleshell is now raced out of the River Hamble, having spent the first 33 years in her native Guernsey, followed by 30 years on the East Coast of England.
With no class mates to spar with Cockleshell has always raced under handicap and since her arrival on the south coast in 1989 has sailed in the yacht class at Hamble River Sailing Club and in Royal Southern Yacht Club regattas.
Photo by Vicki Weston
The hull lines have now been digitised for posterity, based on AJ Barber’s original hand drawn lines and by checking dimensions from the hull itself. This reveals that additional freeboard was added during the build and which contributed to her proven seaworthiness and racing success.
Cockleshell is listed by Classic Boat magazine in their Top 250 classics, which celebrated 250 issues of that magazine in 2009.
There is a near-complete photographic history of the boat, some of which has been digitised. See the Photo Album page.
Launching at Deacon’s Boatyard in 1989 for Cockleshell’s first season on the River Hamble