Consistent performer


Cockleshell moored on the Hamble
Vicki in the cockpit

A waterline length of under 17 feet and a non-surfing hull form means that the maximum hull speed is around 6 knots. Thus in a modern handicap fleet Cockleshell is destined to prefer light airs, and in ghosting conditions her slippery hull form is perfect for the job.

Even so at times she has acquitted herself well in rough conditions, notable being a circumnavigation race of Guernsey on August 10th 1955. With big overfalls at the Platte in the Little Russel some yachts turned back. After 8.5 hours of tough sailing Cockleshell finished 3rd on corrected time behind Kittiwake and Kennetha. The Dragon, Lalun, owned by Max Fitzgerald, was first home but beaten into 4th place on handicap.

Although Cockleshell was designed for sailing in the Channel Island swell small boats like her prefer flat water, thus the move to the East Anglian rivers was a bigger success than might have been expected. Keeping off the mud instead of dodging rocks was a new experience for John Sherwill but a perfect training ground for his growing son.

By the age of ten Jonty was helming the boat on a regular basis, but was more than happy to share the cockpit with the occasional pretty girl invited by his father to help race the boat that day. This early training ensured a lifelong bond with Cockleshell only temporarily put on hold with the purchase of his first Cadet Dinghy and the beginnings of a successful 20 years of dinghy racing in the OK and Finn class.

In 1983 Cockleshell became Jonty's boat and ever since has provided exciting and competitive racing, together with the friendly rivalry that only sailing can deliver. But most important is the enthusiasm of friends and family who help crew her and paint her!




Photos above:
Cockleshell at Cowes Classics 2013
Photos by Tim Jefffreys ©


Cockleshell in HRSC evening race 2005
'FRB' photo by Bill Oakley


Royal Southen YC Aveva September Regatta 2015
Photo by Rick Tomlinson


Hamble Classics Regatta 2018
Photo by Fiona Earle


Hamble Classics Regatta 2019
Photo by Rick Tomlinson


Hamble Classics Regatta 2019
Photo by Rick Tomlinson


Hamble Classics Regatta 2020
Photo by Rick Tomlinson



More photos of Cockleshell through the years HERE

2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022* & 2023 - Cockleshell takes part in the Hamble Classics Regatta, the classic yachting event she inspired
* No racing took place in 2022 out of respect for the Queen and the Royal Family


Photo by Nick Gill - Hamble Classics Regatta 2017

2015 - Cockleshell wins IRC Class 4 at the Royal Southern's September Regatta
A weekend of brilliant late summer weather for the Royal Southern Yacht Club's 2015 final monthly regatta.


Photos by Chris Gillingham and Vicki Weston

2014 - Cockleshell wins at Cowes Classics Week
Cowes Classics Week 2014 (21-25 July), supported by Charles Stanley, attracted 150 boats in 12 classes and this year the 88-year-old Cockleshell raced with the ‘Fast’ Division of the Classic Cruiser Class.

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In a varied class of 12 boats racing under the Scandinavian KLR handicap system Cockleshell finished ahead of Bob Fisher's 28 foot 1898 Fife ‘Mignon’ and William Amherst’s Nicholson 36 ‘Janessa’ to win the Danegeld Half Model, also defending the Maurice Wilmot Trophy for classic dayboats she won in 2013. Other boats in the class included two more Nicholson 36’s, ‘Temeraire’ and ‘Aurai’, three Nicholson 32’s ‘Fals Cappa’, ‘Responsive' and ‘Bambella', David Elliott’s vintage 6-Metre ‘Monsoon’, Martin Thomas’ 'Charm of Rhu’, Andrew Hitt’s 46 foot ketch ‘Helmi’, and Bob Gatehouse’s 30 Sq. Metre ‘Erida’.  
 
Cockleshell was helmed by Jonty Sherwill and expertly crewed each day by Vicki Weston. Conditions were light, with beats against the strong spring tide ebb along the Solent's stony shores, but thankfully Cockleshell never touched the bottom! From 5 starts she scored 4 first places, three with line honours, and was third behind ‘Mignon’ and ‘Janessa’ in Race 4. Some races were long, one lasting 4.5 hours.


Cockleshell wins at Cowes Classics Week 2013

Cowes Classics Week (15-19 July) attracted 127 boats in 12 classes. It is the first time that the 87 year old Cockleshell has been entered in a major regatta and she won the Classic Dayboat Class with six 1st places from six starts.

In a varied class of 6 boats racing under the Scandinavian KLR handicap system Cockleshell finished ahead of Aubrey Finburgh's Requin Class 'Johnny III' from Lake Annecy in France, and Jonathan Evans' Loch Long 'Tantrum' from Aldeburgh. Other boats in the class included Andy King’s 30 Sq. Metre ‘Gluckhauf’, David Elliott’s vintage 6-Metre ‘Monsoon’, and Rees Martin’s Tumlaren ‘Alert’. 
 
Helmed by Jonty Sherwill and crewed each day by Vicki Weston, there were guest appearances from Gordon Bonney, Fiona Earle, and 6-Metre owner Robin Richardson on the final day.

The Early Years

Cockleshell was built not only for racing but also for family day sailing out of St. Peter Port, Guernsey. Sailing without auxiliary engine in the big Channel Island tides requires good judgement and A.J. Barber was well known as an expert local navigator. Consequently he was asked to contribute to Adlard Coles Channel Pilot.

AJ used this knowledge to good effect while racing Cockleshell in the St. Peter Port yacht fleet, a menagerie of small cruisers and dayboats. Cockleshell was a regular entrant in both Royal Channel Island Yacht Club and Guernsey Yacht Club events, and the success he enjoyed during his lifetime was continued after he died by his son Max Barber and my father John Sherwill.

John Sherwill had boundless enthusiasm and in 1955 he decided to try bigger races in Cockleshell so he built a small cabin top so she would qualify. This may have been a reaction to being disqualified after winning the Sir Jesse Boot Round Jersey race that year on the grounds that Cockleshell was not a cabin cruiser even though his entry had been accepted. The incident was reported in the Guernsey Press.

To England

In 1957 John Sherwill with his wife and young son moved to East Anglia to join the Mann Egerton motor group, leaving Cockleshell in Guernsey. A year or so later and with the boat being little used AJ’s widow Winnie Barber offered her to John Sherwill.

My father’s experience of sailing Cockleshell in all conditions around Guernsey will have contributed to his confidence in delivering the boat to the East Coast of England which he duly did in August 1959, crewed by Ben Johnston. Arriving at Orford after a week of port hopping along the French coast and including an overnight passage across the Thames Estuary Cockleshell would spend her first two seasons in England moored on the rivers Orwell and Deben.

A seaboat tries fresh water

A job move for my father then saw her heading to Norfolk and a less than suitable home at Wroxham Broad (62-63) before returning to the River Deben just two years later in 1964. There Cockleshell would remain for 25 years as a keen competitor in the vibrant Waldringfield Sailing Club yacht class.

This fleet included the beautiful dark green ‘Emerald’, an Orford Whitewing of 1898, ‘Manka’ the old 6-Metre, some 20ft. locally built Kestrels, two new and neatly varnished BB’s, some Pandora and Pegasus yachts, a pair of Mystere 25’s, and towards the end of her stay some Popcorn mini-tonners built by Mike Nunn. There was some occasional racing out at sea to the Cork Lightship and also during Deben Week each August, requiring the fleet to head out through the notorious ‘Deben Bar’ entrance.

My parents John and Pat Sherwill retired back to Guernsey in 1983 (now with a small motor launch, Tomboy of Itchenor) and with my growing business and yachting commitments on the south coast Cockleshell spent a year ashore in 1986 before coming south (by road) to join me at Hamble in 1988 after a final season on the River Deben.

No comprehensive list of Cockleshell’s race results exists but some milestones are listed below:

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1938
Guernsey Yacht Club Mignot Cup

1952 - 1953 - 1954
Winner 3 years running of the St. Sampsons and Vale Regatta Farmer Cup
Engraved pewter tankard awarded - but not the trophy!

1953
Royal Channel Island Yacht Club Centenary Cup

1975
50 Summers Half Model Trophy presented to Waldringfield Sailing Club
Cockleshell won the trophy in 1983 sailed by John and Jonty

1991
Hamble River Combined Clubs CHS Championship - Cockleshell - Boat of the Series

Hamble River Sailing Club Trophy Races
Bottle Pursuit
Copper Kettle

Bursledon Regatta
Ronnie Burton Trophy for Yachts of 25 feet and under
Winner in 2002, 2010, 2012 & 2015

2010 Hamble River Combined clubs
Winner Class 3 Phillip David Cup

2012 Hamble River Sailing Club
Wednesday Evening Racing
Overall Winner of ‘A’ and ‘B’ Series

2013
Winner Classic Dayboat Class at Cowes Classics Week. Read More
HRSC Wednesday Evening Racing
Overall Winner of ‘B’ Series

2014
Winner Classic Cruiser Class (Fast) at Cowes Classics Week
HRSC Wednesday Evening Racing
Overall Winner of ‘A’ and ‘B’ Series - NHC

2015 Hamble River Sailing Club
Wednesday Evening Racing
Overall Winner of ‘B’ Series - HRSC Club Handicap and NHC

2016 Hamble River Sailing Club
Wednesday Evening Racing
Overall Winner of ‘B’ Series - HRSC Club Handicap and NHC

2017 Hamble River Sailing Club
Wednesday Evening Racing
Overall Winner of 'A' and ‘B’ Series - HRSC Club Handicap (NHC system no longer in use)
Bursledon Regatta
Ronnie Burton Trophy for Yachts of 25 feet and under

2018 Hamble River Sailing Club
Wednesday Evening Racing
Overall Winner of 'A' and ‘B’ Series - HRSC Club Handicap

2018 Bursledon Regatta
Ronnie Burton Trophy for Yachts of 25 feet and under

2019 Bursledon Regatta
Ronnie Burton Trophy for Yachts of 25 feet and under

2020 Hamble River Sailing Club
Cockleshell competes in HRSC's Midsummer Regatta and Wednesday Evening Series
Hamble Classics Regatta at the Royal Southern Yacht Club - placed 3rd in the Regatta 2 Class

2021
Hamble Classics Regatta at the Royal Southern Yacht Club - Winner in Regatta Class
Overall series winner VPRS handicap class - Royal Southern Yacht Club
Royal Southern Yacht Club Ladies Race winner - Vicki Weston helming
Royal Southern Yacht Club Ancient Mariner's Race winner - Jonty Sherwill helming
Overall Winner of ‘B’ Series - HRSC Club Handicap
Bursledon Regatta
Ronnie Burton Trophy for Yachts of 25 feet and under

2022
Overall Winner of 'B' and ‘C’ Series - HRSC Club Handicap
Bursledon Regatta
Ronnie Burton Trophy for Yachts of 25 feet and under

2023
Hamble Classics Regatta (HRSC and RAFYC) - Winner in Regatta Class
Overall Winner of ‘C’ Series - HRSC Club Handicap