Sovereign35@btopenworld.com
Super Sovereign 35
A safe and seaworthy cruiser
A safe and seaworthy cruiser
History
From the Pencils of Holman & Pye the Sovereigns were born from about 1970 to 1977 (2 more we think built in 1981 at another yard) Never really got the fame of the other boats. But she is a pretty thing and always gets praise.
Below is a copy of an original Brochure, What happened to “NainJaune” featured in the Brochure? Sadly she was wrecked on a reef and apparently was lost quickly. NainJaune was built to a high standard in wood and was used to form the plug for the hull.
Below is a copy of an original Brochure, What happened to “NainJaune” featured in the Brochure? Sadly she was wrecked on a reef and apparently was lost quickly. NainJaune was built to a high standard in wood and was used to form the plug for the hull.
UPHAMS YARD BRIXHAM DEVON
The Birth place of the Sovereign 35's, no it is not a nice set of flats but the site of Uphams yard in Brixham as it is today. The harbour is almost as it would of been there is a new Marina to the left of the Flats (Old Harbour is on the right) . There are 2 large pontoons run by Brixham Harbour, one is used by the Heritage Fleet of Brixham Trawlers, During our stay in Brixham we were priveleged enough to tie up alongside a fine example.
Queen Bee in fine company in Brixham Harbour August 2005. The “Owners” of Vigilance (The last trawler to be built at Uphams yard) made us very welcome and amazed to see another albeit smaller Uphams boat. Uphams yard would of been at the end of the Quay on the right. Vigilance is a piece of living Brixham history. Built in Brixham in 1926, she worked with the local fishing fleet before seeing war service as a barrage balloon mooring vessel. Since then Vigilance has been used as a gentleman's yacht, film vessel, charter boat and adventure training craft in France, the Faeroe Islands, Ireland and the Isle of Man. She has now returned to her home port and is proudly owned, maintained and sailed by Brixham people. GOLDEN VANITY ( The light Blue Yacht) is thought to be the sole surviving Mumble Bee, the smallest of the Brixham trawler types. She was built by Sanders at Galmpton in 1908. Although built as a working boat, she was used as a base by marine artist Arthur Briscoe to paint the Brixham fishing fleet. She fell into disuse but was restored in the 1980s by a local trust and is now a sail trainer.
The site of J W & A Upham Ship and Yacht Builders in 2006, I wonder if the people who live here appreciate what once stood on this site and the skilled men who used to work here.
There is one great Benefit from the flats being built, not too much but there is a fine walkway along the front, in the past it was not possible to walk along here into the Town. Mind you there was a lot of industry here previously....
The plaque with the inscription in front of the flats that replaced the yard is really all that remains to remind folk of what once stood here. I wonder how many people notice it?
A Post Card of the Yard in the 1960’s (Reproduced Courtesy of Brixham Museum)
Kim Holman
January 18th 1925 to 8th April 2006)
Kim Holman, who died aged 81, was a world-renowned yacht designer with a prodigious output; after designing his first 20-footer in 1955, he produced plans for countless boats, some of which are still being made to his specifications today.
Holman's philosophy was straightforward: he did not believe in extremes, grace, and a rising fore and aft sheer, were his hallmarks.
Christopher Rushbroke Holman (always known as Kim) was born on January 18 1925 at Carbis Bay, Cornwall, and educated at Sherborne. His father was an athlete as well as a businessman.
During the war Holman joined the Royal Navy, and sailed 32-ft cutters full of raw young trainees in the choppy waters of Harwich harbour while stationed at HMS Ganges. This was followed by a spell in the Mediterranean, where he obtained his watch-keeping certificate; he returned to Britain and, working on the Humber, became the youngest officer to run a minesweeper.
After demobilisation Holman went to Bristol University, where he "didn't get a degree but did learn to drink and have fun". In 1950 he joined the yacht designer Jack Francis-Jones at Waldringfield, Suffolk, to learn his new profession. He quickly became a life-long friend of the yachtsman and skipper Michael Spear and a regular crew in his highly successful Brambling, winning most of the east coast Blue Riband races. He also raced a Merlin Rocket named Pink Gin.
In 1955 Holman designed himself a 20-ft sloop, Phialle, specifically to win the Pattinson Cup at the 1956 Burnham Week Regatta, which she did by a large margin. Later in the season she went on to win the Harwich to Ostend race.
In 1957, having moved to Firs Chase, West Mersea, he bought a share in Gowens, the West Mersea sailmaker, and set about designing one of his most famous boats, the 35-ft yawl Rummer, of which several clones were built.
In 1964 Don Pye joined forces with Holman, becoming a full partner in 1968. Holman went on to develop, among many others, the 26-ft Nymphet (more commonly referred to as the Holman 26), and the hugely successful Twister - which Pye successfully adapted for GRP construction - the Elizabethan 29 and 35, the Victorian, Bowman 36, Centurion and Hustler 25.5, 30 and 35.
Holman's interests away from the drawing board were wide; he was a founder-director of Suffolk Yacht Harbour, one of the largest and best-equipped all-tide marinas on the east coast.
After several years in London, he moved back to his beloved east coast, settling at Powers End, Witham, Essex, with his companion Jim Mignotte.
He was a member of West Mersea Yacht Club, Haven Ports Yacht club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC).
Holman always said when buying a new boat: "Never compromise or economise on the hull and deck."
Kim Holman, who died on April 8 2007, was a kindly man who loved chamber music, was an astute collector of antiques and had a sharp eye for real value when it came to paintings.
January 18th 1925 to 8th April 2006)
Kim Holman, who died aged 81, was a world-
Holman's philosophy was straightforward: he did not believe in extremes, grace, and a rising fore and aft sheer, were his hallmarks.
Christopher Rushbroke Holman (always known as Kim) was born on January 18 1925 at Carbis Bay, Cornwall, and educated at Sherborne. His father was an athlete as well as a businessman.
During the war Holman joined the Royal Navy, and sailed 32-
After demobilisation Holman went to Bristol University, where he "didn't get a degree but did learn to drink and have fun". In 1950 he joined the yacht designer Jack Francis-
In 1955 Holman designed himself a 20-
In 1957, having moved to Firs Chase, West Mersea, he bought a share in Gowens, the West Mersea sailmaker, and set about designing one of his most famous boats, the 35-
In 1964 Don Pye joined forces with Holman, becoming a full partner in 1968. Holman went on to develop, among many others, the 26-
Holman's interests away from the drawing board were wide; he was a founder-
After several years in London, he moved back to his beloved east coast, settling at Powers End, Witham, Essex, with his companion Jim Mignotte.
He was a member of West Mersea Yacht Club, Haven Ports Yacht club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC).
Holman always said when buying a new boat: "Never compromise or economise on the hull and deck."
Kim Holman, who died on April 8 2007, was a kindly man who loved chamber music, was an astute collector of antiques and had a sharp eye for real value when it came to paintings.
Regard was built by Upham’s in Brixham in 1933 as a ‘Trawler Yacht’ and named “Our Boy” after Stewart Upham. Fifty four feet on deck and Seventy five feet overall, constructed of pitch pine on grown oak, she was purchased by an ex Grimsby trawlerman then living in Jersey.
Regard made her first voyage to South Africa where her owner is said to have had an eye for alluvial diamonds - of course he said that he was fishing for Sneok! Perhaps his alibi had run a little threadbare when, in 1935, he made a dramatic run from Table Bay to Penzance in 65 days, leaving his wife and son to return by steamer. That son went on to be the first Englishman to sail around the world single-handed.
Regard made her first voyage to South Africa where her owner is said to have had an eye for alluvial diamonds -