Drascombe Golden Jubilee - 50 year celebration

This year is the celebration of 50 years of the Drascombe Lugger – a Golden Jubilee.

The celebrations have already started with the unveiling at the London Boat Show of the very first Drascombe Lugger, designed and built by John Watkinson.

‘Katharine Mary’ was discovered by Sharon Geary-Harwood, from CBL, after enquiries thought the Lymington Harbour Master, where she had last been moored.

Recovered to the CBL yard at Whitchurch, she was carefully restored and made her second debut at a boat show on the CBL stand, alongside a brand new Lugger with all the latest mods cons fitted.

Sharon had equipped ‘Katharine Mary’ with a 1960 picnic basket, complete with shake and salt crisps, a bottle of ginger beer (grog) and a copy of Swallows and Amazons…this quickly became to most photographed item on the stand and together with an album of her restoration she was a very good focal point, with more than one purchase offer being forthcoming.

There was even a cake to cut with two of John Watkinson's daughters and his grandson who came up for the day. Stewart made a speech and glasses of bubbly were passed around

A highlight of the week was a chat to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who was as energetic as ever, prowling around the show like a caged lion. Apparently he had planned to be sailing his new boat in preparation for yet another challenge, but building delays had put that off until late Feb sohe was on official welcoming duties

The main event of the Jubilee Year is the gathering in Weymouth and Portland Harbour over the weekend of 6^th – 9^th July. There ‘Katharine Mary’ will be a focal point and I think the plan is to get her sailing once again, hopefully with one of her builders, Doug Elliot, at the helm.

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