Rambling Rose

[Jesús Moreno]

Hello, Does anyone know somenthing about a classic wharran called Rambling Rose wich is now abandoned close to Olhao in Portugal. Is about 42 feets.

Cheers

Jesús Moreno.

[Ian R]

Thanks , will contact.

[Phil Studden]

Hello, I was doing some research as to whether Silent Annie was still sailing. 

After coming across this group and seeing the photos of "Rambling Rose". I can confirm the she was originally Silent Annie.

Steve and Ann were my parents and I recall some good times over at Millbrook when the boat was being built. 

Both Ann and Steve haved passed on now.

They did like the folk song "The Lonsome Boatman", but the name of Silient Annie was a two parter.

Yes is was named after my mum Ann, and Silent was because of the peace and tranquility of passage under sail. No motor noise.

it seems a shame that the boats sailing days have come to an end. Have some fond memories of those sailing days.

Unless someone did manage to get her back to shape.

 

Ian R said:

Hello- I was down at Greenway on the River Dart the other day and could see what looked like a Tangaroa Mk IV at anchor in the middle of the river opposite the famous boathouse of the Agatha Christie residence. She had a cutter rig and reminded me of Silent Annie which I sailed on in the early nineties. I looked up "Silent Annie" again and found this.

I lost contact with the owners Steve and Ann in the mid-late nineties and made some efforts trying to trace them but with no success.

I remember Steve telling me that he had bought the boat part-built in Nottingham, from a yard near the Trent. The previous builder had died. One hull was complete and the other hull needed finishing, timber and ply came with the boat. They were from Plymouth and I think they completed the boat there.

Silent Annie had an alloy mast and a large self- furling genoa. The boat was really well-balanced and sailed very well. She sailed  well on the genoa alone. Steve and Ann learned how to sail on the boat. He had a lot of small motor boat experience mainly involving night time salmon fishing exploits on the Tamar....he was someone who could turn his hand to anything, he had to as he came from a deprived background in post-war Plymouth.

However he had a heart condition and their last trip to my area was worrying to him in case he had an emergency with his heart and he said they would probably part with the boat.

I'm very sorry to hear that he has died, by the above account. He was a lovely man and told great stories.

He had a bad back from his job delivering LPG cylinders but the "compo" payments helped with the boat.

They seemed the epitome of Wharram builders to me at the time. I'm not so sure that it can be done like that now (materials too expensive, yard space too expensive, moorings too expensive)  although they didn't self-build from scratch.

Whether or not Silent Annie was named after Ann I can't remember, but there was certainly a story about it, it may have been from a folksong.

It seems to me the boat will not have survived, so RIP Silent Annie and the inimitable Steve.

[Ian R]

Hello Phil

I was very sorry to hear that Ann had passed on as well. They visited us in Guernsey and had dinner at our house, they were always great company and I admired them both in their different ways. Lovely people.

Best wishes  Ian