Who is Phyllis?
Well, after many years of riding in RIBs, my aches and pains were becoming a little sore. Ah, I thought perhaps a little sailing boat would sort out my problem. If I could find one that would compensate for my poor sailing skills while I endeavoured to learn. It’s fair to say that I had done some little sailing in my youth, but diving and using the RIB took precedence.
Finding a suitable small old (1913) wooden boat and after lifting her out of a garden, it languished for several years on a marina hard while I took her to pieces. When the time came to put her back to a seaworthy condition, I must confess, it was easier to take her apart, rather than put her back together again. We chose, after rejecting the option to have her broken up, to bring her back to life using a renowned shipwright. At last, after some eyewatering costs, we had a boat to be proud of.
During this time, we conducted lots of research and ascertained that she was built along the design of a Royal Mersey Restricted Class yacht. She was returned to her original condition, and we retained her name ‘Phyllis’. She has had numerous owners over the years, but with us now having ownership for the past 18 years (2020), we are the longest owners in her history.
‘Phyllis’ is not only very special to us but is now also on the National Small Boat Register (R1387) as a vessel of historical maritime interest. The project took on a life of its own covering the renovation, her history, including the history of the RMYC Class as well as her more recent exploits through her website blogs. If you’re interested you can follow her voyages at theyachtphyllis.co.uk