Thalia | National Historic Ships

Registration number 844

Status National Historic Fleet

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Thalia - at Southampton, during Maritime Festival weekend

Details

Function Leisure Craft

Subfunction Yacht

Location Hamble

Vessel type Cutter

Current use Private use

Available to hire No

Available for excursions No

Info required Yes

Construction

Builder Wanhill, G F, Poole

Built in 1889

Hull material Wood

Rig Gaff Cutter

Number of decks 1

Number of masts 1

Propulsion Sail

Number of engines 1

Primary engine type Diesel

Boiler type None

Boilermaker None

Dimensions

Breadth: Beam

10.39 feet (3.17m)

Depth

6.89 feet (2.10m)

Length: Overall

44.98 feet (13.72m)

Tonnage: Gross

12.00

History

THALIA is a yacht built by G F Wanhill at Poole in 1889. Her hull is carvel, built of oak frames and she has oak and pitch pine planking with bronze fasteners. She is cutter rigged with gaff sails.

THALIA was based in Ireland between 1891 and 1914, where there are records of her racing in the archives of the Royal Cork Yacht Club from 1891-96. She was then based on the Thames from 1914 -1963. In the 1960s, she sailed to Turkey and the African coast, returning in the 1970s.

A rebuild was started in the late 1980s, and she was then abandoned with no deck. She was about to be broken up when the present owners bought her in 1993. Her current owners continue to race her and have a list of all her owners and racing results from Cork in the 1890s, along with a few original bills of sale.

THALIA's design appears old fashioned even for 1889, but she has a centreboard from the American influence and a cut-away forefoot (in 2020 it was reported that she no longer has a centre board).

THALIA won the Centenarian of the Year award at the Classic Boat Awards 2021.

Although this vessel is on the National Historic Fleet, we are currently lacking information on this particular vessel. If you have any information on this vessel past or present, please contact us.

Update, January 2024: Vessel for sale.

Key dates

1899
Built by G. F. Wanhill of Poole
1891
Based in Ireland
1914
Based in UK, mainly Thames area
1963
Based in Turkey and the African coast
1970s
Returned to UK, restoration commenced but abandoned, vessel scheduled for break up
1993
Purchased by present owners, restored and continued to race

Sources

Old Gaffer's Association Member's Handbook and Boat Archive, 1993
Donegan, H P F, The History of yachting in the south coast of Ireland 1720-1908
Classic Boat: Cutting it Fine, March 2002
Classic Boat: Cork 300 - Thalia set for return to world's oldest yacht club, March 2020