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East Coast Gaffers featured boat: ‘My Quest’

Our featured boat for December is ‘My Quest’.

Built at Horning, Norfolk, England in 1930 by Ernest L Woods, ‘My Quest’ has a carvel hull, pitch pine on steamed oak frames. She was built to lines published in Yachting Monthly, August 1929. The article was an account by yachting author of ‘Tern’ fame, Claud Worth, of the maiden voyage of a small half decker he had built for single-handed day sailing.

She’s a 23ft gaff cutter, one of only two hulls built to a design by George Cozens. William Taylor owned her from 1949 – 1978, parting with her for just two years in 1967-1969. He kept her on the River Deben, Suffolk. Taylor’s owning and maintaining the boat for a total of 27 years no doubt contributed significantly to her longevity. In 1984 she fell into the hands of Richard Gavin who restored, maintained and sailed her for 30 years, removing the engine in 1996. She is now owned by Howard Wheelton, Sue Lewis and Barry Edwards and she regularly sails the East Coast rivers from her base in Harwich.