Foam

Current boat name

Foam

Boat class

7330

Function

Service

Type

Length (m / ft)

8.11 / 26ft 7in

Beam (m / ft)

2.59 / 8ft 6in

Leeward

Keel

Masts

1 Wood

Rig type

Gaff Cutter

Propulsion

Sail/engine

Date of build

1878

Place of build

Ilfracombe

Present use

For Sale

FOAM, inshore pilot cutter/fishing boat, built in 1878 by Pollard at Ilfracombe. Small Ships Register 19260. Hull is carvel built with oak frames and pine planking, elm underwater planking, oak keel. Has pointed bow with plumb straight stem, cruiser? stern. Has one timber mast rigged with gaff sails as a cutter. Current engine is a BMC, 1.5 diesel, 4cy, 35bhp. Made in 1960s. FOAM was built on the beach at Ilfracombe as an open fishing boat: she was also used to ferry pilots to vessels in the Bristol Channel. First owned by Sam Ley and then Jack Barbeary, who exchanged his motor boat for her with his brother Nicholas. She was used for pilotage, fishing, gravel transporting and summer fishing parties: it is believed she may have been used by Kaiser Wilhelm and the Edward, Prince of Wales for duck shooting and fishing. A photo shows them aboard RIPPLE a similar vessel owned by Nicholas Barbeary. Mr Barbeary advertised Woodbine cigarettes from the sails for a fee fo £20. During WWII she was left lying on the beach semi-tidal. She was rescued in 1945 at the cost of £20 by Denis Williams who took her to Pill for a rebuild. In 1947 he raced her to Lundy. She was sold to Sid Smith, Mayor of Bath in 1954. She was used to make a protest at the closure of the Kennet and Avon Canal. Dennis Williams rescued her again in 1960 from Torbay and delivered her to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. She has carried out trips to France, Scillies, etc. and was an early member of the OGA Present owners acquired vessel in 1985, took her to Littlehampton and replaced part of her keel, several planks and many fastenings. Vessel is currently seawothy but tender. October 2007. SIGNIFICANCE: last of type still sailing, very historic, very important to Severn estuary. Foam returned to the IOW in 1987 and remains on a mooring in Wootton Creek, laid up in a mud berth needing a partial rebuild. She is for sale, requiring a young owner to complete the work - in need of TLC 17th Jan 2012 NRJ