Today’s classic sailing and motorboat scene owes its existence to the passion and dedication of many people – boat owners, regatta organisers, crew, naval architects, volunteer yacht club officers and of course the skilled boatbuilders who have built or restored the vessels on our list. The annual Classic Boat Awards celebrate them all. Read more about the award categories.
In the Restoration of the Year (under 40ft) category, there’s Joy, Sunbeam V2:
Designed by Alfred Westmacott, built by Woodnutt and Co, 1923, 26ft 5in (8m), rig berm sloop.
It’s been a great year for the Solent Sunbeams. Number one, Dainty, raced with giants at Saint-Tropez in summer. A new one, Minty, was built in GRP (also award-nominated), and this one, the second-ever Sunbeam built, has been restored! New owner Martin Evans found her in a sorry state and took her to Metre Yacht Restorations for a thorough rebuild.
In the Spirit of Tradition category you can find Minty:
Designed by Alfred Westmacott, built by AM Structures and Haines Boatyard, 26ft (7.9m) LOD, rig berm sloop.
Solent Sunbeam V70 Minty was recently launched to join the active fleet at Itchenor. She is GRP, but so true to the original, down to weight distribution, that the wooden and GRP boats race as one fleet on equal terms. Minty is the perfect example of how to keep a legendary fleet alive.
Postscript April 2020: See the list of winners. Sunbeams did not win any awards, but as you can see the competition was fierce!