Name Frolic

1. What is the vessel’s ability to demonstrate history in her physical fabric?

Evidence for designs, functions, techniques, processes, styles, customs and habits or uses and associations in relation to events and people.  How early, intact or rare these features are may impact on significance.

Frolic was built as a pilot cutter to an advanced design heavily influenced by the shallow forefoot of the Newport cutter Alpha which was built the previous year. She was in the ‘large’ class at 55’ overall length, 48’ waterline with a beam of 13.4’ and 35 tons Thames Measurement.  Frolic is the only known Bristol Channel pilot cutter to be built to Lloyds +12 year survey.  She was also the first to experiment with a tubular steel boom with her roller reefing gear to avoid boom breakage when severely reefed down.  Her cutter rig was replaced in later ownership as a yacht when she was converted to a staysail schooner.

2. What are the vessel’s associational links for which there is no physical evidence?

Associations with people or places.  Off-ship research.

Frolic’s primary associations are to the Bristol Channel where she worked and to the city of Cardiff, being built for Alf Edwards, a Cardiff pilot, and designed by C. Hancock, a local man.  In later life as a yacht, she is most famous for taking part in and winning the first ‘Cock of the Bristol Channel’ race in 1936.  She also successfully raced on the Clyde and the East Coast.  Frolic has wider associations from time cruising in the Mediterranean, after which she spent some forty years in Norway under private ownership. Her working life is documented in a number of black and white photographs and a family photograph album also survives from the 1930s.  She was one of only two pilot cutters that were included in Lloyds Register of Yachts from new, as pilot cutters.  Frolic was entered on the National Register of Historic Vessels in 1999 and is listed on the Overseas Watch List being based in Norway.

3. How does the vessel’s shape or form combine and contribute to her function?

Overall aesthetic impact of the vessel, her lines, material she was built from and her setting.  Does she remain in her working environment?

Frolic was designed for speed and proved herself as one of the top half dozen pilot cutters of the period. Her radical hull shape comprises an extreme cutaway forefoot, long narrow lines, a deep sternpost and an outside ballast keel.  Her classic counter stern and elegant sheer are typical of the Bristol Channel pilot cutter, combined with the seaworthiness which allowed her to operate well in all weathers and the speed to get the pilot to his ship and secure the job.  She was also extremely deep drafted at 9’3, with only one other Bristol Channel pilot cutter known to have exceeded this, which would have helped her stand up in bad weather.

Source: Hannah Cunliffe, NHS-UK and vessel owner (Kindly Light)