Name Truant | National Historic Ships

Certificate no 1559

Status Registered

a12admin

South West

Details

Function Leisure Craft

Subfunction Yacht

Location Bristol

Vessel type Motor Yacht

Current use Ongoing conservation

Available to hire No

Available for excursions No

Info required No

Construction

Builder Pearce, Richard, East Looe

Built in 1919

Hull material Wood

Rig Unknown

Number of decks 1

Number of masts

Propulsion Sail

Number of engines 1

Primary engine type Diesel

Boiler type None

Boilermaker None

Dimensions

Breadth: Beam

12.98 feet (3.96 m)

Depth

6.00 feet (1.83 m)

Length: Overall

47.93 feet (14.62 m)

Tonnage: Gross

20.00

Air Draft

To be confirmed

History

TRUANT was originally built as a private yacht by Messrs. Pearce at Looe in 1919. She was registered at Shoreham and her official number is 145634. Her first owner died just before the Second World War and she was laid up in the harbour. In 1946, she was bought by the author George Millar who, with his wife, took the boat through the French canals to the Mediterranean and on to Greece. She was the first private yacht to sail up the river to Paris after the war. Millar sold her in Greece, but wrote a book about his adventures entitled ‘Isabel and the Sea’. TRUANT was subsequently owned by Peter Firstbrook and in 1995-96 by Chris Differing. She was sold to the current owner in 2004. At that time she was standing on the hard where she had been for some years. In July 2005 she was relaunched after a major restoration at Mark Rolt's shipyard in Bristol, which included total raking out of the seams, some plank renewal, complete forward stem renewal and then re-caulking using traditional methods and materials only. Work still continues and her two propulsion engines are now also being re-built.

Sources

Classic Boat: Charter UK Destinations - Wish you were sailing?, February 2011

Key dates

1919
Built as private yacht by Messrs Pearce at Looe
1939
First owner died just before Second World War and boat laid up in harbour
1946
Bought by author George Millar who took her through French canals to Mediterranean and Greece
1960s?
Millar sold her in Greece and wrote a book about his adventures entitled ‘Isabel and the Sea’
1970s?
Subsequently owned by Peter Firstbrook
1995-96
Owned by Chris Differing
2004
Sold to current owner after having stood on hard for some years
2005
Relaunched after major restoration at Mark Rolt's shipyard in Bristol
2007
Two propulsion engines re-built and re-installed