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What Our Members Say

Here are some of the the correspondences which members have contributed.  I think they will help to inform members and be of interest. Perhaps some of you would like to offer advice or relate their experiences here.

For pictures of the boats see the Photo Gallery page

As a result of the Galion 22 apearing in the Practical Boat Owner No. 495 March 2008 issue, I wrote to Jim Hoare who is shown on page 39 sailing his Galion 22 called Galaxy near Pool in Dorset:

Hi Jim

Well congratulations Jim we've done it at last and as nice a report as can be.  I think David Harding has done an excellent job here don't you and with the exellent photographs as well. Now we're really on the map. We also owe you a resounding thanks for your effort in taking part with 'Galaxy' and I sincerely hope that you got as much pleasure as I did seeing it all happen. I know when I received the PBO this morning I was delighted to read this long awaited article. I hope that all the known owners got their copies of the PBO as I posted it on the website and circulated each of them with a copy of Ros Jones's email telling us when it was comming out. I also hope that Ian Hannay recieved some satisfaction from this, many years after the production runs have ended.  Well I'm very glad for all of us and may it just add to the very pleasure we get from all of our sailing.

Best regards

Keith Hughes www.galion22.co.uk

Jim Hoare replied:

Hi Keith, Sorry I have not replied earlier, but we have been in Falmouth for a fortnight. Like you, I was very pleased with the article in PBO. David H is a very knowledgeable 'guy' and I thoroughly enjoyed the sail with him, and I learnt a lot about the Galion. I think he really enjoyed the sail and was genuinely impressed by the Galion's performance. I have modified my rigging for the 2008 season and I am hoping it will improve performance and help me win some more Club trophies.

Regards, Jim

Regarding Tall Tales:-

Hiya Keith,

it was really nice to hear from you. I can appreciate the fact that we may be in competion with our fisherman bretherin, I have been an avid sea fisherman myselt for the last 25 years or so. I must confess Keith, that I haven' t been totally honest with you. In October 2006, I became seriously ill with respiratory and cardiac problems and have subsequently been classed as 'Disabled'. At the age of 47, it was pretty hard to accept, but I have, and intend to get on and enjoy with my life to the full. I bought Nina in October 2007, after being introduced to her by her previous owner, Tiaan Duvenage, who is a very good friend, I fell in love with her straight away (don't tell the wife) even though she is not in the best of conditions and has no doubt probably seen better days. My intention is to restore her to her oridinal glory, as and when I am able too. I have enrolled on a 'Day Skipper Course' but realise I will be unable to sit or sail the practical examination. If anyone of our members are in the Penryn/Falmouth area, and fancy a sail, they are more than welcome to launch Nina. The keys are available from the main office at Challenger Marine, where I have Nina moored. Best wishes,

Geoff Dyer

Then:
I have just seen an article in a magazine about the club you have set up. I would like to tell you about my Galion 22. Built in 1971 name 'Force Five ll' .  I sail it in the Bristol Channel from the Newport/Usk Sailing Club. I would like you to include me as a very satisfied Galion 22 owner.

Idris Lewis

'Cartref' Goldcliff Newport, South Wales Tel: 01633 278672

Hey,

If I remember correctly your name is Keith (or Hal?) - if I am wrong, sorry. I am including photos of my Galion in the US (Washington, DC). Previously I indicated to you her name was Indigo but the official name now is Patience
(just couldn't make up my mind until it came time to put the name on the boat).  Anyway,  photos include one out of water between bottom coats (with my dog Ollie for scale) and the final product plus a shot of her on the water and one of me on the bow under way on the Potomac.  Enjoy and thanks for keeping up your great site!  Just FYI - I have recently bought a 35 foot Cheoy and will be selling Patience if you know someone in the States looking for one.  She has 2005 custom sails, 2005 top deck resurfacing as well as 2005 hull and bottom painting.  No soft spots, no through holes (so she is
very dry) and otherwise in excellent condition - save the light leak to the windows that is very difficult to fix entirely.

Cheers,

Smilie Gregg Rogers

My reply:   Hi greg I hope the sale goes OK and good bluewater sailing for the future ( see the 'Gallery' page)

Hello Galion 22 owners,

I have recently bought a galion with a yanmar 10 hp yse diesel inboard. I realise that it is a little over powered but when motoring water will come back up into the cockpit through the drain plug. I can easily plug the drain hole but is the boat over weighted. I have thought about moving the water tank further forward and putting more chain in the front to balance the boat. What I'd like to know is if the boat would be better off if I swapped it for somthing smaller. Any information on the matter would be a great help since I'm new to yachting after selling my dinghy.

Kind Regards Thomas Watt

My reply: Hi Thomas The Galion 22 was designed to take an engine weighing 66Kg. The Yanmar 1GM10 weighs either 76Kg or 90Kg depending whether or not it is a left hand rotation or right hand when viewed from the stern. The power of the design allows for a 6 or 7 HP engine and more power will push the stern down. In the worst case the engine is only 24Kg ( 53 lb ) too heavy which is much less than the weight of a person. The probable answer is to keep the revs down to about 2000 rpm or less. Otherwise there's not much to be done. the water tanks should be positioned about the centre of gravity but trying them further forward is a reasonable option which may well prove successful. Thats all we know at the present time. by the way what is your boat called and what is the sail No ? I would be pleased if you would let us know.

Best wishes Keith Hughes

Hi Keith,
Since receiving your last email I have done some sailing in the Galion.   As a retired person I can sail at least 3 days per week.
My last boat was a Robert Tucker design called the Matilda 20 which has a very informative Forum site http://pub50.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=4221281931&cpv=1.

Would you consider setting up a similar site for the Galion22 as in addition to bringing the boat to the attention of many, it would also provide a forum in which members could swap experiences and exchange information.

regards
Ronnie

My reply:

The forum is now set up.

Regards

Keith Hughes

Further to my email   Hello  again.  I’ve owned Galion G74 from 1978 which I bought from the Producer of the ‘Onedin Line’ series.  He became interested in sailing and now has gone on to larger boats. It’s the Coastal Model 22c which has the bridge deck and the forward projecting pulpit.We have cruised between Poole and Weymouth and single-handed in the Solent.  Still has a Vire which runs well after fitting coil ignition.   Last year changed from a spinnaker to a cruising chute.  There were three Galions in the club [The Portchester Sailing Club]  ‘Katarina’ which has been sold away, ‘Tarka II’ G233 that you have on your database, which went across to Ireland.  Incidentally that was my photo, top left corner, taken when we used to sail in company.

Lots more to tell 

 John Oakey.    Portchester

Editors Note: You must have bought it from Michael Briant. He sailed to France in her with his wife Monique. He said there was no wind on that occasion so it took 36 hours. See http://www.michaelbriant.com/experience.htm

"Quains Whisper"

Hi Kieth
Just a brief note to say I share a galion 22 with a friend. Its called "Quains Whisper"  where moored in Shotley Marina in Harwich harbour.  We
sail around the Suffolk and Essex coast with frequent trips across to France, Belgium and Holland usualy leading a flotilla of larger yachts.
"Quains Whisper" is fitted with a 1GM 10, 8hp Yanmar giving us 5.7 knots flat out and 5.5 knots cruising. We suffer the problem of the stern
depressing at speed and the sea coming in through the cockpit drain so sail with a rubber stopper inserted in same. Now that I'm getting the hang of
this infernal machine (computer) Ill write again soon.

On the subject of maximum hull speed the formula you quoted is usually used for power boats and the constant is actually 1.34. The formula works because at the given speed the front of the stern wave joins the rear of the bow wave and the vessel sits in the trough between them.  As the length to beam ratio increases so does the constant.  When this reaches 10.5 to 1 the constant goes to infinity.  This is why mulltihulls have long thin hulls.
On the subject of going foreign my experience is that its generally better than you expect. In Calais I have only been boarded once and that was when I arrived out of season in really bad weather.  They used to put out a form to fill in listing the boat and crew details but recently this is rarely enforced.
In Belgium the customs and immigration officers arrive in the mid morning and want to see all the paper work and passports and get peeved if the skipper is not on board when they call.
In August 2004 I entered the Canal du Walkeren and was promptly boarded by customs.  They were very polite told my colleague he was stupid for
forgetting to bring the ships papers with him.
I lead small flotillas to France Belgium and Holland, usually charging ten pounds per boat per day.  I could organize a trip for fellow members on the
same basis if there was enough interest.
Thanks for starting a very interesting and informative association.

Fairwinds

.

.

.

.

George Jepps.

Editors Note: David Pragnel would be interested to hear about your motor. He would like an inboard engine.

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Dear Keith!

Theo Hammar here from Sweden! I am so pleased to find the fantastic web-site for the great Galion 22!
Here is a story for you about my boat:
My friend, Hans Hafström, is about 75 years old today, and a former commander and nautical first engineer of the Royal Swedish Navy. Having scanned the market for a boat with his quite high (!) requirements as a skilled officer and sailor in 1969, his decision (naturally) finally fell on a Galion 22. He brought it to Sweden the same year. I live not far from Hans in the Swedish archipelago, and as a 8 year old
boy with a large interest for sailing I eventually became Hans´ biggest fan by the seaside, followed his every foot step around the little cruiser. Surely Hans was glad to have me around - having three quite uninterested daughters... We were out many times in his fantastic Galion, named Fågel Blå (Bird Blue), and I got to learn the basics of sailing and seamanship and got to ask all the beginners questions. The boat has always been kept in good condition and has of course always had a very special place in my
heart.
I myself am 35 years old today, and became a reserve officer in Royal The Swedish Navy about ten years ago, surely Hans has - through Fågel Blå - inspired this interest in my early years.
A little over a year ago Hans sadly suffered from a quite severe stroke, and his balance isn't any more what it once has been. As the great person he is, he immediately realized that he could no longer care for his beautiful little ship. He contacted me and told me that I had (yep - had..) to buy her, so he would know that she would be taken care of - what an honour! So I did in February this year, and I have had a fantastic first season of great sailing around the Stockholm archipelago, some 550 nautical miles. Fågel Blå is No 58 (I found the original hull-numbers way back into the ship) , they match the numbers on the new sails so I think they are correct.
I decided to start from bottom to the top to get her in ship shape, so I scraped her clean under the water line and treated her with six layers of two component epoxy primer, and gave her a brand new and fresh white colour that matches nicely with the dark blue hull - which will be the next years challenge. It isn't as beautifully blue as it once was, but it will soon be!
I know Hans once did sail over to Helsinki across the rough Baltic, so she's been in some quite heavy weather on the passage, but it was no problem at all according to Hans.
I have contact with another person in Sweden with a Galion (-wreck...) that he just have bought to fix up to greater shape. I am sure he will at least look into this page to get ideas. 
I am not sure if your mail address handles heavy pictures, but here are some from this summer:

Best regards, and lets stay in touch!

Theo Hammar

Editors Note:  It looks in nice condition Theo. So the wheel on the baby stay is to stop the sail snagging on the baby stay and makes it easier to haul round when tacking.

Hello I own a Galion called Kelpie. I have owned her for 3 year and she is berthed at Largs Marina. Can you tell me why Galion is spelt as Galion and why my shrouds are attached to my coach roof ? The attached picture was taken last year at Inverkip Marina

Bob Cumming

My Reply

Hi Bob Thank you for writing and the excellent picture.   The name "Galion" was decided by Ian Hannay when he designed the yacht and is intended to be a "trademark / class type" for this yacht. It infers spaciousness as might be found in a real "Galleon" and as you can see, spaciousness has been achieved.  I believe Ian Hannay was originaly from Scotland as it is said that he was once a member of "The Royal Fourth Yacht Club".  The shrouds on your yacht seem to have been modified since production unless this was an issue update by the manufacturers. All the records were lost in a flood at Deacons some years ago. Originally they were usually attached to the outer edge of the boat on the gunwale and spaced about a foot or so apart. This makes the way forward a very tight squeeze so I think they have been placed on the cabin top to ease this situation. I cannot comment on the dynamics of this move as I cannot work out the stress factors here, but I can see the shrouds are fairly well braced with a strain relief plate. It looks a fairly professional anchorage to me providing the cabin top and the lower fixing screws are well backed up to spread the loads on the screws. Of course the shrouds would have to be strong enough to withstand the slightly higher loading but who is to say what this should be. If she can withstand a good blow then all is well. I don't think that the strains on shrouds come anywhere near their breaking strain any way so this is probably irrelevant.   As you have an inner forestay the positioning of the shrouds looks correct as the lower shroud balances the pull on the inner forestay thus providing controlled adjustment.   I hope you have found the website useful and with your permission I will place your comment on it. Someone else may have this configuration. Regards Keith Hughes

Galion 22 Owners Association

David                                                                                              PS me and the boat attach.    ( See the Gallery page. )                                   

Editors Note:   I like the way the name of the boat seems like a pseudonym for the word "PLEASURE". Very Nice David, an excellent choice.

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Ahoy there !!!
                  Hello and greetings from Plymouth ! my name is Chris Horwood and I have recently brought myself a Galion 22 ! she is a bit of a shed at the moment as the man I brought her from had not touched her for 3 years due to illness. However with a bit of dollar and a lot of graft she will ride the waves of Plymouth Sound again ! I will send you some pics soon !! keep up the good work and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
C. Horwood                                                     

Hi Keith,

My name is Timothy Forde I bought a Galion in April of this year and keep her moored in Cork Harbor (Ireland) her name is TARKA II and sail No. 233 the previous owner Mr David Wright had her for the previous eighteen years and kept her in very good condition she has an vire 6hp two stroke inboard engine you can see a picture of her at www.glenmarine.com look forward to hearing from you. You can email me at tim.forde@pfizer.com 

Bill writes:

Ran across your web site today, what a surprise, I've owned this little gem for over 2 years now.  She was sailed from the UK when new in the early 70's, might be a early mini-transat*. We think the hull number is #100 but not sure, I found some documentation which I will scan and send in the near future (original option list) which leads us to believe the boat was built 71-73.  Anyway glad to see the site, the boat is now in  and has been in the Tidewater area for 7 - 8 years.

Thanks again
Bill - Richmond, VA

Editors note. Well here is the documentation mentioned: "Original Option list"  and here is a copy of it enhanced with as optical recognition program to make it easier to read. Click Here.  

N.B. Mini Transat*.  The mini class was conceived to promote relatively affordable solo offshore sailing. The first mini transat took place in 1977 and subsequently have been staged bi-annually, the course for the 2005 race is from La Rochelle to Lanzarotte and Lanzarotte to Salvador in Brazil (4500nm in total).

Hi Keith, 

I  just wanted to ask if anyone had registered a Galion with a Yanmar diesel engine fitted. Also to let you know my sail number is # 221 and so ask if you received the photo of my boat.                                                                                      Regards ,David   

I have heard of a Yanmar eighth horsepower being fitted. See the members comments.

Greetings!

I am ecstatic over finding your site! I am the proud owner of a Galion 22 named SomeDay. She is moored off the East end of Portland, Maine in Casco Bay, USA.

I've sailed this boat up and down the Maine Coast for years now and am deeply in love with her (don't let my Wife know as she is a very jealous woman). When I purchased her from a good friend's father in 1996 I always thought it was a great starter. Well, after years of sailing I just don't see the need for anything else, esp. since I turn down offers to crew on bigger cruisers on a regular basis to sail  SomeDay.

I just commissioned a new Sail. I really want to have the Boat Number and Galion Insignia put on the sail but am having a hard time finding the number. Please advise.

What history I know of SomeDay is very interesting as she appears to be a very well traveled boat. The previous owner, Hubert Schleicker, bought her from a man in Montana, USA and towed it (it came complete with a trailer) to Tenants Harbor, Maine. The gentleman he purchased it from in turn bought it from a couple in San Diego, California, USA! How it got there is anybody's guess. I like to think some intrepid sailor took her across the Atlantic and up thru the Panama Canal.
So much to say! I 'm going to check out the link to a new 6.5HP Diesel now as I took the original out because it was unserviceable.

I will be in touch from my home email shortly.

Looking forward to joining your Association.
Pete Sullivan

Editors Note: The sail number is embossed inside the transom wiewed by looking aft inside the starboard (Left hand when facing aft) cockpit locker.

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