Hello all, I have bought a seal 26 but I do not know her hull number. I've naturally looked in all the usual places. The boats name is Whisper and as far as I know that was her name from build.
Many thanks to all.
Colin.

I have found this reference to Whisper in the Seal Silver jubilee
"AZAB SUCCESS FOR A SUPER SEAL 26- NL 79/4:6"
Does the 79 refer to the hull number ?

Colin,

Can't really help with your initial enquiry but was it 'Whisperer' that competed in the AZAB - I have a page from an old brochure with some details but not hull number, is this the same boat as 'Whisper'?. Also I think the 79 refers to the Newsletter (NL) number.


Jon Foreman
Calypso SS26, no.96

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Hi guys
There is a seal 26 which was based in Howth Yacht Club in Dublin for many years called Whisper

I still cant help with hull number but to say she is an early one
my old 26-Cleo is number 21 and Whisper has identical layout in the fact the cockpit coamings are squared rether than angulared

Whisperer i think is the Passagemaker which john Baker built as a one off which later evolved into the Parker 31

If this is the same boat she had 6 inches cut off the bow to allow her to fit into a race ruling possibly the Azores or the AZAB
unfortunately i am very unsure of details

Geoff Harwood our technical expert may have more history.

cheers
Peter Lowry.
Sophia 275 (formally Cleo 26 )

We had 26/65 Whisper owned by Dr Halpin of Dublin but we haven't heard from him since 1994. The newsletter article 79/4 gives the name Whisperer but no number. She was owned by Mr Talton Brown. I don't have any further info and as far as I can tell he never actually joined the Association.
Geoff

Further to my last! The John Baker/Denis Fastnedge records of the Super Seals shows that a Mr G Tatton-Brown of Newport Salop bought SS Number 11 but didn't record her name and there's no further comment added by subsequent custodians of this record. Could have been Whisperer!

I sailed on Whisper with Dr Halpin at Howth YC in the 90s.

She had a section cut off her bow and I remember a story that it had been to reduce her LOA for a long distance race although I'm not sure if it was the AZAB.

She was a great little boat and was always very competitive on the race course. I considered buying her myself but concluded that I didn't have time to do the work to bring her up to scratch again.

Glad to see she's gone to a good home and hope you have a great time sailing her.

Found some more info via the history section of the AZAB site.

http://www.azab.co.uk/history.html 

Looks like Whisper won the 1979 race in class 1 and Whisperer won Class 5 (two handed) in 1983.

Both boats won their class in the AZAB and in each case Mr GD Tatton Brown is listed as an entrant (alongside John Baker in 1983).

Adding that to the above information from Geoff Harwood, I think it's safe to say that Whisper is Super Seal 26 #11, and that Whisperer was the Passage Maker 31 (although listed as Passage Maker 30 in the AZAB entry) that developed into the Parker 31.

Thnak You to all persons for the comments, sorry its been a while scince last checking in.
I bought Whisper in Dublin not far from Howth, See does have a section choped of the bow. Ive looked around for a hull number but no luck. See was in a very sorry state when I got here but thanks to friends and folks in the trade its starting to look like a real baot again. Scince my post Dr Halpin was kind enough to give me a call and wish me luck with her.A very nice chap who loved the boat.
Im not sure about the AZAB, but would love to know.
SO Geoff it looks like its hull number 65 ?Is this correct ?
Again Many thanks to all... Colin Coady.

I'm 99% sure that Whisper is the AZAB boat. Hence the cut off on the bow to get her into class.

hi again
having read all the previous posts-- i would concur with philclan that the superseal in question from Malahide/Howth is the azab winner in 1979 Whisper number 11
the moulds were modified on hull number 52 or 53 to angular on the cockpit from squared off ( more comfy when healed)
So Colin happy sailing and enjoy - Whisper
PS does she still have a transom hung outboard or has she now had an inboard fitted ?

A update from Whisper No11.
We are having a super time with her. We have done a fair amount of work to her and it's ongoing.
To answer Peters question regarding the engine, I fitted a engine well, as the transom hung engine mount was not great. As a result we have allot more control, due to the prop being head of the rudder blade.
We have replaced the galley this year and custom build a fridge into same.
We fitted heating a couple of years ago. This year we repainted the hull and the coach House was repainted four years ago.
We keep the boat on Lough Derg in Ireland, it's very close to where we live and works for our young family.
I am really happy to learn her hull number, so thank you to all for the information.
Colin