I would like any information about this boat, Airy Mouse, which may be being restored in Brixham. It belonged to my uncle, Richard Hall, in the 1930s. It was apparently mentioned in the Old Gaffers Association Handbook and Boat Archive, p 89, 1993, but I dont know where to find a copy.

Many thanks,
Anna B

Now I have this in the right place Phooo!.
Hi Anna B.
Welcome to the OGA forum. I have the following info that may help you from the 1993 Archive:-
"Airy Mouse" : OGA No 1253 : Designer Edwin Brett : Builder A.H.Watty : Date 1894 : Type Ex racing Cutter : Rig Ketch : LOA 58.00 : LWL 40.00 : Beam 12.50 : Draft 7.50
I will PM you the name of the owner at that time.
Hope this helps.

I recently read a letter published in 1988/1 OGA log from the then owner Alan Tate. He was asking for information about the yacht and said he was in the early stages of restoration. In addition to the information already given he says that the designer Edwin Brent was a cornish artist and designed the boat in 1891. She was built for the Commodore of the Royal Fowey Yacht Club Mr Edward Atkinson. She was built teak on oak. Alan Tate says she has spent most of her time on the South Coast with a short period in Guernsey where she was rescued from being burnt for her fastenings by John Cluett. He says her figure head (a bat - Airy Mouse is Cornish for a bat) was in the Royal Fowey Yacht Club. I remember seeing Airy Mouse in Dartmouth in the early 1980's.

My brother Peter was part-owner of Airy Mouse in the early 1950s, and I sailed on her in 1954 with him, aged 14. She was then mainly being used for charter along the south coast. His co-owner, who held the major share, was Torquil McLeod (sp?).
I followed the account of a major restoration by Alan Tate, about 15 years ago, which I think was written up in Classic Boat; there was also a picture of her around then on the cover of Gaffers Log. She was on a mooring on the Dart in the mid-90s.
My brother and I would love to know where she is now, and what state she is in.

Anna, I find that I have a copy of the Gaffers Log for winter 1992/3 which has a photograph of Airy Mouse on the cover (black and white). No mention in the copy itself, which is odd.
Russell

I can tell you that 'Airy Mouse' was out of the water in Dartmouth for quite a while, for sale. My parents were thinking about buying her as a restoration project, but she had dried out badly - so much so that you literally post rather bulky letters through her hull.

Fortunately, a few years later (probably very late 90s, or early in the 2000s, I can't actually remember, but it must have been around about then) a group of young people bought her. I think that they were family, either a brother and sister and their partners, or something along those lines. They poured a large amount of money in 'Airy Mouse' completely redecking her, and I think they rerigged her too.

I'm not entirely sure where she is based now, although I have a feeling it is on the south coast somewhere, but I do know that not too long ago she was sailing British waters again happily!

I have a number of photos of Airymouse, taken at Totness a few years back. I used to visit her when she was based in Exeter dock ( by the old fishmarket and ferry) -Torquil MacLeod ,the then owner, was a patient of my father and took us to Brixham and Salcombe on her. We used to have some 8mm footage of the trip, now long lost. Torquil had plans to sail to Australia with a young couple (Les and Liz!) who were from New Zealand or Australia. This didn't happen; another idea was to take her to Loch Ness to charter her for Nessie-watching. I don't know if this came to fruition. He took her to Guernsey, where a car fell off the quay onto the deck. I had not thought of Airymouse until I read Bruce Chatwin's story about his father's longing to see the boat he once owned again ( I think it's called 'My father's blue eyes', and so was very pleased to see her in one piece at Totness.

I think the correct spelling is Aireymouse - there are some nice pictures of her when she was based in Guernsey in the 60s on a photo site. Just google 'Aireymouse.....