Small Craft of Southampton

an area to discuss dinghy developments
Post Reply
dieharddinghysailor
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:43 pm

Small Craft of Southampton

Post by dieharddinghysailor »

Can anyone fill me in on the history of Small Craft...? What year did they start.....by whom.....and when they finished.....I have a Leader #84, built by them in 1965, exported some time to the USA, still in great condition with original Jeckells sails.

Thanks

Mike S

Whidbey Island. WA. USA
davidh
Posts: 3166
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Re: Small Craft of Southampton

Post by davidh »

Mike,

You've got me working on this BUT....... as I was 'brunged up' at Netley and Hamble, we knew most of the boat building that was going on.

The Leaders, which were a popular local boat back then, were mainly made at Trowbridges in Winchester - they made Zeniths too and if I recall correctly, the early Unicorn cats and the Greg Gregory cat! (Flash?).

This is not to say that Small Craft were not in town - but certainly once the Leader started to gain in numbers they came from just up the road at the Durngate in Winchester

D
David H
Bill-Conner
Posts: 126
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2010 3:08 pm

Re: Small Craft of Southampton

Post by Bill-Conner »

Small Craft were based on the A27 on the hill up to the Solent Motel they had more or less ceased being in existence by 1969.
The late David Robinson worked there on his move from Cornwall before moving to Proctors.
Their boats were "solid", they built a few Fireballs before the licensing agreement was put in force.
JimC
Posts: 1721
Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Surrey
Contact:

Re: Small Craft of Southampton

Post by JimC »

Bill-Conner wrote:Small Craft were based on the A27 on the hill up to the Solent Motel they had more or less ceased being in existence by 1969.
I remember picking up a Gull kit from them which my father built. I should have thought that was early 70s rather than late 60s. As I recall the workshop seemed fairly busy to me although their stock of Gull kits was pretty well buried. Can't remember what they were building though.
dronskiuk
Posts: 180
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 3:23 pm
Location: Where Broadland meets the sea

Re: Small Craft of Southampton

Post by dronskiuk »

Did they also have a shop/workshop by Northam Bridge opposite what was the Southern Television? I remember going with my father to look at boats and a distinctly dodgy memory tells me it had the name and logo on the front...the Itchen side of the Prince of Wales (I think) pub? I think that was still there early 70s,
Post Reply