A48 was launched as “ATALA” and was originally owned by John A. Strubbe FRIBA, his wife and children. Interestingly it was John who was responsible for the Black Night Rocket Engine Test site on High Down close to the Needles. A site that has intrigued so many of us while sailing round the Isle of Wight. {See here for more information – Ed}
During John’s ownership, “Atala” was moored on the Beaulieu River near Bailey’s Hard and wintered in her custom built boathouse nearby
Welcome to the AOA and the website Mark.
I love this photograph. I won’t ask which child is you!
And I am also delighted to get first hand commentary on the history of our boats. The AOA paper archives, informative and useful as they are, can be dry and sometimes contradictory. I hope you agree that the more personal recollections and anecdotes we can capture on the website to add to the archive the more interesting it will become.
It is also exactly this kind of vignette which we are seeking to capture in the ‘AOA60 Anecdotes from 60 years’ (https://atalantaowners.org/aoa60/aoa-606060-anecdotes-60-years/) and I hope that you will agree to this being put forward to Trevor for this.
Nick