Nothing is new – Fairey had a Dry Boat park, now all the fashion, in 1961. And it was for 26′ sailing boats! In 1961 they provided a boat park for allRead More…
01Feb/61
30Nov/60
A113 Sets off Round the World
From the 1960-61 Bulletin On 15 November 1960, John Peck in Fairey Atalanta “Aku” (A113 ) left Hamble on the longest planned Fairey Atalanta cruise yet . He planned to sail westward round the world – a two year, 31,000 mile journey. John Peck was a racing motor cyclist aged 49. He was accompanied by 24 yearsRead More…
Atalopoly – Virtually as much fun as an Atalanta!
So you want to play Atalopoly? You have come to the right place. Instructions Each Player has an Atalanta. They throw the dice and move around the Atalopoly board, sailing, making repairs,Read More…
Atalanta Cherbourg Rally
Between 1960 and 1963 the annual Cross Channel rally/race was arranged each Whitsun. On the second occasion in 1961 there were 14 entrants and the event was kindly started at 1900 hrsRead More…
01Feb/60
AOA Coupe Bernard Argod
For activities on The South Coast (UK) Silver Cup. The Coupe Bernard Argod was donated by Bernard Argod who livein Paris as a trophy for Solent to Cherbourg race. Bernard Argod wasRead More…
09Dec/59
Handicaps for racing
Introduction Since the first Atalantas were made they have competed against each other and against other yachts in races. When racing against other classes in races organised outside of the AOA theyRead More…
Fulmar – a one-legged Atalanta
The need for a smaller and cheaper sailing cruiser of similar construction to the Atalanta 26 was met by the production of the 20ft overall Fulmar. The cut-away diagram in Fig. 5Read More…
The Titania – Atalanta with more room
The only 26ft variant of the Atalanta was the Titania. Described by the makers as “brilliant and beautiful”, it was intended for the owner who planned to spend more time cruising underRead More…
Atalantas in the Round the Island Race
Although the Atalanta was designed primarily as a family cruiser it was natural that some owners, who had previously raced dinghies, were attracted to competitive sailing. The first venture was the RoundRead More…
AOA Constitution
The AOA has had a formal set of rules since the start. These aim to protect the Association’s purpose of promoting the boats and their use.
The AOA
When Fairey Marine first launched the Atalanta 26 they considered ways of promoting the class and encouraging owners to get together. A cocktail party was given by the Company on their standRead More…
24Jan/58
AOA Atalanta Trophy (Annual Race)
First Atalanta in the West Mersea Regatta (previously Round the Island Race) Wooden Model of A12 in a glass case. The Atalanta Trophy was created by Fairey Marine in 1958 and awardedRead More…
01Dec/57
Atalanta Construction
After the Second World War Fairey Marine applied the technology developed to make aircraft to boats. Starting with dinghies such as the Firefly, Swordfish, Albacore, and Falcon they started building the AtalantaRead More…
01Jun/57
Atalanta Sail Handling
General The forehatch is a major safety feature for Atalanta sail handling. This is a feature of both the Atalanta and the Titania. It may be frowned upon by a marine surveyorRead More…
01May/57
Motoring
Original Engines Motoring in most Atalanta’s originally used a Coventry Victor horizontally opposed twin cylinder petrol engines developing 12 or 15 hp depending on model. Titania’s and some Atalanta’s were fitted withRead More…
01Apr/57
Guard rails
Do you need them? Well do you? Read the post on handling sails and ropes from the forehatch. Read how you can work the mainsail from the main hatchway. Look at howRead More…
25Feb/57
Raising and Lowering the Mast
A key requirement for any trailer-sailer is that raising and lowering the mast must be simple. And it is with the Atalanta and Titania. The mast Some Atalanta are fitted with alloyRead More…
20Feb/57
An Atalanta as a Caravan en Route
The Atalanta has always been used as a caravan en route to a new cruising ground. The issues you need to be aware of are: Where to spend the night? Camp sitesRead More…
15Feb/57
Atalanta recovery to trailer
Leave aside the obvious travel hoist or crane option. Basic principles The diagram is based on an original Fairey marine drawing. The boat and trailer combination were always intended toRead More…
10Feb/57
Launching an Atalanta or Titania
There are really four ways of launching an Atalanta (or a Titania) from its trailer: The travel hoist The easy way is to have it lifted in by travelhoist. It is notRead More…
05Feb/57
Atalanta and Titania towing
Weights The Atalanta and the Titania can be legally towed behind many 4×4 cars. The boat weighs between 2 and 2.5 tons (depending on equipment and fittings). A suitable trailer could weighRead More…
01Jan/57
Drying out
Where to dry out Atalanta’s were designed to be equally at home sitting on the bottom, anywhere where there is a suitable stretch of ground to sit on. Muddy harbour andRead More…
Clever Interiors
What sort of accommodation does an Atalanta have?
Well if we start at the bow, there is a traditional forward heads. Behind that there is a saloon, with a berth on each side. Then there is a structural bulkhead separating the saloon from the galley/chart area. Aft of the galley and chart space is the cockpit. Under the stern deck there is an aft cabin with 2 full length berths. Follow the photos below to take a tour around the inside of Emma Duck, starting in the bows and going aft on the starboard side first:
(Click on an image to enlarge)
Heads and Main Saloon
Galley and Chart Space
Aft Cabin
Click on the ‘Page 2’ symbol below to see a selection of interior photographs from the Archive
01Nov/56
The Forehatch
It Opens aft It is right in the eyes of the boat – so it could hardly open the other way! You can see from the photo how useful it is. SeeRead More…
01Oct/56
Rounded Decks and Coachroof
Three photos of Atalantas follow. Look at them with particular emphasis on the curved decks and coachroofs: There are three elements behind this design feature: Windage Fairey marine always made a bigRead More…
01Sep/56
Strange Bulges on the Bulkhead in the Cockpit
Engine Ventilators I am talking about those blue things mounted either side of the cabin entrance. They are original features of the Atalanta and the Titania. They are common on factory finishedRead More…
01Aug/56
Three-quarter and Masthead Rigs
The standard rig illustrated in Fig. 2 was the so-called three quarter rig when the forestay holding the luff of the foresail was secured approximately threequarters of the way up the mast.Read More…
01Jul/56
Self Righting
Stability The prototype Atalanta is shown in the photo above undergoing a heeling test. While we cannot tell what the righting moment is ( but it looks like the man at theRead More…
20Mar/56
The rudder system
The transom hung rudder is a heavier version of a typical dinghy rudder, with a large lifting blade: This is the rudder on a Titania, but in principal the same as anRead More…
01Mar/56
How the keels work
Retractable keels The Atalanta has a canoe body which has no form of fixed keel what so ever. All of the ballast is contained in lifting keels. Two of them. The unusualRead More…
Atalanta – YW Annual 1955
With thanks from YW for permission (NEED TO GET THIS) A T A L A N T A Designer: Uffa Fox Builder: Fairey Marine Ltd L O A 24ft.Read More…
01Jun/52
The Atalanta Concept – Sujanwiz
An ardent admirer of the Firefly was Alan Vines, a senior executive in the Fairey Aviation Company and a keen and almost fanatical sailor. He was very impressed with the seaworthiness ofRead More…
01Apr/52
The Prototype Atalanta
(The photo shows the prototype Atalanta between a production Atalanta on the left and Sujanwiz on the right, Alan Vines concept boat which started it all) On a family visit to UffaRead More…
31Mar/52
Weren’t they dropped from aircraft during the war?
This is a comment that most Atalanta owners will have come accross at some time.It’s usually when you are tied up alongside in a small harbour attracting attention from all the passersRead More…
01Dec/50
So what is so special about an Atalanta?
Ereina sailing near the cleddau bridge within Milford Haven[/caption] Well on a practical level it is a combination of the following: Safe at sea, even when the weather deteriorates The ability toRead More…
01Nov/50
The ultra modern 50 year old yacht – a true classic
Although these boats meet the definition of “classic yacht” (designed or built before 1960) they seem to be too modern for “real” classic boat enthusiasts. They are not made from planks ofRead More…
01Oct/50
The original trailer sailer
The Atalanta is the original trailer sailor. From the very beginning in 1955 owners were regularly trailing them to the south of France for summer holidays. In those days large family carsRead More…
01Sep/50
A Family Boat
Claims that the Atalanta was a suitable boat for families, on account of her roominess and sea-kindly qualities, were soon confirmed by several accounts of cruises in which children accompanied their parents.Read More…
01Aug/50
Seaworthiness
The Atalanta has always been considered to be a seaworthy vessel. Few trailable 26 footers can claim this distinction. It is a special feature of these boats. Many of the early AOARead More…
01Jun/50
Sailing Performance
See also the poston Atalanta Handicaps for use when racing Diagram showing likely speeds on different points of sailing Both the Atalanta and the Titania are capable of making swift offshore passages.Read More…
01Mar/50
Variable draft
Sailing with variable draft Atalanta’s can be sailed with the keels lowered or partly raised. It is usual to keep them fully down when offshore to maximise the righting moment. HoweverRead More…
20Jan/50
1964 Atalanta Specification
1964 Atalanta Specification for Atalanta 26 (issued in 1964) STANDARD BOAT: £3,360 Ex Works Hot pressure moulded hull consisting of 4 laminations of 2.5mm Agba on mahogany main frame fitted with bulkheadsRead More…
Fairey Marine
After the Second World War the Fairey Aviation Company was looking for peacetime outlets for its skills and expertise. With extensive premises on the waterside at Hamble, boat building was clearly anRead More…
AOA Through The Years
There is an Annual AGM and theAOA published Bulletins and newsletters throughout the year to keep the membership up to date with events.
AOA Newsletters
The AOA published newsletters throughout the year to keep the membership up to date with events.
TEMP: Images added Xmas 2020
The following images were uploaded over xmas 2020.Most of these photos have been loaded as part of the ‘Event’ photosets.
TEMPORARY: EVENTS
Indexing and management of events one the website is work in progress – should be done by end JanuaryIn the meantime, this post pulls together the photographs loaded into the archive. ItRead More…
01Jan/40
AOA Annual General and Committee Meetings
The AGM and its associated dinner / lunch have remained a key foundation stone for the Members’ mutual support. Records of those meetings and the Committee meetings, sometimes dry and matter of fact, sometimes full of narrative about the boats and owners, provide an interesting insight into these amazing boats and the characters that owned them.