January 24, 2007 - Truant under restoration

"The Truant" was built in 1910 for the then commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron. In her first season were she had a few rigging problems i.e. she went through a couple of masts, but once these problems were resolved she was normally in the top three on the 8 meter circuit until at least 1915. She was the fastest on the South Coast in 1911 and won the Stockholm Cup the following year. From 1916 she spent a few years in Sweden and then she was in Norway for 20 years. Little is known about this period and the following one where she was on Ireland’s South Coast. Ross Ryan’s Godfather, Bob, found her in 1956 in Loch Swile in Northern Ireland. She was lying in a potato field on one sheer leg, painted from lead to topsides in bright yellow. She was then rigged as a yawl in preparation for the previous owner’s transatlantic ambitions. Perhaps he came to his senses as his ambition was never fulfilled. Bob sailed here hard for the next 20 years on the West Coast of Scotland were she was a regular winner of Tobermory and West Highland Week. So successful was she that she had to be asked not to compete to give others a chance. Since 1994 she has been stored awaiting the inspiration for an extensive renovation. The inspiration for Ross is to allow his Godfather to see her compete in the 2007 8 Metre World Championships in Rhu.

When surveyed by one of the leading Fife authorities it was noticed that The Truant was one of the most original Fifes in existence. The intention is to keep as much of her original structure as possible.

January 25, 2007 - Truant