Harrier
The Beagle was 90 feet long and accommodated a crew of 75. My yacht Harrier
is only 25 feet long but I shall have more room for myself aboard than did FitzRoy, Darwin
and their shipmates. Harrier is laid out and equipped for living aboard and
for blue water cruising. Apart from the absence of an engine, an omission which counts for
a novelty in the present time, the only unusual feature of the vessel is her rig.
Shortly before World War II a new type of small cruising boat, designed by Tord
Sunden, appeared in Norway. Since that time many thousands of Folkboats have been built in
all parts of the world. Innumerable cruises short and long, including a number of
circumnavigations, have been made in Folkboats. Harrier's hull is moulded of GRP
to the Folksong design, the Folksong being a near clone of the Folkboat. I removed Harrier's
deck and cabin top and built a raised turtle deck over the whole length of her hull. She
has no cockpit and there is a great deal of space below.
She has an unstayed mast and is junk rigged. This type of rig is very suitable
for short-handed sailing. All the control lines of a junk sail can be brought aft to one
place, and the unstayed mast preserves the sails from damage by chafe against the
standing rigging of a conventional mast. Harrier can be managed at sea from the
aft conning hatch, and it is never necessary to go on deck unless to handle the ground
tackle or if something goes wrong. Many of Harrier's features are derived from Jester,
designed by the great Blondie Hasler in the early
1960's. She owes many of her details to the fertile brain of Ian Nicholson.
I intend to follow the voyage of the Beagle closely and to conduct it, as did
FitzRoy, without the assistance of an engine. This will give me an insight into the
navigational methods and maritime achievements of the Beagle which would not be
available to the navigator of a powered craft. I shall employ some of the same sight
reduction methods as were used in the Royal Navy in the 1830's and I intend to report upon
their accuracy and ease of use. Similarly, I intend to retrace Darwin's shore expeditions
in the spirit of the originals by making them on foot and by rowing boat. Part of my book
will consist of a comparison of the methods of FitzRoy, and the discoveries of Darwin,
with my own activities and experiences.
Why do I propose to name my yacht Harrier? Hares are pursued in the field by
beagles, while the beagles are in their turn followed by human riders known as harriers.