French yachtsman Pierre Primot contacted For Argyll on 4th June to ask for help in tracking down plans of a classic Robertson-built boat he had bought in England.
He bought her as Fair Judgment III. An 38 ft (12 m) auxiliary sloop, her birth name was Taiseer V. She had been designed by Charles Nicholson and built in 1953 at Alexander Robertson & Sons yard.
M Primot had discovered that she sailed in the famous and challenging Fastnet Race in 1961, 1965 and 1969.
Aiming to restore her, he needed her original plans but, as we know, Robertson’s yard is long gone and Camper and Nicholson has been sold. He had sent emails to Camper and Nicholson in the hope of help but had had no reply.
We asked readers to help and a fascinating collective detective exercise followed – with all sorts of well informed possibilities and eventual success.
The plans were discovered to be at the National Maritime Museum.
Last night Pierre Primot informed us that the Museum has sent him a copy of the plans and they are now in his hands.
We hope he’ll keep us all in touch with progress as he restores this lovely yacht whose foot is in the Holy Loch in Argyll.
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