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Jay Latona, a 14 year old Millbrook teenager was given an old boat last year and showing initiative and ingenuity and after a lot of hard work has transformed a near hulk into a serviceable if somewhat ‘Heath Robinson’ sailing craft. Using bits and pieces given by local people he and friends were able to make their maiden sailing voyage this week. A roller boom enabled Jay to fit a main to the size of the boat and the weather was kind.

But which boat? Jay’s own research and trailing the web myself confirms that the craft is a Salterne Sharky, a 16′ trailer sailor designed by Parkgates Marine Ltd,built by Waterside Plastics Ltd and sold by Salterns Yacht Agency of Chichester. Cost in 1971 £425.

LOA 16′: LWL 15′: Beam 6′: Draft 1’6″: Displacement 1080 lbs: Ballast 360 lbs.

The keel is a foot wide and there is a footwell inside the cabin which is inset within the keel. Jay feels that this can be used to house additional ballast.

A quote from a 2005 web blog ” Another similar boat built around the same time was the SHARKY which was to my mind the best of this class of designs. I have not seen one advertised in years which since they were built in fair quantity suggests that either their owners are very well satisfied with them or they have all gone to Davy Jones Locker.”

Here’s one into which Jay is breathing new life.

He has named the boat “LAKEY”

Well Done