Contacts Directory
Contacts:
brookski@btopenworld.com
enquiries@characterboats.co.uk
stevewarner0@icloud.com
allanellingworth@gmail.com
alanstancombe@btopenworld.com
iangrnr@yahoo.co.uk
If you would like to be contacted by readers of this site and other Character Boat owners or would like to hear of up coming events directly then please send in your email address to be included above.
I must point out that a website is a public place and we get visitors from literally all over the world (including places where there cannot possibly be any Lune Pilots) and so “The Lune Pilot” and it’s owner can have no control over the use of your contact details and so therefore cannot be held responsible for any misuse. I hope you will understand.
The Lune Pilot 
Hi there. Ive recently purchased a Lune Pilot 14 and been out a couple of times and its a great wee boat…I would really appreciate some advice re your experience of using the set up…..would this be possible?
The Lune pilot along with the post boat are two of the best boats I have owned, the ability to ballast a small boat nowadays seems to have been forgotten, I have just bought & renovated my 10th Character boats sail boat a Lune pilot 14, she is ready to trail & sail, has a new cover, new spars, new hubs, bearings & tyres & at £2500 ono she is a bargain, phone me if interested .
.on :01900881080. View NW Cumbria. Date:27th June 2017.
I can deliver for fuel & email pictures. Dave Hart.
Hi Dave, I take it you’ve sold this by now?
Hi there!
My Lune Pilot, Mary Celeste, as shown in the visitors gallery is up for sale for £2500, including, trailer, spare wheel and oars. If you would like to come and see her please ring me on 07742 926700 0r 01969 623935 or e-mail me at alanstancombe@btopenworld.com. Located in Leyburn, North Yorks.
Alan
We have this week taken delivery of 14ft 6″ Lune Pilot No. 58, built in 2002. She really is beautiful, and I believe one of the last ones built. So far we’ve just managed to rig her outside the garage, but have plans for the summer, including a trip to the Lakes.
Hi Adrian, I have no 57. Gaff rugged sloop. Great fun.
Good luck and I hope you have a great first season – let us know how you get on…
Hi I have recently purchased a Lune Pilot 14 and hope to be out on her exploring the the Solent rivers and harbours. She # 57
Andrew
Great – I sailed out of Chalcot once when Character Boats were having a bit of a demo. I sailed across to the Medina – have fun…
Hi I’m just up the river so will be going over to Cowes and up to folly point at this summer.
Is there a register of how many pilots there are? I’m 57 and Adrian has 58
Hi everyone, we’ve finally got 14ft 6″ Lune Pilot P58 sailing, and I’ve started a blog about her and our life with her, which I hope will be both happy and long! Here’s a link…. https://lunepilotgrebe.blogspot.co.uk
Hi – I am buying a Lune Pilot from Martin at Character Boats. Are there any Midlands based owners? I live in Nottingham and the intention is to join a local club and sail the local pits/Rutland Water etc. I would appreciate exchanging notes with other owners in due course.
Hi Robin,
I like Martin. I’d buy a used boat from him – if I needed one. I thought he might be a bit miffed that I high-jacked his boat and created thelunepilot website. Not a bit of it – he was very complimentary.
I sail Rutland regularly so if you like I’ll let you know when next – you never know we might get to meet on the water. Good luck John
Hi John
Martin is a nice guy and was very patient with me as I made my mind up to buy her https://www.characterboats.co.uk/product/lune-pilot-12-6-md20180609/
She will need a bit of fettling but it will keep me occupied for a bit.
I would love the opportunity to meet and have a look at your boat sometime when you’re at Rutland.
Cheers
Robin
Hi,just saw this site. I have a 12.6 line pilot and sail mainly at Rutland. I will look out for you. Stuart
Stuart, Yes well I’m planning to be there on Thursday – provided the weather is not too awful…
John
Still waiting to collect the new to me 12’6″ Lune Pilot ( tow bar to be fitted) and I’ve been looking around the web etc. There are refs to Lune Pilots of 11′, 12’6″, 14′ and 14’6″. Are these all variants or the same boat but with different bowsprits?
Hello. I am looking for my old boat. In mid 1990s we ordered from Bill at the Southampton boat show a 12’6 gaff cutter rigged line pilot. She was blue with the pretty laid foredeck, white mast and spars and tan sails. She was called Lune Fox. Sadly I sold her a few years later to someone from up north. Does anyone know her whereabouts. I would buy her back in an instant if I had the chance.
You could try a similar post on the Dinghy Cruising Association FBook pages -there’s a number of Lune Pilot owners that post. Good luck with your search.
Hi there. I didn’t know whether to write to you but on balance f thought I should. I am the new owner of the Lune Fox and live in North Yorks.
She is in very good condition. Could I ask if you ever painted the inside? I asked Martin who said they use flowcoat but I suspect it has been overpainted. I don’t like Danboline but like Interdeck except it doesn’t have a nice shiny finish. I am hoping to do some gentle restoration. If you mail me I will send you a recent photo.
With best wishes
Alan Stancombe
Hi Allan. thanks for getting in touch.we were the original owners of Lune Fox, purchasing her direct from Bill in the 1900’s, somewhere I have a lovely picture of our family and Bill next to the boat on the day of collection. I am sorry I can’t answer your questions about paint as we never had cause to paint her. Would love to see any pictures you have direct to dave.febry@gmail.com, i will tray and find some of our pics for you too. Enjoy her, we did
Hi Dave
Really glad we have made contact. I would really appreciate any photos especially the one with Bill Bailiff if it could be scanned. You would need to let me know who is who! The paint has lifted slightly so suspect this not the original gel coat I am seeing but underneath.
If ever I need to sell it I will certainly contact you first. Where are you by the way. Please feel free to keep in touch.
If you can let me have your email address I will send you some current photos. I don’t know how to do it on this site. If you look around even on this site you will see pictures of the Mary Celeste which I restored and sold in a moment of madness.
With very best wishes.
Alan
Dear TLP,
What an excellent website!
I own an 11’ Lune Pilot which I bought at Glenridding from Dr. Tony Stephens in June 1995, & it is the one pictured on the 11’ Lune Pilot page in the Character Boats brochure of that period – I still have the name plate (‘Lucy – DYC’). The boat came as a gaff cutter but also included the spars & sail for a standing lug set-up. I bought her to sail single-handed on the Lakes, but the impracticality of going to/from Aberdeen (where we live) wasn’t fully appreciated at the time of purchase.
After purchasing ‘Lucy’, I brought her up to Aberdeen because she had had been well used & needed a bit of a tidy up. This turned into a complete restoration, whereby I refurbished all the mahogany, repainted the spars with white micro-porous paint, varnished the rudder (& tiller), recoated the inside of the hull with two-pack paint, polished the outside of the hull, & replaced the three sections of floor using the original pieces as templates. I also refurbished the trailer with new suspension units, wheels & tyres. I use the old wheels & suspension to store the boat, & change to the new items for towing.
Because ‘Lucy’ has no permanently encased ballast, she is very light to tow & to move around onshore. For ballast when sailing, I have some water bags (a 20 litre camp shower bag only costs £5) which have the advantage of only having to be filled when in use as ballast & can simply be emptied after sailing. I’m not sure, but I suspect I need c.25 – 40 kg of ballast. The weight stated in the brochure is 290 lbs (132 kgs).
Sadly, ’Lucy’ has not been in the water since 1995, but is now in my garage for finishing and set-up. Since I am now retired, I can now offer ‘Lucy’ some long overdue attention.
I’m trying to piece together the jigsaw of assorted fittings & lines. I took lots of photos in 1995 (though not enough), but didn’t take any measurements. My plan is to rig her for single handed sailing – making some minor improvements to the sailing controls, & the rigging up/down process. One day, she will be re-launched at Glenridding with a splash of champagne over her bow.
If anyone has any information that will assist me in assembling the fittings and running rigging, I’d be very grateful. For instance, the fairleads for the jibs are currently located on the gunwales, whereas c.6” inboard would seem more appropriate (when on a close reach). Also, the proportions for where to attached the peak halyard would be handy. I’m making progress with the details I have, & have completed rigging the mast with the five blocks, shrouds, jibs, peak, & throat halyards. I can post my contact details in the Contacts Directory.
Thank you for reading.
Best Regards,
‘LucyLunePilot’.
I enjoyed reading this Geoff. Now I know I am not alone as I too have spent many many hours of fettling. Good idea with storing on the the old running gear I thought – and saving the new units for the road.
I sail with 50kgs of ballast (actually bagged ballast) and the 14ft LP handles just fine. I find too little ballast and she struggles to turn in wind as I need the bow down and that long keel “biting” the water. I would have thought your 50kgs of water would be plenty. Great suggestion that, using a shower bag.
If I lived a bit nearer (Northamptonshire) I would offer to come round and help experiment with the rigging set up. Just on the jib – at this size of boat and jib I don’t reckon hauling in really hard does a great deal. It’s more about aerodynamics and creating the ‘slot’ to increase the effort of the main. So long as you have a nice curve and she is not flogging the jib should be working fine. On the gunnels therefore rather than inboard aught to be good. I be interested in what you come up with.
I hope you get on the water very soon. The weather opportunity is right now.
Good luck
John (tlp)
Hi, I’m happy to be included. I have 12ft 6in Line Pilot. It’s an original from Bill but I’m not sure of it’s exact age. I changed the rig, it had a sprit sail and jib but no bowsprit. I sewed up a lugsail and added a bowsprit scaled up from the brochure that Bill have me when his workshop was the old cinema. I usually sail at Rutland water.
Regards Stuart
sdethick@gmail.com
Mine is at Killington Sailing club,Jeremy Fisher,I am swallowing the anchor,looking for c.£2000 with oars anchor ,two rigging set ups.
Hello again. I’ve still got my Lune Pilot. I’m trying to find another now for my son who is keen to follow the tradition. 11′ or 12’6″ would ideal. Keep me in mind, thanks. Stuart
Hi Stuart
Can you mail me a contact phone number and I’ll give you a call
Cheers
Robin
Hello Robin, sorry for the delay, l only just saw this. I’m on 07976 765208
Stuart