In the world
This page contains information about Red Admirals around the world. As much information as possible has been collected about the various yachts, their owners and their locations.
E-mail from Oyster Technical Manager March 2, 2016
Currently unknown who made prototype wooden plug – Halmatic?
Halmatic made all 22 of the production moldings
McGruer fitted 4 boats (see Build List)
Stangate fitted 17 boats (see report Mike Ingle)
JK Watson fitted 1 boat
Total of 22 boats made
Best known location of the boats:
- UK (5)
- Majorca (3)
- Holland (1)
- Denmark (1)
- United States (3; the current location and owner of 2 boats is unknown)
- Swiss (1; location and current owner unknown)
Total of 14 boats (as of February 16, 2016)
The hull and deck molds for the Red Admirals were specific to RA’s
Oyster had Halmatic make hull/deck molds to a Holman & Pye design specific to the Oyster 37. Red Admiral 36 and Oyster 37 were sales competitors and are NOT the same boat.
The overview below is unfortunately not yet complete and I invite everyone to add this information in the coming years.
McGruer & Co Ltd – Design and Build Register
| Yard No. | Sail No. | Original Name | Owner | Designer | Class | Date |
| 675/1 | K3722 | Arwen Evenstar | Ian Perrin | Holman & Pye | 35ft Red Admiral | 1978 / 79 |
| 675/2 | K3860 | Ocean Flame | British Gas SC | Holman & Pye | 35ft Red Admiral | 1978 / 79 |
| 675/3 | GBR3757 | Admirable | Buchan Yachts | Holman & Pye | 35ft Red Admiral | 1978 / 79 |
| 675/4 | H2713 | Eendracht | Colin McGill | Holman & Pye | 35ft Red Admiral | 1978 / 79 |
RED ADMIRAL 36 – History of Boats
Being compiled by Doug Brown USA
Arwen Evenstar
The first of four boats on McGruer & Co Ltd Design and Build Register.
Built: 1978
Launched: 1979
Yard number: 675/1.
Sail number: K3722 (Fractional rig)
Transom Number: SOU 2331 78
First registered with RORC: March 15, 1979
Dark blue with white stripe, tan decks
First owner: Ian Perrin / William Bernard Limited in Merseyside, Liverpool. 1979 to 1984
Second owner: Douglas & Betty Brown. November, 1984 to present
Currently in New Bern, North Carolina, US
Was raced under Ian Perrin, RORC certificate: RRC14090 May 30, 1979
Has done long distance cruising with the Brown’s, including Trans Atlantic crossing.
Thorney Flame (ex Ocean Flame)
Second on the McGruer build register
Yard number: 675/2.
Sail number: K3860 (Masthead rig)
Transom number: SOU 1749 79
Dark blue hull with white stripe
First owner: British Gas Sailing Club 1980 to 1989
Second owner: Nick Dunett and re-named Thorney Flame 1989 to present
Used by British Gas to inspection North Sea oil platforms
Dunett’s use as family cruiser to the Continent.
Joan & Jerry Lee partial owners for a period of time
Admirable
Third on McGruer build register.
Yard number: 675/3
Sail number: GBR 3757 (Masthead rig)
Transom number: Unknown
Hull color: Unknown
First owner: Buchan Yachts, London, was the “factory demonstrator”.
Second owner: Antonio Castell Esbarranch, RCN Palma, 1980- (Unkown)
Appeared in 4-page Yachting World article, March 1980
Unknown – need information
Fourth on McGruer build register.
Yard number: 675/4
Transom number: (Unknown)
Built for Collin McGill
Aquarii (ex Eendracht)
Transom number: SOU 2640 78 McGruer
Sail number: H 2713 (Masthead rig)
Blue hull with white stripe
Built / Delivered April, 1979
First owner: Colin McGill, 1979 to 1980
Second owner: H. Boelsma, 1980 to 1982
Third owner: H. Nieuwenhuis, 1982 to 1999
Fourth owner: Bernard van’t Hoff October, 1999 to present
Vigilant
Built in 1978. Launched 1979
Transom number: ON. 386523 Stangate
Sail number: GBR 3857 (Fractional rig)
Dark blue with white stripe.
First owner: Simon Jeffery 1978 to 1981
Second owner: Drs. John & Joan Norris 1981 to early 1990’s
Third owner: William Norris (son) early 1990’s to present
She was in the London Boat Show, 1979
Was in British Yachting magazine May, 1980, 2-page article
Has cruised Brittany / West Country
Has always done the Round the Island Race (IOW), 2nd Overall best finish
Reportedly did the 1979 Fastnet Race
Holly Blue
Transom number: (Unknown) Stangate
Sail number: (Unknown) Fractional rig
White hull with blue stripe
Built / completed 1980
First owner: (Unknown), 1979 to 1999
Second owner: Arnold Woods, 1999 to 2010
Illusion of Lorne (ex Illusion)
Last Red Admiral 36 built
Transom number: (Unknown) JK Watson, Chichester
Sail number: 9318Y (Masthead rig)
White hull with blue stripe
Built 1984
First owner: Keith Watson, 1984 to 2001
Second owner: Peter Sharp, 2001 to present
1984 South Hampton Boat Show – Halmatic Stand
Won 2007 AZAB Class 1 Division Peter Sharp/Bob Hudson
Spinlock IRC
Autonomy
Launched: 2-17-1979
The 1979 Fastnet boat.
Transom number: SOU 147 79
Registration number: ON 387314
Sail number: GBR 3425 (Fractional rig then Masthead rig (current))
Blue hull with white stripe; now Blue hull with red stripe
First owner: Edward & Penny Bourne (Sec. Royal Cruising Club) 1979 – 2005
Second owner: James Perrin 2005 to today
Problems in Fastnet race DNF. Articles written by crew explaining experience
Taken to Spain and back by Bourne
Boat was bought by Perrin after having suffered damage when dropped in boatyard. Fully repaired, racing & cruising today.
Kairuiheng / Korrigan
Washington DC, Anacortes, WA 2012
Texas boat
Current owner: Steven Purcel, Seattle USA.
Was on the hard in Puerto Rico for sale in 1990’s.
We looked her over. Had Texas on transom as Home Port
Trying to find more details. Maybe boat advertised for sale 1994
Parchalla
Transom number: (Unknown) Stangate
Sail number: N2034 (NOR) (Masthead)
Boat in Denmark and magazine article written 11/1980
First owner: Oyvind Bjorshol, 1979 to 1983
Second owner: Arne Ola Bjorka Voll, 1983 to 1999
Third owner: (Unknown)