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About the Lugger
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Home page
About the Lugger
(This page)
A Drascombe Lugger is an open 2-masted sailing boat 18 feet 9 inches long. It was originally designed and built using timber, in the early 1960s by John Watkinson in a barn on his farm at Drascombe Barton, Devon, UK. John, a former Royal Navy officer, wanted a stable and safe family daysailer capable of giving a lively sail.
The first Drascombe Lugger was inspired by the working boats of England's North-East coast. It was an immediate success and its obvious commercial potential prompted John to initiate production of the boats in GRP. To date over 2,000 Luggers have been built.
Luggers are now manufactured by Churchouse Boats in Hampshire, in the South of England. For further information see the Drascombe Association and Churchouse Boats websites. The original boatbuilding firm making Drascombes was Honnor Marine located in Totnes, Devon. This company went into receivership in the late 1990's but was subsequently bought by Bob Brown who relocated it to Lancashire UK. Honnor Marine make Luggers (which they call Devon Luggers), using the original Drascombe Lugger moulds.