Bass Boat Sundowner: Who Designed And Crafted This Vessel?

The Sundowner is a boat with a rich history. Its story begins in 1929 when Charles and Sylvia Lightoller bought the hull of an old steam pinnace for £40. They converted it into a cruising yacht, naming it Sundowner – an Australian term for a tramp or hobo, owing to Sylvia's Australian origins. The Sundowner was launched in 1930 and extensively cruised the north coast of Europe over the next decade, even participating in international competitions. During World War II, the Sundowner was requisitioned by the Admiralty and played a crucial role in the Dunkirk evacuation, rescuing 130 men. After the war, the boat continued its service, taking part in several rescues and even becoming a film star. The Sundowner changed hands multiple times over the years, undergoing restorations and participating in various events, including the 25th-anniversary return to Dunkirk in 1965, led by Sylvia Lightoller. The boat has since been owned by different entities and continues to be a vessel of historical significance.

Sundowner yacht was owned by Charles Lightoller, former second officer of the RMS Titanic

The Sundowner yacht was originally built in 1912 as an Admiralty steam pinnace. In 1929, it was bought by Charles Lightoller, former second officer of the RMS Titanic, and his wife, Sylvia Lightoller, for £40 (equivalent to £3,000 today). The couple renamed the yacht Sundowner, an Australian term for a tramp or hobo, due to Sylvia's Australian origins.

Charles Lightoller was a British mariner and naval officer born in 1874 in Chorley, Lancashire. At the age of 13, he began a four-year apprenticeship on board the barque Primrose Hill, marking the start of his maritime career. He went on to serve on various ships and gained experience in handling challenging situations at sea, including storms and ship fires. Lightoller joined the RMS Titanic as the second officer and was the most senior officer to survive the disaster. During the evacuation, he strictly enforced the "women and children first" protocol.

After the Titanic tragedy, Lightoller continued his career in the maritime industry and served in World War I as a commanding officer in the Royal Navy. Despite facing challenges and controversies during his service, he was recognised for his gallantry and received decorations. Following the war, Lightoller struggled to advance his career with the White Star Line and eventually resigned. He took on various odd jobs before purchasing the Sundowner yacht in 1929.

Under the Lightollers' ownership, the Sundowner underwent modifications and was extended to 58 feet. It was fitted with a 60 hp Parsons petrol-paraffin 4-stroke engine, giving it a top speed of 8 knots. The yacht was launched on June 28, 1930, and the couple used it for family trips and participated in international competitions. In 1936, Lightoller replaced the engine with a more powerful 72 hp Gleniffer diesel engine, further enhancing the yacht's performance.

In 1939, with the threat of World War II looming, Lightoller was tasked by the Admiralty to secretly survey the European coast. The following year, the Sundowner was requisitioned by the Admiralty to assist in the Dunkirk evacuation. Lightoller, aged 66 at the time, volunteered to sail the yacht to Dunkirk, along with his eldest son, Roger, and an 18-year-old Sea Scout, Gerald Ashcroft. During the evacuation, the Sundowner rescued 130 people, including the crew of a motor cruiser, and returned them safely to Ramsgate.

After World War II, the Sundowner remained in service as a coastal patrol vessel and was later returned to Lightoller for family use. Charles Lightoller passed away in 1952, and his wife, Sylvia, continued to cruise with the Sundowner, even leading the Armada of Little Ships on the 25th-anniversary return to Dunkirk in 1965. The Sundowner has since passed through several owners and has undergone restorations to preserve its legacy.

The yacht was built in 1912 and bought by the Lightollers in 1929

The Sundowner yacht was built in 1912 and bought by Charles and Sylvia Lightoller in 1929. Charles Lightoller was the former second officer of the RMS Titanic. In 1929, the Lightollers purchased the hull of an old steam pinnace from the mud at Conyer Creek, east of the River Medway. They had been searching for a boat to convert into a cruising yacht, and this hull was deemed to be in good condition. The couple then set about converting the vessel, fitting it with two masts and ketch-rigging with a jib, mainsail, mizzen, and mizzen staysail. The yacht was named Sundowner, an Australian term for a tramp or hobo, as Sylvia was Australian.

The Sundowner was originally 52 feet long and was extended to 58 feet. It was equipped with a 60 hp Parsons petrol-paraffin 4-stroke engine that drove a single propeller, giving the yacht a top speed of 8 knots (15 km/h or 9.2 mph). On June 28, 1930, the Sundowner was launched and embarked on its maiden voyage to France after trials on the Thames. Over the following decade, the Lightollers sailed along the northern coast of Europe, participating in numerous international competitions.

In 1936, Lightoller upgraded the engine to a more powerful 72 hp Gleniffer diesel engine, increasing the yacht's speed by 2 knots. As World War II loomed in 1939, Lightoller was tasked with a secret mission to survey the European coast for the Admiralty. On May 31, 1940, the Admiralty requisitioned the Sundowner to aid in the Dunkirk evacuation. Lightoller, then 66 and retired, volunteered to sail the yacht, accompanied by his eldest son, Roger, and Gerald Ashcroft, an 18-year-old Sea Scout. They departed from Ramsgate and crossed the Channel with five other ships, rescuing the crew of the motor cruiser Westerly en route. Despite challenges, the Sundowner successfully evacuated 130 soldiers from Dunkirk, returning them to Ramsgate.

The Sundowner continued its service during World War II as a coastal patrol vessel in the River Blackwater, Essex, and later under the Royal Army Service Corps' control in the River Clyde. After the war, in 1946, the yacht was returned to the Lightollers, who used it for family cruises. Charles Lightoller passed away in 1952, but Sylvia continued to sail the Sundowner, even leading the Armada of Little Ships on the 25th-anniversary return to Dunkirk in 1965. The Sundowner changed hands several times before being acquired by the East Kent Maritime Trust in 1986 and has since undergone restorations and participated in various events commemorating the Dunkirk evacuation.

Sundowner was used in World War II during the Dunkirk evacuation

The Sundowner was used in World War II during the Dunkirk evacuation, also known as Operation Dynamo. The operation was one of the most critical moments of the Second World War. It involved the rescue of over 336,000 British, French, and other Allied soldiers trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk by the German army. The British Expeditionary Force and other Allied troops were forced to wade through the water to board ships as British destroyers could not approach the shallow waters.

Sundowner, a motor yacht formerly owned by Charles Lightoller, participated in the evacuation as one of the "little ships". Lightoller, the former second officer of the RMS Titanic, volunteered to sail Sundowner to Dunkirk, along with his eldest son, Roger, and Sea Scout Gerald Ashcroft. They departed from Ramsgate, England, on June 1, 1940, and crossed the Channel with five other ships. On their way, they rescued the crew of the motor cruiser Westerly, which had broken down and caught fire.

When Sundowner arrived at Dunkirk, Lightoller realised that the piers were too high. So, they drew alongside the destroyer HMS Worcester and started taking on soldiers. A total of 130 men were crammed into the yacht—75 in the cabin and 55 on deck. Sundowner then returned to Ramsgate, evading fire from enemy aircraft through evasive manoeuvres. After disembarking the troops, she prepared to return to France for another load. However, only ships capable of doing 20 knots were allowed to continue.

During World War II, Sundowner remained in service as a coastal patrol vessel in the River Blackwater, Essex, and later moved to the River Clyde under the control of the 647 Transport Company, Royal Army Service Corps. She was released from service in 1945 and returned to Lightoller in 1946, once again being used as a family boat.

The yacht is now a museum ship at the Ramsgate Maritime Museum in Southern England

The Sundowner bass boat is a motor yacht formerly owned by Charles Lightoller, the second officer of the RMS Titanic. Built in 1912, the yacht was purchased by Lightoller and his wife, Sylvia, in 1929 for £40 (equivalent to £3,000 today). The Sundowner was originally 52 feet long but was extended to 58 feet and fitted with a powerful engine, giving it a top speed of 8 knots.

The yacht holds historical significance due to its participation in the Dunkirk evacuation during World War II. Requisitioned by the Admiralty, Lightoller volunteered to sail the Sundowner to Dunkirk, along with his son and an 18-year-old Sea Scout. They rescued the crew of another ship and transported over 130 soldiers back to Ramsgate, navigating through enemy fire and the challenging conditions of the English Channel.

After the war, the Sundowner was returned to Lightoller and continued to be used as a family boat. Following Lightoller's death in 1952, his wife, Sylvia, maintained possession of the yacht and even led the Armada of Little Ships during the 25th-anniversary return to Dunkirk in 1965. The Sundowner changed hands several times before being purchased by the East Kent Maritime Trust in 1986.

Today, the Sundowner has found a permanent home at the Ramsgate Maritime Museum in Southern England, where it stands as a museum ship. The Ramsgate Maritime Museum, located in the Clock House by Ramsgate Harbour, showcases the town's rich maritime history. Visitors can explore interactive displays, intricate ship models, and authentic maritime tools and instruments. The museum also features two museum ships: the steam tug Cervia and the Sundowner itself, which played a pivotal role in the Dunkirk evacuation.

The Sundowner's journey from a private yacht to a museum ship at the Ramsgate Maritime Museum in Southern England exemplifies the preservation of maritime history and the recognition of its role in pivotal moments such as the Dunkirk evacuation. Visitors can now step aboard the Sundowner, immersing themselves in its rich past and paying tribute to its contribution to history.

Sundowner was styled like a classic working fishing boat

The Sundowner is a small, ocean-going wooden sailing boat. It is an affordable, tough and sturdy vessel. The boat was designed by a customer who wanted to build and sail a small ocean-going cruiser to Hawaii, Cape Horn and Fremantle. The design is intended for first-time builders, with everything built using normal hand tools and materials from the local lumberyard.

The Sundowner is styled like a classic working fishing boat. It has a long keel for directional stability and to reduce its roll rate. It also features a big transom-hung rudder with a "wing" on the tip to reduce pitching and increase efficiency. The mast is set in a tabernacle, allowing it to be dropped or raised without a crane. The cutter rig, with two headsails and a topsail, makes the Sundowner a champion ghoster in light airs. The boat can be shortened right down to storm canvas without changing sails, making shorthanded sailing easier.

The Sundowner has a superbly sheltered cockpit with a lot of lockers, including a dedicated paint and fuel locker that drains directly overboard for safety. There is a cargo hold under the after end of the cockpit floor, and huge scuppers out through the transom. The side decks are wide enough to accommodate size 10 feet across the beam, and the foredeck is large for a small boat.

The Sundowner is a big boat for its length, with full headroom and settees that convert into two comfortable bunks in the main cabin. There is also space for a double bunk forward, allowing accommodation for four adults. It has an inboard diesel engine with a 60-litre (16 US gallon) fuel tank. The prototype was stocked with over 200 paperback books, 300 litres (80 US gallons) of water, and almost six months' worth of meals, in addition to other stores and maintenance equipment.

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