Naiad Errant was built in 1939 at William Osborne's yard at Littlehampton (between Brighton and Portsmouth on the south coast of England). She was a variation on the Osborne Swallow class small cruiser, with a raked stem, and became the prototype of the New Swallow Class.
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In the 1980's the Morris Navigator petrol engines were replaced with 49hp Perkins 4.107 diesel
engines, which are still in place today.
During restoration new fuel tanks had to be fabricated, and the fuel capacity was increased to 46 gallons (210 lt). |
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Naiad Errant was built for Major Ralph Nightingale (left), a solicitor from Wimbledon, for
the sum of £1060, 14S and 4d. A friend of his in the timber business helped to select the African Lagos mahogany timber for her. |
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After Sandy Evans had purchased Naiad Errant in 1981, he visited William Osborne. The elderly
Osborne not only recalled the boat, but immediately produced photos of her being built and launched, and
gave to him.
The photo on the right shows her launch at Littlehampton in June of 1939. (Note the two broken necks of champagne bottles hanging either side of the bow!) |
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