antc
Junior Member
Posts: 70
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Post by antc on May 18, 2010 12:11:24 GMT
hello all i have been trying to find info for a friend of mine on the difference between an evolution 22 and an evolution 22 glass onion. this is what i can work out so far: glass onion (the yacht) was the first of a modified range of evolution 22's which were faster (winning the RTI) so they made some more. does any one have any other info on it, how many were made, what was so good about them. and if any are for sale (i realize shallot has just been sold)
cheers Ant C
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Post by Jacob on Jul 14, 2010 21:21:33 GMT
Hi all, it's funny but even though I'm a co owner of Glass Onion, I'm a bit short on the history of the boat. Will get my mates to fill in some more gaps - but as I understand yes G.O. was the plug for the following Evolution - Glass Onion yachts. How many are there - good question - wouldn't mind knowing that too. I guess what might be the distinguishing feature is the scoop at the back, I'm not certain but is that the differentiation with respect to the straight Evolution 22? Certainly when up to boat speed and are able to get that scoop into the water, you do gain an advantage.
What's good about them, they are light, have a shallow draft, are quick and enjoyable to sail, it's great to be up with the bigger boats and making them sweat knowing that they should be much further ahead!
I did meet someone who was telling me that he once owned the Onion, found her in a paddock many years back and put her back together. Now 30years old, she is still sailing well, not nearly as stiff as she probably was in her youth, but still manages respectable positions in things like RTI. Slightly down on the average this year, but still just over 9hrs to get around, alongside Madelaine most of the way from the Needles - she's a quick little thing.
Well anyway - sorry but the Glass Onion is not up for sale - all credit to James Gates for getting her ship shape again, he's done wonders. I have noticed one or two up for sale if you do a search online.
Look forward to hearing more history about the boat. And see you out on the water - unfortunately I don't think we can make this years regatta - already booked the holidays! We'll certainly try to keep it in mind for next year though.
We tend to sail in both the RSYC and SWSA race series, if you ever feel like joining us.
Cheers, Jacob
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Post by Secondanita on Jul 15, 2010 7:04:35 GMT
My brother owned Glass Onion for a year or two in the early 80's, bought direct from Evolution . Sailed around Dartmouth/Torbay as he was on the staff at the Naval college. He sold her on (I think) to another Navy friend who lived in Cowes (Richard something, sorry I'm getting old!), who graduated soon after to a half-tonner. I sailed on her a few times, basic problem was that at 120kg I was not an asset in under force 5, usually got to lie in the bilges and watch the sea go by through the hull. She was then a rather anaemic pale green (original colour) without too much gel coat and you really could watch the sea. In my opinion, today's colour is rather more aesthetic. I talked to Evolution sales man (David....?Cowell?) at the time he bought her, he said that the production boats had a slightly better rating, but that the original was a bit quicker. Unfortunately I have no memory of any detailed changes. I have a few photos somewhere which may be findable. She was quick with a lighter crew and did well in Dartmouth regatta, including winning a 3-way match race with the two other minis based in Dartmouth then. contact me if you would like me to dig further, "richard DOT salter AT t-online DOT de"
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Post by Julian Everitt on Jul 18, 2010 17:05:28 GMT
Just to fill in a little history about the Glass Onion One Design from the designer.
The origins of the design lie in a one off Mini Tonner we did in 1977 called Natural Magic. (Mick Jagger song from the film Performance). In 1978 the design was developed, largely due to rule changes in the IOR and became the production Evolution 24. This design featured a lifting keel and an inboard lifting rudder (probably the first ever production boat to have this feature) The stern overhang was moderately long but there was no scoop as such. The Evolution 22 started life as a de- tuned cruising version of the 24 with a cut off stern, transom hung rudder and a modest masthead rig. The idea was to make a really easy to handle trailer sailer. Public demand however brought about the 22 with the 24 fractional rig. This was the most popular of the two designs.
The first of what became the Glass Onion series was a boat called Shaved Fish, (named after a John Lennon LP) which I had built as a wedding present for my wife in 1979. This design had the Evolution 24 deck and hull, but with the freeboard cut down by some 6 inches. A planning board of around 18 inches was also added together with a 'notched' or clipper bow to extend the waterline length. We also designed a very unfashionable, highly tapered fixed keel. The idea behind this and the low freeboard was to concentre weight as much as possible into the pitch centre of the boat as she was build specifically to race in the Mediterranean where the sea state is often rough compared to the wind strength.
In 1980, when the Mini Ton championship was held in the UK, Glass Onion (A Beatles song) herself was built as an optimised version of Shaved Fish. She had an even longer planning board and was over 26ft long. Glass Onion, Shaved Fish and another of our Mini designs Silver Dream Racer went on to dominate Solent Points and Mini Ton events for several seasons including winning the Gold Roman Bowl for the top boat in the Round the Island Race in 1982 under the International Offshore Rule (IOR)
The Glass Onion One Design followed on in about 1984, but was not fitted with a planning board as standard. Shallot,one of the class, but complete with her own stern extension, went on to win the Gold Roman Bowl in 1997 under Channel Handicap. I believe, including Fish and the original Onion, that there are only a half dozen or so of the class. Be very interesting to get some feedback as to their whereabouts.
Julian Everitt. Naval Architect
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Post by bob young on Nov 6, 2010 11:49:10 GMT
hi Just found this post..natural Magic is currently resident in the North of England at the ROYAL NORTHUMBERLAND YACHT CLUB in Blyth, still sailing usually 2 handed and looking forward to a productive 2011 bob young
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Post by chriss on Jan 17, 2012 22:47:42 GMT
I bought Glass Onion in the early 90s when she was at Langstone marina. Her main & longitudinals were completely rotten, and we replaced them, put some big epoxy fillets covered in light glass tape to recreate the strength. We removed some of the bagged ballast to compensate for age & revised structure, plus we revised the deck layout, which allowed her to be single-handed in moderate breezes (if you were quick) I sold her when I moved to London to work for the American Bureau of Shipping. Moved back to Southampton this year, she is still in Southampton. Lovely yacht, thanks Julian! (Wish I'd never sold her for the Swede 55)
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Post by toyyot on Jan 25, 2012 12:59:04 GMT
We have Toy Yot in Dublin which is a glass onion. She was called hot gossip and has been in Ireland for at least 14 years as far as I know. Very uncertain of her past but she is in good condition and has just got a new suit of sails. If anyone knows any history on the boat I would love to hear it.
Thanks Stephen
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Post by Rob Clark on Jul 14, 2013 21:28:18 GMT
Myself and two friends bought Glass Onion from Chris in about 1997. I learnt to sail on her, a rather complex rig and inexperience led to a few minor mishaps along the way. She is a lovely boat to sail on with a rig that allows plenty of adjustment. Single handed sailing is possible, by lashing the tiller when running forward to release or gather the genoa! The main layout change that we made was to get rid of the checkstays, as under CHS/IRC we felt we were paying too big a rating penalty. I stopped sailing her when I moved away from Southampton and very much miss it.
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Post by toyyot on Apr 2, 2014 0:53:23 GMT
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Post by Covey on Nov 13, 2014 11:26:28 GMT
Is Shaved Fish sitting in the boatyard near Monkstown in Cork Harbour? Yellow Hull?
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Post by Jeff Townsend on Jul 6, 2019 11:50:34 GMT
Hi all just got onto this page when searching for pics of Glass Onion. I am Jeff Townsend from Australia. I ran the Evolution Factory in Lymington in the late 70's when it first opened. I was approached by Eric Reynolds to move from Jeremy Rogers to Evolution Yachts. The factory was origially in the inlet behind the Isle of Wight ferry wharf up near Lymington railway station.From my memory I moved the factory to Southampton in late 78' or very early 79'. We built heaps of Evo 22's.I built the plugs for Glass Onion in Southampton just before coming home in 79'. I have vivid memories of many people challenging me that my or should I say Julians boats were too fast to be legal. He certainly pionered the boat designs of today didn't he. Alan Jones who is still in Lymington took over when I left. I hope this gives you all a little insight into the early days of Evolution.
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Post by Secondanita on Aug 9, 2019 13:59:50 GMT
Jeff, sorry for delayed response, most of our contacts now run over our facebook page "IOR Minitonner Class". My brother bought Glass Onion in march 1983 and had her for a couple of years. We have Julian as a group member and regular contributor.. Please join us. Richard Salter (admin and owner of a Ceccarelli mini from 1985)
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Post by Fischer on Aug 13, 2021 20:51:10 GMT
Hi all, it's funny but even though I'm a co owner of Glass Onion, I'm a bit short on the history of the boat. Will get my mates to fill in some more gaps - but as I understand yes G.O. was the plug for the following Evolution - Glass Onion yachts. How many are there - good question - wouldn't mind knowing that too. I guess what might be the distinguishing feature is the scoop at the back, I'm not certain but is that the differentiation with respect to the straight Evolution 22? Certainly when up to boat speed and are able to get that scoop into the water, you do gain an advantage. What's good about them, they are light, have a shallow draft, are quick and enjoyable to sail, it's great to be up with the bigger boats and making them sweat knowing that they should be much further ahead! I did meet someone who was telling me that he once owned the Onion, found her in a paddock many years back and put her back together. Now 30years old, she is still sailing well, not nearly as stiff as she probably was in her youth, but still manages respectable positions in things like RTI. Slightly down on the average this year, but still just over 9hrs to get around, alongside Madelaine most of the way from the Needles - she's a quick little thing. Well anyway - sorry but the Glass Onion is not up for sale - all credit to James Gates for getting her ship shape again, he's done wonders. I have noticed one or two up for sale if you do a search online. Look forward to hearing more history about the boat. And see you out on the water - unfortunately I don't think we can make this years regatta - already booked the holidays! We'll certainly try to keep it in mind for next year though. We tend to sail in both the RSYC and SWSA race series, if you ever feel like joining us. Cheers, Jacob
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Post by Haydn Beswick on Dec 5, 2023 2:35:07 GMT
Shaved fish
I owned the boat about 20 years ago. Sold it to a guy in Cornwall, forgot his name but he was a member of Helford river sailing club. Some one there should know it's location.
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