Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request star yachts.

i have a few star yachts which i sail,mainly at new brighton. i need about 5 more to complete my collection. i used to live opposite denys who made them. iff anyone has models i need i would be pleased to hear from them, thanks.

I have had one since I was a child, given to me by my grandad, my daughter sailed it at New Brighton many times when she was younger, and it had many admiring comments made by other boaters there, I have been on occasion offered money for it, but have never sold it. It needs some TLC and repair work to the rigging at present and I don't quite know where to begin. If you have any ideas I would appreciate it.

i go to new brighton most weekends im not very handy on the repair side but there are a few people there who used to work for denys.i will look at it and compare ir with some of mine and see what can be done .

I have had a pre-war Star yacht "Arctic Star" since the 1950's.
It was given to me by an older cousin. Hull length = 27ins
Beam = 7ins.

I sailed it as a boy and my boys sailed it. In the 70's
my wife took it to the factory in Birkenhead where they
replaced the original red sails and varnished spars with
their "BR4" rigging - not the best thing but the old sails
were rotted and at least we could continued sailing it.

A couple of years ago, it was in a poor state with the
original paintwork and varnish cracked and perished and
so I decided to restore it for my grandsons (and me!)

The rigging was washed and came up fine. A few screws
and the mast step had to be replaced. I stripped the hull
with paint stripper washed it several timed rubbed it down
and repainted it with several coats of paint. I also rubbed
down, relined and revarnished the deck. I had lost the wooden
rudder so made a new one out of a new piece of wood.

The lead keel was a little loose and I could not free the
screws so I injected wood filler at the join and it set fine.

The boat sails well but two problems remain - mast has a twist
and the original stand is missing.

I have added "before and after " photos. First time adding
photos so I hope they are OK. Best of luck with your boat.

Well done. Nice restoration job. It looks like it's good for another generation - or two!

nice boat walli but i dont think its a star yacht. they may have put star sails on but the hull looks made by someone else. also i think youll find they didnt go into production till after the war. i lived facing denyes factory in one of their houses.

Thanks for your reply. I'm guessing at when
my cousin got the yacht as he is now
about 78 so born about 1933 and about 6 when
WW2 started.

According to a Star catalogue, the founder
came to Birkenhead and started the factory
after WW1. So I think the timings could fit.

See catalogue at:- http://www.vmyg.org.uk/pages/resources/small_boat/star.htm

Could you say how the dimensions compare with what
you know about the various yachts?

During renovation, under the deck varnish there was
a round dark patch which I thought might have been
the stain from a trademark transfer.

Under the later name on the bows, the stripping
revealed earlier "Arctic Star" name in the Star
yacht typeface. See photos:-

i have those catalogues , the thing is the shape of the boat is alien to star. i might see you sailing at new brighton sometime.

OK - a bit of a mystery then. Look
forward to seeing you at New Brighton.

been into the history walli,turns out old mr.denye started up around 1920. so im sorry for misleading you walli.see you at the lake.