Please help me identify old bronze parts

[Benoit Girard]

Hi,
We bought an old wooden sailboat originaly buit in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. All deck and mast hardware are bronze. We would like to know if anybody can help us identifying the manufacturer of this bronze part, which is used to connect the mast and the boom. It has a small engraved logo on it; the letter S and L on each side of an anchor.

Any information is welcomed.
http://www.geocities.com/grandloup66/Kaelu10031.jpg

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Easy!

Simpson Lawrence, Glasgow, UK.

A fine old firm, which managed to go bust quite recently after a couple of centuries or so.

Along with Merriman Brothers in the USA (alas no longer with us) and Davey and Co in the UK (still with us), one of the pre-eminent firms of yacht equipment makers and suppliers.

Possibly best known for the CQR anchor, but makers and suppliers of almost everything for yachts.

The firm's archives are held by the University of Glasgow.

I fancy that Classic Marine (http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/) may know where the patterns for castings are.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Could be "Simpson Lawrence" (Andrew beat me to it)

[ 09-13-2005, 12:48 PM: Message edited by: P.I. Stazzer-Newt ]

[Popeye]

i got some parts like that, roller reefing gooseneck (?) , in bronze.

[Benoit Girard]

Wow!
That was fast!
Thanks!

[OEX]

what boat was it on? pictures?

cheers

[Benoit Girard]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by OEX:
[QB]what boat was it on? pictures?

It's a 40' centerboard, copper bottom, wooden sloop that was rebuild in 66 in Kingston, Ontario. The boat itself is way older than that according to the guy (Peter Musik) that did the repair in 66, but little is known about it before 66. Mr Music said that me it was probably 35 year old at the time, so it's probably 70-80 years old.

Here's a picture (still restoring it)

http://www.geocities.com/grandloup66/100_0076.jpg

[John B]

If that boat was here and I saw it, I'd imediately assume that the hull had had planks ( freeboard)added.Its not just the clean look of the strake above the rub rail... its also the shape of the bow and the way it fairs.
That would tie in with it being an older hull as you say.Quite a common thing to do .

[Bob Cleek]

Damn, Simpson Lawrence went under? There's no justice in the world. I think I am going to get me a kiln and start collecting patterns for casting bronze. Somebody's got to do it and at the rate we are going, we will have to start doing our own casting just to survive! Why do these outfits that plink out anodized aluminum pot metal survive while quality castings don't? Sooner or later there will be nothing left but ABI's Chiawanese knockoffs. (Which aren't all that bad, actually, but I wouldn't be surprised if they make that stuff out of old shell casings...)

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Peter Musik is a Master shipwright, the last remaining working master in the Area. There are two others, Ronald Dudley, who apprenticed at Vospers, and Roald Mortensen, who I believe has passed away.

Peter still maintains a small marina on the Cataraqui river.

[Benoit Girard]

Originally posted by John B:
If that boat was here ...Yes you are right. Planks where added in 66 in Kingston to give the boat more living room space.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Cool boat Benoit. ;)

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Very nice boat. And a good modification raising the topsides like that.

I agree that she is much older; she looks not unlike a boat that I know here in England, which was built by Burgoines of Kingston on Thames late in the reign of Queen Victoria.

[Benoit Girard]

Now that I know where and by whom it was manufactured, here is a complete picture of the bronze boom roller. Does anyone know how old it could be? It is about a foot long (Boom is 20' long)

Thanks a lot to all of you! http://www.geocities.com/grandloup66/100_0080.jpg

[outofthenorm]

Hi Benoit. A good guy to talk to about fittings like this would be Gord Lacko at R&W Rope Warehouse 1-866-577-5505. It's a US outfit, but Gord is located in Canada. They're a major distributor of traditional bronze gear and chances are he'll know about the SL gear you have. He might know of a source for old SL catalogues as well.

Great looking boat. When are you launching?

- Norm