CROWNING GLORY

Restoring a classic Coronet triggered a wonderful trip down memory lane for boat dealer and classic craft enthusiast David Adams

- WORDS: David Adams

The Coronet brand may have long since fallen by the wayside but back in 1970, when this particular Coronet 21 was imported into the UK from Botved Boats in Sweden, its deep-vee fibreglass hull and top quality production process was still a novelty in a world of handbuilt wooden craft. In the 45 years since then it has only ever had two owners prior to me. It was originally purchased by a Mr Millington from his local boat dealer - a little known outfit called Poole Powerboats that later morphed into the rather better known boat-builder Sunseeker!

Mr Millington was an active member of the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Sandbanks. During the summer months it was mainly used for a 2nm dash out of Poole Harbour to the popular anchorage of Studland Bay, and every winter it was tucked up snugly in the RMYC shed.

In 1979 it was purchased by its second owner, Russell Culpan, for the princely sum of £2,850. This included a pair of racy maroon swimming trunks left behind by its parting vendor!

Russell is a good friend of mine and like me lives and breathes boats. He was and still is the exclusive UK importer for Boston Whaler; I do the same for Targa and Marex. In his hands Pachazo became one of the busiest boats in Poole. Most summer mornings a ski rope would get flung over the side and we'd all be cutting the wash on our slalom skis.

GLORY DAYS

In those days, powerboat racing was still a big attraction in the UK and the annual Cowes-Torquay race became a pilgrimage for Russell and Pachazo, putting its overnighting potential to full use. It was also a chance for Pachazo to meet its makers, the designers Jim Wynne and Walt Walters, who used to come over to Europe to participate in the racing season. One of their factory-supported Coronets won the production cruiser award in 1967 and again in '69 and '70.