Boats

The
Hurley
Left A young
George Hurley

Below George built

caravans, trailers
and commercial
vehicles, initially
from his back garden

Bottom Silhouette
MkIIs on a trailer

story
designed by George

Hurley Marine was one of 1960s Britain’s most

prolific boatbuilders. Tim Sharman and Nick Vass tell
the story and describe the boats that make great
second-hand buys today

T
he British boatbuilding
industry has had its ups and
downs, but the period leading
up to the 1970s was its golden
age. As post-war austerity gave
way to 1960s swing, Britain
witnessed the birth of a number of now
famous boatbuilding names: Nicholson,
Moody, MacWester and Westerly were
producing innovative designs for boats
which are still giving sterling service today.
At the forefront for nearly 30 years was
Hurley Marine, builder of the famous
Silhouette and Hurley range. More than
8,000 Hurley boats were built in Plymouth
between the firm’s beginnings in the late
1950s and its eventual closure in 1974.
Most of the boats are still around today,
some having crossed oceans, factory. In 1957 one Ernie Miners asked hundredweight of internal ballast was
circumnavigated the globe and become permission to build a Redwing dinghy in a moved out onto a stub keel and the skeg
classics in their own right. corner of the Hurley factory, which and bilge keels were deepened. The first
sparked George’s interest in boatbuilding: Mk II was called Susanne and cost a little
The man behind it all the rest, as they say, is history. over £100.
George Hurley trained as a carpenter and Hurley began to build the Silhouette
worked in the Plymouth shipyards during Silhouette from 1958 onwards, initially during the
the Second World War. After the war Back in 1953 Robert Tucker, a young naval quiet periods between manufacturing
ended he started to build caravans, trailers architect, had been dinghy cruising with a cattle trucks and caravans.
and commercial vehicles, first from his friend on the Fens and Broads. George Hurley met Robert Tucker in the
back garden then from a purpose-built Unconvinced by sleeping ashore on cold, USA in 1965 and they agreed to cooperate
hard ground, he thought of on the Mk III, a round-bilge version in
designing a ‘dinghy with a lid glassfibre. Finally, a four-berth version of
on’, a concept which progressed the Mk III was developed, known as the
to a ‘nice little cruising yacht’. Mk IV.
The Silhouette Mk I was born. The Silhouette proved an enormously
A plywood cruiser measuring popular boat with more than 2,500 built,
5m (16ft 6in) with a single providing Hurley with the point of entry
chine hull, the first boat was into the emerging recreational boating
named Blue Boy, cost £85 to market, and the beginning of the Hurley
build and was launched on Marine story.
the Medway.
The Silhouette Mk II followed Alacrity 19
in 1955, aimed at the US Designed in 1960 by Peter Stephenson, the
market, incorporating increased Alacrity 19 was an open plan, relatively
length and beam with a beamy yacht built by Hurley for the
serpentine sheer to give Essex-based Russell Marine. They
A busy construction scene in the Hurley factory freeboard at the shoulders. Two performed well – at least one has crossed

50 Practical Boat Owner 539 September 2011 • www.pbo.co.uk

 The Hurley story

The Midshipman
The Midshipman is a 4.3m (14ft) day-sailer
silhouette based on the Silhouette. She was designed by
Price from £1,200 Robert Tucker for Imray & Wilson, then a
well-known London yacht chandler, and was
intended as a beamy, stable sailing cruiser to
take family parties on day sailing trips.
There is almost no information about the
Midshipman in the Hurley archive: it’s likely that
only a small number were built at Richmond
Walk as she was probably overshadowed by
larger, more popular designs. She was,
however, exhibited at the London Boat Show
around 1960, and can occasionially still be
found on the second-hand market.

the Atlantic – but the accommodation and

headroom was limited.
Hurley did not just mould the hulls for
Russell Marine but completed the whole
yacht, ready to take to sea – in fact, the
boat was marketed as a Hurley for a year in
David Harding

1969. Russell Marine built them alone

after about 1972 and marketed them as
the Alacrity Weekender.
The enormously popular Silhouette. More than 2,500 were built Overall, some 1,200 Alacritys were built
by both Hurley and Russell Marine.
David Harding

Felicity
The Felicity was
designed as a
The Felicity came next, designed by Ian
larger, more Anderson in 1961 as a larger replacement
comfortable for the Silhouette with more comfort.
replacement for felicity Anderson’s brief was to produce a
the Silhouette
Alacrity 19 Price from £1,700 cruiser for four with accommodation
Price from £1,460 in one full-size double berth and two
quarter-berths. She had to have a compact
but practical galley, a roomy, protected
cockpit and bilge keels designed for
first-rate performance under sail. Finally,
she was to be manoeuvrable under both
inboard or outboard power.
The result was a 6m (20ft), four-berth
sloop in marine ply, with a spruce mast
which could be stepped on deck to allow it
to be lowered for inland waterway cruises.
An excellent all-round boat, the Felicity
quickly proved ideal for inshore, coastal or
estuary passages.
The keels consisted of one 193kg (424lb)
cast iron centreline stub keel and two 70kg
(154lb) mild steel plate bilge keels.
Although the first models were made in
marine ply, the boat was later available in
glassfibre with a single-fin keel. About 150
At least one Alacrity 19 has crossed the Atlantic Felicitys were eventually built. ➜
Practical Boat Owner 539 September 2011 • www.pbo.co.uk 51
 Boats

signet 20 hurley 22
Price from £995 Price from £1,250
David Harding

The Signet 20, a Ray Kaufman design

Signet 20 Margret Hurley takes

The Signet 20 was designed by American a Hurley 22 on the
naval architect and yacht designer Ray water for PBO in 196
7
Kaufman in around 1963, following
several years of research and prototype
testing. Signet 20s were built in many
countries and by several yards in the UK,
although the majority of the UK boats
were moulded by Hurley Marine between
1965 and 1967. It’s likely that Hurley
produced the mouldings and other yards
then completed and sold the boats.
Signet 20 with sail number 15 was built
by Hurley and was used in publicity shots
for other builders. Standards of
construction and finish varied significantly
from builder to builder, as did interior
layout, but accommodation was usually

David Harding
open plan with two forward V-berths, a
galley with worktop amidships and two
settee berths which ran under the cockpit
coamings. Some had a sea toilet between The Hurley 22, a ‘proper little yacht’ and perhaps the most famous of Hurley’s Ian Anderson designs
the forward berths.
A strong and seaworthy little yacht, the five berth. The four-berth plan placed the Anderson designs, the Hurley 22 went into
Signet 20 is similar in concept to the sea toilet in a separate compartment. A production in 1964 and was still being built
Felicity and Hurley 20. galley advertised as ‘de luxe’ and a clothes- by various companies until 1991.
hanging space for five people were a The 22, offered with fin or bilge keels,
Folk Dancer distinct attraction for the cruising family. became an instant hit. Aside from her
The Folk Dancer is a development of the A number of features of the build reflect pretty lines, she is solidly built and a good
Folkboat (see PBO Summer the Hurley style: for performer. From the outset, the boat was
2011) and was example, the intended to be raced as well as cruised: a 22
designed by Fred construction of won the Round The Island Race in 1967,
Parker and built lockers and use of and 22s acquitted themselves well on the
by Hurley for folk dancer woodwork are clearly Junior Offshore Group (JOG) circuit.
Russell Marine. Price around £6,500 similar to that used However, it has been the 22’s cruising
This was a in Hurley’s own performance that has won the respect of
long-term and boats. Likewise, the many yachtsmen over the years. The boats
carefully conducted Fred Parker’s upper deck have proved themselves on long cruises,
Folk Dancer
development project, design is a moulding, windows several 22s have crossed the Atlantic and at
employing a development of and coachroof bear least one has cruised the Pacific. In the late
prototype for two the Folkboat a striking 1960s, the yacht was successfully raced and
years before moving resemblance marketed by SHE Yachts, which produced
to production, the to the Hurley 22. the 22s version with a slightly taller Proctor
intent being to rig, different winches and altered central
produce a Hurley 22 cockpit mainsheet traveller, for racing
thoroughbred Referred to as a under JOG rules.
offshore cruising ‘proper little yacht’ During the 1970s the Royal Navy bought
yacht but also with by PBO in more than 30 Hurley 22s and used them
David Harding

the needs of racing December 1996 for training purposes. They were mostly
enthusiasts in mind. and perhaps the fin-keelers and were named, so the story
Two interior layouts most famous of goes, after the girlfriends of senior
were offered, four and Hurley’s Ian naval officers!

52 Practical Boat Owner 539 September 2011 • www.pbo.co.uk

 The Hurley story

hurley 20
Price from £5,000
hurley 18
Price from £1,950

David Harding
The Hurley 20, a roomy 6.1m (20ft) family cruiser with a performance to interest the ex-dinghy sailors

Hurley 20
A replacement for the Felicity, the Hurley
20 was designed in 1967 by Ian Anderson.
He was asked to produce a roomy 6.1m
(20ft) family cruiser with a performance
to interest the ex-dinghy sailor. Keeping
costs down to make the boat affordable
was important, but without sacrificing
strength or safety.
The design was based on a round-bilge
version of the Felicity, and both bilge and
fin keel versions were offered. Like the
other members of the Hurley line, the H20
is a good sailing boat above all, with a
proper seagoing, sailing hull form. It
followed the design philosophy of the 22,
David Harding

putting a good hull shape and

seaworthiness above interior comforts.
Given its smaller size, the compromise
makes itself felt more clearly than in the
Some 300 Hurley 18s were built Margret Hurley attended many ’60s boat shows 22. One reviewer called the 20 ‘a wolf in
sheep’s clothing’, after sailing her in a
Hurley 18 exhibited at shows in London, New York, Force 8 and noting how she took the
The Hurley 18 was designed at about the Hamburg, Malmo, Copenhagen, waves while maintaining perfect helm
same time as the 22 and shared a common Gothenburg, Stockholm, Milan, Genoa, balance. These are typical of the reasons
design style. Key to the design was the Berlin, Seattle, San Francisco and Chicago. why the Hurley 20 remains popular to this
requirement for offshore performance George was supported in this by his elder day. Some 435 H20s were produced.
and the characteristics of larger deep- daughter Margret, who was still in her
keeled yachts, with a good ballast/weight teens, starting even before her O-levels. Hurley 27
ratio but on a smaller scale. She is a stiff Margret and George would go to shows in The Hurley 27 was designed in 1971 by
and comfortable sea boat making the most the UK, Europe and Scandinavia, Ian Anderson to provide a larger boat in
of the limited internal space. sometimes towing a Silhouette or other the Hurley line.
Commentators noted the Hurley 18’s model behind their family car, and She was based on the Bowman 26, a boat
‘sweet’ hull and overall lines, which Margret would play a full part in setting which Anderson had designed for the
were given priority in the design over up the stand, greeting enquirers,
accommodation. One also commented answering technical questions and
that in small cruiser racing most of the handling sales. This included a boat show
hurley 27
Hurley boats seemed to be able to ‘wipe in Barcelona where her O-level Spanish Price from £4,995
the eye’ of most of their rivals in size. The came in most handy!
18 was referred to as a ‘right-looking boat She quickly established a reputation for
which employs her 50 per cent ballast no-nonsense professionalism – no mean
ratio where it matters and which, for her achievement in the male-dominated
size, is powerful’. marine industry of the 1960s. Margret
The Hurley 18 won a place in the top 10 managed the 1965 show in Copenhagen
at the Weymouth One-of-a-Kind Rally in on her own for two weeks, for example,
1966. Some 300 Hurley 18s were built achieving sales of 20 boats.
until the line was discontinued in 1972. The early London Boat Shows were held
David Harding

at Olympia and, to keep costs down, the

Hurley goes international family would travel up together and live in
By 1966 the company had a truly a caravan which they had towed and
international reach. In that year, Hurley parked nearby. The Hurley 27 from 1971, based on the Bowman 26

Practical Boat Owner 539 September 2011 • www.pbo.co.uk 53

 Boats

hurley 30/90
Price from £8,950
hurley 24/70
Price from £5,500
David Harding

Around 160 Hurley 24/70s were built

Normand Boatyard in Dartmouth.

The Bowman was herself a glassfibre
development of the Sirius, a small sailing
cruiser in strip-planked mahogany which
Anderson had designed for Lee Wright
Ltd, which was later taken over by
Normand. A number of changes were
made to the Bowman design, the most

David Harding
noticeable of which was the raising of the
forward coachroof to provide standing
headroom in the forepeak. The topsides
were also raised all round by about 15cm The Hurley 30/90 from 1972 was the largest of Ian Anderson’s designs for Hurley
(6in) resulting in an increased length
overall to 8.2m (27ft). Further about the same maximum speed due to the The first Hurley 30/90 built, Claren, is still
improvements to the design were made in longer waterline length. afloat and is now berthed in Wales. Her
1972, during an upgrade and The hull form is fin and skeg like the photograph was used for the brochure shot:
rationalisation of the Hurley line. Ninety- 30/90, as opposed to the semi-long keel of some time later, she entered the 1974
one H27s were built between 1971 and the 18 and 22 and the long keel of the 27. Fastnet race with Ian Anderson at the helm.
February 1974, some being sold as kits. The 24/70 was also available as a bilge After the demise of Hurley Marine the
keeler. She has a reverse-counter transom, 30/90 moulds were sold to Southbourne
Hurley 24/70 giving low wetted area and a long waterline Marine Ltd of Emsworth. The new yacht
Anderson designed the Hurley 24/70 as part for extra performance. was moulded by Northshore Yachts and
of the revitalisation of the product line in marketed as the Cobra 30. Later still, Ian
1972. She was a stretched version of the Hurley 30/90 Anderson bought the tooling himself and
Hurley 22 but with key modifications. The The Hurley 30/90 (30ft/9m) was designed built the yacht as the Anderson 30.
coachroof was raised to give standing by Ian Anderson in 1972 and was the
headroom inside and the cockpit coamings largest of his designs for Hurley. She formed Hurley 9.5 motor ketch
were raised, making her safe for families. the last stage of that year’s modernisation The Hurley 9.5 was designed in 1970 by
The counter stern gave her a modern look progamme, and about 30 were built. GK Collyer, previously of Morgan Giles
while lengthening the waterline when Like most Hurleys, the 30/90 is a stiff, dry Ltd. She’s a 9.4m (31ft) centre-cockpit,
sailing and heeled over. boat that is good in moderate to heavy high-volume motor-sailer with a
The 24/70 refers to 24ft/7m and was wind and sea. She is a well-built, heavy ‘doghouse’ wheelhouse. Around 30 were
intended to make the yacht sound modern boat for her size and shares many of the built by Hurley between 1971 and 1973.
and acceptable for the European market. traits of the Hurley line. The size of berths The first boat was wooden and built for
They sold well, and around 160 were built. is generous and there is plenty of room in Hurley by Coysh of Teignmouth. She was
The short boom, large genoa and the deep cockpit. She is a true offshore named Hurley Maid and formed the
high-aspect rig was favoured by IRC and sailer capable of blue water cruising. The fin pattern for production in glassfibre.
JOG racers at that time, but the Hurley and skeg configuration makes her a great They are strong and heavily-built boats
24/70 is not a racing boat – she is easily performer but many had offset propeller with excellent accommodation, and have
manageable by solo sailors. The sail area is shafts which made going astern lasted well. After the closure of Hurley, the
less than the Hurley 22 but the boat has challenging in the hands of novices. moulds were bought by Elizabethan Yachts

54 Practical Boat Owner 539 September 2011 • www.pbo.co.uk

 The Hurley story

a new rig also created by the designers.

It is not known exactly how many
Tailwinds were built, but we do know that
hurley 9.5 most were taken to the USA for long-
motor ketch
distance racing.
Price from £14,000
The Tailwind design required several
years of tank and wind tunnel testing,
many of which were spent on the rig and
keel. She was the first production boat to
carry the innovative Bergström and Ridder
rig, which aimed to reduce windage and
improve air flow across the mainsail by
using a smaller section mast supported by
additional swept-back spreaders and
stainless-steel rod stays, in addition to
conventional stays.
The Tailwind can perform well as a family
boat with her spacious and fully appointed
accommodation, able to sleep seven in
reasonable comfort. However, she is also a
capable ocean racer with a crew of up to
David Harding

nine. The Tailwind was exhibited at the

1974 London Boat Show, where she
attracted the attention of the Prime
The Hurley 9.5 motor ketch, a 9.4m (31ft) centre-cockpit, high-volume motor-sailer Minister, Edward Heath.

which marketed the boat, with some five Sailwind hulls may have been The end
modifications, as the Meridian 31 until the moulded and sold to Latham’s of Poole, George Hurley retired in 1967. These were
mid-1980s. which completed and marketed them tough times for boatbuilders, and Hurley
from the mid-1970s onwards. was no exception: a heavily unionised
Sailwind 27 Reviewers at the time of Sailwind’s workforce, growing competition and
In the last years before closure, Hurley’s introduction were impressed with many production problems were combining to
managers were looking to revitalise the features of the radical design, in particular lead the company into difficulties.
product line and had already the flush deck, excellent visibility for the In 1971 consultants were called in to
commissioned the 24/70 and 30/90 from helmsman and crew, and chines in the make recommendations for the
Ian Anderson, along with revisions of the cockpit sole for better support. The aft company’s revival, and fortunes were
22 and 27. cabin provided three bunks and the turning around well until two seriously
With an eye on the serious racing intelligent internal layout gave a total of damaging events occurred.
market, they also partnered with designers six berths, all within 8.2m (27ft) which First came the government’s compulsory
Lars Bergström and Sven-Olov Ridder of was considered impressive. three-day week from January to March
Sweden (B&R Rigging), together with Her sailing qualities also came in for 1974, in an attempt to reduce electricity
Bjorn Liddell, to produce the Sailwind 27 strong commendation, including ease of usage and conserve coal stocks during the
and Tailwind 38. handling under both sail and power. ‘winter of discontent’.
The Sailwind is a flush-decked cruiser- Then there was the introduction of VAT
racer, with accommodation for six in two Tailwind 38 in April 1974. While this was initially set
cabins and a revolutionary rig. The Tailwind 38 is a fast and powerful at 10%, a higher rate of 25% was added in
Unfortunately, the company closed cruiser/racer, designed by Swedes 1974 for luxury goods, which seriously
before completing any. Certainly there is Bergström, Ridder and Liddell and built affected boat sales.
no archive evidence of Sailwinds being during the last few years before the demise Sales started to sharply decline against a
marketed by Hurley, but it is thought that of Hurley Marine in 1974. She incorporated backdrop of conditions in the UK which
were generally going from bad to worse.
Receivers were appointed and the last boat
Sailwind 27 tailwind 38 – a 30/90 – left the factory for Hong Kong
Price from £7,600 S/H price unavailable in December.
So ended a fine company which had
achieved so much. It had led the
development of glassfibre boatbuilding,
created an internationally recognised
brand, produced more than 8,000
boats and achieved a phenomenal
export performance.

To buy a copy of
Nick Vass and Tim
Sharman’s book
The History of
Hurley Marine,
and for a wealth
of other Hurley
information, visit
the Hurley Owners’ Association website
www.hurleyownersassociation.co.uk
h-decked cruiser-racer
The Sailwind 27, a flus The Tailwind 38, built during Hurley’s last years

Practical Boat Owner 539 September 2011 • www.pbo.co.uk 55