bcyc logo image
bcyc banner image
Home | Join | The Yachts | Regatta | Charter | Events | Contacts  | News
         

Yachts

C001: Josephine
C002: Cetewayo
C003: Frenesi of Clynder
C004: Undina
C005: Rebecca of Vineyard Haven
C006: Whirlaway
C007: Drumbeat
C008: Whooper
C009: Thendara
C010: Zoom
C011: Foglio
C012: Vanity V
C013: Talisker Mhor
C014: Pazienza
C015: Danegeld
C016: Mikado
C017: Elona
C018: Sensa
C019: Droleen II
C020: Corrie
C021: Lotus
C022: Mingary
C023: Dirk II
C024: Sceptre
C025: Thendara
C026: Outlaw
C027: Athena
C028: Bettine
C029: John Dory
C030: Swanilda
C031: Marigold
C032: Sally of Kames
C033: Monsoon
C034: Charm of Rhu
C035: Moonspray
C036: Firebrand
C037: Gluckauf
C038: Cereste
C039: Mitzi
C040: Roar for Joy
C041: Zahir
C042: Maria Hendrika
C043: Vivette
C044: Berenice
C045: Huff of Arklow
C046: Fairlight
C047: Iolaire
C048: Sibyl of Cumae
C049: Ilderim
C050: Dorothy
C051: Zaleda
C052: Dione
C053: Clarion of Wight
C054: Safir
C055: Shantih
C056: Eveline
C057: Shuttle
C058: Windflower
C059: Erica
C060: Cygnet of London
C061: St David's Light
C062: Leonie
C063: Tar Baby
C064: Caressa
C065: Tiger C
C066: Barbican
C067: A Day at the Races
C068: Kelpie
C069: Suzalah
C070: Rubicon
C071: Infanta
C072: Rampage
C073: Halcyon
C074: Thalassa
C075: Sinbad
C076: Lutine
C077: Twilight
C078: Alera
C079: Aeolus
C080: Nightfall
C081: Mossie Estelle

 

The Register: A printed version of these pages is available to buy. Please click for further information.

 

Talisker Mhor

 

 

Designer: George McGruer
Builder: McGruer, 1973
Rig: Bermudan ketch
LOA: 54ft 7in (16.7m)
LWL: 35ft (12.25m)
Beam: 12ft 8in (3.86m)
Draft: 7ft 4in (2.24m)
Displacement: 20.27 tons
Owner: Stephen Sands and Lexa Hilliard

 

Talisker Mhor was designed by George McGruer and built in the McGruer boatyard on the Clyde, Scotland, in 1973. Cuillane, her sister ship, was built for an American who still sails her in the waters of Maine, USA.

Talisker Mhor's story begins with the admiration of Cuillane's beautiful lines and teak construction by an English east coast trawler man. His desire to own a yacht of the same design led to the commission of Talisker Mhor, built with mahogany and originally named Ceresio. Unfortunately the trawler man fell ill and the boat was never launched. Colin Tyndall, a member of the Clyde Yacht Club, bought the boat and renamed her Talisker Mhor,'Talisker' being the name of his previous yacht, 'Mhor' meaning 'big' in Gallic accounts for the larger dimensions of his new vessel.

Talisker Mhor sailed under Colin's ownership to the Caribbean and back and was then bought by an Italian called Doctore Luige Greppi in Gibraltar. In his ownership she cruised around the Med for a few years and, truth be told, was rather neglected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

As Steve Sands, the present owner, recognised in 1994 and still protests, "she needed to be sold". With rose tinted glasses they ignored the rat gnawed wood below, the strange smell of rotten eggs, the rusted hot and cold water tanks, etc!

When the boat was surveyed by Alan Buchanan, then in his late 70s, all he could say was, "the McGruers really knew how to plank boats in those days". This seal of approval was enough of a go ahead and a sale was clinched.

Steve sailed Talisker Mhor back from Italy to the UK and immediately had her lifted for some TLC, which was just as well in view of the fact that whilst trying to wrench off some rubber hoses the seacocks came off in his hands! Many months of labour later Talisker Mhor was relaunched. Steve had worked especially hard on the sail hardware, putting in roller furling and slab reefing which made it easy to sail the boat with just two pairs of hands. He and Lexa have sailed Talisker to Ireland, Northern Spain and Southern Brittany so far and are delighted with her performance, "She is a fine boat to sail and beautiful sight to behold. McGruers should be very proud of her".