Inspired by The Aegre, the Stroma Yole being built on Clydeside in Glasgow by Peter Matheson is expected to be at the Glenglassaugh Scottish Traditional Boat Festival at Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, 27-29 June 2025.
The boat, named after another American lady (Peter’s wife), still awaits completion of the deck house, engine and sailing rig. Time is running out for Peter who relies on volunteers to help. “With one volunteer I can do the work of three” he says, “No experience required” . Peter is building the new boat, American Lady, at Clydeside Traditional Boatbuilders, Rothesay Dock Clydebank by Glasgow G81 1LX. He’s there everyday and welcomes visitors with a cup of tea and a job to do. Please visit or you can email Peter via myself at nick@nicholasgrainger.com.au
Below, American Lady, as at 25 April 2025, photo by Lorraina Matheson, the American lady’s daughter. Go here for more photos.
Deck view of American Lady as at 25 Apr 2025
Reading The Voyage of The Aegre, inspired Peter Matheson to build American Lady. However American Lady is not intended to be an exact replica of The Aegre. She is a similar size and built in a similar way, but has a different deck configuration, and her heritage is that of a Stroma Yole, rather than a Shetland model, the origin of The Aegre.
However Matheson, looking at the photographs of The Aegre being built in Wick in 1965 (see photos here), says she has the lines of a Stroma Yole. Well I’ll leave that debate to the local experts.
You can learn a lot more about Orkney Yoles here and in a wonderful book published by The Orkney Yole Association in 2021.
South Isles spreet (sprit) sailed yole, Emma, built 1912
So please, if you are anywhere close to Glasgow, please contact Peter and lend a hand with finishing American Lady. Even a day will help.
Wrecked on a coral reef in the Tasman – a reflection on the story of Bill Belcher
Latest photos and progress on the boat being built in Glasgow
A locally well-known experienced yachtsmen sailed smack into a reef mid-ocean during the Trans-Tasman Single-handed Yacht Race. It was 1978, and Bill Belcher had won the previous race in 1974. But four years later it all went horribly wrong. Luckily he survived, and went on to share his experience in a book. I’ve just re-read, it’s quite a story.
Bill Belcher’s book
Aboard The Aegre we came oh-so close to sailing onto a reef ourselves at dawn one morning in 1974. Since then I’ve often wondered how things might have panned out if we hadn’t seen the reef ahead just in time.
Of course today with GPS and electronic charts it would never happen – or might it? Things still go wrong. Anyway I think it’s worth sharing something of Belcher’s experience, so if you are out there, or planning to go, or just like sea disaster stories, go to the Lesser Known Inspiring Reads pages of The Aegre website where you’ll find my reflection on Belcher’s account of it all.
Meanwhile in Glasgow, boat builder Peter Matheson has been enjoying the company and assistance of a French student boatbuilder, Eleonor Pichon, for the last month and been making good progress with the decking of the boat he’s building inspired by The Aegre. For the latest photos and commentary on progress go to https://nicholasgrainger.com.au/the-aegre-inspires-a-new-build/
Nearly sold out – The original printed edition of The Voyage of The Aegre
An addition to the Lesser Known Inspiring Reads pages of The Aegre website is Storm King, the story of an 11-month voyage of Norwegians Simon Jörgensen and Johannes Nielsen from England to Australia in 1889-90 aboard an innovative 30-ft, steel, unsinkable, self-righting sailing ship’s boat.
Storm King at sea
In no way a crank voyage but a serious attempt to show the shipping establishment of the day that such vessels, replacing a ship’s conventional open boats, could be eminently seaworthy and save many lives. It’s a cracking read of a voyage you’ve probably never heard of. And the original 1890s story is available free online. See https://nicholasgrainger.com.au/a-voyage-across-the-world-in-a-lifeboat-in-1889/
Decking underway – Meanwhile in Glasgow Peter Matheson is now decking American Lady, the Orkney Yole inspired by The Aegre that he’s building on Clydebank.
Peter Matheson with trial decking of American Lady
Nearly sold out – Thank you to everyone of you who has bought The Voyage of The Aegre. Sales have certainly justified the effort of writing it and getting it published.
The Voyage of The Aegre, published mid 2023.
The original printed edition of The Voyage of The Aegre has nearly sold out. This edition, published by Vinycomb Press and printed in Malta in early 2023, has fold out flaps back and front with maps of the Atlantic and Pacific respectively, and a sewn binding. Freight costs limited it primarily to distribution in the UK, although I did bring a limited number to Australia to be sold as signed copies. At the last count there were just 34 copies left in the UK that could be ordered through bookshops. In Australia I have only about 20 copies left. This edition will not be reprinted.
To minimise freight costs to other countries an Amazon paperback edition was created to support sales online in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other countries. This edition looks very similar to the original printed edition and has the same content, but without the cover flaps, the maps being one page in at the front and back and has a glued binding. This version of the book is printed by Amazon on demand, i.e. when an order is received, a copy is printed at the nearest location to the buyer, thus minimizing freight costs. This version will continue to be available.
Bookshops outside Britain can order the original book (while stocks last) through the UK book wholesaler Gardners but may incur significant freight costs. An alternative for bookshops outside the UK is to order the paperback book through IngramSpark. IngramSpark will print the book in a location close to the purchaser, on demand like Amazon, but unlike Amazon, they only sell to the book trade. The IngramSpark version is very similar to the Amazon version, ie all the same content but without the fold out flaps back and front and a glued binding. This version will continue to be available through bookshops.
In summary, the original print run of the book is almost sold out and will not be reprinted. If you want one you should order it asap through a bookshop in the UK (who will order it through Gardners), or order it from me directly. The Amazon and IngramSpark versions will continue to be available as a paperback online and through bookshops.
The book will continue to be also available as an ebook and an audio book.
Notes on Chapter 20: High and dry on Pago Pago are now available on The Aegre Voyage website. Chapter 20, the final chapter in the book, is about our arrival, stay and eventual departure from American Samoa.
The Aegre is pulled up the slipway in Pago Pago – then it all went wrong
In the Chapter Notes are photos of The Aegre being pulled out of the water and how it all went wrong; more about Somerset Maugham’s novel ‘Rain’; a TV interview that disappeared; what happened to the Barbados rum promised to boatbuilder Bob Macinnes; our leaving Pago Pago; the fate of The Aegre and more. Essential reading if you’ve read the book. These are the Notes on the final chapter. See https://nicholasgrainger.com.au/the-voyage-of-the-aegre-notes-on-chapter-20-high-and-dry-on-pago-pago/
If you are receiving this you’ve probably already bought the book. Thank you for that. If you think a friend might like ‘The Voyage of The Aegre’ for Christmas, it is available as a paperback, ebook and audiobook. The first edition (which has fold-out flaps back and front) will probably sell out early in the New Year, possibly before. There are still copies in the UK, order through book shops, e.g. Waterstones, Shetland Times Bookshop etc, and I still have some copies here in Australia that I’m happy to sign and mail out. The Amazon edition (exactly the same content but no fold-out cover flaps) will continue to be available worldwide.
Notes on Chapter 19: Sailing on to where? are now available on The Aegre Voyage website. After 4 weeks and 1,600 miles sailing under jury rig, we’re approaching land.
Jury rig on The Aegre
But we’re uncertain of our position, have no chart, no anchor, and a rig that’s poor to windward. What were our options? How might things have played out, and what actually happened? In retrospect, might we have made different decisions? A chance meeting 25 years later with someone who was on that coast that night gave me a new perspective that I explore in these Notes. See https://nicholasgrainger.com.au/the-voyage-of-the-aegre-notes-on-chapter-19-sailing-on-to-where/
Recently published on The Aegre Voyage website: Notes on Chpt 18 – Disaster; about the capsize of The Aegre; and more about how we worked out our latitude and longitude without a sextant. Also added to the website are the latest pics and name of the boat inspired by The Aegre being built in Glasgow. Plus another book added to the Lesser known but inspiring books page.
In this Post: Notes on Chapter 17: Tahiti Sojourn, in the book, The Voyage of The Aegre. Plus a link to the latest photos of the boat being built in Glasgow inspired by The Aegre; and a link to an interview with Peter Matheson, the builder of the Glasgow boat.
The Aegre on the Puna’auia beach, Tahiti in mid 1974
Julie and I paused in Tahiti to give The Aegre a refit. In Chapter 17, I tell of pulling The Aegre up onto the beach at Puna’auia and stripping the boat for a complete repaint and re-rig while continuing to live aboard her.
In the Notes on Chapter 17: Why Tahiti is French; How we were unwittingly radiated; The Aegre story in La Depeche de Tahiti; Our neighbours in Puna’auia, Varua and and Bobbes; breakfast with French yacht racing star Alain Colas; plus cruising companions and friends in Tahiti. Go to Chapter 17 Notes
Glasgow Visit: In September, I visited Clydebank, Glasgow, to meet boatbuilder Peter Matheson and see the boat he is building, inspired by The Aegre.
The boat being built by Peter Matheson and helpers. Early September 2024
In Peter Matheson’s Clydebank boatshed, R-L: ‘English’ Annie Stewart, Murray, Peter Matheson, Nick Grainger
Later on this same morning, Peter, Murray and I visited the nearby studio of Sunny G Radio in Govan, Glasgow, where I interviewed Peter and Murray about the building of the boat. You can listen to this interview here: https://www.mixcloud.com/SunnyG103/book-boat-24-sept-2024/
Progress on Peter Matheson’s boat, inspired by The Aegre, as at 7 October 2024
Thank you for your interest and support. A diminishing number of the First Edition of The Voyage of The Aegre book are still available; see How to Buy the Book
In this Post: Notes on Chapter 16, in the Marquesas Islands and then our near-disastrous passage to Tahiti, 700 nautical miles south; progress on The Aegre inspired boat being built in Glasgow and details of ‘Meet the Author’ talks in the Netherlands and UK in late August and September 2024.
The Eastern Pacific showing the location of the Marquesas and Tahiti
In the Notes: The Marquesas – some of the remotest islands on earth; what happened to solo circumnavigator Tom Blackwell? And the fate we so narrowly avoided in the Tuomotu atolls. See Notes for Chapter 16.
Meet the author of The Voyage of The Aegre: I will be in the Netherlands and the UK in late August and September 2024, speaking about The Aegre, the voyage and signing books:
Front cover of The Voyage of The Aegre
Saturday 31 August 15:30 HISWA te WATER boat festival in Lelystad, Netherlands.
Saturday 31 August Drascombe Association, Netherlands, time & location tbc
Sunday 1 September 15:30 HISWA te WATER in Lelystad 15:30, Netherlands
Notes on Chapter 15: 4,000 miles in 21 ft, are now available on the website for The Voyage of The Aegre: From Scotland to the South Seas in a Shetland boat.
The Aegre anchored in Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands, after sailing 4,200 miles from Panama. Photo David Samuels
In the Chapter Notes: More about how we got out of the windless Gulf of Panama, why The Aegre wouldn’t sail west, carrying water for 100 days, our deep-sea fishing secrets, and the landfall I’m proudest of.
Meanwhile, in Glasgow, Peter Matheson, building a boat inspired by The Aegre, reports, “I will have completed the ninth plank by Friday (12 July 2024). I’m fitting the engine seats just now, as I usually fit the engine before I finish the planking. Access to inside the boat is less of a problem then. I don’t have to keep jumping in and out of the boat; at 78 years of age, this has to be a consideration. I’m putting a 16 HP ‘Yanmar’ in the boat. If The Aegre could go halfway around the world without an engine, then 16 HP should be plenty.”
Boat builder Peter Matheson and the boat inspired by The Aegre. Mid-July 2024
The Aegre anchored off Colon at the northern end of the Panama. Canal. In the middle distance (left) is Lute Song II, sailed by David and Anne Harris. One of my favourite cruising boats of the time.
Notes on Chapter 14 of The Voyage of The Aegre are now available on the book website. Chapter 14 tells of our passage across the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal. Rough, wet and windy, the passage led to some expensive breakages, and the requirement of an engine to go through the Canal added another complication. The Notes contain a little more information about these issues plus ten additional photos to those in the book. See Notes on Chapter 14 of The Voyage of The Aegre
Meanwhile in June this year Glasgow Boatbuilder Peter Matheson has been adding the frames and engine bearers to the 21 ft yohl inspired by The Aegre that he is building. Yes, the new boat will have an engine, anticipating a life fishing in the tempestuous waters of the Pentland Firth between the northern coast of Scotland and the Orkney Islands. See the latest build pictures.
