Built 1990–1992 · Watermouth, North Devon

MEANDER

The documented story of a one-off ocean-going gaff ketch: home and studio to Bob and Jean Grimson, Atlantic voyager, Bahamas cruiser, Scottish and Faroes yacht, Liverpool boat and now part of Aberystwyth's waterfront.

MMSI 235068491Call sign 2BQR2Ship no. 46501OGA 3434

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The vessel and the people

A wandering home built for a wandering life

Meander is a one-off ferro-cement gaff ketch designed and built by Robert G. “Bob” Grimson. Launched at Watermouth Harbour in 1992, she was created as a home, cruising yacht and painting studio rather than a production leisure boat.

Bob's biography explains the name as “Me and Her” — Bob and Jean, and the meandering life they intended to share. For roughly eighteen years the yacht became their home and the platform for an extraordinary Atlantic life.

By 2003 Bob reported almost 50,000 miles in ten years — and Meander was still only in the middle of her story.

One yacht, several lives

1992–2009
Bob & Jean Grimson

2009–2019
Chris Phillips

2019–2021+
Peter & Maureen Hennessey / Liverpool

By 2025
Aberystwyth chapter

The Peter Bunting / Arklow episode remains a genuine but unresolved chronological lead.

New owner-era archives

The people behind Meander

Designer · builder · first owner

Bob Grimson Archive

Meander's conception, North Devon build, original liveaboard arrangement, evolving gaff rig, 1993 Atlantic crossing, Bahamas years and nearly 50,000 miles by 2003.

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Owner era · 2009–2019

Chris Phillips Archive

Atlantic return, Scottish cruising, the 2013–15 refit, coachroof reconstruction, new Beta engine, 2015 Faroes voyage and later single-handed cruising.

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The vessel

Construction, rig and life below decks

HullFerro-cement over galvanised steel armature

RigTraditional gaff ketch

LODApprox. 37–38 ft

Beam11 ft 6 in / 3.5 m

Draft5 ft 6 in / 1.7 m

EngineBeta Marine 43 hp, fitted during Phillips refit

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CHAPTER 01

North Devon, 1990–1992

Bob Grimson was both sailor and marine artist. After marrying Jean in 1987, the couple planned a boat that could serve simultaneously as home, cruising yacht and painting studio. Bob designed and built Meander around Ilfracombe over roughly two years before launching her at Watermouth in 1992.

Her ferro-cement hull drew on North American working-craft character. The interior used larch, mahogany and pitch pine salvaged from Ilfracombe pier. Bob later put the material build cost at about £23,000 including sails.

CHAPTER 02

Bob and Jean: Atlantic years, 1993–2009

A 1993 Atlantic crossing began the best documented long-distance chapter. Bob's biographical material records cruising as far south as Venezuela and as far north as Nova Scotia, with the Bahamas particularly associated with Meander.

Independent evidence places a British-flagged gaff-rigged Meander from Ilfracombe at Rock Sound, Eleuthera, on 8 April 2008 and mentions an earlier encounter at Long Island.

Full Grimson-era archive

CHAPTER 03

Chris Phillips: 2009–2019

Chris Phillips records a two-handed west-to-east Atlantic crossing aboard Meander in 2009 and later received the Royal Naval Sailing Association's Tim Sex Trophy. His decade with the vessel generated an unusually rich first-hand record of cruising and maintenance.

In 2009–10 parts of the accommodation were substantially refitted. From September 2013 to May 2015 Meander underwent major work, including coachroof repair and a new Beta Marine 43 hp engine.

Full Phillips-era archive

CHAPTER 04

Scotland, refit and the Faroes

Meander returned to the water in Loch Creran on 4 May 2015, her first time afloat since September 2013. That summer she sailed from western Scotland to the Faroes and back.

Research route diagram of Meander's 2015 Scotland and Faroe Islands cruise — Reconstructed 2015 route from Chris Phillips's dated logs.

2015 passage sequence

Loch Creran / Barcaldine → Oban → Tobermory → Knoydart → Rona → Stornoway → Tvøroyri → Sandur → Miðvágur → Tórshavn → Kinlochbervie → Ullapool → Summer Isles → Loch Erisort → Stornoway → Plockton → Mallaig → Tobermory → Puilladobhran → Loch Creran.

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CHAPTER 05

Liverpool and Aberystwyth

Chris's sale notice records Meander passing to Peter and Maureen on 16 July 2019. The Nobby history identifies them as Peter and Maureen Hennessey and records the yacht's move to the North West and Liverpool. Official 2021 Conwy River Festival results show Peter Hennessey helming Meander.

By June 2025 evidence places Meander at Aberystwyth. The exact Liverpool-to-Aberystwyth transfer remains one of the archive's principal modern research gaps.

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Owners & Archives

Owner-era histories and documentary collections.

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The Boat

Construction, machinery, rig and accommodation.

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Research

Evidence status, unresolved questions and source reconciliation.

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Voyages

Atlantic, Bahamas, Scotland and Faroes records.

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Gallery

Photographic and visual research archive.

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Downloads

PDF and editable Word research editions.

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Open research

Can you help complete Meander's story?

Former owners, crew, marina neighbours, OGA and Nobby members, cruising sailors, photographers and local historians may hold exactly the evidence that online research cannot find.

See the missing pieces