Romadi
The Bermudan Sloop built in 1949
to Harrison Bulter's Rose of Arden Design : Published 1938
Romadi: Atlantic Crossings In The 1970s and 1980s
Lizzie Bowen has been in touch to say that she lived on board Romadi for a few years, “which were definitely some of the best of my life, and I was even married on board !” Lizzie goes on to add that, “Romadi was the most amazing boat to sail, and going to windward in a calm sea she would sail herself. We always used to say that it was the ghost of Harrison butler on the helm.”
Dan Bowen cruised single-handed to the Caribbean in 1974 in Romadi, worked in the British Virgin Islands for a couple of years and then sailed, again single-handed, back to the UK in 1976. In 1978 he cruised back to the British Virgin Islands with his crew, Lizzie, and they were married on board in 1979, worked on the Islands for a year, then sailed back to the UK in 1980. Romadi was sold in 1981 to Mark Alderson, who sailed her straight back out to the Caribbean.
Globe Trotting Romadi; A 1976 sightings.
Bill Mills has kindly sent in an extract from his Log Book of Yonne that describes a meeting between two Harrison Butler designed boats in a far flung place...
"Cruising in the West Indies.
Tuesday 13 April 1976.
St Kitts to Virgin Gorda.
Yonne came to Anchor in 2 Fathoms off Spanish Town. A small boat headed out from the shore and came alongside. Surprise, surprise ! It was Dan Bowen Skipper of the delightful Harrison Butler yacht Romadi. Equally delightful was the two Cans of Beer he brought with him, complete with Ice Cubes on top. Dan was working here as Skipper for a Charter Company, earning a very welcome £120 a week. He had spotted Yonne approaching and recognised the design. I was to meet up with Dan later out here. I found Virgin Gorda a dreary, boring place, full of tourists with appropriate high prices, so I swiftly moved on".
The Rose Of Arden & Dream Of Arden Designs
Romadi later, in 1982, was cruising in Scotland, after sailing in from the Azores. The link section, below, gives an account as she makes landfall off the West Coast of the Scottish Island of Colonsey. What is striking is that both Romadi and her sister ship Watermaiden, both built to the Rose Of Arden design, made multiple Atlantic crossings, without any particular fuss. The design was updated by Harrison Butler in 1945 to the Dream of Arden design, an example of which, Cautious Clara, became another crosser of the Atlantic.
If you know where Romadi is now, do let me know.
Romadi Statistics
Built : 1949 by Mashford Brothers in Cremyll, Plymouth
LOA : 29' 6"
LWL : 23' 0"
Beam : 8' 7"
Draught : 5' 0"
Displacement : 8 tons TM
Lloyd's Register : N° 180201, Plymouth
Romadi Custodians & Home Ports
Daniel D Roten (?-1984-1994-?) Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Mark Alderson (1981-?)
Dan Bowen (1972-1981) Bursledon, England & Maya Cove, British Virgin Islands
JM Henshaw & Gwylfa Evans (1966-1972) Poole, Dorset, England
Mr & Mrs GO Liddell (1965) Poole, Dorset, Endland
Basil F Stephens (1961-1964) Plymouth, England
PH Dodgson (1955-1960) Plymouth, England
WL Ferrier (1952-1954) Plymouth, England
Dr GA Gassman (?-1951) Plymouth, England
Romadi Links
• Blog on Romadi's adventures in Scotland in 1982
Page last updated : January 2018
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