Stornoway
(ex Vaeringer, Bar Ann)
An Invited Friend of the Harrison Butler Association
The Gaff rigged cutter built in 1926 to a design by Albert Strange
Stornoway : Home of The Petersens for Four Decades
Stornoway's most famous owners were Al and Marjorie Petersen. On their watch the boat earned distinction through a series of extensive but quietly executed cruises. These began with Al's solo circumnavigation more than 60 years ago, and went on to include their two-handed cruises in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific.
Marjorie Petersen wrote up their travels in a number of books, of which "Stornoway East and West" is the best known, recounting an Atlantic and Mediterranean cruise made in 1959-1961. The book focuses more on the places and people encountered than on the rigours of the voyage, a fact which reflects credit on both the vessel and her crew.
"Stornoway East and West" recounts an Atlantic and Mediterranean cruise made in 1959-1961
Stornoway was the Petersen residence for nearly four decades, whilst they funded their voyaging with bouts of shore-based work, Al in engineering and Marjorie in secretarial work. Al died on board, on Christmas Day 1981, his 70th birthday. Marjorie continued to live aboard until finding on-shore accommodation in 1985. She died in November 2001.
Stornoway sank on her mooring in 2003. She was raised and dragged to a slipway but found to be beyond refloating or realistic repair, and within a few days, February 2004, was broken up, just some of her bronzework and the rig including the mast being recovered.
Launched as Bar Ann in 1926, renamed Vaeringer soon after, and then Stornoway in 1928.
With thanks to Dick Wynn for this text.
Stornoway Statistics
Built : 1926 by Major William Smyth at Dauntless Shipyard, Connecticut, USA
LOA : 31' 7"
LWL : 29' 0"
Beam : 10' 0"
Draught : 5' 0"
Design N° 114 of 1910 (modified)
Displacement : 10 tons TM
Stornoway Custodians & Home Ports
Johnjack Barney (?-2004) Sausalito, California, USA
Richard and Patty Moore (1995-?) Sausalito, California, USA
Sterling and Dana Hayden (1985-1995) Sausalito, California, USA
Al and Marjorie Petersen (1948-1985) Sausalito, California, USA
Roy Lockwood (?-1947-1948) Essex, Connecticut, USA
"English newspaperman" (1941-?) USA
William Bell Walkine (1934-1941) Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
Bloomfield (1934-?) USA
Lloyd Nichols (1928-1934) USA
Goodwin (1926-?) USA
Stornoway Links
• Stornoway - A Fond Farewell
• Stornoway and the Good Samaritan by Don Holm
Page last updated : August 2018
"Stornoway East and West" recounts an Atlantic and Mediterranean cruise made in 1959-1961
Stornoway sank on her mooring in 2003. She was raised and dragged to a slipway but found to be beyond refloating or realistic repair, and within a few days, February 2004, was broken up, just some of her bronzework and the rig including the mast being recovered.
Launched as Bar Ann in 1926, renamed Vaeringer soon after, and then Stornoway in 1928.
With thanks to Dick Wynn for this text.
Built : 1926 by Major William Smyth at Dauntless Shipyard, Connecticut, USA
LOA : 31' 7"
LWL : 29' 0"
Beam : 10' 0"
Draught : 5' 0"
Design N° 114 of 1910 (modified)
Displacement : 10 tons TM
Johnjack Barney (?-2004) Sausalito, California, USA
Richard and Patty Moore (1995-?) Sausalito, California, USA
Sterling and Dana Hayden (1985-1995) Sausalito, California, USA
Al and Marjorie Petersen (1948-1985) Sausalito, California, USA
Roy Lockwood (?-1947-1948) Essex, Connecticut, USA
"English newspaperman" (1941-?) USA
William Bell Walkine (1934-1941) Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
Bloomfield (1934-?) USA
Lloyd Nichols (1928-1934) USA
Goodwin (1926-?) USA
• Stornoway - A Fond Farewell
• Stornoway and the Good Samaritan by Don Holm
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