Guiding Star is a Looe lugger built in 1907 by James Angear for the Soady family and converted into a yacht in the 1930s at Uphams yard in Brixham.

She’s a traditional wooden boat with great character and very steady at sea. She has a gaff mainsail and a lug mizzen; there are no winches but the rig is easy for a small crew to handle because none of the sails is very big. There’s a comfortable saloon with a paraffin lamp, a roomy galley, and five berths.

From 1960-1989 Guiding Star was owned by Brigadier John (“Jack”) Glennie, who sailed her all around Europe. She was then substantially rebuilt in the early 1990s by Barry Jobson and Jackie Gillespie, who sailed her to the Caribbean and back and took part in many classic regattas. Her current owners are Paul and Sue Eedle.

Length overall with bowsprit out 15.8 metres 52 feet

Length overall with bowsprit and outrigger out 22 metres 72 feet

Length with spars shipped 13.1 metres 43 feet

Length on deck 11.8 metres 39 feet

Length at waterline 11.5 metres 37 feet 9 inches

Draft 1.95 metres 6 feet 5 inches

Beam 3.26 metres 10 feet 8 inches

Displacement approx 16 tonnes

Guiding Star on the water

Below decks