Sundowner (yacht) facts for kids
Sundowner in Ramsgate Harbour, April 2010
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | M/Y Sundowner |
| Namesake | Sundowner |
| Launched | 1912 |
| Refit | 1929 |
| Fate | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Motor yacht |
| Tonnage | 26 grt (74 m3) |
| Length | 58 ft (18 m) |
| Beam | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) |
| Draught | 5 ft (1.5 m) |
| Propulsion | Gleniffer diesel engine, 72 hp (54 kW), single screw |
| Speed | 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Service record | |
| Operations: | Operation Dynamo |
Sundowner is a special motor yacht. It was once owned by Charles Lightoller. He was the second officer on the RMS Titanic. He was also the most senior officer to survive when it sank in 1912.
This boat played a brave part in the Dunkirk evacuation. It was one of the "little ships" that helped save many soldiers. Today, Sundowner is a museum ship. You can visit it at the Ramsgate Maritime Museum in Southern England.
Building Sundowner
Sundowner was first built in 1912. It was a small steam-powered boat used by the navy. In 1929, Charles and Sylvia Lightoller bought it for £40. They found the boat stuck in the mud near the River Medway.
They changed the boat a lot. They added two masts and sails, making it a "ketch-rigged" yacht. This means it had a main sail, a smaller sail at the back, and a front sail. Sylvia was from Australia. So, they named their new yacht Sundowner. This is an Australian word for a traveler or wanderer.
The boat was originally 52 feet long. They made it longer, to 58 feet. They also put in a new engine. It was a 60-horsepower petrol-paraffin engine. This engine gave the boat a top speed of 8 knots (about 9 miles per hour).
Sundowner was launched on June 28, 1930. After testing it on the Thames River, they sailed it to France. For the next ten years, the Lightollers sailed all over northern Europe. They even won many international sailing races. In 1936, they put in an even stronger 72-horsepower diesel engine. This made the boat go 2 knots faster. In 1939, before World War II began, Lightoller used Sundowner to secretly explore the European coast for the navy.
The Dunkirk Rescue
On May 31, 1940, the navy asked to use Sundowner. They needed it to help with the Dunkirk evacuation. This was a huge rescue mission during World War II. Charles Lightoller, even though he was 66 and retired, volunteered to sail his boat. His oldest son, Roger, and an 18-year-old Sea Scout named Gerald Ashcroft joined him.
They left Port of Ramsgate at 10:00 AM on June 1. Sundowner crossed the English Channel with five other boats. On the way, they saved the crew of another boat called Westerly. That boat had broken down and was on fire.
When they got to Dunkirk, Lightoller saw that the docks were too high. So, he pulled Sundowner next to a large warship, HMS Worcester. They started taking soldiers onto Sundowner. They packed 75 men into the boat's cabin. Another 55 men stood on the deck. In total, 130 soldiers were saved on that trip!
Sundowner then sailed back to Ramsgate. Enemy planes tried to attack them. But Lightoller steered the boat with quick turns to avoid the fire. The biggest danger was being swamped by the waves from fast-moving warships. After dropping off the soldiers, Sundowner was ready to go back for more. But by then, only very fast ships were allowed to continue the rescue.
After Dunkirk, Sundowner was used as a patrol boat. It helped guard the River Blackwater, Essex. Later, it moved to the River Clyde and was used by the Royal Army Service Corps. The navy released the boat in 1945. After some repairs, it was given back to Lightoller in 1946. It became a family boat once again.
After the War
Charles Lightoller passed away in 1952. His wife, Sylvia, kept sailing Sundowner. In 1965, she even steered the boat when it led a group of "Little Ships" back to Dunkirk for the 25th anniversary.
Over the years, Sundowner had a few different owners. In 1986, the boat was badly damaged in rough weather. It had to stop in Ramsgate harbour for repairs. The East Kent Maritime Trust bought it then. They restored Sundowner for the 50th anniversary of Dunkirk in 1990.
In 2000, Sundowner sailed to Dunkirk again for the 60th anniversary. On June 3, 2012, Sundowner was part of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. This was a big boat parade for the Queen's Jubilee. Many other "Dunkirk Little Ships" were there too.
