Rosa & Ada, oyster smack

Rosa & Ada was built in 1908 at Whitstable for the Seasalter and Ham Oyster Co. and was the last smack built by Collar Bros. She was their biggest smack . An engine was installed in 1921. These were probably the main factors which contributed to her long service dredging for oysters for the company. During the Second World War she was requisitioned for use as a supply tender in the Thames estuary. In 1958, she was run down and sunk off Whitstable, as she lay on her mooring in thick fog. Fortunately she was refloated, and after repairs, continued to work for a few more years. In 1963, she was finally laid up, and lay ashore for several years until she was restored for private use. She was berthed at Hollowshore until 1981, when she was sold to her present owner and sailed to Scotland.

Rosa & Ada has undergone extensive restoration since then. She is still a working boat, taking passengers instead of dredging for oysters. Although she has modern navigational and safety equipment, and she is comfortably fitted out, her sails are still hauled and set as they were in her working days.

Rosa & Ada is based at Troon Yacht Haven on the Ayrshire Coast. Troon is ideally situated for cruising in the beautiful waters of the Firth of Clyde. It is also well placed for sailing to Ireland, and round the Mull of Kintyre to the West Coast and the Hebrides.

Rosa & Ada is available for charter with skipper and crew. There are six berths for guests and two for crew. She may be chartered for cruising, film and TV work, diving, publicity, etc. You may cruise for a day, a weekend, a fortnight, or whatever length of time you wish. Cruises are usually fully catered. Meals are prepared on board from fresh produce as far as possible, and a glass of wine is served with dinner.

Below deck accommodation consists of five comfortable berths in the forward cabin, another in the main cabin, and two crew berths aft. The heads has a toilet and washbasin. In the forecabin, there is a solid fuel potbelly stove, which becomes the focus of attention in the evenings if it's cold or wet.

Oyster smacks have a shallow draft and consequently low decks. Their crews developed 'smacksman's stoop'. It is not a permanent condition, but it does help to avoid contact between heads and beams! What you don't have in height, you gain in width of bunks.... and you only require to make a little stoop!

You can make passages, island hop, potter and laze, explore, the choice is yours. In our cruising area, we see whales, dolphins, porpoises, basking sharks, puffins, skuas, petrels, gannets, both golden and white tailed eagles, otters, deer and a host of other creatures.

We also take part when we can in some of the traditional boat rallies.