Chameleon is currently owned by John Mactaggart and based at Campbeltown in Scotland. She is for sale at the moment - if you want more details please contact John here. John also provided the following history of Chameleon.
Chameleon is GBR 9123. She was registered as a British ship no 267 in 1981, but was built in 1980. She was originally
called Black Douglas and her first owner was William Duncan Deans. He brought her to Scotland and sold her to Iain Mackenzie
Graham, a computer consultant in 1990. Iain is well known on the racing circuit. I bought her from him in May 1993. Iain
had changed the name officially to Chameleon. Iain raced her hard and succesfully. I have done mainly Club racing here,
but we have done one Cork Week and one West Highland Week. I have cruised extensively all over the west coast and much of
Ireland. Chameleon has a valid IRC & a CYCA handicap of 14.25. We use Portsmouth Yardstick locally and she is off 95.
I have recently disposed of a lot of old sails, but have retained a few of the original Hoods and the storm sails. I have
newish Owen No 1 genoa, main and spinnaker. My favourite sail is a wonderful No 2 genoa by Sobstad in Genesis cloth - over
10 years old but still flat, if a little frayed at the edges.
I still have all the original B & G instruments down to the RDF and they all work. There is a pressurised water system
and hot water by calorifier. I did not like the Eberspacher heating and removed it last year. All the upholstery, which
was in a fearful state was replaced 2 years ago by Chris Owen's excellent ladies at Gourock. I finally got fed up with the
Watermota and have installed a Beta 29hp. Twinned with a large Gori folding prop the improvement is vast. Many other owners
have told me of their struggles to minimise the oil leaks, which had coated much of Chameleon's interior with oil. I paid a
lot to have my engine re-built but the oil was still oozing out of seals and gaskets worse than ever.
I have had slides put on an older Saunders "cruising" main and added lazy jacks for cruising and short handed sailing- a
great advance. I may go on & complete the desecration with a furling genoa! I have I think made some progress in reducing a
major water leak down the mast by injecting an oozy material into the mast just above the original polystyrene plug. I got
rid of the larger of the 2 cockpit locker bins because it made access to the fuel tank so difficult. I have so far failed to
achieve a satisfactory seal of the cockpit locker lid, which lacks a proper gutter around its edge. Regular mopping up of
the areas behind the engine and beneath the teak grating between galley & chart table is required. Water forrard drains into
the sump above the keel quite well and is pumped out by electric bilge pump.
Chameleon's keel is per the original spec unmodified and so far touch wood no sign of deflection. I have been advised
not to touch the keel bolts.
I should add to reassure owners that I have proof that the unconventional hull construction is very strong. Chameleon was,
while secured at a pontoon, hit a fearful blow by a large and very powerful motor vessel last year. Impact was at the bulkhead
between cockpit and cabin. The hull was deformed 2-3 inches but reformed perfectly. Two frames were broken with attendant hull
damage and there were many consequential cracks. The bulkhead itself split and the wine cupboard popped out into the cockpit
locker. She was well repaired under supervision by Roger Lightbowm of NLB Marine at Ardrossan and had a re-spray. Roger thought
this impact would have sunk many mass produced grp yachts, but I think she is better than ever now.
More pictures of Chameleon - click on thumbnail to view full size
