View source for Morning Cloud

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'''''Morning Cloud''''' was the name given by the British politician [[Edward Heath]] to a series of '''five yachts''' which he owned between 1969 and 1983.<ref name=first_source>{{cite news |last=Jeffery |first=Tim |url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/timjeffery/4330791/Morning_Cloud_rises_again/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211105839/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/timjeffery/4330791/Morning_Cloud_rises_again/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 December 2010 |title=Morning Cloud rises again |publisher=Blogs.telegraph.co.uk |date=30 May 2008 |access-date=10 March 2011}}</ref><ref name=second_source>{{cite news |last=Laven |first=Kate |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/sailing/6874534/Sir-Edward-Heath-made-history-40-years-ago-by-winning-Sydney-Hobart-Race.html |title=Sir Edward Heath made history 40 years ago by winning Sydney Hobart Race |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=[[London]] |date=23 December 2009 |access-date=10 March 2011}}</ref>
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==The yachts==

===No. 1===
[[Sparkman and Stephens]] [[S&S 34]], [[Length Over All|length]] {{convert|34|ft}}, year of launch 1969. Edward Heath won the [[Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race]] with this boat in the same year.<ref name=second_source/> She was sold in December 1970 to Stewart Benest of [[Jersey]], who renamed her ''Nuage de Matin''. She sank off [[Gorey Castle]], Jersey, on 2 September 1974, after the seas took her from her moorings.<ref name=coleadams1/><ref name="Eder">{{cite news |date=4 September 1974 |last=Eder |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Eder |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/09/04/archives/heath-yacht-sinks-drowning-godson.html |title=Heath Yacht Sinks, Drowning Godson |newspaper=The New York Times |at=Page 4, columns 4-6 |quote=LONDON, Sept. 3—Former Prime Minister Edward Heath's racing sloop Morning Cloud capsized and sank in a gale last night in the English Channel off the Sussex coast. |access-date=12 November 2023}}</ref><ref name="SMH_Sep1974">{{cite news |at=Page 5, columns 4-5 |quote=LONDON, Wednesday. — Coastguards abandoned last night an air and sea search for the missing crewman of Mr Edward Heath's yacht, Morning Cloud, 24 hours after it overturned in a gale. |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OtRYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HOUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3027,1190284&hl=en |title=Heath Yacht—Search for Sailor Stops |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |department=World News |date=5 September 1974 |access-date=12 November 2023 |via=Google News}}</ref><ref name=cayzer1/>

===No. 2===
Designed by Sparkman and Stephens, length {{convert|42|ft}}, hull and deck material wood ([[mahogany]]), constructed by Lallows<ref name=first_source/> (UK), year of launch 1971. Heath used the boat in the [[Admiral's Cup]] of that year as part of the winning British team.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/11/newsid_2974000/2974996.stm |title=1971: Admiral's Cup triumph for Heath, Admiral's Cup website |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=11 August 1982 |access-date=10 March 2011}}</ref> At least two copies of the boat were built under licence from him.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.morningcloud.se/ |title=www.morningcloud.se |publisher=morningcloud.se |access-date=10 March 2011}}</ref>

===No. 3===
Designed by Sparkman and Stephens, length {{convert|44|ft|9|in}},<ref>[http://sparkmanstephens.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/design-2157-morning-cloud-iii.html Sparkman and Stephens]</ref> hull and deck material wood, constructed by Lallows<ref name=first_source/> (UK), year of launch 1973. It was used in the Admiral's Cup of that year, but Heath was only on board for the [[Fastnet race]] because of other commitments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://admiralscup.rorc.org/history/119.html |title=1973: German Consistency, Admiral's Cup website |publisher=Admiralscup.rorc.org |access-date=10 March 2011}}</ref> It was lost at sea on 2 September 1974 when it was hit by a large wave while en route to [[Cowes]] from [[Burnham-on-Crouch]].<ref name="Eder"/><ref name="SMH_Sep1974"/> Heath was not on board. Two of the seven crew drowned.<ref name=first_source/><ref name=reading1>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CQsrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZJoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6365,1653881&hl=en |via=Google News |newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]] |title=Heath's Yacht Sinks |date=3 September 1974 |access-date=12 November 2023}}</ref> It was insured by Lloyd's of London. This was within 24 hours of the sinking of ''Morning Cloud I''.<ref name=coleadams1/><ref name="Eder"/><ref name="SMH_Sep1974"/><ref name=cayzer1/>

===No. 4===
Designed by Sparkman and Stephens, length {{convert|45|ft}},<ref>
[http://sparkmanstephens.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/design-2236-morning-cloud-iv.html Sparkman and Stephens]</ref> hull and deck material [[aluminium]], constructed by Allday Aluminium of Gosport and [[Camper and Nicholsons]] (yard number 1390), year of launch 1975.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dear |first=Ian |title=Camper and Nicholson: 200 Years of Yacht Building |date=19 December 2001 |publisher=Quiller Press |isbn=978-1899163649 |page=220}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ajaxyachtpics.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html |title=Ajax Yacht Pictures |publisher=Ajaxyachtpics.blogspot.com |date=13 April 2004 |access-date=10 March 2011}}</ref>

===No. 5===
Designed by [[Ron Holland]], length {{convert|44|ft}}, hull and deck material aluminium,<ref name=first_source/> year of launch 1977.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://admiralscup.rorc.org/history/116.html |title=1979: The Aussies thrive in the heavy air, Admiral's Cup website |publisher=Admiralscup.rorc.org |date=13 August 1979 |access-date=10 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715204103/http://admiralscup.rorc.org/history/116.html |archive-date=15 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In a Channel Race during the British team trials it lost its rudder (it was a new [[carbon fibre]] prototype). In the [[1979 Fastnet race]] (which was part of the Admiral's Cup) it was turned upside down by a large wave after rounding the Fastnet Rock at 0100h but despite suffering some damage and shock to the whole crew it was still able to finish. Heath was on board for all races of the Admiral’s Cup, including the Fastnet Race. Heath sold the boat in 1983.<ref name=second_source/>

==References==
{{Reflist|refs =

<ref name=cayzer1>
{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1961&dat=19740912&id=nIUhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u4wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1068,599491 |title=Prime Minister Heath's Racing Yacht Sinks |newspaper=[[Palm Beach Daily News]] |date=12 September 1974 |first=Bea De Holguin |last=Cayzer |department=Buzzing with Bea |via=Google News}}
</ref>

<ref name=coleadams1>
{{cite news |last=Cole-Adams |first=Peter |title=Heath loses two yachts |newspaper=[[The Age]] |location=[[Melbourne]] |date=4 September 1974 |at=Page 1, column 1 |access-date=12 November 2023 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19740904&id=sf0QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MpIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3743,278332 |quote=LONDON, September 3. — The British Opposition Leader (Mr. Heath) has lost two yachts in 24 hours. Two men are believed drowned after his yacht '''Morning Cloud II''' capsized and sank off the Sussex coast late last night. |via=[[Google News]]}}
</ref>

}}

==External links==

===Photographs of ''Morning Cloud''===
* Yacht no. 3- [http://archive.ajaxnetphoto.com/v/MaritimeArchives/YachtByName/YachtsM-P/__YA_MORNING+CLOUD_35733119.JPG.html photo-a][https://web.archive.org/web/20110813215333/http://community.thisisplymouth.co.uk/_TED-HEATH-S-MORNING-CLOUD/photo/9923008/72100.html?setId=68592 photo-b]
* Yacht no. 4- [http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/3364351/Hulton-Archive photo-a][https://web.archive.org/web/20110707100745/http://archive.ajaxnetphoto.com/v/MaritimeArchives/YachtByName/YachtsM-P/__YA_MORNING_CLOUD_79_2032.jpg.html  photo-b][http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/United_Kingdom/England/Isle_of_Wight/Cowes/photo1256562.htm  photo-c]

{{Edward Heath}}
{{1974 shipwrecks}}
{{1976 shipwrecks}}

[[Category:Edward Heath]]
[[Category:Individual sailing vessels]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1974]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1976]]
[[Category:Sailing in the United Kingdom]]