A family from the South West of England made a holiday trip to the island especially to sail on the pleasure boat Karina.
Seventy-six-year-old Michael Turpitt, his wife Doreen and with daughter and son-in-law Tricia and Andy Mugridge travelled from Plymouth, Devon, and Frome, Somerset, for a holiday in the Isle of Man.
Michael Turpitt’s mother, Winifred, was the company secretary of the firm that had the Karina built in 1946, the Oreston and Turnchapel Steamboat Company Ltd of Plymouth.
Michael’s grandfather, Mr C C Elford, was chairman of the company and his uncle Harry Elford the managing director.
The Karina was originally called the May Queen and she was built at Dartmouth in 1946, to replace an earlier steam-powered May Queen which was sunk at Plymouth during the war.
Michael was on board for the maiden voyage at Plymouth in July 1946, when family members, friends and shareholders made a trip in the new boat.
He is pictured as a nine-year-old boy with his brother and sister, leaning against the rail on the May Queen’s maiden voyage (just to the left of the name board). In the second picture, taken 67 years later, he is standing in the exact same position, with his family, and Captain Stephen Carter, head of the Laxey Towing Company Ltd which owns the Karina today.
Michael Turpitt presented Captain Carter with a painting of the May Queen at Plymouth Hoe, which he had painted himself.
The trip was organised by his daughter Tricia Mugridge, who the previous year had done much ‘detective’ work, having heard that the May Queen was still afloat and working in the Isle of Man and had made contact with Captain Carter.
Michael was surprised at how few alterations had been made to the boat since 1946 and complimented the owners the still excellent condition of the vessel.
