Between 1960 and 1962 Humphrey Barton voyaged more than 15,400 miles twice across the Atlantic visiting 184 different places in his 38’ Cutter Rose of York.  She had been designed by Laurent Giles and built at John Tyrrell for Lt. Col Birch ten years earlier. In an article released by the Partners in 1963 the author asserts that the amount of planning that went into the design of Rose Rambler draws heavily upon the experience gained by Humphrey when he cruised Rose of York. The ‘new Rose’ is built by Porter & Haylett who were responsible for the Peter Duck Class.

Rambler Class was described as a powerful cruising yacht of character. Although having moderate draft she is more of a sailing vessel than Peter Duck…Giles’ text goes much further ‘Rose Rambler is a cruising yacht and makes no concessions to racing’. Indeed, her first few years of cruising were based on a planned itinerary through the French waterways to Marseilles and on to the Balearics for a refit in Ibiza. Gibraltar, the Canary Islands and on to Trinidad. Then cruising north through the Windward Islands, Jamaica and the Yucatan Passage, Key West and Miami and then via the Intracoastal waterway 1200 miles to Cape May and New York. ‘With her moderate draft, comfortable accommodation and space below decks, good sailing qualities coupled with lively speed under the urge of her Perkins diesel, (she) is particularly well suited for this inland waterway and ocean cruising’. It is clear to see then that although Humphrey’s experiences with Rose of York may have influenced the designers thinking, very little of her design characteristics have been replicated in Rose Rambler.