Classic Sailor No14 Feb-March 2017 by Dan Houston

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 £3.95

Eco trading under sail How a new lugger delivers the goods

AZORES SHIPWRECK SEA THERAPY FOR WOUNDED VETS SAILING THE SWALE NELSON’S SEAMANSHIP CORINTHIAN CLASSICS WYLLIE’S ART AND BOATS

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Editorial

Disaster and Defiance

Signals

The Royal Corinthian One Design

Nelson: how seamanship made him who he was

Grayhound delivers the goods

A bit of both Maine and Bermuda

WL Wyllie and his boats

Swale tales

This cruising life: a cautionary tale

Practical: Trailer sailing: ready to hit the road?

Joints: Mortise and tenon

Des Pawson on the serving stick

On Watch and Off Watch

Artist of the Month

The Big Blue Zoo

Calendar and Next Issue

The last word: why Lucy L Ford will never retire

Sometimes sailing suggests a safari; why wildlife is better at sea Golden Globe Preparations, Drascombe’s Golden Jubilee Falmouth’s new marina plans, the return of YOGAFF

Around the yards

Havengore at Fox’s; new one-off from David Moss; Stirlings take over a big yard; new shed for Spirit; Baden Powell is prepared, and more

Association news

The OGA’s summer, Atalantas and a visit to the Medway YC

The Post

Why sailing should be on the NHS, Sailfish and Sandpiper

Classic Coast and Smylie’s Boats

Penzance, West Cornwall; The Mighty Zulu

Andrew Bray

Spot-on weather forecasting

Nardi’s nods

The great Halcyon 27 designed by Alan Buchanan

The Instructor’s tale The breakfast side

Taking the right turn

How sailing can help invalided service men and women

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Ferro fan Bob Cooke recounts one lost and one found boat Survival of a racer born in rivalry on the River Crouch Dan Houston examined the boating credentials of our national hero Trading under sail with the three-masted lugger Guy Venables meets Pimenta and her builder The great marine artist was also a keen sailor and boat designer The barge match that attracts a lot of other boats to Kent What not to do when buying a boat, and what to do when you did it The final check-list to ensure successful, stress-free towing A step-by-step guide

A simple alternative to the mallet or board

Gear, books, booze, food, paddleboards (yes!) and Shoreside places JMW Turner at Petworth House; stories of marine life Stories of marine life

Forthcoming events, and what’s coming up in the next Classic Sailor Or is sea survival worse than the alternative?

CLASSIC SAILOR

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COVER PHOTOGRAPH: PATRICK HOLIAN

PATRICK HOLIAN

Contents

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01 - VANNES - 02 97 40 53 03

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BONO E L • n e d a B r o z • Larm r A ’ d e l Î • s e n i o m nnes a V • s y u h Arradon • Arzon • Auray • Baden • Crac’h • île aux R e d s • St-Gilda l e m r A t S • é n é s • u a e z Le Hézo • locmariaquer • plougoumelen • sar

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Editorial Dan Houston

Seeing whales at sea in their natural environment is awesome... and respectful comfort zone, a zone that was never intended by nature, and truly serve as wonders of the world. But they only work properly if they remain in nature, where some of your blood turns to vinegar and your senses suddenly tune up like a violin string. You can get awestruck, and hopefully you come away loving the world, and your life, that much more. “That’s something to tell the grandchildren!” is what we might say. But seeing a whale in a zoo has nothing of the same power, especially if it is performing tricks for dead fish. We do that because it’s just something to do when we get bored of shopping, and: My, aren’t they really quite big and powerful! We revert to a childish state with our monkey brain wanting to be entertained in the old Victorian fashion. We can say we respect the animals and that we are studying them but really we are disrespecting ourselves. We certainly massively impoverish our own experience and philosophy of the natural world . Putting any kind of cetacean, or sentient animal into the caged or performing environment is a false representation of nature, and should be viewed that way, but also there is our caring aspect for the animal – which reflects our own humanity. With the death of SeaWorld’s killer whale Tilikum (p93) in January after 33 years kept in tiny spaces, I thought of those Biscay orcas and the other times the sea has seemed like a big blue free safari. Putting animals in zoos is a way of stating that we are above, and not a part of, nature. It reinforces ideas about the world as a pleasurable resource, rather than something we need to care about. And if we cared about ourselves more, we’d probably be better at caring for nature as well, and living in it. PAUL NICHOLSON - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

t was on a crossing of the Bay of Biscay on one of those days where a total lack of wind brings the sea down to a state of gently heaving glassy calm. The sky was similarly completely covered by a nondescript non-undulating layer of wan grey cloud. The horizon had gone, and the only evidence that we were not suspended within a monochrome pale grey fish bowl was our wake as we puttered across a bit of ocean that felt like a desert. Then, way up ahead there were some breaks in the sea surface like little black ripples. Oh good, that’ll be the horizon then, and a change in the weather, we thought. But the ripples were closer than that and they began on our starboard bow and stretched out over a 45-degree arc, and we were getting closer to them. Then we saw the fins, huge black daggers sawing up into the air, before disappearing. Orcas! We could see a huge family of killer whales, stretched out in a line perhaps a mile long; at least 30, or more. Some were big, some small. We were mesmerized as the Westerly Consort closed with this quiet black and white parade of these apex predators on a course 90 degrees across our own, heading north west. As we crossed the line one of the leading bulls broke the surface 20 feet on our port beam. He took a huge long wheezy breath and sounded like an old man climbing stairs. Two smaller whales broke rank and peeled off to follow us for a while – a move which had a slightly dangerous thrill to it; that bull was as big as our boat. We watched the whales with a sense of awe; it was one of those animal meetings in nature which have a primeval quality, where you know you’re witnessing something far more powerful than you. They take us out of our

You can get awestruck, and hopefully you come away loving the world, and your life, that much more

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Signals Suhaili replica to follow in Sir Robin’s wake, anger at Falmouth marina plan, Drascombes are 50 and the British National Yachting Archive wants help AUSTRALIA

Suhaili replica for Golden Globe rerun An exact(ish) replica of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s Suhaili, winner of the original 1968-9 Golden Globe round the world race, is being built in Australia to take part in the planned 2018 rerun. Mike Smith, who lives in Newcastle, New South Wales, is working to the same William Atkins design used to build the original in India in 1963, and will be copying Sir Robin’s self-designed rig. However, the new boat will be strip-planked and thus considerably lighter than the original, which had barely a foot of freeboard when loaded for the start of the race. The real Suhaili, recently restored, will be the start boat for the 2018 race on 16 June, with Sir Robin firing the starting gun. At the other end of the startline, will be Bernard Moitessier’s Joshua, which has

just received special permission to leave France for the event. Exactly where the start line will be is still up for discussion. The original race began from Falmouth (hence Sir Robin’s famous reply to the customs officer’s standard “Where from?” on his return: “Falmouth”). However, Plymouth has put in a particularly strong and enthusiastic bid to host the event, even offering to arrange its annual jazz festival to coincide with it. Meanwhile the National Maritime

Golden Globers: Suhaili has been restored by Sir RKJ whose exploits continue to inspire sailors like Shane Freeman in Mushka, below

CORNWALL

taken out a few days every summer,” comments Jasper Tuck. Freya Pomeroy-Rowden of Grayhound (see p48) made the point that it offered: “no possibilities for community enterprise. For the last two years sail trade is coming back to life in Falmouth. I own and run a ship that does this and we regularly load and offload in Falmouth. What a perfect place to dock under sail and

offload to the crowds in the heart of the town.” This was also backed by charter skipper Nikki Alford who said she would like to dock the historic west country trading ketch Bessie Ellen in the harbour if conditions allowed. And it is hard to think of a more ideal purpose for the old dock, with the number of traditional boats in the area. See classicsailor.com for links.

Falmouth marina Planners in Falmouth have again put forward an idea for a marina with floating pontoons in the historic 350-year-old harbour at Custom House Quay. The bid repeats one which was repelled by locals in 2015. Plans show a floating pontoon creating 50 berths in the quaint small harbour which is overlooked by several famous Falmouth pubs including the Chain Locker. Local sailors and boat owners and residents have again reacted angrily: “It would turn the historic quay into a marina for plastic boats that are probably only

Museum at Falmouth has declared itself uninterested, stating in a recent email that it was: “Britain’s small-boat museum” and will be holding an exhibition on the Titanic. (Eh? Note race rules stipulate a hull length of 32-36ft, too small for the National Historic Ships register, but within the range of the small-boat register held by the Falmouth museum). A decision on the venue is expected by the end of March. The race itself is assembling its own ‘museum’ and already has a replica of Chay Blyth’s

Following the planning application suggestions have arisen to re-purpose the dock to its original activity, as a safe haven for traditional trading and charter vessels

Dysticus III. Barry Pickthall, the event’s spokesman, says they’d dearly love to know the whereabouts of Loïck Fougeron’s Captain Browne. And a 61-year-old lone yachtsman is currently sailing “halfway round the world” to take part in the Golden Globe. Shane Freeman set out from Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, in his 35ft Tradewind Mushka on 11 December to sail 14,500 miles to the UK. He said, “I’m using this voyage to test myself as much as my boat. See more: freemansailing.com

VENDEE GLOBE

When a Brit nearly won During the Boatshow in January we were often glued to the website showing the position of Haslar-based British sailor Alex Thomson in the Vendée Globe race, who, sailing his damaged 59ft 10 (18m) semi foiling IMOCA 60 class monohull Hugo Boss was often tantalizingly close to the leader Armel Le Cléac’h in Banque Populaire. Le Cléac’h won the gruelling round the world race with Alex coming in second, 16 hours later after racing 74 days, 19 hours, 35 minutes and 15 seconds. At one point two days before the finish Thomson had narrowed the Frenchman’s lead to just 34 miles. Earlier he had broken two race records and led the 29-strong fleet. He was 100 miles out in front when his starboard foil hit a submerged object – which he estimated cut 20% off HB’s performance times. This was Alex’s fourth of the four-yearly Vendées. He did not complete the first two after damage and a collision, but in 2012 he came third.

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The real Suhaili, recently restored, will be the start boat for the 2018 race on 16 June, with Sir Robin firing the starting gun

LONDON BOAT SHOW

MEDWAY FIRESHIPS

Drascombes at 50

Drascombe Boats are celebrating 50 years of the venerable lugger this year and kicked off with a party at the Boat Show which was attended by Anna and Emma, the two daughters of John Watkinson the designer, together with Charlie one of his grandsons. Looking good on the stand was the original boat that was built by John in 1966 and now freshly restored. The official Golden Jubilee – for all Drascombes – is going to be over the long weekend Thursday July 6 to Sunday July 9 at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. The owners’ association also has various events planned over the year starting with a weekend in Belfast planned for March 25. See more at drascombe-association.org.uk

L-R: Sharon Geary Harwood, Director and owner of Churchouse Boats, John Watkinson’s daughters Anna Longridge and Emma Watkinson and Charlie Longridge

Dutch invade Medway again It was 350 years ago that the Dutch sailed into the river Medway in 1667, set fire to British ships and captured the flagship, Royal Charles. Now they’re coming back – but this time to join in commemoration events including a spectacular Medway in Flames finale with water screens, digital projection, characters from history, pyrotechnics, special effects and fireworks to bring the Battle of Medway to life. From 8 to 17 June 2017, the Medway Council, the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust (CHDT), the Medway and Swale Boating Association (MSBA) and the Dutch organisations including the Dutch Offshore Sailing Club and the Royal Maas Yacht Club, representing the hundreds of visitors expected from Holland, are co-operating in the organisation of waterborne and land based activities. The culmination will be the firework display and son-et-lumière with Upnor castle as the backdrop on Saturday 17 June 2017. www.visitmedway.org/battle-ofmedway

DATABASE FOR YACHTING

British National Yachting Archive wants you The British National Yachting Archive was established a few years back, writes David Elliott. Until now, we have mostly been developing our tools and database using such information as we have available so that we can make full use of information that is discovered. Although there is clearly much more we can do, we are now broadening our search for information from non-obvious sources. The principal aim is to find out “who has got what” – much information that will be of use to future historians is hidden from view and at risk of subsequent disposal – think 100-year time horizons. We need people to find out from their ancestors,

family, colleagues, crew, etc, or their own resources, information from the past about boats, people, events; information such as stories and photographs, stuff that may have languished for years, all of which may add to the sum knowledge. Probably every yacht/sailing club has

QUAY PEOPLE

David Elliott of the BNYA – has collected tens of thousands of facts about yachts and yachting. The BNYA needs help and your information

long-standing members who have been active in the past and only they will know some of this stuff. And current information is just as valuable – it’s easier to collect it now than try and find it in the future. We will also need help picking through and listing the contents and making useful descriptions. Since BNYA is a ‘virtual archive’ digitisation is key. This enables collections of material to remain intact and with the owner whilst offering access to researchers. Do take a look at the web site to see how we are getting on. And send us a note about information you may have that could be useful. www.bnya.org.uk

Joanna Lumley the actress opened the London Boat Show on January 6 and posed for pictures from the vantage point of the Sunseeker stand. “I think we all have a natural affinity with the sea and for exploration,” she said. “I believe whoever gets on a boat has the spirit of adventure within them.”

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston got his subscription at the Classic Sailor stand at the London Boat show. The veteran round-the-world yachtsman was backing Alex Thomson’s bid in the Vendée Globe and thinking of Suhaili in the Golden Globe (stories opposite)

Alistair Randall is the new president of the Old Gaffers Association. He owns the 1898 gaff rigged Witch, once the ferry of the Hebridean isle of Gigha. He sailed her back there as part of the OGA round Britain event in June 2013. CLASSIC SAILOR

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Signals The return of a full YOGAFF, Arthur Ransome anniversary events at Pin Mill ... and we bid farewell to much-loved yachting cartoonist Mike Peyton SOLENT OLD GAFFERS

PIN MILL

YOGAFF is back! The Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival is back this year from 2 to 4 June, with the full programme of events both on and off the water. The Festival Committee, are pleased to report that they have secured additional sponsorship from the ferry company Wightlink and have new sponsors, Visit Wight. The Festival Committee – all

local volunteers – will be working with Solent Gaffers to provide three days of fun, throughout the town. Solent Gaffers have been holding their regatta at Yarmouth annually but without shoreside activity which made it such a special event last year. They will be posting information on the OGA website.

Old Gaffers in Yarmouth Harbour for an earlier YOGAFF

Ransome jamboree This year sees the 50th anniversary of the death of Arthur Ransome, as well as the 80th anniversary of the publication of his We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea, and Pin Mill, where the book opens, is to be at the heart of local commemorative events. The tiny hamlet on the bank of the River Orwell, with its Butt and Oyster pub, King’s Boatyard and Pin Mill Sailing Club – all well-known to Arthur Ransome – will be holding an Arthur Ransome ‘Jamboree’ on its green on 13 May, with two of Ransome’s boats, the Nancy Blackett, the original of the Goblin in the book, and Peter Duck, built at King’s and celebrating her own 70th birthday.

In addition, the fivemile riverside footpath from Pin Mill to Shotley and is to be designated the Arthur Ransome Trail, with signboards pointing out significant locations mentioned in the book. Other plans include Ransome-inspired art and music projects with schools, and a flotilla from the Royal Harwich Yacht Club to escort Nancy Blackett when she sets off to recreate the Goblin’s voyage to Holland. Further details on facebook at ‘Arthur Ransome’s East Coast’.

OBITUARY

Mike Peyton Mike Peyton, dubbed ‘The World’s Greatest Yachting Cartoonist’, died on January 25 just five days after his 96th birthday. A modest, shy man, he eschewed the spotlight and seemed unaware of the esteem which in sailors all around the world held him, writes Paul Gelder, former chairman of the Yachting Journalists Association. Last year, the YJA presented him with a Lifetime Achievement award and dubbed him ‘the Picasso of sailing.’ In 2011 the Royal Cruising Club awarded him a medal for Services to Cruising, and for “encouraging others to pick themselves up from near disaster and learn from their mistakes.” Round the world sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said:

Mike Peyton at his drawing-board, and right, one of our favourite Peyton cartoons

“Mike Peyton has been my favourite yachting cartoonist for decades. He has the knack of catching a situation we dread and then poking fun at the reaction.” At the age of 90, failing eyesight due to macular degeneration meant Mike had to sell his last boat and stop drawing cartoons. He had owned 13 boats and it became a standing joke that following his ferro-cement boats called Loadstone, Brimstone and Touchstone his next would be named Tombstone

Born into a mining family in County Durham in 1921, Mike began sketching as a boy, inspired by the graphics in 1930s British comics. He lied about his age to join the Army and drew maps of the North African desert with the Intelligence Corps during World War II. After the war he went to Manchester Art School. He also discovered boating. He bought a 12ft canvas sailing canoe from a man in a pub and worked his way down the River Thames, sleeping

Pin Mill, at the heart of Arthur Ransome’s East Coast

on moored barges. Soon sailing became a passion as he learned about tides and how to reef sails. In those days sailors wore peaked caps and ensigns were lowered at sunset. Naturally, Mike felt impelled to stick a pin in the balloon of pomposity of snooty sailors. He was a unique commentator on the sailing scene for more than 60 years. No other sailing cartoonist in the world matched his elegant, economical wit and wisdom. He said he got his best ideas sitting in the bath. His humour was gentle rather than vulgar, brash or cruel. As well as a superb draughtsman, he had a winning way with words, and was a great storyteller. Mike Peyton, who lived near North Fambridge in Essex is survived by his wife, author Kathleen Peyton, and daughters Hilary and Veronica.

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NORFOLK BROADS

Boaters angry at new toll changes Boat owners on the Norfolk/ Suffolk Broads have voiced their concerns about a new Broads Authority system to calculate tolls which has been given the go-ahead this year, reports Maurice Gray. It will change the current variable and fixed costs to one overall fixed charge based on the size of the craft. Assessment will now be based on various categories, private or commercial, which

Norfolk Broads: New tolls have been dubbed unfair by boat-owners

will determine how much boats will be charged per square metre. The Broads Authority believes the new system will be simpler and fairer but some boaters disagree and feel their concerns have been ignored. Chairman of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association said, in a statement, “The Authority does need to raise revenues

of which 50 percent comes from boat tolls but it wasn’t until June this year [2016] when the Association was invited to a stakeholders meeting but we have not felt engaged and not had enough consultations”. He added, “The NSBA believes that the previous format, already used by the Canal and River Trust is fairer”. A houseboat co-owner from Hoveton, near Wroxham, on the Norfolk Broads, says the changes are ‘deeply unfair and unjust and were not discussed with a cross section of the Broads community’. Another boater, who declined to be named, suggested “This idea is to select the winners and push out the losers, like selective cleansing.”

VAN TO BOAT

Blogging from the Classic Sailor sailboat

MORBIHAN

Ferries deal for Semaine Organisers of this year’s Semaine du Golfe de Morbihan, 22-28 May, have announced a crosschannel ferry deal which will be of interest to UK sailors planning to attend this popular event. “We have just signed our renewed partnership with Brittany Ferries which offers 20% discounted prices on certain crossings for the participants in “Semaine du Golfe”, Anne Burlat from the organisers told Classic Sailor For details, see brittany-ferries.co.uk/ semainedugolfe or contact Graham Smith, Group Travel Sales Manager at Brittany Ferries, Wharf Road, Portsmouth, PO2 8RU, +44 (0)23 9289 2239 or +44 (0)78 3622 5737, email graham.smith@ brittanyferries.com.

Meet Alan and Saffron, who gave up the rat race to find a better way of living, first in their van and now also in boats. The pair have a dream to sail around the world and have teamed up with Classic Sailor to begin by sailing the coast, and blogging about it. This summer CS is planning to attend several festivals and regattas in the Classic Sailing Club’s 37ft

(11m) Buchanan design Caressa and Alan and Saffron are planning regular blogs on our website classicsailor.com. First stop is some sail training and we’ll be reporting on how that goes in the next issue. Look out for more on the website as soon as this issue is published. Living life, rather than merely passing through it: Alan and Saffron are learning to sail

QUAY PEOPLE

Bobby Melville: The Royal Corinthian One Design (RCOD) fleet at Burnhamon-Crouch, Essex recently said goodbye to its yachting legend, who at the age of 95 – when he retired from sailing – was still a race winner. An initial season in Covette (No. 4) saw him sweeping the board at Burnham Week. There followed a long interlude of successful Dragon and Etchell racing before he came back to the club 22-footer and in his sunset years he became the helm to beat. Former Commodore, and Admiral of Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Bobby stopped sailing in June 2014.

The news from the Old Gaffers of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight is that the full, much vaunted YOGAFF (Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival) is back, see opposite. Pat and Dick Dawson, above, festival stalwarts over many years, report the town festival will return as it used to be when the festival ran with boats and shoreside attractions. The couple sail and maintain Lone Wolf – a YOGAFF regular since the festival started in 1999. CLASSIC SAILOR

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Signals: Around the yards A historic motor launch, a brand-new one-off gaffer, a Westcountry yard changes hands and a luxury yacht builder expands IPSWICH

Havengore back at Fox’s boatyard Havengore, the 85ft motor launch best-known for its role in Churchill’s funeral, transporting his coffin up the River Thames, is back in Fox’s Ipswich yard for the fourth winter running, as part of an ongoing renovation project. Lifting her out was in itself a major operation, as yard manager David Russell explains: “It involves a team of divers, so is quite complicated. We have to lower a steel lifting beam into the marina and settle it in position on the sea bed. The massive ‘I’ beam, approximately 2ft deep and the length of Havengore’s keel, provides a rigid strong back, evenly spreading the loads into Havengore’s hull. With tide, divers and our yard team working together, we

float her into the dock and settle her onto the beam.” Fox’s 70-ton Travel lift then took over and lifted Havengore (at about 56tons plus the 3-ton beam) out and ashore, in preparation to be laid up undercover in one of the yard’s three main workshops. “The first two years of renovation were fairly routine, but last year was a bit of a shock,” says David. “We had identified a couple of deck beams that needed investigation, but when we uncovered the portside, we discovered the whole beam shelf and carlin were in need of significant restoration. We lifted all the portside teak decking and made extensive repairs to beam shelf and carlin, prior to installing

Havengore is Travellifted into her shed at Fox’s yard

new deck beams. We are now planning to do the same along the starboard side this year.” Havengore arrived at Fox’s in December, and the work

is already under way. She is expected to remain in the yard until May/June - we’ll bring a further updates in a future issue.

DAVID MOSS

One-off Polly ready to go Polly, the one-off gaff cutter designed and built, over the last two years, by Lancashire boatbuilder David Moss, is very nearly ready for her first sail. Commissioned by a customer, Mike Dickens, who already owns a David Moss boat, the 31ft Polly has a distinctly working-boat aspect, with plenty of deck space and bulwarks rather than toe-rails. “It’s influenced by all sorts of things I’ve seen over the years,” explains her designer, who lists smacks, pilot cutters and Colin Archers as references. “I did five or six half-models before we got it right.” With a beam of 10ft and a draught of 5ft 6in, she displaces 10 tons. “She’s a

hefty boat for her size, the biggest we’ve built.” Her owner also decided to have her traditionally built, which meant finding and then seasoning wood – she’s iroko csrvelplanking on oak frames, with iroko backbone

and a laid teak deck. The build has continued alongside more bread-and-butter work – her hull was in the yard when Princess Anne visited a couple of years ago. She’s now finished and, apart from rigging, ready to

go. David put her in the water a few weeks ago to check her ballast (there’s 3.5 tons of lead in the keel and another 0.5 inside). Her proper launch will be in April, and David is planning to show her at the Liverpool Boat Show in June.

Polly – 10 tons, 31ft, the biggest the small David Moss yard has built

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“Building very expensive and very beautiful yachts for that small subset of the very rich with good taste” IPSWICH

A new yard for Sara

MP opens Spirit Yachts’ new shed

Sara and Will Stirling, of Stirling and Son, have bought Boating World five miles west of Plymouth and renamed it ‘Treluggan Boatyard’. Sara is running the new boatyard, on the banks of the River Lynher, and described in the sale particliars as “the largest boatyard in the southwest”, while Will continues to run the No 1 Covered Slip down the river in Plymouth. Known locally as the ‘enchanted valley’, Treluggan was a former stone quarry until the early 1970s when it was converted to a boatyard as Boating World. Numerous quarry buildings were revitalised and adapted for

boatyard use, with many of them still evident today. Two major build projects were embarked upon in the late 1980s; the main building, which now houses the yard office, the chandlery, and engine shed, and secondly, the building on the river bank, which became the home of a wooden boat and vintage car restoration project. The yard was purchased in March 2004 by Treluggan Marina Ltd. The Stirlings’ first impressions of the place, after navigating the private access road was “the Falklands with trees. Dead boats, trailers, cradles, leaky roofs, broken

EMILY HARRIS

STIRLING AND SON, CORNWALL

Above: Sara Stirling at Stirling and Son’s new yard, and left, an aerial view of the location on the banks of the River Lynher.

windows... the image is still vivid! However, looking through all of that, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty located within the Coastal Zone, a Site of Great Scientific Value and Site of Special Scientific Interest... the enchanted valley had been uncovered.” Boats have begun to be moved in and the site’s regeneration continues, focusing on their customers’ requirements, with, they say, “the simple aim of making Treluggan a friendly and professionally managed boatyard, with the core values of providing value for money and trust.”

River Humber

Coppered Fife

It’s quite unusual to find a vessel being given a traditional copper bottom treatment, so it was a treat to visit the yard of Joe Irving at Draughtsman Yachts on the banks of the Humber just upstream and across from Hull, Britain’s new City of Culture. The boat is question is the Fife schooner Elise, undergoing a full refit as we reported in our feature in June last year. She has had extensive work to put strength back into her and it looks like she might be ready next year. The copper has been put on authentically with sheets tacked onto a subcoating of tar and other good stuff. The benefit of coppering like this are a long term ability to stay in the water, especially if travelling to warmer waters where teredo worm can be a problem. We will run a more technical and detailed feature soon.

Copper bottomed: The Fife designed schooner Elise with her new long term finish

Just before Christmas, Ipswich MP Ben Gummer cut the tape to open a new building facility that doubles the size of Spirit Yachts’ Ipswich dockside boatbuilding facility. The MP joked that Spirit builds “very expensive and very beautiful yachts for that small subset of the very rich with good taste.” In fact Spirit has been enjoying growth that continued in the last 12 months. It has already hired

Nigel Stuart, Ben Gummer MP and Sean McMillan at the opening

10 new team members and will be recruiting more in the near future. The 770m2 shed, with heating, insulation, extraction and LED lighting is capable of holding yachts up to 150ft long. Sean McMillan, who with the late Mick Newman started Spirit Yachts “in a barn in Stowmarket with no money 23 years ago,” told visitors at the opening ceremony, “The additional space will double the size of our existing lamination table, which allows us to increase the number of ringframes that can be built simultaneously and in turn increase efficiency.” Spirit’s MD Nigel Stuart added “We are responding to consumer demands by offering a wider range of designs.” CLASSIC SAILOR 11

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Signals: Around the yards Restoration for an historic Cockler in Norfolk, and an oyster dredger in America – and East Anglia celebrates Shipshape progress NORFOLK

Next stage for Kings Lynn’s Baden Powell The Baden Powell, a double ended cockler built in 1900 by Walter Worfolk in King’s Lynn, and destined for display there, has been moved back to Norfolk, following extensive restoration work, with Heritage Lottery funds, at St Osyth, Essex, by Brian Kennell Boatbuilders. She is now at Terrington St John where volunteers of the Baden Powell Project will continue work on her according to the availability of materials, labour and expertise – more funding is still needed. A major landmark was the installation of the engine in January. Once seaworthy, she will be displayed and cruised on the Great Ouse and The Wash to keep alive the town’s history of fishing, trade and exploration.

The Baden Powell, with Brian Kennell’s team at St Osyth: from left, Sean White, Brian, Caroline Ellis and Tom Bruce

NHS AT LOWESTOFT

CHESAPEAKE BAY

Nine logs for Edna E Lockwood restoration Nine lob-lolly pine logs for the log-hull restoration of the historic 1889 bugeye Edna E Lockwood at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum have been selected following the delivery of 16 of the 55ft long, 3ft diameter logs last spring. “It was very important to us to choose the right logs for this project. We were looking for old trees with tight grain, and we’re really happy with our results so far,” said CBMM Boatyard Manager Michael Gorman. “Things are really starting to come together.” The team is restoring the queen of CBMM’s fleet by replacing her nine-log hull. Built in 1889 by John B Harrison on Tilghman Island for Daniel W Haddaway, Edna Lockwood dredged for oysters

through winter, and carried freight – such as lumber, grain, and produce – after the dredging season ended. She worked faithfully for many owners, mainly out of Cambridge, Maryland, until she stopped ‘drudging’ in 1967. In 1973, Edna was donated to the museum by John R Kimberly. Recognized as the last working oyster boat of her kind, she was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1994. Edna is the last historic sailing bugeye in the world. Through spring 2017, the new log hull will be assembled and the original four frames present in the bugeye will be located and installed to reinforce the hull. It’s hoped to finish the restoration in 2018.

Top, shaped logs for the hull; above Edna in the snow as shipwrights and apprentices work

East Anglia gets Shipshape A large gathering of traditional (and notso-traditional) boatbuilders, sail-training charities and others met at Lowestoft’s Wherry Hotel at the invitation of National Historic Ships to celebrate the successful conclusion of Shipshape East Anglia’s initial project. Achievements of the two-year project include the restoration of motor launch Terrier as a water taxi for Lowestoft Harbour, a new sawmill, and the appointment of IBTC Lowestoft as the first Shipshape Hub. Eric Kentley, interim director of National Historic Ships paid tribute to the vision of his predecessor, the late Marytn Heighton, and introduced Francesco Marrella who will be guiding projects going forward. Future plans include a Martyn Heighton bursary scheme with two placements on boatbuilding courses for 18-25 year-olds.

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Signals: Association news Showcasing clubs and classes around the country – please send us your stories

Atalanta No. A1 to be restored Mike Dixon, newly elected commodore of the Atalanta Owners Association, has recently recovered the 1955 built Atalanta prototype, sail number A1, from an old tennis court in Essex and hopes to get her sailing in 2018. The Atalanta is an Uffa Fox designed lightweight 26ft hot moulded four-berth trailer sailer, and a larger 31ft version. The AOA was formed in1959 with the object of “keeping a register of all Atalanta owners and to further the interests of owners in cruising and racing”. Mike, who was elected at its AGM

in January, has a long history of restoring and cruising in wooden boats, including a 31ft Atalanta and a 26ft Titania. Also elected were Richard James as secretary and Nick Phillips as treasurer and webmaster. Jane Stearn, vice commodore and Trevor Thompson, editor & drawing master continue and former commodore Colin Twyford has joined the committee. There are several boats for sale, at very reasonable prices and these can be found on the AOA website – a new site atatalantaowners.org is currently under development,

Rival owners

The 2017 AGM of the Rival Owners’ Association took place at the Union Jack Club, Sandell Street, London on Saturday 7 January 2017, followed by the annual dinner. After dinner, Cdr Tim Winter spoke about the experiences of the 2016 Naval expedition sailing from the Falklands to Elephant Island and then to cross South Georgia, following Shackleton’s route. Some of the audience were shivering by the end of it!

Full summer ahead for OGA Wherever your location, whatever the rig or the size of your boat, the Old Gaffers Association welcomes all sailors and their families to its events. And there are plenty of them around our coasts. Our joy is to get together, get afloat and enjoy the watery ways of classic sailing. We are proud of the beauty of our boats, we organise friendly rallies and the odd race sniffing out those ports, creeks and bays less frequented. A waterside pub is never far away. Come and join us! Visit oga.org.uk or see calendar, page 97.

The distinctive rolled-deck Atalanta 26 – 186 hot-moulded hulls were produced by Fairey Marine between 1956 and 1968

and meanwhile visitors are being redirected to atalantaowners.ning.com. A typical price is around £5,000 though they vary widely according to condition,

from free (for an intriguing home-built version) to £14,000 which will get you an extensively and professionally restored Atalanta 26 on a threeaxle trailer. Richard James

Medway club visit If you have not visited the Medway Yacht Club at Lower Upnor on the north bank of the River Medway in Kent, then make a note to check it out sometime. The club has an impressive waterfront with lots of space for its fleet of yachts and dinghies and car parking as well as offices, teaching rooms and the clubhouse itself, set on a slope with commanding views up and down this ancient waterway. Pontoons give easy access to cruisers – there is an impressive fleet and a full racing calendar. There are fleets of Dragons, Squibs, Sonatas, Wayfarers, RS2000s, Cadets, RS Fevas, Lasers and

of course 17 Oppies! It makes for a busy and convivial atmosphere. The club runs various training programmes with RYA courses in sailing, safety boat driver and first aid days. CS attended as part of a visit by the Association of Yachting Historians and it was interesting to learn of the marine artist William Wyllie’s close connection with the MYC when he lived next door and developed a class of sailing punts in the late 1880s (see feature p56). A programme of the club’s events from 1900, when Wyllie was commodore hangs in the bar, as a reminder. Reasonable pint of beer and very good food too. A covered terrace gives some protection from either sun or rain as the spectacle of boats sailing on the Medway can be enjoyed a few miles downstream from historic Rochester

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The Post Email or post letters and replies to the editor – see opposite; we’ll make sure responses to queries are forwarded on. Sailfish – or Sandpiper

One of my fellow Sandpiper sailors here in Canada brought Classic Sailor, and your story about Dave Selby and his Sailfish (CS13) to my attention. Did you know that the Sailfish sailboat (England) is the older brother or sister to the Sandpiper 565 (Canada) and the newer Ockelbo OS19 (Sweden), the fixed keel version. All three craft were designed by the same person, Leonardo da Costa Sayago and all basically have the same hull design but with slightly different topsides. The Sandpiper 565 was originally built back in 1971 in Southampton England by Sandpiper Marine and possibly about 50 or so were built. Due to a dispute between the builder and designer Leonardo (who to this very day has not received his royalties of payment) production of the Sandpiper was quickly sold off to a Canadian Firm C & L Boatworks Waterhouse & May Limited, originally in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. Since 1974, CL Boatworks has made many of this fine craft starting from sail number 100, until up to year 1993. The current owners of CL Boatworks still perform repairs of the Sandpiper and build its line of CL sailboats. I’ve owned Sandpiper 565 hull/sail number 103 for 10 years now and enjoy sailing it in many different lakes and rivers each year. As it's trailable, I can enjoy towing and launching it all over the country to sail in new waters, especially at annual Sandpiper 565 Rendezvous. When not on the road, I buoy moor it at our local sailing club, where I help out as the Fleet Captain, and webmaster of www. AlgomaSailingClub.com. I do race my Sandpiper at the club for fun although it is slower due to its design, as it forces our family to get every

ounce of speed out of her to compete against the bigger boats. When my daughter crews on the bigger boats the skippers are surprised at what she can do. When Leonardo discovered my website about the Sandpiper 565, he flew here to Canada at our invitation for one of our annual Sandpiper 565 Rendezvous just to see the Sandpiper 565 sailboat that he designed. Leonardo has designed many other different types of sailboat and powerboats. He is currently designing aircraft at http:// aeromarine.eu and regularly sails his Ockelbo OS19 that was given to him by the builders. He has new sailboat designs on paper and one is the Sandpiper, if you know of any investors do let him know. All three sister/brother sailboat craft are on my website, sandpiper565.com, and if you have any new info please do contact me. Neil Trudel, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada

Pure Contessa!

Very good to have met you at the show on Saturday. We spoke briefly about Vim, my Contessa 26. I’ve attached a couple of images of her, a work in progress. She was built 1969 but has only spent four seasons in the water. The whole boat is a throw-back, never having been updated and I intend to keep her that way, at least visually (there might be some sexy new gear behind the scenes). She’ll be sailing at the beginning of the season, no engine and probably the purest Contessa out there. Roland Elworthy, via email

Where’s A’Bhirlinn now?

It would be wonderful to know what happened to A’Bhirlinn, a Dickies of Tarbert 1929 gaff-rigged yawl (sail No 17C). As a teenager my family was friends with the Scadlocks, Tom a Glasgow lawyer, Bunty his wife and their son Steven

It forces our family to get every ounce of speed out of her – when my daughter crews on bigger boats, the skippers are surprised at what she can do

Vim, Roland's unreconstructed Contessa 26 from 1969

who was at school with me, and not forgetting Rory a spaniel, an old sea dog. Tom bought A’Bhirlinn (Gaelic for galley, the rowing type). I sailed many years on her, many adventures and great times. Through the Crinan canal, Tobermory, the Mishnish Hotel,all the Outer and Inner Hebrides,the Gulf of Corryvreckan. We dropped the hook in so many beautiful anchorages. Great memories of yachts and their people. Its over 50 years since I last sailed on her. Hopefully she is sailing somewhere. Love to see her again. Had great adventures with Skipper Tom and Gordon’s Gin. David Sharp by email RNSA Memories I opened up the August/ September issue of Classic Sailor at page three and memories came flooding back when I saw the picture of a 14ft RNSA. Over 60 years ago I crewed for my brother, Geoff Quantrill, in the handicap class at the Pin Mill Sailing Club, racing a RNSA on the River Orwell. In those days Geoff worked for Austin Farrer at his boat-building yard at Woolverstone and lived at the Cat House nearby. On race days we sailed down river from where Woolverstone marina now sits and joined a selection of various classes of dinghies; I recall that not two boats were of the same class. There was a 14ft International, a Sword Fish, an Orwell One Design and two others very much like an Essex One Design and an 18ft Estuary One Design. At that time we all had something in common with Swallows and Amazons as nobody ever wore lifejackets. On one occasion, whilst racing, we were visited by a hurricane type wind coming straight down river. My brother quickly decided to run up onto the mud and drop sails, realising

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classicsailor.com

Letter of the month Sailing should be on the NHS!

In response to your editorial in the last issue in which you say that you look on “Tall Ships in terms of being good for our health and wellbeing,” my own thought is that we should look on the experiences we gain on almost any craft as being good for our health and wellbeing. Crazy as it may sound I think an NHS prescription for even just a one hour sailing or boating session per week would be far more effective in improving a person’s feelings of health and wellbeing than a bottle of pills or a potion from the local pharmacy. Through my work as a dinghy sailing instructor at an inner city water sports centre I meet and sail with a very wide cross section of people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and a common theme that comes across from them is that they find just being on the water just so relaxing and, yes, peaceful. For them it is a complete antidote to the stresses and strains of their busy lives and I firmly believe that we must all find time and make time to relax for the sake of our own health and wellbeing. what was about to happen. Sure enough the dinghies up river from us were soon turned over, floating like corks. We were then busy helping to rescue these crews as in those days no rescue boats were in attendance when we raced. Now aged 85 I still sail a dinghy at Waldringfield on the Deben River being an active member of the Waldringfield Sailing Club. Of course, nobody today would dream of sailing without a lifejacket. Roy Quantrill Waldringfield, Suffolk

Being on the water also presents everyone with new challenges and as an old sailing friend said to me ‘you never stop learning and if someone says they know everything about sailing then they are a liar!’ I don’t think we ever stop learning when we are on the water, – every day is learning day even for instructors and skippers! Sailing/boating is great in that it has few limits in terms of how far you can take it, we can do it independently or as a group and certainly the environment can be challenging but at end of the trip be it short or long we will always look back on it with fondness, a real sense of achievement and of a need to go back and do it again but this time maybe push our boundaries a bit further. You also mentioned about getting young people on the water and all I would ask is that parents/ carers and teachers provide the opportunity to get on the water, enable the young person to access that opportunity and give them encouragement to go ahead and try the sport out. But please if they don’t get things right the first or second or even third time don’t

Anchored in error

Classic Sailor is a good read - a unique mixture of articles in sailing magazines, but in the December/ January issue the anchoring article muddles the table about calculating the scope, with one about finding the minimum depth where you can anchor. The draught of the boat does not affect the scope, nor, in practice, does the fall in the tide to low water. Best wishes Gordon Davies

✉

harangue them! Everyone makes mistakes at some point! One of the groups that I often see on the water is a group of scouts and guides and they just go out and sail for fun and yes they capsize and fall in but they always have a laugh and quickly learn from their mistakes. One huge thing that youngsters can get out of being on the water is that of self confidence and self esteem and I have been told that the confidence of some of the youngsters that I have worked with has increased measurably both inside and outside their school. The prime reason being that they have found an activity that not only do they enjoy and that provides a challenge but is one that they realise that they have a real aptitude for. Brendan Roche, Liverpool

Write for some fizz Each month our letter of the month will be sent a bottle of de Bleuchamp Champagne

Gordon Davies kindly points out an error in Trevor Clifton's article on anchoring in issue 13. He is quite right: the ‘minimum depth in which to anchor’ table in column 3 on p70 is a repetition of the calculation in the previous paragraph inadvertently transposed from an earlier draft of the article. The only essential information required for calculating the amount of cable to veer is the depth at the time of anchoring. TC

7 Haslar Marina, Gosport, Hants. PO12 1NU admin@classicsailor.com Editor Dan Houston dan@classicsailor.com +44 (0)7747 612614 Art Editor Stephen Philp Sub Editor Peter Willis peter@classicsailor.com Contributing editor Guy Venables guy@classicsailor.com Columnists Andrew Bray, Federico Nardi Clubs and events liaison Oliver Houston oliver@classicsailor.com Advertising Ian Welsh ian@classicsailor.com +44 (0)7711 069544 Catherine Jackson catherine@classicsailor.com +44 (0)7495 404461 Admin Evie Farrelly evie@classicsailor.com Publishing director John Clarke Chairman David Walker Classic Sailor Ltd Published monthly-ish: ISSN 2059-0423 Subscriptions See our latest deal at classicsailor.com or call: + 44(0)1273 420730

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30th

Anniversary

The Tilley Endurables Falmouth Classics 2017

1987 - 2017

Fri 16th - Sun 18th June

A fun-filled weekend of classic sailing With a new Maritime Village, the Sea Shanty Festival, 30th Birthday celebrations and a special event to mark the 150th Anniversary of the Falmouth Lifeboat, this year’s event looks set to be bigger and better than ever!

Enter online at falmouthclassics.org.uk

@FalClassics /FalmouthClassics

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PHOTO: MIKE DOWNES

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29/01/17 10:34 AM

29/01/17 10:37 AM

Smylie’s boats

Classic Classic Coast Coast Penzance

Itchen Ferries Zulus The mighty

IF Penzance is the most westerly of the three great harbour towns of West Cornwall. It is less of a honeypot than St Ives and Falmouth, but it is at least as rewarding. For a start it gives you more elbow-room – it’s more spaciously laid out and Market Jew Street, with its raised pavements, is one By the time readthoroughfares this, the very of the finestyou main real possibility this imposing in the country,ofleading grandly structure tumbling into dome the sea uphill towards a huge may at least that have turnsbeen out averted, to be a bank – for another winter.for Unusually severe appropriately Penzance’s south-easterly stormsbusiness have pushed history is all about and coastal erosion s the trading of on tin.the ThSuff ere’solk ancoast’ Assay Orford within few feet House Ness downtonear thea waterfront. of the s foundations, Thelighthouse’ town is laid out around and members the Orfordness Mount’s Bay, of which means St Lighthouse Trust have been working Michael’s Mount is always in the flview. at outA to install ‘soft defences’ good introduction is –to bags shingle in sausages walkoffrom thewrapped station (main line of high-performance terminus) along pastgeo-textile the harbour, bonding – to keep the sea at bay (see conveniently nearby, then up the orfordnesslighthouse.co.uk). ancient Abbey Steps behind the Theharbour, 98ft lighthouse was built inner and work your in 1792 and decommissioned by way through clusters of Georgian Trinity in 2013, in view housesHouse to Chapel Street, thenofup the threat encroaching to see thefrom intriguing facadesea. of the It has already survived an attempt Egyptian House, or down to the by the National art-deco JubileeTrust, Poolwhich lido. owns the Ness, to impose a policy of ‘controlled ruination’ (ie let it fall down). The Lighthouse Trust aims to keep it standing, and open to visitors, ‘for as long as possible’. Visiting, on open days only, involves a short ferry trip and a 40-minute walk, each way, across the Ness. Dates for 2016 are still to be announced, and are dependent on the continuing stability and safety of the structure and its surrounds.

Its neighbour Newlyn also has a harbour, mainly devoted to industrial fishing, but with a small inner harbour where yachts can lie, and dry. It was from here that Pete Goss set sail for Australia in the Spirit of Mystery. To the east is the pretty village of Marazion (for which Market Jew is the English translation), Orford Ness itself is aown classic worth exploring in its right, example an ever-changing but oftenofignored in the rush to coastline. The long, causeway shifting spit cross the half-tide toof land that separates Ore St Michel’s Mount.the ThRiver e Mount fromhas theits seaown is quite capable of an also small harbour, closing thedestination river’s mouth forcing attractive forand yachts. a breakthrough higher up, where the river’s alternative name is the Alde. It’s mecca for connoisseurs of bleak, exposed seascapes (and WWII military detritus on Havergate Island). Access, by boat, is carefully restricted by the National Trust. A good everyday alternative on the nearby mainland is the equally bleak stony beach known as Shingle Street. Orford village has three pubs, including the Jolly Sailor down by the harbour; an excellent fish restaurant, the Butley Orford Oysterage, and the fine Pump Street bakery. Peter Willis

PHOTOS: PETER WILLIS

Orfordness Lighthouse

Top: Penzance; middle: Marazion Theand spiral staircase at Orfordness St Michael’s Mount; below: Lighthouse may still be climbed Newlyn Harbour by visitors

owned anrom Itchen onceIand have fondtomemories of her beached theFerry start here must admit being somewhat biased. alongsideWhy? the old Supermarine at Woolston, across the river Because it’s my shed opinion that the Zulu – which is of Itchen called though she vessel was no– was from Southampton. sometimes Pal referred to asshe thewas Moray Firth fishing pal of thethe newmightiest bridge they were building at the time.craft We.–Th me and my of all British sailing fishing e King of Pal that isthe – were the first to crash into one of pillars. Seaboats, so ones to speak, comparable to the thesupport very herring, This was the mostly down to two that darlings, the sails didn’t reallysought. fit the kings of the sea, facts: the silver that they boat and Argue the Stuart-Turner never throughout my time the point asengine much as youstarted want, you won’t persuade me. with boat. be It was, though, a great experience on ‘whyfor notcatching to buy Whatthe cannot disputed is that theylearning were perfected machines athese boat’herring . I often before wonderthe what happened to her. advent of steam and petrol/paraffin engines. Wonder was,comes in fact,from a fineScottish examplesympathy of an Itchen Builtof bySouth the great Th eir name forFerry. the Zulus Wonder, has been restored sails Dan Hatcher 1860, Africa duringinthe wars of the SU120, same name: the lovingly first vessel of theand type from Faversham. seeing hersoldiers a few years backScots during the Swalewere appeared in 1879.I remember It seems that many in the regiments Barge Match. Daniel Hatcher, known as King Dan to his being killed in a warGthat was considered an English act contemporaries, of aggravation was a very successful builder of yachts hisside Belvedere between 1845 (again!) and public opinion erred onatthe of the yard natives. and thus his working boatsthe were equally renowned forup their speed. Th1880 e oldand well-worn story is that Zulu, which was built to 80ft was necessarily was. there are Not that long, wasWonder a crossbreed between his thefastest, scaffiebut andspeedy the fifishe e, though e roots (and name) diffTh erent versions of how that came about. The one I prefer, albeit slightly of these craft came from the small fishing village of Itchen Ferry lying on the river Itchen in the eighteenth century. Small sprit-rigged clinker-boats worked off the beach, fishing out as far as the Isle of Wight. Their size grew as they trawled further away from their base. Consequently they adopted the gaff rig as many working fellows did. The boats were three-quarter decked with a small cuddy with two berths, a cupboard and coal stovewhen to a Lossiemouth family wanted a new boat, tongue in cheek, is that while away the hours the wife preferred thewhen fifie type and husband the scaffie so they combined not fi shing. Gaff-rigged the best features of both. The resultant vessel – Nonesuch – had the fifie with a long-boom the raking sternpost which was typical of the upright stem and over a heavily stern e. and scaffi Attwo 39ftheadsails, on the keel she was relatively small compared to later boats. some were as long 30fthuge in overhangs aft. Rigged with two massive These later craftashad length. Much of the catch dipping lugs like the fifie, the boats were renowned for their speed which was shrimps and oysters andherring back to market quick to get the best meant they could get their they raced home to descriptions land. price. Some of the by those who saw these spectacular craft In 1872, according the fiwere shingawe-inspiring registers, therevessels were 570 under sail suggest thattothey to second-class say the least. boats workingisthe Solent and another in Poole the boats were St Vincent a 1910-built smaller 61 Zulu, madewhere for herring drift ing, and similar. The design was widespread Southampton Water andthese the Violet , built in 1911,around is currently in the US. Both is still sailing. Solent– some beingthe referred to as Hythe fishing cutters. well-known boats are around 48ft mark, thus nowhere near asOther impressive as an builders were Unfortunately Alfred Payne and Fay,are both Northam,Zulus and Lukes, whose 80ft version! there nooffull-sized surviving today They yard about the spot as Research I kept Pal before sits as he an moved exhibittoinHamble. the Scottish afl oatwas although thesame 1903-built were mostly workedin byAnstruther, fishermen who the yacht-racing Fisheries Museum Fife.crewed Otherfor smaller half-Zulusfraternity (as during the regattacalled) season,and andZulu the fiskiff shermen toobeen raced aboard their own craft . they’ve become s have restored to sailing order. Blackvessel, Bess, CS32, Itchenan Ferries have been What incredible sightsurvivors: it would Freda be if, ,asCS110, a national a replica Nellie, SU71, see Zulu www.itchenferry.org as they adapted to engine full-sized 80ftbut -plus were built and for ablemore to sail around the coasts to power quite well and others lurk in way-out places. One day I’ll ask if represent Britain at the numerous maritime festivals. Instead wethem just get Pal hanging of Itchen.in the air stripped of knows whatever happened to my Cutty Sark aanyone concrete-encased throwback all dignity, an object to serve tourism, bereft of all integrity. A Zulu would change all that so bring on www.giveusazulu.org!

The roots (and name) What an incredible sightofit these wouldcraft be ifcame a full-size from the Zulu smallwere village Itchen Ferry, lying 80ft-plus builtof and able to sail around on the river Itchen inBritain the eighteenth century. the coasts to represent at maritime festivals CLASSIC SAILOR 17 CLASSIC

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Martha Primrose

50 ft Ashley Butler Mayflower Class Gaff Yawl 2012

£295,000 Lying UK

MARTHA PRIMROSE has already proven herself with cruises to the Med and back; fast, safe and comfortable – perhaps defining the term Modern Classic with her carvel planking, long keel and effortless charm. Ashley Butler’s designs are inspired by the ergonomics, form and function of the historic working craft of the British Isles. The simplicity, seaworthiness and speed follow their classic-yacht splendour of form, canvas under sail, and the quality of the materials and craftsmanship.

33 High Street, Poole BH15 1AB, England. Tel: + 44 (0)1202 330077 www.sandemanyachtcompany.co.uk email: info@sandemanyachtcompany.co.uk

MARTHA PRIMROSE CS 25.11.16.indd 1

25/11/2016 13:14

Andrew Bray What there is now is what I would call absolute forecasting... but keep watching the visual signs if you don’t want to get caught out

The rule of thumb used to be for those living in the UK that the further east you lived, the more accurate the forecast on the premise that it had shone, rained or blown on someone else before it arrived over you. Once in the open ocean you had no such luxury. And it was out sailing away from forecasting areas – and forecasts, come to that – that I learned more about meteorology than I had in many hours of shore-based study. In the open ocean the sailor experiences ‘pure’ weather in that it is unaffected by land masses. He

That forecasting app is one I didn’t believe, but the pitter patter on the coachroof was bang on time

or she only has the most basic tools, a barometer, sea and air temperature and the skills of the single observer forecaster. He or she will quickly learn that there is no such thing as a simple weather system, whether cyclone or anticyclone, but instead mini systems within bigger systems, maybe just a few miles across, that can affect the overall pattern. The observation of clouds, wind direction and a host of other signs, all add up as powerful tools in the forecaster’s armoury. Reeds used to have a useful section on single observer forecasting. It also told you about mackerel skies and mare’s tails, about the sea hog jumping and about the wind moving against the sun: archaic or just as useful today? The danger of having instant and accurate forecasts is that you start to believe them, which means that unless you’re also watching the visual signs, tapping the barometer if you want, one day you’re going to get badly caught out as I so nearly was.

GUY VENABLES

n mid-November I decided to go out for the final sail of the season. The plan was to sail for a couple of hours to air the sails, then to come back, strip them off and bag them up for the winter. As it happens, had I gone for a sail then not only would the sails have received a good airing, they would also have had a very powerful jet wash and blow dry. This was on 18 November and if you recall, this was the day of Angus, the first named storm of the year. Fortunately, the friend who was coming to sail with me and to give a hand removing the sails – which is not a simple matter with a gaff mainsail, was badly delayed in traffic. I say fortunately because by the time he arrived the previously autumnal blue sky was being blotted out by ominous black clouds, one almost forming a vortex over the harbour. Sailing was abandoned and before the deluge arrived we managed to flake and stow the mizzen; lower, flake and bag the jib, and, once freed off its multiple lashings, bundle the mainsail down below just seconds before the deluge arrived. And, as anyone who was on the South Coast on 18 November will tell you, arrive it did in no uncertain way. The point of this tale is to illustrate the way that forecasting, and nowcasting, has changed. You don’t have the uncertain isobar plotting from Shipping Forecasts, standing with your back to the wind to ascertain where the low pressure area is and you don’t have fishermen’s rhymes and warnings. What there is now is what I would call absolute forecasting. There’s even one app that will tell you exactly how long it’ll be before the rain arrives. That is one I didn’t believe until I tried it and you know what? The pitter patter on the coachroof was bang on time. On 18 November, because the weather was looking uncertain, I checked the early morning forecasts. I normally check three of them, myweather2, XC Weather and the Met Office land and sea forecasts, whilst for nowcasting I check Chimet, which gives conditions on Chichester Bar, at Camber and at a few other locations. On that morning two of the three, XC and Met Office showed a window of good weather for a few hours in the morning and early afternoon. Only myweather2 indicated that it might be otherwise. By mid morning all three conspired to agree by which time, had I been sailing, things would, as they say, have been getting interesting. How lucky we are today to have so many sources of reliable marine weather forecasting. Even in mid-ocean, if you have Iridium or other satellite communications systems you can download grib files to give you good synoptic data and weather information which can be useful, if not vital for strategic passage planning. It wasn’t always so.

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Lodestar Your kind of boat?

Books Your kind of book!

New and Neglected Nautical Writing Visit us at lodestarbooks.com CLASSIC SAILOR 20

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29/01/17 11:49 AM

Nardi’s Nods

by Federico Nardi of Cantiere Navale dell’Argentario

Halcyon 27 Want some halcyon days out sailing? Look out for one of these offshore beauties for a great seaworthy boat to restore

owards the end of the 1960s GRP forcefully entered the yachting scene. Many yacht designers began to use this new material and the new hulls were often the same shape as the traditional designs built of wood. During this period Alan Buchanan was based in Burnham-on-Crouch; his design of the Halcyon 27 was commissioned by the Offshore Yachting Ltd. shipyard in Royston. Between 1968 and 1975 (when a fire destroyed the yard) approximately 200 were built. The Halcyon 27 is a good sailer; she is safe, comfortable and easily driven. The full keel with its internal ballast makes her easy to keep on course. The single spreader mast is mounted on the cabin top and the masthead rig is generously sized, very simple and well balanced. The boat is a pleasure to sail in all weathers, above all when a good sea is running. The deck is uncluttered and the rational layout of the sheets and halyards make her easy to sail solo. She is very attractive and robust, and was certified by Lloyds. The cockpit coamings are properly done in teak as are the other exterior finishings; the after part of the cabin top is higher to give standing headroom below. Interiors are simple and nicely finished with ample storage for four. Headroom for the v-berth forward is quite low, but it is a small price to pay for the seaworthy beauty of her lines. Quite a few are for sale now with prices from £4,500 to £7,000.

Great sea-keeping abilities are a strength of the Halcyon 27 which is going to be 50 next year. An owners’ association can be contacted at www.oycoa.org.uk

TRANSLATION BY JAMES ROBINSON TAYLOR

HALCYON 27 LOA 27ft (8.23m) LWL 20ft 3in (6.17m) Beam 7ft 8in (2.34m) Draught 4ft (1.2m) Ballast 3,000 lbs/1361kg Sail area: 290sqft/26.9m2

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Announcing the 7th Biennial

CLASSIC CHANNEL REGATTA 2017

DARTMOUTH • ST PETER PORT • PAIMPOL

JULY 8TH-14TH 2017 Bringing together an international fleet of classic yachts and their crews for a week of friendly competition and informal social events, the Classic Channel Regatta has an established reputation for a week of highly enjoyable classic sailing. Three of the finest ports in the English Channel provide the perfect backdrop for a unique and varied series of races. Two days of racing off Dartmouth, then the Classic Channel Race from Dartmouth to Paimpol - this year with a stopover in Guernsey - are followed by the Round Ilê de Bréhat Race, a night in Lezardrieux and a grande finale in Paimpol as a central part of the town’s Bastille Day celebrations. Classic yachts designed before 1974 and those built more recently in classic style are welcome. Racing will be to the JCH Classic Handicap which is free.

We invite you to join us in 2017 to experience everything that makes the Classic Channel Regatta such an enjoyable event.

For full information and to pre-register, visit www.classic-channel-regatta.eu

The Classic Channel Regatta is run in association with the Yacht Club Classique and the Royal Dart Yacht Club, and is part of the Challenge Classique Manche-Atlantique. Photograph credit

Instructors’ tales: Freckles at sea

or many years I used to provide an annual weekend corporate sailing event in the Solent for a large, Yorkshire-based, construction company. We usually took out three Bavaria 38 yachts, and, with me as lead skipper, the crew consisted of the directors, senior site managers, and directors of several sub-contracting firms; all successful, hard-working people. Sailing experience was generally restricted to this weekend once a year, but I was assured that businesswise the event was a great success. With a Friday evening dinner in Portsmouth, a large early Saturday morning fry up – a real builder’s breakfast – and supplies of packaged sandwiches, crisps, pies and other goodies on board for lunch, the scene was set for a day out in the Solent, with a Saturday evening meal booked in a nice restaurant in Cowes. Once out of Portsmouth Harbour we headed west on starboard tack, in a pleasant north-north westerly breeze. It was around lunchtime. I was on the helm, with some of the crew on deck enjoying the air, others below deck discussing business. Suddenly one of them emerged up the companionway looking a little pale. “I need to be sick,” he explained to me. Seasickness, or over

Suddenly our friend emerged from the companion again and this time clambered ‘uphill’ ...

indulgence? I’m not sure – probably a combination of both. He did have a reputation among his peers though for ‘eating all the pies’. I directed him to the port quarter. “Over the side, there,” I said. With another crew member tasked to hang on to the back of his lifejacket, the contents of his stomach were promptly discharged overboard and without further ado disappeared downwind. He grimly wiped his chin, then hurriedly returned below decks to carry on where he had left off. Phew! I thought, at least he has the common sense to come up on deck in time and tell me. The usual Saturday evening meal was had in Cowes, and a local café was sought to provide 15 Sunday morning fry ups, before a sail back to Portsmouth and the long journey home.

A little more subdued this morning, the crew however demolished the breakfasts and prepared the boat for sailing. We had been blessed with the weather this weekend. The wind had veered a little to a stiff Northerly and the sun was shining. Once out of the Medina River we bore away East on port tack. After an hour or so we were about to round Gillkicker Point and head down the swashway towards Portsmouth. I was full of the joys of spring. Another successful weekend and all was well. Suddenly our friend emerged from the companion way again. This time there were no words spoken. For that split second I wondered what was happening. But in that moment he clambered ‘uphill’ to the port quarter and was promptly sick again.

This time he, and all the rest of us on deck, were spattered with the remains of his ‘great British fry up’, and quite a bit more besides; some people suddenly acquired a face full of freckles. “What do you think you’re doing?” I exclaimed. A stupid question really, as it was blatantly obvious and the evidence was all over the cockpit and its occupants. “Well, you told me that was the sick corner,” he said, looking green and miserable. “But that was yesterday,” I cried, trying to wipe down my Musto jacket and not appear too frustrated. “We are on a different tack now!” He was not feeling too good and looked at me as if I was speaking a foreign language. I got the feeling his trust and faith in me were faltering. There was not much more to be said. We all grimly tried to clean up the mess and were fortunately soon back in the marina with a good supply of fresh water. Upon reflection I can see it was my fault. I had advised him the day before, but never thought to explain the reasoning behind my advice, the fact that he needed to be facing downwind! He had taken the advice literally and on trust. Used to making decisions and taking responsibility, he thought he was being helpful by using his initiative the next day. I find my instructions in such situations are now a little more detailed, even if it is after the event. I’m a great believer that ‘one never stops learning’.

Richard Howell is a Yachtmaster Examiner and Instructor, as well as a Professional Yacht Delivery Skipper. He is the Principal of ‘Howellsail’, an RYA Shorebased Training School.

GUY VENABLES

In which Richard Howell discovers that students don’t always understand why you should jettison cargo to leeward…

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Taking the right turn

How sailing round the British isles with Turn to Starboard helped former Royal Marine Dan Fielding find a new purpose for his life

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ROUND BRITAIN CHALLENGE

fter he had been medically discharged from the Royal Marines in 2008, Dan Fielding was reaching the depths of despair. “I just wasn’t sure what to do with my life and I just drifted around. It wasn’t long before I started having real problems with my mental health and ended up in treatment,” says Dan, 36. An advisor from the Royal Marines suggested he contact Turn to Starboard, a sailing organisation based in Falmouth in Cornwall.

“Although I had been sailing a couple of times before, my knowledge was limited and I had no sailing qualifications, but I went along for a chat,” says Dan. “When I arrived all the team were really friendly and encouraging so I ended up signing up for the charity’s Zero to Hero programme. The 16-week course is free and designed to build confidence and teach military veterans how to sail. It covered sail training, engine maintenance and first aid, along with navigation and VHF radio operation. I found that sailing is similar to the ethos of Armed Forces

life in that it needs everyone to work as a team, so I kind of felt at home.” Seven months later Dan was awarded his Yachtmaster and Cruising Instructor qualification and stayed on with the charity as a full-time volunteer. In recognition of his achievement, father-of-two Dan was asked to take part as First Mate in a 2,000-mile sailing expedition around the British Isles. He joined 38 other veterans – many with little or no sailing experience – on the Turn to Starboard Round Britain Challenge to raise awareness of the challenges veterans CLASSIC SAILOR

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can face after they have left the military. The 8-week voyage set sail from Falmouth in June on the Spirit of Falmouth, a 92ft (28m) gaff-rigged schooner donated to the charity by The Prince’s Trust. Nine of the 38 veterans sailed the whole expedition whilst the rest joined for shorter sections of the voyage. The schooner was also joined by two support yachts along with a documentary film crew. “The main aim of the Round Britain Challenge is to help participants re-engage, reintegrate and gain new skills,” explains Dan. “Many of the crew, both male and female, have overcome significant challenges of their own since leaving the military, with some showing tremendous courage just to get on the water. Some people took part to gain sailing miles as part of their training for Yachtmaster qualifications, whereas others set themselves a

personal challenge as they battle with their own issues after Service life. The trip was planned to help the crew readjust by spending time in the company of those who have experienced similar conditions.” On June 1, the crew set sail from Falmouth heading in an anti-clockwise direction around the UK. “We had a big send-off with lots of supporters and a brass band on the quay. It felt great and we all had a high expectations of the journey ahead,” says Dan.

I found that sailing is similar to the ethos of Armed Forces life in that it needs everyone to work as a team, so I kind of felt at home

However, within a few hours the crew ran into their first major challenge. “Less than six miles from Falmouth the schooner suffered a mechanical problem and we had to be towed back to the harbour under the cover of darkness. After inspecting the engine we found the top end needed rebuilding, which ended up taking us nine days. It was a difficult task and I felt really disheartened for the guys that this has happened so early on, but we kept reminding ourselves this was meant to be a challenge and things don’t always go to plan when you’re on the water.” Once the repairs were completed the boats continued on their journey along the south coast. However, two days later the crew ran into yet another problem. “After a fantastic sail along the south coast the bearings in the gearbox went as we sailed

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ROUND BRITAIN CHALLENGE

Left: Spirit of Falmouth; Inset: The Round Britain Challenge crew Right: The route

XWick

Cape Wrath Lewis

Oban

Newcastle

Liverpool

Isles of Scilly

past the Isle of Wight. This time there was no chance of fixing it with the kit we had on board so we had to spend another nine days in Yarmouth waiting for a replacement gearbox to arrive from Norway. By now the crew were deflated, not because of the gearbox but because we had we had nothing to do but sit around and wait. Also, our expedition sponsor, International Paint, had arranged a big meet and greet event for us in Newcastle for the following week and we wanted to reach them on time.” Once the gearbox arrived and was fitted, the crew set off on a 450-mile haul straight to Newcastle. “The journey was a slog because there was little wind so we had to power most of the way there under engine. We split into three watches of three people working three hours on, three hours off followed by three hours standby. A few days later we arrived in Newcastle, a week late for

the sponsor’s planned event. However, the guys from International Paint were fantastic and had rearranged everything and welcomed us with open arms.” After spending two days at Newcastle, the three boats set sail to Wick on the East coast of Scotland. “When we arrived at Wick there were lots of local people waiting to meet us. Even though it’s a small place they had heard about our expedition and couldn’t do enough to help us out. Someone

The harbourmaster told us to ignore our books and head straight for Lowther Rock. We were unsure but took his advice

Falmouth

had ordered us diesel and other people helped us to fill the water tanks while others chatted to the crew. It was great to have another warm welcome and engage with people to explain what the expedition was all about.” For the next part of the voyage from Wick to The Orkney Islands, Dan and the crew took advice from the local harbourmaster before crossing the Pentland Firth. “The harbourmaster told us to ignore our books and head straight for Lother Rock. We were unsure but took his advice. All the while we were heading further and further away from Orkney and were convinced the advice was incorrect and we were making a mistake. A storm was also on our heels, which added to the tension but we held our breath and our course. As the rock quickly approached our hearts were in our mouths, but at the last moment a back eddy CLASSIC SAILOR

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I found certain crew members needed to be in the right role with the right assistance in place suddenly swung us round and slid us towards the Orkneys at a speed of around seven knots. It was absolutely fantastic and confirmed the value of listening to experts with local knowledge.” To celebrate reaching their half-way point, the schooner moored off Orkney and prepared a surprise for the support yachts that were sailing close behind. “Once the support yachts came within range we sent a barrage of biodegradable water bombs onto their deck. However they had anticipated our attack and retaliated with a slingshot of their own and soaked us in return.” After an overnight stop at Stornoway, celebrations subsided as the schooner suffered more mechanical issues while leaving port. A hydraulic drive attached to the gearbox had stopped working, meaning the crew had to head back to the harbour. “By now we were a well rehearsed crew and soon had the sails up,” says Dan. “We headed back into Stornoway, completed the repairs and set off again the next morning.” Next stop was the Isle of Lewis, heading around the most northwesterly corner of mainland Britain – Cape Wrath. “Just the name Cape Wrath sounds terrifying,” laughs Dan, “but it turned out to be crystal clear and was like sailing on glass. There was so little wind we had to switch to engine yet again, but the view was idyllic with plenty of porpoises, dolphins and whales to be seen.” By now the expedition was back on schedule and Dan noticed his navigation confidence was beginning to grow. “I could feel navigating at sea was beginning to come naturally without a lengthy thought process, and I had also started to take more of a back seat overseeing the crew who were now in a well-drilled routine. In the military your priorities are your weapon, your kit and then yourself, and most of us had applied these principles in a similar way – our boat, our kit and then ourselves. I also noticed the crew had begun to take ownership of certain tasks on deck. Watching these individuals blossom felt good and I could see everyone’s confidence growing each day.” In addition to the responsibility of acting as First Mate, Dan was also charged with overseeing the crew’s health and well-being. “With physical and mental injuries people obviously have different needs. Throughout the trip I found that I needed to ensure certain crew members needed to be in the right role with the right assistance in place, to best suit their own injury or needs.” After a short stop on the Isle of Lewis, the vessels sailed on to Oban on the west coast of Scotland before heading to the Isle of Islay. “At Islay we had another warm welcome and a few of our crew stretched their legs with a trip to the local

whisky distillery. After that we sailed to the Isle of Man where some people disembarked to take a cycle ride around the famous TT race track.” Next the Spirit of Falmouth headed to Liverpool to star in a new exhibition, ‘In Safe Hands’, at the Merseyside Maritime Museum celebrating 250 years of the Pilotage Service. The Spirit of Falmouth was built in Liverpool in the style of pilot schooners during the 1980s, so it was great to return to the place where she was built,” says Dan. “We berthed outside the museum and held

I noticed the crew had begun to take ownership of certain tasks on deck. I could see everyone’s confidence growing day by day

guided tours of the boat for the public. People from the press arrived for interviews and we featured on BBC TV that night which was great.” It was here that Dan had to leave the Spirit of Falmouth and move to one of the support yachts. A family emergency had meant the skipper had to leave the expedition and Dan was asked to join as First Mate. “Although I was disappointed to leave Spirit it was a bittersweet feeling because the support boat, a Rustler 42, was beautiful to sail. It felt smooth and graceful on the water, and easily picked up the wind.” From Liverpool, the Spirit of Falmouth headed out into the Irish Sea while Dan and the support boats hugged the west coast round to Milford Haven in Wales. “A few of the crew weren’t feeling too well so we stayed close to shore just in case they needed to get back on shore.

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Spirit of Falmouth 1985 LOA: 71ft 4in (21.7m) Beam: 16ft 9in (5.1m) Draught: 11ft (3.4m)

Left: Dan with chart, in the engine and at home on the bowsprit. Opposite page: Contrasting anchorages – Gateshead, and a peaceful rural spot Below right: Princess Anne with Turn to Starboard’s CEO Shaun Pascoe

From Milford Haven we headed to Penzance and waited for Spirit while she sailed to the Scilly Isles for a three-day stopover as previously planned. By now we were less than 30 miles from the finish line and we were feeling a great sense of achievement for getting this far.” The three vessels eventually reunited at the Helford River, just a few miles short of the finish line and one day ahead of the planned schedule. “The last short leg was a beautiful beam reach to Falmouth and it was a fantastic sail in brilliant sunshine. We were circling Spirit and the crews were laughing and joking and excited to be almost home. When we reached Falmouth Harbour the welcome was overwhelming with crowds of well-wishers on the quay. I’ve travelled the world but never been welcomed home before. It felt heart-warming to be part of a bigger team. “As we approached the harbour smaller boats

came out to meet us, blowing their horns and waving hello. It was a great feeling and it felt like a huge achievement, not only for reaching the finish line but also as a huge milestone in my own personal journey with Turn to Starboard. Although I had passed my Yachtmaster exam, I felt like I had put my trade into practice and I was finally a competent sailor. What I also remember is the happy faces of the crew, many of who may not have smiled liked that since leaving the military. They had achieved something remarkable and that alone made the whole voyage worthwhile.” Looking back on the trip, Dan felt the expedition helped him regain his confidence and rebuild his life. “On reflection the voyage showed me that I had become a professional sailor and people had depended on my leadership skills. The expedition has shown me that I can achieve results outside of

The voyage showed me that I had become a professional sailor and people depended on me the military and now have a new career to focus on. Although I still have plenty to learn I’m in a good place and looking forward to what the future holds.” Since returning home Dan has splashed out and purchased a 7-year-old Petrel 30, which he now lives aboard at the local marina. He was also offered a permanent job with the charity as a sailing instructor, helping to pass on his skills to veterans in similar situations. “I was over the moon when I was offered the job full time,” he says. “Not only did the course help me to rebuild my confidence, I felt like I was finally starting to fit in to civilian life. When I was a Royal Marine I was at the top of my game, I knew what I was doing and felt valued, but when I was discharged it felt like I wasn’t any use to any one. Now I’m up there at the top again and the charity has helped me to learn new skills, forge new friendships and experience adventure. I feel very grateful for the opportunity and pleased I got in touch.” About Turn to Starboard Turn to Starboard is a charity using sail training to support Armed Forces personnel affected by military operations. It was created from the personal experiences of its founder, Squadron Leader (retired) Shaun Pascoe. A keen sailor, he had noticed the calming effects of the sea and began providing sailing opportunities for others. In 2012 he set up the charity to help those in similar situations. “There is something really quite special about sailing,” says Shaun. “It can provide a therapeutic and calming effect and when you’re out at sea there is nothing to trigger the unwelcome memories that are associated with past traumatic experiences.” The charity’s support does not just stop at the individual. They also offer skippered sailing trips to Service families affected by military operations, with trips along the picturesque Cornish coast and to the Isles of Scilly. To find out more, call 01326 314262 or visit www.turntostarboard.co.uk for training opportunities.

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DEFIANCE AND SCALLOWAY

Bob Cooke built his own ferro cement boat and lost it in the Azores. Now he sails the Atlantic in a 22-footer, as he told Mervyn Maggs

itting in Ramsgate harbour waiting for a brisk NW wind to drop before crossing the Thames Estuary, I noticed a small gaffer turn into the next berth. I offered to help with the lines and in no time she was berthed comfortably. The normal conversation when greeting a boat and its owner ensued. Where you from? The reply was up the south coast and the Caribbean. I blinked and took in the size of the boat, 22ft over the deck, ferro cement Percy Dalton Falmouth oyster dredger. To my delight Robert Cooke invited me on board for a cup of tea. Stepping on board and casting my eye over the deck and gear, I looked at the boat with wonder. The first thing to catch my eye was the mast that showed heavy areas of wear from the gaff jaw, finishing low down. I asked Robert what sort of passage heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d had. He told me that it started with two days SW, four days out on the outward bound voyage, with 45 knots or more on the nose in the Bay of Biscay â&#x20AC;&#x201C; worst in years, this was despite a forecast of nothing over force 3 for six days. Bob also had winds of up to 50 knots for 20 days mostly head winds, including six days of NE in Dominica.

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DEFIANCE

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SCALLOWAY

“She turned out to be an excellent sea boat, very dry. In four Atlantic crossings she only had one wave land on her. Gaff rig, so easy to reef”

Defiance, above, on the River Stour in Essex Album snaps, frm left: Mid-Atlantic, blowing hard; Vieux Fort, St Lucia, with the Pitons; Defiance (nearest on right) at anchor, Deshaies, Guadeloupe March 2015

Defiance looked well used, showing wear on nearly every block and fairlead. Bob also made clear that life raft and stanchions were part of the kit he wanted to sail with, casting aside the aesthetics in favour of safety, also muttering something about going over the side at one point! Stepping in to the cabin was pure delight with its red velour upholstery and cushions. The comfort of a stove neatly in one corner and navigation station with instruments in the other, the cabin also gave me standing room and a great sense of comfort and well being. To have survived so beautifully considering its close proximity to the elements, it was Bob’s floating home! Defiance had looked after him and did not cause any concern, although perhaps a low point was when his treasured Sestral grid compass was carried off. This was three days out of Bermuda heading to the Azores – the wind was force 7 to 8, as verified by a container ship he called up on the radio. Bob was below reading a book when it suddenly went dark, as a breaking wave landed on top of the boat and flooded the cockpit. The compass was torn out of its mounting bracket and retained by King Neptune! It took two hours to pump the boat dry by hand, because his electric pump had failed as usual. For the rest of the voyage a hand-bearing compass would have to do despite its proximity to the hull causing 10º of deviation. This was not the first crossing and Bob has logged 50,000 miles in all, including 25,000 miles on Defiance, but this was the only time the sea ever entered Defiance’s cockpit. His interest in sailing started when he was 14. Defiance, his third boat came along in 2010 – “I bought her to play with until something bigger came up.” As part of a bet he was challenged that he could not sail her to the Caribbean, so off he went again and has since done two Atlantic circuits. Says Bob: “She turned out to be an excellent sea boat, very dry. In four Atlantic crossings she only had one wave land on her. Gaff rig, so easy to reef – I don’t have to put her into the wind. I added another row of reef points almost to the gaff jaws, keel stepped mast so I can’t lose it. Can’t get thrown about inside in rough weather and cheap to maintain on a low budget. I did the trips for about £8,000 a year, that includes about £2,000 for wear and tear and maintenance, and had a good time.” Now he is resting in Walton on the Naze, Essex, and planning his next voyage.

The loss of Scalloway Bob Cooke’s own story I was a teenager sitting in a dentist’s waiting room reading in a copy of PBO an article by Paul Johnson on building a 27ft Venus double-ender he designed himself. There was also an article about sailing to the Caribbean. I had never been on a boat but I knew it was what I wanted to do. I spent the next few years learning to sail in dinghies, then in my 20s I bought a Yachting World Rambler and survived a few seasons sailing it with my girlfriend on the Crouch. Then my first big trip, Crouch to the Blackwater, but as I hadn’t learned about charts or pilot books, the trip was pretty much a disaster, continually running aground. I didn’t know how to reef, or even that you could, so sailed to Burnham continually broaching. I dropped the anchor at Burnham below the moorings, went to pull up the centre plate but the plate was L-shaped and jammed down. I went to sleep as it was about midnight. I woke up the next morning, it was pouring down and I had dried out with the bow sticking up about 30º because of the centreplate. A pretty double ender anchored close by, and that evening the owner invited us onboard. Wow, a coal stove was roaring away, we brought our sleeping bags on board and dried them out while we drank a few bottles of wine. The boat was a ferro Colin Archer which the owner had built himself. After asking lots of questions about the boat and building in ferro I mentioned my dream to have a Venus. Mick said he knew of one at Maldon, Stonechat built of ferro. He also told us about Brandy Hole Yacht Club where he’d built Skua. The next day we sailed to Brandy Hole and hauled the boat out. We then went to look at Stonechat and it was love at first sight. I contacted Paul Johnson, bought the plans and spent the next two and a half years building Scalloway in ferro. I sailed Scalloway locally for a few years, did courses, learned to sail a bit better, joined the Old Gaffers and really enjoyed the next few years. By 1984 I was ready to cross the Atlantic. Over the next few months I prepared the boat for a long trip, bought a sextant, advertised for crew and left the following year. After an eventful trip to the Caribbean CLASSIC SAILOR

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SCALLOWAY

which included having a crew member go crazy half way across and having to tie him to the mast – but that’s another story – I left Puerto Rico to sail home alone. Fairly uneventful until close to the Azores when I hit the worst storm I have ever been in. I was reaching with just a small staysail when that blew out. It was too windy to go on deck so I left the boat to fend for herself. During the next 24 hours the wind kept increasing until almost every wave was breaking over the boat. Then disaster, the forehatch tore off. I then had to continually bail with a bucket until I was so tired I slept. When I awoke the water was over the bunks but the wind had eased off a bit, seas weren’t breaking now. It took me half a day to bail the boat out. Everything was soaked so I stripped to my oilies. I hadn’t seen the sun for a few days so wasn’t sure where I was. Fortunately I got an RDF fix off the Azores which gave me a rough direction – range of beacon as I remember was about 400 miles. The following morning I sighted Flores – that rose my spirits a bit but I decided not to stop there; the harbour was not too safe with quite a sea still running. I sailed on to Faiail, which I spotted the following night as it was getting dark. I was still tired and cold. I had tried the engine, it wouldn’t start, I think water was up the exhaust, so I decided to hove to and get some sleep before I approached the island. I must have been closer than I thought

or there was a strong current or both, but I woke with a start to a strange whooshing noise outside and the boat was getting thrown sideways. When I looked out my heart stopped. There were black rocks all around me and in front a few hundred yards away a huge black cliff. It was a lee shore, the swell was pushing me towards the cliffs, there was nothing I could do. She was being picked up by the swell at least 30ft then she dropped onto a rock. I was on the ladder looking out of the hatch. The force threw me onto the sole. I looked around – no water coming in, no holes, but it was obvious I could do nothing. She hit three times. The third time a rock came through the hull by the galley and water poured in. I was sitting on the sole just staring, then I think adrenalin kicked in. I was on deck, it was shallow and the boat was being pushed up the beach. She was holed by the bow now and it snapped off. Water was just running through her. I knew I had to get off and away from her before she hit the cliffs or I would be crushed. I couldn’t just jump off or she would land on me, so I climbed the mast and when she rolled on her side I jumped and wedged myself between two rocks while the swell threw the boat over me. It was difficult to hold on because the rocks were slippery but I managed to follow the boat up the beach. Then more problems, the cliff was probably about 300 feet high, volcanic

“She hit three times. The third time a rock came through the hull and water poured in. I was sitting on the floor just staring, then I think adrenalin kicked in”

Defiance on the River Stour, 2016. When Bob first met her she was called Tardis, ferro-hulled, built in the 1970s and scarcely used.

ash; very crumbly, I could only climb it by digging handholds. As I climbed the sun came up and it became very hot, I was really thirsty. The only things I had left were my Henri Lloyd oilies – very expensive but I couldn’t climb in them so I had to take them off and throw them. I’d hit the rocks about 7am and got to the top of the cliff about 3pm stark naked. I had absolutely nothing, not even a fag (I still smoked then). I was totally exhausted, laid there for a while glad to still be alive. After I recovered I went looking or help. I was walking through a field and saw a guy working, and smoking. I ran towards him but he ran away. I was too tired to run far – I also forgot I was naked, possibly why he ran. I carried on. Eventually I came to a house. I knocked and the guy I chased answered along with his dad. They invited me in, found me some clothes gave me some water. I tried some food but my throat was swollen, then a cigarette, that was heaven. Eventually the coastguard arrived and took me into Horta. I later learned that was a dangerous part of the coast as it continually erodes and falls into the sea. Over the next few days customs and the coastguard had a whipround, gave me some money and took me for a meal, and to meet a BBC reporter for an interview. When this was shown on TV every hotel in Horta offered me a room. I had lost my passport so couldn’t leave for a few weeks. Eventually everything was sorted out and a boat gave me a lift back to England. When I got back I went back to work and moved into a shed and built another boat, a Maurice Griffiths design, Lapwing, from his book Dream Ships, a wooden design that I built in ferro and called Orinoco.

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CLUB CLASSICS

One good design d The Royal Corinthian One Design (RCOD) began as a riposte to its neighouring

acht racing is all about One Design these days – from the America’s Cup down, but in 1895 the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, based back then in Erith on the Kent shore of the Thames, was breaking new ground with the introduction of the Dabchick, a 20ft bermudan-rigged keelboat. After 20 boats, built at a cost of £42.14, it only lasted two years before disappearing off the club’s match books, maybe because it was a bit unstable and kept on capsizing at the hands of novices. Its successor class, the Royal Corinthian One Design (RCOD), based in Burnham-on-Crouch rather than the Victorian base of Erith and the Medway, has lasted considerably longer. Eightytwo years and still counting, and the RCOD still giving its owners the “splendid sport” which is

how its class captain enthusiastically described the inaugural race in the Crouch in 1935. There have been a few ups and downs in that passage, with the hurricane in 1987 nearly sinking the whole fleet literally and metaphorically, and a low point of just two boats in the 1990s, but celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the class a couple of years ago, and increasing inroads of new blood into the fleet, produced 11 of these old girls on the water. Slowly, but surely, the fleet is creeping back to its full complement of 17, with five waiting behind the club’s old squash courts for restoration to begin. Of course it would be nice if all five could hit the water for the 85th anniversary, and the welcoming class captain, Barry Lewis, would engineer it that anyone who is interested in joining the RCOD is made welcome, and would be given

the greatest opportunity to get addicted to what he describes as miniature J Class yachts. But as the other owners of the boats concur, it is the flexibility of the boats that makes them a real joy. Although there is fiercely close racing on the water, the classics have moved moderately with the times, allowing spinnakers, metal spars, and electric pumps, and certain tweaking of the runners and foresail trim. However, it is a day boat for all occasions. Class stalwart John Heathfield, who bought his first 22ft three-quarter decked carvel RCOD unseen after a boozy lunch in a pub in Chigwell, has raced variously as a singlehander, usually with two to three crew, but one Burnham Week had a case of overcrowding with nine crew. Unable to sail after a stroke, but still active in fundraising to continue the restoration programme of the

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ROYAL CORINTHIAN ONE DESIGN

n deserves another

rival the Royal Burnham. Now both are thriving, reports William Loram

Some early photos of RCODs. On the far right of the right-hand photo the clubhouse is visible behind the sail

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CLUB CLASSICS

Molo que ea non nem et omnia quam, ommodi doluptas nus, cusande sant. Ceped everchil eum que praecullore

Royal Corinthian One Design Length 22ft 6in Beam 6ft 1in Draught 3ft 6in

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ROYAL CORINTHIAN ONE DESIGN All the RCOD boats have names beginnig Cor... this is Cormorant; below, showing her modern configuration

surviving yachts, John has owned three of the fleet at different stages of his life. And although the 96-year-old Club Admiral Bobby Melville was the class legend who raced and won in his RCOD Corinna into his 95th year, John is the class saviour, who made it his mission to bring back these good looking mahogany on oak classics from its low point of two, to the present double figures. The fund-raising for restorations helps to add cement to an already friendly class. A restoration can cost up to £30,000, but the purchase price can be a fraction of that to an owner who is prepared to act as guardian – in the same way as heirs to stately piles – to love, race, and keep in good order, where suitability rather than money pile is more important. So let’s start at the beginning, and set the scene for the birth of the enduring RCODs. To set that scene, Burnham-on-Crouch by the 1930s is well established as the Cowes of the East Coast, with Burnham Week the last big regatta of the season before laying up. The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club has moved its HQ from the Medway to Burnham, and the club is racing a number of

Charles Melville waits for wind on Corinna, which his father raced until he was 95

yacht classes. In 1931 its award-winning new club house was opened. Designed by Joseph Emberton, the building was considered a masterpiece and won a number of architecture awards including the architecture medal and represented Britain’s contribution to the International Exhibition of Modern Architecture held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1932. Catching up with the other clubs at Burnham in having their own one design class, the Royal Corinthian’s legendary commodore ‘Tiny’ Mitch-

Barry Lewis, class captain, left, and, right, the ‘saviour’ of the Royal Corinthian One Designs John Heathfield

ell gave the impetus to the creation of a smaller and cheaper to maintain class than the GU Laws designed 30ft East Coast One Design (ECOD). This was in 1934, and the fallout from the Wall Street Crash was still hitting the economy hard. The fact that the building of the fleet would give jobs to hard-pressed boatbuilders and the town was a big plus point for many of the new owners. The designer Harry Smith also ran the Burnham Yacht Building Company, and built the majority of the fleet, with other RCODs being built by King and Sons on the south bank of the Crouch opposite Burnham, and a couple more by Oliver Stone, the barge builder in Brightlingsea up the Essex coast. At the Burnham Yacht Building Company everything was done on site in the making of these elegant little day boats. To cast the keels a hole was dug in the ground, and lined with timber to hold the mould. Then to melt the lead an old copper was propped up on bricks and a bonfire was lit underneath. When it was all hot and runny the tap was turned and the hot lead was let run into the mould. Meanwhile the hulls were CLASSIC SAILOR

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CLUB CLASSICS Royal Burnham One Designs racing

Royal Burnham OD came first – and how it lost its overhang

he rivalry between the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club and its very close neighbour the Royal Burnham Yacht Club has always been fierce and friendly – or maybe the other way round. So undoubtedly the fact that the Royal Burnham had commissioned the Norman E Dallimore 20ft design in 1932 would have spurred the RCYC Commodore ‘Tiny’ Mitchell into giving impetus for a new One Design class for his own club. The brief that the Royal Burnham put out to yacht designers was for a low budget boat which could be raced on the Saturday and picnic with the family on the Sunday. What prompted the new design by the RBYC was the rising cost of running the club’s West Solent One Designs which were spiralling in an arms race of spending between owners. “The story goes that my grandfather came up with a good design but the budget was £125. He came up with a design which cost £130. They told him it was too expensive so he chopped off the overhang on the transom to save £5,” says Norman Dallimore’s grandson Will, who has owned his RBOD Mandarin for 23 years, and so carried on the family connection with the boats. The sailing club at Pyefleet also adopted the design, and so Stone’s yard in Brightlingsea built a number of the deep half deckers. When that fleet dwindled, those boats were brought down to Burnham to make up the full fleet. Out of the 23 RBODs that were built, two were lost – one was on the Red Sea and caught fire. That brought the numbers down to 21, and then

Martin Smith commissioned a new RBOD Victoria in 1991 costing £20,000, to give the grand total of 22 to celebrate their 85th anniversary in 2017. Unlike the RCOD, the RBs have stuck to almost original class rules, with only the sails moving on from cotton to terralene. There are no echo sounders and the ancient skill of swinging the lead is all part of the racing on the Crouch. It is a true classic classic with very little deviation.

The fleet has shaken off its reputation of being a home for old farts, and new blood has lowered the average age considerably

The Norman Dallimoredesigned Royal Burnham One Design

As with the RCODs, there was a low point with a fleet of only five boats, but bit by bit over the years the fleet has been built up again mainly through the enthusiasm and determination of class president Martin Smith to see the fleet revival. Now the class claims to have the best racing on the Crouch, with some of the best helms fighting it out on the water on a regular basis. In tracking down the RBODs, Martin found them in all sorts of conditions: with washing lines attached, abandoned in the middle of a field, or filled with earth as a garden feature. But they have been brought back into the fleet, and over the years restored and brought back to their former glory. What Will has been pleased to see is that the fleet has shaken off its reputation of being a home of old farts, and new blood has lowered the average considerably. One of the boats, Belinda, is going to be campaigned exclusively by members of the Cadets, the junior RBYC members. With restoration being a constant process throughout the fleet, Martin took the step of securing enough proper mahogany planking, and with the help of plenty of fund raising was able to buy a Khaya African mahogany tree, so that there will a good supply of planks for years to come. For those who fancy trying out the class there are boats available for charter as well those who want to take on guardianship of this competitive, fun and social class, with a special place in the East Coast’s sailing heritage. Contact secretary@rbodclass.co.uk for more information.

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ROYAL CORINTHIAN ONE DESIGN

Top: The club house today

PHOTOS: GEORGE WINDER

Above: RCOD and other club classic survivors Far right: Close racing on the Crouch Right: The author aboard Corinna

built upside down in mahogany on oak in the top part of the shed, and once they were planked they were lowered onto the ground, turned the right way up, and then the wooden and lead parts of the keel were bolted on. The spars as well as most of the fittings were also made at the yard. At a cost of £140, there was early support for the class with 16 boats on the water for the inaugural season in 1935. But the interest was not restricted to Burnham as yachtsmen from the Royal Natal Yacht Club came to look them over, two boats were sent to Kenya, and Corinthia was chosen as a British exhibit at an international exhibition in Paris. RCODs were also reported to have been ordered for a class on the Broads, and boats went to Australia and South Africa. After this enthusiastic growth spurt, the class settled down with a fleet of 17 at Burnham – until the war put a temporary halt to the racing in 1939. During the Second World War when Burnham was taken over wholesale by the military, the class were mothballed in the Petticrows sheds behind the club, and filled with water to prevent drying out.

They all survived the war. In 1947 Pathé News recorded the fleet racing at the beginning of the season ( http://www.britishpathe.com/video/holiday-yachting-season-opens ) and the class rode the wave of sailing becoming increasingly egalitarian and open to allcomers, with the interest often sparked by time spent in the military during the Second World War or National Service. Sailing was an aspirational sport, and the Mirror dinghy and other classes offered an easy entry into its joy and wet patches. But with the next exciting new classes poking their noses into the river, the RCODs started to stumble in the 80s, and the four-foot waves of that 1987 hurricane sunk the fleet at its moorings, with the lucky ones staying at the bottom and avoiding the marauding Wallasea wartime pontoon that had broke free and was causing havoc amongst the mooring trots. With insurance wrangles, and owners’ neglect it looked like it was curtains and a muddy grave for the RCODs, until John Heathfield decided that he was the man to do the job of turning around the class fortunes.

And thankfully, with the help of others, he has succeeded in reviving the class fortunes, so much so that Burnham’s own little classics America’s Cup, the Caudle Cup – first raced in 1960 to engender friendly relationships with the neighbouring rivals of the Royal Burnham One Designs (RBODs) – has fallen into the hands of the Corinthians, after remaining in the Royal Burnham trophy cupboard for 12 long years. With the newest restorations being sheathed in glassfibre to give them another 100 years of life and save their timbers from being worn away with the annual sanding and painting, the class is looking good for the immediate future. Which is good for the fleet, and good for a unique bit of sailing heritage. For opportunities for crewing and to find out about becoming a guardian owner, contact class captain Barry Lewis rcod.fleet@royalcorinthian.co.uk who as joiner and carpenter had a head start in learning how to look after a wooden boat. But there are more ways than one to become an owner of a queen of the Crouch, and the best way to find out is to ask. CLASSIC SAILOR

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MASTERS OF SEAMANSHIP

Horatio Nelson THE MAKING OF A SEAMAN Dan Houston charts the career that began as a 12-year-old Midshipman in 1771 and ended at Trafalgar, 34 years later

t seems almost brutal to us now that children aged 12 or sometimes even younger could be sent to sea in a first rate man of war. These wooden walled ships would have three decks with 100 or more cannon – each of which would require a gun crew of up to 14 men. The heavy 32-pounder guns of the lower deck would weigh around three tons and required heavy manpower. The 230ft (70m) long first rates would have a crew of 850 and often marines or soldiers swelling their numbers between decks to more than 1,000. Conditions were tough and life was governed by a harsh level of discipline. Horatio, or Horace, Nelson as he was known when young, joined a third rate – 64-gun 160ft (49m) ship when he was 12 in March 1771, with the rank of Midshipman

serving under his uncle Maurice Suckling. HMS Raisonnable was newly built at Chatham but she was tasked for guard duty in the lower Thames. Within months Suckling transferred to the 74-gun HMS Triumph, taking Nelson with him. However as she was also a guardship and Nelson wanted adventure, his uncle sent him off to the West Indies in July that year, on a merchant ship – the Mary Ann. Nelson, who had already witnessed two floggings of men tied to the gratings, was impressed with the merchant navy where ships were handled with a bare minimum of crew. He returned to the Triumph 14 months later having crossed the Atlantic twice and with a long pigtail. His physique had improved and he described himself as a practical seaman, having learned the basics of his trade in the best school; at sea.

Suckling now gave him command of the ship’s cutter, used to ferry stores, men and orders from ship to shore. And if Nelson did well at his navigation classes he could take the cutter and even the decked ship’s longboat off on these duties. Over the winter of 1772 aged just 14 Nelson was becoming a practised pilot of the River Thames, from the Pool of London down to the tricky shifting sands of the submerged delta. It was the same school to which Drake and Captain James Cook were apprenticed, and it’s where sailors learn that the tide is king. “By degrees,” he wrote later, “I became confident of myself amongst rocks and sands, which at many times has been of great comfort to me.” When summer arrived Nelson was again allowed to leave his uncle and join a two-ship research expedition to the Arctic, aboard the

Above: Trafalgar, the climax of Nelson’s career and, alas, his life; the painting is by JMW Turner, 1822 Right: The most famous portrait of Nelson by Lemuel Francis Abbott was made just after Nelson lost his arm in a disastrous raid on Tenerife in 1797. It currently hangs in 10 Downing Street, London

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Nelson combined a study of seamanship with a patriotic zeal which set him apart CLASSIC SAILOR

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MASTERS OF SEAMANSHIP

The old sea dog, helpless ashore: Commander Trunnion with Jack Hatchway, in Peregrine Pickle, as portrayed by Francis William Edmonds

The Battle of the Nile painted by Philip James de Loutherbourg shows the moment the L’Orient blows up. Currently hanging at Tate Britain

Carcass as ship’s coxswain. His fearless spirit was confirmed when, north of Spitsbergen he and a friend slipped off in a boat to shoot a polar bear. When his musket misfired he is described as preparing to attack the bear with the rifle butt, before the ship’s cannon was fired to scare the animal away. Later, with the ships trapped in ice, the men had to saw through it to effect their escape. Nelson’s next adventure was again as a non-commissioned crew, effectively as AB, aboard HMS Seahorse, a 24-gun sixth rate

frigate. In her Nelson sailed east and visited many ports in the cruise. He was soon made midshipman but it was during this cruise that he became ill with a fever that nearly killed him. From being “a fine physical specimen” this illness temporarily paralysed him and he would never again shake off its effects. He was sent home “almost a skeleton” in his cot. Fighting depression in the valley of the shadow he found “a sudden glow of patriotism” and resolved to: “be a hero, confiding in Providence I will brave every danger.”

During his eastern cruise Nelson had familiarised himself with the challenging lunar distance system of navigation, and on his return to Britain soon found himself as acting Lieutentant aboard the 64-gun HMS Worcester bound for Gibraltar. He was given command of a watch and Captain Robinson said that he felt as easy when the 17-year-old was upon the deck as with any officer on his ship. In April 1777, five months short of his 19th birthday he went to London for his Lieutenant’s exam with testimonials from his various

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HORATIO NELSON Nelson, aboard HMS Vanguard chased the French ﬂeet around the Med before ﬁnding them anchored in Aboukir Bay.

The order of battle. With darkness falling the British ﬂeet surprised the French and in a daring nighttime action some ships went behind the French and ﬁred at them from behind.

captains that he could splice, knot, reef and sail and was qualified in his duties as an Able Seaman and Midshipman. During his exam his relationship to his uncle Maurice Suckling who was present and had by now become comptroller of the navy, was not mentioned and only after the quick-fire questions had been satisfactorily answered did it become known. “I did not wish the younker to be favoured,” the august Suckling remarked. “I was convinced he would pass a good exam. And as you see I have not been disappointed.”

Above: Note this detail of how the British ships used springs to their anchor cables so they could avoid the French arc of ﬁre.

The very next day Nelson received his King’s commission, as second lieutenant on HMS Lowestoffe, a frigate tasked with blockade duties in the West Indies. He already had 45,000 sea miles logged, knew the life of the merchant navy as well as the Royal and knew the life before the mast as well as he did the quarterdeck. Illness had knocked him back physically but those who knew Nelson always mention his presence and radiant spirit. He came from a line of spiritual people; his father was the rector at Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk,

both grandfathers were East Anglian clergy, and two great-uncles, eight cousins and two of his brothers took holy orders. Nelson was not notably religious but this spirit, combined with his study of navigation, knowledge of practical seamanship and a deep understanding of the lot of the common seaman in the Georgian Navy had already all played a part in creating an extremely capable sea officer. He soon proved himself on the Lowestoffe, boarding a prize in the longboat in a gale where the ship’s first lieutenant had CLASSIC SAILOR

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MASTERS OF SEAMANSHIP Nelson boards the longboat of HMS Lowestoffe in a gale in November 1777 to take an American prize. The prize was waterlogged and the longboat went in on her decks and out again with the scud. In this painting the 19-year-old is telling his captain and other ofﬁcers: “It is my turn now, and if I come back it is yours.” He admitted that he was often seasick in rough weather but he clearly got over it quite quicky.

Nelson through the years, l-r, when he became a lieutenant by John Francis Rigaud; in civilian dress 1800, by Friedrich Fuger; three years before Trafalgar, by John Hoppner; as Vice Admiral of the White with his famous eye shade, by Arthur William Devis.

Horatio Nelson 29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805

deemed it too dangerous (see Richard Westall’s painting above). He was given a schooner Little Lucy as reward and spent the winter months at sea making himself “complete pilot of all the passages through the islands north of Hispaniola” (Haiti/Dominican Republic). He was made post captain, of the 28 gun frigate Hinchinbroke at the age of 20 – the youngest captain in the Navy. Nelson’s early auspicious start did not herald an unbroken glittering career. A siege of Spanish territories in 1780 was a disaster with many men on the Hinchinbroke dying of dysentery or malaria. Nelson was invalided home. Nor did he escape being unemployed – the common condition of many captains in peacetime of being on half pay. He had five years of that from 1788 to 1793. His real glory years began in 1797 where, as commodore aboard HMS Captain, he was

able to take two large Spanish prizes at the same time in the Battle of Cape St Vincent. The move was called Nelson’s Patent Bridge and properly began his wider legend as a commander. He was feted and promoted to Rear Admiral of the Blue. The next year at the Battle of the Nile, Nelson was in command attacking the French fleet in Aboukir Bay, in Egypt. The French had anchored confident of the shoal water behind them but they had not reckoned with Nelson’s seamanship. With a tidal range of less than 12 inches (300mm) several of his 13 ships of the line were able to sail behind the French fleet, some of whose land-facing gunports were cluttered with lumber. At 1730 hrs the French never thought they’d be attacked but Nelson noticed the wind direction was in line with the 13 French ships. He had directed his captains to anchor

by the stern, just ahead or abaft of a Frenchman and then to pass a bowspring to attach to the anchor cable so that they could winch themselves across the wind and rake the enemy ships lengthwise. It was remarkable seamanship and several captains brought it off perfectly. Two of the most remarkable were Captains Alexander Ball and Benjamin Hallowell, on HMS Alexander and Swiftsure respectively who both anchored, in darkness, by the stern at either end of the massive French flagship L’Orient. They were so perfectly angled that they were out of the arc of the French guns yet so near that Alexander’s officers could throw fire-bomb bottles through Orient’s stern windows. She caught fire and at 10pm her magazine exploded with a blast that was heard ten miles away (in Rashid). More than 1,000 crew died and the blast carried debris out and over the British ships over a 500m arc. There followed several minutes of eerie silence before fighting resumed. These devastating tactics meant two French ships of the line and two frigates were destroyed and nine were captured. And it was down to British nerve and superior seamanship. One of the four French ships to escape was Guillaume Tell with Admiral Villeneuve aboard. He had the bad luck to meet Nelson again at the Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson again used anchoring by the stern as a tactic at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, with less decisive results. The night before that battle he used the hired armed lugger Lark to recconoitre the defences around Copenhagen. Using fore and aft lug rig would be much more handy for the task, and she could make to windward under sail. Nelson’s awareness of the forces of tide, weather and depth of water all helped him as the consummate fighting sailor of his era. And he was promoted commander in chief of the Baltic Fleet after his success at Copenhagen. Four years later in October 1805 Nelson was the most famous sailor in the world, and in command of the fleet aboard the first rate HMS Victory, hoping to engage a superior French-Spanish fleet of 33 ships compared to his 27. Using the weather guage – with the wind behind them – he split his own fleet into two lines which then cut the Franco-Spanish fleet into three, allowing the British to surround the central section with the French flagship Bucentaure. Just over an hour after the battle commenced Nelson was shot from above by a French sniper and carried below, where he lay dying until he heard of the British victory at 3.30pm. Ever the sailor, and aware of an imminent gale he implored the Victory’s Captain: “Anchor Hardy, anchor! For if I live I’ll anchor.” Nelson was concerned for his fleet and the British prizes and knew the safest option would be to anchor. It did not happen and all but four of the 19 prizes were lost. However Nelson’s naval genius and seamanship remain famous to this day.

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GRAYHOUND

Grayhound delivers under sail The replica of an 18th-century lugger now carries cargo sustainably

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THE THREE MASTED LUGGER

rayhound, the replica of a three-masted revenue cutter from the 18th century was built by Marcus and Freya Pomeroy- Rowden in Cornwall in 2010-2012 initially to offer charter sailing. But over the last two years they have evolved a more ambitious hybrid programme involving cargo deliveries under sail combined with paid-for crewing. Here Freya Pomeroy-Rowden talks about how it all works, while on page 46 Robert Simper gives a background to the history of lug rig.

How did the idea of trading under sail come about? What was your inspiration? When Marcus and I were thinking of the project ahead, of building or restoring a boat, we had the idea of a cargo ship. We had heard of one in the Pacific sailing flour between the islands. But we had to make the business work in Europe and we had agents – Classic Sailing – onboard from the start who were keen to promote us as a charter vessel, we knew this would work and so we built her as a Category 0 sailing passenger ship for ocean sailing. Did you envisage Grayhound as a cargo vessel when you built her? When we were building her we were excited about sailing her to the Caribbean and beyond and about putting our own stamp on the charter business, opening it up to families and young professionals. Where do you carry the cargo? What is your capacity? We can carry 4.5 tonnes of cargo in the main saloon and 2 barrels on deck (750kg) What kind of products do you ship? Bottled ale and wine mainly, on deck, we also age Whiskey and wine at sea. We have transported tea and honey and furniture. Who owns the cargo? The broker.

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GRAYHOUND Where do you ship to? Up to now, we have shipped tea from the Azores to France. We run a regular cross channel service between Dartmouth, Plymouth and Falmouth to Douarnenez. We sail annually between Douarnenez and Nantes. How does the weather affect you? How do you keep to deadlines? The weather always affects our game plan. We offer a seven-night cargo voyage and in that time we must make a 30-hour passage to Brittany. So in the time frame we have we make a passage plan to cross when the wind allows and the rest of the time is spent loading/offloading and sailing between Cornwall or Brittany. Both coasts offer so many places to anchor. How important is it to customers to have a low carbon cost/footprint for their goods? Yes it is incredibly important for the buyers, but also for the whole supply chain. Sail cargo is about the ships and routes but it is also about the supplier, the broker, the sailors, the buyers and then the end customers. It is important that the suppliers and their products are chosen well and that the whole process is fairly traded. It is trying to improve a system or a relationship between all parties. The marketing benefits for each party are huge because of the positive PR. How do you work that out? Is it an ‘industry standard?’ Guillaume from TOWT works out the carbon saving on each cargo delivery. He previously worked for large logistics companies evaluating carbon footprints and he applies the same methods to sail cargo. Who are TOWT? Trans Oceanic Wind Transport. Guillaume and Diana and their four employees. They are a sail cargo brokerage and seller of sail cargo products. They are based in Douarnenez, Brittany, where they have a shop and office. They work with about six vessels and work internationally. How many crew do you need for an average trip? We have six permanent crew (including our five-year old son) and eight guest crew – that would be a full ship. We can sail the ship with just the permanent crew if needs be, but we really do need the voyage crew to work with us, especially with sail handling and steering. How can you make it pay? This is an interesting question and each boat is very different. Speaking for us, we make it pay because we built the boat to start with. We run the business ourselves and do nearly all maintenance/ labour costs ourselves in the winter months and all administration.

During the summer, Marcus and I are 50% of the permanent crew and we hold all the necessary tickets. We offer our watch leader and deckhand positions solid, traditional training and experience and in return they volunteer their time. We get paid per mile to carry the cargo, which often works out as the equivalent of one paying berth per week. The cargo voyage crew pay a fee to sail with us. We also offer sailing adventure holidays to and from the Isles of Scilly and day sails during the summer months. We do not turn over a huge amount of money from our business annually and we look at the balance constantly between life quality and time off and how much money we need to cover costs, pay ourselves a living and keep the boat in good order. How long do trainees stay for? Voyage crew on a cargo voyage can stay for one week or two weeks. On the cross-channel we offer a discount if they book both crossings. We also offer a long-term tariff for those who want to stay for a minimum one month and this can then be extended. Our permanent crew stay for the whole season. What qualifications apart from sea time do they work towards? Voyage crew are there for a working sailing holiday in general. They come to experience real all-weather sailing, to learn how the traditional rig works and to learn some basic maintenance and navigation along the way. We don’t believe necessarily in qualifications, we believe in learning through doing and experiencing. Our permanent crew are all training for their yachtmaster and future jobs in the sailing industry. How do you market the idea of crewing for paying “guests”? What ever voyage you come on, on Grayhound, whether it be an Isle of Scilly voyage or a cross channel cargo or a daysail we expect our paying “guest” or we prefer the term “voyage crew”, to get fully involved. Everybody hoists sails and pulls ropes, steers and rows the gigs. We are not one of these charter boats where we are at anchor at 5pm and the gin and tonic is out and people can do as much or as little as they like. We are more like a sail training boat but with good food and comfortable dry bunks! We believe in the team. We need the team whatever voyage. So to enjoy a voyage with us you have to be relatively fit and in good health, be up for physical graft and like being with other people. It’s about being adventurous and open and sociable. People seem to get it , we tend to get the right kind of people. Having our son onboard also attracts the right sort of people – families and people who want to come to a family boat.

Is there an age limit on the kind of crew you are looking for? We need most of all team players. We do have an age limit of 60 on the cargo voyages. This is not a definite rule but if our customers are over 60 we like to have a phone conversation with them to discuss the voyage and if it suits. How important is a passion for an 18th- century sailing style, to you, and crew? Very important, it’s why we do it. We have a simple beautiful rig which works for sailing with a group of people. If it breaks we can fix it, we built it so we know and are learning how to perfect it. It is a massive part of our heritage and history

Right: photos of Grayhound in build, and far right, Freya, baby Malachi (now 5) and Marcus

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THE THREE MASTED LUGGER

and something it’s modern boats cannot necessarily replace or improve . What kind of concessions to modernity are there on Grayhound? (EG modern rope?) We have no hydraulics, no outboards, no winches. Rope wise it’s quite modern but you would never know as it has a traditional look, we use poly hemp rope throughout and our sails are dacron which is new for this year. We have a 90 hp engine to aid us in calms and getting into and out of harbour. It’s very handy! We have modern navigation aids and safety equipment, of course being a MCA coded vessel. We have hot pressurised water for washing up, a shower (although this is rationed and we’re

very strict with it for the shower). We have a water maker for ocean passages. How long have you been running? How many voyages so far? Grayhound has been sailing for four summer seasons since 2013 in the West Country and including a winter season transatlantic voyage and Carribean season. The cargo voyages have been running for two seasons. That is approx 25 cargo voyages – with about 20 tonnes carried in the first year and 25 tonnes last year. Is there a growing market? Yes, slowly but with root strength.

Above: Grayhound under full sail. Opposite page: wellappointed accommodation

What is the ideal ship for this work? At the moment traditional ships make the most sense because they are romantic and it harks back to an old way of doing things. But our view is that in the future, purpose built steel vessels linking smaller traditional and forgotten ports trading local products locally is the way forward. So where next? To grow this industry we need more end buyers and more trainees on the ships. So we’d like to mention that to any potential wine buyers, in the UK for example who might take note or potential trainees might want to book a voyage! Contact www.grayhoundluggersailing.co.uk

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GRAYHOUND

The three-masted lugger Its evolution as the rig of choice for smugglers demonstrates the superiority of the lugger, writes Robert Simper Thirty-five years ago I restored my first

dipping lugger, Pet. At the time there were only about four other dipping luggers sailing in the British Isles. I got to know a little of the ways of luggers, and apart from having to dip the lug when you change tacks, this is a very simple and highly effective rig. As there is not a lot of complicated rigging they are easier to handle in the dark. The luggers, two and three masted, appear to have developed from square sailed craft. To try and get them to sail closer to wind they tilted the yards until they produced a lugsail. The driving power of a square sail, and a taut leading edge allows them to sail closer to the wind. This was very important for coastal craft trying to keep off lee shores and rocky headlands. The three-masted luggers seem to have first appeared in the English Channel as tubby fishing boats. These three-masters were used in the drift-net fishing because the main mast could be lowered to reduce the rolling and windage when the nets were down. The mizzen was kept set to push the bow up in to the wind. Possibly the earliest depiction of a three masted herring lugger is on the front of the 1702 Fishermen’s Almshouse at Great Yarmouth. These luggers had a jib and only set a topsail on the main mast. Following the fashion of the time the mainmast was raked aft and the topmast was stepped of the after side of the mast. The painting in the Time & Tide Museum at Great Yarmouth of the herring lugger Dairy Maid of 1851 shows a very similar clinker hulled three-masted lugger, but she has much finer lines with more sail area and a topsail on the mizzen. In the 1970s I used to go and talk to the retired fishermen in the Fishermen’s Mission at Lowestoft. They were all very busy playing cards, but many were happy to chat about their early days in sailing smacks. One man was well over 90 and was very proud of being the last man alive who had sailed in a Lowestoft ‘lugger.’ However by the time he went to sea the three masters had long gone and a ‘lugger’ was the term for a gaff ketch with a loose-footed mains’l.

Before our highly documented society, the Government’s only way to raise money was by imposing a tax on luxury goods. Enterprising men saw a way around this and smuggling became a major industry in just about every coast in the British Isles. Since many of the crew on smuggling craft were fishermen they devised a three masted lugger that could outsail the Revenue Cutters. The profits in the late 18th century were so high that the smugglers could afford to build fast craft and the three-masted lugger became their chosen craft. All the sails and rigging were made of natural fibre which stretched, but the smugglers had large crews to unload their cargoes quickly and with their capstan could get the halliards and sheets in bar tight, and make quick sail changes and haul the sail edges in really tight. The gaff Revenue Cutters had to be versatile craft, because they had to stay at sea in all weathers hoping to spot a smuggling craft. The luggers just made a straight dash to the beach or cove where they were going to discharge their cargo. When pursued the smugglers hardened their sheets to get up to windward and hopefully leave the Revenue Cutters astern. The Revenue men’s only hope was to get close and try and dismast the smugglers with canon fire. The smuggling era was a strange one because no one disguised the fact that these fast sailers were built for smuggling. The Customs men knew exactly which they were and who owned and manned them, but they had to catch them with smuggled goods aboard to make an arrest. Even when the smugglers went to jail they were often bought out and many went straight back to their lucrative ‘free trade.’ Smuggling created a cross pollination of ideas between France and England and the fast smugglers luggers were the result of this. By about 1830 the smugglers were on the losing side, and their craft were of little practical use and just melted away in Britain. The French continued with three masters, with the ‘chasse-maree’, literally the fish chasers that developed into standing luggers and the result was the

The plans of the original 74ft Revenue Cutter Grayhound from the 1770s

The driving power of a square sail and a taut leading edge allows them to sail closer to the wind – important for coastal craft trying to keep off lee shores 52 CLASSIC SAILOR

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THE THREE-MASTED LUGGER

Left: ‘A smuggling lugger chased by a naval brig’ oil, by Thomas Buttersworth, circa 1825. Top: ‘A lugger on the starboard

tack off the Bolt [Head] Start Point at distance’, 1810-12, by Henry Studdy. Above: One of Grayhound’s 1862 Admiralty cannons

now famous Brittany bisquines, the fast and highly manoeuvrable oyster dredgers. Anyone who has seen the bisquine replica Cancalaise tacking in and out of a harbour can only be impressed by her handling ability and sheer beauty. The British fishermen went on with the three-masted luggers for about twenty years, then left their ‘main masts’ ashore and continued with two-masted luggers until engines came in. However the memory of the speed of lugger lived on and in 1855 Lord Willoughby De Eresby had John Tutt at Hastings build him the 134ft three masted lugger New Moon as his yacht. The New Moon had a single lugsail on each mast, and a bowsprit jib to balance her. She was recorded as sailing at 13 knots while racing in Tor Bay and in a race from the Thames to Harwich she easily out sailed all the other yachts. In about 2004, we made the pilgrimage up the steep hill in East Looe Cornwall to have cup of tea with Paul and Maggie Greenwood. We talked about luggers, what else! Paul got out the plans he had found in the National Maritime Museum of two 18th-century three-masted luggers, one with a large clinker hull, and a smaller 76ft carvel hull that had been built on the sand at Cawsand. Smuggling luggers had been built regularly at Cawsand, but the 76ft Grayhound had actually been built as a revenue craft to catch smugglers and went on to be a privateer. We both agreed that the 18th-century smugglers knew how to build a very fast sailing craft. Other people saw those plans and were inspired by them, but it was the ever energetic Marcus Rawden, who took the plunge and started building a replica of the 1770s Grayhound. Marcus and Freya’s Grayhound, took shape at Millbrook in east Cornwall, and is slightly smaller than the original but is still an eye catching craft. After her spectacular launch in 2012 the 67ft Grayhound has lived up to the reputation of her predecessor. In her first season under three lower courses she made 8 knots beating to windward in a big sea. On passage Grayhound has covered 180 mile in a 24-hour period and has touched 14.5 knots under sail. In her first four years she made two crossings to the West Indies and in four years has sailed well over 45,000 miles. Setting three sails on two of masts requires an able crew and her deck work is reminiscent of a square-rigger with endless halliards and sheets. Some of the simplicity of the two masted luggers has been lost, but in speed little can touch her. CLASSIC SAILOR

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BERMUDA BOAT BUILDING

A good job Guy Venables finds a Mainetrained boatbuilder in Bermuda whose rowing launch draws on these two inspirations

e were ambling at a Greek pace along the track that he walks on his daily commute to work, from the house he’d designed and built, to the workshop where he was making his boat. The Olivewood, Spice and mangroves made a sand lined tunnel and yellow breasted Kiskadees and scarlet Northern Cardinals flitted along ahead of us. To the right there was an old crumbling whaling station with the huge pot burners set into a low brickwork platform with wood ovens underneath for boiling up the whale flesh. To add to the heat, the warm glow of high strength local rum coursed around my entire body making my muscles grin. We were on Smith’s Island, one of the many belonging to the crescent chain that makes up Bermuda. If you do have to commute to work, this has to be one of the nicest commutes you could imagine. I wasn’t there for this. I was covering the America’s Cup shindig but as soon as the folk at the RBYC got wind that I was interested in classic wooden boats they started sidling up to me with a nudge and a: “Did you know that Chicane is here, 62ft Alfred Mylne, most beautiful boat ever built?”... “Have you seen the Spirit of Bermuda –local sail training ship. Lovely lines”... stuff like that. And you have to follow up as many of those leads as you can, because that’s where the real stories are. The good stuff that isn’t being covered by helicopters filled with international TV crews. Chris Pimentel is a first-generation Bermudian, born to Portuguese parents from Sao Miguel in the Azores. He studied boatbuilding at The Landing School in Arundel, Maine under (and heavily influenced by the inspirational tuition of) Rick Barkhuff, whose concise catchphrase: “Always do a good job” seems to have become something of a mantra for Chris. The evidence of this was displayed to me via a sliding door of a small boatbuilding shed in a wooded area in the middle of a roadless island where he has been “quietly getting on with it”. This was the first Pimenta craft, a sleek rowing launch of exceptional quality, sturdy build and regal lines. It’s based on two inspirations from the lines of both traditional Bermuda dinghies (some of which are on display at the Maritime Museum in Dockyard) and the Maine lobster boat.

Top: Chris at the oars of the first Pimenta, with wife Stacey in the bows Middle left: Trying out the veneers on the quarter-scale model Bottom left: Coaming, dry fit and rough cut Centre: The soon-to-benamed S Lorraine with, from left, Stacey, Chris Malpas, Chris Pimentel and Peter Becket Middle Right: Chris, modelling his transom Bottom right: Although small, she’s full of lovely touches, such as this almost ecclesiastical fore-locker hatch

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PIMENTA CRAFT

Building with wood is more enjoyable than with fibreglass... a wooden boat has a different presence The shed itself was immaculate; pleasing evidence of the old and the new were there; vacuum gluing station and a rack full of boatbuilding tools. There was a mezzanine floor for laying out the lines and everything seemed to be in the right place. This is a common trait of the boatbuilder, as you can’t do it without an orderly mind. The idea was to make a wooden prototype in order to then cast a mold and produce them in fibreglass, although he plans to build more out of wood in the future. He says building with wood is more enjoyable than building with fibreglass and the end result is more pleasing to the eye. “A wooden boat has a different presence, an individual character”. Chris briefly explained the process to me. “After many sketches I drew a profile and a half breadth to a 1½ inch to 1 foot scale, then carved these out of wood. Then I built a quarter-scale model and put it in the bath to see how it would float. It only just fitted in. Then to build the full scale. First I built the strong back and stations. The hull was to be half an inch thick so I subtracted that from the stations and layed on the veneers which were made from 1/8th of an inch western red cedar, light and pliable once coated. “The curves were vacuum bagged for tight seams. Then on went 6oz fibreglass for waterproofing. Finally the paint went on with Awlgrip primer and top coat and then the flooring planks were laid and the varnish work done.” There was much more than that to it. Firstly in this tropical heat anything that’s designed to dry will start to go off the moment you open the tin, meaning that anything to be glued had to be precisely dry fitted before anything like epoxy resin is applied. Secondly there were all sorts of minor design adjustments along the way, like using magnets to hold the seats down that then could be used as lockers, and the floating of her well before she was ready, to confirm the waterline. Thirdly the most remarkable thing is that Chris built her entirely on his own. We wandered back to his home and talked of many things. Of how Bermuda used to be a shipbuilding nation but the supply of Bermuda Cedar soon became scarce. Nowadays there are hidden pockets of it in people’s garages, just in case. Then he showed me an unused pristine British Seagull 102 built in 1957, still in its crate with the original tiller extender that he acquired from an English fellow at The Royal Naval Dockyard. There are many of them in Bermuda and Bermudians are so fond of them that they have an annual race around the island, some people in sleek, specifically designed craft powered only by seagulls. Their neighbour Peter Becket came round with a photo album. We poured more excellent rum (supplied by Chris Malpas, a renowned local chef) and gazed over the photos. Sepia glass plate prints of the life of Peter’s ancestors happily sailing around Potter Heigham in the Norfolk Broads dressed head to toe in tweed. Two more stories began to emerge, blushing and blinking from their modest decades of silence. As the sun began to lower I asked Chris if there was anything he’d like to add that we may have missed out. He insisted the one overriding factor of the build was the fact that his wife, Stacey, was one of those rare people who was nothing but supportive when he had decided to immerse in a long-term project with only distant possibilities of financial reparation. Then again people are a lot more groovy in this part of the world, and even more so in this part of Bermuda. CLASSIC SAILOR

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WL Wyllie and his boats The great marine artist was also a keen sailor and boat-owner with a number of designs to his credit by John E Basley

Above: A view of Southwark by Wyllie; right: Wyllie at the chart crossing the North Sea in his yawl Ladybird in 1888, with his wife Marion looking comfy at the helm and son Harold not looking too well in heavy weather

orn in 1851, William Lionel Wyllieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 80-year life spanned a period of great expansion of sailing as a sport and pastime in which he played no small part. In his prime, he was a member of seven yacht clubs on the Thames and Medway and, simultaneously, the Commodore of three. Due to his expertise, he was appointed Nautical Assessor to Rochester County Court in 1905 and to a YRA (Yacht Racing Association) sub-committee in 1919. At the same time he became a prolific, popular artist becoming a Royal Academician in 1907.

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FROM A PRINT BY LIONEL SMYTHE, LONDON ILLUSTRATED NEWS

WL WYLLIE

Boating came early, with a home-built punt when he was a child. This was followed by a canvasÂ-skinned dinghy and a Rob-Roy type canoe. By his teens he had acquired Moonlight, a converted lifeboat in which he began to learn the art of navigation. In 1863 Wyllieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paris-based artist father bought a Napoleonic guardhouse at Ambleteuse, near Boulogne. Wyllie began to be a frequent visitor to this community, especially after he had befriended the daughters of Capt. Carew of the Indian Army. Already an experienced sailor, he began to teach

the younger, Marion, to sail. Their relationship flourished and, rather than return with her parents to India, she married him in 1879. They set up home in London not far from his old family home and in time had seven children. Wyllie had already acquired a 36ft 11 ton yawl, Ladybird, built for him by Le Serf at Capecure near Boulogne in 1872. He began illustrating for The Graphic newspaper but sales were slow and he seriously contemplated becoming a professional seaman. The young couple also sailed their 14ft dinghy Marion from Boulogne to Folkestone, and later to the Thames. Wyllie CLASSIC SAILOR

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WL WYLLIE

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WL WYLLIE

Right and far right: WL Wyllie and his wife Marion. He met ‘Mim’ in France, got engaged when she was 16 and married her three years later. She became a top helmswoman. This image and opposite page, Wyllie’s selfdesigned 17ft half rater Sea Maiden

had already cruised to Holland in Ladybird with friends two years earlier and, despite tight finances, they managed to retain both boats. They used Ladybird as a floating studio, often cruising the French coast and kept her until 1897. By 1883 Wyllie’s art work had begun to sell well and the improved financial position enabled them to think of moving from London to the Medway towns. By now Marion had given birth to three sons and a move to the country was desirable. They rented Gillingham House which overlooked the Medway’s Gillingham Reach but, unhappy, they returned to London after a year. However, Col. Armytage, of the Royal Engineers offered them Hoo Lodge on a 20-year lease. The house, standing on a wooded hill overlooking the river and Chatham Dockyard was ideal, especially as it came with a boathouse and a resident waterman. The Wyllie family, now with four Wyllie saw the need children, moved to Hoo Lodge in 1885. Wyllie saw a need for a small cheaply for a small cheaply built dinghy for those who could not afford built dinghy; he to sail a larger vessel. He designed a 14ft designed a 14ft ﬂatflat-bottomed sailing dinghy and built Scarlet Runner for himself and the slightly bottomed sailing larger Nelson, for his eldest son Harold, in dinghy and built the conservatory at Hoo Lodge. Scarlet Runner for Those dinghies proved to be both handy and seaworthy. And six were built by local himself tradesmen. Lord Beresford of Chatham Dockyard had one, while the Royal Engineers had three, including one owned by Capt. Moroney. The class grew and the Gillingham Mosquito SC was formed with regular meetings at the White House pub, Gillingham. The Wyllies presented a Silver Cup which, though lost for many years, was found in the 1950s. Presented to the Medway Cruising Club, it is now known as the Gunners’ Cup. In time, larger Medway punts began to appear and so Wyllie designed a two-man version, incorporating his ideas of a ‘modern’ racing dinghy (see illustrations). Built in the stables of Hoo Lodge she was a 17ft-long, almost flat-bottomed, simply-built dinghy with a very shallow, self draining cockpit. Sea Maiden, a Half-Rater, was very fast and a regular prize winner, reputed to have beaten Wee Winn, the Herreshoff-designed Solent Champion Rater. Marion did not like her at first, likening it to sailing a butcher’s tray. With nothing to hold onto except the tiller, she feared falling overboard. So Wyllie cut a hole in the stern deck for her feet, lining it with a waterproof canvas bucket that could be emptied if it filled with water. The Wyllies began racing seriously on the Medway in their French dinghy and Sea Maiden. Marion records a capsize when preparing to race to Sheerness and return. However, racing opportunities on the Medway were limited and so they bought Cigarette from the Royal Engineers. Heavily built with a lead keel and large sail area, she was a wet and tender boat. Not ideal for their purpose – they sold her to Mr Stopher of the Gravesend SC. In 1889, the Wyllies went to Scotland to view a new yacht, Grey Mare, a 25ft long 5-ton TM centreboard sloop designed by GL Watson and built by CLASSIC SAILOR

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WL WYLLIE

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Wyllie’s 1899 painting of the Battle of the Nile . Opposite page, clockwise from top left: watercolour – ‘Restoring HMS Victory’; Tower Bridge; Wyllie’s Sea Scouts at Portsmouth; ‘The Destruction of HMS Good Hope at the Battle of Coronel, 1 November 1914’,

PR McLean of Rosneath, Scotland and they embarked on a cruise of the Now being middle-aged with five children, the Wyllies decided to return Clyde and the West Coast. Sometime later the yacht must have returned to to dinghy racing. The Medway YC had decided to adopt the introduction of the Medway as she was sold to Capt. Kent RE. in 1893. Interestingly, she one-design racing. After much discussion, they chose a carvel version of the became the property of Walter St John Police who came to own Hoo Lodge Gravesend SC Kittiwake Class, designed by amateur Mr Larnder, possibly after Col. Armytage. one of the first One Design classes in England. No plans for this 17ft 8in When racing The Grey Mare the Wyllies saw an open keel-boat Edie LOA dinghy were published. Instead a set of moulds were issued to the which they thought would suit them admirably for racing on the Thames as builders together with a strict specification of the timber to be used and its she had a very good performance. Designed by D Stone and built at the scantlings. Details of the 197sqft sail plan were also issued. Initially, seven Erith yard, she was lightly built of cedar planking fastened to bull-metal boats were built. Crewed by three, these dinghies gave good racing on frames. At 20ft LWL, she was eligible for the courses laid above and below Rochester Bridge. Corinthian YC 21ft Class at Erith. Marion’s many The REYC decided to join with two new boats. wins with this yacht, renamed Eva, earned her the title Unfortunately, the moulds had now been destroyed Wyllie, as Commodore, “Timoneer (Helmswoman) of the Thames”. and Mr Launder had to be persuaded to produce a accepted a challenge to Unfortunately, the Wyllies’ success broke the class table of effects and a side elevation to enable them to race against a champion but, despite not being able to race Eva, she had be built. These plans have been found in the archives at become a family favourite and they could not bring Gravesend Library and a copy, plus the Club Minute A Class Sydney themselves to sell her. Instead, they gave her to their Books are now in the Medway YC collection. By WWl Harbour Skiff, and oldest son Harold in 1905. the Class had folded on the Medway but Wyllie’s Linton Hope was Pensee Fugitif was still being successfully raced in the Two years after the sale of The Grey Mare, the Wyllies bought a Thames sailing barge from the Solent in 1931. retained to design brother of Sir Cuthbert Quilter, an early member of 1898 was a momentous year for the Medway YC. the MYC boat the Yacht Racing Association. The New Zealand was a Wyllie, as Commodore, accepted a challenge from barge built by A Keep of Greenhithe in 1879. After the Australian Mark Foy to race against his champion A purchase, Wyllie was approached by Mr Arnold Class Sydney Harbour Skiff. As no comparable boat Foster, MP claiming he was also in treaty for the barge. They resolved the sailed in the UK, a formula based on dimensions was drawn and Linton matter by agreeing to become joint owners. Hope was retained to design the MYC boat. Hope’s design was a “skimming This was fortunate as, when the barge went to the Gill & Son yard, in dish” to which Wyllie added his self-draining cockpit to cope with the Rochester for conversion into a barge yacht, she was found to be rotten – choppy waters of the Lower Medway. the deck and cabins were the only good parts. Gills repaired her, gave her As it was thought that Sibbick had too much work to be able to build the new lee-boards and a new enlarged mainsail. Renamed the Four Brothers, dinghy in the month available before the match, local outfit Gill undertook as both families had four sons, she served them well, cruising on the East the construction. Maid of Kent proved to be a flyer for, with a crew of six, almost all drawn from the Kittiwake Class, and Marion at the helm, she won Coast. Eventually the barge was sold in 1902, returning to trade with the the first three races of the five-race Challenge Match against Irex together Cowes Steam Tug & Transport Company. Records show she was broken up with a fourth race sailed at the Australian’s request. in Bembridge Harbour, Isle of Wight. 60 CLASSIC SAILOR

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WL WYLLIE

Wyllie kept Maid of Kent as he had borne most of the construction costs rule allowing no bowsprits or bumkins. Nevertheless, Wyllie continued to and she was taken to Portsmouth when the Wyllies moved in 1906, along race Venture until well into his 70s. Pursuing his policy of racing dinghies for the impecunious sailor, Wyllie with Pensee Fugitif. Both were used for training Sea Scouts though Maid of Kent was eventually sold to become a motorboat after the fitting of an Ailsa produced the Portsmouth Wyllie OD Class, a 10ft dinghy with a 90 sqft sail Craig engine. area and a spinnaker. The hull was one-design but the rig and sail plan Mousme was a strange purchase for the Wyllies, a 2½ Rater built by optional with one restriction – the peak of the mainsail should not be higher Linton Hope at his yard in Greenhithe in 1897. Possibly their continued than 21ft from the gunwhale. The class was adopted by Portsmouth SC, of success in the 21ft Class had ‘broken’ it and they sought keelboat racing which Wyllie was co-founder in 1920 and first commodore. His grandson, elsewhere such as at the RCYC now at Port Victoria on the north bank of John, had one ominously named Sudden Death. In 1924 the Wyllies returned to owning a Thames Sheerness Harbour. Purchased from Mr Simpson in barge yacht. Cawana had been built by Gill & Sons for 1900, Mousme was sold three years later to Mr Winsor, an RCYC member. Richard Hill-Dawe. She was ketch rigged with a Wyllie founded the In 1906 Col. Armytage refused to renew the counter-stern and had been fitted with an electric ﬁrst Sea Scout troop Wyllies’ lease on Hoo Lodge as he wanted the house generator to power lighting, propulsion and winches. at Portsmouth in 1907. for himself. Marion, on holiday at Southsea, learnt An unusual way of rigging the leeboards led to from an acquaintance that Sir Cuthbert Quilter had straining the chine and a leak. Unaware that she had His Sea Scouts were died and that his home, Tower House, next-door to the also been stranded on a groyne when on charter, the only ones Round Tower, was for sale. The Wyllies purchased it Hill-Dawe sued Harvey’s of Littlehampton where she permitted to sail in and moved with their yachts to Portsmouth. There in was taken for repair, thinking the yard had caused the 1907 Wyllie founded the first Sea Scout troop with damage. When the truth was revealed in court, Portsmouth Harbour their headquarters at the Round Tower. Under the Hill-Dawe sacked the skipper, resigned his in World War I tuition of himself and his son Harold, the scouts Commodoreship of the Sussex YC and sold the barge. became proficient in seamanship, only rivalled by Uffa Wyllie bought her in 1924 and used her to Fox’s Cowes troop. Wyllie’s Sea Scouts were the only entertain friends on cruises along the South Coast and ones permitted to sail in Portsmouth Harbour during World War I. to France. Once a party of 20 Sea Scouts and their leaders accompanied During the War, Wyllie became a war artist for the Royal Navy while them to Dartmouth. Cawana was sold in 1929 to Mr Crawshay who had the rig removed and a new engine installed, cruising the East Coast renamed Marion, helped by her daughter-in-law Muriel and Mrs Arnold Foster, Mamgu. In 1957 she became the HQ of the Marconi YC but became a total gathered and packed some 80 tons of medical supplies and comforts for loss due to a fire when alongside Maldon Promenade. the troops. In 1931 Wyllie had a heart attack and died when visiting friends at his After the War the YRA set up a Committee to seek the views of various old Heatherley Art School in London. His body was returned to Portsmouth small boat associations with a sub-committee to develop the specification of and, after a service in Portsmouth Cathedral, the coffin was ceremoniously a new 14ft National dinghy. Wyllie was asked to build a dinghy in rowed through Portsmouth Harbour by some of his former Sea Scouts to be accordance with the new Rules. His dinghy design, built by local buried in Portchester Castle. boatbuilder Harry Feltham, had a short V-shaped bowsprit, contrary to the CLASSIC SAILOR

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SWALE SMACK & BARGE MATCH

Swale tales ‘Unique’ in the number of its classes, the Swale Smack and Barge Match in Kent seems as popular as ever, as Seamus Masters reports

he Swale separates the Isle of Sheppey from the north Kent mainland and for the past 44 years this peaceful stretch of water has played host to the Swale Smack & Sailing Barge Match. The match is run by the Kentish Sail Association, which was formed in 1972 primarily to establish a race for the sailing barges, smacks and other similar craft that once proliferated the Swale and its estuary. Over the course of its history the Swale Match has evolved and now welcomes a variety of old sailing craft other than the more traditional working boats. This has certainly helped to keep this match an important and much anticipated part of the sailing calendar. The 2016 edition was held on a delightful mid-August Saturday. The tide allowed for a leisurely 10am start and the first boats across the start line were the staysail barges followed by the faster bowsprit barges. With all eight barges underway, the next to cross the start line were the Old Gaffers followed by the Smacks & Bawleys and finally the bermudan classics, each class being separated by 15-minute intervals.

I was onboard Orinoco, one of the staysail barges, owned and skippered by Geoff Ingles otherwise known as ‘Frog’. Orinoco was originally built by Hughes at East Greenwich in 1895 making her 121 years old… you forget just how old these craft are. As with all barges she would have had a hard working life but now she resides in the peace of Faversham creek where she is home to Frog, making her very unusual in that respect. For this reason Frog is less inclined to get involved with the close-quarter manoeuvres often seen at the start. Collisions have happened in the past and a steel barge can make a mess of a wooden barge as Marjorie found out to her cost when she was struck by steel barge Reporter a few years ago. Thankfully there were no such incidents this year. Orinoco eventually crossed the finish line second in her class to another local barge, Lady of the Lea. The wind was light to begin with but gradually increased resulting in a pleasant run to the outer mark. The faster bowsprit barges Edme and Marjorie began to take full advantage of their extra sail and soon caught and passed the more sedate barges. Edme, skippered by Andy Harman, is a real thoroughbred. Built in Harwich and

The Swale isn't just about bargers now, but it does attract a great many of them

now based in St Osyth on the Essex coast, she has been a regular visitor to the Swale Match since Andy and his co-owners started racing her in 1992. Edme’s speed can be put down to a number of factors: she’s a small barge with no engine so she’s light, plus she has a regular, well drilled crew. It’s a class winning combination that’s brought her much success and once again she was the first barge home winning the bowsprit class. Having rounded the outer mark the course then heads inshore towards Herne Bay and the relics of its old pier that once stretched over a mile into the estuary. Now its remains stand alone and marooned at sea; it would have been a great vantage point before it was destroyed by a storm in 1978. By this stage the smacks and gaffers start to move among the slower barges. The first of these was local man Dan Tester, sailing Sheila, a beautiful 6-metre gaff sloop

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designed by American William Starling Burgess. In the 30s Burgess designed three successful defending America’s Cup J-class yachts. Sheila went on to post the fastest time around the course, winning the large gaffers class by some margin. Not only a fine sailor, Dan Tester is a fine boatbuilder too. He has owned Sheila since 2011 and has carried out a full rebuild during which he converted her to gaff rig from her original 1921 bermudan rig. The Testers have a long history of boatbuilding and have owned the boatyard at Hollowshore for decades. Lawrence Tester, Dan’s grandfather was a founding member of the KSA so the Tester name carries a lot of clout! Among the smacks that Dan and his father Barry Tester have restored is Alberta now owned by Robin Page and based in Brightlingsea in Essex, her original birth-

place in 1885. Robin has owned Alberta since 2011 and first competed with her in the Swale Match the following year winning her class a number of times since. Like many, Robin really enjoys sailing to and from the match, which makes it a three-day

The course is always demanding, allowing the boats to stretch their legs. The social is really good too event for him and his crew. “When we get there the social is really good, with great food, company and drink”. Once afloat, Robin enjoys the sailing too, “the course is always demanding allowing the boats to stretch their legs.”

Of the other smacks competing, Maria, owned and skippered by Paul Winter, was the first over the line but she was beaten on handicap by Gracie, another visiting Essex smack skippered by Nick Purdie. The Swale Match welcomes a number of different classes, nine in all, and as a result the fleet is just over 50 strong. Everything from the majestic ‘Sprittie’ barges, smacks and bawleys, replicas thereof, gaffers, both large and small, classic bermudans as well as Dutch barges. There’s even a class for traditional power vessels. The wonderful old steam ship Vic 54 took the honours in this class. The motor vessels don’t navigate the course but sit at anchor in the entrance to the Swale offering their guests the perfect viewing platform to watch proceedings. Other class winners were Fals Cappa in the classic Bermudan class and the 13ft Wisc won the open gaffers.

Above: Nick Relf’s smack yacht Privateer beating towards the finish, with Repertor beyond

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SWALE SMACK & BARGE MATCH

Quay People: Lena Reekie Swedish born, Lena Reekie, 78, came to the UK in the summer of 1966 with her then husband Alan Reekie. They bought and converted the sailing barge Ironsides before settling in Faversham where Lena became inextricably linked with the Swale Barge Match run by the Kentish Sail Association. This year saw the 44th running of the Match held on the North Kent coast. How long have you been involved with the Swale Match? For about 40 years. I was one of the first KSA secretaries then I took over as Match Secretary about 25 years ago.

How big was the Match fleet at its peak? I think probably around 60. When we first started it was only smacks and barges. Now there are nine classes altogether. From the 70s the number of barges started increasing as more and more barges were rebuilt. There’s since been a decline. We’re lucky to get 10 barges whereas at one stage we’d get 12 to 14. It’s the same with the smacks… there are so many events now. Have you skippered the Swale Match? Yes, I used to. But it became too much to prepare for the briefing and registration then to race LINNÆA the next morn-

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KENT COAST Opposite page, from top: Julian Mannering’s Bird of Dawning, Brightlingsea smack, My Alice CK348 Left: SB Centaur

ing. So I decided that while I am Match Secretary I will be on the committee boat during the race to help identify the vessels. But I’d love to enter LINNÆA again before I am too old. Does the Swale Match have a healthy future? Oh yes, for sure. The Swale Match is unique in that we have so many different classes. There is no other race where so many different classic boats be seen together. This year’s Swale Match will be the 45th and held on 29th July.

The KSA’s chairman, Julian Mannering is a regular competitor skippering his 30ft, replica Paglesham smack yacht called Bird Of Dawning. Designed and built in 1937 by Frank Shuttlewood, she was first owned by a Mr H Kemloe who sailed her for a couple of seasons before sadly losing his life during the war. Bird of Dawning spent the war years on the beach at Whitstable where she was discovered and eventually bought by John Mannering, Julian’s father. For the next 20 years she was sailed out of Dover. She was eventually sold in 1966 and went on to have three more owners before being brought back into the Mannering family again when Julian purchased her in 1997. Bird of Dawning now resides in Hollowshore. Julian has enjoyed much success racing her in the Swale Match and this year was no exception, winning the replica smacks and bawleys class, just edging Nick Relf ’s smack yacht, Privateer by a couple of minutes. Apart from keeping this wonderful race going one of the primary aims of the KSA is to encourage younger generations of sailors to appreciate the importance of these historic craft and to become involved in their continued preservation as well as sail them. In his capacity as chairman, Julian and his fellow committee members have been able to donate over £1000 to the local Sea Cadets and Sea Scouts. Some of this money was spent chartering local barge Greta for the day with the other monies going towards the maintenance of the various craft used by the young cadets. Of the numerous old gaffers taking part, Roy Hart’s, gaff-rigged, Dragon stood out among their number. Roy loves the gaff rig and decided to convert Green Sleeves II from the usual bermudan rig when he rebuilt her from a wreck about four and a half years ago. She’s based in Battlesbridge harbour in Essex and like many of the east coast visitors Roy loves to sail across the Thames estuary from the Crouch. Arriving on the Friday in time for the skippers’ briefing and returning at first light on the Sunday, Roy describes the Swale Match as “three days of pure pleasure”. Green Sleeves II picked up the Concours d’elegance award. Having rounded the KSA marker off Herne Bay the fleet heads back out to sea towards the Whitstable Street buoy. This marks the end of a prominent sand bank that reveals itself at low tide making it popular among beach walkers, (hence the ‘street’) but definitely something to be avoided by those afloat. Famed for its oysters, Whitstable remains a very popular seaside town. It was once alive with smacks dredging the oyster beds. The Swale Match brings these glorious old boats to its waters once again. The Whitstable Street is the last mark to be rounded

before the finish and by the homeward leg, the once sunny skies are replaced by a veil of cloud but nothing that threatens rain. The boats beat their way up the estuary making tacks close to the shores off Shellness, a pretty beach at the far east end of Sheppey. Shellness is a great vantage point for onlookers at both the start and finish of the match. Boats are not the only things to be seen from these shores. Seals, up to twenty or so, are regularly seen basking on the mud at low water. The estuary is rich in wildlife and a popular destination for birdwatchers in particular. The finish line is marked by the KSA committee boat just off Harty Ferry. Long time match secretary Lena Reekie and her team of spotters tick off each boat as they cross the line. Once over the line sails are quickly furled and anchors are dropped and once again the Swale is home to these beautiful old boats, many of which were once a common sight back in the day. Now the skippers and crews can finally relax and reflect on the day’s events while waiting for the tide and enough water for

One of the KSA’s primary aims is to encourage younger generations of sailors to appreciate these historic craft them to make it ashore for prize giving. This for many is another highlight of the Swale Match. The prizes are dished out in the boatyard at Hollowshore (or Tester’s yard) where Faversham and Oare creeks meet. The boatyard is birthplace to many of the craft that have graced these waters over the years. A number of the competing boats have also been lovingly restored in this very yard. One can’t forget to mention the nearby Shipwright’s Arms whose ceiling is adorned with Match posters from over the years… worth a visit for that alone. I can think of few better places to nurse a pint than on the bank outside overlooking Faversham creek and it’s wonderful view out to the Swale. So, what makes this match such a popular event aside from the beauty of the Swale and it’s estuary waters? Well, I think key to its popularity is the KSA’s welcoming nature, in every sense. A welcome reflected in the number of classes invited to compete, making it unique among similar events, but also once skippers and crews are ashore. Many speak of the warm welcome they receive and the ambience offered by the boatyard and nearby pub. And so, with the silverware dished out, stories exchanged another match comes to a close. The Swale Match is a real jewel and loved by all those who come back year in year out. Here’s to the next 44 editions. ★ CLASSIC SAILOR

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MARINE MOTORING

The gaining of Gralian Helen Lewis explains what not to do when buying a classic and who to go to when you have done what you shouldn’t have

o there we were, one boat stuck in Calais and all our attention focussed on another stuck in Brigg. On a cold and snowy December day we left on a ferry and snuck across to France. Our mission: to free Sea Lion from the ‘Old Enemy’. Unfortunately a wee bit of poor planning found us arriving at midnight locked out of the marina, so off to a B&B and at crack of dawn back to the marina, where we climbed up the fence and fell in two inelegant heaps on the other side. How easy to steal a boat if only one’s own. There was ice on the decks and a sinking feeling in our hearts as we crossed the Channel. So inclement was the weather and so pressing our other commitments that Sea Lion was abandoned in Ramsgate outer harbour for many months. Meanwhile the seduction was progressing. Against all the sense that the two of us may have been born with, which

some might say was not much, we drove to Brigg. Here before us stood an enormous, gracious wooden beast. Gralian became reality. Chocked up on the hard as she had been every winter for the last twenty years, we were invited up a ladder and into her wheelhouse. We could only have dreamed of such perfection. Polished panels gleamed, her flag box winked at us with its reds and yellows and blues tempting one to consider the countries they had fluttered in, the signals they had sent. Her binnacle, its needle static yet floating in an elegant curve of chrome. Her clinometer, clock and barometer all matching and engraved with her name. Her ship’s bell, given to her for her services to the Admiralty waiting and waiting to set sail again. Down her companionway we went into a perfectly preserved art deco saloon. As her owner moved forward to the galley to make us a cuppa the Skipper and I looked at one another and said nothing; we were

Full of hope – the first Easter on Gralian

in unity. We both knew we must have her. Now this, as all you wise old birds will know, is a very bad position to be in. We weren’t completely insane and we had a rough idea what she was worth and had done some homework on similar craft. We had after all owned the beautiful rotting Harvey not so many years before. But there was much we didn’t know. To counteract this we relied heavily upon finding a good surveyor. I am going to have to write carefully at this point, so no one will be mentioned by name. Suffice it to say that we researched carefully and found a man who shall be known as ‘Sailor Sam’ who was as far as we could tell experienced in surveying wooden boats; who owned such a boat himself and who was well known in the small circle of the wooden boat world. Lesson number one coming up – this doesn’t mean that he will do a good job or be as skilled as all his credentials would lead you to believe. There were little warning signs. He did the survey quicker than he had originally told us it would take. He may have been a little more familiar with the broker than is healthy for the purchaser. He relied on a slight drizzle instead of a hose test on the

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THE CRUISING LIFE: PART 8

deck, nor did he hammer-test it. He failed to see the tell-tale slightly darker patches of teak under the varnish – and so did we! He gave her a clean bill of health as a vessel ready to be taken cruising. It was a winter sale so we agreed in principle, paid a deposit and awaited the spring for a sea trial. On the sea trial we took a marine engineer who is also a friend. He, of course, was as beguiled as we were but he could hear a whining that suggested prop shafts that were less than happy – he had already noticed that they didn’t turn as easily as they should when she was out of the water. Lesson number two – you need more than a surveyor. (See the Skipper’s word). We bought the beautiful Gralian with her perfect interior, well-maintained engine room and impeccable paint work. We put state-of-the-art navigation equipment on board: radar, chart plotter, AIS. We found the shower tray was sitting on one prop shaft and rectified it. We had a new calorifier and holding tank put in. We changed her carpets, blinds and upholstery and we had a family Easter on board in Hull. We were hugely happy and excited. The odd drip from her laid decks – what do

you expect? We had read Maurice Griffiths and other Old Salts; we were practically Old Salts ourselves, we figured. We had decided like so many before us that we would head for the Mediterranean. I had given up a fairly flourishing career in the NHS with a small pension I could take early, the Skipper had successfully morphed from film maker to novelist and had a

In Woodbridge it started to rain. The drips in the front half of Gralian became a waterfall three-book deal under his belt, we had let our cottage out and had been fortunate enough to inherit half a house in North Oxford which had been sold. We reckoned we wouldn’t be rich but we would do the things we wanted to do and see the places we wanted to see before we were old. As the weather improved we set sail from Hull, me the Skipper and the Dog. Across the Wash we went and into Wells-next-the-

Sea, oh so pretty and oh so treacherous if your tidal timing is out. The next day the sun shone and we rose at dawn carefully doing what you shouldn’t: following a fishing boat as it wiggled its way out across the shallows to deep water. Lowestoft next and we were glowing with pride to be in such a fine boat. We cruised up the Deben, home waters for us, like two children who had been given their hearts’ desire. Hurrying to show our friends and fellow boaters our new acquisition. In Woodbridge it started to rain. The drips in the front half of Gralian became a waterfall. New upholstery was hastily stripped away and lay in piles in the rear cabin. We taped nappies up on the deckhead. Very shortly these became incontinence pads. Our brows started to furrow with concern. An unease was growing. Advice was sought from those more experienced. We set ourselves to find a boatbuilder and a new surveyor. We didn’t know it yet but we had entered a new phase of our lives. The enormity of the problems we were about to face would emerge over months. First the new surveyor came aboard. Gently he conveyed to us his

Above: Gralian at the Tidemill, Woodbridge Opposite, top: Nappies on the deckhead; below: John Buckley, Bill MacGregor and Helen examine the deck

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MARINE MOTORING The Skipper’s word

The false calm: dog Lola and Helen at Wells

concerns. As if dealing with the bereaved he didn’t overload us but allowed information to be drip-fed. He was like an ancient tree in his stalwart support and age-old knowledge. He had seen most things in boats, both small and large. Nothing was going to faze him and beside us he stood on what was to become an epic journey without water. Next a couple of competing boat builders arrived. Both of them scratched their heads and both confirmed that the deck would have to come up. Lesson number three – we got this one right by the way – choose your boatbuilder with great care. You may find that this is going to be an intimate relationship and they will need to be your confidante and comforter, your therapist and your best friend. They will need to have a boatyard and people with the right skills. Their establishment will need to be not too small

anytime soon. Still we clung to the hope that a couple of months would see us straight and we would get to France for the autumn. We tidied ourselves up, pinned on our best smiles and made our way to Harbour Marine Services in Southwold. As we approached Southwold a RIB came rushing towards us. You know how RIBs are, all self-important foam and noise. This one appeared to have a crew of pirates. Now of course the Skipper and I were already nervous. Tricky bit of new boating, whole lot of decisions to be made, and our dreams a little tattered. We looked in horror at the brigands making straight for us and we braced ready to repel all boarders. It dawned on us slowly that one of them was vaguely familiar and as they drew up alongside he leapt from the RIB on to Gralian’s side deck, whipped the door open and stood smiling at us Choose your boatbuilder with care. in our own wheelhouse. John Buckley of Harbour Marine You may find that this is going to Services had come to guide us into the Blythe and through a be an intimate relationship life changing experience. Far from the ferocious rabble that we’d feared, these pirates were nor too large. They will need to know when to become our saviours and friends. Their to listen to you and respect your aesthetic skill, expertise and extraordinary kindness taste and when to tell you to your face that sustained us when our initial six weeks you are being wrong-headed and are ‘full became seven months. When we realised of sh*t’. They will have to be able to tell you that we could not live aboard Gralian, when things are going to cost twice or three effectively making us homeless. When it times what you imagined and explain why. became apparent that she needed not only You will need to trust them and they an entire new deck but also that electrolysis will need to win your trust by showing had eaten away her stern and that we were you when the labour cost is more than the lucky not to have sunk, which we surely replacement cost, when you really could would have done had we grounded in the get away with a second-hand dibble squat shallow waters of Wells. When we had to or even that they have one lying around rewire her and repaint her. When some of the yard that you could scrape and varnish. her beam shelves turned out to be rotten. They are going to have to be generous with When we sued Sailor Sam and won but their knowledge and teach you how to do only got a fraction of the cost of her rebuild. the things you can so that you can afford When we had to come to terms with the to pay for the things you cannot. We chose fact that our dream boat was effectively our boatbuilder wisely. worthless unless we spent tens of thousands So now here we were in Woodbridge of pounds that was our retirement pot. with a soggy boat, no house, no job, a small Next month: A new life and new skills. income and no hope of going to the Med

We learned the hard way. We now know that unrestored pre-war gentleman’s yachts have problems. If the survey doesn’t uncover them, then it is more likely that the survey is inadequate than that your boat is the exception. Wooden boat expert Peter Gregson, who gave us good advice during Gralian’s restoration, once said that if I told him the age of a boat, its builder and where it was lying, he could tell me what was wrong with it, sight unseen. It isn’t magic. Decades of poring over them establishes patterns. Suspect areas. Regular offenders. The break of sheer, the garboard strakes, the planks around the A brackets, patches of darkened varnish, broken frames, decks barely fastened to the beams, decayed keel bolts, prop shafts that don’t turn easily, signs of fresh water ingress, of rot, of electrolysis….the list is long and painful. If you are going to buy a classic motorboat, it pays to enlist expert help before falling in love – before you lose your senses followed by your wallet. A good surveyor is essential: one who not only knows what to look for but is genuinely acting in your interests as a buyer and user of boats. The great surveyor Bill MacGregor, who supervised Gralian’s restoration, has brought wooden boats of his own back to life and sailed them. Let us ask such men to tell us what we are in for, even if it means puncturing our dreams. Roly Beamish, Harbour Marine But I would also Service’s chief engineer enlist a specialist whose trade is to restore boats like the one that has caught your eye. John Buckley of Harbour Marine Services who worked on Gralian understands well the implications and costs of a tell-tale sign. He’s had to take owner after owner through the pain of discovering their pride and joy has problems. Reassuringly he also knows how to solve them. I’d also advise having someone look at the electrics, and I would definitely recruit a marine engineer. Sea trials and a squint at the colour of the exhaust may not reveal the full picture. The systems of old boats can suffer from decades of mend and make do, and surveyors who can tell their knees from their elbows may not be quite so familiar with raw water feeds and oil pumps. We’d already covered 200nms by the time we took Gralian up to Southwold for her restoration. Harbour Marine’s Chief Engineer came on board to have, as he put it, a quick peek in the engine-room. It took Roly – whose manner lies somewhere between Socrates and Arthur Askey – only minutes to spot half a dozen defects, several of which were serious, all of which the pre-purchase survey had missed. His coup de grâce though, was telling me how surprising it was that the port engine had not seized up. That was on the Friday. The following Tuesday we were meant to move Gralian to the slipway, except that the port engine had seized up.

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28/11/16 11:35 AM

TRAILER SAILING PART 5

Ready to hit the road? I In the final part of his complete guide to trailer-sailing David Parker runs

s I write this I am reminded of something I saw the other day. It was one of those moments when I wish I had had my camera for an article like this. I was getting my tender out of the water and as I motored her around to the public slipway I could see a bit of a kerfuffle brewing. The slipway is usually busy but there were several bodies waist deep in water around a sailing boat. A traffic jam was building on the small access road. As I went to get my car for the road trailer I saw why things were getting a bit ‘congested’. An audience was gathering and a car was retrieving a sail boat from the water. Admittedly, not a particularly unusual activity for a slipway. However car and boat were connected by a towing line – a perfectly proper thing to do, but in this case they must have been 75 yards apart at least. At first you couldn’t even see the trailer which was completely submerged as the wading minders slowly shepherded the boat ashore. As the driver pulled away the long taut line tracked ominously back and forth across the whole slipway, like a trip line from the deep as other people backed away nervously. Conflicting commands in strident voices were being shouted from car to boat and vice versa. The driver was already on the road, hence the traffic jam. She then proceeded to drive up a narrow street still hauling out the boat. Nothing could get past or around as they took over the whole area. And she kept going … and going. She was halfway up the street before she stopped, unhitched the rope and reversed back causing more chaos. My son and I looked at each other. “Why didn’t she stop and shorten the rope?” asked my son. Answers on a post card please to… I have used long haul out ropes myself, particularly when retrieving dive boats on beaches from the surf and over shingle etc. They are also useful on steep slipways when you tie one end of the rope to the trailer coupling and loop the other end over the tow ball. Take it steady and away you go keeping the vehicle clear of the water and the wheels dry. But in this case if they had done the job in stages shortening the rope as the retrieval progressed, they would have made things much more manageable. A traffic jam would have been avoided and the whole slipway and access road not taken over in this way. It was a shallow gradient as well and conditions were mild. Boat and trailer weren’t going anywhere and it would hardly have taken any longer. But here was a classic case when a bit of planning – and dare I say communication? – would have made life a lot easier.

Practice and then practice some more So when you start trailer sailing the best way to start is to take a bit of time to plan things and remember to give yourself time to practice handling the rig. As a beginner, particularly if you’re towing a larger craft, find yourself an empty car park and carry out basic manoeuvres with cones or use empty parking bays. If you have someone to help so much the better. Try towing around local roads and areas you know

without even unhitching the boat so you get a feel for roundabouts and junctions. Also you don’t have to wait until you are on a slipway to practice unhitching and backing up to the rig to hitch up again. This isn’t just about getting used to the feel of the rig, it’s also understanding how your car will perform when hauling a load. It teaches you something invaluable too and that is the ability to make sure everything is secured properly – but more on this later.

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ON THE ROAD

? It’s the final countdown through a checklist of tips and tricks for successful and stress free towing

Choosing your boat and vehicle

In previous articles in this series I’ve concentrated on getting the right trailer for your boat in the first place and then how to maintain and service it. We’ve looked at how important it is to have a basic understanding of trailer electrics and have necessary tools and spares handy to cure any faults. But I would just like to go back to something I said in the first article about beginners choosing the right boat to trail in the first place. If you have a boat that stands high on the trailer, like a bilge keeler for example, your rear view vision when towing is greatly restricted from the start. If you pick something easily manageable when you get in a tight spot you can always unhitch and manhandle the boat and trailer if it comes to it. Keep in mind the difference between boats which are described as ‘trailerable’ and those which are practical trailer sailers. You see some craft described as trailer sailers with displacements of 1,000kg or more but personally I would want to launch and retrieve such boats as little as possible – preferably once at the beginning of the season and once at the end.

Most family saloons are well capable of towing a seaworthy trailer sailer that will be practical to handle on and off the water. Such craft could have displacements of up to 500kg, and as a starter boat if you were happy with a dayboat even lighter than that you’d be better off. Of course a 4 x 4 or SUV will tow a heavy boat easily but a more modest craft will be a lot less trouble getting in and out of the water on a regular basis and in my opinion you will have more fun as a consequence. The maximum safe towing weight will be specified for your car and if it isn’t in the handbook contact the manufacturer. By law the maximum weight you are allowed to tow should not exceed the all up weight of the towing vehicle. However, the rule of thumb is that the boat and trailer when fully loaded should not be more than 85% of the weight of the towing vehicle. The maximum weight unbraked trailer you can tow is restricted by law to 50% of your vehicle’s kerb weight or 750kg, whichever is less. So with my Ford Mondeo for example which has a kerb weight of 1095kg I can tow an unbraked trailer

design allows for easy beaching and means she sits snugly in the bow snubber block when on then trailer.

2 Keel guides help launch and retrieval and the ballast keel provides stability on the water while keeping the centre of gravity low down on the trailer.

4 Keep a decent trailer lock handy and use it any time you have to leave the boat and trailer unattended

3 The shallow forefoot with this

5 Get into the habit of thoroughly checking the load before pulling away.

with a maximum load of 545kg and a braked trailer with a maximum load of 930kg. (If your trailer is supplied with brakes never disconnect them.) Where you see a MAM figure quoted this is the Maximum Authorised Mass or Gross Trailer Weight. This refers to the total weight of the trailer including its maximum payload. It is the weight marked on the trailer specification plate. Never exceed any weight limits for the vehicle, trailer or combination. When choosing vehicle engines, diesels offer more torque at low revs. Some prefer rear wheel drive vehicles on steep slipways because the front of the car can be lifted by a heavy boat and trailer. I haven’t had a problem with front wheel drive losing traction because I tend to avoid steep slipways. If you do get front wheel spin take some weight out of the boat if you can and get a passenger to sit in the front with you. Your normal vehicle insurance might cover your trailer and its contents however it’s recommended that you insure the boat and trailer separately. Then they are always insured whether attached to the car or not. However liability for CLASSIC SAILOR

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PICTURES COURTESY OF ANGLIA YACHT BROKERAGE, CHARACTER BOATS AND MARTIN DOOLEY

1 The Post Boat has a typical towing weight of 650kg so can be towed with an unbraked trailer by a typical family saloon.

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TRAILER SAILING PART 5

damage covered by the boat/trailer combination when towing should be covered by the third party liability section of the vehicle’s insurance policy. An unroadworthy trailer is illegal and may invalidate your insurance.

Securing the load

You will most likely use the boat to carry equipment so make sure it is all securely fastened. If something can work loose when towing, it will. It’s the responsibility of the driver to make sure the load is secure. Ratchet straps using webbing are excellent and less likely to work loose than ropes, particularly when lashings have been poorly tied. Webbing shouldn’t damage varnished gunwhales, but rope will chafe if you don’t use padding. With either webbing or rope it’s a good idea to use protection strips on edges such as old carpet strips. Never knot webbing, but secure loose ends from flailing around in the wind. It’s essential when towing that the centre of gravity of the load be as low as possible and that boat and trailer are correctly balanced. Position the heaviest items low down over the axles and ensure they won’t bounce around. Don’t just tie items down, make sure they can’t move forward when braking. An outboard motor on the move inside a boat can do an awful lot of damage. If possible I always prefer to put engines in the boot and other belongings in the boat - and in waterproof bags if it is an open boat. Projecting loads should be marked and not cause a danger. If you do leave the outboard engine mounted when towing, be very sure the boat and trailer can take a heavy weight aft on bumpy roads. Remove or secure cushions and ensure lockers are well fastened. Don’t tow with a cover on unless it is extremely secure and has straps going under the hull. If the wind gets under a corner of a cover the whole thing could fly off with disastrous results. Limit the amount of petrol you carry. Closed metal containers should have no more than 10 gallons each. Plastic containers are limited to two gallons each with a maximum of two containers in any vehicle or combination. On a long trip I prefer to get petrol for the boat when I arrive at a destination and decant it into the car when I leave. Before setting off pay particular attention to inspecting the lighting board, cables and 7-pin plug and ensure all cables are well clear of the road and secure them with cable ties. A quick spray with moisture repellent on the electrical contacts will help keep them clean. Make sure your trailer board registration plate is well secured and all the lights are working. Check that the tow ball is well greased to prevent wear and friction on both it and the coupling hitch.

6 Always make sure the safety hitch is attached; this is also a legal requirement 7 Ratchet straps with webbing are less likely to work loose than rope. Note the soft pads which prevent chafe at contact points.

8 Your towing check list should include testing the hitch is secure and making sure cables are taped or made fast with cable ties 9 Carry a spare wheel for the trailer and keep it accessible along with a jack and wheel brace

Wind the jockey wheel well clear of the ground and fasten it so it won’t drop. I was once towing a boat back from a residential road in London and the first speed bump I encountered worked the jockey wheel loose. It hit every progressive speed bump until I realised what had happened. I ended up with a red face and a pretty mangled jockey wheel as a result. Similarly go round and check that the stabilising bars are all positioned correctly and won’t work loose allowing one side of the hull to drop. In addition to electrical spares and tools take a spare wheel and a jack and wheelbrace. Ensure that the vehicle, trailer and tyres are in good condition and carry a spare trailer wheel because towing without one is illegal. Before setting off make sure you have adequate rear view mirrors to see behind you and to keep an eye on the boat. Clip-on extension wing mirrors are easy to fit and adjust and you shouldn’t consider towing without one on the driver’s side at least.

Tips for your trip

Even if you have done a practice run on any journey it is still a good idea to pull over after a couple of miles and check nothing has shifted; if a lashing goes slack it can completely loosen

very quickly. During the journey itself make specific stops along the way to check the load again and the trailer lights. Also check the trailer wheel hubs for heat to ensure the brakes are not binding. When on the road be mindful of security and keep trailer locks handy in case you have to leave the boat and trailer unattended. Many unattended trailers have been stolen

Keep trailer locks handy for use during a short stop – many unattended trailers have been stolen in minutes from motorway car parks in minutes from places like motorway car parks. Strong locks are a visible deterrent to opportunistic theft. I have also found that if you can stick to main roads like motorways and dual carriageways for the majority of your route on longer journeys it is more straightforward. People can overtake you easily and service stations in particular will have plenty of space to pull over. If it means a

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ON THE ROAD

10 If towing with a cover make sure the securing straps go under the boat. It is also a good idea to lash webbing clips together so they cannot spring undone on route

11 The 21 foot Kite has been designed for trailer sailing and slips easily off its specially designed road trailer. 12 A Bay Cruiser being retrieved after the East Coast Raid at Woolverstone. To save your back let the winch do the work 13 Have boat, will travel. Taking a trailer sailer on a ferry is a great way to explore new waters.

slightly longer trip to avoid a congested area with lots of junctions, lights and stop/start driving then go for the detour. You might do more mileage but you’ll arrive less frazzled. When towing you’ve probably more than doubled your normal wheelbase length so you need to constantly be aware of this particularly when overtaking or pulling across a road. Give corners a wide berth because you will need to compensate for the length of the trailer. If you hit the nearside kerb with a trailer wheel you will soon know about it. Also be careful not to swing out too widely then pull sharply round corners because the back of the trailer may swing out and may damage another vehicle and wreck your lighting board as well. Make good use of the gears, changing down early going up hills to maintain your speed and using them to assist braking going down hill. You might get away with pulling off the road in a car in a small space but never stop with a trailer on narrow roads, bends or the crest of a hill. Leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front to allow for the increased braking distance required with a trailer. A trailer must always be towed in a stable condition and should exert a downward load on to the towball of the towing vehicle of typically

50kg to 70kg as described in part one. (Check nose weight using a bathroom scales and winding up the jockey wheel to the hitch height.) If the nose weight is too heavy it may damage the car’s suspension and the steering may be light. If you have too little nose weight snaking may occur. Snaking is when a trailer starts to veer back and forth behind the vehicle and can also be triggered by a high sided vehicle going past. The heavier the load the more likely snaking is to be a problem – if it happens don’t brake suddenly because it could make matters worse, just ease off on the accelerator and change down through the gears as you slow down. Don’t try and use the steering on the car to correct it because this will accentuate it.

Manoeuvring and reversing

So much for the open road but what about when its comes to parking and manoeuvring the rig? Reversing is one area that causes beginners and experienced towers alike the most headaches. It is very easy to miss things which might be low down and behind you, so before reversing get out of the car and do a visual check yourself. If possible it helps to have someone who can direct you and warn of any hazards. Make sure they never stand directly behind the trailer though.

Give yourself plenty of room to be able to manoeuvre the vehicle and constantly use your wing mirrors. When reversing start the procedure with the car and trailer in a straight line and take things as slowly as you can making gradual adjustments to the steering wheel. If the manoeuvre is going hopelessly wrong then stop, drive the vehicle and trailer into a straight line and start again. When reversing you are pushing the trailer rather than pulling it. So you need to turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction to the way you want the trailer to go. Therefore turning the wheel to the left will make the trailer go back to the right. Reversing a small trailer is actually trickier than a large one because it is more sensitive to steering with a much shorter pivot point. If you’ve ever tried to reverse a small box trailer you’ll know how easily they jack knife. Similarly single axle trailers demand a bit more concentration than twin axle models. The further the trailer’s wheels are away from the back of the towing vehicle the slower it reacts to the car’s steering. As you go backwards and apply reverse steering lock the trailer will pivot around on the tow ball of the car quite sharply. So once you have the trailer going in the right direction start CLASSIC SAILOR

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PICTURES COURTESY OF ANGLIA YACHT BROKERAGE, GIL HAYWARD, GRAHAM YOUNG AND ANDREW WOLSTENHOLME

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TRAILER SAILING PART 5

14 Trailer Sailing allows for sociable sailing too as this gathering of Deben Luggers shows.

to straighten up the car. Be careful not to over steer otherwise the trailer will jack knife, you will lose all manoeuvrability and have to start again. As the trailer starts to get around the corner you need to straighten up the car and then move on to the other steering lock. Practice reversing around corners using gentle curves rather than negotiating tight turns. Make sure you try both left and right hand reverse turns because even more care is needed when the trailer is on your blind nearside and it’s not so easy to look out of the door and check its progress.

Launching time

So we’ve got there safely and now it’s time to get on the water. With a bit of planning you will hopefully have chosen your launching site as somewhere which offers convenient access for your vehicle and the trailer, plus somewhere to leave them both. A pre-launch recce without the boat is ideal in allowing you to see approach roads and facilities and parking. If you go at low tide you can check the slipway and look for hidden hazards at high water as well. You can also asses the gradient and work out where you are going to put the boat in. When trailing to unfamiliar areas local knowledge is invaluable and boat clubs in the vicinity are usually a friendly source of advice. If you can’t visit in person a call to the harbour master will tell you about slipway access in relation to the tides and any other relevant information. Information on launch sites can also be obtained from published guides and websites. The first time you unhitch for a launch, try and pick a time that will be quiet so you’re not

under pressure. It’s not pleasant when you feel rushed trying to get your boat in and out of the water. But it’s equally frustrating for people in the queue if you haven’t made an effort to be as efficient as possible and you end up hogging the slipway for half an hour. Prepare everything before you start and it’s a good idea to carry your own wheel chocks to help manoeuvre the boat on steep gradients. Remember to undo all straps and electrical cables. To protect wheel bearings allow them to cool

Retrieval time is when you have to watch out for back strain and let the water do most of the work to float the boat back onto the trailer before immersing them in water Always have a safety line attached to the boat and if a slipway is weedy or slippery take great care underfoot. Never get behind the trailer where the vehicle driver can’t see you. If the winch handle spins out of control when you’re sliding the boat off the trailer keep hands well clear and just feed out the safety line. Retrieval time is when you have to watch out for back strain and let the water do most of the work to float the boat back into position on the trailer. When you’re reversing the car down to the boat, a post-it note stuck to the centre of the rear window helps line up the towball with the

trailer hitch. Reposition the vehicle if necessary rather than struggle with the boat. When coupling up it’s easier to swing a trailer sideways rather than try and pull it forward. When the boat is in position and either winched or pulled in place, secure it quickly to the trailer and make sure the hull is stable on the trailer for hauling her out. Check the hitch is locked on to the towball firmly, secure the load, wind up the jockey and pull slowly away from the slipway. If it is busy find a quiet area to put on the rest of the straps etc to allow others access to the slip. My final tip for trailer sailing is that if you are going to be spending time anywhere then having a base at your destination is a real help. Marinas and boat yards usually offer short term rates for dry storage – and if you’re lucky as well as showers, loo and a bar facilities they might have their own slipway too. Another good idea is if you can get temporary membership of a sailing club. We’ve had some great holidays this way and club facilities like a hose in the boat park to wash down boat and trailer are really handy. You can also rinse through the outboard and for this reason I always carry a rubber bucket. After disconnecting the fuel you can also run a carburettor dry in this way to ensure that the engine starts first time next time. There is also the bonus of local knowledge from friendly members and often a welcoming bar to grab a bite and a drink after being out on the water. And at the end of the day that’s exactly how your trailing sailing should be – the chance to explore new places and make the most of enjoying them while you’re there.

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29/01/17 9:32 AM

Joints: the mortise and tenon joint

The technique for making a mortise and tenon joint as demonstrated by IBTC’s Ian Cook. Words and photos by Richard Johnstone-Bryden

or the second instalment of our joint making series, Richard JohnstoneBryden returned to the Suffolk based International Boatbuilding Training College where the joinery instructor Ian Cook demonstrated the techniques involved in the making of a mortise and tenon which is a strong joint that can be used for the making of doors, frames and cabinets. The basic joint consists of a mortise (the hole) and a tenon (a tongue cut on to the end of a rail) to join two pieces of wood together, usually at an angle of 90º, although this can vary especially when it is used by boatbuilders for items with sloping sides such as gratings. Part 1: Making The Tenon Fig 1 To clearly show what is involved in the making of a mortise and tenon, Ian uses two short lengths of wood.

Figs 2a-e Ian uses a set square to draw the shoulder line on to the rail. He then lines up the stile on this line so that he can mark out the extent of the required size for the tenon Figs 3a-e The width of the tenon should be 1/3 of the rail’s depth. This basic formula results in the strongest combination of tenon and mortise cheeks. Increasing the width of either the tenon or mortise cheeks beyond these figures will undermine the overall structural integrity of the joint by reducing the width and therefore the strength of the other component. Having worked out this figure, Ian uses a metal ruler to set up the two pins of the mortise gauge. These pins will then scribe the required width for the tenon on to the sides and end of the rail. Afterwards, the two scribed lines can be clearly seen.

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Exercise caution by taking off small strips rather than succumbing to the temptation of removing a larger amount in one foul swoop and going too far 4a

Fig 4a-b Ian begins cutting the tenon by placing the rail in a bench hook to saw down along the shoulder line. He then turns the rail over to repeat this step on the other side. Fig 5a-c Ian uses a tenon saw to remove the bulk of the waste wood either side of the tenon. He begins by placing the wood in a bench hook to saw down to the shoulder line. Ian turns the wood over to repeat the process for the other side. He then places the piece of wood in a vice to saw down to the shoulder. To make the sawing easier he mounts the wood in the vice at an angle of approximately 45º so that he can maintain a vertical cut while he saws down to one edge. As he does so, Ian saws slightly to the wasted side of the indicated line. He then repeats this step for the other side of the tenon before turning the wood round in the vice to repeat the procedure for the opposite side. To conclude this stage he straightens up the wood in the vice and saws down vertically to the shoulder on both sides of the tenon. Fig 6a-b Having removed the bulk of the waste wood with the tenon saw, Ian uses a chisel to trim the edges of the tenon to the exact width that is required.

Description and practical demonstration of the techniques by Ian Cook, joinery instructor at the Lowestoft, Suffolk, based International Boatbuilding Training College (IBTC). Further Information: International Boatbuilding Training College, tel 01502 569663, email info@ibtc.co.uk, website www.ibtc.co.uk

Fig 7 The basic profile of the tenon can be clearly seen. Fig 8 Ian trims the remaining waste wood on both faces of the tenon with a chisel. It is better to exercise caution by taking off small strips rather than succumbing to the temptation of trying to remove a larger amount in one foul swoop and going too far. Fig 9 Ian uses the edge of the chisel to check that each face of the tenon is straight and true. In this shot the daylight between the face of the tenon and the chisel clearly indicates that some more waste needs to be removed to achieve a straight and true face. Part 2: Making the mortise Fig 10a-d To determine the overall length of the mortise Ian begins the marking up process on the stile by drawing a line using a pencil and set square. He then lines up the rail against this ‘datum’ line and draws along its other side to indicate the required length for the mortise. Like the tenon, the width of the mortise should be 1/3 of the stile’s width. To ensure the best fit Ian will use the same settings for the two pins on the mortise gauge to scribe the two lines that are required to indicate the extent of the mortise. Fig 11 Ian begins cutting the mortise by drilling a hole towards each end of the marked out shape. By drilling the hole slightly inboard of each end, Ian can trim the edges to match the tenon as closely as possible with a chisel later on. CLASSIC SAILOR 77

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Joints: the mortise and tenon joint

Fig 12a-e The size of the chisels that are used for this stage will be dictated by the extent of the mortise. In this case the mortise was 8mm wide so Ian selected a 7mm chisel to form the ends and remove the bulk of the waste. By selecting a chisel that is slightly smaller than the planned width of the mortise this leaves a small surplus of waste that can be trimmed to suit the exact width of tenon. For the longer sides of the mortise, Ian used a 25mm chisel which can be easily controlled while being large enough to create a nice crisp line â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if the chisel is too small there is a risk that the line might look as though it had been nibbled. Thus, Ian starts removing the waste with the 7mm chisel to create a firm edge at either end of the mortise by driving it vertically into the wood approximately 5mm. He then repeats this technique with the 25mm chisel to create a firm edge along the length of the mortise. He can now cleanly extract the waste wood from within these boundries by driving the 7mm chisel along the length of the mortise to remove the waste in thin strips. Ian will progressively extend the depth of the vertical edges with the two chisels as part of the process to remove the waste. Fig 13 To check his progress, Ian removes the stile from the vice and uses the tenon to evaluate what adjustments need to be made to the overall size of the mortise to ensure a tight fit.

10a

12a

10b

12b

14a

10c

12c

10d

12d

14b

12e

Fig 14a-b Having checked that he is progressing along the right lines with the making of the mortise, Ian continues to extract the waste from the stile. Ian uses the flat side of the 25mm chisel and a metal ruler to check if the mortise 78 CLASSIC SAILOR

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Run a pencil along the edge of a metal ruler to cover it with lead. Then rub the edge along the face of the tenon to highlight any remaining imperfections 16

cheek is vertical. The chances are that at this stage it will still be at a slightly inward angle. This is not a problem because it can be carefully trimmed to the vertical using a chisel. However, it is vital to ensure that the angle of the mortise cheek does not develop into an outward facing direction because this will undermine the quality and structural integrity of the final result.

Fig 19a-b One method of highlighting minor defects during the final stages of trimming is to run a pencil along the edge of a metal ruler until it is covered in lead. Then rub the edge of the ruler along the face of the tenon until the lead highlights any remaining imperfections. The highlighted ridges are then removed with a chisel to create a flush finish.

Fig 15 Having removed the bulk of the waste from the mortise, Ian evaluates what work still needs to be done using the flat edge of the 25mm chisel.

Fig 20 Ian runs a chisel along the mortise cheeks to remove any remaining imperfections.

Fig 16 Ian starts to fine tune the shape of the mortise using the 7mm chisel to trim the ends of the mortise to the desired size. Fig 17 As Ian gets closer to the final extent of the mortise he uses a set square to ensure that the ends are straight and true. Part 3: Fine tuning the mortise and tenon

19a

19b

Fig 18 Having created the mortise it is now time to start fine tuning the tenon to produce the best fit. Ian re-evaluates the status of both faces of the tenon using the flat edge of the 25mm chisel. As before, any inaccuracies will be highlighted by daylight between the edge of the chisel and the face of the tenon.

Fig 21 Ian checks the fit of the mortise and tenon to see if any further alterations are required. However, Ian can see that he has created a nice tight fit. Fig 22 The final task is to trim the length of the tenon so that it is flush with the edge of the stile Fig 23 Ian places the joint in a bench hook and trims the tenon flush using a tenon saw. Fig 24 The tenon is now flush with the surface of the stile Fig 25 Ian finishes off the trimming of the tenon by using a plane to create a perfectly smooth result Fig 26 The final result.

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Solent Sunbeam Racing

From Itchenor in beautiful Chichester Harbour

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Sail and race a Sunbeam at Itchenor Sheltered moorings with Club ferry service Weekend and Thursday evening racing/suppers and in Cowes Week Take lunch or tea on the Club lawn overlooking Chichester Harbour Informal suppers and formal dinners in the Club buttery/restaurant.

Have you seen the Classic Sailor website?

Overnight accommodation is available by reservation

Portsmouth

Chichester

Itchenor

Please visit us at www.classicsailor.com and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news and events, special subscriber offers and a growing list of free articles on all aspects of sailing for you to download. The improved Go To guide has a now powerful search Photo Beken facility to help you ďŹ nd the best craftsmen and services.

Easy access from A3, M27, A27 Come for a trial sail. Enjoy the Sunbeam Experience. www.solentsunbeam.co.uk Tel: 07836 768225 Ask about crewing vacancies and opportunities to join the Solent Sunbeams.

www.classicsailor.com

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A complete range of standard trailers available from 750kg to 3500kg gross Custom options available on request. All trailers fully EU Type Approved Contact us: 01902 754133 Email: sales@sbstrailers.com

#followthestripe CLASSIC SAILOR 80

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Serving sticks Des Pawson discovers a delightfully simple serving tool

have written about serving , that tight binding to protect splices and standing rigging,before in Classic Sailor 2 and again in Classic Sailor 6, but as they say “different ships, different long splices”; there are many ways of doing the same thing, all of them with some merit. It is well worth trying new ideas to see if they work for you. My wife Liz and I were at Sail Ipswich 97 demonstrating our craft and talking to all comers, “We don’t use serving mallets or serving boards on the barges, we just use a stick with some holes in,” said young Kevin Finch, mate on a Thames sailing barge, working out of Maldon, Essex. “I would like to see what you mean,” said I. So the next day Kevin brought a couple of examples for me to see, one for standard work and another variation for serving round eyes. As soon as I saw them I realised how obvious and simple these tools were. To make one needed just a piece of hardwood, perhaps a foot long by 1¼ inch wide and ½ inch thick, with a series of holes down its length, through which the marline was threaded to give the friction required when serving. I realised that I had seen Floris Hin in Amsterdam use a similar tool (see illustration in CS 6). When I came to think about it, a slightly more sophisticated item was illustrated in Skeps Byggerij by Ǻke Classon Rålamb, published in 1691. The tool Kevin used for serving round eyes was very much shorter, perhaps 4in

A long serving stick fitted with a reel

long, ¾in square, with just three holes. As soon as I could I made a copy of his basic serving stick and, trying it out, I found how well it worked. However, I found that for some jobs, if I made a notch on the end, I could see more easily that the marline was going on in just the right place. Soon I had an eye to serve and made up a copy of the very short version he used. This too worked well. Now I have a number of versions of serving sticks, ranging from one about 2½in long, in ¼in square rosewood, for serving very small eyes, to one 15in long. I realised that, if I made a notch on both ends, I would have a bar to keep lines apart when making baggywrinkle (railroad sennit), that shaggy braid that is wrapped round the rigging to reduce chafe. This is a case of one tool, two jobs and no compromise. Later still I made a serving stick 15in long, to which I have attached a reel, which originally came with an order for a couple of hundred meters of small braid. I used a leather washer to act as a kind of clutch, to help control how easily the line comes off when serving, but the holes do most of the job. Clifford Ashley in his marvellous Book of Knots kind of hints at these sorts of tools with his No3345 brass strip with holes in, whilst he also speaks of a serving stick for eyes No3346, but this serving stick does not have any holes in it at all and is just something to hold the line and pull the serving tight.

“We don’t use serving boards or mallets on the barges, we just use a stick with some holes in,” he said. As soon as I saw them I realised how obvious and simple they were

The serving stick with the reel in action applying the serving over the parcelling and the worming

Several serving sticks from Des’s collection

The beauty of these tools is that they can be created from the most basic of materials, with nothing more than a knife and drill of sorts. Indeed since being first introduced to these tools, I have seen them used by other riggers, sometimes with a little

decorative star, or such, carved at the hand end. I still use a serving mallet sometimes, but more frequently use one of my serving sticks, especially for small jobs. Give them a try and I hope you will be pleasantly surprised. CLASSIC SAILOR 81

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On watch: kit for ship and crew Compiled by Guy Venables

Dah-Di-Dah emergency guides

We were particularly impressed by these step-by-step emergency booklets that comprehensively guide you through questions and steps in emergencies. They are easy to understand, small, and water and rip proof. They were invented during the gulf war for soldiers and are now made in the UK by prison inmates. As a reassuring instant emergency guide there should be at least one of these on board every boat. If not all. Even if you have done courses on first aid or engine repair the level of skill fade starts as soon as the course finishes and these are there to counteract that. www.dah-di-dah.com Between £9.99 and £4.79 depending on bulk of order.

Strimmer outboard

Nutter of the year award goes to Boatworld for this innovative and surprising use of a strimmer. They have, in effect simply put a propeller and transom mount onto a 1.2 hp petrol strimmer making a lightweight outboard that lasts for an hour of travel. Adjustable leg clamps mean you can alter the mounting from effectively ‘long shaft’ to ‘short shaft’ on the transom. We’ve yet to test it but we feel we’ve got to give it a go perhaps on a Thai market canoe! At only £199 it could be a winner! www.amazon.com

Parasailor

The Parasailor is a “spinnaker with a hole” that can be used as a symmetrical or an asymmetrical spinnaker, that can sail between 70 and 180 degrees to the wind and in wind speeds of up to 25-30 knots and doesn’t need to be constantly adjusted. It has an easy to use snuffer, automatically adjusts to the wind and keeps yours perfect for long passages and regattas. The hole vents gusts and keeps your nose up. Well worth a look if you’re considering a new spinnaker or long passage. Price on application with the specifics of your boat. www.parasailor.com

Borrow a Boat

Not a product but definitely an interesting brand new company, Borrow a Boat is a connecting company that allows owners to rent out their boats through them rather like an extension of the idea successfully used by the Boats on Board team. Instead of just staying on board, however, you’ll be able to sail it. There are certain requirements to attain first but your boat may already qualify so well worth a look. If you don’t have a boat this may be a cheap alternative to straight charter. Sharing economy eh? It’s the new owning. www.borrowaboat.com

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Zhik Xeflex

Zhik seem to come up with something new and interesting every time we talk and this time it was the Xeflex that really caught our eyes. Using a brand new technology that lays the inner fibres from inside to outside (rather than up and down like normal) the Xeflex uses a nano-thin metallic layer to reflect radiating body heat inwards together with highly water-resistant and breathable outer to create high thermal protection. On test soon. If it does what it says, it looks like a game changer. www.zhik. com Jacket £219 Salopettes £219

KXone canoe

If you’re thinking of buying an inflatable canoe, optimum performance may have just been reached by the KXone Slider range. They use flat high-pressure inflatable panels (as you may have encountered in the flooring of new ribs) giving far more room inside, and stiffer and hydrodynamically more efficient than conventional inflatable canoes. Like normal inflatables they also pack down to a bag in the boot. Comes in three sizes and vary from £995 to £1195 www.nestawayboats.com

Free wheeling.

Here is a hand crank outboard! You simply attach it to your transom and turn the geared handle to get going. To go backwards you turn it the other way. Runs on 3 square meals a day and a three year old can carry it (we tested.) One of those face palm inventions that’s hard to believe has taken us up till now to come up with. Ideal for trolling and getting around busy marinas. We will be testing one in these very pages very soon and we will say, tentatively, that the people we know who have one, absolutely love ‘em. £125 www.thewetworks.co.uk

Stigo electric scooter bike

Meet the Stigo electric scooter bike. The lightweight aluminium machine (14kg) folds up in a few seconds to the size of a golf caddy making it ideal for boats. We took it for a spin along the back wall of the Boat Show, where it attracted a lot of attention, and it was reaching speeds of 25kph. It also seemed to last all day, and makers say it will go for 30km on one 3-4 hour charge. A 200W hub motor is powered by 36V lithium ion batteries housed in its frame. Folding is easy: with two clicks it collapses into a 40 by 45cm upright frame. £1900 www.stigobike.com

Gerber freescape camp kitchen kit

Excepting a really good mutiny nothing will blunt a knife more than rolling about in a boat’s galley drawer. That’s why this little combination is right up our street. Not only do you get a solid Santoki blade kitchen knife and a tough but dainty paring knife, both with rubber grips, but they’re kept in their own chopping board which slides open and locks shut and has an integrated sharpener. www.gerbergear.co.uk

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Over the Yardarm

Off watch Childers, George Jones and Chuck Paine

Guy Venables With Dry January just gone and Lent around the corner, Guy proffers some advice for those contemplating a period of abstinence

Last year, for medical reasons (not overindulgence) I was forced to give up alcohol for a month. As many of you might have toyed with the voluntary madness of a dry January, and may soon be facing pressure to ‘give it up for Lent’ here are a few hints and tips. Don’t do it. Pubs are closing at an alarming rate and need all the help they can get. Knowing some of you, many of them might close within just a fortnight of personal neglect. Also pubs can be jealous buildings. Don’t let yours see you go into a gym or spa. It may sulk for months. But if you must, don’t even attempt to drink non-alcohol beer. It is expensive and universally revolting. There are no substitutes. Boozeless cocktails are the drink equivalent of Las Vegas in a power cut. The only reason sugar is in a drink to begin with is to wait for it to turn into alcohol. Stick with water. At least you can save up for a massive piss-up when it’s all done. Avoid fun. Don’t be with drunk people. They will be drunk and you will realise that they are all repetitive bores. You drank with them to counteract this. That, and because, when drunk, you are also a repetitive bore. Problems also arise when rounds are suggested or indeed any fun ideas that normally you wouldn’t consider sober. Instead, pity your friends out loud then look for new temporary friends. You are a man holding a fork in a world of soup. Don’t fall into the trap of replacing pubs with coffee shops. People think it’s ok for children to scream in coffee shops and for some reason they want to know your name and sell you cakes. Be careful when doing dangerous things. Although, initially, the chances of your climbing a mast to put a traffic cone on the top is greatly diminished, you may later on find yourself clambering up cranes and scaffolding out of sheer boredom. Avoid this as your landing from the fall will be tense from sobriety and you’re likely to break your arm rather than just make a small tear in your drinking suit and crush your fags. Avoid restaurants. There’s nothing sadder than staring at an orphan steak without a glass of red wine. Live off frozen food that’s only just edible. Nobody has ever tried to pair a wine with potato waffles. Good luck and, if done correctly you’ll last a week , vow never to do it again and we can put this whole nasty business behind us.

The Riddle

By Maldwin Drummond An obsession with Erskine Childers is common among yachtspeople – as Arthur Ransome said of Childers’ The Riddle of the Sands, “I never knew anyone who was content to read it only once.” Maldwin Drummond has taken this a stage further. Part biography, part history, part travelogue, this new edition is very welcome, with Martyn Mackrill’s fine illustrations (including one of a No 3 Rippingille stove – I’ve always wondered what one of those looked like). PW £25 2017, 340pp Uniform

The Cruise of Naromis By GA Jones

There’s an echo of The Riddle of the Sands, albeit faint, in this slim book. An attic find by author Julia Jones, it’s the diary of her father, then 21, who joined a cruise to the Baltic in August 1939, where he observed the preparations for the imminent war, and the febrile mood among the people he met, and took photographs. They went out via the Kiel Canal, but prudently came back another way, through Norway. Julia adds a scene-setting commentary. PW £8.99 122pp, illustrated, Golden Duck

Pusser’s Rum Gunpowder proof Of all the Pusser’s rums this is our drinks writer’s favourite. It is exuberantly rich, sweet and spicy with flavours of dried prunes, tar, molasses, buttery caramel and raisin combining with a heavy and numbing aftertaste. It was ‘Gunpowder’ because the ship’s purser used to add a few grains of gunpowder to the rum and, if it set alight, it was a way of showing the sailors that the rum was not watered down. Known in the rum business as the ‘single malt of rums’ and for good reason. It’s also the last rum to be issued by the Royal Navy. About £33

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“By striking out to sea, relying on yourself and making good decisions, knowing your little yacht will rise to every wave, you are choosing to LIVE”

The Boats I’ve Loved

By Chuck Paine. Digital download $9.95 Print $23.50 (+$16.95 shipping outside US) chuckpaine.com The designer of boats like the Francis 26 has produced a fascinating and colourful collection of stories of the boats he has designed, and sailed, over a lifetime. Chuck spent 40 years drawing boats and describes this book as a distillation of the most important. He writes: “Whether you restore an old boat, or bite the bullet and build a new one, I hope you will come to know that by striking out to sea, relying on yourself and your good judgement, making good decisions because bad ones could cost you everything, breathing clean air at midnight under the stars, trusting at first and then knowing after a thousand miles that your little yacht will rise to every wave she encounters no matter how large – you are choosing to LIVE. By the time you return you may have discovered who you really are, you will be a lot healthier than when you departed and you will very likely have started a long conversation with a guy you never knew before called God.” There is a lot of practical design nous and seamanship here as well! Above all it is a great record of a designer of seaworthy boats, who carried on designing boats that way, when much of the world had gone into designs that were frankly more seaworthy once they had turned turtle. And gosh, there are some beautiful boats here... if you need inspiration to dream then this is a great one for the inspiration hour! DMH

Sitka Stew

When it comes to cooking for the very cold the Alaskans get daily prizes. I was there in the 1990s and had my life saved by this dish on a day when I was so cold I couldn’t pick up the spoon. You won’t find it on the internet and very few people know it outside the town after which it is named but it’s an absolute belter of a centrally heated stewy chowder. You can muck about with the fishy ingredients but the crab is vital. It’s relatively easy to make but very impressive to other diners. Although you’re cooking with wine try to reach a little above £3 cooking wine as it is the backbone of the dish. You will need Olive oil 8 to 10 halved scallops, 1 glass of white wine, 500g (1lb) chunks of any meaty white fish such as cod 1pt veg or fish stock with a pinch of saffron 500g (1 lb) cooked crab meat (white or brown or both)

The harness cask

The salt meat was put aboard in large casks and was so impregnated with saltpeter that it was quite unfit for food until it had been soaked for days in sea water. This was done in the ‘harness casks’. Usually two of these graced the quarter deck, ornate affairs of teak or oak, bound with heavy brass hoops. They took their name from the old supposition that the ‘old horse’ it contained was cut up, harness and all.

Old horse! old horse! what brought you here? From Sacarap’ to Portland pier I carted stone for many a year. I labored long and well, alack, ‘Till I fell down and broke my back. They picked me up with sore abuse And salted me down for sailors’ use. The sailors they do me despise, They pick me up and damn my eyes, They eat my flesh and gnaw my bones And throw the rest to Davy Jones. From Sail Ho, By Gordon Grant

Reduction 2kg (4lb) tomatoes Olive oil 6 cloves of garlic chopped 1 head of fennel chopped 1 crushed star anise 2 tbs of spanish smoked paprika 1 tbs dried oregano 1 tbs red wine vinegar 1 bottle of (drinkable!) red wine To make the reduction, oil the tomatoes and put them in a 200C oven for about 45 mins until they are blackening Fry up the garlic and fennel in oil and add the tomatoes, all herbs and spices, vinegar and red wine, bring to the boil and simmer for an hour. Five mins before serving flash fry the scallops and fish in a hot pan and pour in the white wine. Once that’s boiling add the crab meat and stir in the red wine reduction. The combination of red wine, paprika and crabmeat is rich, deeply warming and one of the wonders of the culinary world. GV CLASSIC SAILOR 89

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28/01/17 1:46 AM

Off watch Trying out a an inflatable paddle board was something of a revelation

Paddleboard

Not many boaters will have failed to notice the rise of paddleboarding on just about any stretch of water that is available. It’s a mix between surfing and canoeing – so you stand on the board and then use a long single paddle to propel you along. There are plenty of videos online to get the tips on how to learn the basics of paddleboarding – mostly it’s about acquiring that sense of balance; it’s not unlike a windsurfer in that respect, when you first start. Paddleboards are available in various sizes and the most obvious drawback is the weight of the solid built ones, which can weigh 50lbs (22.6kg). But inflatable paddleboards are becoming popular and it’s easy to see why. We borrowed one from US-based Red Paddle Company to see how easy it was to use. We had the 10ft 8in (3.25m) Ride version which comes in its own valise with Titan pump and paddle included. It’s surprising how rigid you can make these boards. We inflated its 296L volume to 15psi and the board felt like balsa wood: you really would not know it was inflated. It is very lightweight too at 9.5kg, but with 34in (865mm) width and 4.7in (120mm) thick it felt very stable. Our 15-year-old tester was standing up and paddling straight away. As a big board this is very stable – it will take someone up to 120kg in weight. We could see the appeal of keeping one in the lazarette and inflating it (about 8 minutes) and going off for the milk or to explore a river. The standing pad is very grippy and we like the tie straps for a dry bag (of clothes or shopping). Great idea, £799. redpaddleco.com

Left: the valise has wheels but is also comfy to carry on your back. Right: the double barrelled Titan pump is a revelation making pumping up an easy thing to do – with a switch valve to add the last couple of psi. Deflating and packing is even quicker as the board rolls up after a quick dry down and a few minutes sees you packed up and away.

Everything packs away neatly, including the paddle! The wide beam of the board makes it very stable for beginners but with three small fins it also tracks surprisingly well. The board looks very well made with a monocoque structural laminate that is hard wearing on flint beaches like this.

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28/01/17 8:14 AM

Shoreside Places we love

Sale: King’s Keep St Helens Isle of Wight Whilst requiring a certain amount of updating (which looks like a mere trifle to us handy lot) here’s a huge house in St Helens on the west coast of the Isle of Wight. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, double garage and plenty of trailer-sailer space in the garden, or space to scrub your sails. Views over the Solent and a safe little harbour in St Helens, a great place to sail from. Either a ‘forever home’ or possibly a do it up and sell it. £595,000. Biles&Co.

Rent: Trinity Cottage, Burton Ferry, Haven Waterway, Pembrokeshire.

Sleeps 7, 3 beds, 2 dogs. With facilities such as heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, fitness area, full sized snooker table, pool table and table tennis table, the weather can be an irrelevance until you step outside to the waterside possibilities thrown up by Pembrokeshire’s stunning coast. There are also fishing and launching facilities, floating pontoon and many boat trips available along the river and a nice pub. From £515.00 - £1,415.00 per week www.qualitycottages.co.uk

Run ashore Send us your favourite pubs! Address on p15

The King and Queen (the rum pub) High St, Hamble

With an eclectic mix of well lived-in décor and maritime themed artwork this is a pub you could settle in for a day long session or just a really good meal. There’s a handy launderette and a back door to the boats along Rope Walk. Excellent choices of rare rums. Onetime winner of the coveted Wight Vodka’s World Favourite Yachting Bar of the Year and always full of sailors, often famous ones and justifiably busy in the summer. 02380 454247 thekingandqueenpub.co.uk CLASSIC SAILOR 91

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Artist of the month JMW Turner at Petworth House

his month you have the opportunity to see some of Turner’s finest watercolours at an exhibition in Petworth house, Sussex. The rarity of this event can’t be overestimated nor can the fact that you can be a nosehair away from them. A highlight of the exhibition is the dramatic A First Rate Taking in Stores, 1818, which explains the perceived enormity of the battleships built in those times. Also on display (as well as many of Turner’s maritime works, plus Constable, John Robert Cozens, Thomas Girtin and others) is the ‘The Reichenbach Falls’, a stunning and huge watercolour rendition of the famously dramatic falls which incidentally was the death scene set by Arthur Conan Doyle for Sherlock Holmes. It is worth noting that the rest of the house holds an unrivalled collection of Turner’s maritime oil paintings as well as fabulous works by Leslie, Van Dyck, Reynolds, Titian and Blake. All this surrounded by gardens designed by Capability Brown. Until 12 March www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth or 0844 249 1895.

Top: Turner’s ‘A First Rate Taking in Stores’ Above: Turner’s painting of a local view up the Chichester Canal. Right: The Reichenbach Falls

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28/01/17 1:11 AM

Big Blue Zoo Animal stories from the maritime world

Tilikum: the whale who made us think again behind after the park was closed was found dead over Tilikum’s back. He had also ‘drowned’. Soon after Dawn’s death Tilikum was back in the circus but last in March last year SeaWorld announced he had a bacterial lung infection. He got better but on January 6 the company announced his death, without, as yet detailing any cause. For many Tilikum is a symbol of why orcas should be left in the wild. He sired 21 calves in captivity, 11 of which remain alive. Orcas can live beyond 100 years in the wild.

CS ARCHIVES

It seems both sad and yet a good thing that Tilikum, the 36 year old bull Orca, has died at the Orlando Florida SeaWorld theme park in January, after 33 years in captivity. Tilikum, which means ‘friend’ in Chinook, was infamous for killing three people, most famously in 2010 the experienced Dawn Brancheau (pictured), a 40 year old trainer who was filmed being plunged underwater again and again by the 22ft 6in (6.9m) 12,500 pounds (5,700 kg) killer whale. Horrifically she was scalped in the incident and the whale tore off and swallowed part of her arm. The incident inspired the film Blackfish, a 2013 documentary which has been hugely influential in turning the public against orcas and other cetaceans being held in captivity and trained to perform as part of an aquatic circus. One effect of the film and its publicity is that SeaWorld announced, in March 2016, that it would change its system, end its breeding programme and would gradually phase out some of the circus nature of its ‘shows’. The film documented the trauma of young orcas being taken away from their highly evolved family groups. Kept in small spaces, often without daylight Blackfish concluded that orcas like Tilikum developed psychotic tendencies. Forced to perform for their food and denied it if they misbehaved it was hardly surprising that they could turn on their captors. Tilikum first killed in 1999, when he and two other whales drowned Keltie Byrne, a 21-year-old marine biology student and competitive swimmer. Then, in July 1999 Daniel P Dukes, a 27 year old park visitor who evaded security and stayed

A 6 pack not to die for In an ecological volte-face Salt water brewery has shown the drinks industry that it can indeed be ethical about its products by inventing a six pack ring that is constructed from brewing leftovers. Not only does it disintergrate once it is in the sea but fish can actually eat it. Thereby simultaneously solving a problem whilst helping marine species. Some sort of medal is in order we feel. Photos of horribly disfigured turtles tangled in plastic six pack rings should soon be a thing of the past if we can get the big conglomerates to follow suit. With this in mind we thought we’d start a campaign to try to persuade all other beer companies to do the same. As this was just an acorn of an idea before going to press we’re asking you to write in with your support or join us on facebook or where a petition will soon be put up at Classic Sailor Magazine. CLASSIC SAILOR 93

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29/01/17 11:31 AM

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Fireﬂy Dinghy for Sale

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A very high end 15’ in lovely condition. 01404 Cedar Tel. +44 (0)1359 27 17 47 sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk www.anglia-yacht.co.uk 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter Tel. +44 (0)1359 27 17 47 sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk www.anglia-yacht.co.uk 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with Tel. +44 (0)1359 27 17 47 sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk www.anglia-yacht.co.uk Crabber in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff gaff 2001 David David Moss Sea Seawith Otter 1GM10 2000 diesel, Bespoke road 22’ out with lots of hard sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk wood strip/epoxy construction aa +44 (0)1359 27 17 47 www.anglia-yacht.co.uk 2000 Cornish Cornish Crabber 22’ Tel. in fit 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ 2001 Moss Otter lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. A very high end 15’ in lovely condition. Cedar lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. A very high end 15’ in lovely condition. Cedar lovely condition rigged sloop.Complete A very very high high end standing lovely condition. Cedar work. Complete with standing lug yawlcondition. rig. Complete trailer upped ratingwith to Yanmar Complete lovely condition with Yanmar and bronze rigged end 15’ inlug lovely Cedar trailer and and upped work. with yawl rig. Concord ofsloop. Mersea is A widely recognised 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction withaaaa 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fitand out with lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with with electric motor, category B. cover covers and 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with category B. break back road trailer with electric motor, covers and as one the prettiest boats of her size to 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in rating 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Mossstanding Sea Otterlug yawl rig. Complete work. Complete with trailer and upped to and bronze trailer and upped work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete work. Complete with lug yawl yawl rig. rig. Complete trailer and upped to sloop. and bronze Complete be found anywhere. Built inComplete 1937 by in road trailer.Cedar £8,995. trailer upped rating work. with standing lug lovely condition with Yanmar rigged A high end 15’ in lovely lovely condition. Cedar £37,950 road trailer. lovely£37,950 condition with and Yanmar rigged sloop. A very very high end 15’ condition. category B. cover and break back road trailer with electric motor,covers coversand and Harry King and Sons for the artiststrip/epoxy Archie with electric motor, category B. cover and covers and category B. covers and 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter £7,750 category B. break back road trailer with electric motor, 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots of hard wood construction with a 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Sea Otter 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter £7,750 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road 22’ in “Corriemhor” 2000 Cornish Crabber 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter White, Concord won Classic Boat’s £37,950 £8,995. road trailer. Much-loved 4-berth T.24 seeks new home. Owner “Spratt” trailer. £37,950 £8,995. Perfect for some coastal cruising in style! Currently on her lovely condition with rigged sloop. A high end 15’ in lovely condition. Cedar £37,950 lovely lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. very high endinstanding 15’ in in condition. Cedar £37,950 road trailer and upped rating to and bronze work. Complete with luglovely yawl rig. trailer. Complete lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. AA very high end condition. Cedar lovely lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. Avery verythe high end 15’ in condition. trailer and upped rating toYanmar restoration 2010 15’ swallowing hook afterCedar 47 years. Built 1969. GRP hull, Swampscott Doryofbuilt toYear veryaward high standard,comes trailer near Aberdeen, we can deliver to the new owner. fit out 12’ £7,750 £7,750 hard wood strip/epoxy construction withand 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road with lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots of electric motor, covers and category B. cover and break £7,750 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road hard wood strip/epoxy construction with “Corriemhor” 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road hard wood strip/epoxy construction with aaaacoachroof, teak trim, marine-ply deck (renewed 1993) category B. back road trailer with electric motor, covers and with her present owners James and Corriemhor is ﬁtted out for coastal cruising and enjoys a with sailing gear,air bags and oars.

Much-loved 4-berth T.24 Avon seeksinc. new home. Owner “Spratt” Perfect for some coastal cruising in Currently on her Yanmar 1GM10 regularly serviced, Excellent trailer and upped rating to and bronze work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete standing lug rig. Complete trailer and upped rating to and bronze work. high level of equipment: £16,000 Boyd. Sadly the has come for new. trailer. £37,950 £8,995. trailer and upped rating to trailer and upped rating tostyle! Complete with standing yawl rig. Complete Easily Ellie car ,used fortime one week only,as £37,950 road trailer. swallowing hook 47 years. BuiltOtter 1969. GRP hull, 12’ toppable Swampscott Dory built toGRP very high standard,comes Badger : 19ft Johnincluding Leather design built by Cyrilowner. White trailer Aberdeen, we can deliver to the new Sails well. Hullafter sound, coachroof needs 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 Kittiwake 16’ gaff spinnaker. 2001 David Moss Sea Forcategory more info onnear the Romilly our sail around Mull 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter them to part with her but for the right B. Super little boat cover and break back road trailer with electric motor, covers and category B. cover and break back road trailer with electric motor, covers and marine-ply deckelderly, (renewed 1993) and£2,500 coachroof, £7,750 category category B. B. Corriemhor ﬁtted out for coastal cruising and enjoys a with Yanmar with sailing £7,750 gear,airsloop. bags andAoars. repainting, gas-cooker hence price ono. teak trim, 1967. Clinker centreboard Gaff cutter, andof aBrightlingsea, Force 8, is see www.roxane-romilly.co.uk lovely condition rigged very high high end end 15’1GM10 in lovely lovely condition. Cedar lovely with Yanmar rigged sloop. A road very 15’ in condition. Cedar person thistoppable isOnly£995 an opportunity to own Yanmar regularly serviced, Avon Excellent £37,950 £8,995. trailer. high levelStephen of £16,000condition £37,950 £8,995. trailer. Ideal project. Mooring Felixstowe Ferry, own cradle ininc. Yard. Easily car ,used for one week only,as new. £37,950 road Please contact Booth1GM10 £37,950 large cockpit, seats fiveequipment: persons comfortably. Sailed diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in fitvessel 2006 GRPof Kittiwake gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter spinnaker. Sails well. Hull sound, coachroof needs Contact: Peter Hough Telout 07840979473 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke with lots hard wood strip/epoxy construction with aa 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter a road rare and beautiful with a rich For more info on the Romilly including our sail around Mull 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake David Moss Sea Otter 01473 659572 2001 or timvoelcker@gmail.com 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter Stephen.booth@crondall-energy.com Super little boat £7,750 £7,750 £7,750 for and the last six years, the accommodation requires repainting, gas-cooker elderly, hence price £2,500 ono. trailer and upped rating tohistory. and bronze bronze work. Complete with standing lug yawlcondition. rig. Complete a Force 8, see www.roxane-romilly.co.uk lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. A very very end 15’ in lovely condition. Cedar trailerlovely and upped rating to and work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete Lying Orwell, Suffolk. condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. A high end 15’in inlovely lovely condition. Cedar very high lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. A end 15’ Cedar

lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. A very high Ideal endproject. Mooring 15’ inFelixstowe lovely Ferry, condition. Cedar Only£995 upgrading.Please Storedcontact ashoreStephen October to April. Instow, own cradle in Yard. Booth 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out withback lots of of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with category B. diesel, cover and break road trailer electric motor, covers and Contact james@jamesboyd.co.uk. of 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots wood strip/epoxy construction with aa aa category covers and 1GM10 Bespoke road fit out with lots of hard wood with strip/epoxy construction with Contact: Peter Hough Telout 07840979473 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit with lots hard wood strip/epoxy construction with 01473electric 659572 ormotor, timvoelcker@gmail.com North Stephen.booth@crondall-energy.com Devon £5,000 MJLewis 01621 859373 trailer and upped rating to and bronze work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete £8,995. £37,950 road trailer. trailer and upped rating to and bronze work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete £37,950 £8,995. road trailer. trailer and upped rating to and bronze work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete trailer and upped rating to and bronze work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete category cover and and break break back back road with electric motor, covers and £7,750 category covers and £7,750 cover road trailer trailer withelectric category B.B. electricmotor, motor, covers and category cover and break back road trailer with electric motor, covers and £8,995. £37,950 road trailer. £37,950 £8,995. road trailer. £37,950 £8,995. road trailer. £37,950 trailer. £7,750 £7,750 £7,750 £7,750

Anglia Yacht Brokerage AngliaYacht Yacht Brokerage Anglia Brokerage 1999 Storm 15’ with balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 Mk2 in in Tel. Tel. +44 (0)1359 27 17 47 sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk www.anglia-yacht.co.uk

Tel. +44 (0)1359 27 17 47 sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk www.anglia-yacht.co.uk rig. Complete with15’ cover, exceptionally tidy condition condition with 1999 Storm withelectric balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabberwith Mk2 in Mk2 1990 Drascombe Dabber 1999 Storm Mk2inin in www.anglia-yacht.co.uk Tel. +44 (0)1359 27 17 47 sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk 15’ with balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 Tel. www.anglia-yacht.co.uk cover, Honda 2.3HP outboard 4-stroke and and combi road trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and Tel. +44 (0)1359 27 17 47 sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk www.anglia-yacht.co.uk rig. Complete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with Tel. condition with

exceptionally tidy condition rig.with Complete condition with with tidy 1999 Storm 15’ balanced lug cover, 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in roadexceptionally trailer. £2,250 road trailer. outboard andwith combi roadelectric trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and and 4-stroke cover, Honda 2.3HP outboard 4-stroke and exceptionally tidy condition with rig. Complete with and combi road trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with Hurley 22 – Cariola Morgan Giles Teign and Dart Design Drascombe £4,500 FAIREY ATALANTA TRAILER SAILER 1999 Storm £4,450 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in – Built 1969 and 15’ £4,450 with balanced lugOne 1990 Dabber Mk2 in £2,250 road trailer. Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in 1999 Storm 15’ with balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and outboard and combi road trailer. £2,250 Fin keel owned by present owner for 40 years, well Beautiful 16ft6ins dinghy, clinker mahogany on larch A95 HIRAN Trailer recently restored Length 26ft Beam road trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and road trailer. exceptionally tidy condition condition with with rig. Complete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy £4,450 rig. Complete cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with equipped, maintained andDabber regularly Mk2 sailed.in Anti builtwith incombi 1947. Recent renovation work and ready to 7ft6ins. Draught 18ins-5ft9ins. Sleeps£2,250 up to six Twin trailer. road £4,450 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in 1999 Storm 15’trailer. with outboard and road trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and balanced lug 1990 Drascombe fouled June 2015; surveyed May 2013. sail. On good roadrig. trailer. £1,200. Forwith morecover, details Drop Keels 14hp BETA WELL EQUIPPED FOR DETAILS outboard trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and Complete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with £4,450 Complete electric exceptionally tidy condition with £4,450 trailer. £2,250 and combi road road trailer. Storm 15’ with balanced lugriverside 1990Yard, Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in in Storm 15’ with balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 Lying Southwark, Sussex £3,500 and photos phone1999 01626 770318 02083004173 colin.twyford@outlook.com 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ in 2006 CONTACT Cornish outboard and combi road trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and £2,250 road trailer. outboard and combi road trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and Storm 15’ with balanced lug sailing 1990 Drascombe Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in 1999 Storm 15’ with balanced lug 1990 Dabber Mk2 Complete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition within £4,450 established small sailing Anglia Yacht Brokers are boat rig.aComplete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with £4,450 well established small boat Tel: 01273 557921 or email: kjchitts@aol.com £2,250 road trailer. trailer. £2,250 road lovely with Crabber copper- 17’ in 2006 Complete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition condition with £4,450 lovely condition condition 2006 Cornish Cornish outboard and combi road electric trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 2.3HP 4-stroke and and rig. Complete with cover, exceptionally tidy with £4,450 cover, Honda 4-stroke Anglia Yacht Brokers are a well established small sailing boat builders based in the UK near Bury St Edmunds. boat £4,450 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ in £4,450 2006 Cornish outboard and combi combi road trailer. trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 2.3HP 4-stroke and and £2,250 and road trailer. outboard road cover, Honda 4-stroke £2,250 road trailer. lovely condition coppercoated underside, Suzuki 6HP lovely condition coated underside, established small sailing Anglia boat Yacht Brokers are anear well established small sailing boat 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ in with 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ builders based in the UK Bury Stby We provide traditional sailing boat marketing and 2000 Storm 15’ with12’ balanced lug rig.clinker 1973 Longboat Cruiser Mk1 in 1983 Cornish Crabber Mk1 with byEdmunds. 2000 Storm 15’ with balanced lug rig. 1973 GRP hull, 1975 Drascombe Lugger Mk2 refurbished £2,250 1989 Cornish Coble in nice condition with 2004 Green Ocean Yachts Post Boat 14’6” Vintage circa 1920 Larch on Oak 1991 Cornish Cormorant in stunning original £4,450 road trailer. 1978 Drascombe Dabber in good condition 1992 Drascombe Lugger Mk3 1999 Devon Dabber in excellent condition established small sailing boat Anglia Yacht Brokers £4,450 £2,250 road trailer. 1978 Drascombe Drascombe with Mariner 1999 McNulty Drascombe Lugger Mk4 in 1999 Devon Dabber in excellent condition lovely condition with copperare a well established small sailing boat lovely condition coated underside, Suzuki 6HP coated underside, 4-stroke and break-back road 4-stroke and Designed by Nick Newland of Swallow lovely condition with Tohatsu 8HP outboard, cockpit and deck. Rebuilt engine 2-pack Designed by Storm Nick Newland of Swallow Bury Stasailing Edmunds. builders 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ in1986, Locheil Lass: Skanner 19condition GRP Classic lovely condition with copperlovely condition with and trailer us in under 2010. Refurbishment included 2-pack based in the UK near Bury St Edmunds. 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ overhauled trailer and Yamaha 4HP 4-stroke built licence from Character Boats to lug dinghy with T-frame road trailer and condition and garage kept. With Combination lovely condition with copperwith easy-launch trailer, overall cover 6HP Easy-launch road outboard, with easy-launch trailer, Honda 4-stroke We provide traditional sailing boat with new new easy-launch good condition with Mariner 5HP outboard, with easy-launch trailer, Honda 4-stroke 2000 Storm 15’ with balanced lug rig.clinker marketing and 1973 Drascombe Longboat Mk1 1983 Cornish Crabber Mk1 with bysail £4,450 2000 15’ with balanced lug rig. brokerage and are always on hand refurbishment with 1973 GRP hull, 1975 Drascombe Lugger Mk2 refurbished by £4,450 services, brokerage and are always on hand with 1989 Cornish Coble in nice within4-stroke, 1991 Cornish Cormorant in stunning original 2004 Green Ocean Yachts Post Boat 14’6” Vintage circa 1920 12’ on Oak 1978 Drascombe Dabber in Cruiser good condition 1992 Drascombe Lugger Mk3 1999 Devon Dabber inLarch excellent condition established small boat Anglia Yacht Brokers Edmunds. builders based 1978 Drascombe with Mariner 1999 McNulty Drascombe Lugger Mk4 inBoats. 1999 Dabber in excellent condition are acover well established sailing boat intrailer, the UK near Bury St Edmunds. Boats. She isDevon in lovely condition with electric coated underside, Suzuki 6HP recent sails/furling spar and easy-launch and general overhaul. Lots of history. and She is in lovely condition with electric recent sails/furling respray, bare wood newinsmall sails and 4-stroke and break-back road outboard engine. very high standard inrevarnish, Holland and stunning new tan sail trailer and Tohatsu 3.5HP outboard. and in 2015. recent sails. trailer. outboard, new overall cover and new sails. 4-stroke and built for Sandbanks Yacht Club Designed by Nick Nick Newland of Swallow and rudder rudder inlovely 2015. overall 2011 Easy-launch trailer. outboard, new overall cover and new sails. 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ inhence trailer. lovely condition with Tohatsu 8HP outboard, cockpit and deck. Rebuilt engine and trailer us inand 2010. Refurbishment included 2-pack Designed by Newland of Swallow condition with copper2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ trailer. lovely condition with 2-pack coated underside, Suzuki 6HP overhauled trailer and Yamaha 4HP 4-stroke condition and garage kept. With Combination built under licence from Character Boats to a lug sail dinghy with T-frame road trailer lovely condition with copperwith new easy-launch trailer, overall cover 6HP 4-stroke, Easy-launch road outboard, with easy-launch trailer, Honda 4-stroke boat marketing and We provide 2000 Storm 15’ with balanced lug rig.and coated underside, Suzuki with new easy-launch trailer, good condition with Mariner 5HP outboard, with easy-launch trailer, Honda 4-stroke 2006 Cornish Crabber 1973 Drascombe Longboat Cruiser Mk1 in 1983 Cornish Crabber Mk1 with by traditional sailing boat marketing and 2000 Storm 15’ with balanced lug rig. 17’ in brokerage and are always on hand refurbishment with 1973 GRP hull, 1975 Drascombe Lugger Mk2 refurbished by 1989 Cornish Coble in nice condition with 2004 Green Ocean Yachts Post Boat 14’6” Vintage circa 1920 12’ Larch on Oak clinker 1991 Cornish Cormorant in stunning original outboard and Combination road trailer. 1978 Drascombe Dabber in good condition 1992 Drascombe Lugger Mk3 with Mariner 1999 McNulty Drascombe Lugger Mk4 in 1999 Devon Dabber in excellent condition services, brokerage and are always on hand with established small sailing boat Anglia Yacht Brokers road trailer. £16,950 outboard and Combination road trailer.with 1978recent Drascombe 1999 Devon Dabber in excellent condition Edmunds. advice builders based anear well established small sailing road trailer. floorboards. She has aSt 2011 Tohatsu 4HP marketing and and Welight provide traditional insailing theare UK Bury Edmunds. £3,500 condition. Complete with spray hood, £1,500 £3,500 £3,750 Requires re-commissioning. £5,950boat Anglia Yacht Brokers are well established small sailing boat Boats. She issailing in lovely condition with electric boat marketing and £3,750 £6,450 £5,950 Anglia Yacht Brokers are aatent, well established small boat sails/furling spar and easy-launch and general overhaul. Lots ofhelp. history. respray, bare wood newinsails and Boats. She is in lovely condition electric recent sails/furling and very high spec. Teak decks, washboards, outboard engine. trailer and Tohatsu 3.5HP outboard. very high standard inrevarnish, Holland and stunning new tan sail 4-stroke and break-back road and rudder in 2015. recent sails. trailer. outboard, new overall cover and new sails.and 4-stroke and Designed by Nick Newland of Swallow and rudder inand 2015. overall cover and 2011 Easy-launch trailer. outboard, new overall cover and new sails. trailer. lovely condition with Tohatsu 8HP outboard, and deck. Rebuilt engine 2-pack Designed by Nick Newland of Swallow trailer. lovely condition with copperlovely condition with and trailer us in under 2010. Refurbishment included 2-pack coated underside, Suzuki 6HPcockpit overhauled trailer Yamaha 4HP 4-stroke built licence from Character Boats to a always lug dinghy with T-frame road trailer condition and garage kept. With Combination lovely condition with copper£2,250. with new easy-launch trailer, overall cover 6HP 4-stroke, Easy-launch road trailer, good condition with Mariner 5HP outboard, withsail easy-launch trailer, Honda 4-stroke lovely condition with coppercoated underside, Suzuki £12,950 4-stroke and break-back road 2006 Cornish Crabber £4,500. £2,250. with new easy-launch outboard, with easy-launch trailer, Honda 4-stroke 4-stroke and break-back 17’ in £4,500. 4-stroke and Easy-launch trailer. cushions and Easy-launch road trailer. £6,950 brokerage and are always on hand refurbishment with outboard and Combination road trailer. £3,950 services, brokerage and are on hand with road trailer. £16,950 outboard and Combination road trailer. advice 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter road trailer. floorboards. She has a 2011 Tohatsu 4HP builders based in the UK near Bury St Edmunds. and help. We provide traditional sailing boat marketing and 2000 Cornish Crabber Otter £3,500 condition. Complete with spray hood, tent, £1,500 builders based in the the UK near Bury St Edmunds. £3,750 Requires light re-commissioning. £5,950 Anglia Yacht Brokers are well established small sailing boat builders based in UK near Bury St Edmunds. £3,750 £6,450 £5,950 are always on hand with refurbishment services, Anglia Yacht Brokers are aastunning well established small sailing boat Boats. She is inoverall lovely condition with electric cockpit seats and floor. 3 berths, galley, sea£3,500 and are always on hand with recent sails/furling spar and easy-launch and general overhaul. Lotsoutboard. of history.brokerage and Boats. is in lovely condition recent sails/furling bare wood revarnish, new sails and outboard engine. very high standard in Holland and in new tanShe sail trailer and Tohatsu 3.5HP and in 2015. recent sails. overall cover and 2011 Easy-launch trailer. outboard, new overall cover andwith newelectric sails. and rudder rudder in£12,950 2015. outboard, new cover and new sails. trailer. £4,500. respray, £2,250. coated underside, Suzuki lovely condition with trailer. 4-stroke and break-back road coated underside, Suzuki 6HP £4,500. £2,250. 6HP copper£12,950 4-stroke and break-back coated underside, Suzuki £4,500. 4-stroke and Easy-launch trailer. 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ in cushions and Easy-launch roadUK trailer. £6,950 trailer. £3,950 trailer. 2001 David Moss Sea 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in 2006 GRP Otter outboard and Combination road trailer. 2000 Cornish Crabber Kittiwake 16’traditional gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter builders based in the UK near Bury St Edmunds. provide traditional sailing boat marketing and road trailer. £16,950 outboard and Combination road trailer. advice builders based the near Bury St Edmunds. We provide sailing boat marketing and are always on hand with refurbishment services, road trailer. floorboards. She has ain 2011 Tohatsu 4HP and help. We provide traditional sailing boat marketing and £3,500 condition. Complete with spray hood, £1,500 £3,500 toilet, table. S/S pushpit/pulpit, windlass, brokerage and are always on hand with £3,750 Requires light re-commissioning. £6,450 £5,950 lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. A very high end 15’ in lovely condition. Cedar Anglia Yacht Brokers are atent, well established small sailing boat lovely condition Cedar £3,750 £5,950 established small sailing boat advice and help. Please ask for Alex. £4,500. coated underside, Suzuki 6HP 4-stroke and break-back road trailer. £2,250. condition with £12,950 4-stroke and break-back road trailer. £4,500. £2,250. copper£12,950 4-stroke and break-back £4,500. 4-stroke and Easy-launch trailer. £12,950 We provide traditional sailing boat marketing and cushions and Easy-launch roadUK trailer. £6,950 £3,950 refurbishment services, brokerage and are always on hand hand with £12,950 marketing and are always on with 2001 David Moss Sea 2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ inlovely 2006 GRP Otter 15’ in lovely condition. lovely condition Yanmar rigged sloop. Cedar Yanmar1gm10, very good with condition mast 2000 Cornish Crabber Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter builders based in the UK near Bury St lovely condition Edmunds. Abrokerage very high end 15’ in lovely condition. Cedar advice and help. builders based in the near Bury St Edmunds. are always on hand with refurbishment services, Please and are always on hand with ask for Alex. strip/epoxy construction 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fitunderside, out with with a with 4-stroke and break-back 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with a road trailer.coated £4,500. Suzuki 6HP £12,950 refurbishment services, brokerage and are always on hand £12,950 trailer. refurbishment services, brokerage and are always on hand advice and help. trailer. advice and help. spars and sails. Twin axle trailer, Suzuki 6hp We provide traditional sailing boat marketing and marketing and Cedar strip/epoxy construction 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit outsloop. with with with 15’ in in lovely condition. lovely condition with Yanmar rigged Cedar 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with aa lovely condition A Alex. very high end 15’ lovely condition. trailer. advice and help. £12,950 Please ask for Please ask for Alex. standing lug yawl rig. trailer and upped rating to and bronze Complete 4-stroke and break-back trailer and upped work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete road advice and help. advice and help. long shaft (almost new), hardwood legs £12,950 £12,950 refurbishment services, services, brokerage and are always always on£19,950 hand with with £12,950 refurbishment brokerage and are on hand Cheverton Cavalier 30, 1966, Pleasefitask for Alex.lots standing lug yawl rig. trailer and upped rating to and bronze Complete trailer and upped work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete strip/epoxy construction 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road out with with a 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with trailer. with electric electric motor, category cover and break back covers andteak on aIpoh Please ask trailer forand Alex. category B. forB. drying moorings, cockpit and mainsail road motor, covers and Please ask for Alex. advice help.with Long keel, Bermudan sloop, Burma with electric motor, £12,950 category B. cover and covers and Please ask trailer for Alex. with Please ask for Alex. category B. break back road electric motor, covers and Please ask for Alex. standing lug yawl rig. trailer and upped rating to and bronze Complete trailer and upped work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete covers, boarding ladder. Ashore W Wales. road trailer. trailer. £37,950 £8,995. £37,950 road frames, 4 berths in 2 cabins, a beautiful long distance road trailer. £37,950 £8,995. Contact: peter.walton8@icloud.com or 01994 £37,950 road trailer. with electric electric motor, category B. cover and break back covers and Please ask trailer for Alex. Alex. category B. road with motor, covers and Please ask for cruiser designed by David Cheverton £7,750 £7,750 448437 OIRO £8,995.00 £7,750 £7,750 T: 02392 985688 (Waterside Boats) £37,950 £8,995. road trailer. £37,950

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1979 Drascombe Longboat Cruiser Mk2 1999 Sandweaver 16’16’ in gaff lovely 1983 Cornish Crabber GRP hull, New Deben Deben Luggers Luggers being being built built to to order order for 1999 Weaver 16’ Mk1 with with tan sails/gunter 2006 rigged sloop. A for New Balanced Balanced Lug Lug 10’ 10’ Roach Roach Dinghies Dinghies built built 2006 GRP GRP Kittiwake Kittiwake 1983 Sand Cornish Crabber 1999 Sand Weaver New New 1979 Drascombe Longboat Cruiser Mk2 1999 Sandweaver 16’16’ in gaff lovely 1983 Cornish Crabber Mk1 with GRP hull,high New Deben Deben Luggers Luggers being being built built to to order order for 1999 Sand Weaver 16’ with tan sails/gunter 2006 GRP Kittiwake rigged sloop. for New Balanced Balanced Lug Lug 10’ 10’ Roach Roach Dinghies Dinghies built built 2006 GRP Kittiwake 1983 Cornish Crabber 1999 Sand Weaver Adelivery. New built to New order. 2-berth in good condition with recent condition gunter rig, tan sails for delivery. cockpit and deck. engine and trailer MayMay delivery. sloop rig. She is in lovely condition and very end fit out with lots of to order. order. very high with end fit cockpit and deck. sloop rig. She issound inRebuilt hard wood May to 2-berth in good sound condition with recent built to order. condition with gunter rig, tan sails for May delivery. cockpit and deck. Rebuilt engine and trailer May delivery. sloop rig. She is in lovely condition and very high end fit out with lots of to order. cockpit and deck. very high end fit sloop rig. She is in hard wood May delivery. to order. Yamaha 6HP outboard andoverall Type Approved combination trailer.with cover and and overhaul. Lots of history. Prices from from £14,500. £14,500. Inc Inc VAT VAT complete with spray cover and and Complete £3,250. Inc Inc VAT. VAT. and general general overhaul. and bronze bronze work. work.road complete with spray hood, Prices £3,250. Yamaha 6HP outboard and Type Approved combination road trailer. and general overhaul. Lots of history. Prices fromLuggers £14,500.being Inc VAT VAT complete with spray hood, cover and 2006 and bronze work. Complete with cover £3,250. Inc VAT. VAT. Lug and bronze work. and general overhaul. complete with spray Prices from £14,500. Inc £3,250. Inc 1979 Drascombe Longboat Cruiser Mk2 1999 Sandweaver 16’ in gaff lovely 1983 Cornish Crabber with GRP hull, New Deben Luggers being built to to order orderWe 1999 Sand Weaver 16’ Mk1 with tanoverall sails/gunter GRP Kittiwake 16’ rigged for have New Balanced Lug 10’ 10’ Roachfrom Dinghies built built 1983 Cornish Crabber 2006 GRP Kittiwake 1999 Sand Weaver sloop.and A New Deben built for New Roach Dinghies from Euro Easy Launch road trailer. £3,450 £16,950 from combination road trailer. break road trailer. We have twoBalanced demonstrators in stock stock £16,950 break back back road combination road two demonstrators in Euro Easy Launch road trailer. from £3,450 £16,950 from combination road trailer. break road We have two demonstrators demonstrators in in stock stock from £16,950 break back road combination road have two 2-berth in good condition with recent built to order. condition with gunter rig, lots tan sails for delivery. cockpit and deck. Rebuilt engine and trailer MayMay delivery. rig. She is in lovely condition and high end outtrailer. with of hard wood to order. order. very highback end fit fit cockpit and deck. sloop rig. She issound in to May delivery. £2,950. £3,950 £2,950.We £3,950. £8,995. £8,995. very £3,950. sloop £3,950 £2,950. £2,950. £3,950. £8,995. £3,950. Yamaha 6HP outboard andoverall Type Approved combination trailer.with cover and and overhaul. Lots of history. Prices from from £14,500. £14,500. Inc Inc VAT VAT complete with spray cover and and bronze Complete £3,250. Inc Inc VAT. VAT. and£8,995. bronze work. work.road and general general overhaul. complete with spray hood, £3,250. Prices Euro Easy Launch road trailer. from £3,450 £16,950 from combination road break We have have two two demonstrators demonstrators in in stock stock from £16,950 break back back road road trailer. combination road trailer. We builders Anglia Yacht Brokers are a well established small Anglia Yacht Brokers are a well established sailing boat builders £3,950 £3,950. £8,995. £2,950. £8,995. £3,950. £2,950. builders Anglia are Anglia Yacht Yacht Brokers Brokers are aa well well established established small sailing boat builders sailing based UK near Bury St Edmunds. We provide based in in the thebased UK near Bury St Edmunds. traditional sailing sailing based in in the the UK UK near near Bury Bury St St Edmunds. Edmunds. We provide traditional sailing always boat and refurbishment services, boat marketing marketing and refurbishment services, brokerage and are always always boat marketing and services, brokerage boat marketing and refurbishment refurbishment and are always builders Yacht Brokers are aa well established small sailing boat builders Anglia Yachtand Brokers are well established on with advice help. Please ask for Alex. on hand handAnglia withon advice and help. Please on hand hand with with advice advice and and help. help. Please Please ask for Alex. sailing based based in in the the UK UK near near Bury Bury St St Edmunds. Edmunds. We provide traditional sailing always marketing and boat marketing and refurbishment refurbishment services, and are always 35’ Buchanan Bonitoboat sloop built in 1960. 40+ year services, Wing 25 Mk III, 1975, FULLY REFURBISHED! Engine 24brokerage ft Bawley Yacht built CWhite, Brightlingsea; John on on hand hand with with advice advice and and help. help. Please Please ask for Alex.

present ownership. Recent Beta diesel engine. Has recon, new perspex windows 2015! New sea toilet Leather design. Clinker planked, larch on oak. Long been a much loved family yacht, large cockpit with1999 5 2016, new standing rigging 2014, keel, 3ft 9ins draught. Engine: Lister SL3 12 HP diesel. 1990 Drascombe Dabber Storm Mk2new inupholstery 15’ with balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in 1990 Drascombe Drascombe Dabber 1999 Storm 15’ with balanced lug 1990 Mk2 in Dabber Mk2 in Anglia yacht brokerage May 2016.indd PM PM Anglia yacht brokerage May98 2016.indd 98 berths. Pretty yacht, sensibly priced. Hants £13,500 2016, new mainsail cover/dodgers31/05/16 2016,31/05/16 hull10:54 re- 10:54 Good condition. Lying Melton btyrd on R Deben. Price exceptionally tidy with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with rig. Complete condition with exceptionally tidy with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with rig. Complete condition with Tel/Fax +44 (0)1803 833899 or call on 01273-420730 sprayed 2016! Fabulous, Essex £6,950 Woodrolfe £6,000 Tel: 01473 736697 maparko@btinternet.com Email: evie@classicsailor.com and we’ll mail you a simple form to ﬁ ll in. 1990 Drascombe Dabber 1999 Storm Mk2 in 15’combi with trailer. balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in and road trailer. cover, Honda 4-stroke and cover, Honda 2.3HP outboard 4-stroke and and combi road cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and cover, Honda 2.3HP outboard 4-stroke and Anglia yacht brokerage May 2016.indd 98 31/05/16 10:54 PM Brokerage 016212.3HP 868494 brokerage@woodrolfe.com

Let us help sell your boat! Let us help sell your boat! DOUBLE 130mm x 50mm, 80 words and picture - £100 63mm x 50mm, 30 wordstidy and condition picture - £60 exceptionally tidy withSINGLE cover, electric exceptionally with rig.aComplete condition with

trailer. road trailer. road trailer. road trailer. Email: evie@classicsailor.com£2,250 or call£2,250 on 01273-420730 and we’ll mail youroad a simple form to ﬁll in. and combi road trailer. cover, cover, Honda Honda 2.3HP 2.3HP 4-stroke outboard 4-stroke and and £4,450 £4,450 Remember subscribers are entitled to a 50% discount! £4,450 £4,450 94 CLASSIC SAILOR DOUBLE 130mm x 50mm, 80 words and a picture £100 SINGLE 63mm x 50mm, 30 words and picture - £60 road road trailer. trailer. £2,250 80 CLASSIC SAILOR- subscribers are entitled to a 50% discount! Remember £4,450 £4,450

2006 Cornish Cornish 2006 2006 Cornish Cornish 2006 CrabberCrabber 17’ in 17’ in well established small sailing established small sailing Anglia Yacht Brokers boat are a are wella established small sailing boat established small sailing boatboat lovely condition lovely condition with copper-Anglia Yacht Brokers p94_CS0217_Boats for sale new added.indd lovely condition condition lovely with 94 copperBury St St Edmunds. Edmunds. builders based in the UK near Bury

29/01/17 1:44 AM

MARIAN is the 2nd oldest of 18 remaining Bristol Channel pilot cutters. She is immensely strong. One of the fastest pilot cutters afloat, she can be sailed as hard as originally intended! £385,000 Lying UK T: +44 7711 527196

Prawle. 20’6” gaff cutter built in Dartmouth in 1965. Mahogany on CRE timbers, all copper fastened. Volvo Penta MD1B reconditioned in 2014. 2 berths forward, she has the original Rippingille paraffin stove. Eye catching little yacht, easily handled and well cared for. Dartmouth £5,950 T: +44(0)7886081657

26’ Lymington Slipway 5 ton Bermudan sloop built in 1977. Larch on oak all copper fastened. Major refit finished 2012 including new Beta engine, new electrics and all cosmetics. Tidy boat with an interesting history. Pembrokeshire. £10,000 Tel/Fax +44 (0)1803 833899

Devon Lugger, built by Honnor Marine. Registered in 2009 and one very careful owner since purchase. Complete with roller road trailer, full set of sails and Mercury 6hp Essex £11,250 Woodrolfe Brokerage 01621 868494

There is no provenance on this lake boat other than that she was built 35 years ago and has been mainly kept in storage, on the shores of Ullswater. She has a glassfibre hull, timber trim, thwarts and foredeck, a pair of oars and has a running Stuart Turner vintage engine complete with copper fuel tank! open to offers. 017684 86514

Finesse 21 – Built 1982, sail No 71 One of the last built, cutter rig with bowsprit, long keel with lifting plate, sails new 2002 to 2004, keel bolts renewed 2006, last survey 2007, very attractive modern classic. Essex £5900 Woodrolfe Brokerage Tel: 01621 868494

Saltair 22ft Itchen Ferry, Gaff Cutter, 1898. Built by Hayles. Beautifully restored. Interior totally re worked.15hp Beta engine. Saltair - £18,500 Ashore Maldon, Essex. 01621 859373

47 ft Stow & Sons Gaff Yawl 1895/2014 VALERIE has been beautifully and sympathetically rebuilt, commensurate with her vintage, which at nigh on 120 years makes her a genuine historical artefact. The simplicity of her finish and fit-out with the re-introduction of her original yawl rig makes her a handy craft capable of being easily sailed by a small crew. Partial completion of interior enables a new owner to specify his own arrangements; an outline option exists. £195,000 Lying UK T:+44 (0)1202 330077

Rustler 36 1985 £37,000 Reputation for blue water sailing. Lying Scotland Ref: 173415 www.boatshed.com T: 07951 339 943

‘Sara’ Claude Whisstock, 1938 Deben 4 tonner. 22 ft LOA, 2 cabins. 4 berth. Long keel. £6,000, price negotiable. Gweek Quay, katie@gweekquay.co.uk Tel: 01326 221657

23ft Crossfields of Arnside 1912, Rivers Class Gaff Cutter. Round counter stern. Professionally restored. Royal Mersey Yacht Club requested Crossfields for a club boat so put a bowsprit on to the Jewel Class, 1905. 10 vessels were commissioned. Offset Inboard engine. Paglesham, Essex. £5,950 MJLewis 01621 859373

Laurent Giles Salar 40 built by Moody’s in 1966. Won boat of the year at the 1966 London Boat Show. Huge investment in recent years including 95hp Perkins diesel new in 2012. 2 sleeping cabins, sheltered helm position and large saloon. Suffolk £39,000

Memory 19 Gaffer – 2010 Brilliant class of gaffer for those who know... An opportunity to purchase one of the last Salterns built boats. Open cockpit for easy handling, outboard in a well for simple motoring. Fantastic Fun! £9950 T:02380 455714

Vindo 40, New engine 1980 £29.950 Engine & standing rigging renewed, cockpit rebuilt, upgraded electrics plus new batteries. Lying South Coast Ref: 224702 www.boatshed.com T: 07775 617 105

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Ohlson 38, 1975, £27,000 Yawl rigged, Long fin keel, Beta 28hp new in 2008, 6 berths in 2 cabins, fully equipped with heating, hot water, full electronics package and a full sail wardrobe T:02392 985688 (Waterside)

AVOLA: 33ft Classic Gaff Cutter. Designed by J. Francis-Jones, built St Osyth Boatyard 1965. Long keel larch planking, Nanni 50hp engine. Full nav. equipment. Zodiac and ridged dinghies. Maintained to a high standard. Extensively cruised. Lying Ipswich. £35000 wrenspark@aol.com Tel: 01473 231066

Van de Stadt - Rebel 41 1975, Classic Blue Water yacht. 2011 Copper coat hull, 2005 55hp engine, 2004 rig, 2014 rigging, comprehensive sail wardrobe, ready to sail away. Beautiful lines, fast, responsive, satisfying sail. £42,950. Ref: 225075 Boatshed. com +44 (0) 1983 869 203

27ft Gaff Yawl 1909 Lines taken from a Falmouth Quay Punt. Totally restored, re-engined, New rig & sails in 2005. OIRO £45,000 Dorothea Maldon, Essex. 01621 859373

Rococraft Gentlemans Launch - constructed Devon in the 1950’s. 4 m long with two rows of seating. Comes with road trailer and outboard engine. 2500 pounds ono. Call 07590 426 007 or email rupert@ debleuchamp.com

‘Silver Moon’ Classic 21’ Yealm crabber. 21 foot, lug rigged, grp centreboard, traditional design 1980s by Hockaday Brothers. Working and racing sails in very good condition, sweeps, anchor, ropes, fenders, battery, electric and manual bilge pumps. £3,00 priced to sell. Gweek Quay 01326 221657

Kitikae is a 1924 gentleman’s yacht built by Brookes of Lowestoft and restored to a beautiful condition in 2007. Mahognay and pitch pine. 65ft (20m) LOA with 1937 Gardener engines. £345,000 Lying Paris: christian. gonnard@gmail.com Tel: 00 33 (0)6 37 29 53 06

West Solent One Design Halloween 1925 a remarkably original boat – of a very special class, noted not only for their stunning good looks but for some special sailing and racing qualities. Restored but still an authentic unspoilt example. Lying UK £58,000 T:+44 (0)1202 330077 (Sandeman)

Super Sovereign 35 1971 £29,995 New engine & standing rigging 2014, Upholstery still in transparent wrapping Ref: 225540 www.boatshed.com T: 07768 925 315

Windsong. Built to an American design this is a beautiful traditional yacht which will be admired in every port. Volvo penta MD2020 20hp. Price £14,000 Shoreham Contact Danny T: +44 (0)7576 377739 virendraonelove@gmail.com

30 ft Ed Burnett Gaff Cutter 1998 Zinnia, from the board of Ed Burnett, in association with Nigel Irens. High quality wooden construction by the Elephant Boatyard in 1998. Bronze custom deck fittings and details make her a very special yacht. Lying UK £107,000 T:+44 (0)1202 330077 (Sandeman)

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Calendar

Send us your events! editor@classicsailor.com

CURRENTLY Emma Hamilton Seduction and Celebrity (The woman behind Nelson! See p86) Closes 17 April 2017 National Maritime Museum Greenwich, London www.rmg.co.uk Liverpool Pilots History Until June 2017 Merseyside Maritime Museum (Free) www.liverpoolmuseums. org.uk North Sea Fishing 12 November - 19 Feb 2017 Anstruther, Fife Contemporary documentary photography by photojournalist Jeremy SuttonHibbert. www.scotfishmuseum.org.

COMING UP Thames Sailing Barge Matches 3 June Medway 17 June Blackwater 15 July Thames 24 June Passage 1 July Pin Mill Swale 29 July 5 August Whitstable 27 August Southend 2 September Colne sailingbargeassociation.co.uk

Thames sailing barge Repertor at the Swale Barge and Smack match – held this year on July 29. See our report p62 water, with Nancy Blackett and Peter Duck check Arthur Ransome’s East Coast on facebook OGA East Coast Gaffers 29 April-1 May Tollesbury oga.org.uk

Antigua Classics 19-25 April Antigua Yacht Club www.antiguaclassics.com

Semaine du Golfe de Morbihan 22-28 May semainedugolfe.com

Pin Mill Arthur Ransome Jamboree 13 May, Pin Mill, Suffolk The setting for the start of ‘We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea’ celebrates the 80th anniversary of its publication, and 50 years since the death of its author. Fete-style event on the green and on the

Sail Caledonia 23 May - 3 June Open raid-style event for smaller (c. 5-9m) sailing boats www.sailcaledonia.org Brixham Heritage Sailing Regatta 27-28 May brixhamheritagesailing.org.uk

OGA YOGAFF 1-4 June Yarmouth IoW oga.org.uk

Round the Island Race 1 July Cowes-Cowes IoW roundtheisland.org.uk

Beale Park Boat Show 2-4 June Beale Park Pangbourne Berks bealeparkboatand outdoorshow.co.uk

Thames Traditional Boat Festival 14-16 July Henley tradboatfestival.com

OGA Swamazons 10-11 June Walton Backwaters Small boat racing round ‘Swallow’ (Horsey) Island oga.org.uk Falmouth Classics 16-18 June With Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival falmouthclassics.org.uk falmouthseashanty.co.uk

Maritime Woodbridge 9-10 September, new Whisstocks centre, Woodbridge, Suffolk maritimewoodbridge.org Thames Trafalgar Race 30 September - 1 October Thames Tideway littleshipclub.co.uk

Southern Hemisphere Classic Regatta March 3-5 2017 Premier three day Classic Yacht Regatta, hosted jointly by the RNZYS and CYA – our top sailing event of the season! Auckland, New Zealand www.classicyacht.org.nz

35th America’s Cup 17-18 & 24-27 June 2017, Bermuda, WI See website www.americascup.com

See classicsailor.com for more events and details and upload your own!

In Classic Sailor next issue Learning to sail

Vikings crossing oceans (again)

Take a couple, with a dream to go off sailing, and see how they fare in the early stages of learning the ropes... Is it easy? Will they even like it?

What is it like to relive the voyages of the Vikings, in a replica long ship with a square sail and not very much protection from the elements? Don’t miss it! CLASSIC SAILOR

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Last word: Surviving survival Lucy L Ford on WHY I AM NEVER RETIRING!

GUY VENABLES

pparently when we retire we are sailing round the world. In preparation for this great event, for my birthday Th e Skipper gave me a ‘Sea Survival Course’! “You’ll need to know how to get into a life raft when we sail to the Falklands”... well doesn’t that thought just fi ll you with confi dence! Th e Falklands is probably a bit ambitious for someone who to date, has never managed to go beyond Le Havre or La Rochelle “...and you have to jump off the top diving board at the swimming pool in your oilskins... you have to know what to do, and be able to jump into the sea, when the time comes...” I can’t wait! I then learned that he had also signed up most of the yacht club on this course... he probably got my ticket half price... but I had no intention of simulating a beached whale, clad in luminous yellow in front of his cronies... so I paid my son to attend in my place. Crossing the channel has got to be the highlight of every summer holiday. After tangoing with a few tankers, the Skipper always celebrates the relief of clearing the shipping lanes (fog free, thankfully), by putting up full sail. Such a great idea just as the tide changes and the sea kicks up wind against spring tide. So there we are 10 miles south of Portland Bill, fish swimming past the window, over canvassed as usual. As the anemometer registers 36 knots, and we take it green in the cockpit, the coastguard reads out the work of fiction that is called the inshore weather forecast. “Wind: North-East 3-4 decreasing 2-3 later. Seastate slight to moderate.” Complete fiction. Is it ever

‘You have to be able to jump into the sea when the time comes...’ I can’t wait

anything less than 7 gusting 8, out here? But I suppose we are not exactly ‘inshore’. When the anemometer hits 40 knots, the Skipper decides to clamber out on deck to do a bit of reefing. This usually triggers complete neurosis and visions of him being swept overboard. At this point

I do wonder whether I should have done that sea survival course after all. I also wonder if the seas around the Falklands are any better and vow that I am never retiring! It would have been more comfortable on the ‘Vomit-Comet’. But to have suggested that would have

been to: “Spoil the holiday.” As if slopping and slamming around ten miles south of Portland Bill, isn’t the highlight of mine! Well I suppose it beats “shoes-on shoes-off , belt-on, belt-off ; or being taken aside for extra searching, because I managed to set all

the airport security alarms off. I think they get airport security guards from the same box that they keep the traffic wardens in. he rather officious woman, who more than touched me up, ‘was not amused’ when I suggested that ‘the underwired bra’, might be the cause.

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Traditional equipment Traditional equipment for classic boats.

for classic boats.

Order online or come and visit our chandlery at Suffolk Yacht Harbour on the east coast. Telephone: 01394 380390 or 01473 659394 | Email: info@classicmarine.co.uk | www.classicmarine.co.uk Photography Credit: Emily Harris