Classic Sailor No8 May 2016 by Dan Houston

WWW.CLASSICSAILOR.COM

MAY 2016 Â£3.95

Rival at 40 restored to go anywhere

05 9 772059 042003

TALL SHIP TEENS ARE OLD WOODEN BOATS WORTH SAVING? THE SWEDISH FID COURSE TO STEER SAILING A LUGGER MADE EASY ANCHORING SOLUTIONS

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Contents

26 Editorial

Falmouth Classics

Signals

Dipping luggers on the rise

Teen tales from a Tall Ship

People of the sea: John Moor

This cruising life: Starting with a slipper

Flax canoe

On/Off Watch, Over the Yardarm and Shoreside

Turn of the Bilge

Anchor solution for the bowsprit

Quirky’s Classic Quickie

Swedish fid

Practical: Cross-halving joint

Practical: Navigation

Instructor’s tales

Calendar and Next Month

The last word: Artist of the Month

Getting hooked on these seaworthy boats from the 1970s Fairlie Yachts closes, Scilly tender and Jersey lifeboat restored, death of designer Ed Dubois, NI council shuts ship canal

Around the yards

Restoration work at Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Brixham Trawler Provident sails again, Morecambe Bay prawner in Cardiff

Association news

Coastwatch wins award. Two big Thames races – Trafalgar and the Nore,

Classic Coast

Northumberland

Smylie’s boats

Scottish salmon coble

The Post

John Greenaway’s farewell, 1860 Mermaid, Wharram in Brest

Andrew Bray

Antifouling: Bill’s recipe

Nardi’s nods

Alberg 35: safe and elegant

COVER: Wild Rival Out to sea on a Rival 34

(Cover photo: Lester McCarthy)

The famous regatta links up with the shanty festival Efficient but out of favour for years – now the lug rig is back and Guy Venables’ guide to how to survive aboard one Mevagissey boatbuilder

The new series by Helen Lewis goes back to early days on the Thames Simon Cooper farms flax and fabricates canoe skins out of it Useful stuff, the British Calvados, books and a fine Cornish pub Aidan Tuckett on whether it’s worth trying to save an old boat The two don’t always mix well. Here’s a way to makes sure they do

John Quirke shows how to build a boat out of just over three sheets of ply Des Pawson on the device tha made all the difference

A step-by-step photo guide to the job Working out the course to steer A table for three

Events for the coming month and year, and what’s in our next issue Michael Frith

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Editorial Dan Houston

Respect for the well found seaboat often means going for traditional lines

ailing the Rival 34 (p20) made me very tempted to harness the for comfortable accommodations and a boat you can sail upright without scaring wind and just get on over the horizon. I was instantly attracted the life out of your family or friends. I gave them a good long keel, plenty of to the easy movement and that cushioned sense of suspension displacement and beam, and a fair amount of sail area so that they can move.” – or a lack of heave if you will, that I normally “In 1979, while those modern boats were capsizing and sinking, an Alberg 35 associate with well-designed wooden boats. I have never on its way to England comfortably lay a-hull. dissed glassfibre but in youth those kinds of boat were out of “It was really blowing and though they shortened sails and did everything reach to a fairly impecunious family man. And so it was wood. else they could in order to keep going, they eventually took everything off, The glassfibre boats I have sailed tended to be lightweight in construction. At went below, battened down the hatches and just ate, drank and played cards. one point I described them as the beneteau, jeanneau and the idontkneau and When it had blown over they hoisted sail and continued to England, where called them jumpy pieces of French plastic. To they were told they had just sailed through be honest I was getting fed up with cooking same storm that had taken 18 lives in the They were told they had just sailed the on them in any kind of weather; the trick with Fastnet race. They had ridden out the storm food at sea is to keep it in one place before by just sitting in the cabin while everyone else through the same storm that had serving it up. It saves on trouble from the crew, was capsizing. taken 18 lives in the Fastnet race and all that cleaning. “There are still some designers around who Apart from the Rival 34 we have Federico share my ideas about glass boat design; everyNardi in his regular column talking about the Alberg 35. Carl Alberg trained one else is trying to conform to the new rules. My boats are more designed to with the American schooner designer John Alden at the end of the days of sail. follow the waves and stay relatively dry and stable.” He was imbued with a deep respect for the sea and his designs reflected that. It’s a wonderful image of riding out a storm and how a well-found boat really When he was doing some research Federico discovered a lovely piece of will rock you into a sense of her own security. With enough sea-room it often commentary from Carl, about the 35 in the 1979 Fastnet. To me it just sums up makes sense in the teeth of weather like that just to give up, and lying a-hull is why we should go to sea in seaworthy boats: usually the best way to cope. You don’t have the problems of trailing bits of para“Contrasted to the modern IOR boats where you have six gorillas sitting chute or gear over the side and the boat will usually swim out of it on her own. on the weather rail with their feet hanging outside trying to keep the boat You do hear of boats being found afloat long after the crew have abandoned ship. upright, my boats are strictly family-cruising boats. In all my designs I go Having more faith in the boat and a good pack of cards is often the best idea.

It wasn’t just capsizing; soon boats’ keels had started to fall off, making them more seaworthy upside down. This was the case with Simon Le Bon’s Drum, above, which lost her keel in the 1985 Fastnet, trapping the Duran Duran lead man in the hull until rescue

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Signals Fairlie Yachts closes, new Pilot Cutter regatta is announced for Swansea, a Scilly tender and a Jersey lifeboat are restored FALMOUTH AND SCILLY

From dream to reality for Falmouth Pilot’s ‘Soleil d’Or’ A Falmouth pilot has realised a childhood dream by acquiring and restoring, with the help of the master shipwrights of Mylor Yacht Harbour, the sturdy classic launch Soleil d’Or which carried royalty, politicians and other VIPs around the Isles of Scilly between the late 1950s and 1970s. Captain Dave Pickston, who grew up on the islands, traced ‘Sol’ from her early voyages as a passenger boat owned by the Dorrien Smith family of Tresco, via the River Medway and Liverpool, to Cardiff where he was “lucky enough” to buy her last year.

In her first two decades this 43ft tender carried the Queen Mother, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prime Minister Harold Wilson (who had his holiday home on the Isles of Scilly), Margaret Thatcher when she was Education Secretary and many other famous and influential guests of the Dorrien Smith family – all chronicled in the photographs of the late, great Frank Gibson of Gibsons of Scilly. “I knew the Soleil d’Or when I was growing up in the Isles of Scilly and had always admired her elegant lines,”

says Dave, who has been a pilot in Falmouth for 17 years and who has spent a lifetime working in the maritime industries. “In those days she had a full time boatman (whose daughter used to baby-sit for my parents) and under his steady hand proved herself to be a great sea boat.”

Above: the restored Soleil d’Or. Left: The Queen Mother on Tresco with Soleil’dOr in the background (photo courtesy of Gibsons of Scilly)

CHANNEL ISLANDS

Jersey’s first motorised lifeboat restored Thomas Benjamin Davis was a self-made millionaire who gave this lifeboat to Jersey in memory of his youngest son Howard, who was wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, and who later died of his wounds writes Arthur Lamy. Davis was the son of a humble ship’s carpenter. He made his fortune in stevedoring, wharfing and lighterage in South Africa at the turn of the 20th century. The boat was one of many gifts made to the island of his birth, by the philanthropist Thomas Davis. When the boat came into service in 1937, it was one of the most advanced lifeboats of the period. It was a light Liverpool class lifeboat, built

by Sanders Roe in the Isle of Wight at a cost of £3,623.00. It was made from two skins of mahogany with a layer of canvas inbetween. The hull was divided into six watertight compartments, and to ensure buoyancy there were 150 plywood air cases built into the structure. The lifeboat had sails fore and aft,

The Howard D, restored in Jersey

and a Weyburn 35 HP petrol engine, to power it. This gave it a range of 100 miles. It was fitted with a search light and a rocket-powered line-throwing device. A crew of seven manned the boat and, even in rough weather, it could carry 30 survivors. The Howard D spent 11 years on station in Jersey, including during the German Occupation, and it was launched 23 times and saved 46 lives. In 1948, it was

replaced by a Watson class lifeboat, the Elizabeth Rippon, and it went on to see service at Flamborough Head, and then Arbroath. In the intervening eight years, the boat was launched 34 times and saved 17 lives. The boat stayed in service as a reserve boat until 1964, when she was sold to the coxswain of the Wells lifeboat. He raised the gunwales by 18in and used it for fishing, renaming it Spero II.

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In her ﬁrst two decades she carried the Queen Mother, the Duke of Edinburgh, Harold Wilson, Margaret Thatcher and other famous guests SOUTH WALES

Swansea Bay & Bristol Channel Yacht Club pilot cutter regatta A new regatta invites original and replica pilot cutters and gaffers to race for a trophy that was last raced for in 1910. The Swansea Bay and Bristol Channel Yacht Club Regatta is on 7 and 8 May. Swansea Bay used to attract men like Sir Thomas Lipton and his yacht Shamrock, when the city was the copperplate capital of the world. The last time the trophy was raced for it was won by Violet which was owned by Harry Davies – later a commodore of the club. The trophy has only recently been returned by a member of Mr Davies’s family so has been missing for 105 years. The regatta will be three race series in Swansea Bay for pilot cutters and gaffers raced under the OGA handicap system, with prize giving on Sunday at the Bristol Channel Yacht Club. For more information contact Matthew Williams 07881269210 or email matt47005@gmail.com

DESIGNER

NEWRY NORTHERN IRELAND

Ed Dubois dies at 64

Newry council closes Ship canal

We are sad to report the death of Ed Dubois, superyacht designer and classic yacht sailor, who died on March 24 after a period of illness. He was 64. Ed spent over 40 years in yacht design, training at Burnham with the late Alan Buchanan. While he designed superyachts for a wealthy clientele Ed’s own pride and joy was Firebrand, a 46ft wooden Olin Stephens-designed offshore racer built at Clare Lallows which Ed found and brought back from the States in 1998.

Newry council is effectively closing and denying access to Albert Basin, via Victoria Sea lock, at the entrance of the Newry ship canal, on Carlingford Lough. Information received by masters in charge of intending visiting craft within the past few weeks has advised mariners that access to berthing alongside the Quays at Albert Basin is to be restricted to the ten craft currently there. Following a recent restoration of the sea gates at Victoria lock, a process overrunning both in time and budget by some 6 months and £250,000, not only were the recent works timed to coincide with the busy tourism season for 2015, now new and emerging council policy suggests that as far as tourism for 2016 forwards for water based activities, Newry is effectively off the map.

Craft intending to visit Newry will now need to sensibly consider ignoring the widely advertised and published access information provided by the official agencies for navigation, and to remove Newry as a possible destination for commercial, historic or leisure tourism, and make safe alternative arrangements to shelter from sea. The restored facility lay unerused up to nine years ago when activists and local voluntary groups insisted council improve access. JC

QUAY PEOPLE

Fairlie Yachts, which used to be Fairlie Restorations, has gone into liquidation. Fairlie boss Duncan Walker, (above) said an unexpected lack of orders in the short term meant either closing or increasing debt. The firm’s last project, a houseboat for the Thames, left the yard in February. Fairlie’s team of craftsmen, who restored famous classics like The Lady Anne and Mariquita, are all in demand elsewhere according to Duncan who is now setting up Greybeard Yachting, based in Hamble “We have work on a couple of small projects and the merest hint of a largish new build,” he said. Paul Spooner, Fairlie’s architect, is setting up separately as Paul Spooner Design. The Wm Fife archive of drawings saved from Fife’s offices at Fairlie on the Scottish Clyde are in safe keeping Duncan Walker said.

Restored and working the pretty Victoria sea lock leads to nowhere as Albert Basin is now effectively closed.

Mike Smylie has been named the official British coordinator for the British Skills Village at Brest in July this year. Mike (with CS) has been getting a dream team of craftsmen together (especially since the French agreed to pay our fares!). Contact editor@classicsailor.com if you have a skill to share. CLASSIC SAILOR

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Signals Hamble Classics, built in South Australia, spend a night at Rathlin Light, Tom McClean and a different kind of whaleboat QUAY PEOPLE

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Skiffs aid Independence rebuild Jonty Sherwill has proposed a new regatta, the Hamble Classics. Run by the Royal Southern Yacht Club the regatta is open to all types of classic craft, Classic Racers and Cruisers, Spirit of Tradition yachts and Old Gaffers and Dayboats. 24–25 September; make a note!

John Greenaway, above, writes a farewell missive to readers and customers on p15 after many years running the superb online chandlery Traditional Boat Supplies. John is not hanging up his caulking mallet yet; he will be part of the British Village at the Brest Festival in France 13-19 July.

Yachtsmen like Vernon Sainsbury (above), had vision. It was he who lent Jeremy Rogers the money to build the moulds for the Contessa 26 and turn the design into a famous production boat. Today Contessa 26s are still in demand, and Rogers restores them in Lymington, including Vernon’s Grayling in 2012. The Contessa 26 is 50 this year.

The Rebuild Independence group, based in American River on Kangaroo Island, South Australia are planning to build as many as five St Ayles skiffs as part of a community project in their bid to fund and then rebuild the 35 ton schooner Independence which was South Australia’s first seagoing vessel built in at American River, Kangaroo Island, in 1803. The project, which already involves around 20 people, last autumn built a shed to house the replica vessel at American River on the north side of the island. They also built a restaurant which provides an income and a place where

Tony Klieve who is oversseing the community project at American River with moulds being set up

visitors can find refreshment. Without plans or details of the original Independence, the new schooner will be based on plans of a similar schooners of her time. She will form the centrepiece of an Historic Maritime Precinct, which will include an on-water display

of vintage wooden vessels and a maritime museum and interpretive centre. The original Independence had a short productive life as a sealing schooner before being lost at sea with all hands in 1805. www. rebuildindependence.org

“What? You mean you would prefer a marina berth with all those slapping halyards and a constant G & T social whirl?

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Nothing can beat Rathlin West for uniqueness: it requires a descent to view the light itself, so positioned to be more effective in fog QUAY PEOPLE

RATHLIN ISLAND, N IRELAND

Rathlin Light Opens Known as the ‘upside down’ lighthouse, Rathlin Island’s remarkable West Light opened to the public this Easter for the ﬁrst time since it was established in 1919 as a sentinel for the turbulent waters of the North Channel - the Atlantic gateway to the Firth of Clyde and the Irish Sea. Commissioners of Irish Lights have a fair share of remarkable lighthouses in their charge – over 70 of them, including one of the oldest anywhere, at Hook Head, County Waterford – but nothing can beat Rathlin West for uniqueness: it requires a descent to view the light itself, so positioned to be more effective in fog. It’s one of the twelve Great Lighthouses of Ireland, all of which can be visited, with some offering accommodation. Coupled with the recently refurbished RSPB NI Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre, this fascinating destination is easily reached from the island’s much improved harbour/ marina. www.greatlighthouses.com www.rspb.org.uk/rathlinisland

SCOTLAND

Whale to go Transatlantic It’s a whacky plan but it might just work: Tom McClean wants to take his whaleboat, that is a boat shaped like a whale, across the Atlantic from Scotland to America. It was 20 years ago, when ex-SAS soldier Tom McClean, now 73, built his 63ft (19m) 62-ton Whale-shaped vessel Moby on the shore of Loch Nevis near Lochaber in Moby and her owner-adventurer Tom McClean

the Scottish Highlands. The purpose is to carry an environmental message and Tom plans to re-engine Moby with electric motors to replace her old diesels. Tom, who was the first person to row the Atlantic single-handed (on purpose) is raising money for the project which he hopes to complete next year.

Carl Alberg 1900-1986 designed some great seaboats, especially the Alberg 35 (Nardi, p19). In 1979 a 35 was making her way to England when the crew had to give up and go below due to bad weather. They played cards and drank while the boat lay ahull, later discovering that she had looked after them while the same storm was claiming 18 lives in that year’s Fastnet race.

AUSTRALIA (A BIT DUSTY MATE)

St Ayles skiff’s long tow

Record run from the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club

The RFBYC St Ayles team would like to claim the record for the longest tow of a St Ayles skiff to a regatta, writes John Longley. Dotsie was towed across the Nullarbor Plain from Perth in Western Australia to Geelong in Victoria and back again. Each trip took four days and covered a distance of 3.400 Km i.e. a total distance of 6,800Km (4225 miles). We rowed her in the Spirit of St Ayles Regatta held as a part of the Geelong Wooden Boat Festival. Dotsie won the final from FAST Messenger from Warrnambool by the narrowest of margins with Billie from Franklin, Tasmania a very close third. The picture shows Dotsie arriving back at the Club. As you can see she was cling wrapped to keep the red dust of Australia’s interior out of her – not a problem you would have in Scotland.

Husband and wife team Colin and Jan Stracey are organising a seven-leg round Britain sail for the Macmillan Nurses cancer care charity starting on May 2. The RYA instructor couple own and run First Class Sailing based in North Fambridge and hope to raise £10,000. Their aim is to take 70 sailors on the different legs in two boats – their own Kingfisher of Maldon, a Beneteau 351, plus Moodshadow, a Jeanneau 36.2 which is chartered for the trip. Each leg is £595. Departing Fambridge on 2 May the yachts will visit all of the marinas operated by the Yacht Haven Group, and at least one marina operated by Quay Marinas. These marinas have agreed to hold a Macmillan fundraising event while the boats are docked. firstclasssailing.com/SailRound-Britain. CLASSIC SAILOR

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Signals: Around the yards The last Fife, a Brixham trawler.re-engined, Gaffers work on a Morecambe Bay Prawner in Cardiff and Contessa latest LEVINGTON

Charm of Rhu is not just any Fife 8-Metre, but the last boat out of the yard in 1963, one of only two designed by Archie McMillan. She’s in Suffolk Yacht Harbour’s new workshops to have her mahogany hull stripped and resplined, amongst other work. Here, shipwright Robert Clarke is carefully chasing-out the dragon scrollwork on the bows before the topsides are revarnished. Nearby, Cayenne, a 43ft cutter designed by the other Robert Clark has her counter stern in pieces. It’s being rebuilt, with a new horn timber and new planking. Outside, a green Barbican 33, Cassiopeia, is smart in the spring sunshine after shotblasting and new gelshield.

Provident: back at sea with her new engine

PETER WILLIS

Re-chasing the dragon at Suffolk Yacht Harbour

The Fife dragon is re-chased at Suffolk Yacht Harbour. Top right: Cayenne’s counter being rebuilt; below: a beautiful Barbican 33

BRIXHAM, DEVON

Re-engined Provident sails again One of South Devon’s most recognisable and historic boats will be returning to sea this year after fears that her best days were over. The 1924-built sailing vessel Provident will be making her comeback this May after being taken out of service for more than a year by her current owners the Trinity Sailing Foundation. The traditional gaff-rigged Brixham Trawler was stood down by the charity last year after her trustees decided that it would be unwise to let her go to sea with her failing and elderly Gardner engine. As a small charitable organisation, Trinity needed time to fundraise a huge sum to pay for the new mechanics and associated work.

While the vital fundraising took place, Provident was moored on a buoy out in Brixham Harbour, stripped of her masts, sails, spars, soft-furnishings, electronics, and furniture. It wasn’t long before people took to social media to express their concern that she would never sail again. Provident arrived back in Brixham at the end of February, after being kept out of the water over winter at Mashford’s Cremyll boatyard. Ben Wheatley, Trinity Sailing’s operations manager, said: “Some of the staff there actually remembered fitting the Gardner engine all those years ago.” After a short test of her new engine – a Perkins 215c – she

was brought back to Brixham for re-stepping the masts, repainting the hull, and getting her ready for her first voyage in quite some time. Provident’s return begins with Brixham’s 102-year-old Heritage Sailing Regatta, then sailing along the Devon and Dorset coastline before joining around 100 other traditionally rigged vessels for the Yarmouth Gaffers Rally. Afterwards she has a busy sailing season right through to October, including Brittany and the Channel Islands. To join Provident for her comeback cruise, call Trinity Sailing on 01803 88 33 55 or email team@trinitysailing. org. Her full voyage programme is available online at www.trinitysailing.org.

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Association news 2,000 volunteers at 50 lookout stations receive recognition from the marine industry BRITISH MARINE AWARDS

Coastwatch ‘Charity of the Year’

LYMINGTON

Contessa 32 build progress Jessie brings us up to date: “The bulkheads are cut to a pattern and then at an early stage of the build the deck is fitted dry to check fit. The deck is then lifted off and the interior and deck are fitted until almost fully complete before they are joined. The bulkheads are bonded in from both sides to the deck to ensure thorough adhesion with fibre glass and resin.”

The first recipient of British Marine’s new Charity of the Year award is the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI). The award was presented at the annual awards for excellence dinner held at the Cutty Sark. Tthe judges’ decision was based on how the charity has made a big impact on a low budget, with no paid employees and a huge reliance on volunteers. Receiving the award from Fiona Pankhurst, President of British Marine, NCI Trustee Richard Hews commented: “National Coastwatch is an entirely voluntary organisation helping to protect and preserve the safety of life at sea and along the coastline. Our 2,000 trained watchkeepers give their time freely to man some 50 lookout stations around the coast, all at no cost to the public purse.”

From top: Calshot; volunteers at Stepper Point, Padstow

LITTLE SHIP CLUB

Thames Trafalgar again OGA volunteers at World of Boats

CARDIFF WORLD OF BOATS

Rebuild for Charlotte Morecombe Bay Prawner Charlotte, one of the two restoration projects at World of Boats, Cardiff, has reached a milestone with the start of battening out writes Wm Loram. Although on initial lift out her planking was assessed as in reasonable condition, the results of the scraping off the generations of paint by the volunteers from local Old Gaffers Association (OGA) proved otherwise, and only token original planks remain. Advising shipwright Ben Punter has takenrestoration team leader Matthew Goode

and his six volunteers through the theory and practice of battening. The 25ft Charlotte will be returned to a three-quarter deck open boat, and the fixing of plank lining battens is the first step in the rebuild process. Next steps are to line off planks, make templates for new frames, ad source oak for the new frames. The restoration projects of Charlotte and the replica Nelson era topsail schooner Elena are open to viewing at World of Boats www. worldofboatscardiff.com

The Thames Trafalgar Race is a relatively new London River institution, founded in 2013 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, but it has already become a welcome fixture. This year, the two-day race for cruising yachts from Blackwall Reach through the Thames Barrier to the Erith Yacht Club and back takes place on 10-11 September, with a race briefing on Friday 9 September

at the Little Ship Club, where Sir Robin is President. The club, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary later this year, will also host the prize-giving the following Friday, 16 September. Finish: Blackwall Reach, Greenwich Bookings are now open, entry is limited to 40 boats and the race entry fee is £25 per boat. A special discount has been negotiated with Limehouse Basin for participating boats. Tidal Thames racing to commemorate Trafalgar

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Signals: Association news Solent to Sweden to the Thames Estuary AFTER THE COWES FIRE

XOD rises again The XOD class is showing its fortitude following the fire in Cowes in January when five boats were destroyed, taking with them over 350 years of XOD sailing history. One of the iron keels has been salvaged and will be used for the new boat being built by Nick Whittle at Whittle Marine, near Yarmouth. The keel is from Delight, X75, the 1938 Woodnutt owned by the XOD Class Captain. It is a fitting demonstration of the strong sense of provenance in the class that the new-build ‘West Wight Whittle’ will continue the history of Delight (a Yarmouth boat for many

years and last refitted by Nick Whittle) for the long term future of the Class. Summer has started early for the XOD fleet with racing on 19 March at Itchenor, followed by Hamble’s first Wednesday evening race on 30 March. The Lymington and Cowes fleets launch in April for racing and the Cowes Warm Up Regatta weekend on 23 April. The Parkstone fleet launches at the end of April for their first race on 27th, after which the Yarmouth fleet goes afloat and the new season really gets underway. The early May Bank Holiday weekend traditionally sees

all the XOD fleets launched and racing again through the summer to the end of October. There are a number of XOD events during the early summer that welcome visiting XODs. Some regard these as warm up regattas for fitting out and tuning up for the big two events for the XOD fleet:

Cowes Classics Week in July and Cowes Week Regatta in August. Entries for these have been 60-80 XODs in the last couple of years and these large numbers are expected again this year. Both weeks provide the very highest levels of onedesign racing. More details on www.xonedesign.org.uk.

X One Designs out in strength on the Solent

SWEDEN

BENFLEET YACHT CLUB

Ulvö Classic 2016

You can’t ignore the Nore Race

The planning for the 2016 Ulvö Classic is already in full swing and its organisers have now announced that the dates for the event this year will be from 13 to 14 August. This classic gathering of classic boats takes place on Ulvön, part of the beautiful ‘High Coast’, Örnsköldsvik,

The annual Nore Race – this year’s is on Sunday 26 June – attracts entries from all around the Thames Estuary and beyond. The event welcomes nearly all types of sailing boat large and small, monohull or multihull. Cannons start them at Southend pier and they sail a 17nM course around the estuary with a finishing line again at the pier. This event has been running for decades – it is run by the Benfleet Yacht Club which started it in the 1920s soon after the club was formed. In the 1960’s entry numbers peaked at around 470. The boats have generally got larger as the numbers have fallen off but it still attracts over a hundred boats. The dinghies and cruisers start ten minutes apart, dinghies first. This helps to avoid congestion on the start line. For many local skippers it is chance to make their boat go well but it may be the only time in the year they enter a race. So the club requests understanding and forbearance from everyone. This is a true race, but also a rally, a pageant and an opportunity. Every boat flies a Nore Race pennant, free with the modest £20 entry fee – BYC just hopes to break even. Local clubs provide support boat cover which is much appreciated – the event couldn’t run without them.

Sweden, and participants are welcomed to a weekend at Ulvön with classic boats, good food, entertainment, and many like-minded people with an interest in classic boats. Visit the event’s website www. ulvöclassic.se to see photos from previous years, and where more information will be posted.

A summer regatta on the beautiful High Coast of Sweden

Some of the organi sing team on Southend Pier

The Nore lightship was the first in England in 1732 and marked a dangerous sandbank in the estuary. The sands have changed and navigation buoys now mark the channels, some with ‘Nore’ in their name. The old lightship was used as a turning point in many sailing races. The Benfleet Yacht Club was formed by a group of sailing friends, many who worked in London, on the bank of the Benfleet Creek by the railway station. For more information and an entry form visit the Benfleet Yacht Club website at www. benfleetyachtclub.org.

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Smylie’s boats

Classic ClassicCoast Coast

Itchen Ferries Scottish salmon cobles

PETER WILLIS

IA Northumberland A long way from anywhere else, particularly by yacht, but that’s part of its charm. Space and emptiness, long, sandy and relatively By the time you read this, the very unpopulated beaches, commanding realspossibility imposing cliff and clean of air.this Worth parking structure tumbling the seaYC at the boat (the Royal into Northern may have atand leasttaking for Blyth has abeen goodaverted, marina) another severe to boots,winter. bike or,Unusually if you must, car. south-easterly storms pushed Sailing up the coast,have the view is coastal erosion on the Suffcastles olk coast’ dominated by three great – s Orford Ness to within feetof the fascinatingly ruineda few towers of the lighthouse’ s foundations, Dunstanburgh (close to Craster, and members of the Orfordness famed for its kippers) and then the Lighthouseand Trust have been working substantial well-preserved bulk flatBamburgh. out to install defences’ – to of The‘soft latter has links bags of shingle wrapped in sausages Lord Armstrong, shipbuilder and of high-performance geo-textile innovator, and an excursion inland bonding – to the sea at Cragside bay (see to his Arts andkeep Craft s home orfordnesslighthouse.co.uk). expands the picture. 98ft lighthouse was built The prominent 16th-century in 1792 andCastle decommissioned by Lindisfarne also benefited Trinity in 2013, view of from anHouse Arts and Craftsinmakeover, theSir threat from encroaching sea. by Edwin Lutyens for Edward It has already survived an attempt Life Hudson, owner of Country by the National Trust, owns magazine. Lutyens alsowhich introduced Ness, to impose a policy the vernacular-looking shedsofmade ‘controlled ruination’ from upturned boats. (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. DatesDunstanfor 2016 are still to be Top: announced, burgh Castle and on are dependent on the seenstability and safety of the skyline, continuing from Low Newton the structure and its surrounds.

Offshore, the Farne Islands feature seals, seabirds (including puffins in season) and St Cuthbert – his chapel on Inner Farne is a delight – as well Orford Ness itself is atoclassic as fabulous views back Bamburgh example of an and the hills ofever-changing the mainland. coastline. The long, shift ing spit of The red-and-white 1826 land that separates the is River Ore Longstone Lighthouse the one the seaGrace is quite capablewhose of from which Darling, closingwas thethe river’s mouth and forcing father lighthouse keeper, set a breakthrough the out on her heroichigher rescueup, in where 1838. Her river’sin alternative name is the Alde. tomb Bamburgh churchyard is mecca for connoisseurs of bleak, aIt’ssight to behold, and the museum exposed seascapes WWII opposite, run by the(and RNLI, well military detritus on Havergate worth a visit. Island). Access,being by boat, The Farnes, runisbycarefully the restrictedTrust, by theare National Trust. National probably best A goodbyeveryday alternative on accessed ferries from Seahouses, the nearby mainland is theIsland) equally but Lindisfarne (aka Holy bleak fi stony beach known as Shingle some ve miles further north, and Street. to the mainland by a tidal linked Orford village has threeanchorage pubs, causeway, offers sheltered including theofJolly Sailor down to the south the island. byAs thewell harbour; excellent fish as the an Royal Northumberrestaurant, the Butley Orford at land YC, marinas are available Oysterage, fineQuays PumpatStreet Amble, andand the the Royal Peter Willis bakery. the mouth of the Tyne is handy for exploring Newcastle. Peter Willis

Orfordness Lighthouse

Right: Longstone Lighthouse, The spiral staircase at Orfordness Farne Islands, Lighthouse may former home of still be climbed by visitors Grace Darling.

owned an Itchen have fond memories hercoast beached fewFerry issuesonce backand we looked at the cobles ofofthe of alongside the old Supermarine shedthis at Woolston, the river eastern England and time roundacross we’ll travel over the of Itchen she called thoughcobles she was noin from Southampton. borderPal to investigate thewas just-as-unusual used, pal of the newthe bridge they buildinginshore at the time. We –salmon me andfishery. my main, forwere the Scottish and river Pal that is – were the firstthe ones to crash of into of the support pillars. Although etymology theone word is unclear – some This was mostly to two thewhich sails didn’t really fit the saydown it’s from the facts: Celticthat ceubal in turn comes from boat and the Stuart-Turner engine started the Latin caupulus fornever a small boat;throughout others directmy ustime to the with the boat. It was,where though, a greatislearning experience on certain ‘why not to buy Lindisfarne Gospels a cuople mentioned – there are similarities abetween boat’. I oft en types. wonder what happened to her. shape in the flat bottom and both Both have quite a distinctive was, in fact, anecessary fine example of an launching Itchen Ferry. by thealthough great highWonder bow, characteristics for beach andBuilt recovery, Wonder, beamier SU120, has lovingly and sailsis Dan Hatcher in 1860, the salmon cobles are generally andbeen shallower. Threstored eir construction from remember seeing a few years the Swale more Faversham. basic as theyI seldom work moreher than a mile offback shore.during Furthermore they Barge Daniel to G counteract Hatcher, known as King Dannet to in histhe contemporaries, have aMatch. wide transom the weight of the stern. wasThaese very successful builder ofseine yachts at his Belvedere between of 1845 salmon cobles worked nets in and aroundyard the estuaries the and 1880 and thus his working boats equally renowned for their speed. well-known salmon rivers such as the were Tweed, Tay and Esk, as well as upstream. Wonder wasthe necessarily his fastest, but speedy she was. Not thatworked Others from beaches where drift-nets were set – ie anywhere from The roots (and name) Arbroath in the south to Aberdeen up north and in many parts of the Moray of these craft cameafrom Firth. I remember few years ago travelling around the Easter Ross peninsula the fishing village andsmall coming across manyofcobles in places such as Portmahomack and Balintore. Itchen the cove and a supply of salmon, and you’d have been In fact,Ferry find alying sandyon Scottish river Itchento infithe guaranteed nd eighteenth a coble. That was in the days before commercial salmon century. Small sprit-rigged fishing licences were removed from commercial fishers in favour of the riparian clinker-boats the of charging absurd amounts for fishing their rivers. estate owners worked and theiroff habit 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 stove to while away the hours when not fishing. Gaff-rigged with a long-boom over the stern and two headsails, some were as long as 30ft in length. thebycatch ManyMuch were of built the salmon companies who used them, in their own was and how the fishery was organised. The companies boatshrimps sheds, asand thatoysters was mostly they raced home toand land. owned the licences gear whilst the crews earned their share of the catch. In 1872, to the fishingall registers, were 570and second-class Of course theaccording cobles they employed came inthere varying sizes construction. boats working thein Solent and another 61 in 18ft Poole where the boats were Upriver they were the region of 14ft long, downstream and 21ft in the similar. was were widespread Southampton Water andplanking the estuary. The design older boats simply around flat-bottomed, with longitudinal Solent– referred similar to as Hythe fishing cutters. Other well-known and oak some floorsbeing and displayed characteristics to river and estuary boats builders were Alfred Payne and both of Northam, andWhen Lukes,engine whose of Scandinavia – the Swedish ekaFay, comes foremost to mind. before hewere moved toon Hamble. They yard the same spot as I kept powerwas wasabout deemed a necessity over oars,Pal outboards slung the transom. were mostly by fishermen who crewed for the yacht-racing However, likeworked their Yorkshire and Northumberland counterparts, thefraternity later during the Scottish regatta season, andathe fishermen too raced aboard their craft. motorised cobles had ram plank and a tunnel to receive anown inboard Fredas ,also CS110, Black Bess CS32,coble, Itchen Ferries beenthe survivors: engine. And just tohave confuse reader, there’ another type of, river Nellie , SU71, but see for more adapted engine propelled by oars, thatwww.itchenferry.org is built with a ramplank and aas flatthey bottom on flto oors, with power wellin and way-out I’ll ask clinkerquite planking theothers Norselurk style:inthe sort ofplaces. boat a One ghillieday would usethem on a if river. PalEnglish of Itchen . I prefer the latter! anyone whatever to to mythe Thereknows it is: a variant orhappened counterpart coble?

The roots (and name) of these came the These cobles worked seine nets incraft and around from the of small village of Itchen estuaries the well-known salmonFerry, riverslying such as on the river Itchen in the century. the Tweed, Tay and Esk, as eighteenth well as upstream. CLASSIC SAILOR 13 17 CLASSIC

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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. Sailing in a soup of crap

Like many I’m getting more grumpy as I get on. And as I look around for my soapbox I realize that with age you get less worried what others may think or say of you. And maybe one can also be more honest with one’s feelings. I have sailed about a bit and everywhere I have seen the abuse of the marine environment. This is not a new awareness; I have been railling against it since I saw Tesco shopping bags mid-Atlantic in the 1980s. It angers and upsets me on so many levels, that people are so thoughtless to use our oceans as a tip. It’s ignorance of the web of life of which we are part. But worst of all are the pervading attitudes towards this destruction: “Not my problem man”; “What can I do about it”; “Oh… terrible isn’t it?” And this from my fellow sailors who should know better. But most just don’t care at all. The yachting community is part of a pleasure industry which is culpable yet wilfully ignorant, and it badly needs to wake up and start taking responsibility for the damage being wrought. Yacht owners are mostly wealthy – some massively so; many wield influence and power so somehow they need to

be made aware that their lovely boat will be sitting in a soup of crap, wedged to the dock by a tide of garbage. Or they’ll get out to the reefs now damaged beyond repair by their anchors and poisoned by their effluent. The only bunches trying in any way to flag this up are surfers against sewage, and Greenpeace who are often put down by Yachties as sloppy hippies. Yachting mags are usually pretty ‘establishment’ rarely if ever publishing articles that might disturb the comfortable status quo or offend or shock their readers but don’t they also bear responsibility to inform and if the issue is of enough importance to galvanize into action those who read them? Does it have to take international legislation to force action? It’’s already too little too late. Or can action come from within the ranks of the affected ie the users of sea? I believe the mind set of the yachting world has to change. This is THE most important issue of our lives. To make all who interact with the sea into its conservators. This needs to happen or very soon we won’t have a sea worth sailing in. Talk soon I hope. Kind regards Tino Rawnsley, Cornwall

NAVIGATION OLD STYLE I have just read Andrew Bray on celestial navigation and I distinctly remember as a Deck Apprentice learning about sights under the guidance of the 2nd Officer (Navigator). In the 1950s there was no GPS or even sight reduction tables – these were devised primarily for air navigation and didn’t get out to ships ‘til much later. We had Norries Nautical Tables with haversines and all that. The Admiralty Manual of Navigation was in force and positions at sea were obtained by two main methods. Longitude by chronometer and Marcq St Hilaire. Longitude by chronometer was favoured for morning sun sites and Marcq St Hilaire for star sights. Having taken one’s sights, quite

Fairmile and Leigh

Mermaid – 1860 and still sailing

a long calculation period was required before the actual plotting of a position. If you obtained a good position this was the most satisfying feeling and if using stars a rare spot-on cross was an better result. GPS is great but does not give you the same sense of accomplishment. After nearly 45 years at sea from deck apprentice to master I still rely on the old methods: paper charts, soundings and bearings. I have a GPS but no chart plotter and sail around our east coast in our small yacht. My sextant, a 1950 micrometer version, is laid up ashore in a locker but I haven’t forgotten how to use it. It has provided me with hundreds or very satisfying positions over the years. Ian Kemp, Master Mariner (rtd), Leigh on Sea, Essex

Mermaid, 1860

I recently bought a copy of your nicely presented magazine Classic Sailor. It was interesting to see a mention of Mermaid in your article on the yacht Cleone. Mermaid is first recorded in Hunt’s Universal Yacht List in 1860. She is recorded as built by (Alfred) Payne in Southampton for E. Ricketts. Edward Ricketts was the Principal Secretary to the Treasury and was a member of the Southern and the Thames yacht clubs. There is a complete history of Mermaid, with the exception of the two World Wars. Her full history can be found at yachtmermaid.co.uk Mermaid will be in Falmouth this year at Port Pendennis Marina opposite the Maritime Museum Christopher Gottschald, Derbyshire. Mermaid’s owner.

I was at the Dusseldorf boat show last week; saw a remarkably restored wooden Dragon from Holland, built by Abeking & Rassmussen, Bremen, in 1962. I was interested because I have saved an A&R dragon from a boatyard in Cork, now in a purpose-built shed for restoration. (Classic Sailor was on sale at the Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhoff ). My favourite classic boat location is Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. (CS no.5, page 13.) I grew up in Southend. My father was apprenticed at Johnson & Jago in Leigh Old Town. He was machining stern gear for the cockle boats before he went to work at Ford in Dagenham. Dad was in the Navy during the War. He was in the engine room on a Fairmile B minesweeper and made a scale model of the hull while he was stationed on her. The engines were originally petrol; three of them. I don’t remember any details but I am sure, if he were still alive, he would rattle off the name and specs and a wealth of other information which only such a man could possibly remember. The item on page 8 of the above issue, on Rescue Motor Launch, caught my attention. I was curious to know if it still has the original triple engines. T. Lowthe, Milltownpass, Co. Westmeath. Ireland

Wharram at Brest

I haven’t forgotten...

In reference to your editorial in the April issue of Classic Sailor, it is four years since we were together at the Brest/Douarnenez festivals in France. ‘We’, Hanneke and I and my team plus boats will be at this year’s Brest and Douarnenez festivals, however not as Englishmen, but as honorary French!! The French value their multihull history, because of my ocean pioneering catamaran voyages, originally to honour ‘their’ Eric de Bisschop and to move him out of the shadow

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The French have a society called ‘the Golden Oldies’; its members restore and sail early racing multihulls classicsailor.com of his unfortunate wartime connection to his godfather, Marshall Petan, I am valued in France. The French have a society called ‘the Golden Oldies’ (this name makes my teeth wince), its members restore and sail early racing multihulls. Dick Newick and his racing trimaran designs were the prime boats of their membership, however interest has been growing in my more cruising oriented designs and their membership is now open to any multihull ship (or accurate rebuilt) aged of 25 years or more, and designed for high seas races, records or ocean adventures. Dick was honoured by being their ‘Godfather’; he died two years ago. Late last year I was honoured to officially take his place as ‘Godfather’ (parrein in French). We are taking two boats to Brest as part of the ‘Golden

✉

7 Haslar Marina, Gosport, Hants. PO12 1NU admin@classicsailor.com Editor Dan Houston dan@classicsailor.com

✆

+44 (0)7747 612614 Art Editor Stephen Philp

Oldies’ fleet of 12, one the new Mana (developed out of a blend of the Tikis and the Amatasi, which you gave first price in the 2010 Classic Boat design competition). At the last Brest/ Douarnenez festivals (2012) Amatasi did extremely well, the Mana should sail better. Also there will be one of my Tiki 31 designs (designed in 1985,

a real rebuilt ‘Golden Oldie’), sailed by Tino Rawnsley and family. Where we will be moored in BrestI have no idea, but do tell your English friends, somewhere flying the Cornish flag will be several English speakers who will give them a welcome. Hope to see you there, James Wharram, Cornwall

Due to my increasing age, now in my late 70s, and under orders from the management, I am to become tired, as in retired, at Easter 2016, and am selling up Traditional Boat Supplies. It has been the most wonderful 20 odd years of my life thanks to all of you! The sheer fun I have had has left such a memory. Each morning I have

often been emailed photos of your boats from all over the world, and just to sit here and look has made me so aware of what a heritage we have. The festivals I have attended and meeting so many of you has enriched my life. But it is time to go. I always said that I would not sell to a suit but I would look for someone who has the knowl-

Contributing editor Guy Venables guy@classicsailor.com Columnist Andrew Bray Advertising Catherine Jackson catherine@classicsailor.com +44 (0)7495 404461 Jodi Whitby jodi@classicsailor.com +44 (0)7478 275399

Letter of the month

The end of the lollipop

Sub Editor Peter Willis peter@classicsailor.com

edge and expertise to carry on Traditional Boat Supplies. In this I am very happy to tell you that Mark Rolt of Bristol Classic Boats will take the helm at Easter 2016. He is a great shipwright and has far more knowledge than I ever had, being on the team, for instance, that built the Matthew. Thank you to all my friends and kind winds. John Greenaway, TBS, UK (photo shows John, right, and Mark, left. Fair winds to them both - Ed)

Lynda Fielden Lynda@classicsailor.com +44 (0)7788 722438 Web design Tim Allen tim@classicsailor.com Publishing director John Clarke Chairman David Walker Classic Sailor Ltd Published monthly: ISSN 2059-0423 Subscriptions See our latest deal at classicsailor.com or call: + 44(0)1273 420730

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

CLASSIC SAILOR 15

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02392 817119 info@ibtcportsmouth.co.uk Ibtcportsmouth.co.uk/cs

IBTC Portsmouth Traditional Wooden Boatbuilding Training

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CLASSIC YACHTS & OLD GAFFERS This is a class for all yachts over 24ft length on deck, built of wood or steel before 1975 or in GRP before 1965. A division for Spirit of Tradition yachts may be allocated for boats built after the above dates to designs that reflect the appearance and virtues of classic yachts. There will be fleet splits depending on entries including nonspinnaker fleet.

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2/04/16 12:00 PM

Andrew Bray ‘When it came to antifouling paint Bill showed his real genius. “It’s like liquid gold!” he said, and set out to make his own’

He discovered that some sailors had been experimenting with agricultural antibiotics with excellent results, although the rest of the local marine ﬂora and fauna might have had different views on this.

although the rest of the local marine flora and fauna might have had different views on this. There was strychnine, arsenic, rat poison and creosote laced with weedkiller. Then there was the paint used to coat swimming pools, although the thought of pale blue antifouling was not particularly appealing. All of this raises an interesting point and it’s one that I have some sympathy with, having just shelled out (sorry!) £75 for a 2.5 litre pot of antifouling for Maggie May. We are led to believe that the paint that we put on our leisure craft, whether a gaffer, modern racing yacht, square rigger or power boat is essentially the same as that on one of Her Majesty’s ships or that VLCC you dodged in mid-Channel last season. I don’t know about you but I think it seems unlikely that either of these is paying £30 per litre for the paint for their expansive undersides, even allowing for economies of scale. Are we being ripped off by the paint companies? I’d like to hear their side of the story.

GUY VENABLES

eaders with long memories may remember Bill Beavis and his popular Looking Around column in Yachting Monthly. Those with even longer memories may also recall his writing in the weekly Yachting and Boating magazine. It was while working for the latter that he invented the polyestermite, a marine borer that devoured GRP as voraciously as the gribble and teredo worm destroyed wood. This subject in itself deserves a complete column in CS – perhaps I’ll do something at a later date – but suffice to say that there were those in the marine industry all over the world who believed that the beast actually existed. Bill died young but he would have been chuckling in his grave had he heard that years later a marine borer was discovered that really did have a taste for styrenes. I was lucky enough to work with Bill for a number of years. He was one of the best sailing writers of his generation, amusing, if not outright hilarious at times, well informed and the fount of a seemingly inexhaustible mine of nautical fact, anecdote and trivia. And on occasion he was genuinely outraged – and outrageous – on subjects close to his heart. He was also an immensely practical person. Bill didn’t do DIY, he made things and things that he couldn’t make he invented using his wonderful imagination. For example, he built a jeep from the chassis of an old Ford Escort. He also built his own boat, called, appropriately, Beaver. Beaver was based on the hull of an Atlantic Clipper but without the hideous upperworks. Maurice Griffiths designed the hull and she was a 36ft centreboarder; a very sweet-looking boat. While the hull was GRP, the decks and coachroof were ply, and he coated the decks traditionally with pitch and canvas, the former coming in blocks of the type used to repair potholes in roads. This he melted down, poured and then covered with canvas using a domestic iron to smooth it down. History doesn’t relate what Mrs Beavis thought of this arrangement. It was when it came to antifouling paint that Bill showed his real genius. “Do you know how much this stuff costs?” he asked with genuine indignation. “It’s like liquid gold.” So he set out to make his own. He thought about more pitch but decided that applying hot tar to the bottom of the hull could be risky. Copper was out because of cost and so he scoured books and manuals from Moitessier to manuals of poisons (natural and otherwise), Slocum to chemistry handbooks. He discovered that some sailors had been experimenting with agricultural antibiotics with excellent results,

CLASSIC SAILOR 17

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2/04/16 1:49 AM

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Nardi’s Nods

by Federico Nardi of Cantiere Navale dell’Argentario

Alberg 35: ‘Safe and elegant... In the 1979 Fastnet she rode out the storm a-hull and came home without trouble’

he Alberg 35 from the Pearson shipyard is one of the first inexpensive glassfibre cruiser-racers. Starting in 1961, 280 were built by Pearson in the next six years. Carl A Alberg (1900-1986) moved from Gothenburg in Sweden to the United States in 1925. After a period as a rigger and spar maker, he was hired by John Alden. Alberg said he “enjoyed working with Alden very much. He was a wonderful guy, pleasant, calm, never getting excited, and I learned quite a bit from working with him. His designs were conservative. He concentrated on seaworthiness, comfort and boats that would sail on their bottoms, and that’s pretty much what I’ve tried to do with my boats.” The Alberg 35 is simply and sturdily built; hull lamination is over an inch thick and the lead is encapsulated in the keel cavity, therefore there are no keel bolts to check or replace. She had a tiller originally, but there are also boats with wheel steering. Interiors are classic with the galley at the companionway to port, two settees in the main cabin that convert into bunks, and two v-berths forward separated from the cabin by the head. With her rather narrow beam, she has a reputation as a good sailer, safe and elegant, able to cope with tough and challenging seas. Alberg tells of a 35 that, during the 1979 Fastnet that claimed 18 victims, rode out the storm a-hull and came home without trouble. As is normal for all boats from this period, the sandwich deck with balsa core is susceptible to delamination, saturating the balsa with water. The Alberg 35’ can be had for as little as €7,000, but it’s worthwhile paying a bit more to avoid spending the summer in the yard.

“With her rather narrow beam, she has a reputation as a good sailer”

TRANSLATION BY JAMES ROBINSON TAYLOR

ALBERG 35 LOA: 34ft 9in (10.6m) LWL: 24ft (7.3m) Beam: 9ft 8in (2.95m) Draught: 5ft 2in (1.6m) Displacement: 12,600 lbs. Ballast: 5,300 lbs.

CLASSIC SAILOR 19

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RIVAL 34

Rival 34: restoring a glass boat of class

ld Harry slides gently by to starboard, the sunshine making it a pleasant day to be out on the water. And despite the slightness of the breeze we’re slipping along at five or six knots thanks to the asymmetric which is sheeted hard in and pulling us along with a sense of power and grace. The chalky stacks of Old Harry at Studland in this scenic part of the Dorset coast would soon be left behind... I’m always surprised to see them still intact after the winter storms; Old Harry is named after the 15th century smuggler Harry Paye, who worked out of Poole. With a west going tide and pointing as well as this we’d soon be following in his wake to one of the western

French ports... or beyond. And I get that little yearn to be off offshore again; a well found boat, the watch routine, sleeping with my bones rolling up against the hull or hammocked by the leecloth... sundowners in the salty wind and the low glow of western light as you make ready for the night. Reader, I think I need a voyage! The feeling is partly because this boat is so seaworthy. Already I can tell how she tracks, steady on the wind and with that sense of cushioned suspension as her beautiful lines meet the waves, and cleave easily through them. In the little gusts of breeze she tilts and goes again with that lovely easy feel of a thoroughbred. But then she’s Wild Rival, the first of a class, the Rival 34s which have proved their design by sailing all over the world since 1972. I had heard of some of her

exploits at the Rival owners’ dinner in January, where ocean racer Geoff Hales gave a talk about sailing her in the 1976 OSTAR. I am actually old enough to remember the different system of buoyage then but his talk was describing sailing on another planet, sans GPS, AIS, plotters, water makers, even the niceties of this colourful A2. There really should have been more than one word for fog... and the sheer fear its clammy hold could induce in you. Geoff actually won that windy OSTAR on handicap and I’m surprised when people describe the Rival 34 as a slow boat. Certainly Wild Rival would show her taffrail to many a classic design – her current owners Steve and Cathy Lacey do like to change sails though. And the cabin is pretty full of them. The couple have raced and cruised

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The first of the legendary Rival 34s is looking better than ever thanks to a winter’s treatment to her topsides. Dan Houston sailed her out of Poole, and wanted to keep on going Photos by Lester McCarthy

the boat for the best part of ten years, and have built up her sail wardrobe. “Her old sails were cut by Austin Farrer, and although the main was very old it had not lost its shape,” Cathy says. “We put a reef in one morning and a gust hit us and it just disintegrated!” Now they have a new main from Kemps and plenty of headsails to choose from: “We have the Number 1, Number 2 (jibs), a blade, working jib and drifter, trys’l, two kites and our star-cut,” they count with their fingers. “We like to sail efficiently,” Cathy says. “So recently we came out of Lymington with an Elan 33 that had a full crew on board and we popped our asymmetric and marched away from them. It doesn’t happen very often but it’s extremely satisfying! Not many people expect to see an asymmetric sail on a boat like this.”

The sails take up most of the forepeak and are in the saloon while the boat is not in cruising mode. If the sails lived out on deck there would be more room down below. The Rival design can be specified for two berths in its forepeak, two pilot berths and two bench berths in the saloon and a quarter berth giving room for seven. Wild Rival has lockers to starboard in the saloon and the quarter berth behind the chart table isn’t

“We have the Number 1, Number 2, a blade, working jib and drifter, trys’l, two kites and our star-cut,” they count

used. And seven would be a squeeze at her teak saloon table but Steve and Cathy say they had five living aboard in relative comfort for three weeks when they took her on a northern cruise. They have gradually been restoring the boat, putting in a new Beta diesel, new Seldén rig in 2014 and last winter getting the Osmotech treatment done on her hull and deck. This effectively makes her look like a new boat, there is no crazing or bleaching to suggest she is 44 years old. Wild Rival was designed by the late Peter Brett, and launched and owned by him in 1972. She was the successor to his successful Rival 32 design, itself based on the Rival 31 – his first Rival, which he launched in 1968. According to the Rival owners’ website 174 Rival 34s have been built (and more than 200 32s). Importantly there CLASSIC SAILOR

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RIVAL 34

The A2 left is used to great advantage when the wind direction and pressure permit. Right: the classic sheer and long overhangs which make her such a comfy boat at sea. Note her wide side decks which make working forward so easy

were two keel configurations that could be ordered for the 34 – at 4ft 8in or 5ft 10in (1.4m and 1.8m). These can be seen in the lines drawing on p25. Cathy and Steve swear by the deeper keel configuration of their boat. “We have half the lead in the bottom of the keel and that makes her better to windward,” they state. The deep keel was a major part of Wild Rival’s early success. The 1976 OSTAR was dogged by headwinds and her ability to plug on tirelessly through them while others retired won WR many fans among the offshore crowd; she is made for being offshore. Peter Brett had generously loaned her to Mervyn Wheatley for the 1975 AZAB (Azores and Back) and then repeated the kindness with Geoff Hales for his winning bid in the 1976 OSTAR (Observer Single-handed Trans Atlantic Race). In 1978 she

was a Round Britain competitor with Kitty and Desmond Hampton and in 1979 she was off on the AZAB again with Kitty joined by Jane Brett – Peter’s daughter. Desmond Hampton then campaigned her in the 1980 OSTAR. Kitty Hampton then did the 1981 Observer Europe 1 or 2 handed Transatlantic, with Rachel Hayward before doing that year’s Ocean Cruising Club pursuit race to the Azores with husband Desmond and their two daughters. In 1982 she was again off in the Round

The 1976 OSTAR was dogged by headwinds and her ability to plug on tirelessly won many fans

Britain race with Mark Falk and Fiona Wylie. After that Wild Rival was based in Jersey and she was cruised for many years before Steve and Cathy bought her in 2007. They began racing her at club level and then offshore; she was in the Classic Regatta Anglo Breton in 2013 and 2015. Comfort at sea isn’t just from hull motion; in the traditional way WR’s ropes are brought to the mast and headsails are hanked on so her wide side decks make working on the foredeck easy. The cockpit is also a good size. Steve and Cathy have installed folding cleats on the forward coamings, but these are so low profile when not in use that they don’t get in the way. A Barton mainsheet traveller provides much more control over the mainsail, and handily it can be taken off when in port, giving easy access to the companion.

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LATTERDAY CLASSICS

A very Seventies touch is the Sestrel Moore steering compass, fixed above the companion. And this gets serviced regularly Cathy says. Down below the galley to port is functional with some worktop space around a gimballed oven. This is a brass Taylor’s paraffin stove – one of their early upgrades which they swear by. Steve can get it going quicker by using the Tilley wick system – a little cup of meths which spring-clamps onto the tube below the burner in the Taylor’s. It acts as a pre-heater and makes the system safer and more efficient: a great idea! I’m kind of fascinated by the chart table, to starboard. Brett’s plain design here must have delighted many a navigator as he sat behind the distinctive timber keyhole bulkhead which separated him and the galley from the main saloon.

On Wild Rival electrics have been added-to over the years so that now there is a black tangle of spaghetti feeding into the array of instruments which festoon the bulkhead. These all talk to each other thanks to the NMEA 2000 (the American National Marine Electronics Association standard) system. AIS and an old Garmin plotter are joined by the new Brooks and Gatehouse Zeus 2 model (which can drive their B&G Triton

Electrics have been added to over the years so that now there is a black tangle of spaghetti which festoons the bulkhead

autopilot). There are paper charts too and they use the old Yeoman plotter which still has its fans – being as it is, a true marriage of electronics and the full size paper chart. “That has to be tidied up,” Cathy and Steve say. But like everything on a boat – in terms of priority, it has its place on the to-do list. I really like this boat, and I’m struck to think that if I was a buyer I could go for a boat like this. Because one of the best aspects of time is that it can make an object of desire in youth seem relatively affordable as the decades pass. Unless it’s a Georgian house, sought-after art or that particular pair of handmade shoes, most consumer durables get more attainable as they get older. This is especially true with boats like this right now, and cabin boats in particular – some truly CLASSIC SAILOR

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RIVAL 34

Above: Steve and Cathy in the saloon. Left: the chart table and electric spaghetti. Right: good galley with Taylor’s oven. Opposite from top: Sestrel compass, Barton sheet horse and the forepeak berths

great cruising boats are on the market at way less than the £1,000 a foot which used to act as the broker’s maxim three decades ago when it was a handy pricing yardstick for wooden boats. I remember coming off a schooner in the mid 1980s living in London, and finding it hard to swallow the anchor. At that stage, without wanting a hefty loan you could buy a boat for a few thousand in cash but she was always going to be wooden and 30 to 40 years old – if not older. A tidy glassfibre boat, at ten to 15 years old would be four or five times as much. Scroll forward to today, and as our regular feature from Federico Nardi (on p19) continues to extol – some truly great cruising boats are on the market for sums that are even less, in real terms, than we were paying for wooden boats in the late 1980s.

The thing about wooden boats was the rot. When we started looking it was a bit of a dismay to see how many wooden boats needed new coachroofs, cockpits, garboards and hatches. All of it was doable of course but you needed the time and skill, if not the money to have it made good professionally. Glassfibre boats, on the other hand are not seeming to suffer so much from those issues we had to deal with. Old glassfibre

The thing about wooden boats was the rot... it was a dismay to see how many needed new coachroofs, cockpits, garboards...

boats look knackered and sun-bleached and glasscrazed and their brightwork and cabin woodwork can make a wooden boat sailor shake his head and start tutting at the neglect... but when it comes to the important areas, like the turn of the bilge or the state of play around fittings and the seal of the deck, or bulkheads: these things are often over-engineered. That’s a phrase much loved by older and more traditional classic glassfibre sailors. It stems from the practice of boatbuilders in the 1960s and 1970s using glass cloth and resin in similar weights and scantling thicknesses as wood. So you have a whole generation of boats, which usually have long or longish keels, solid, well built hulls which were designed along similar lines to the wooden boats which were, at that

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LATTERDAY CLASSICS

RIVAL 34 LOA 34ft 0in (10.36m) LWL 24ft 10in (7.5m) Beam 9ft 8in (2.94m) Draught 4ft 8in or 5ft 10in (1.4m or 1.8m) Sail Area 560 sq ft (51.1m2) Displacement 11,900lb (5397kg) Brokerage prices c£9,950-£25,000

time, becoming a thing of the past, and 40 years on we find them to be mostly materially stable. At any rate the problems with glassfibre hulls, like osmosis or crazing, are largely cosmetic. This is just the case with Wild Rival which Cathy and Steve Lacey bought for £24,000 (a pre-crash price it would seem, but she is a famous boat) and have spent a similar sum in restoring her. The new rig, mast and boom, gives her the most obvious benefit with running gear working as it’s supposed to and niceties like a five-to-one purchase inside the boom for the main clew outhaul. Last winter’s major work was the new coating from Osmotech at Hamble which has given her cockpit and deck a new look and feel, recreating the 1972 grey which is pleasing to the eye and less dirt-obvious than the normal white.

Her topsides too have the treatment, which, set off with the neat cove line in gold leaf, belies her age and all the salt she’s seen. Under sail the first thing I did when I took the helm was to let go. And she tracked beautifully. Even off the wind you can let the tiller go and see her head describe a pleasant oval around a distant mark. With a slight pressure of windward helm you can tie her tiller and go to the foredeck

She tracked beautifully... off the wind you can let go the tiller and see her head describe a pleasant oval around a distant mark

confident that she’s not going off course. For worse conditions there is the autopilot but it’s not used much. I did read that she would not handle well under power and so once back into Poole I tried a turn using prop walk. Her feathering propeller does not kick her around as a conventional prop would so it was a case of using astern as a brake and then powering water over her rudder to turn her (and her rudder only goes to 500 or so). That bold sheer needs to be brought in line with the wind to help turn her head too, but in slight winds she turned in around one and a half times her length; she’s manoeuvrable. She’s more than that, she’s a cracking boat and as I Google around to see how many sisters are for sale I find several around the £15k mark, which for all this, makes them a steal. CLASSIC SAILOR

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LOOKING FORWARD TO SUMMER

THE 30TH

FALMOUTH CLASSICS Now back to a full three-day event attracting boat-owners from all over â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and with added shanties! By Sarah-Jayne Leverton

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wall Yacht Club on Saturday and a closing ceremony on Sunday. A new feature of the event is a small boat parade for vessels under 20ft. There is free entry to both parades, and free berthing for the entire weekend (kindly provided by the NVA Group) helps to create a real community atmosphere. Amazingly, the Falmouth Classics has not always been so popular. Initially the event was a huge success The first regatta, was a one-day event in 1987, held before Falmouth Week. It quickly added another day or two and the fleet had grown to 105 boats by 1989 and, by 1995, some 300 boats were entered in 20 classes. However, by the early 2000s the numbers had started to seriously decline. By 2013, the organizing committee realized that something extreme needed to be done if the event was to continue, and so the regatta, which had become a one-day event, grew back to three days, allowing boats from further afield to make the most of a full sailing weekend. By this time Falmouth’s International Sea Shanty Festival had grown dramatically, and so (rather cleverly) the organisers joined forces, holding the Classics regatta on the same weekend in June and enabling visitors to celebrate Cornwall’s maritime heritage both ashore and afloat. Skip to 2016 and the decline of the event at the turn of the millennium seems like the distant past. This year the event has a new, enthusiastic title sponsor, Tilley Endurables – the European distributor of Tilley Hats – as well as day sponsorship from the Hotel Tresanton and the support of over 20 other sponsors and advertisers. This has allowed the committee to invest in a new website with a simple online entry system – making it easy for participants to enter and saving time for the volunteer committee.

In addition, sponsorship support has allowed the committee to further improve the shore-side entertainment. Entrants now get the chance to try out local beer from Black Rock Brewing, Healey’s Cornish Cider and Old Pulteney Whisky (along with, of course, the traditional Cornish Pasty). This year also sees a change of leadership for the event. Henry Roberts, who has been such a driving force in regenerating the Classics, has recently retired as chairman. He has handed the baton to John Davison, owner of gaff ketch Donna Capel, and vice chairman Don Garman. Both have experience of classic events elsewhere, including France and the Netherlands, and both have been involved in the organising team for a number of years. Entry levels so far indicate that 2016 will top the 118 vessels that entered into the 2015 regatta, but clearly the event is still short of the 300-odd entrants it attracted in the mid1990’s. However, with interest in this iconic, traditional regatta growing steadily year-onyear, we think it has all the ingredients for an increasingly successful future. For further information, or to enter, go to www.falmouthclassics.org.uk.

Main photo: Waiting for wind before the start. Inset above: Luke Powell’s Agnes a local holiday charter vessel

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ROGER HOLLINGSWORTH

almouth Classics (sponsored this year by Tilley Endurables) has gained an increasingly diverse fanbase, with over 100 classic boats from all over Europe converging for three days of rallying. This year’s Classics will be on 17-19th June. Our best recipe for a classic sailing event? Take Cornwall’s passionate interest in maritime heritage, add the stunning backdrop of the Carrick Roads and Falmouth Bay, combine over 100 classic vessels from all over the UK and Europe and chuck in a fun-filled weekend of sea shanties and cider. Frankly, it’s no wonder that the Falmouth Classics has grown to be such a triumph. Certainly the event’s entry remit of ‘boats built before 1965 or after 1965 but in the spirit of tradition’, which includes those powered by oar, sail or engine, allows for an eclectic mix of vessels. Class boats include Falmouth Working Boats, Sunbeams, St Mawes One Designs, Twisters and Shrimpers as well as large and small classic bermudan, gaff and lug rigged vessels. And with entrants such as Gwenili built in France in 1910 and now based on the Thames, and Germaine, British built in 1882 and now based in Brittany, the event is attracting a wide range of interest in terms of origin and current ownership. Even ‘The Who’ guitarist Pete Townsend has been know to join in on his classic yacht Eva. Split into three races and finishing with a Parade of Sail and Power on the Sunday, the weekend allows plenty of opportunity for competitive sailing and rallying. This is packed in around a busy social schedule, with an informal pontoon party for boats arriving on the Thursday night, a reception on Friday evening, a barbecue at the Royal Corn-

WILLIAM COLLINSON

FALMOUTH CLASSICS 2016

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TRADITIONAL SAIL

Dipping lugs on the up This efficient, but – to some – alarming rig had almost died out along with fishing under sail. But now, with restorations and new boats, it’s enjoying a well-deserved revival. By Jonny Nance

y the time working sail was finally replaced by power, the dipping lug had developed into one of the most efficient and powerful rigs ever devised and was used almost universally by thousands of fishing boats from Cornwall to the Shetlands. The rig has one drawback, however, and the clue is in its name. ‘Dipping’ means lowering the sail every time you go about, and moving it around to leeward of the mast before rehoisting it on the new tack. While this was considered a worthwhile inconvenience by the large crews required to handle the nets, it was an effective deterrent for the leisure sailors that were to follow. The rig became rapidly obsolete, its efficiency and advantages forgotten while apprehension of what ‘dipping the lug’ might actually entail became an ever greater deterrent. There things may have remained – but something was stirring down in the far west of Cornwall…

A family affair My grandfather, Robert Morton Nance1, was clearly obsessed with shipping from a very early age. Luggers were in their heyday and were frequently the subject of his many childhood sketches and watercolours (including the St Ives pilchard boat, above). Some of these date from the mid 1880s and so are contemporary with the introduction of the original Jumbos to St Ives4. They not only show the burgeoning artistic talent of the young teenager but also a remarkable practical understanding of the rig which he must have acquired through observation,

Watercolour of a St Ives pilchard boat, painted by Jonny’s grandfather, Robert Morton Nance

for he had little or no practical experience as far as I’m aware. Much has been written about the wideranging achievements of this remarkable man. Writing this, it occurs to me that the Cornish lugger is a common thread that unites them, aptly representing his work as an artist and illustrator, a maritime historian

The Cornish lugger unites his work as artist, historian and champion of the Cornish revival

together with his growing involvement in the Cornish revival which was to take over the second half of his life2. Some of this was bound to rub off on his children. So it was that my father Dicon took up the lugger cause, but he was decidedly more ‘hands on’. In the early 1930s, anticipating today’s revival by some 40 years, he decided to restore the St Ives pilchard driver Godrevy, SS92 to her former sailing condition. About this time, the Society for Nautical Research, which R Morton Nance had helped set up, commissioned Philip Oke to record the lines of as many of the remaining working boats as possible. He arrived in 1935 to take the lines off the Godrevy and the old mackerel boat Ebenezer which lay rotting nearby. These drawings were later published in March’s Sailing Drifters3. March was himself a member of the same society and his book has become a bible for the lugger owners of today. Unfortunately I never got to see the Godrevy; soon after the war Jim Morrison of Falmouth made my father an irresistible offer and sailed her, he was to tell me some 30 years later, back to Falmouth almost single-handed. She was later lost having broken free from her moorings in the Channel Isles. By the time I came along, of the dozens of luggers laid up at Lelant, only bones remained including those of the famous Ebenezer built by William Paynter away back in 1867. Nonetheless, just like my father, I had also been surrounded by photos, paintings and models of luggers from early childhood. So, long before I had any technical understanding of the lug rig, I had become very

Modern versions of the St Ives Jumbo, Celeste (2007) and William Paynter (2010)

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familiar with its appearance, and found something pleasing in the way in which the luff of the fore-lug rises in a continuous line from the straight stem so that, close-hauled, the sail appears to be an extension of the hull. As children, we used to sail model boats on an old engine pool remaining from mining days. It was here that I learnt the basics of sailing just as I assume my father had done. One of our favourite boats was a model my grandfather had made of a St Ives pilchard driver which I still have. Perhaps this is where my father got the romantic notion to have his own pilchard boat. It was certainly our introduction to the principle of ‘dipping the lug’ to get the sail on the leeward side of the mast for her return tack across the pond. Fast forward almost 50 years; it’s 2007 and we have just launched the first modern Jumbo4, Celeste (to be followed in 2010 by William Paynter, named in honour of

their original designer), and having cleared St Ives harbour entrance, we are sailing free. Aboard the real thing, as opposed to a model, a number of virtues of the rig are immediately apparent. These are in addition to its fabled power and efficiency and help to explain why this rig remained the popular choice of fishermen right up to the end of the age of sail.

Below: Godrevy SS92, Seen here at Lelant in 1935 proudly showing her new rig.

Firstly, there’s a large working area amidships because the mizzen mast is stepped well aft. To allow for this, the mizzen is sheeted to a boom which, in the case of the Jumbo, extends one-third of LOA beyond the stern post. This is obviously ideal for handling nets and gear but it turns out to be also ideal for today’s leisure sailing. In most conditions the Jumbo crew can effectively arrange themselves in a circle which is far more conducive to communication and a social time afloat. Unlike most modern rigs, there is no boom or sail obstructing the work area – not even when close-hauled. This is because the fore-lug is usually tacked to the stemhead (like a genoa) and not the mast, while the loose-footed sail is sheeted to a position outside the bulwarks. Any loose-footed sail sets less well with a deep reef. The Cornish lugger’s answer is to have sails that are geometrically similar

DICON NANCE

DIPPING LUG RIG

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TRADITIONAL SAIL

The general simplicity of the lug rig had its advantages: the fore-lug and even the mast itself are easily lowered. With gaff rig this would not be an option so that the mizzen may be simply set on the foremast and replaced with a smaller, balancing sail. This process maybe repeated if required. The general simplicity of the lug rig had its advantages. In their working days, having shot the nets, the fore-lug was lowered, leaving the mast bare, save for the halyard and the burton (an additional running backstay). Depending on the sea state, the foremast itself might also be lowered as boat and nets ‘drove’ with the tide. With the gaff rig, owing to the forestay, shrouds, and top hamper of peak halyards, etc, this would not be an option. Dipping the lug Let’s take a look at this process that has made this efficient rig so unpopular. There are a surprising number of ways of dipping. One is to lower the sail completely, release the tack, and unhook the yard from the traveller so that the whole sail and yard can be pulled aft and forth again before rehooking onto the traveller on the other side of the mast. According to Edgar March3, this is the method favoured by the East Coast fleets. It is also used by the few Cornish pilot gigs that, in defiance of modern health and safety concerns, still have their original rig. The Beer Luggers5 of Devon have devised a method which is a wonder to behold! It is similar to the Arab lateeners in that the sheet is pulled around outside the luff followed by the sail which eventually rolls the yard, now in an almost vertical position yet still aloft, around the fore side of the mast before the yard drops, as if by magic, into its normal position on the new tack. However, this method requires a high-peaking yard hauled right to the masthead and a raking luff (so that it almost resembles a lateen). In truth it is better suited to the smaller sails of slithery modern cloth and light gear of today’s racing fleet. The lateeners, on the other hand, must ‘wear ship’ so that the enormous sail flies free of the luff around which it would otherwise jam. Interestingly, in their working days (which survived right up until the Second World War) Beer Luggers would also wear ship. Maintaining boat-speed helped compensate for the loss of ground during this manoeuvre. Tacking was reserved for regatta days when more crew were available. Regattas continued after the war but now that the rig was primarily for racing, the yard was peaked up higher and lengthened to facilitate tacking.

By 1985, when Alan Abbott stepped in to resurrect the fleet based on their smaller crabber, sailing had almost ceased. Thanks to him the class is thriving today and although a far cry from the trawlers Alan’s father used to sail, it’s a rare example of a continuous sailing tradition. Apparently, Edgar March never visited Beer in preparing his seminal book. Had he done so perhaps this ingenious solution to dipping the lug might have been adopted by more of today’s leisure fleet. For now, however, we’re concerned with the method of dipping formerly used in West Cornwall which in recent years has once again proved itself to be the most practical. Aboard a Jumbo, which carries little way and is easily deflected by a short sea, the order of events for tacking in light airs is as follows. On putting the helm down, the mizzen is sheeted in to help ‘weathercock’ the boat into the wind. Once through the wind the sheet is freed so she is not brought back into the wind. The sequence then, as shown in the photos opposite, is: 1 As the foresail starts luffing, the fore yard is lowered. The peak drops first because the foreyard is slung from a point roughly one third of its length from the forward end. 2 The slack is gathered in by pulling on the leech until the peak of the yard is grasped. (On the bigger boats the scandalised peak is particularly hazardous so a vang is sometimes used to help control it). 3 Having cast off the sheet, the peak is brought forward around the windward side of the mast and placed before it on the deck or, in the case of the jumbo, the thwart. 4 Now that the weight is off the halyards they can be safely transferred to the new windward side along with the burton. The way is now clear to leeward of the mast to pass the clew back. 5 As soon as the sheet has been made off the sail is hoisted on the new tack whilst the peak is thrown clear of the crew’s heads as it sweeps aloft in a dramatic arc. With flowing curves, unencumbered either by the mast, the shrouds or the hoops and hanks required by other rigs, the powerful forelug fills on its new tack as the boat surges ahead. Physical exertion aside, there’s something elemental and particularly satisfying about this moment which epitomises the appeal of the dipping lug. There’s another benefit unique to this rig. When sailing on the wind, sheeting in the fore-lug also increases the luff-tension owing to the unbalanced slinging of the yard.

Above: the mackerel driver Barnabas whose restortation started the lugger revival. Right: Tacking sequence for the dipping lug

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DIPPING LUG RIG

ANNE CURNOW CARE

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TRADITIONAL SAIL

Jumbos Celeste and William Paynter racing at St Ives

The main advantage of the West Cornish method is that the tack remains attached. This means that there’s a serviceable ‘fore triangle’ throughout the manoeuvre. Should the boat be caught in stays, this may be used as jib aback by holding the peak out to windward. Today’s revival finds its feet The current revival of the Cornish dipping lugger began during the 1970s with the first of several high-profile restorations of the mackerel driver Barnabas SS634. Peter Cadbury’s generosity had saved one of the last remaining St Ives luggers but there was no team in place with the experience to sail her properly. Apprehension still surrounded dipping the lug. It wasn’t until Jonno and Judy Brickhill, working quietly up at Gweek, had restored the 40ft Looe lugger Guide Me to sailing condition that the revival got underway. Embracing traditional know-how, the adventures of the Brickhill family and their engineless craft are now legendary. Their example was just what was needed to dispel lingering doubts. Soon others

followed suit so that by 1989 enough former luggers had been returned to sail that Paul Greenwood was able to reintroduce the Looe Lugger Regatta. In 1992, returning via the Caribbean from a voyage to Cape Town, Guide Me swept the board at Antigua Classics, proving that a lugger can be competitive – despite all the dipping – even amongst conventional racing rigs.

Guide Me swept the board at Antigua Classics, proving that a lugger can be competitive The following year saw another first which, a few years earlier, would have been unthinkable: a brand new dipping lugger was launched at St Ives by Norman Laity and friends. Appropriately, Dolly Pentreath, as she was named, was built using the lines of Godrevy which my father had restored 60 years before.

Fortunately, these pioneering individuals were just in time to benefit from the fading memories of those who had first hand experience of working these boats under sail (in Alan Abbott’s case, his own father) thereby ensuring a degree of continuity and authenticity. Thanks to them, the lugger revival is alive and well today, and paved the way for the introduction of the Jumbo in 2007. Compared with the larger boats, dipping the lug on a Jumbo is child’s-play. Nonetheless, it calls for a certain amount of co-ordination from the crew which is rewarding to master. Naturally, it has become a source of pride amongst the faster boats competing at the Looe Lugger Regatta and, more recently, among the crews racing the Jumbos. Although only 20ft 6in LOA the Jumbo is quite large enough to be an effective working boat, and has all the characteristics of the rig in an easily manageable form making her an ideal boat on which to learn. Jonny Nance has recently launched a new class of small knockabout with standing lug which does not need to be dipped. More soon: jonnynance.com.

Notes 1. Described as one of ‘the very fathers of modern maritime research’ by Basil Greenhill, R. Morton Nance 1873-1959 was a key member of a small group who set up the Society for Nautical Research in 1910. He was a regular contributor to ‘The Mariners Mirror’ which was first published a year later. Both the society and its journal have been a principal point of reference ever since. 2. He was the founder of the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, which began at St Ives in 1920. He became Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorsedd and was instrumental in re-establishing the Cornish language. 3. ‘Sailing Drifters’ by Edgar March (a member of the Society for Nautical Research). Pub. Percival Marshall 1952. 4. The Jumbos were a small class of open, double-ended luggers introduced exclusively to St Ives during the mid 1880s. The modern Jumbos were built by the author and are replicas of a design by William Paynter. They are operated by the St Ives Jumbo Association. www.stivesjumbo.com. 5. Information concerning Beer Luggers has been generously provided by Alan Abbott. 32 CLASSIC SAILOR

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TALL SHIP TEENS

A golden opportun

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TALL SHIP TEENS

unity to sail away A Tall Ships race is about much more than hauling ropes and standing watches. Music, dancing and making new friends are all part of it, as Leila Loram discovers

aturday 4 July: At 4 o’clock we had to frantically rush to join the Gulden Leeuw. As always we were late, and the streets were packed and bustling. You could feel the hum of the ships’ engines. The crowd moved tediously slowly, but it gave you time to appreciate the beautifully majestic ships. Their bold, big sails crested with their flags painted a picture of their souls. You could see the character of each boat blaze through. It was amazing to think that the grand boats everyone had come to see were the boats we would be racing against, and that I would be sailing on one for two weeks. When we boarded the ship, we quickly signed up and checked passports et al, met our trainers and then we were shown into the heart of the ship and given a quick tour. After supper we were allowed out until 1am to explore Belfast and see the stalls and fair that had been organised in honour of the Tall Ships Race, before ending up in a local pub. This was a really good way to get to know everyone in a good atmosphere, and to soak up the feel of the city with the cobbled streets and the chatter of

Belfast accents. The fact of being all together in a group was great and we seemed to somehow fit into the community. Sunday 5 July: After lunch we had to get ready to finally depart from harbour. The gangway was taken away, and with it the accessibility of land to any of us for 10 days. It gave you both a surge of excitement and the feel that it was very real and you would actually be at sea for two weeks, with no stopping on land and cut off from contact to anyone. We all came up on deck and waved to the huge crowd who had come to watch. The atmosphere was only of excitement; everyone together on the deck cheering and waving gave a thrill. Together we looked with curiosity at our surroundings as the ship ambled out of the harbour. When we got sailing properly there was a lot more order. My first watch was from 20:00 to 24:00. It was bitterly cold and I remember standing around and looking out towards the view a lot; it was so breath-taking and you really became just absorbed in the sea as you looked into its depths. It still had not sunk in that I was on a ship, to me it felt odd because everything is so spread out and big, as the boats I am used to sailing are small dinghies where you have hardly any room to move around. It felt like

a fancy moving hotel or castle. Although it was freezing, being on watch and helping out with the ropes and sails was enjoyable. At this time of the day the sun was caught on the waves beautifully, and the sea glittered as if made out of crystal. At the end of our watch we all went to the bowsprit which has a small amount of netting slung below it. We put on our harnesses and five of the 11 in our watch slowly made our way onto the bowsprit. It was slightly nerve-wracking because the holes of the netting were almost as big as your feet, and the water beneath you was swoshing against the bow of the ship. Although we were anchored when we finally clambered onto the front of the bowsprit, it truly felt amazing. You could feel the whole boat and you felt at risk and closer to the water as it was just beneath your feet. You could see everything – the full glory of the ship upon the navy sea and the moon looking like a yellow drum above the sea. We also saw tonnes of jelly fish. They were amazing with their bright colours as they glowed in the dark and glided along in the current. Monday 6 July: Today the sailing pace was faster as at 12 noon we started the race. The skies had become full of grey clouds and rain fell upon us, but the gusts of wind were

HERBERT BOEHM

Gulden Leeuw (golden lion) Three-masted topsail schooner LOA 52.4m Beam 8.6m Sail area 1400m2 Built 1937 in Denmark as m/s Dana, sold 2007 to P&T Charters for conversion to present rig

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TALL SHIP TEENS

LEILA’S OVERVIEW: THE SHIP AND RACE Leila joined the 180ft Dutch topsail schooner Gulden Leeuw for the 2015 Tall Ships Race from Belfast to Ålesund, Norway When I first boarded the Gulden Leeuw I felt slightly overwhelmed with excitement, fright and regret. Two weeks at sea is a long time not to be on land at all. Suppose I didn’t like it – I would be stuck on board with no way ashore or to contact anyone from back home, whether I loved it or hated it. This scared me. All these thoughts felt as if they were gathering up deep within me, but the thrill of this opportunity blurred these thoughts soon after they appeared. The most worrying part of the wait was getting to the Gulden Leeuw to see how she compared to all the others. I should not have worried, she stood very tall and did indeed look big and lavish. The Gulden Leeuw is one of the world’s largest three-masted topsail schooners at 180ft (52m). In fact she was built not for the beauty of her sailing, but as an ice ship capable of steaming through tough cold weather with icebergs and rough seas And it was only later that she was converted to be a sailing ship. But this trip wasn’t just about sailing. One of the biggest parts of the experience was getting to know all the amazing people on board and learning about their different cultures and sharing them with each other. Being on the ship for two weeks, sleeping and eating all together under the same roof, forced you into being sociable with each other, making life-long friends and embracing your differences. And the variation in age made no difference to your relationships. We spent most of our free time on board playing card games and sharing tastes of music and dancing. One of the things that had inspired me to take the plunge for this trip was my great grandfather. When he was 16 he ran away to sea and joined a four-masted steel barque called the Dumfriesshire, which in many ways was similar to the Gulden Leeuw. He joined as an apprentice, and sailed across the Atlantic and round Cape Horn to fill the holds with seagull poo, otherwise known as the guano for the fertiliser trade. With six months out and six months back, it was a year away from home, and he signed up for another trip on the Dumfriesshire before he joined the British India Steam Navigation Company serving on steamships to India. A race, though, is very different from the young Douglas Loram’s experience. You need to be more tactical and your competitive streak comes out, so that getting to the finish line fast comes before comfort. Although it did always feel like a race, after we had left Belfast, all the other tall ships soon disappeared off the horizon once our ship was in the open sea. The first time I climbed the mast was when we finished the race. We finished the race at about 12.00 and we came 7th! Although we were still at sea and we could see no other ships at first, we were all uplifted by our own sense of triumph – even though there was no outward indication that we had finished. For more information about Gulden Leeuw and its sailing programme visit the website https://www. guldenleeuw.com/en/ For more information on how to take part in the Tall Ships Race 2016 visit Sail Training International http:// www.sailtraininginternational.org 36 CLASSIC SAILOR

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TALL SHIP TEENS warmer than last night. So hoisting up the sails and working with the ropes was truly more enjoyable as all the crew were helping. The sails caught the wind so that the ship was tilting towards the right, and almost brushed the sea as we travelled at pace. In our spare time, apart from sleeping, we would play card games, which really brought all of us together, despite us all being of different nationalities. As time went on, the weather became more fierce and the waves made it hard to walk with the motion of the ship, and at food time this made matters truly hilarious as you would slide down the benches with your food as the ship rocked back and forth. After supper every day we had Happy Hour, which is not where we all have free drinks, but where we all clean the ship with music blasting out of the crew’s speakers. Tuesday 7 July: We had a very early start today as our watch group had to go on watch at 04:00-08:00. The weather was cold, but this time I had more layers on, so it had become bearable. But as we walked out onto the foredeck you could see the hollow cloud of fog that surrounded the ship like a blinding cape. It was scary to see a mile or so of sea, then a concave of white nothingness. This sort of weather is when you really need a lookout. When I was on lookout I saw a ship just slowly disappear into the foggy horizon, even though it was only just over mile away – and then it would suddenly appear again. Wednesday 8 July: Today we had decided to anchor, because the wind was not very good, and we would have to keep on tacking but would not make much progress. At 3pm roughly, we decided to get going again. It was sunny today, but I preferred the weather yesterday, even though it was raining and cold - but it was more exciting. After an hour’s sleep I was full of energy and two of our crewmates had a pennywhistle and a drum. It was great Irish music and people started to dance in time to the tune. We learnt each other’s traditional dances, which was so much fun, and gave the muster station a real buzz about it.

Main photo: Gulden Leeuw under sail. Others from top left: On the bowsprit; heeling over; crew on deck, Leila in yellow oily; saloon; crew, Leila fifth from left in white top; details

Thursday 9 July: I got an hour’s sleep before I awoke for my 12:00-04:00 watch. The weather was cool and the wind was cold, but a big plus was that there was no rain. The watch before were talking of having seen seven whales. We thought they were making it up! But as we were discussing how they can’t have seen seven whales, someone shouted “Whale!” and we all rushed over to the sides and could see the blue leather-textured fin and the spout where they puff out their condensed air. The small whales wereMinke whales. I saw about six, but CLASSIC SAILOR

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TALL SHIP TEENS

A father’s perspective

they were so quick you could only catch a glimpse. It was amazing. Still on look out, I watched five crewmates climb carefully up the mast to undo the knots of the topgallant to let the sails down. The temperature by 02:00 had dropped and the wind had got up as we were going more northwards. The ship began to rock violently again and was throwing the mast all over the place. The cold chill travelled down the neck as it got colder. At one point we were travelling at 10 knots and overtook another boat, meaning we moved up to 9th place out of 50 boats.

A Tall Ship experience seemed an excellent alternative to a Duke of Edinburgh plod across the Brecon Beacons but, says Leila’s dad, it wasn’t that simple

Friday 10 July: We had the early wake time of four o’clock again. But it was worth it. We watched the beautiful display of the sun rising and kept eyes locked on the scene until it had all but faded back into a blue muffled reflection of the sea. Saturday 11 July: After a good sleep we had our watch at 08:00-12:00. It was freezing cold again and the sea was washing high against the ship so when I was on lookout the sea water would spray my coat. I went back on sailing watch and we had to take the reef rope out of the mizzen sail, and then all of the trainees hoisted the rest of it. Today Happy Hour was especially fun. Instead of cleaning we were taught salsa. I loved it and was awful at it! Sunday 12 July: We were up early at 04:00 today, but I was too excited to feel tired, with only a few hours before the race finishes. A lot of people not on the watch helped as well, as we needed more hands on deck to help heave ropes to make a tack. We finished the race around 12:00 and we came 7th! We celebrated by raving to music we blasted out from the speakers, which created a great atmosphere. Taken up by the moment, I plucked up the courage to go up aloft and tie the mainsails up.

Gulden Leeuw’s crew on the BelfastÅlesund race

hat you think will be a good idea for your beloved prodigy to do, to give them an interesting experience, a new skill, a confidence builder or just plain fun, can land you, the parent, in more of a pot of palaver then you could possibly have imagined. It started innocently enough. The 14-year-old apple of my eye, Leila, decided to drop out of the school-run Duke of Edinburgh programme. I said, OK. But you have to do something else equally challenging. “How about go sailing on a tall ship?” I said. Fatal. Apart from having fancied the idea myself, I had absolutely no idea what it involved. But what I did think is that it would be a real adventure. On walks in the Brecon Beacons and Hay Bluff the DoE parties of straggling school children passing us on bus timing intervals had convinced me that was less of a challenge, and more of a well-worn path for a university credit. Now two weeks on the high seas, that was something worth talking about, and it was unusual as well. So having got a modicum of agreement, I pushed the red button for full blast acceleration into that Tall Ships space. A Google search revealed that not all Tall Ships are equal, and not all Tall Ship breaks were suitable. Some were unsuitable as they catered solely for worthy charities. Others were either holiday biased or adult focused, or in the middle of an intercontinental passage.

So we settled on the Pelican of London Why? Because it has the all important square sails, for Leila to climb the mast and set or furl, it was competing in the Tall Ships Race and the crew were going to be mainly teenagers. And they had spare berths for a 15 and 16-year-old (cousin Katie, who despite being scared of heights, and uncomfortable on small boats, had wanted to sign up with Leila and share the adventure). In the event Pelican had to scratch due to engine trouble, but they very efficiently found us two spare berths on the Gulden Leeuw. Next hurdle was something I had been ignoring: cost. At £1,200 (plus travel to Belfast and back from Norway), it was not something I could reach into my back pocket for. No problem, said the nice people at Pelican HQ. Most people raise the cost of the voyage through fund raising activities. Which became an adventure, or two, in itself. Gung-ho Katie had downloaded a sponsorship form from the internet, and had got £300 of promises for a double challenge of cycling the 55 miles (88km) of the Taff Trail from Brecon to Cardiff Bay coupled with walking Six Peaks of the Brecon Beacons. So next thing was the logistics. There was no way we could just dump the two girls in Brecon and pick them up in Cardiff. I had taken the precaution of servicing our bicycles, and the man in the cycle shop said his daughter had done the ride in about eight hours. “Great,” I thought. “Set off at 10am, and at the Senedd in time for tea at 4pm. Can’t fault that.” Eleven hours later, after assorted mishaps, they rode (without lights) into the Senedd at 9pm. But that was only half of it. We assembled again for the Six Peaks walk. It is essentially a route from the Story Arms car park to Llanfrynach, via six peaks, of which the last – The Bryn – hardly qualifies, but it is better than saying the 5.5 peaks. The stiff, cold northerly wind made it more a challenge than a pleasure. But we were all relieved when six hours after our start, I for one hobbled into Llanfrynach. Job done. Well, nearly. Both girls, as well as raising money to fund their passage, had also chosen another charity to raise money for. Leila had chosen Llamau www.llamau. org.uk, the charity that helps homeless teenagers in Wales, as she hoped that it would give teenagers less fortunate than she is opportunities of their own.

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LADY OF AVENEL JOURNEYS AND ADVENTURES

Lady of Avenel’s summer 2016 itinerary A 102ft Brigantine square rigger with 12 guest berths and epic cruising grounds to offer, the Lady of Avenel provides an exciting platform for adventure sailing. We’re sailing from Scotland, Ireland, the coasts and waters off England – are you coming with us? We offer sea kayaking and exploration trips that take you to the most breathtaking parts of the UK & Ireland. We integrate activities alongside sailing such as mountain walking, wildlife watching, sea kayaking and more. www.ladyofavenel.com email stefan@heritage-marine.com Telephone Stefan: +44(0)7971 199712

May 16 22 28

Passage Cruise Plymouth - Oban Heritage Sailing Open Adventure Oban - Oban Heritage Sailing Open Adventure Oban - Oban Heritage Sailing

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Oban - Oban Oban - Oban Oban - Oban Oban - Oban

Paramotor Adventure Clearwater Active 360 Active 360

July 3 11 22 24

St. Kilda Ft William - Inverness Inverness - Oban Oban - Oban

Clearwater Swimtrek Heritage Sailing Wildjourney

August 31 Lads & Dads 7 Open Adventure 14 Wainwright 21 Swimtrek Outer Hebrides 28 Swimtrek Outer Hebrides

Oban - Oban Oban - Oban Oban - Oban Barra - Barra Barra - Barra

Wildjourney Heritage Sailing What has to be done Swimtrek Swimtrek

September 4 Passage Cruise 10 Paddle Boarding - Silly Isles 17 Sea Kayaking - Silly Isles 25 Passage Cruise

Oban - Penzance Penzance - Penzance Penzance - Penzance Penzance - Portsmouth

Heritage Sailing Active 360 Clearwater Heritage Sailing

October 1 ASTO Small Ships Race 8 Historic Shipyard Trip

Cowes - Cowes Portsmouth - Maldon

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Sea Kayaking Swimtrek Caledonian Heritage Sailing Passage Parents & Teens

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TALLSHIP TITTERS

How to survive: a Guy Venables finds out that turning up in posh foulies is all wrong, but on the other hand

o we can assume, possibly due to midlife crisis or being on the run, that you’ve applied to be a guest crew on board a Tall Ship. You will step aboard and be shown to your cabin. This move alone will instil a sense of mistrust and resentment throughout the crew who sleep in the anchor locker, or where they fall below (or indeed above) decks. Don’t worry about this, they actually resented you before you came aboard as, to them, you’re little more than a charterer without enough money. Never mind, you can balance it out later by deliberately dropping something small and light from the rigging, ensuring that you suffer the standard punishment of buying them a case of beer. The first thing to do is to throw away most of your kit. Everything you have is wrong.

2. Clothes

Those Henri Lloyd Ocean Pro foulies will have to go too. You should have packed Doc Martens and Dickies overalls. If it rains you put an old jumper on over the wet one and light a fag. 3. Your skin

Crews of tall ships are outside so much they develop wind burn winter tans (like tramps do). They also have tattoos that usually depict things normally seen on scrimshaw. As with scrimshaw they are badly drawn because they were done by the bored cook with a badge pin and a bottle of Quink. 4. An axe

You may have thought that buying the newest multitool from Leatherman would be a handy thing on board. Sadly anything that moves on board a Tall Ship would crush such a thing like putty. The only useful tool on a Tall Ship is an axe. These can be used for nearly all the jobs on board such as haircuts, changing the mast, cutting rope or cutlery. They’re not hard to find as they’re stored stuck into the hand rails all over the ship.

1. Shaving Kit

You are sharing sail with some of the most outrageously hirsuited people alive, sporting hipster style beards and moustaches along with ear rings that don’t just go through the ears. Ludicrously topiaried and waxed facial hair is a badge of pride. While you’re at it you might as well throw away your toothbrush for the same “joiny-in” reason.

The only useful tool on a tall ship is an axe so throw away your shaving kit

Booze and tobacco are the only useful thing you can have. They are now your friends and currency. You know, like in jail. You will be told stories about this boat’s ancient history. The fact that this actual boat was built in Baltimore in 2005 should be skimmed over.

I mustn’t go back to the Tall Ships again, to the weevil and the fly, All I ask is a hotel room there to watch her sailing by, Not the stink o’ sick, nor the head’s pong nor the dandruff flaking, But a Caesar salad and a grilled plaice with a cocktail shaker, shaking.

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TALL SHIP TITTERS

: aboard a Tall Ship attempting to ‘fit in’ with the crew is also fraught with hazards, both social and physical

The crew are experiencing misplaced pride, in which the boat takes on the accomplishments and heritage of the old boat it was built to look a bit like. Because they’ve been living on board for so long they’ve completely forgotten what century they are in. It’s best to go along with it. They’re all wearing knives. Hide your phone and start talking in Victorian urchin speak just to be on the safe side. Up on deck you’ll be put through a series of initiation tests, the first being to practice going up the rigging. A crew member will clamber up the ratlines faster than an escaping lizard and you are expected to follow. If you suffer from vertigo now is a good time to get them to practice a man overboard drill by throwing yourself overboard. The other test is learning the names of all the 168 sails. This is important for when you are being shouted at in the middle of the night. There could be moonsails , spankers, crossjacks, flying jibs, headsails, gaff topsails, skysails, a square topsail, flying topgallant and I’m sure I heard talk about a golf sail. If you’re lucky there will also be stun’s’ls, a word so full of apostrophes that nobody knows how long the original word was. Once night falls you might imagine you will just go to bed. This fantasy will be shattered by a loud awakening when everybody is rushed up on deck. This happens every time the boat wants to tack. It is pitch black and freezing cold out

on deck and you will be shouted at to pull your weight even though the thing you’re pulling is far heavier than the weight of the entire crew. Then you have to wind something and tighten some rigging so the mast doesn’t fall down. Suddenly, without you seeing, the whole crew disappear and you are left on deck in your pyjamas wearing a sock for a hat. There’s no point going back below. Your watch starts in two hours and you are pumped with fearinduced adrenaline. Being on a Tall Ship is all about teamwork but then again you’ll never see these people again so don’t confuse the issue. What they really want from you is a lazy person who doesn’t get in the way rather than an enthusiastic idiot. Why not make it even easier for them to sail their Tall Ship by jumping ship at the first port and checking in to an expensive hotel. Some Tall Ships carry dynamite for loading into their cannons and firing salutes. When the dynamite box is open you can change the colour of the captain’s face by smoking rollies just upwind of it. Orders are shouted by the captain and then repeated by the crew, so after the end of the week on board you will be totally conditioned in this discipline. Don’t be surprised when you’re driving home and your satnav says “Turn left,” and you retort loudly: “Turning left.” The main thing though is to keep yourself to ...a series of initiation tests, the ﬁrst being to practice going up the rigging yourself and for God’s sake don’t call it a pirate ship.

I must never return to the spar and plank, that place where I thought I’d died, Where I felt so small and had to crawl up rigging where grown men cried, All I ask is a restaurant, with the wine waiters constantly plying, And an open tab wouldn’t be bad with a head chef grilling or frying. Godfrey Church Offshore Platform Poet Laureate 1978 CLASSIC SAILOR 41

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PEOPLE OF THE SEA

John Moor The respected doyen of Mevagissey boatbuilding reminisces about building Heart of Oak, the rites of passage of apprenticeship, and the traditions carried on by his son. By Phil Russell

or those who don’t know, this is a useful anchorage, sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly weather but not recommended in anything with easterly in it. It is situated in the corner of St Austell Bay and has an outer harbour and an inner harbour which dries at low water. It’s a picturesque village, home to a substantial fishing fleet of boats mostly under 30ft which do a variety of fishing including potting, long lining, trawling and wreck netting, and it’s always worth a visit. It was a cold, sharp but sunny day as I made my way through the narrow winding streets of Mevagissey in search of John Moor’s boatyard. After such a wet winter the sun had brought out the visitors and I had the feeling that maybe I should have left the car in the park-and-ride and walked, but my gout was playing up so I sort of felt justified driving to the end of the harbour. However, the road to the yard is along the quayside and very narrow with mooring warps and bollards as you might expect, though no railings on the quayside which is quite nerve wracking, and of course shops with people standing around outside. Servicing the fishing fleet over the years has been the passion of John Moor who was waiting for me at the doorway of his yard.

Inside was a nearly finished fishing boat together with his son Paul’s award-winning yacht, and the sound of the equipment being used and the smell of timber being cut to shape filled the air. John explained that they had been there since 1980 and that the Heart of Oak had been built in this very yard, he is obviously very proud of that particular fishing boat as it was one of the biggest he has built.

“I am still here working, though a bit slower, at 86 things are not so easy. Getting old is a curse” “So, you are still busy then?” I asked. “Paul does most of the work now though I am still here working but a bit slower, at 86 things are not so easy. Getting old is a curse, ask anyone over the age of sixty,” he said. “They have a lifetime of experience in their trade or profession and a wealth of knowledge amassed over the years that is priceless. Passing all this on used to be a rite of passage to an apprentice – serving an apprenticeship in a boatyard you learned the ways of a boat builder. The wages, if any,

were very poor because you were learning the trade that would see you through the rest of your life. It was hard, if you did not perform you were out and there were plenty of others who would take your place, the yard foreman would be on your back and time was of the essence but you had to learn to get it right. “Once you had completed your term of apprenticeship you had become useful but like all these things, there was much still to be learned, how to make cost savings, short cuts which did not compromise the job and a million and one other ways that only come with experience. The fact is, the more you learn, you realize the less you know.” John started boat building when he was fifteen years old and worked for Alfred Wylie in Cadgewith building crabbers but after four years he moved on to bigger things. Percy Mitchell took him on as he was building a 50-footer and John wanted to see how it was done, so he finished off his apprenticeship there. Then he worked for English China Clays for a time but hated it and wondered why he was doing something he hated, so he left. Then there was his national service as a wireless operator at RAF St Eval, and on his discharge he went to work in the Dockyard at Devonport, but as all Cornish born and bred people know Cornwall has a huge pull,

“We thought the shed was big enough... then we put a couple of boats in it!” 42 CLASSIC SAILOR

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PHIL RUSSELL

“A lifetime of experience in the trade and a wealth of knowledge that is priceless”

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PEOPLE OF THE SEA

The building and launch of Heart of Oak in 1980

and soon he returned to Mitchells for a time until someone he and I both know, Brian Chapman, asked him to build a 50-footer the Queen of Cornwall as a tripping boat to work out of Padstow. It’s a boat I happen to know well as several years later my cousin Richard acquired it and ran trips from Rock in her. It’s a small world, especially in the county of Cornwall. In July 1966 the Darlwyne put to sea, with a gale forecast and 31 men, women and children on board and was never seen again. Her life raft was found off the Dodman Point with twelve bodies aboard; there were no survivors. After this tragedy, boatbuilding came under ever closer scrutiny and another boat, the Cornish Queen, was built by John under the watchful eye of the Department of Trade and Industry. The Cornish Queen had to be built in a rented field after a shed was erected, without planning permission, to accommodate the build. When she was finished they had to close the roads to St Austell as she was wider than was allowed and was launched at Charlestown, where they would build boats for the next twelve years until the yard in Mevagissey became available. John won a contract to build a fishing boat, the Heart of Oak, in 1980 for the Kirby family, and made a half-hull wooden model to the shape he thought would be a good design. The client was delighted with the

model, so he took it to Paul Gartside, a marine architect, who drew up a set of plans. Boats had been built in the Mevagissey yard since about 1790, but the Heart of Oak was the first boat to be built there for a number of years and John said it was a good job and the clients were nice people to work for. John made all the heavy fastenings himself because he could not buy the exact size; they had to be galvanized steel bolts because

Building a yacht is fingertip work as opposed to the more industrial way they build fishing boats. bronze bolts were too expensive. John reminisced about the good times when there were grants to build fishing boats, all built to the standards and guidelines laid down by the White Fish Authority. All this information came in a little blue book and according to the size of boat being built, all the specifications were there to hand, the thickness of the planking, the size of the frames and so on. Today, he says, everything has to be cut down and all you finish up with is a thing that looks like a skip! He went on to talk about the travesty of grants to have perfectly good fishing boats

cut to pieces and though he says he never made any money building fishing boats anyway, smashing up good seaworthy boats is madness. Even so, John is very happy with his life’s work. His son Paul continues the tradition and also works at Pendennis Ship Yard in Falmouth where they build and service superyachts, and where the work is faultless and of the highest standard. Clearly John has taught Paul well and he maintains the high standards of his father. So the tradition goes on. Building a yacht is, as Paul calls it, fingertip work as opposed to the more industrial way they build fishing boats. The hull of a yacht is built at a price and then an hourly rate is charged for fitting out. Building small boats takes less time and gets you a bigger turnover and looking proudly at his Mercedes John said he thought he would never be driving a car like that with his tools in the back. As he gazed out over the harbour he pointed out one of the old lifeboats he owns – he has another outside the shed in the yard. “We launched the Heart of Oak here, off the slipway, it was quite an event,” he said. John’s pride in his achievements over the years is totally justified, the respect he has in the industry is well known and countless fishermen and yachtsmen and women have benefited from his experience and the craftsmanship he learned all those years ago.

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BS DIV A O CR IN FF IP E ER TIO N

It’s what you would rather be reading… Welcome to the new magazine about traditional seamanship and seaworthy boats.

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DIY BOAT DES IGN THE CRUISING LIFE

NIGEL IRENS AND ANNIE COWES CLASSIC SEAGULLS: A STA S CLASSES RTER’S GUIDE POLISH UP YOU R HULL

MARINE MOTORING

Launching a life afloat Helen Lewis harks back to the modest beginnings of their cruising career: family camping with an overloaded Thames slipper launch called Harvey

e had been habitual river folk for many years. Always living close to the mighty Thames, at one end or the other. We had hired tired fibreglass cabin cruisers for a decade. We even got married from one, making fast the plastic tub in a tearing hurry, late for our own wedding because of an unexpected lock closure. We arrived breathless at Abingdon registry office still in our boating shoes and jeans to find our parents in full morning gear. Still, the scruffy and the smart tramped back along the tow path for a short cruise up a backwater and a sumptuous wedding breakfast of scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and fresh strawberries, washed down with Lanson Black Label and strong coffee. One bright sunny morning a few years later, we found ourselves driving over the ancient bridge at Henley-on-Thames. Bobbing on the far side of the river was a sleek greyhound of a boat. She was an Andrews slipper launch: a species that has inhabited the Thames since the 1920s (the prototype was built in 1912) and has long been the prerogative of the rich and famous. From Charlie Drake to the occasional rock star a slipper launch was the boat to be seen in. Mostly however they lurk in boat houses dotted along the banks at the ends of velvet striped lawns. They are shy beasts, like moorhens; they mosey

along the river for a few hours on sunny days. You are lucky to see one on the move at all but at the time there was still a small fleet of them for hire in Henley from Alf Parrott, then run by his son Moggy. The Skipper and I were smitten. Nothing to do with common sense, money or practicality entered our hearts or minds. We were like Toad in The Wind in the Willows. We had to own one. After a brief negotiation with our consciences we decided to sell our only disposable asset, a vintage MG motor car, and buy the best of Moggy’s hire fleet. Two were offered to us and with a modicum of sense we employed a young boatbuilder to survey them and tell us which was less likely to sink. He chose for us the one with the soundest bottom and a few weeks later we motored up river in Harvey, full of pride, happiness and false confidence. Harvey was the epitome of shabby chic. He had been built as the personal plaything of another Thames boatbuilder, Hobbs of Henley. He was mahogany with a pine and mahogany deck. He had dark maroon-red bench seats although he may have originally been fitted with Lloyd Loom chairs. Over the years he had been downgraded until he ended up the unpainted, uncared-for, workhorse of Moggy’s hire fleet. He was in sad need of a new transom, his upholstery was worn and split, he had no cover but his pedigree shone through. Halfway home we stopped in a water meadow and like naughty children

The Skipper and I were smitten. Nothing to do with common sense, money or practicality entered our hearts or minds. We were like Toad in The Wind in the Willows

removed the governor on his petrol engine. We let rip up the Thames. Now, contrary to what most people believe, the elegant sloping stern for which they are named (slipper stern launch) like the downtrodden heel of a slipper leaves a wash capable of destroying nests, holes and banks in mammoth proportions. (See the Skipper’s Sidebar overleaf.) For the next twenty years we plied the Thames. We used Harvey hard. He – for we decreed he was a he – had been named for the giant white rabbit in the 1949 James Stewart film. He was the boat that our children were brought up on and consequently he was loaded with tents and barbecues, potties and Lego, I-Spy books and bottles of pop for weekend trips to

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CRUISING EUROPE: PART 2

Abingdon and downstream to Reading and beyond. He was more likely to be found moored next to a field of cows than one of the grand riverside restaurants. At least in the early years. Annually there was a trip from the River Thame to Lechlade. The Skipper and I would splash out and treat ourselves to a night or two in a hotel on these voyages. A particular favourite was the beautiful mellow-stoned Rose Revived, where Raymond Blanc started his UK career. Here we arrived on one trip so drenched that our only dry clothing lurked at the bottom of our bag and was an unsuitable array of night wear. We dined without socks and shoes, feet neatly tucked under our chairs until the warming red

wine and the local jazzers allowed us to unwind until we cared not a jot. Our progression on these trips was marked by our passage through the various locks. There were particular locks that we looked forward to and others that we dreaded. Day’s Lock was local to us and was marked by the monotonous regularity with which our children and animals needed to wee as soon as the lock doors clunked firmly behind us. The lock keeper Dai was of the old school and a Welsh martinet. He paced his lock eagle-eyed, aided and abetted by his wife and helper who appeared to be intent on tipping the boats through without their occupants sullying her pristine grounds. The children regarded it as a challenge to dash to the far

end of the island, where there was a small piece of rough ground, undo the fastenings of their lifejackets and shed their shorts and knickers to perform their dastardly deed and get back to Harvey before the lock gates opened again and before Dai and his wife could raise any objections. They routinely failed in this endeavour and Day’s Lock became a portal of dread for me. Unfortunately for us Day’s was swiftly followed by Clifton Lock. There presided the scourge of the Thames: a lock keeper whose name struck fear into experienced boaters up and down the river. She was known as Mad Mary and she shrieked and swore at the unfortunates whose warpthrowing failed to meet her requirements or whose vessel dared to be held too

Clockwise from left: Helen with son Matthew and a load of camping gear in Harvey; Nosing into the River Thame; At St John’s lock, Lechlade; Motoring up river; Daughter Chloe hanging on the slippery stern

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MARINE MOTORING

The Skipper’s word

Wedding afloat: Before the advent of Harvey, Jonathan and Helen got married from a ‘tired, hired cruiser’

loosely or too tightly or too anything. The Barley Mow Inn squats in the meadows here and it is where Jerome K Jerome wrote Three Men in a Boat. I often wondered what Mad Mary would have done to them. Once through Oxford the river wandered lazily across Port Meadow. Wild ponies cooled their feet and Oxford students and small children alike could be found fishing for fresh water crayfish. The dreaming spires slipped behind us. The rural Thames took possession with its beam locks, informal hippy lock keepers, bare-footed women, many children and tobacco crops where once there had been

continuously as we slumbered restlessly. Every winter when he was lifted we quailed at the extent of the work that needed to be done and in our poverty failed to keep him in prime condition. Eventually this fickle attitude towards his upkeep caused us to admit defeat and sell him to a wealthy scrap metal merchant. He told us that the money for a major restoration, a new bottom no less, was assured by his pockets full of used fivers. He owned the boathouse to which we believed Harvey was entitled. He had the whimsical idea that Harvey would be sufficient entertainment to persuade his nubile daughter away from her spotty and unsuitable swain. We Our children used his rump as did not hang about long enough a slide, slipping into the murky to find out the truth of this. We survived approximately Thames when days got too hot two months in our intent to be boatless. Through our reckless failure to shut down our computers upright rows of French marigolds. properly we both became aware that the When Harvey was not taking us on ‘major’ cruises he found himself other had started searching marine broker supervising canoeing expeditions or sites and it was a matter of moments before dangling off a willow tree while we drank we had fallen in love again. (This was to tea and ate lunches. He had people draped become a compulsion that would change across his candy-striped decks or lounging our lives as we moved from 25ft of day boat on his bench seats reading the newspapers to 26ft of coastal cabin cruiser to 45ft of or a novel. He carried his own wind-up gentleman’s yacht.) gramophone and a fine collection of 78s. This time round it was a nobby little Wine, tea and cider found their way into modern classic that would wash us out his bilges in equal proportions. Ducks to sea like so much flotsam and jetsam. liked nothing better than to doze on his Camping would become a thing of the stern and slip inelegantly into the water past; we had ourselves a cabin, a heads when disturbed, leaving behind their usual and a galley. We did not know it then mess. Our children also used his rump as but Sea Lion was going to take us into a bigger, saltwater world. a slide, slipping into the murky Thames water when the days got too hot to resist its Next month: Helen explains how they dubious temptations. make the transition from river to sea and Sometimes Harvey stopped unexpectedly and had to be restarted with the Skipper ponders the novelty of boata hammer. Often his bilge pump buzzed handling in wind and waves.

The theory is so simple even I can follow it: the broad flat of the stern damps the turbulence from the propeller, leaving little wash. At low speeds it actually works, making a slipper launch the perfect craft for preserving river banks and natural habitats. Add to this the beautiful lines, a draught measured in inches, no galley or heads nonsense and a good range, and you can see why Harvey was such a delight to cruise for twenty years. The slipper stern theory petered out however the minute his speed rose above an amble. Then as the stern dug in it sent out a wave from each quarter, and the more way you put on, the bigger the wave. A 100ft long Salters Steamer weighing 80 tons overtaking us at seven knots made less wash than Harvey did. Slipper launches were built at a time when there was no speed limit on the Thames, and the kind of owners they attracted were more likely to drive Aston Martins than Austin 7s. Andrews’ own brand-name for them is the giveaway: ‘Greyhound Launches’. At the 1937 Earls Court Boat Show, the talk was of their petrol engines delivering 11 h.p at 2000 r.p.m. with a top speed of around 12½ mph – that’s two and a half times the current limit on the Upper Thames. There have been claims of slipper launches pulling water skiers, and there is even a story of one slipper making the passage from Lechlade to the River Thame in a single day – that’s 48 miles and18 locks. If the Environment Agency rings the Editor, I’ve got an alibi. While we owned Harvey, the official rule was ‘never to exceed a brisk walking pace’, but briskness is subjective. One autumn below Cliveden, Raymond Baxter in L’Orage egged us on to a race with Morning Glory which Harvey managed to win, but the laurels weren’t always ours. In the mid 1980s, single-handing downriver to Windsor, I decided to stop at the Swan at Streatley to telephone Helen that all was OK. Well, so it was up to then. The sun was shining, the terrace was full and there’s a boy-racer in every dull-dog skipper. I gunned the engine, helm hard a-starboard, spun her neatly round 180˚ before the weir, slipped into neutral and glided perfectly in to the side. Admiring looks from the watching crowd. Moments later, the wash I had created on the way in caught up with me, slamming my beloved boat against the quay and trashing my fragile reputation as a master boat-handler. I learned a whole lot from 20 years with Harvey. Jonathan Lewis

The young Helen aboard Harvey

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FLAX CANOE MAKING

Growing his own boat Fixated by flax, Simon Cooper has developed ways to use it for both the fabric and the resin in a skin-on-frame canoe. And he grows it, too. By Mike Smylie

nvironmentally friendly, green, sustainable, zero-carbon, ecologically sound: these are all words not normally associated with traditional boatbuilding where some degree of glue/epoxy/native hardwood/fastening/other oil-based product combines with natural timbers to create the boatwright’s dream. But stretch a heavy linen cloth over a light wooden frame, cover in a resin made from 98% linseed oil and add a cushion seat and, bingo, you have a canoe. OK, so it’s not one hundred percent green but it’s as near as dammit. It’s been a long process since Simon Cooper built his first prototype back in 2009. The lines of the first canoe came from reading a 1900 Ruston catalogue which he had and since then he’s more than tweaked his way through some 14 canoes (six prototypes and eight ‘goers’ including two in kit form), culminating with this recent version. But prior to that, he was building Irish currachs and Welsh coracles so the first examples of his linen-covered craft were one each of these. They looked superb on the water with their stunning translucent effect. However it was almost by chance as Simon told me. “As I kid I messed around on the Thames with punts and canvas-covered canoes. PBK (Percy Blandford Kayak) canoes also figured and I recall holidays in Cornwall in such craft. Added to that was a background in farming and commercial horticulture which nurtured a love of homegrown things.”

Simon built the odd boat: in 1996 a Selway Fisher sailing canoe at the Castletown Beara Festival of the Sea, Ireland and, a year later, a clinker ply Iain Oughtred Acorn rowing skiff as a commission for his brother. At the same time he’d just acquired a 1910-built river Severn salmon punt which he was repairing. Chalk and cheese was how he described alternating between tar and resin, large lumps of elm and thin sheets of ply. Once he’d restored the punt, he acquired a river Wye stop-net boat and a Scottish coble which had fished the Severn. When we first met in 1998 he’d got a fine collection of traditional fishing craft from the Severn and Wye which became known as ‘Salmonboats’ and started building the occasional coracle to complement it all. Not surprising, then, that within a year or so we were combining our skills to run traditional fishing workshops and food demonstration. Old tar and elm won through as the modern

stuff was shunned – for the salmon there were no other types of boat so he looked further afield and favoured the progression from coracle to Irish currach as his next challenge. Thus, in 2004, he completed his first Aran-style currach. For this, and the coracles he’d been making, he used a rip-stop cotton/ polyester covering but, on building a second currach, decided upon a 100% cotton canvas. At the SeaFair Haven event in and around Milford Haven they collected a few holes. As he put it: “We were led to the linseed flax plant from this collection of traditional canvas covered boats. After experiencing a few tears and holes in the currach we sought a stronger covering than cotton canvas. Flax cloth just seemed the natural choice.” Not happy with just using the linen, Simon started growing flax and was soon producing his own fibre, a small amount of which was turned into cloth. Thus was born Flaxland. I remember well one sun-sparkly Sunday about five years ago joining him and his wife Ann, who is jointly responsible for much of the flax work, in the field, picking, rippling, breaking, scutching and hackling – as the process demands – to extract the fibre from the plant. In English this translates to: 1: removing the seed heads; 2: breaking the stems; 3: combing the stems to remove the broken shives and finally 4: more combing of a finer nature to produce silky light fibres as thin as your hair. Only then can this be spun into yarn which then can make rope or cloth, whichever you choose. However he has always maintained that he developed the use of linen to cover the

This page, top: Simon with the coracleparasol, which demonstrates the lightweight qualities of flax. Left: Simon and, far left, Ann, spinning flax at Beale Park boat show, June Opposite: Simon taking his canoe for a bike ride.

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I conjure up visions of Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green and pleasant land turning ďŹ&#x201A;ax-blue, of the solitude of the spinner and the thwacking of the cottage-industry loom replacing the dark satanic mills. CLASSIC SAILOR 51

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FLAX CANOE

He developed it not to be green, but because of the increased strength of the fibre and the fact that flax was once a huge industry in many maritime areas craft, not to be green, but because of the increased strength of the fibre and the fact that flax was once a huge industry in many maritime areas: sails, rope, caulking and paints. Compare that with 60 years of polluting the oceans with plastic! First of all he covered a currach in the linen, using the linseed resin that hardened under ultra-violet light. Then a coracle. But I think he’d become intrigued by then at the possibility of developing a ‘concept of growing your own boat from scratch with flax seed and an ash key’, as he put it. Furthermore, the idea of not using moulds or building frames but using cut frames seemed more simple. Thus came the flax canoe, as mentioned above, influenced by the Igo and St Regis models from the catalogue. The other thing he was keen on was to produce a canoe in kit form, much in the same vein as Percy Blandford in the postwar period. The development could be said to be in two parts – firstly the construction of the frame and then the material covering over this to keep the water out and the person in. The shape he regards as being a great combination of old and new in that he tweaked the lines from the catalogue on computer and then cut the frames from 8mm marine grade ply on his CNC machine, which he otherwise uses to make house signs. Something, he says, has to pay the bills! The ease of work comes into its own because the stringers are simply 8 x 10mm in section and push-fit into the frames which allows the structure to be assembled dry. There’s a minimal building frame with an approximate weight for a 12-footer of 7kg. Finding the resin he puts down to the wonders of the internet. This is bought in from a company in Cornwall and is 98% linseed and cures in sunlight, making it toxin-free with no mixing and no smells. However it wasn’t quite so simple with the material because the artist-quality linen canvas worked easily over the frame but was easy to rip, especially when resined. The first attempts looked great on the water with the picturesque reflections through the translucent hulls, but repairs were difficult and just the necessity of these was not a good basis on which to develop a new product! The obvious answer was to produce their own linen. Simon and Ann have, and always have had as long as I’ve known them, a perfect way of working together, sharing, balancing and successfully achieving the various goals they set themselves. The out-

come was that their own home-grown fibre worked better. It was a more rustic, thicker yarn that worked better than high twist yarns in conventional fabrics. But growing enough flax and having the equipment to produce yards of linen was not going to be a reality, especially when they both had jobs outside Flaxland. Nevertheless Simon was able to source a woven fabric cloth which would absorb more resin to increase strength of the finished product. Growing and producing their own fabric meant they had learnt a great deal, a sort of exchange of knowledge. Eventually they were able to create a fabric of combined twist yarns to make a rip-stop effect in linen. Once a canoe had been built and covered with this material, there was a sense that a final point had been reached. The canoe looked great and was light in weight with a matching flexibility and inherent strength found in skin-on-frame craft. Being a keen cyclist, Simon then considered the possibility of being able to tow the canoe and whether he could then fit his bicycle into the canoe when he wanted to paddle. Thus the concept ‘cycling a canoe’ was born. Then a chance meeting with Alistair Cope meant he was able to develop this concept further. Alistair is perhaps best described as a director of ‘a cycle events company that is different’. He acts as a guide on cycling holidays as far away as Morocco, the Alps and the Pyrenees, as well as undertaking various charity rides. He also arranges what could be termed ‘classic cycle events’ in which riders take vintage bikes around coastal towns, often in traditional costume. In 2013 he cycled and paddled one of Simon’s 12ft canoes from Edinburgh to Exmouth over 30 days. But for Simon, there was over a year’s planning in getting the boat right. Basically he fitted a cross-member which was moulded into the hull, into which he was able to fit two bicycle wheels, one either side. At the bow he again moulded in an attachment which allowed the canoe to be attached to the back end of a bicycle, not unlike how a child’s trailer is so affixed. It sounds simple but it took much experimenting to get the balance right. Obviously important is the choice of bicycle – Alistair eventually went for a Pashley Country Clubman donated by the company, not an exactly light bike! This had to sit in the back of the boat with the front wheel overhanging. Simon also incorporated a short foredeck beneath which some of the luggage that went with the trip – tent, food, cooker, clothes – was stashed.

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SIMON AND HIS CANOES The trip was successful – 500 miles on the road, 150 miles of paddling with 100 locks to pass – with money raised for three local charities. For Simon it was the culmination of years of planning his canoes, and the proof he needed that his original desire to build a homegrown simple boat was not just a pipe dream conjured up amongst a mass of other dreams, but a simple reality. To finally convince himself of the practicalities of his development, he took himself off on an adventure in the summer of 2015. Leaving his Cotswold home, he cycled to Lechlade, paddled down the river Thames to Oxford, into the Oxford Canal as far as Fenny Compton, back on the bike to Stratford, into the river Avon, then the Severn, the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal and a final ride up the hill back home. All went well and, as with Alistair’s trip, the boat survived well. Even with the odd bump and scrape, the hull remained intact. Simon even had his dog as a passenger for part of the trip. The worst bit was the tall banks of the river Avon that made getting out difficult on coming to a lock.

Above: Simon takes his bike for a paddle. Left and right: stages in the building of a flax canoe, with its ingenious wheel attachments bottom right

So what’s next? “I’m thinking of a larger one at 14ft in length to take a man and a child type of thing,” he told me. “It seems from what I hear that many dads would quite like to take one of their offspring off for a bit of paddling. Then, of course, there’s always refining the shape – that’s constant – and I’d like to be able to add a small lugsail at some point. Turn one into a sailing canoe.” That, I think, might excite a whole new audience, having spent time with the sailing canoe folk a few years ago. “Then there’s the new Linen Works and Boat Shed,” he continued. “This is our new mobile boat workshop for 2016 which will enable us to exhibit the whole process of fabric boats. From growing the flax and processing it, right through to the final production of a coracle or canoe, we will be able to show the complete story in one go.” I conjure up visions of England’s green and pleasant land turning flax-blue, of the hollow thump of the breaking machine, the solitude of the spinner and the thwacking of the cottage-industry loom all replacing the dark satanic mills as we tear ourselves away from our love affair with oil. But no, that’s too much of a dream, too many people with selfish vested interests, and I’m happily visualising the new Shed in its individual pose. It will, I’m sure, be wholly unique and will occupy both an aesthetically pleasurable and incredibly informative space in many a maritime-flavoured festival, and one that will perhaps fulfil that ultimate boatwright’s dream that many have spent a lifetime searching for. For more about flax, contact Simon & Ann via flaxland.co.uk, phone 07815 967951 CLASSIC SAILOR 53

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On watch: kit for ship and crew

Kingii flotation device.

We’d say the Kingii is for kayaking, rowing, surfing, swimming or just being around water, like fishing. It’s unobtrusive and there are certain water sports where a lifejacket or buoyancy aid is just too bulky, unnecessary or your kid is starting to swim in the sea, say. It attaches to the wrist and if in trouble can be set off manually by pulling a lever to inflate a flotation balloon. It doesn’t take the place of a lifejacket but could be just the thing in the right circumstances. There’s a whistle on the inflatable and a compass on the strap. www.kingii.us £64

Seabung

Underwater fitting failure is responsible for 50% of moored boat sinkage. Such a small piece of kit as a seacock or hose can be responsible for a huge amount of damage – even if a vessel has only been submerged for a short period of time the cost of repair is often monstrous. It could happen to any of us. Here, for peace of mind is a clever little invention that allows you to stopper the outside of a seacock to do routine maintainance without the need for lifting out. www.seabung.com £41.66

Foutala towel

We’ve taken a sarong sailing as a towel for years. The main advantage being how compact and light they are. This foutala is just slightly thicker than most sarongs and so it feels more like an actual towel. But it’s still 100% cotton, very absorbent, quickdrying, and lightweight. They roll up to next-to-nothing, making them a smart sailor’s alternative to bulky towels. You’ll find yourself using it as a sarong, headscarf against the sun, neck scarf when there’s a lot of spray around... they are great! Available in 48 colours. Measuring 180cm x 90cm. Weighing just 275g. www.foutala.com £20.00

Lakeland microwave pressure cooker

Combining the powers of both a microwave oven (assuming your boat has one - if not, belay that) and a pressure cooker, this device cooks at lightening-quick speed, delivering chicken breasts and sausages in under 10 minutes and a beef casserole in around 20. Like conventional pressure cookers this new device has a tight seal around its lid, meaning no steam can escape. This increases the pressure inside the cooker and ensures the contents will reach higher temperatures and therefore cook much faster, and better. Will serve 2-3 people. www.lakeland.co.uk £34.99

Neit Case

Although soft luggage is preferred in boats, it’s not always best for the contents – camera equipment for instance. Invented by a keen sailor, this is a solid, wheeled waterproof hard case that flattens to the width of a book in an instant. Made from polycarbonate and aircraft-grade aluminium it’s lockable and has an optional built in gps so you can track it if it gets nicked. Currently in development looking for kickstarter backers. www.neit.life £190 - 38L size

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Upcycling old shoes for knife sheath

“Always keep a good sailing knife handy. You never know when you will need it,” growled the Bosun. At the time I was struggling to get to my exMOD clasp knife, buried deep in my trouser pocket under layers of sweaters and oilskins. The Bosun was a rigger from Hull whose wisdom you ignored at your peril. But what is a “good sailing knife” and how do you “keep it handy”? Dad had an Opinel No8, almost the ideal knife... and it floats, just. The Opinel No8 “Outdoor knife” is even better with a serrated blade for cutting rope, a shackle key in the blade, a brightly coloured plastic handle with rubber grips and a built-in whistle, easy to open even with cold wet hands, and a lock to stop it closing. How to keep it handy? My old sailing shoes were beyond being fit for gardening, the leather was dry but redeemable. An upcycling project was born. I cut the tongue out. It was just the right size and shape to make a sheath. Also a perfect diameter to just grip the knife and long enough to hold the knife either open or closed. I cut a belt loop from some spare leather and stitched it all together with the sail repair needles & thread. A leather shoe lace was plaited into the knife lanyard with a snap-hook. Just the right size to fit around my wrist or to clip the knife to my belt. Mounted on the belt of my life jacket it is always “handy”. Chris Jones

Sika new professional deck caulking sealant

Sika has launched its new deck caulking sealant, Sikaflex® 290 DC PRO. Designed specifically for professional use it replaces its predecessor, Sikaflex® 290 DC. As with the Sikaflex® 290 DC, Sikaflex® 290 DC PRO has been exclusively developed for caulking watertight joints in traditional timber for boat and yacht construction. Extremely robust, weather and UV resistant, it has been extensively tested in Sika’s laboratories and in different locations throughout the world under varying atmospheric conditions. Developed because of the increased requirements in a harsh marine environment, it has faster curing times in low humidity, greater weather and UV resistance and improved results after sanding. Like its predecessor, it is sea and freshwater proof, easily sanded and non-corrosive. But apparently it requires training to use. For the DIY market, a list of accredited installers will be available so that boat owners can take full advantage of the benefits of this new professional caulking product. £16.90 for a 300ml tube. Further information at www.sikamarine.co.uk.

Gator grip.

The socket set is one of the heaviest things aboard so replacing it with just one universal ratchet head – in effect what the Gator grip is – makes sense. It grips and turns any nut within its diameter, plus hooks, wingnuts, broken nuts and more, which are grabbed by 54 springbiased hardened alloy steel rods delivering more than 450 ft lbs of torque. On Amazon. £14.95

Sikaflex advice – from the makers

When it comes to repairs, sealing and bonding this is the season for it and Sika has put together some hints and tips: 1 All substrates should be prepared with cleaners and primers before applying the sealant or bonding product. Depending on the substrate, the preparation prior to applying the primer will vary. For instance, when making a teak deck repair, after removing the old sealant completely, the type of sealant should be identified before dry fitting the new plank in situ to ensure that it will sit neatly with the existing planks. The substrate is then cleaned before priming. 2 Use the sealant cartridge nozzle to create the right shape bead for the task. For instance, if sealing with Sikaflex 291i it is recommended that a round bead is created using the standard shape of the nozzle because this provides a thick layer of sealant to the area and thus prevents water ingress. However, if bonding two substrates together with Sikaflex adhesives, a triangular bead, formed by making a V cut into the cartridge nozzle will ensure that both substrates are perfectly wetted out with the adhesive, guaranteeing a robust bondline. 3 Repairing leaky windows identify whether your windows are made of organic glass, such as Perspex or mineral glass, Sika has developed two sealants specifically for both types of marine glazing. 4 Extend the life of your sealant Simply keep the cartridge in a cool and dry place to slow down the curing process or buy the smaller 70ml tube. CLASSIC SAILOR 55

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Over the Yardarm

Is anything better than Calvados? asks Guy Venables. Yes, and it comes from Somerset Whenever I hear that someone’s going to France I ask them two questions. The first is “Can you bring me back some Calvados?” The next question is along the lines of “Why the hell not?” The answer I usually get is that they want it all themselves. Over here Calvados is usually expensive and of lesser quality, the good stuff being hidden by those crafty Frenchies doing what, I begrudgingly admit, I would have done myself. It seems however that I’ve been barking up the wrong arbre, for although I’ve been looking for Calvados in the UK, I’ve simply been getting the name wrong. The Somerset Cider Brandy Company was started in 1989 by Tim Stoddart and Julian Temperley on the Somerset Levels. After producing very good cider (and they still do), using apples with such wonderfully rustic names as Tremlett’s Bitter, Brown Snout and Dabinett, Julian decided that they could make cider brandy akin to Calvados, over here in the UK. He went to France, talked to the local producers and came back with two battered and dull gas-fired stills bought from the widow of a Normandy Calvados producer. Nowadays ‘Josephine’ and ‘Fifi’ have been restored to their former glory and can distil 2,000 gallons of cider a day. The apples are picked really ripe in November and December so that they have more tannin giving the brandy more body and flavour. If France was the place to go to learn about distilling then Scotland was an obvious choice for barrel ageing. Here he learned from the whisky trade about bourbon, sherry and brandy barrels, how to use them and what to expect from their flavours. New Hungarian barrels add spice, Limousin French barrels add oak and lemon. Since winning a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) in 2010 Somerset Cider Brandy was reinstated as a legal term. The EU not only amended EU law but also gave them a much deserved ‘appellation contrôlée’, a rare and treasured accolade. Similar to the way our local fizzes have trumped the French champagne houses, their ten-year-old cider brandy is simply better than Calvados. It feels lighter, creamier, softer but really importantly it is expertly balanced in the hands of veterans. My birthday present list now contains their 15 and 20 year old. Everything else has been scrubbed off.

Off watch Books: Briscoe and knots

Dreams and their realisation

Early sketches and illustrated articles of Arthur Briscoe This is a wonderful collection of Arthur Briscoe’s writing and drawing for the Yachting Monthly magazine from 1908. The 136-page collection was put together by Frank Zomerdijk, a Dutchman who began researching English yachting history when he bought an old English yacht, the 37ft gaff cutter Ondina. Arthur was a painter, sailor and writer and learned to sail on the Blackwater at Maldon on the East coast. Success meant he could have a 20-ton yacht built and Golden Vanity was launched by Saunders at Galmpton on the river Dart in Devon in 1908. The yard specialised in Brixham trawlers; Arthur had made studies of various harbours and their working craft as well as casting wry eye on the life of the yachtsman afloat. The reproduced writing covers a variety of themes, from navigating to descriptions of running tackle to sailing with paid hands. Although dated it has that light confident Edwardian tone that paints themes of precious sailing summers while relaying some of the characters that populate them. It’s a great book to while away a few hours waiting for the tide and we can certainly still recognise some of the scenes his wit portrays. DH www.zopress.net £15 plus £2 p&p

The Book of Knots

By Geoffrey Budworth and Jason Dalton This book has 200 knots and is for climbers, campers and sailors. The format is one knot described on one page and shown with developing diagrams on the other. Simple knots are shown on a single page. It’s squarish, at 170 x 140 mm. We like the simple graphics of this book – drawing knots in a way that makes them easy to see how they are tied is a rare skill, and this book, with the use of arrows to show how knots are tied, is graphically clear. The text is quite brief and to the point and so we found it most helpful when the pictures occasionally failed to illuminate us. We tried about a dozen unfamiliar knots and found some that we immediately liked; the tarbuck knot – an adjustable loop from climber Ken Tarbuck; the butterfly loop, for climbing; the load-releasing hitch – for those tiresome snatching and jerking mooring lines. A great little book to have on board this summer. AH From the Ivy Press £9.99

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Shoreside Places we love

Holiday let: Derwentwater

“Garden, jetty and deep water mooring for your own boat. Fishing on the lake.” What an opening sentence! Keswick Boat House is a stunner of a place with a balcony overhanging the water of Derwentwater. The renowned Theatre by the Lake, The Keswick Tea Gardens and Hope Park are all within 200 yards, pub, half a mile. Sleeps two. Bring your own boat. Bliss. Absolute bliss. www. cumbrian-cottages.co.uk +44 (0)1228 599960 from £570 per week.

Sale: Old Harbour House Axminster

Old Harbour House looks down on the mouth of the river Axe close to the harbour entrance. It is within an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of the Jurassic coast, designated a World Heritage site. Virtually opposite there is the Axe Yacht Club. The village of Axmouth and the coastal resort of Seaton are both very close by. Around you is also a haven for wild life with a nearby nature reserve. 5 bedrooms, 2 levels of decking and mooring. Nice. Big too. Offers in excess of £850,000, so keep buying those lucky dips… Knight Frank +44 (0)1392 848853

Run ashore Send us your favourite pubs The Chain Locker, Falmouth

Any sailor coming up from the south or the west will be thinking of their landfall, of their first port of call, of anchoring in flat calm waters, and, of course, their first pint ashore. Well there is only one place that will fill this need for a lonely sailor and that’s the Chain Locker at Falmouth. Some 30 years ago I was this lonely sailor coming in from a cold sea to a warm and heaving throng in a rough pine-panelled bar, festooned with memorabilia from years of passing ships. Fixed to the ceiling are oars, pieces of broken spar, ships’ wheels, flags and posters of past sea festivals. The walls are covered with photos of vessels and people that have come and gone. Since that night there have been many more, sheltering while the driving rain lashes the anchorage. Through all this time the pub has not changed a bit. Landlords have come and gone, but two lovely sisters, Jenny and Fran, have kept the stability of this haven. They are the power that keeps the place working, and kept us rowdy drinkers in check through all those years. I remember in my youth old sea dogs propping up the bar; tug masters, fishermen and watermen. Peaked caps and pipes, the place a smog, as if they were stoking up steam aboard ship. Yet times have changed; just the other day with Agnes, we were blown back in to Falmouth after a charter in France. There, at the bar with other charter skippers and crew, telling tall tails of lee shores and reefing tackles, I turned round to Shane and said what ever happened to all the old colourful characters that used to drink in here? He replied “WE are now those old characters.” Luke Powell CLASSIC SAILOR 57

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The turn of the bilge When is an old boat worth saving? “A historic wooden boat with most of her original structure remaining is a waterborne antique, not a functioning vessel” says Aidan Tuckett

n an earlier article of this series, we looked at how traditionally built wooden boats deteriorate over time and how the rate of this deterioration depends on the quality of the original design and construction and the care with which the vessel is used and maintained. But there inevitably comes a point at which the boat simply cannot be used as her designer originally intended, just as a Chippendale chair will not survive long if it’s used around the kitchen table. With old wooden boats the difference is less obvious. Proven designs and traditional gear are timeless, so with careful painting an old wooden boat can look as good as she ever has but it will be a completely different thing to a newly built vessel or one that has been fully rebuilt. Of course there are as many boundaries between the two as there are boats and owners but I would set a rough rule of thumb at around 50 years of age without a major rebuild, and there are sure to be exceptions in either direction.

What I want to focus on is the fact that a historic wooden boat with most of her original structure remaining is a waterborne antique, not a functioning vessel. This might seem fairly obvious, but what’s interesting is the way in which many people assume the step change from working vessel to historic artefact is a relatively minor point or even a graduation, the early stages of which they can live with. This simply is not true; once fastenings corrode or the wood around them deteriorates, hull connections will begin to loosen and no amount of caulking or sealant will stop that. All of this is separate from the deterioration caused by

failed coatings and consequent rot– it is a time bound process which leads to a historic vessel that needs to be conserved, not a functioning wooden boat that needs to be maintained. Patches, sheathings, doublers, tingles and graving pieces might delay the point at which this matters but they can’t reverse it. With

the hours they spend, but unless the boat is completely rebuilt she will still be a historic vessel and one that has to be treated accordingly. Nothing wrong with this if it’s what you want, so long as you realise you can’t go sailing like everyone else. And you need to appreciate that before

Abandoned in a Mediterranean boatyard, this needs a complete rebuild but is possibly not unique enough to make that worthwhile.

workboats, it’s fairly clear-cut; once a wooden boat is past its useful working life, it gets broken up. There are exceptions but a quick look through MAIB casualty reports will prove the point we are making. In pleasure boats the difference can be difficult to appreciate. The most common scenario I find is where a boat’s exterior has been immaculately finished, the internal joinery restored to perfection yet anything that cannot be seen, regardless of how essential its function, will not have been touched since the boat was built. Maybe the boat has spent years ashore under repair and the now impoverished owner just wants to sell and move on. One (good) boatyard we know of describes the process of how other yards dishonestly claim problems can be fixed and bill for a long sequence of work. The money might reflect

you start spending money – easier said than done where the heart rules, sellers and their agents are keen to sell and the vision is strong. So how to work out the difference? We could promote a full survey but as previously pointed out, by the time you book one of these, you will also have to book a slipway and pay a deposit, all of which can make it harder to back out and cost around £1,000 for the average size yacht. So although you will probably have to spend this if you do eventually make an offer, see if someone who you know is comfortable looking at wooden boats will come with you for a preliminary look around before you make any commitments. It could be another wooden boat owner, a boatbuilder whose work you know to be good, or it could be a surveyor who will charge for an hour or so and who

can give you examples of past reports of wooden boats. We have already talked about the age of the boat – good materials (bronze not iron, teak not larch) will make a positive difference. So will design and type – a lightweight racing yacht or clinker day boat isn’t going to last long. A good quality tropical hardwood, heavy displacement carvel vessel probably will. More recently built (30 years or less) wooden boats will, by definition, be one-off bespoke structures. If you are hunting around the margins, sheathings, tingles, patches and all the rest are warnings. So is a rebuild if it is more than 40 years old. Of course the shades of grey can probably be multiplied again by the types of owner – for example I have one client who is looking for a wooden fishing boat that can be used in the Caribbean charter trade and another who wants a traditional looking houseboat. Now the second is probably going to get lucky long before the first, but they might both take an interest in exactly the same boat with very different results. Ultimately, there are in fact quite a few things ‘naffer than a plastic gaffer’, so maybe just get one of them and go sailing and save your money. Which is kind of where I am, as a small change to the next Google Earth scan of my local boatyard will show. Aidan Tuckett carries out presurveys on yachts, small craft, and commercial fishing vessel at Brighton Marine Surveys. He also part owns and runs Practical Yacht and Small Craft Survey Training which shows marine industry professionals how to turn their skills to surveying.

Fig 1 Centreline construction of a Scottish MFV, with the beginnings of deterioration around the fastenings. She’s good enough for gentle use in sheltered waters for a few years yet but a rebuild is unlikely to be viable. Fig 2 Aft cockpit of a plank on edge cutter, more maintenance than restoration issues, the hull being in good condition. But the deck needs attention soon to keep it that way. Fig 3 Inside the stern of an “immaculately painted” lugger. Fig 4 You don’t want to see any kind of deterioration up here.

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Once fastenings corrode or the wood around them detiriorates, connections will begin to loosen 1

Fig 5 Rebuilt stem and breasthook in the plank on edge cutter. Good for many more years. Fig 6 Rot around the frames – doesn’t look much but there was far more beneath. This turned into a major rebuild.

Fig 7 Seeping keelbolts. Not worth saving unless the boat is pretty special. Fig 8 Years in the British weather at the back of a boatyard puts this one into the rebuild category. Fig 9 Softwood deck but well maintained and protecting everything below.

Fig 10 GRP sheathing coming away – avoid. Fig 11 Ex lifeboat construction is massively strong and gives a good margin of strength. Fig 12 Worm damaged teak hull from a south coast harbour

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Anchoring system for traditional yachts with fixed bowsprits A more logical, efficient and attractive solution to an age-old design problem By Brian Leaker and John Flanzer

hen cruising in the waters of north-eastern USA, notably Maine, and north-east Canada, marinas are few and anchoring remains the norm even in many harbours. An efficient means for raising and lowering an anchor in a traditional boat with a fixed long bowsprit without damaging the topsides is therefore essential. Sadie G Thomas is a 47 ft (LOD), 56ft with bowsprit, traditional plank-on-frame (Alaskan yellow cedar on white oak frames), full keel, heavy displacement, gaff-rigged schooner. She was designed and built by Ferdinand ‘Red’ Nimphius in 1985 based on the original lines of the Gloucester fishing schooners. She has a 9ft long bowsprit characteristic of many of these vessels. We designed a novel ground tackle system that could accommodate two anchors positioned side-by-side on the bowsprit. The new system had to afford ease of use for both letting go and retrieving the anchor and an efficient and secure means of anchor stowage. These features allow suitably heavy ground tackle to be deployed quickly if necessary without fear of injury to crew or damage to the vessel’s topsides. The design also incorporates the correct placement of the windlass and chain stopper on the foredeck; a skened chock through the bulwark for the chain rode to starboard side, with line rode to port; a separate means of leading each rode into chain lockers below deck in the fo’c’sle; also the outfitting and use of snubber lines and a sentinel.

How it works in practice When approaching an anchorage the lift line (burton) is untied and flaked. A nylon ‘lift or burton’ line is secured to an eye in the plough of each anchor and the bitter end secured to a convenient stanchion on the foredeck. The crew stands forward at the stem head and applies suitable tension to the lift line to lift the anchor stock free from the bronze hook and then lowers the anchor to the vertical position beneath the roller. The lift line can also be used to gently control the swing of the anchor if needed to clear the bobstay after which the line is cast off. The anchor is lowered after release of the respective chain gypsy (wildcat in US) and chain stopper pawls using the windlass with clutch / brake control. To weigh anchor the process is reversed; chain gypsy and chain stopper pawls are applied, and the anchor is hauled until the end of the chain rode reaches the roller on the bowsprit. The lift line is retrieved with a boat hook and brought on board. The crew swings and lifts the anchor into position using the lift line so that the stock sits back into the hook on the bowsprit. The little

Fig 1 (above): The windlass (Polishmade Wilmex) in operation with chain rode and anchor deployed to starboard; line rode to port. Below: Sadie G Thomas at anchor Authors: Dr Brian Leaker MD, owner of Sadie G Thomas and author for correspondence brian.leaker@ qasmc.com John Flanzer, Traditional Boat LLC Maine US traditionalboat@ uninet.net

remaining slack in the anchor chain can be tightened and lift line secured. The anchor stock sits snugly in the custom designed, closely fitting hook and does not require further lashing in order to be kept securely in place. Background The traditional method of anchoring for vessels with fixed bowsprits is normally to retrieve and lower heavy bower anchors from the stem head and either cat the anchors at or near the stem head or lift the anchor on deck. Historically, admiralty or fisherman anchors were hoisted on a beam projecting at an angle from the bow called a cathead, often adorned with a carving of a lion’s head. The anchor

was hauled until it reached the block on the cathead, and then a block and tackle was affixed to the crown which was hauled back until one of its flukes could be hung over or secured to the rail. This method is still used on traditional schooners and other yachts which carry these anchors. One advantage of this technique is that the full weight of the anchor is not lifted onto the ship. Various techniques have been employed to lift a heavy anchor onto the deck from separate anchor davits; or a lift line taken to a block mounted on the spreaders to facilitate lifting a heavy Fisherman style anchor onto the fore deck from abaft the mast. Both of these methods have clear disadvantages and may result

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One advantage of this technique is that the full weight of the anchor is not lifted onto the ship 2

in damage to the topsides or deck or injury to the crew when a heavy anchor is manhandled particularly when underway. A modern alternative, particularly with more widespread use of CQR or plough type anchors, is to simply hoist the anchors up onto a roller fixed outboard onto the bowsprit. It takes much more force and physical effort to bring the anchor stock over the roller than to simply lift the weight of the anchor. The explanation for this phenomenon is related to the lengths of the two lever arms (the portions of the anchor stock above and below the roller) about a fulcrum (the roller’s axis). The force needed is less as the direction of pull is more vertical. This is why when hand hauling, one can

stand back and hoist until the anchor stock reaches the roller, at which time it is usually necessary to stand as close to the roller as possible to lift it up onto the roller. Another important factor in the ease of lift is the diameter of the roller. As the roller diameter becomes larger, the length of the upper lever arm (measured from the axis of the roller to its surface) becomes larger, and therefore the mechanical disadvantage is reduced. Unfortunately, most anchor rollers in use today are of relatively small diameter and therefore increase the effort needed to raise the anchor. Also the roller should be correctly designed so that for chain rode, a groove in the centre of the roller wide

Fig 2: The wooden form for the anchor roller 3: The roller cast in bronze: note the deep notch to allow the chain to lie flat 4: With the chain passing over it 5: Affixed to the boom... 6: ...with the anchor in place 7: The hook on the boom in which the anchor rests; patterened so it won’t jump out provided the chain is tight

and deep enough to fit a half link enabling every other link to lie flat on the roller makes hoisting easier, and paying out smoother. Donald Street in The Ocean Sailing Yacht described a method used on his 1901 yawl Iolaire. He illustrated the position of Iolaire’s CQR anchor at the end of the bowsprit where the anchor stock was held by a hook with the plough facing aft. The stated advantages of this method were a reduced capacity of the anchor to damage the topsides; the anchor could be allowed to hang from the bowsprit while making sail or sailing into a harbour. It is this method that we adapted and refined for usage on the schooner. For ground tackle we chose a 50lb Delta anchor with 200ft of 3/8in chain; the second a 35lb Delta with 200ft of 5/8in nylon Brait and a 25ft long 5/16in chain leader. Brait is an eight-strand woven nylon line designed for anchor rodes. It offers better elasticity and storage flexibility than three-strand or other braided lines, and good windlass grip hold. The heavier anchor with chain rode is used most frequently, and is hoisted using a manual windlass; the windlass is two speed with a 3ft handle and has both chain gypsy and rode capstan. There is an additional spare folding aluminium Fortress anchor and a 25lb grapnel kedge anchor with 200ft line also stored below. An approximate rule for CQR anchors suggests a pound weight of anchor for each foot of boat length with the second anchor 75% of the weight of the bower. Design and fabrication The schooner had undergone a recent restoration at which time the bowsprit was replaced including new bobstay, dolphin striker, and bobstay shrouds, anchor rollers and hooks. In addition a new

windlass was re-sited and installed on the foredeck so that the chain gypsy and the chain stopper were in alignment with the anchor roller through a skened chock installed through the bulwark. In order to design the fittings the initial placement of the anchors was carefully planned and measured as each anchor was lashed in position on the bowsprit; by a process of trial and error the correct position of both anchors side by side on the bowsprit was determined. Wooden patterns of two anchor hooks where made so that the anchors would nest below the bowsprit adjacent to each other but would not contact each other, the bowsprit, or the stem. Hooks were cast of silicon bronze, burnished, drilled and installed. The hooks were bedded with polyurethane adhesive sealer and secured to the bowsprit with three number 24 bronze wood screws for each hook, two (3½in long) into the side of the bowsprit and one (3in long) up into the bottom of it. Copper sheathing was installed to the under surface of the bowsprit to protect against potential damage from contact with the anchors whilst being lifted into their hooks. Once the positions of the anchors on the bowsprit were determined, positions for the anchor rollers were determined taking into account the lengths of the anchors’ stocks extending forward of the hooks. Wood patterns were made for the roller frames and for the rollers. The rollers were patterned as solid discs without grooves. Roller frames and rollers were cast of silicon bronze. Grooves were then turned into the cast discs on a lathe. For the line rode the groove was a shallow radiused concavity the width of the roller. For the chain rode, a central groove was turned deep enough to accept the vertical CLASSIC SAILOR 65

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Anchoring system for traditional yachts with fixed bowsprits

oriented chain links. This allows the chain to run smoothly over the roller without lifting for each vertical oriented link. This is a prominent cause of chain chatter when paying out scope, and increases the resistance and therefore the work of hauling in the anchor. A straight lead from the top of the windlass wildcat to the top of the anchor roller on the bowsprit coursed through the skened chock in the bulwark at an acute angle. Most hawse pipe style bow chocks are not skened and are inappropriate for use with an anchor rode or mooring pennant. A custom skened chock for the chain rode was fabricated as follows. A boring jig was made to provide a surface perpendicular to the line of bore in order to start an auger, and a hole was bored to accept a length of silicon bronze tube’s outer diameter. The tube’s inner diameter was selected to provide adequate clearance for the 3/8in chain rode. The tube was cut flush with the outer surface of the bulwark to accept a hawse pipe style chock’s outer face which was patterned and cast of silicon bronze, then welded to the tube. The bulwark wood was sealed, then the chock was bedded with polyurethane adhesive sealant. An inner chock face plate was bedded and fastened to the bulwark with bronze wood screws. Both chain and rope rodes self-feed into the chain lockers. The chain leads directly into a deck pipe opening in the windlass base to the chain locker; the rode leads through a waterproof deck fitting directly into its own separate locker below. The design of the chain pipe with relation to the chain locker must be such that it opens into the locker high enough from the bottom of the locker to allow enough hanging chain in the locker to pull the chain down. It is the weight of this segment of chain which pulls the rode through

the angled pipe. As the chain accumulates in the locker, the effective bottom of the locker becomes the top of the pile of chain, shortening the hanging length of chain, and decreasing the weight pulling down on the rode. Therefore the critical measurement is the length of hanging chain when the entire rode is in the locker. The line rode is also selffeeding when dropped by hand down through a deck pipe. The chain lockers drain into the bilge. It is important to use separate chain lockers or a properly partitioned locker in order that the line and chain rodes not foul each other, but also so that the line rode does not occupy space in the locker effectively raising the pile of chain and shortening the free fall for the reasons already discussed. Sadie was fitted with a new bronze two-speed manual Wilmex windlass which has a chain gypsy with pawl for chain rode and a capstan for line rode. The chain rode release is controlled with a simple clutch/brake mechanism controlled by the windlass handle. The windlass was fitted on deck forward of the forehatch clear of other deck fittings with sufficient clearance to operate the 3ft handle. There is a separate anchor chain stop mounted forward of the windlass which includes an important safety feature. There is a lanyard which snaps to hold the stop in either the locked or unlocked position. It allows the stop’s pawl to fall freely but does not allow the chain to flip it from the position in which it is set. The windlass and anchor stop are through-bolted to heavy oak blocking fitted and fastened to deck beams. It is important that the chain rode is secured and held by the chain stopper independent from the windlass. This allows the chain to be freed from the gypsy if nec-

Figs 8: Inserting the skened chock for the chain rode 9: The skened chock itself with its tube angled for frictionless acceptance of the chain rode 10: And in position on the bulwark with the chain coming over the roller and leading into it

essary and cut free using the lanyard final attachment from the end of the chain to stem head in an emergency. The windlass itself should never be used to secure the chain as this will risk potential damage to the windlass. Background Snubber and Sentinel Attachments In designing Sadie’s anchoring system, we decided to fit her with two different snubber lines. Many sailors, particularly those who use chain rodes, are familiar with the use of a chain snubber. We suggest that snubber lines have additional benefits, particularly on yachts with bowsprits. One snubber line is secured to the bobstay fitting on the stem just above the

waterline by spliced thimble and shackle. When not in use the outboard end of the lower snubber is brought up and secured on deck. It is important to verify that this bobstay fitting is strongly fastened, bolted fore and aft through the stem. A second snubber is attached to a mooring bit on deck. Each snubber is a 12ft length of 5/8in nylon threestrand line with a thimble spliced into its outboard end. To use a snubber for the chain rode, a 3/8in chain grab hook is shackled to the snubber’s outboard end. The chain grab hook is attached to the chain forward of the roller, and let go. More chain rode is paid out until the snubber line is taut and the chain rode is slack.

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The sentinel may allow either the use of a lighter anchor or less scope for a given holding power, enabling anchoring with less swinging room 11

To use a snubber for the line rode, a snap hook is attached to the outboard end of the snubber. The rode forward of the bowsprit roller is pulled back on deck with a boathook, and a 2ft (600mm) spliced closed loop (grommet or sling) is secured to the rode with a Klemheist knot. The Klemheist (Klem means clamp in Dutch) knot is a type of friction hitch used by climbers to ascend or descend a taut rope. The knot grabs when pulled taught, but slips when relaxed. The Klemheist, unlike the Prusik knot, is for pulling from one direction. The snubber’s outboard end is then snapped to the Klemheist knot’s loop, and the rode is paid out until the snubber is carrying the load.

Use of the snubber offers several advantages. It removes the force from the end of the bowsprit, transferring it inboard to the hull. When used with the line rode, it will bear the brunt of any chafe damage and thereby eliminate chafe to the rode; it can be easily replaced if damaged by chafe. When used with the chain rode, it provides elasticity in addition to that of the catenary. The snubber provides an important shock absorber to help prevent the chain snatching against the anchor when made taut by sudden loads imposed by sea conditions or the wind. This effect may be uncomfortable on board the vessel but also the violent jerking motion may cause the anchor to drag or fail.

Fig 11: Tensioning the liftline (top left) to bring the anchor out of its hook 12: Using the liftline to lower the anchor 13: About to let go the liftline (10-12ft of braided line) attached to the anchor; it drops into the sea and is recovered with a boathook when the anchor is hauled up 14: The ‘devil’s claw’ chain stop, with lanyard to hold it in position 15: Attaching the rope snubber to a waterline fitting means it won’t foul the bobstay and reduces the rode

The snubber secured to the bobstay chainplate provides additional advantages; it prevents the rode from chafing on the bobstay by lowering the rode below the bobstay; it decreases the angle that the rode makes with the sea bed by the equivalent of decreasing the water depth (in Sadie’s case by about 5ft) or increasing effective scope (25ft at 5:1, or 35ft at 7:1). In anchorages where swinging room is limited, this is advantageous in decreasing swinging radius. It is important to provide chafe protection for the snubber which leads from the deck so that it will not chafe on the bobstay. Although some sailors place plastic hose on the bobstay, chafing gear should be placed on the line at risk of chafe, not on the object on which the line will chafe. We find hose on the bobstay to be unsightly, and there is the possibility that it will trap moisture and lead to premature corrosive deterioration of the stay. We pulled the snubber lines through clear PVC hose, which provides good protection for them. A sentinel or kellet is a weight which is lowered on the anchor rode to provide increased holding power and to absorb shock. The weight can consist of a second anchor, a lead ballast pig, or any available weight which can slide down the rode. The sentinel should weigh approximately 50% of the weight of the anchor or not less than 20lbs which represents a weight that can be manhandled on deck and yet will provide a useful function. For Sadie, we used a 20lb piece of a lead ballast pig, to which we attached a snap shackle, and a messenger line. The sentinel is snapped onto the rode on which it is free to slide; it is lowered with a messenger line to a point just beyond halfway down the rode. The rode hangs in a catenary which is the curve

formed by a line suspended from two fixed points. A sentinel serves to increase the catenary (curve), reduce the angle between the rode and the sea-bed, and increase holding power. By increasing the catenary it also acts as a shock absorber to prevent the rode, particularly chain rode, from becoming taut and causing snatching as discussed above. Other advantages are that the sentinel may allow either the use of a lighter anchor or less scope for a given holding power, and enable the vessel to anchor where there is less swinging room. The sentinel also allows the weight of the ground tackle to be split. On Sadie, one can hand hoist a 20lb sentinel, and then the 35lb anchor with its chain leader without the windlass. Summary This method of handling and stowing anchors on yachts with bowsprits has several advantages over the hoisting and storing of anchors on rollers in common use today. The anchor is hoisted to a position near the far end of the bowsprit where it is not at risk of damaging the hull and where it can be left hanging while manoeuvering. Although the anchor is hoisted from a position far forward, it is stored closer to the stem with the weight more inboard. The force needed to hoist the anchor is much less because the anchor is not lifted over a roller, and the force needed to swing the anchor into its hook is less than the weight of the anchor. This method allows the use of a smaller roller, sized for the rode, not for the anchor. There is no longer a need to go out onto the bowsprit to lift the anchor onto its roller. The anchors point forward and offer less resistance to seas taken over the bow. They also look more streamlined and attractive pointing forward. CLASSIC SAILOR 67

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Quirkie’s classic Quickie Australian John Quirk was inspired to build a clinker cradle for a grandson which led to building the classic round-bilged Ashcroft style dinghy he had been dreaming of for only half a century. And he used just over three sheets of ply…

n omen occurred the night my third grandson was born. No, not a star in the East, but our neighbours threw out some 30cm wide pine shelving for the council clean-up. I had been considering making the lad something like a model boat but here was enough timber for the framing and davits for a clinker dinghy cradle. My tatty 1941 first edition of Howard Chapelle’s Boatbuilding naturally falls open at page 421 showing this beautifully drawn dinghy designed to be built in the Ashcroft system (Fig 2). This means shaping over 400 25x3mm strips in two skins, with canvas in between. Don’t start building this way if you are approaching pensionable age. There has to be a quicker way. After staring at the lines for fifty years it finally dawned on me. See those almost straight lines in the sections? Maybe this boat could be adapted for plywood construction… Yes! You can easily build an 8ft clinker or smooth-sided one from around three sheets of 3.6 mm ply. A bit more if you want ribs with that (Fig 3). I first built the 4x2ft clinker cradle using the plans to give a plywood V bottom hull with four clinker planks to the topsides. It took just one sheet of 3mm ply which was one quarter of the cost of buying plans for a clinker cradle from an American boating magazine. It was surprisingly easy; I thought I would build an 8ft 3in version of the smooth-sided original 10-footer. If you are building a shorter one, redraw the profile.

Compressing the original sheer on a smaller hull makes it just too springy.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Clinker or smooth? (Fig 4) Having built both, clinker is quicker and the imagined daunting plank setout is surprisingly easy. The ply bottom is hidden below the waterline and the topsides look quite convincing. The smooth one just takes a bit of time and patience getting the strips around the bilge and requires filling, fairing, bead bogging and glassing… which the clinker one does not. But we still built a second hull in four leisurely days. Scarfing (Fig 5) If you are building a version longer than about 7ft 3in (max length from one ply length) you will need to scarf the plywood. I did this with the bodgers’ two best friends: the belt sander and thickened epoxy. The joint was then clamped between cling wrap and battens. Moulds I marked out the moulds on 6mm MDF directly from the offsets including all waterline and buttock lines to check on alignment later. No need to loft the lines. Howard was a better draughtsman than any of us will ever be. And the plywood skin will only touch the moulds where it wants to. The neighbours’ shelving was cut to form bracing and edges to the moulds, nailed and glued to the obverse side to the marked face. I used the simpler, quicker-drying one-pack polyurethane glue for most of the boat, using only epoxy for

high stress areas at stem and transom joints. (Fig 6) It is also much easier on your tools when cleaning up. Use parcel tape on the edges of the moulds at the turn of the bilge to prevent glue sticking to them. Transom The transom needs to be 18mm to match the original ¾in solid one, so I used ply off cuts built up 12mm framing with 3mm ply facing both sides. If you don’t want your transom to look all ply, you can add a capping. If you fit a sculling notch, the leather lining will hide the framing. Stain and epoxy the transom skins before assembly while they are horizontal and you have gravity working for you. (No runs.) Cover the assembled transom with paper

or plastic to protect it from resin and glue dribbles and general workshop trauma and clamp it to the mould transom. Building frame (Fig 8) As this is only a light boat, the frame was made from some 70mm x 19mm (3x¾in) we had in stock. Screw vertical battens to the moulds so they can be clamped to the inside of the frame stringers and screwed when they are accurately in place. I used a string line though the CL of one of the waterlines on the moulds from transom to inner stem with a level to check all waterlines were horizontal. The outer and inner stems were laminated together on the bench from layers of 3mm ply cut across the grain. I belt sanded them

1 The project 2 Lines and plan 3 Plywood layout 4 Clinker and smooth sections 5 Scarfing 6 Poly glue 7 Plank edge fairing tool 8 Building frame 9 Bead bogging and torture board 10 Wale strake joint

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It ﬁnally dawned on me. See those straight lines in the sections? Maybe this boat could be adapted for plywood construction Fig. 3

Fig. 5

true using bevels from the plan and finally in situ using battens around the hull. Fix the inner stem to the frame with screws so you can undo it later and notch a temporary keel into the moulds to stabilize them. Temporary fix 8x8mm battens to mark the top and bottom of the whale strake to the moulds with twists of wire. Secure them with care as these battens will later be reused to secure the rope fender to the whale strake. The finished transom is clamped into position onto the mould transom.

Fig. 6

Planking (smooth) The ply bottom panels were marked out from the keel to the turn of the bilge, to just before they no longer touch the moulds. Cut out and wire the panels together at the keel and temporary screw them to the frames. Now do the same for the topside panels of the smooth hull below the wale strake, allowing for a 15mm overlap. Epoxy glue with temporary screws to the stem and transom. The 300mm (1ft) turn of the bilge is basically strip planked. I used 3mm ply so I could say I built the whole of this shapely boat out of three sheets of plywood. BIG MISTAKE! The lateral stiffness of ply works against it here and I couldn’t bend the 20mm strips as I wanted. There was much cutting and gluing of ‘stealers’. I would have been better off using 4mm strips off the neighbours’ shelving and belt sanding them smooth. We later used 4x18mm battens on a subsequent hull. Much easier. These bilge planking strips are polyurethane glued together and epoxy is used at stem and transom.

Fig. 4

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

Clinker version Get the ply bottom panels up as high as you can to the inner stem. Allow a depth from the sheer for the gunwale and fender, then divide this distance into the number of planks and mark on the moulds. Wire on 8x8mm battens on the marks. This will CLASSIC SAILOR 69

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Quirkie’s classic Quickie show up any unfairness in the planking and give you patterns from which you can make plank templates of 3mm MDF. See how we faired each plank edge (Fig 7) with a homemade tool which also made the jerralds at the plank ends fore and aft. Bottom/keel joint Add epoxy tape at the keel between the wires fixing the bottom panels together. When dry, remove the wire and full length tape the two bottom halves together. The outer stem is finished with the belt sander and glued and temporary screwed to the stem before glassing, or you can add if afterwards if you plan to leave it bright. Smooth hull: bead bogging (Fig 9) Remove all temporary screws and smooth the curve of the bilge with torture boards and fair inside and out. Even though it may seem smooth to the eye and the touch, it is worth bead bogging this area. It works. Cut a series of notches in scrap ply and use it to apply ridges of thickened epoxy over the strip planked area and adjoining ply panels. When dry, hit the ridges with a torture board. Ideally, they will all disappear, but if there are any hollows, they will show up. Fill between them and keep going with the torture board. Glassing I only glassed the bottom of the clinker hull but covered inside and out of the smooth one. Cut the fiberglass cloth approximately to size, roller the hull with epoxy and smooth the cloth on. Make sure you use biaxial cloth which will stretch over this curvy hull. If you don’t, your fabric will have more wrinkles than Keith Richards and will need lots of cutting and gussets to fix. Before the resin has gone off, hit it with a thick mix of micro balloons, smoothed on with a plastic squeegee or squares cut from a plastic milk bottle, then you won’t have to sand off the amine blush. Remember the

Fig. 11 Fig. 13

Fig. 12 Fig. 14

Fig. 15 Fig. 16 Fig. 17

Fig. 18 Fig. 19

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Ribs are not really necessary but they give strength, add to traditional good looks, and distinguish your boat from a plastic one Fig. 20

Bottom boards (Fig 20) I wanted these to look like the traditional swept boards of my first boat, not slatted ones. I made an MDF template from the keel to the turn of the bilge, and then marked the boards as shown. A trial fit and then made the real ones from 8mm ply I had in stock. Too heavy, I should have used 6mm for these and the whale strake. I handplaned the concave edges and sanded the convex ones with a belt sander belt made into a special tool shown here for the reverse curves. Rounded ply edges avoid splinters (Fig 19).

Fig. 22

Fig. 21

11 Ribs location in hull 12 Table saw sketch 13 Saw section 14 Ribs in batches 15 Ribs section and ďŹ xing 16 Oar locks 17 Buoyancy 18 Thwarts 19 Long sanding tool 20 Bottom boards 21 LWL painting 22 Roller up beach

object is to fill the weave with mix, not sand it smooth. I fitted the 8mm ply whale strake after the glass as I wanted a bright finish here and was concerned about getting the fabric to make a smooth roll to the edge of the strake. Note how the two whale strake sections are joined together near the bow (Fig 10). I clamped the two ply lengths together for cutting. Our Australian-made Bote Cote epoxy glue is so good, I edge glued the jointing edges and when dry, the strake could be curved as one length. Finally, I added the keel and bilge keels. Ribs If you want to show off and use ribs, mark the location of the moulds on the hull as a guide (Fig 11). Remove the hull from the moulds and turn over. Glass the inside if you want to, but we only epoxy sealed our second hull and it is fine. Ribs are not really necessary, but they give enormous strength and add to the traditional good looks. And it will distinguish

your boat from a plastic one. Again, ply ribs will not bend as flexibly as traditional timbers, but mark their locations with equal spacing between the mould lines. Mine looked right at 120mm (5in) centres. I cut 12mm strips using my circular saw as a table saw; hot glued them together in batches and belt sanded the edges (Fig 15). Set-out accuracy of the ribs is important as you will find when you install the thwarts and oarlocks; the ribs will all need to align on both sides. A pre-drilled screw hole at the bottom and one clamp will hold half a rib in place (Fig 15). I later rounded the edges with a multi-tool as I had forgotten to do it beforehand. Now add the riser, inwale, apron and quarter knees. Our painted riser was glued and temporary screwed to the ribs. The clear finish inwale was glued and clamped. For oarlocks, I used pine blocks with brass tubes epoxied in. This makes for a really smooth rowing action. (Fig 16)

Buoyancy (Fig 17) I did not bother with this as I wanted an authentic replica of my dream dink and it is only needed for use on a shallow creek. You can easily add buoyancy tanks fore and aft as shown and fix the seats over them. Always have drainage plugs or an inspection hatch to plywood tanks. I once sealed some completely and found the buildup of condensation inside caused the external paint to blister and fail. Foam filling could preclude this. Thwarts (Fig 18) Striving for lightness, I made these from 19x12mm framing with 3mm ply top and bottom with a 19x19mm meranti edging. It probably saved the weight of a packet of crisps, but they are remarkably stiff. They sit on pine centre supports with cleats and a hole for securing the oars. On a traditional boat, it is worth using traditional details. Note the scribed edges to the thwarts and inwale and how you can fake them with a couple of screws in a scrap of timber.

Finishing Instead of varnish, I stained the entire Pacific Maple (AKA meranti) ply to look like mahogany. I then applied three coats of UV resistant resin with a fine finish roller. I later learned I could have thinned this with methylated spirits to make it as fluid as varnish. When this was wet-anddried smooth, I applied water based clear polyurethane finish which I am told will give longer service and is more abrasive resistant. Using the last of the MDF and a level, you can see how easy it is to strike an accurate waterline and boot topping if you want to reflect the paint scheme of the mother ship (Fig 21). To protect all these finishes when dragging it up the beach, I made a simple roller from a bit of 100mm PVC drainpipe (Fig 22) and some floorboard left overs, which slips over the transom when hauling it. I padded the inside with a glued-on thrift shop leather belt. So far, nobody has guessed this dinghy is made from three sheets of 3.6mm ply costing less than $100 here. Would you? The eye does not pick up the straight lines and it looks just like a real Ashcroft one. Now I have the moulds, I will use them to build a clear-finish 7ft 3in clinker version. But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m wondering how would say, an 18ft version look? About 7ft beam with a centre board and a gaff sloop rig... CLASSIC SAILOR 71

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Tools: The Swedish Fid

Des Pawson celebrates a game-changing splicing invention that dates back a mere 65 years

Above, various Fids

Left, dangerous sharp dagger points. Right, nice round smooth ends.

n 1949 the Swede A. J. Svenson lodged a patent application, in his home country, for a tool that was to change splicing of fibre ropes forever. The tool he patented he called in Swedish ‘Splitsnål’, splicing needle. Today we know it as a Swedish Fid. The special game-changing feature of this ‘splicing needle’, or fid, was that, when pushed between

the strands of the rope, its hollow shape gave a path for the strand to be pushed down. The beauty is that the spike needs only to be pushed as far as needed to accommodate the strand and no further. The traditional wooden fid has to be pushed in much further, to make a larger space as, when the fid is withdrawn and the space held open by the thumb and finger,

the splicing hole tends to shrink quickly, so this has to be allowed for. It is surprising that such a tool had not been around for centuries. Perhaps the odd person had tried something similar as a one-off; there are a few patents filed in the USA which hint at this solution, but nothing appeared on the market, certainly in any great numbers. I can find no ship’s chandler offering

anything else but the age old marline spikes, fids & prickers, with the exception in the 1920s or 30s when a pricker (a wooden handled spike) was being offered by a couple of makers with a groove in it as a specialist wire splicing tool. The splitsnål had the maker’s name and ‘Sweden’ stamped on it, so it became known as a ‘Swedish fid’. I believe that for many years

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The beauty is that the spike needs only to be pushed as far as needed to accommodate the strand and no further.

Left, original patent. Above,two wire splicing tools, the top one marked W Perrett London, the lower one marked W Smith Redditch

Left above, cord can be tucked from either way. Left below, thumb holding line against the groove so the line does not slip.

The larger Swedish Fids, right, are invaluable for fenders and splicing large 8 plait rope. Thank you Mr Svenson.

these tools were made in Sweden, at a factory that made stainless-steel parts for washing machines. It took a few years before other companies copied this splendid tool. However, they did not always get the detail quite right, indeed some copies had a positively dangerous pointed dagger-like end. If you have one of these for goodness sake grind down the end.

Today there are many variations being offered in a variety of sizes, some with perfectly workable ends and a variety of handles, including in the larger sizes. One Danish company offers a heavy nylonhandled industrial version that can be given a pounding with, ideally, a rubber mallet. Like any tool it is a good idea to fettle it when new, removing any

rough edges, either with a very fine file, sharpening stone or emery cloth, so that they slide in smoothly and easily, without cutting any fibres. There have been other variations on the Swedish Fid: the American Brion Toss’s ‘Port Hudson Phid’; the late Stuart Grainger’s ‘Grip Fid’ variation that can almost be a development of its own; and a nesting hollow set of ‘Selma Fids’

from Norway. Other people have had a go at making their own variations on a fid with a groove. For me, Swedish Fids are an essential part of my ropeworking kit, the smallest ones for fancy work, both for tucking cord and for working complex decorative knots tight, the grooved end giving a good grip when the is cord held in place by the thumb. CLASSIC SAILOR 73

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Joints: The cross halving joint The technique for making a cross, tee, mitred or dovetail halving joint, demonstrated by IBTCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ian Cook. Words and photos by: Richard Johnstone-Bryden.

alving joints are straightforward to make with hand tools. They are used for framing and consist of two pieces of wood that are of equal thickness. There are several derivatives including cross halving, tee halving, mitred halving and dovetail halving joints. A cross halving joint consists of two identical halves. The vertical half is known as the divider while the horizontal piece is called the rail. In terms of strength, it makes no difference which way the two pieces run although the convention is that the divider should appear to run through the rail. Fig 1 To clearly illustrate the techniques involved in the making of a cross halving joint, Ian uses two short pieces of wood. The face side of each piece of wood is clearly indicated with a pen mark.

marked the exact mid point, he uses the marking gauge to check that the mid point is accurate when the gauge is applied to both faces. In this case there is a small discrepancy so Ian measures in-between the two points left by the marking gauge to determine the exact mid point. When he checks this by applying the gauge to both faces it confirms that the third dot in the middle is the true centre point thereby determining the exact depth of the recess to be cut in each piece of wood. Fig 4 Ian places the piece of wood in a bench hook and uses a fine tooth tenon saw to cut the first shoulder line slightly to the waste side of the pencil line thereby enabling him to make fine adjustments later on to achieve a tight fitting joint.

Fig 2 Ian begins by placing one piece of wood above the other to mark out the shoulder lines on the first half of the joint using a pencil and set square.

Fig 5 To make it easier to remove the bulk of the waste with a chisel, Ian cuts a number of relief lines, known as saw kerf, into the waste wood using a fine toothed tenon saw to create several small slices.

Fig 3 Ian marks the depth of the recess with a marking gauge from the â&#x20AC;&#x153;face sideâ&#x20AC;? of the wood. To ensure that he has

Fig 6 Using a chisel to remove the bulk of the waste wood. Ian begins by removing the slices of wood at an angle of

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It makes no difference to the strength which way the two pieces run, but the convention is that the divider should appear to run through the rail

approximately 45ยบ towards the middle. Once the process has been repeated for the other end a ridge of waste wood is left in the middle which is then removed to create the rough shape of the recess.

has been cut with the tenon saw.

Fig 7 Ian uses the chisel carefully by working inwards from the scribed line left by the marking gauge to remove the final thin layers of waste wood.

Fig 14 The final layer is carefully removed by working the chisel inwards from the scribed line on the side of the piece of wood.

Fig 8 Ian uses the side of the chisel to check that the bottom face of the recess is true 14

Description and practical demonstration of the techniques by Ian Cook joinery instructor at the 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 9 Ian marks out the second half of the joint with a pencil using the other half as a template before ensuring the line is absolutely square. Fig 10 Ian scribes the depth of the recess on to the second piece of wood using the same setting on the depth gauge as before. Fig 11 The wood is placed in the bench hook while Ian cuts the saw kerf in to the waste wood using a tenon saw. Fig 12 The first finished half and the second half after the saw kerf

Fig 13 Ian removes the waste wood using the same techniques with a chisel.

Fig 15 Ian uses the side of the chisel as a straight edge to check the bottom face of the recess is true. Fig 16 The moment has arrived to check the fit between the two halves as Ian eases the divider into position over the rail. Fig 17 Having established that the recess in each half has been trimmed to the right width, Ian lowers the divider into position above the rail. Fig 18 Both halves fit snugly together. Fig 19 As a final check, Ian uses a set square as a straight edge across the joint to ensure that both halves are completely level in relation to each other. CLASSIC SAILOR 75

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Navigation: Course to Steer By John Clarke, Principal of Team Sailing You know what point to aim for, the wind is free so you can go straight there. Except that you need to take into account the speed and direction of the tide to determine your course to steer, and then add a final adjustment to account for magnetic variation

here are two classic scenarios for navigating: The first is where you cannot go where you want to, because of the wind direction. Then you must sail close hauled, but you need to monitor your progress as you go, using Estimated Positions. We covered this in the January issue, and Figure 1 reminds us how to do this. The second scenario is when you have a free wind, and can steer where you want to go, and know where you want to go, but because of the tide and magnetic variation you need to work out what direction to point the boat in, in order to arrive at your destination, and that is what we shall be covering in this article. So, let us imagine that (sans GPS) we have travelled from Cherbourg to the Isle of Wight, have managed to locate the Isle of Wight, and have successfully negotiated our way past Ventnor and White Cliffs and have located the East Bembridge Cardinal Buoy. Our destination is Chichester Harbour, and specifically

the West Pole, which guards the entrance to Chichester Harbour. It is a run of approximately 5.8 miles, which will take us about one hour, and the direction we want to go in is 430(T). But the tide is setting in a direction of 800(T), at a rate of 1.8 knots (we get this information from the tidal stream atlas or the tidal diamonds), so we know that we must aim to the left of the West Pole, but the question is, by how much? OK, let us first draw the line from the Cardinal (A) to the West Pole (B), and extend it beyond there (see Figure 2). Then, from the Cardinal (A) we insert the tide, which will take us to C (see Figure 3). Then, from C we need to work out where the boat will intersect the line to the West Pole. This will depend totally on the boat speed (the faster we are going the closer to 430 we are able to steer). If we assume a boat speed of six knots then it will intersect our line A-B at point D (see

Figure 4), which may be either shy of B or extend beyond B. The line C-D is the course to steer, and in this case it is 310(T). Of course this is a true bearing, since it is a line drawn on the chart, so it will need converting to a magnetic bearing. If the variation is 20 west then the magnetic bearing will be 31 + 2 = 330 (M), so we would ask the helmsman to steer between 300 and 350 (M). and this should get us pretty close to the destination, if the tidal information was accurate enough. By the way, the Speed over Ground (SOG) is represented by the line A-D and in this case is 7.3 knots (see Figure 5). This makes sense since the tide is behind us somewhat, and the SOG will therefore be greater than the boat speed of 6 knots. We should get there in approximately 48 minutes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the distance 5.8M / the SOG 7.3 x 60minutes. Over the next few month we shall be looking at a few useful (hopefully) pilotage techniques.

Below: a reminder of Estimated Positions; A-C shows our actual course steered, while A-B shows the boat's course over ground

1 76 CLASSIC SAILOR

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Left: Fig 2: Draw a line from present position, East Bembridge Cardinal Buoy, to our destination, West Pole, and continue it beyond. Fig 3: Insert tide, A (Cardinal)â&#x20AC;&#x201C;C Fig 4: Then, taking into account boat speed, estimate where a line from C will intersect line A-B (at D). Fig 5: A-D allows speed over ground to be calculated

CLASSIC SAILOR 77

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Instructors’ tales: Table for three?

In which Steve Crook recalls the inevitable degeneration of a couple’s weekend refresher course

The only tables not being danced on had ‘Reserved’ signs on them

So it was that at around half past eight our now joyless yacht entered Cowes roads in the gloom. It was just possible to make out the unexpectedly dense forests of masts packed into the marinas. There wasn’t a berth for us. Eventually we did find a space on the non-walk-ashore pontoons opposite the pub upriver. We completed the line of yachts that were now rafted out three abreast. Shorelines were made fast in frosty silence.

In fairness to the water taxi he was very busy and he did ferry us across the river as soon as he could. However it was well past nine o’clock by the time we crossed the threshold of the inn that promised the warmth and food we craved and that just might save the day. Those of you who are familiar with the establishment will not be surprised to learn that the only tables not being danced on had ‘Reserved’ signs on them.

Perhaps it was the sight of my clients’ impressions of bulldogs chewing half a wasp each, or perhaps it was the look of desperation in my eyes as I asked him how long we might have to wait for a table. Whatever the reason, he took pity on me and to this day I thank him for it: “How many of you, three? Why don’t you take that one over there in the corner?” he grinned as he removed the sign. I never heard how the holiday went.

GUY VENABLES

t started out much like any other teaching assignment. A married couple wanted to spend a May weekend brushing up their sailing skills before their Mediterranean holiday that Summer. “We want to start early and finish late,” they asserted, “and we want to eat ashore in Cowes on Saturday night. We don’t mind where, so there’s no need to book.” I know that you’re way ahead of me. But in my defence it was May and they didn’t mind where. Anyone who has ever accepted the challenge of teaching a married couple anything will recognise that it frequently brings with it a certain characteristic. That characteristic is an absolute defiance on the part of either partner when it comes to receiving the slightest scintilla of advice, however well intended or valid, from the other. So it was with ‘my’ couple. As the light began to fade it doesn’t really matter what it was that caused one partner finally to howl “I’ve had enough” but the net result was that one spouse was left doggedly holding the wheel whilst the other spouse ended up sobbing below. “She’ll be fine,” was the unsympathetic response from the helm. The long day was sliding inexorably into becoming a longer evening. 78 CLASSIC SAILOR

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2/04/16 3:21 AM

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“Patient Griselda”

1960, 25ft LOD, Gaff cutter, built by Colne Marine & Yacht Co, Rowhedge. Designed by Francis Jones. Long keel draws 3ft 3ins. Carvel planked Pitch pine on Oak, marine ply sheathed decks. J.Lawrence Sails, Lister inboard. Kept in Rye, E.Sussex £ 9,750 Tel: +44 (0)1621 859373

“JANJO OF ARISAIG” FORMERLY “KIWI LADY”

Van de Stadt Rebel 41 Ketch, Tyler Boat Co. 1968 Skilfully fitted out by first owner. Owned and sailed for 20 years Scotland west coast after 2 seasons in West Indies. Full osmosis treatment in Kilmelford. New Volvo D240 Engine and Eberspacher heater in 2014 New 6 man Liferaft. Sails good, ,made / serviced annually Owen Sails . Monitor SS Gear (not fitted). Currently ashore Kilmelford, from Mid April on Arisaig mooring. £ 50,000. Contact: 01234 712266. john@tusting.co.uk

“Saskia Blue” 1946, 23ft LOD, Gaff Cutter, a specially commissioned Deben 4 tonner. Built by Whisstocks of Woodbridge to a W.M Maxwell Blake design. Gowen Sails. Stuart Turner auxiliary engine. Oak and Larch planking on Rock Elm timbers. Long ballast keel draws 4ft. Kept Milford Haven Pembrokeshire £8,950 +44 (0)1621 859373 “Loveday”

1969 VOLKER 1000 Steel ketch built 5mm thick steel and still is. Re-engined with Thorneycroft 2.5 litre,10 metres long with good sail inventory. Interior ﬁtted out throughout in Teak. New navigator and Radar and Autohelm this year.(Raymarine) Fitted with an A frame so that one person can lower and raise both main mast and mizzen. Outside steering position complete with engine controls Aft double cabin with hand basin. Double berth forward. Sleeps 5 in comfort. Life raft serviced this year with certiﬁcate. A very good cruising Ketch £35,000 Tel 01502 712311 John@tradboats.com

“Vagabond”

1936 24ft 6inds LOD Gaff Sloop, W.M Blake design: A Ranzo 4 t predecessor of the Deben 4t, built by Robertsons of Woodbridge. North Sea Sails, furling headsail. Pitch pine carvel planking on Oak grown frames. Long keel draws 3ft. A Bukh DV10hp. Kept in Woodbridge, Suffolk. Offered at £5,500 Tel: +44 (0)1621 859373

“Corriemhor”

Perfect for some coastal cruising in style! Currently on her trailer near Aberdeen, we can deliver to the new owner. Corriemhor is ﬁtted out for coastal cruising and enjoys a high level of equipment: £16,000 For more info on the Romilly including our sail around Mull and a Force 8, see www.roxane-romilly.co.uk Please contact Stephen Booth Stephen.booth@crondall-energy.com

“Spratt”

12’ Swampscott Dory built to very high standard,comes with sailing gear,air bags and oars. Easily car toppable ,used for one week only,as new. Super little boat Only£995 Contact: Peter Hough Tel 07840979473

Much-loved 4-berth T.24 seeks new home. Owner swallowing hook after 47 years. Built 1969. GRP hull, marine-ply deck (renewed 1993) and coachroof, teak trim, Yanmar 1GM10 regularly serviced, Avon inc. Excellent spinnaker. Sails well. Hull sound, coachroof needs repainting, gas-cooker elderly, hence price £2,500 ono. Ideal project. Mooring Felixstowe Ferry, own cradle in Yard. 01473 659572 or timvoelcker@gmail.com

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a simple form to fill in by post or email. A very pretty long keel Morgan Giles classic, 1955. Honduras Mahogany on CRE Oak backbone. Alloy spars s/s rigging. Complete restoration, traditional style retained, with modern comforts. Lying Inverness. (20mins airport/ train) L/0 30ft W/l 26ft Draft 5ft 6ins.Good survey 2011, OIRO £20,000. 01997 421909 rossmoira@hotmail.com

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trailer and upped rating to category B. £37,950

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2000 Cornish Crabber 22’ in lovely condition with Yanmar 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road trailer and upped rating to category B. £37,950

standing lug yawl rig. Complete with electric motor, covers and road trailer. 2006 GRP Kittiwake 16’ gaff 2001 David Moss Sea Otter £7,750 rigged sloop. A very high end fit out with lots of hard wood and bronze work. Complete with cover and break back road trailer £8,995.

15’ in lovely condition. Cedar strip/epoxy construction with a standing lug yawl rig. Complete with electric motor, covers and road trailer. £7,750

Boats for sale Boats for for sale sale Anglia Yacht Brokerage Boats 1999 Storm 15’ with balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in Tel. +44 (0)1359 17 47 www.anglia-yacht.co.uk M J Lewis & Sons (Boat27 Sales) Ltd sales@anglia-yacht.co.uk Complete with(Boat cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with M Jrig. Lewis & Sons Sales) Ltd Tel:01621 859373 - Email: info@mjlewisboatsales.com MTel:01621 Joutboard Lewis (Boat and combi road Sales) trailer. Ltd cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and 859373& - Sons Email: info@mjlewisboatsales.com

1999 Tel:01621 Storm 15’ with- balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in 859373 Email: info@mjlewisboatsales.com www.mjlewisboatsales.com £2,250 road trailer. www.mjlewisboatsales.com rig. Complete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with £4,450 www.mjlewisboatsales.com outboard and combi road trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and £2,250

road 1999 Storm 15’trailer. with balanced lug 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in rig. Complete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with £4,450 outboard combi road trailer. small cover,sailing Honda 2.3HP Anglia Yacht Brokers are and a well established boat 4-stroke and £2,250 road trailer. builders based in the UK near Bury St Edmunds. £4,450

2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ in lovely condition with coppercoated 6HP 2006 Cornishunderside, Crabber 17’Suzuki in We provide traditional sailing boat marketing and Cornish Crabber 17’ with road 1978 Drascombe Dabber in good 2008 Memory gaff sloop with Lugger with covers, spray 1993/94 Anglia19’Yacht Brokers are a 2007 wellDeben established small sailing boat and break-back road lovely with copper52ft Fleur du Lys4-stroke bycondition Dagless 86ft Thames Sailing Barge,1926 41ft Silverleaf by John Bain condition with new cover, rudder/tiller 2-berth cabin. In very nice condition hood,1935 Mariner 4HP 4-stroke and easy-are always trailer, recent hood and refurbishment services, brokerage and on covers/spray hand with builders based in the UK near Bury St Edmunds. and Easy-launch roadLuxemotor trailer Suzuki lastmotor year.barge, withPOA. Mariner52ft 5HPFleur 4-stroke launch trailer. Suzuki 4HP by 4-stroke outboard. du Lysoutboard by Dagless 86ftroad Thames Sailing Barge,1926 41ft Silverleaf John Bain 1935 1961 Essex £69,500 Steel, Essex Suffolk. OIRO £50,000 19m trailer. coated underside, 6HP 2006 Cornish Crabber 17’ in advice and help. We provide traditional sailing boat marketing and £3,750. and new road trailer. £10,950. £7,950 Anglia Yacht Brokers are a well established small sailing 1961 £69,500 Steel, Essex POA. Suffolk. OIRO £50,000 2003Luxemotor Essex. OIRO £175,000 52ft FleurEssex du Lys by Dagless 86ft Thames Sailing Barge,1926 41ft Silverleaf by John Bain 1935 boat 19m motor barge, with copper£12,950 4-stroke and break-back road inlovely condition 2000 Cornish 2006 GRP Kittiwakebuilders 16’ gaff 2001 Sea Otter 1961 Essex £69,500 Steel, Essexin POA. Suffolk. OIRO £50,000 2003 Essex.Crabber OIRO £175,00022’ £10,950. based the UK nearDavid Bury StMoss Edmunds.

barge, 5,000

refurbishment services, brokerage and are always on hand with coated underside, Suzuki 6HP trailer. Wehigh provide traditional15’ sailing boat marketing and Cedar lovely condition with Yanmar rigged sloop. A Alex. very end in lovely condition. adviceand and help. Please askroad for 4-stroke break-back £12,950 refurbishment services, brokerage and are always on hand with 1GM10 diesel, Bespoke road fit out with lots of hard wood strip/epoxy construction with a

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work. Complete with standing lug yawl rig. Complete cover and break back road Please ask trailer for Alex. with electric motor, covers and £8,995. road trailer. £7,750 South Coast One Design

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35ft Berthons W.Solent Edwardian Heard 28, 1984 Gaffers & Luggers 1961. Sussex £11,500Heard 28, 1984 Gaffers & Luggers 32ft Gaff Ketch 1903 Essex £29,500 35ft Berthons W.Solent Edwardian Yacht Essex OIRO £40,000 Kent £19,950 Essex OIRO £40,000 32ft Gaff Ketch 1903 35ft Yacht Berthons W.Solent Edwardian Heard 28,Essex 1984£29,500 Gaffers & Luggers Kent £19,950 YachtCoaster Essex OIRO £40,000 Essex £29,500 1991 Winkle Brig 16’ Dayboat in lovely 1991 Drascombe with Mercury 8HP New Deben Luggers being built to order

Come and see us at theCome Southampton Show 11th Boat - 22nd and see us at Boat the Southampton ShowSept 11th - 22nd Sept

condition and lightly used. With Mariner outboard and easy-launch trailer. £3,250

2-stroke and break-back road trailer. £6,750.

for May delivery. Prices from £14,500. Inc VAT

Anglia Yacht Brokers are a well established small sailing boat builders based in the UK near Bury St Edmunds. We provide traditional sailing boat marketing andGaffer refurbishment services, brokerage always Gaffer Dunkirk Little Ship, Osborne 35 19’ Golant 2007, As newand 25ftare Gostelows on Mussel hand with advice£6,950 and help. Dunkirk Please Little ask for Alex. Cutter Ship, Osborne 35Essex £19,950 19’ Golant Gaffer 2007, 1937 Essex POA 1959 17m Dutch Essex 1935

l Cutter

Essex £45,000 1959 17m Dutch Mussel Cutter Essex £45,000

Dunkirk1937 LittleEssex Ship, POA Osborne 35 1937 Essex POA

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built to order. £3,250. Inc VAT. We have two demonstrators in stock from £2,950.

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A Specialist Brokerage service for Classic Vessels 1999 Storm 15’service with balanced lugVessels 1990 Drascombe Dabber Mk2 in A Specialist Brokerage for Classic HM L & Work Boats traditional Yachts A Specialist Brokerage service for Classic Vessels rig. Complete with cover, electric exceptionally tidy condition with traditional Yachts & Work Boats HM L traditional Yachts & Work Boats outboard and combi road trailer. cover, Honda 2.3HP 4-stroke and

H H

HERITAGE MARINE LTD

ptre -

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£2,250

MJLewis_DEC_CS.indd 1 MJLewis_DEC_CS.indd 1

road trailer.

26/10/2015 12:31 £4,450

26/10/2015 12:31 26/10/2015 12:31

Crabber 17’ inYACHT SHARES2006 FORCornish SALE IN A CLASSIC Anglia Yacht Brokers are a well established small sailing boat s amongst the syndicate, lovely condition with copperDue to changing circumstances amongst the syndicate, builders based in the UK near Bury St Edmunds. or sale in the Internationalcoated underside, Suzuki 6HP Due changing circumstances the syndicate, theretoare a number of shares foramongst sale in the International We provide traditional sailing boat marketing and there are a4-stroke number of shares for sale in road the International and break-back 12M, Sceptre. refurbishment services, brokerage and are always on hand with 12M, Sceptre. trailer. nd very keen sailor, and advice and help. Tom Smith, a Yachtmaster and very keen sailor, and £12,950 ailing boat… BUT“I’m I COULD! “I’m TomI couldn’t Smith, a aff Yachtmaster and very keen BUT sailor,I COULD! and thought ord a 70ft sailing boat… assic wooden International Please ask for Alex. thought Iacouldn’t aff ord a 70ft sailing wooden boat… BUT I COULD! I bought share in Sceptre, the classic International nger. Twenty years later, I I bought a share in Sceptre, the classic wooden International 12M, 1958 America’s Cup challenger. Twenty years later, I e sailing this iconic yacht!” 12M, 1958her America’s Cup challenger. Twenty yearsyacht!” later, I still enjoy good looks and love sailing this iconic still enjoy her good looks and love sailing this iconic yacht!” 19th share, plus an average You can too, for £12,000 for a 19th share, plus an average – have a look at www. You can too, for £12,000 for a 19th share, plus an average annual tails, photographs, and subscription of £2,500 – have a look at www. annual subscription £2,500 – have a look at www. sceptre1958.co.uk forofmore details, photographs, and sceptre1958.co.uk for more videos of this beautiful boat.details, photographs, and videos of this beautiful boat. a boat share, but there are You may not have considered a boat share, but there are oach to going sailing: You may not have to considered a boat there are many advantages this approach toshare, goingbut sailing: ail with, lower costs, share many advantages topeople this approach to going sailing: No trouble fi nding to sail with, lower costs, share a yacht. No finding people to sail with, lower costs, share the trouble responsibilities of owning a yacht. the responsibilities of owning a yacht. enjoy the following:

Come and see us at the Southampton Boat Show 11th - 22nd Sept

On Sceptre, you will also enjoy the following: Sceptre, also enjoy the following: ghbred boat thatOn eats up the you mileswill - Eighteen friends to go sailing with - Working together to Superb sailing in a thoroughbred boat that eats up the - Eighteen friends to go sailing with - Working together to storic yacht - It’s not a time share, so sail when you can (depending onmiles qualifi cations, schedule Superb sailing in ang, thoroughbred boatinstruments that the share, miles Eighteen friends to go sailing with Working together to maintain and reefi improve a historic yacht - It’seats not up a time sailimprovements when you can (depending on-qualifi cations, schedule de a new main sail, jib roller new navigation and many-so other maintain and improveinclude a historic yacht - It’s notjib a time so new sail when you can (depending onmany qualifiother cations, schedule etc) Recent upgrades a new main sail, rollershare, reefing, navigation instruments and improvements etc) and Recent a new jibonroller reefi ng, new instruments and many other improvements ww.sceptre1958.co.uk thenupgrades ring me toinclude book a trial sail,main Tom sail, Smith 07576 909141 for anavigation chat. Interested? Visit www.sceptre1958.co.uk and then ring me to book a trial sail, Tom Smith on 07576 909141 for a chat. Interested? Visit www.sceptre1958.co.uk and then ring me to book a trial sail, Tom Smith on 07576 909141 for a chat.

p80_CS0516_Angila_Septre.indd 18

2/04/16 10:47 AM

Calendar

Send us your events! editor@classicsailor.com

This month

Panerai British Classics Week

Arthur Beale Shackleton evening Wednesday 20 April 6.30-9pm The Hon Alexandra Shackleton, Polar explorers Seb Couthard and Rob Small, banjo music, refreshments and the Shackleton Company www.arthurbeale.co.uk

16-23 July, Cowes, britishclassicyachtclub.org

America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth 21-24 July

NEW Contessa 26 50th Anniversary

Cock of the Channel Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters Race Saturday 30 April Barry Harbour 80th anniversary of this 125 mile race around the island of Lundy with the original and modern pilot cutters. See classic-sailing.co.uk Swansea Bay and Bristol Channel Yacht Club Pilot Cutter Regatta 7-8 May Three race series in Swansea Bay for pilot cutters and gaffers raced under the OGA handicap system, with prize giving on Sunday at the Bristol Channel Yacht Club. Tel: Matthew Williams +44 (0)7881269210, matt47005@gmail.com

29-31 July, Lymington www.contessa26.net Pilot cutters gather at events in Barry Harbour, Swansea Bay and Falmouth

Coming up

Falmouth Classics

Thames Barge Matches Medway 28 May Blackwater 11 June Thames 25-26 June Pin Mill (Orwell) 16 July Colne 10 September sailingbargeassociation.co.uk

Les Voiles d’Antibes 1-5 June, Antibes, France Voilesdantibes.com

Round the Island Race 2 July, Cowes-Cowes IoW

Sea Salts and Sail Festival 8-10 July Mousehole, Cornwall To be opened by Luke Powell seasalts.co.uk

Yarmouth Gaffers Regatta 2-5 June, Yarmouth IoW oga.org.uk/solent/events/

Beale Park Boat Show 3-5 June, Pangbourne, Berks

Classic Sailing St Mawes Pilot Cutter Review

17-19 June, Falmouth falmouthclassics.org.uk

bealeparkboatandoutdoorshow.uk

Dartmouth Classics Regatta 9-10 July Acts as feeder race to Plymouth on Monday, July 11 for the start of the Plymouth-

Brest-La Rochelle Revival Race. royaldart.co.uk

Plymouth 29 July - 1 August plymouthclassics.org.uk

Charles Stanley Cowes Classics Week

British Raiding

11-15 July cowesclassicsweek.org

Brest Festival 13-19 July brest2016.fr/en

Douarnenez Festival 19-24 July tempsfete.com

8-12 August, River Clyde, www.raidengland.org

NEW Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival 13-14 August, Bridlington, Yorkshire A new festival to celebrate and sail this local design

Thames Trafalgar Race Thames Traditional Boat Festival

10-11 September littleshipclub.co.uk/events

16-17 July, Henley tradboatfestival.com

Great River Race 3 September, Thames greatriverrace.co.uk

26-29 May, Fowey-St Mawes In 2016, Classic Sailing is offering Pilot Cutters payment to attend (and is also looking for sponsors) classic-sailing.co.uk

NEW Contessa 26 50th Anniversary Championships 3-4 September, Lymington, www.contessa26.net

Brixham Heritage Regatta 28-29 May, Brixham, Devon See Brixham trawlers and trad boats racing in Torbay brixhamheritagesailing.org.uk

Great River Race 3 September, Thames greatriverrace.co.uk

Oostende voor Anker 26-29 May, Ostend Harbour, Fully booked but you might bag a bunk on an old gaffer oostendevooranker.be

Sutton Harbour Classic Boat Rally

NEW Hamble Classics Regatta

Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival, 13-14 August

24-25 September Inaugural regatta for all classics royal-southern.co.uk

In Classic Sailor next issue Chuck Paine on the Frances 26

Molly Crosses Britain

Draughtsmen Yachts

“I originally designed the Frances for myself, with no hope that more than one would ever be built,” so says American designer Chuck Paine on the story behind one of his most famous designs - the Frances 26 double ender, which changed his and other lives.

Taking a yacht down through the canals to the sun, wine and warm winds of the south is well known but fewer people take their yachts across England. Meet medic Mary Gibbs and her Rowhedge Tosher (!) the Molly Cobbler.

Visiting a yard on the Humber where they have a high reputation for restoring boats, work is on a Fife schooner but they bring old dinghies, like a Yorkshire One Design, back to life as well. CLASSIC SAILOR

p81_0516_calendar-Next month.indd 81

2/04/16 7:13 AM

Artist of the month Michael Frith

orking successfully in watercolours is the most difficult medium to pull off. When done right it can be subtle yet luscious, vibrant yet calm. Michael Frith is one of those rare artists who successfully allows watercolour the freedom to roam, reining it in at the right moment to describe the shape of a transom or the lines of a boom whilst the chaos of fast moving water boils around a hull. His limited-edition prints, almost indistinguishable from an original are an affordable way to enjoy his work at home. The Birdham pool print which is 6ft 6in wide is £1,200 and other prints vary from £350 to £600. (The originals command up to £20,000.) Anyone who reads the Sunday Times will also have witnessed his excellent skin-deep watercolour ‘famous faces’ illustrations. www.michaelfrith.com.

Top: the extended watercolour of Flica II with an excellent sensation of light from the seas. Middle left: Kate, the late Philip Walwyn’s 12-M Mylne newbuild. Middle right: Paula II. Bottom: Lock gates at Birdham Pool in West Sussex

82 CLASSIC SAILOR

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2/04/16 6:01 AM

From 13th to 19th July

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FÉV RIE R 2016 – Photo : Jacques Vapillon

16 to Brest 20 0! from £ 11,4