The River Deben is certainly well off with a large number of boatyards, and most are not purely for lay up but have a capacity to build and restore wooden craft. GRP owners are catered for with similar overhaul/refit services in their mixes too.
At the head of the navigable Deben River, the Larkman’s Yard has changed hands very recently. The news item below tells all, including a name change too.
The yard was founded by the Larkman family in 1959 at another site before relocating to the current site immediately above the Melton Boat Yard in 1966. I have always found it strange that these two yards should be right on top of another and why the Melton Yard didn’t buy up the land years ago, or even when it came on the market recently?
The Larkman’s Yard did not and in its new guise still does not have any slipway access to the river. Vessels are literally craned ashore over the sea wall from a waiting pontoon alongside the sea wall bank. This does not seem to have restricted the concern from thriving. Its core business has been lay-up services and repairs. The name of the yard has been changed too – it is now The Deben Boat Yard!
I shall take a particular interest in these developments during the summer when on a river walk for sure. The walk along the river’s edge to Melton Bridge is interesting.
The old ‘Larkmans Yard’ in centre and to right with Melton Boat Yard to left as seen from water. Note pontoon beside seawall.
From the river’s entrance at Felixstowe Ferry, the yards roll by one by one. On the east coast (Thames Estuary), only the upper reach of the River Blackwater from the Hythe to The Fullbridge could challenge in numbers with its continuous run of boat yards.
All the yards along the River Deben’s banks have their own web sites with details of the services they provide. From the foot of the river, they are:
Felixstowe Ferry Boat yard – provides services as well as a self-help facility.
Waldingfield Yard (see below).
Martlesham Creek Boat Yard – moorings, storage and general repairs. Mainly a self-help yard with some houseboat moorings as well.
The Martlesham Creek Yard.
Woodbridge Boat Yard (Formally Everson’s) and Waldringfield Boat Yard formed a joint venture a while back – these are located on two separate sites, below Woodbridge Tide Mill and at the wharf in Waldringfield, on site of a disused cement works. Full services are offered including new build. Artist Claudia Myatt also operates from the Quay at Waldringfield.
Tide Mill Yacht Harbour’s yard – a marina with full services and a yard with repair shop.
Robertsons Yard – this has limited services these days and is best described as lay-up self help and houseboat facility. Many of the sheds have been converted for other unrelated business uses.
Melton Boat Yard including Granary Yacht Harbour – small marina and a yard with full services. This yard has a dedicated access across the railway line, as does The Deben Boat Yard.
Deben Boat Yard – as discussed above.
The Meton Yard’s Granary Marina.
There is another yard located within the Whisstocks old yard complex owned by the Sutton Hoo Longship Company where a replica of the Sutton Hoo ship is being built, but it has no dealings with the public. (I did a post about this vessel last autumn)
It is interesting to note that without exception, all the yards, ‘industry’ and villages are all on the ‘south’ bank of the river: the northern bank is open country/farm land and private estates.
The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute) has for a year or so been putting out articles about ‘safety in and around’ the water. These have been in own magazine but oft as not, relayed by Marine Industry News. I have even seen them on social media (facebook) other platforms too, likely.
The information has not been specifically targeted at the core seafarer or small craft sailor but at those that go down to the sea on a fine day, walking, swimming, paddle boarding, canoeing and such.
The latest RNLI guidance is within a Marine Industry News item link below:
The campaign opened at the man made Wave, located in Bristol – it mimics sea surfing conditions. The campaign follows an item last spring (2025) about understanding of tides for too many people lack much understanding or of the forces within a tide. Getting cut off is common…
Small craft sailors do not need lectures about tides and the latent power held within them, but many people do. See below:
There has already, this year, been a number of tragic deaths around our coasts recently. The case of three swimmers off Brighton beach being one, but the heat-wave enveloping a large swathe of the country has brought huge numbers of ‘city dwellers’ to the coast. By the last count listening to the news, four more people have died.
Rescue Services out on ‘a jolly’ practising around Mersea Quarters – these were Essex Fire & Rescue.
Dedicated swimming areas often have dedicated lifeguards on duty but hundreds of miles of coastline has at best a passer by. Strangely, it is the centres of shore life that seem to have most problems.
In my own locale. the Southend foreshore and Ray edges often catch people out. There is also the broken WW2 Phoenix Unit that attract sand walkers with regular cases of tide cut offs needing rescue.
All said and done, the advice about ‘Stay Afloat Stay Alive’ is for all.
If you do use the sea in any form, it is worthwhile helping the RNLI in monetary terms by becoming members. They’re more than an insurance policy: could save your life too…
The article below in Marine Industry News is very interesting: it is clear that the USA is moving fast on this matter. I believe it is something the EU and UK should be activating too.
The USA Federal Government seems to have taken the lead now with a conference, see below:
Now, as can be seen if one walks the yards of marinas or boatyard moorings when on your travels, there is work taking place in the UK. Who is funding this, I am not fully aware, however, Beccs Polden, yard manager at Blackwater Marina said that the yard ‘took’ c£25,000 to break up an MFV type (There is another waiting her turn…)
Yards cannot, lightly, just cut up an old vessel for an owner may come looking. The law allows a lien to be taken out. Yards will leave an old wreck alone for as long as a rent for space taken up continues to flow…
Info on what one yard at the top of the River Deben will do for an honest broker:
Authorities will remove a vessel if it is deemed to be a danger to normal navigation, presumably suffering the costs involved, unless an owner is known and the insurance covers.
The boat graveyard up Heybridge Creek, Maldon.
We have, surely, reached the point where legislation is needed. Perhaps coving some of the points below:
A contractual element to swinging moorings and marina/yard berthing. laying out responsibilities of an owner. With redress of costs. Difficulty if a boat is unknowingly sold to another unrecorded owner, however the known owner should bare a responsibility too.
A means of empowerment to harbour authorities to chase an owner for removal costs redress.
A greater enthesis placed within insurance policies as to responsibilities. (difficulty here for a non caring owner will not bother insuring)
Now, and this will cause an ache for freedoms we have long enjoyed. A clause in any law requiring the official registration of a vessel, with a clause when passing ownership to another, as with a motor vehicle.
Any legislation has to be meaningful with clear measures.
I know that I have spoken about this before but, quite frankly, the situation is getting worse. Anything from a ‘plastic’ canoe to dinghies, delapidated speed boats to cruising craft can be found around our shores. GRP will break down in time and whether you like it or not, if you eat any seafood, you’ll also be ingesting particles of GRP.
Two vessels walked past on recent forays along the edges of the water. Above. seen in Brandy Hole Bay saltings. (we saw several small boats) and below is the Telegraph, mentioned in previous articles.
Before the advent of GRP the problem was around, however, craft would be broken for firewood or berthed in a rill to rot into the environment, doing good on the way. It is now no longer permissible to ‘dump’ even a wooden vessel.
Now, I have been to a few boat shows during my sailing life, the first being, probably around fifty years ago at Earls Court. I can remember it being a fun day out. Did I buy anything, No! Years later I attended a couple of shows at the Excel Centre in the old Royal Docks, London. Strangely, I did purchase items…
First was a new 2.5 HP outboard (It was so long ago, it is a 2-stroke) which was being offered at a good price from a south coast chandlers. It is still going strong. At another I pushed Whimbrel towards the modern world and purchased a Garmin GPS unit. That too is still working well and ’til recently was still able to update it. I am aware that its days are likely to be numbered…
Whimbrel’s navigational array…
Now, I am sure to have written about this stuff before, but blinking heck: the world is stuffed with boats. Boats laid up in yards, boats sitting on moorings, boats for sale with little chance of a buyer, boats festering at the back of yards and boats abandoned to their fate. Surely, the industry can see this? Surely they could do something about it?
Unused craft…
The types of craft sitting around can range from quite large motor cruisers, admittedly less plush than their modern sisters, to outboard engine driven weekend run-abouts, and sailing vessels in the same sort of range. There are too, sadly, many older (and not so old) wooden craft that have fallen on hard times (owner becoming old) that have not received the care they deserve. But with all these types there is so much scope to rehabilitate and get afloat in something affordable that does not mean a mortgage more expensive than the house one lives in.
Broadly in the article from Marine Industry News, the interviewer clearly spent a lot of time garnering from people within the industry statements supporting the work they are paid to do. This is not unsurprising, but I couldn’t find anything anywhere that stated the obvious to me, a humble boat owner with a pair of seeing eyes and hopefully some common sense, that the market is awash. Marinas are awash. Yards are awash.
The whole ‘show saga’ – experience if you like – seems to about ‘The Brand’…
A boat is not a Breitling watch of a couture handbag!
Another show that has taken place is the ‘Green Boat Show’ but the article does not talk about how boats displayed are powered. The only info gleaned was about the innovation winners who are marketing Solar Arches – presumably these are like the ;arch’ seen on many modern cruisers which can house the main boom and seem mostly to be used for canopy carriers to close entire cockpits off.
Yes, there are ‘green’ innovations in respect to power drives, outboard drives, batteries, solar panels and the such. Even Whimbrel has a solar panel! I follow what is happening, especially in the small outboard market for one day I will need to renew. Hopefully a suitable electric one that can be recharged aboard rather than ‘at home’ will be on the market.
Perhaps I should have gone, and perhaps be a little wiser!
For me though, there needs to be a radical reduction in the current unused boat situation.
It was with some glee that we got away for the May (Workers) Bank Holiday after all the necessary work of varnishing, deck repairs and internal cleaning. We still have the antifouling to do and it is coming up fast – the mate, in particular is enthralled with this!
On the Friday, Christobel had a visit to a hearing centre sort out her lack of hearing (notice is served on me here: those quiet mutters will have to quieter!) and a set of ‘microphones’ were chosen!
Saturday still held some of the week’s warmth and we sailed away under an azure sky, clipping along nicely over the last of the flood. The Marconi SC were holding a training weekend for new youngster to sailing and there were a number of compact groups operating around Stansgate Abbey.
Mate spying the way ahead.
Apart from a largish yacht deciding to cut across another causing a near close quarters with ourselves, it was an uneventful sail and we enjoyed creeping into the quarters under the Genoa to find a buoy – am easy task at this time of the year.
Out for my first dinghy sail of year…
During the evening gulls made themselves felt as they exchanged territorial shrieks! Two motor craft seemed intent on severing the chain to which our chosen buoy was attached and threw us around a tad … we got another at about 0530 the next morning. Unlike Brightlingsea and the Colne, West Mersea is a law unto itself…
We had planned to go into Pyefleet. however we wondered if friends in Brightlingsea would like to meet for a glass.
Sailing out of the Quarters past a sleeping spritsail barge.
We nodded to The Molliete beacon as we passed it by. The broken remains of the old concrete coaster were visible, it being a little after low water by then.
Closing East Mersea Stone under a greying sky.
By Sunday, the fear of the forecasters had materialised and the second half of the bank holiday was going to be chillier with little sunshine. Bah!
On arrival the harbour team said visitor berths were full up. Strange, I thought for even I could see some gaps more than big enough. They decided to take us right down the pontoons to a berth on the south side of south pontoon. Upon my enquiry about low tide departure the said, ‘You will be aground…’
Said we’d leave… They came back and moved us to a BIG open area on the Fisherman’s Pontoon with enough space for a fleet of Sir Keir’s new destroyers… When we told friend about this he was a little dismissive of crop of staff!
Again, in the afternoon after a shore run for a coffee, I had a spin round the harbour and Cindery Island in Twitch. During that sail, I discovered that the dinghy has a bit of a leak – from where I couldn’t make out. Once back alongside Whimbrel, I lifted the floor boards and central board … there was a weep from the forward end of one side of centre plate box.
Our evening chicken in wine was pre-prepared before heading ashore to meet the husband of our sailing friends. Lady had an op that week and was taking it easy. We had a couple of glasses and a convivial chat.
Ready … Let Go…
Bank Holiday Monday opened dull and chilly. We’d not had it so cold for ages having been enjoying somewhat of an early spring heatwave.
We’re sailing off I said in our departure discussions with my good mate. It was not a surprise to her! Singled up to slip lines, sail was set.
Creeping away…
No one seemed to be about, but as we crept past a fishing boat a fisherman, looked, then nodded! It was a kindly breeze for a passage to Osea Island and into Lawling Creek. It remained that way until approaching Stansgate Point where the tide kind of essentially kept us going onwards. A gentle zephyr just about kept us on track.
A pair of terns were preening themselves on The Mayland buoy…
Once into Lawling a gentle breeze came back and we stowed the mainsail not wanting to be too early. Christobel looked at me with a quizzical expression as we closed the Manager’s floating home, marking our entry point … I nodded. She put fenders over and readied herself to drop the headsail.
Of course, I had the engine running…
Christobel looking back awaiting the nod…
The headsail slivered down as we entered past the heads … and Whimbrel slipped into her berth.
The week was to be dry (again) and I broke out a length of GRP fillet round Twitch’s centre board case. This was refilled giving it more body.
A few days later I came back to sand and paint. The dinghies gunnels were given their overcoating too: other areas were completed last autumn!
The repair.
So, the next weekend away is rushing up after a mixed few days of showery weather, but, still, very little rain has fallen in our parts. I don’t care: I plan to have an enjoyable time afloat with my mate…
All Thames estuary sailors know the basic story of the Sir Richard Montgomery, the United States ammunition ship that sank on the tail of the Grain Bank in 1944. And, due to a mixed media interest warning of the direst of consequences should the ship explode, people on both sides of the Lower part of Sea Reach also are aware, all with a mixed belief in media hype.
The Sir Richard Montgomery soon after her sinking. (From web: Radio London, although clearly not originally by them!)
What is true is that she did settle with cargo in her forward holds. The aft end was essentially cleared as it remained buoyant for a period following her stranding. There is much discussion about the condition of the remaining munitions, which eventually will be spilled as the ship’s hull plating disintegrates.
This is a view I remember from my childhood – 1960s – Colin Harvey, found on web.
At the time the authorities deemed it was better to leave the ship to itself. There had been explosions at other wreck sites whilst attempt were being made to remove cargo – a ship off Folkestone left a ten metre crater in the sea bed…
Wikepedia has a fairly in depth overview of the ship and its remaining cargo.
The wreck is surveyed on an annual basis for changes are in many respects quite rapid as time has moved on. The forward section is moving and tilting to the east. Tilt increase in region of 15cm (6″) per annum currently. That is why the mast angles of fore and aft sections of the broken hull are visibly different.
The fore section has cracked and the upper decks around one of the masts has collapsed. The bridge structure which lost its support (above the boiler room) when the break occurred is collapsing badly now – movement of monitored areas have dropped two metres 2024-25.
Survey image from a few years back attributed to Kent online, but clearly from UK Gov survey report!
In the 2025 survey, the stern of the ship is under-scoured with rudder and a propeller in view!
Passing the Sir Richard Montgomery 14 June 2020 – Nick Ardley
Note in the 2020 picture taken from Whimbrel, there is a noticeable difference of angle to the two forward hull masts and the aft hull single mast. Six years on and the movement is approximately a half metre or so: the main reason why removal is going to take place. A contract has apparently now been placed! Will it stop the movement of the forward hull – well at least a large turning moment will have been removed. However, I expect scour around the hull sections cannot be helping!
A while back it was announced in the maritime press that there was to be an International day for bringing together the marine industry, marina/ports and the marine fraternity. This has been set for 23rd May 2026 and apparently has generated much interest with many organisations signing up.
Following on, another date has been set for the industry and fraternity which is aimed at the huge population living a ‘stones throw’ away from the coast world-wide. Approximately 1.2 billion by the organisations estimation.
‘Yacht clubs, sailing schools, marinas, ports, boat builders, brokers, charter companies, tourism operators, museums and youth organisations are all encouraged to participate in ways that reflect their local markets. Media and waterfront businesses are also included, signalling a broader attempt to link sailing with lifestyle and coastal economies.’
Within that statement, I read, local communities too.
It is all true, of course, that all the organisations mentioned exist, however, by and large, there is little or no interface. There was the much vaunted Marina/Owner events at UK marinas and harbours to encourage participation and boat use. Not a lot came of that initiative: marinas are packed with ‘permanently moored’ vessels.
It is rare for the waterfront community to interact with a weekend of club dinghy racing. There is generally some interaction during say, a regatta week – locally for me, there is West Mersea Regatta which is a very large event and garners waterfront activity running alongside the waterborne events. Up the R. Colne at Wivenhoe a lower level of interaction occurs too.
West Mersea Regatta – smack race 2025.
Around the Thames Coast rivers there are a number of Thames sailing barge matches, however, interaction between the public and the ability to ‘be there’ that is be close enough to see the action comes pretty low down the order. Look at what the Americas Cup has done…
Years ago I suggested in an email to the organisers of a match in the ‘barge world’ that match committees should consider their audience. After a hiatus at the Southend Barge Match and its demise for a couple of seasons when the Southend Authority pulled out, the series has returned with an inshore route essentially between Shoebury and Southend Pier. The event has since been an increasing success story with more participants as each has happened. I think it started with three … increasing to around six last year. I don’t know how many have entered for the 2026 event. But the main point is that the sea front and pier have been packed … the local authority still eschews the event but it seems to be firmly in the Shoebury YC calendar now.
Clearly TSBs need more room than smacks but it is good that smacks are still allowed to race right up into Wivenhoe for the regatta race.
Spritsail barges rounding a ‘Colne’ buoy…
Last year the Blackwater barge match fell in with West Mersea Regatta: why couldn’t there have been a mark off West Mersea to to improve/increase shoreside participation?
I am not sure (not heard) if anything to do with this World Sailing Day is going to be taking place up my little creek at Maylandsea – perhaps I should ask around!
What is for certain is that I will speak to people and maybe get a day sailing from mooring then a ‘flag event’ or ‘boat lights’ for afterwards, even if I do it alone, with my mate of course…
TSB moored bottom West Mersea hard for water events – greasy pole etc. The shore can be seen to be thick with people…
Is your club, marina or boating group going to be doing anything?
Whimbrel dressed overall for Finesse Rally 2025 at Blackwater Marina.
Yes, I have been getting down to it. Even Christobel has asked if we have enough antifouling paint … indeed, we have (or she has) and discussion has taken place for berth cushion washing and the inside of boat cleaning session…
So, during the mixed weather that March threw at us in my little corner of England, a good start was made on various varnish repairs.
It has been the beadings around cabin sides to deck and hatch top edges that have suffered from damp the most. Odd areas of rubbing band too.
A deck edge was touched up with epoxy too and a couple of fastening heads dealt with plus a couple bronze screws added…
Sanding bag, varnish and white spirit seemed to live in this corner for a while!
Whimbrel had more jaunts out during the month but a wish to sail on the last day ( today) of the month was scuppered by a gentle precipitation falling as I got ready to leave home. It did clear away later whilst remaining very overcast – which to be fair the forecast had warned about. Bah!!
A few things have appeared in the Marine Industry News posts over the last few weeks and I saved some posted articles.
The America’s Cup continues to cause ‘wonderment’ in the way of the world: British Industrialist, Jim Ratcliff owner of the Ineos Group is suing the new British America’s Cup team over ownership of the last boat in the previous partnership. Jim Ratcliff is saying it belongs to him…
After splitting from Ratcliff, Ainslie formed a new challenge team based on the boat built for he last challenge – Brittania, now called GB1.
Shame there couldn’t be more cooperation: whatever one feels about the type of craft used, the team did better than any British challenge for a jolly long time.
In the press too – largely reported on Facebook – there are a growing number of river authorities and harbour areas where something positive is being done about the hundreds of abandoned craft littering our shores.
Now, I don’t often blow my own trumpet, but I investigated this problem with various east coast and broads authorities some years ago, the results were interesting.
A decade and a half ago my article about the growing problem as I saw it and the numbers of abandoned boats seen was published in an east coast yotty mag, Since then it has become mainstream…
Another item that caught my eye was ‘the industries’ perceived failure to interact with customers and potential customers. An Austrian company has carried out a study (for all of us and the Brands) about ‘audience interaction compared to other luxury brands…’
I read it through and I though, either I am out of date or this is stuff that should comfortably float over my head!
The luxury for me and I suggest most boaters is the joy of purely being out on the water…
The last item kind of caught my breath for it is something we all need to think about.
Pollution and the control of is much in vogue, and should quite rightly be so, but do you spare a thought for the boat cleaning products that are available to the boating market? In the maritime world of big ships, MARPOL (Marpol is the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) controls a lot of how ships are operated and is an organisation I’ve familiar with all my marine engineering life. MARPOL’s reach is now all encompassing.
Did you know you can be held personally responsible for polluting a marina for instance just by merely scrubbing down the decks with some product spotted in the chandlery?
Hey ho! So, back to Whimbrel. Last autumn I fitted a new 20w solar panel. It is a fixed unit – story was told at time. The unit however has suffered a ‘delamination’ the cause of which is unknown.
A tough glue was provided with the fitting kit, but with the gentle camber of the cabin top, I felt that some other form of assistance was needed. The original sales ‘speel’ for the unit said the panels are pre-drilled for securing if required. In an email, it was thought by a technical department contacted by my seller, that my drilling has been the cause – I challenged this for delamination took place down the panel’s edges!
Any way, I have been sent a replacement…
Not being able to go boating today I put into action my plan for securing new panel.
I am making up two ‘L’ shaped pieces of timber to use as end clamps… Two sections of wood were cut from a bit of gash teak and bonded together. Currently the assembled wood clamps are hanging in my workshop after a second coat of epoxy. I’m essentially ready to remove the faulty unit and fit new.
How much positivity about the problem being solved. Hmmmmm, I shall report down the line.
On a positive note, after doing some recoating of varnish repairs, I did get out for a pleasant sail on April Fools Day!
I had come across this old lady on a visit to The Blackwater Marina at Maylandsea some years ago but now moored and based at this delightful haven, I have taken a greater interest. She is owned by yard manager, Beccs Polden.
Vivid at Blackwater Marina – 2023.
She has a clinker hull with the top two planks being carvel. She was built as a shrimper and the smooth upper planks made for less wear and tear on the nets. She was originally built, it is said, in 1860 on the seawall at Gravesend.
Her working life was on the Thames until’ later ‘mid life’ she was sold to become a yacht conversion. She was built for the lucrative trade to service the needs of ‘Tea and Shrimp’ trippers down from London on the excursion steamers.
Interestingly, The Colne Smack Preservation Society lists her as being built in 1882, however, the write up clearly states ‘c1860…’ which is the date given to me by Beccs Polden.
Between the two 20th century world wars she is said to have been a yacht. During the 1950s she was acquired by Peter Brooks her undertook a structural rebuild. That was seventy years ago and now she has been hauled out for some much needed renovation…
Bow view of Vivid – note fine bow entry.
She is a lovely vessel to look at out of the water and her lines although finer are very similar to our Finesse 24 Whimbrel in many respects. The Finesse 24 hull has bawley influences for her builder completed his apprenticeship in a yard working on new build bawley yachts before going out on his own.
Compare transoms and runs to midships. The rudder is remarkably similar too.
Vivid’s current owner has told me that the top planks, some deck planks and top half of transom are to be renewed. The hull has been surveyed and there are plenty of yellow markings! She also mentioned that the engine was to be removed too…
There is a nice piece on the In the boat shed web site:
The article talks of her ’rounded hull form … not so hot to windward…’ As can be seen from the pictures, she is far from rounded and has a deep long keel. The much larger Leigh/Medway/Harwich bawleys do have rounded hulls with a good amount of bilge. I suspect the author hadn’t seen this boat out of the water. Beccs Polden told me a while ago that Vivid carries her way and is easily sculled or rowed with a sweep – probably why the engine is to be removed.
There is a replica bawley in Maldon, Marigold, she is a copy from an older boat of c1860 vintage, which when last seen was laid up and a bit sad…
I will follow this project and report again.
Update: 20th March 2026:
A correspondent, Ian Clarke says: ‘Good to see Becs still has her. Was in several OGA races in 80s and 90s but named Vivalda and Brian Kennell has some story about rescuing her from sinking at Pin Mill.
Brian’s name is mentioned elsewhere (OGA…)
Ian continued: She’s a ‘sister boat (to) Fiddle currently for sale in Bristol. Tom Curtis at Pin Mill also has a 1860’s clinker bawĺey (which) he is restoring…’ This is the one that the ‘new’ bawley Marigold was based on.
A further comment from Ian:
‘There’s one more I’m aware of, but haven’t heard about in recent years, Emma. Now carvel, but was clinker from 1860, and 25’ long, built by Bundocks, and from photo’s seems much the same shape, but 1’ shorter than Storm, built by them 50 years later. Was around the Faversham area I believe about 10 years ago.’
So, a challenge for readers: is this latter boat, Emma, still around?
February aboard Whimbrel got off to a good start. On the first day of the month we got a sail. It wasn’t the best of days but at least the wind had died down to a gentle breeze, enough to sail and feel the boat heel to it. The slight drizzle that passed over from Maldon didn’t dampen the the spirits of the boat’s crew.
A band of mizzle ahead…
Then what happened?
Well one depression after another has rolled in giving more than our fair share of wind and strangely for Essex, rain too!
There were a few jobs aboard that I could get on with – little ones, but all the same in need of attention.
I renewed the stern tube greaser pipe and made up a further proper wooden ‘clip’ to secure the braided nylon tube.
New greaser pipe in place!
A new length of domestic fresh water pipe was run between our charcoal filter and the galley sink pump.
Out of the way and less used overboard shut-off valves (sink and gas locker) were worked and lubricated. Things like those tend to be forgotten, however, when a real need arises efforts pay off!
I have been going round the boat looking closely at winter damage to the varnish work – considering all the damp we have had defective areas are not sizable. To help stop staining the varnish was broken to allow beathing and drying out.
Whimbrel’s regular summer crews have been booked in for slots as well as one for my ‘Canadian’ brother who is due to visit back home in early summer. A sail is a must!
We did have a sparkling day early on but we were programmed to be in ‘the smoke’ that is London for a theatre booking with dinner afterwards at a favoured eatery. Valentines weekend was also booked as an away event – it was wet one day and very breezy the other, so no loss. We had a grand time!
Screenshot
Screen shot of advertising info.
The Thames spritsail barge Cambria which has been using our little port as her base for a number of years with the support of the yard (Blackwater Marina) has bee rigging out and an announcement has been made that she is off to join the Chatham Maritime Heritage group. I’d suggested to the yard early last year that the Medway might make a better home for her (under Tiller & Wheel), which has from an announcement by them, all but happened!
A new Cambria management committee has been formed and a T&W person is to be a member. Her base will be Chatham.
I have not noticed much in the way of preparations for a new season around the Maylandsea yard. One does see people around – I would imagine the weather is keeping people away. On the waterfront, work progresses with the replanking of the spritsail barge Cabby’s starboard side. I’m told that a May launching is planned. Her engine has been run and currently her shaft is out.
Reflections from the Fullbridge in Maldon captured on one of our walks.
As the month wended its way towards its conclusion, the coming week’s weather seemed to be essentially dire, at first, but a window was opening. A further day of lesser wind was signalling a change. The air temperatures were on the up too. Whilst always an optimist, my hopes began to rise thinking that it meant the month’s ending would allow a sail. Fingers crossed!
And yes, the weather changed for the better and I had a day on the boat carrying out a couple of deck edge repairs (nail tops) and adding a few new screws. A length of rubbing band had bad varnish removed and, amazingly, two thinned coats varnish applied – temps of 17 deg and not much less following…
A start has been made to Whimbrel’s annual cosseting…
I spotted in the Marine Industry News online magazine a feature about a ‘racing organisation’ that aims to combine people and brands into yacht racing – ownership and the pride there of doesn’t seem to come into it.
Headline statement: “One of our key objectives this year is to truly engage all stakeholders across competitive sailing. We want the Yacht Racing Forum to represent sailing globally, in all its diversity and strength,”
The reading of this sounds to be an essentially ‘rich’ man’s targeting and has little to do with the ‘common man’.
A boat owner who I have recently corresponded with said to me: ‘I believe we’re the last generation to own a modest yacht in the manner we know…’ Sadly, I find it hard to disagree…
In the marine trade comes news of a new ‘super yacht’ in the sailing form to be built in a European yard which is to be Cayman Island registered.
Artistic impression of new super sailing yacht – courtesy of Marine Industry News.
The yacht is to be single masted and be ‘Panamax’ which means will go under Panama Canal bridges. She is going to ‘harp back’ to the big yacht era and it is hoped she will be able to compete in class. Deck furniture will espouse this ethos. She’ll be around 62m with a light displacement of 230 tonne. Her design will incorporate a lifting keel with 4.5 m and max of 6.9 m draft.
One hopes early known lessons from the recent Bayesian tragedy, although she seemed flawed from the start with, it is said, no stability book aboard, will be incorporated… Bayesian was almost twice tonnage and much larger all round.
I am sure that there will be far more design and trials scrutiny…
She looks pretty sweet to the eye.
The end of the month was upon us and the weather Gods looked promising, however, a confliction of where a front would pass over meant uncertainty. I awoke on the 28th, looked out. It was raining. XCWeather showed a max of 27 knots while I would be heading home. No, it was a non-starter!
Screenshot
Over breakfast, I was feeling rather glum indeed.
Looking outside over the breakfast table…
The day was not completely lost for we went to the boat late morning and I sanded and primed the two areas of deck repair and added a further coat varnish to stripped length of rubbing band.
The mate had a long coffee at yard bistro over the Saturday Times. I then treated her to a lovely soup lunch…
Essex, apparently, has had approximately 25% more wet than an average year, no where near as much as elsewhere, but hey, what the heck: Roll on March!
Some time ago, sailing into Maldon, I noticed that sediment had been pumped onto the northern sea walled shore of Northey Island – this appeared to be on the inside of the wall. The wall here was more a protection wall. for the tide was free to rise on its inner side where a stretch of saltings had been established after flooding around one-hundred years ago. Two old sailing barges sat within this area – one of which could be seen from the river. The silt for this project had been obtained from around the Hythe up at Maldon.
Then, during the autumn of 2025, I noticed some activity around the eastern facing shore of the island’s saltings. A crane work barge owned by a Maldon boatyard was at work in one of the big gaps created gradually over the years at a sea wall break. The breaks had widened appreciably over past two decades as the old sea walls had been virtually obliterated by tide and wave action.
At the time two other old lighters were seen anchored in the gap. The yard owner had just come down from Maldon in the day-tripper vessel they run during the summer months, briefly going alongside the crane barge. What the heck was going on, I’d wondered!
The works going on on Eastern side of Northey Island with day trip boat on way back to Maldon.
Any way, just a couple of weeks ago I picked up a news item on BBC Radio 4 Breakfast programme about ‘Saving an Essex Island…’ It was also on the evening television news.
I carried out a search and eventually found the information below on the National Trust web site for Northey Island. The National Trust (NT) are the island’s custodians.
I knew about an area of managed realignment on the island carried out some years back (1991), but now something very different was going on.
The long-time flooded areas of the island that had become a huge area of saltings has been gradually wasting away over the years due to tidal forces, wave action and a rising sea level. It is a situation that has affected the whole coastal edges of the Thames estuary (and elsewhere, for a jolly long time.
The eastern side of the island had until fairly recent times most of its old sea wall structure along the marsh edge, however, it has virtually all disappeared in a short space of time allowing greater rapidity of erosion.
Following on from the initial work the NT are going to create higher level islands within the saltmarsh, quote:
‘These include restoring and protecting saltmarsh on the Western Shore and causeway saltmarsh and creating a nesting bird island on the eastern side of Northey. This will creating a remote nesting habitat but also take energy out of the tides rushing into saltmarsh of Northey, protecting it from further erosion.’
The piece says that three of these are to be created and part and parcel of the plans are to slow the tidal flows within the older flooded parts to allow a modicum of natural height regeneration.
The NT January 2026 news item shows three old steel lighters (described by BBC News as Thames barges…) placed across one of the larger gaps into the island. There is a picture within the item.
It is stated that these barges are to be formed into one of the ‘bird islands’ – presumably silt id to be added. However, what struck me was the scouring which is clearly evident around the ends of the row of lighters. To the northern end there is a huge water filled plume filling the scour.
It is going to take a lot of material to fill the gaps back to sound marsh (if such a thing exists) to stop the scouring. Looks as if further lighters are needed running into the saltings…
Like during the autumn and early winter before the turn of the year, the early days of January 2026 were again filled with wind, and, it had nothing to do with an over indulgence of brussels sprouts either, so we missed getting out afloat as the old year faded, and again as the New Year opened, which for us is most unusual…
January threw gale after gale at the UK with three of them becoming named storms, so the open fire at home provided some solace!
Our comforting and romantic open fire at home…
However, the weather Gods opened a door and we grabbed it! We took breakfast with us as high water was around noon. There was a stiff-ish south-westerly forecasted but as we have found at Maylandsea it is often much lighter and we cleared the mooring under power with sails set. There was enough breeze as we cleared to get two to three knots over the tide, which was nice. Often I will patiently creep away feeling good about the lack of engine noise!
A cracking first sail of 2026.
We saw just another couple of boats moving in the distance on such a glorious day – sadly for many, the holiday period had come to an end and work commitments held sway. Retirement has advantages!
We made a number of long and shorts up towards Heybridge’s Mill Beach before turning for home with a glorious run over the still flooding tide to Lawling Creek. Whimbrel revelled in the sailing conditions.
Along the tide ravaged saltings of Northey Island’s eastern shore some work has been ongoing for a while with a firm from Maldon ‘doing things’ – now I have been aware of sea wall works along the shore opposite Heybridge, but what was happening in this long flooded area of the island I had not heard.
I now know: during this last week the goings on have been reported by the BBC’s esteemed Breakfast programme on Radio 4. And, amazingly, BBC television London Tonight reported it too> I will report further on this in good time.
Works taking place in the eastern saltings gap 0n Northey Island.
On our return passage I noticed the abundant birdlife around the remains of the sandy spit that sits at the end of a ribbon of saltings making up Mundon Stone Point – a spit that is best to give a wide berth: I have seen a boat fetch up onto it some while ago.
Oddly, the marina cafe was closed so NO hot bowl of soup, so we went home!
Classic Boat sends me access to parts of its online service following my taking part in the voting for a recent restoration/build project … and this month an interesting resume of the restoration project that brough the famous J-Class yacht Shamrock V back to life. It is great that there are people out there with money as well as the commitment to these old yachts – Shamrock V is ninety-five.
Marine Industry News reported that a man in charge of a speed boat that ploughed down a kayak with a teenager aboard has been charged, found guilty, fined and given a suspended sentence at Swansea Crown Court.
This case is one of the first under the new legislation (everything that floats is a ship!) empowering port authorities and police to take cases to court under marine powers, in the same fashion as for a big ship – it covers us all… Legislation toughens up on ‘drink-sailing’ something which as an ex professional seafarer I have never allowed aboard Whimbrel.
Maybe, as the word spreads, there’ll be a little more respect shown by the minority of speed boats/jet ski owners who continually flout normal maritime rules and behaviour.
The teenager’s kayak was virtually chopped in half. Fortunately the lad had superficial injuries – he was in a ‘convoy, of a number of kayaks in Milford Haven waters.
In my home waters Kayaks and wild swimmers can abound at the same time. Most have a constant stream of chatter between them so one is oft alerted by voices first.
Our second foray out was in far lighter conditions. In fact it was all but a calm within the moorings, however we got clear with the engine then the Genoa took over, hoisting the main as we cleared the hammer heads.
Dabbling Duck in the calm of the rising tide.
The yard’s wonderful manager who we’d seen heading ashore with her collie type dog spotted us during her walk down Lawlings eastern sea wall – a couple of pictures arrived in my email box later that day. One is below. At the time we were just about making a knot over the tide.
Whimbrel photographed creeping out against the flood in Lawling Creek by manager of Blackwater Marina, Beccs Polden.
There was time to mooch around the decks looking at areas of ‘budding’ maintenance and look up at the rig, checking. And too, with the peacefulness of the conditions appreciate the flocks of waders, brent, lapwings and a few Canada Geese in flight honking across the water.
The Mate at the helm…
Once nearly clear of the creek the breeze hardened to what it was meant to be and we finally made it to the Marconi Buoy off Stansgate Point before turning for home. Three hours is long enough for a sail, especially in winter…
The Mate at her berthing station as we lined up to enter our row…
The wind was southerly – not a conducive direction to enter under sail: there is no tacking room (!) but has enough width for comfortable turning. And, as readers are aware, I will sail in if safe to do so!
Another item of news that caught my eye was a piece about Dusseldorf Boat – the German equivalent to Southampton – in that it has been stated that the market is upbeat about an upturn in sales interest from a greater footfall recorded. My thoughts turned to the innumerable craft sitting about in marinas gathering verdigris and algae through a lack of use or care. ‘Back on track…’ is the watch phrase. Right Ho!
Locally wandering around my yard, as I do for it is always interesting to see what is happening and say hello to people, I had a look at the Thames sailing barge Cabby in her floating dock where her starboard side planking renewal is progressing nicely. I was told that she’ll be afloat again by May when rerigging will begin – well that’s the plan!
New wood going aboard – picture taken before end of 2025.
Tim, the shipwright, told me some while ago that back in the mid 1980s he looked at the May Flower before she was moved from Upchurch to Strood, saying that although she was taking in water, was deemed fit for the tow … he said little had been done to her for some years. That of course was something I had already ascertained. My 2007 published book tells the tale of her (my childhood home) and is still in print.
Tim has worked on Cabby a few times in his barge repairing career – he has told me that this will be the last time!
During the month’s final week, it was with great sadness that I learnt about the loss of the Finesse 24 Kiboko in the entrance to the R. Deben, apparently in the run in along the beach. She was under tow at the time. A picture has appeared on the East Coast Pilot Facebook page and is reproduced here.
Picture from East Coast Pilot Facebook page – Kiboko’s starboard bow planking to keel plate.
To be clear, the boat was not ‘rotten’ by the look of the large section planking and I know that her internals had been completely refurbished and her outer upper works were to be stripped this winter. I have been able to ascertain that the boat sprang a leak though, causing batteries to be wetted – a number of boats have these stowed in under bunk compartment aft end of main cabin right ‘in the bilges’… Whimbrel’s battery is still in cockpit locker where it has never suffered a wetting.
Food for thought.
Well, towards January’s last gasp it was clear that there would be no further outings and I resigned myself to that fact. Instead, a ‘shop outing’ was planned!
So, 2025, let’s have a wander back down the creek of time.
For me it marked a personal moment in my life: in June it was seventy years since my birth. During the year we have been having a ball – that is the boat, my mate and me – never mind stuff away from the waterfront for we’ve done all sorts during the year, but this piece only covers the sailing side of our lives.
It is now two and a half years since our move to The Blackwater Marina located at the head of Lawling Creek. It has been a blissful time after the turmoil we latterly experienced at the Island Yacht Club – something that we (me especially) are allowing to slip into the past. It has been a happy experience with the yard and in our uncluttered freedoms coming and going without fear.
Bird life in the rill off the moorings at Maylandsea.
There is always a little bit of water in the creek just off the end of the Blackwater Marina moorings and during the winter a myriad of water fowl can be viewed at close quarters. The ‘mewing’ of Widgeon mingles with the calls of sandpipers and more distant curlews. Larger mallards dabble and egrets strut. Yes, it’s grand.
We ‘took’ Graham who lives in Canada for a virtual sail…
While out on the water during the winter (and at other times) we have called my eldest brother Graham in far off Newfoundland, where he is usually ‘snowed in, allowing him to enjoy a virtual sail. He, in his inimitable way, always proceeds to tell me where we are and what we are doing as if he, himself, was at the helm!
Sailing into our moorings – mate ready to drop headsail…
When conditions are right we now think nothing of sailing out of the marina and also sailing in, right into our berth. With a crew aboard, it helps for the headsail can be judiciously dropped to allow the boat’s way to forge inwards, but I have dropped onto our berth under full sail i light conditions.
Back in the time when we were berthed at ‘that club’ up Smallgains Creek, sailing in was a common procedure. If it isn’t necessary to use the diesel, then why do so, remains my motto.
As is the way, when spring comes round, the usual touching up of broken or damaged varnish begins to be remedied in preparation for over-coating. Decks too are spot repaired. Below, the mate always has a thorough clean through of all surfaces and cleans out behind ribs, clearing out trapped verdigris.
Dinghy cover having been cleaned it was reproofed.
All the covers get a clean and coat of reproofing fluid.This greatly improves longevity – not an arduous job but a cost saving in the long run.
When the tides suit at a suitable late spring weekend, we are ‘free’ to use the yard’s hard to do the bottom scrubbing and antifouling. At that time the hull gets its going over and is touched up as required. The hull varnish work is sanded and recoated too.
This seems onerous, but it isn’t really. The exercise is good (knackering) and we always make it as fun as we can. We usually enjoy fish and chips for supper after the ‘first’ bottom has been readied for painting – the down time allows for drying. The ‘longest’ bit is the early morning wait for boat to ground, pull her over and get at the bottom with pressure washer for I always let the boat ride down hard for the ‘second’ side, allowing an early departure on the subsequent afternoon tide…
Whimbrel on the hard, scrubbed, antifouled and varnish recoated, with tide creeping up.
After a ten day holiday in Jersey and Guernsey from late May, we arrived home and were aboard Whimbrel within thirty-six hours … unbeknown to us, our boy had boarded in our absence and decorated the inside of the boat with a 70th streamer. That wasn’t all for when the loo compartment was opened it was found to be choker with balloons, which tumbled out… They were strung up, adding to the jollities!
We came back fro the Channel Islands and found Whimbrel had been ‘attacked’…
Over my birthday we had an overnight visit to Maldon staying at the Shipways Yard which is now a separate entity from the chandlery. The yard’s manager (Adrian) and his son purchased the whole caboodle: chandlery is now leasing the shed… I had taken the precaution to prebook…
Adrian and his wife said that their taking over of the yard was a thought-through decision but was still rather frightening. A new office was under construction on the quay in the upstream outer corner a couple of months ago. There yard has a shower facility available too, off the lobby of the sailing school.
Roger and Andrew (Ardley) were joining: I moved Whimbrel to outer pontoon and got ready to leave…
The annual tie up with my youngest brother and a cousin, this year, meant an early Friday arrival for them due to tide times. To be sure, Whimbrel was moved onto a clear outer pontoon, ready to slip, on a falling tide. It was a grand weekend, with some lively sailing.
My brother provided us with some delight in the Mersea Quarters sailing Twitch in stiffish conditions. A lot of fun was being had we could see, but when he was on a return to base leg in the cut, off the floating pontoon, I said to my cousin, ‘Don’t gybe … don’t gybe…’ looking at the dinghy. A gybe took place with its resultant capsize and crew dunking … my brother was standing up to his waist bailing the dinghy when we slipped alongside on a rescue mission… It was all under control though but was for the best. The newly serviced and equipped lifejacket had inflated!
Twitch going well…
The turn of my sister and two friends came next after the mate and I had enjoyed some pottering on the Orwell and Stour. I’d planned for us to reach the navigable head of the R. Alde as well as a tour of the R. Deben. Objectives were achieved with slight change to some planned destinations due to weather. Early on the tide from the Butley River the crew sailed up to well above Iken Cliff, where after touching, we stopped for lunch. There wasn’t to be any digging out sagas this time…
Passing Iken Church on the R. Alde.
We met a Dutch couple during the Snape trip and they came aboard two days later for a drink when we were both moored above Felixstowe Ferry ready to clear the river on the following morning.
The mate and I had an ‘interesting’ rest more or less in same spot a week or so later. Coming to one of a myriad of vacant moorings with trailing weedy lines, the ‘harbour master’ ferry man was passing and I nodded, he waved, I assumed we were cleared to moor. Later, I was asleep (!), with mate in cockpit reading/knitting the ferry man ranged close and gave her a rocketing for mooring without prior permission … he was extremely rude … he had passengers aboard too! Mate, although indignant, ignored him, especially when he said, ‘Do you understand me…’
On a windy day in Suffolk Yacht Harbour, we went for a walk inland.
The summer was punctuated with a couple of windy sessions along the way and during these we made for shelter where ease of getting ashore was number one priority. Windy days make for good walking days, especially when sun is sparkling on the white overfalls on turbulent waters.
A little ‘funny’ – the laundry was strung up in the rigging at Suffolk Yacht Harbour and we returned from a walk to well aired dry washing … it was only later when I couldn’t find a pair of smart chino shorts … we realised they’d clearly escaped!
On the whole the summer weather was good, again. Towards the end of our cruising, we had a rather delightful sail up to Colchester Hythe with a gentle breeze wafting us along. The visitors berthing was all taken up by ‘abandoned’ and other craft, bar a short bit awash with saltings at the ‘town’ end. Later I found out that one alone was there by permission. So, judging short end not fit for purpose and in the grass, we about turned and powered down to Wivenhoe where the delightful sailing club welcomed us into a berth.
Sailing up the R. Colne to the Hythe.
After a discussion with Colchester Council, I was told that many changes were to take place along the Hythe to tidy it up, clear ‘dumped’ vessels, put in some control and keep the visitors pontoon clear for visitors…
I got a bit of flack from a disgruntled mooring holder who completely took the wrong line on a piece I gave to the Blackwater and Colne Users Group – apart from being branded an ‘incompetent’ she threatened court action! So, since then, I have stopped adding stuff to the group as nothing was said. Facebook seems to have got a heck of a lot worse in recent times and group controllers are just not doing their jobs.
Scrubbing Twitch’s bottom.
Twitch’s bottom had two scrubs this last season. Fouling wasn’t bad though. Lower down is a picture of her bottom anti-fouled ready for her next ducking…
I crept into a gutway off Woodrolfe Creek to look at the remains of the Saltcote Belle.
Twitch took me into various little creeklets during the season, as is the way. One was a little gut of Woodrolfe Creek where the remains of the Saltcote Belle rest in decaying grandeur. It has been interesting watching her demise over the years – she was a barge from my childhood and was often met in our family sailing!
The Rally for Finesse craft was organised by Whimbrel’s crew this year, however, the weekend coincided with a rather torrid ‘summer blow’ – it cae as per forecast and if boats had travelled earlier in week, we could have had a grand time. Disappointingly, it was just us! Various owners came by road for chat and a evening chow at marina’s bistro bar.
Whimbrel dressed for the Finesse Rally…
Autumn came upon us, as per usual, and we had a few trips down river taking in West Mersea and Brightlingsea. The Colne barge match weekend was a disaster but a few local barges and smacks braved the weather, which on the day, wasn’t as bad as predicted. We didn’t make it.
The crew, dressed for the autumn!
In fact, the mate came up with a rather grand idea, ‘why don’t we have a ‘dirty’ night away instead…’ she had a twinkle in her eye too … so I found a room at a delightful hotel in Lavenham for the Saturday night. We plan to go back. Food was grand too! Lavenham is in Suffolk, beyond the R. Stour.
We stopped off in Sudbury and found water – the R. Stour!
On our last visit to brightlingsea, in ideal and delightful conditions, we were able to get away from the Heritage pontoon under sail with a clear slant – second time in the year – and was watched by a group of rowers.
Mate looks back: she’s ready to slip from Heritage Pontoon, Brightlingsea.
By the first week of October our overnight sails were at an end. We had a cottage holiday in Derbyshire during the last week by which time November was nigh.
Cruising chute used while returning on our last weekend…
While the weather was still good enough, the dinghy had a varnish make-over ready for a full over coat in the spring and her bottom was done too.
Twitch is prepared for the next season!
The autumn and early winter have dished out a lot of wind but continued joys came our way.
Yes, it has been a good year.
What many boaters miss are those wonderful coldish days when the sun shines. The air is clear and the colours are wonderful and reflective. I wouldn’t miss it for the world…
Whimbrel sailing in Lawling Creek on a painted sea creeping over the flood with barely a breeze.
Idle Duck is a classic shoal draft centre boarder from the famous Maurice Griffith’s pen, built by Miller & Sons, St Monance on the R. Tay in Scotland, and launched in 1962. She was superbly built and has stood the test of time. The vessel is a ‘copy’ of an earlier shoal draft vessel built by Howard’s of Maldon in 1894 called Scoter. As far as I am aware that little ship is still sailing.
Idle Duck at her Swale Marina (Conyer) mooring seen during 2024.(Nick Ardley)
I looked over Idle Duck on a visit to Swale Marina during the summer of 2024, admiring her comely curves. She is of the ‘Bawley’ type like my own Finesse 24, Whimbrel, sharing a common Thames estuary heritage: Alan Platt was apprenticed with Parson’s of Leigh – builders of cockle boats and MG designed bawley yachts – before starting his own line of craft…
There follows some historical information from Yachting Monthly of July 1973 written by MG himself when editor. These are credited to Yachting Monthly.
Magazine pages courtesy of Yachting Monthly.
Idle Duck was given a thorough refit at Faversham not so very long ago, sadly however, the owner soon after became ill and passed to the elysian sea where one sails for ever… Over in Kent, an old Upchurch village friend, Les Long, has taken on the task of finding a new owner for the chap’s widow.
Les has been caring for the vessel as best he can (being a boat owner himself) and reports that the varnish work has begun to suffer. This is superficial and will be dealt with. (I have same ‘problems’ but that is life and is very much part of the enjoyment of owning a classic…). One needs to look beyond and get a feel for the boat as an entity in itself – cosmetics are well within the capabilities of an owner – one’s relationship follows…
Bow of Idle Duck…(Nick Ardley)
The vessel has been on the books of Network Yacht Brokers who have not been successful in the sale of this fine vessel. The market is difficult to say the least, stuffed with craft of every type, so boats will only move if price and a new owner feel right together…
Brochure information courtesy of Network Yacht Brokers and Les Long.
To my mind the price is probably ‘frightening’ people away. My advice would be to go in with a sensible offer.
Looking along the port side deck of Idle Duck – They are clear and uncluttered. (Nick Ardley)
Prospective owners interested in viewing this fine vessel should contact Les Long by email on: lml0454@gmail.com
Two articles in the marine trade news forum (Marine Industry News) have struck a jarring note with me. One from a short while ago is within the link below.
Now, I might be missing something within the article, but I feel I can’t possibly be alone in thinking, ‘Bloody Hell, whatever is going on…’
I read through the later article, skimming along nonchalantly before being brought up sharply. I then restarted reading very carefully, then the other.
Essentially a company is leading the development of AI technology that will take the ‘stress‘ out of berthing a boat and other manoeuvres.
Sailing Whimbrel into my Blackwater marina berth, alone, using experience and seamanship…
Now, from what I gleaned, it is currently only power boats that are being played with, but one can see the system being transferred to sailing craft. These are large craft too, certainly not the typical seven to ten metre sized vessel. Clearly thrusters are needed, fore and probably aft too.
The ideology behind the technology puts the ‘auto-captain’ in charge of the vessel’s manoeuvring, berthing, leaving and close quarters scenarios, working out how to deal with these situations without causing a collision. Food for thought.
Sailing off Brightlingsea Harbour’s Heritage Pontoon: crew ready to slip.
The technology used 360 deg camera views with tide (I assume as not stated) and wind conditions being collated, real time. Presumably like the human brain, but more accurately…
Clearly it has to be activated by the ‘skipper’…
The technology has been ‘imported’ from road vehicles.
So, everyone, this is the future.
Don’t worry about your seamanship anymore, AI will take care of it!
Barry Pearce studied art in his youth but went on to becoming a shipwright and barge master during the 1960s. He has been a life-long barge ‘buff’ – historian – and chronicaller of the Thames Sailing Barge. I first met Barry in 1964 at Cooks Yard in Maldon when the May Flower, my childhood home, went on the blocks to have her port bow rebuilt.
I recently came across a couple of Christmas cards Barry had sent us a little while ago: we kept up a contact after he’d helped with some information back in early 2000s when I was writing, The May Flower, a barging childhood‘ published in 2007, (still in print). His once annual card had always a delight.
Another couple of cards were found inside the book by John Kemp featured below: Barry illustrated this book profusely with his line and ‘dot’ works of art.
I then did a search of all the books in my area of our book shelves for I often use birthday and Christmas cards as book marks. I eventually rounded up seven, there may be more not yet discovered.
Cover of book, ‘At The Wash of Oysters’ illustrated by Barry Pearce.
Now that we are into Advent and on the run up to Christmas, I thought it would be nice to share what I have…
A number of Barry’s Christmas cards are featured below.
This one depicts a loaded barge heading round last bend before Stambridge Mills at Rochford.
Above is a depiction of the shapely Memory, now a ruin in the saltings off Woodrolfe Creek, Tollesbury.
Here, above, is the recognisable shapely Cambria captured during the last decade of her trading life.
The Xylonite with a bone in her teeth surging past a buoy. Is it ‘down’ the Swin, who knows…
Above, again Xylonite. She’s either just brought up to anchor or about to sail…
Few of Barry’s cards were dated but we have a card from 2021, which I believe was the last he sent: his health has been failing. The one above is dated 2014. We must have had many others … perhaps not all have been saved!
Clearly this is a winter depiction of Maldon and the ‘bargemen’s church’ up on its hill above the Hythe.
A shapely old girl in a breeze…
The card shown above is the 2021, sent during the Covid Pandemic. Barry comments: ‘I think I will mutate!’ Typical of his sense of humour…
I have added a couple of illustrations from ‘At The Wash of Oysters’ by John Kemp. The book is a lovely read and if you know the River Blackwater and Dengie peninsular much will be familiar.
An old farm waggon being over grown with briars – today it could be an old tractor of plough…
The book’s artwork is varied in style and covers a wonderful cross section of subjects to illustrate the stories within, all based around the Blackwater and Dengie – the land between the rivers Crouch and Blackwater – an enchanting area.
A tired old girl with sprung planks and gnarled woodwork…
So, on this Advent Sunday, when traditionally Christmas cards are written and readied for the post, the Mate, Christobel, and I wish you all a happy Advent and our good wishes for this coming Christmas.
Left to the vagaries of chance and having or noticing ‘rare’ symptoms on the pathway to being diagnosed with Prostate Cancer by the NHS, I would now be dead.
I wrote about it in my book, ‘Sailing through life…‘ Now, unfortunately out of print, but I do have some copies.
The extraordinary decision not to begin a National Prostate Cancer Screening Programme is quite frankly bizarre and very sad for the prospects for many men.
Bowel Cancer is screened for on a two-yearly basis for men and women over sixty.
Women are screened for Cervical and Breast Cancer.
Men are allowed to die. This of course is beneficial for those paying our pensions: it saves them a huge amount of money.
What the media screen and air time did not go on to explain yesterday was that men over the age of fifty are entitled to ask for a Prostate Cancer PSA test.
So, if you are an ethnic black African or Caribbean man, it is common sense: you are at greatest risk. Get a test done.
If you are one of the many other ethnicities there is a lesser chance, ‘they’ say, however, go to your GP Surgery and get it done.
Do not be put off by the soothe-sayers spouting ‘more harm is done’ for if you’re positive and treatment is deemed necessary, catching it early is far, far better…
It saved my life…
Ringing the Bell after my radiotherapy treatment ended.
I came across John Leather’s 1979 book, ‘The Sailor’s Coast’ in a second hand book shop in Leigh-on-Sea recently. It was published by Barrie & Jenkins (No longer around).
The book is described in a forward by the author as a tour of the ‘East Coast’ through the lens of Douglass Went, photographer extraordinaire from Brightlingsea, Essex. Douglass Went was born in 1887 and died in 1970. He had a studio in Brightlingsea and spent a good part of his adult life recording vessels he saw in evocative black and white photography.
Sitting looking at the book’s cover, my memory told me that I had seen the cover picture before. Crumbs, not same book thoughts stirred, so I roamed my holdings. I soon alighted on another Leather book, ‘Smacks and Bawleys’ published by Lavenham Press in 1991.
The two book covers!
The pictures aren’t the same, in that the photographers are different, however, they must have been taken at same time (almost). The former was a Janet Harber picture. Janet, if you’re not aware is one of Jack Coote’s daughters. The latter is ascribed to Jack Coote. The background is not the Mersea Quarters, as I first thought. It can be seen that the other yachts are the same vessels in both frames! Janet, herself, contacted and corrected my assumption. The picture is from the R. Crouch during a race from Paglesham where Jack Coote was then keeping his yacht Blue Shoal. Janet and her husband were crewing.
The smack is Kate CK 139, which was then owned by Tim Balfour Janet tells me and was in the same race.
Janet was herself an accomplished photographer following her father’s passion (after boats and the east coast). Jack Coote, as many know, was the editor of the famous East Coast Rivers pilot book.
The John Leather book ostensibly covers the ‘East Coast’ however, there are many ‘missing’ places, especially south side of R. Blackwater (except Maldon). Douglass Went operated from Brightlingsea, where his studio and home were situated and with all the other places he got to, I found it surprising, however, this may have just been the whim of John Leather. Now, we shall never know! Went’s pictures feature in other books about the area in the days towards the ending of the ‘old ways’ on the waterfront.
Below are two views of smacks racing out of the Mersea Quarters. Went’s view was captured during the 1930 Regatta week. My view was taken during the Regatta week of 2025, nearly one-hundred years later! We were heading inbound from Brightlingsea and saw the smacks in the distance coming towards us. I spotted an orange buoy and luffed up to pass clear thus giving room for the old girls (we had right of way!) and I did not want to impede unnecessarily.
These two pictures of racing smacks are taken ninety-five years apart!
I have pictures of Maldon’s Hythe from the promenade (with its flood wall) but I have used a water view for comparison. The clean beach with its myriad of dinghies, punts and smacks has become muddied through little or no use: vessels do not moor along the promenade anymore. Towards Cooks old yard, there is a tripper boat pier and a berth for the steam tug Brent (awaiting lottery money or other funding) and the old yards set of blocks. The blocks themselves are becoming less used as the spritties largely use a drydock for annual antifouling sessions.
As photographed by Douglass Went in 1957.
As seen from water during 2025 – there are no smacks or working boats along the promenade now.
The last smack to lie along the promenade, the Telegraph, now sits upstream of Heybridge Basin going to pieces. There are a few old ‘wrecks’ sitting in the mud with a few battered old GRP tenders tethered to mooring rings: all show little use.
Below, we are in Harwich Harbour…
Twelve-metres racing out of Harwich during RHYC regatta of 1928.
Sailing into Harwich alongside Kylix, a vessel designed by Maurice Griffiths for his own use. A number were built. They are very reminiscent of his earlier Lone Gull 1 and II classes.
Pictures show the same view. The recent one is as seen in 2020. The old dock with its buildings have long been filled over and levelled. It now forms a continuation of the major container wharfage. In the corner a RoRo facility and tug berthing exists with further container wharfage running down to Languard Point beach.
Up the coast and into the R. Orwell, we reach the scenic location of the Butt & Oyster waterside public house at Pin Mill.
Douglass Went’s 1939 view of the ‘Butt’ from, probably, the site of the Pin Mill SC.
2025 view of the ‘Butt’ taken low down from my sailing tender Twitch, capturing the afternoon light dappling the ripples.
Note that the ‘little’ pub has been extensively extended over the years It is an iconic view. further downstream, currently, there were berthed a couple of spritsail barges and, 2025, the barge-yacht Blackthorn. However, further is a melee of houseboats based on old ‘Dutchman’ and lighters to ‘floats’ falling into a mess of wrecks and detritus, which to most must cause a rubbing of the eyes…
We now move to the Burnham River, said by many to be the epicentre of east coast yachting. There are two classes of older day sailer racing boats of similar design and size. The boats from the Royal Burnham and Corinthian clubs. The RBs were Dallimore designed of 20′ with 17’3″ WL length, 6’3″ beam and 3′ 3″ draft, with a transom stern. They are fine little ships. The Corinthian boats are similar but have a short counter.
Royal Burnham One Design, No.9 roaring through the slight cross waves in a troubled Crouch flood below Burnham, out bound – dated late 1930s.
Above: The Royal Burnham One Design No.8 with sail set with others preparing to race on a windy Crouch at the end of August 2025.
Brightlingsea One Designs which were designed locally by Douglass Stone & Sons of Brightlingsea in 1927. Boats pictured are seen racing in blustery conditions during the 1930s. In foreground is No.3. Below, No.3 is again in foreground, photographed racing during summer of 2025.
Note that the short bowsprit has been ditched in favour of stem head sail set up. There are still a large number of these sailing at Brightlingsea.
There is something about a black and white photograph but, colour, does more, surely to tell the story. I found the pictures of great interest, especially where a river view could be picked out allowing the decades of change to be seen. There are pictures of the Wivenhoe shipyards above the village where now des-res waterfront housing fronting the water way quaysides with no where for visiting craft to stop. That I have always found so sad.
The book is likely to be in public libraries, however, probably in reference sections. get a look if you can.
Soon after the mate and I married we found our first boat to own. Christobel’s experience at this time was a week on a Thames hire motor boat, a weekend on a 28 foot ketch and a rowing boat on the Serpentine…
I came home on leave from a ship in 1980 and Christobel said that there were a couple of boats for sale at the Leigh-on-Sea SC. One was a ply-wood constructed Yachting World Peoples Boat, seen below.
After a trial sail and a look at the boat aground on the foreshore off Chalkwell Station, we decided to purchase he boat. Her name was Blue Tail, sail number PB4.
The story of these boats is told in my book, ‘The Jottings of a Thames Estuary Ditch-crawler‘ which is still in print. The boats were born out of a Yachting World Magazine challenge soon after the end of world war two. The aim was to get designers, professional or amateur, to come up with a ‘simple’ boat that could kick start affordable yachting.
Blue Tail with a new (blue) jib.
For us, the boat proved a useful trial to see if I would be able to instill some salt into my mate’s veins: she was still relatively fresh out of the English Midlands! I succeeded and we decided to look for another boat.
A trial sail on a GRP Steadfast 24 down on the Solent was interesting but the type was not for us. We looked at other craft before a visit to Alan & Shirley Platt’s Daws Heath boat yard to look at a Finesse 24. We were both immediately smitten!
The rest is history: we took the plunge and our new build boat soon became a part of the family.
While moored at Pin Mill this last summer and returning from the village (Chelmondiston) after a stores run via the back pathways I spotted a boat at the back of the boat yard close by a fence. It had the look of a Peoples Boat but with a deeper keel.
The fence petered out and in we went … yes, the poor old thing was a Peoples Boat. I knew that there were some built with deeper draft whilst the one we had was fitted with a centre plate. She was painted in the same blue that we had too. Our upperworks were white painted though.
The Peoples Boat found in a yard at Pin Mill. her name plate was still afixed, read: Naiad
The Pin Mill boat has clearly been ashore uncovered for some while and her days could well soon expire. If she was built in the 1950s then she would be around seventy years old. A cursory look round told me that there didn’t seem to be a lot wrong with the old girl.
Peeling varnish adorned Naiads’s upper works.
Below is a picture of Blue Tail out of the water back in 1982 (with Christobel posing in front…). The boats are virtually identical with differing details such as the deck edge rails.
Christobel remembered me once scarphing a new piece of wood into the top of Blue Tail’s mast. I also replaced one side of the centre board case too. The biggest project undertaken was the fitting of a new Vire petrol engine to replace a vacant space once taken by a Stewart Turner. A lack of headroom within the boat was its biggest shortcoming… Our old boat was purchased by a Burnham ‘big yacht’ crew member and went away to the R. Crouch. We never came across her again.
It was an interesting find, not only for the memories…
Note: The Yachting World Peoples Boat and Finesse stories are related in ‘The Jottings of a Thames Estuary Ditch-crawler‘ published by Amberley. The book remains in publication.
The future of wooden boat building and boatbuilding in general has been discussed within the industry press for a some while. There is an ongoing skills shortage. A greater number of young women are apparently training or in yards already – I have met a few – but is this enough to make up a male shortfall?
After the closure of The Lowestoft Boat Building College (IBTC) this has become an even hotter issue. A smaller college based in Lyme Regis remains operational, but it is very small by comparison and I saw no large vessels being worked on when I visited some years ago, they were launches, dinghies and canoes, essentially.
A peak inside the Lyme Regis College workshop during 2013.
It makes for an interesting and thought provoking read.
Setting up for a new build at the lowestoft IBTC – credits: College & Practical Boat Owner – this has all gone.
Around the Thames estuary, boat owners are relatively lucky, of wooden ones especially. Heritage Marine in Maldon (Essex) has an active yard with a good team which includes apprentices. The Pioneer Trust in Brightlingsea has a working yard too and over in Faversham, Kent, Alan Staley, has a yard constantly busy with repairs and refurbishments as well as spar making. Alan has just turned eighty…
Other yards around the UK have training facilities, or train on the job, but it is a tenuous business. Stirling & Son of Plymouth have just completed the rebuild of a large gaff ketch but they are almost alone in this field. Trawling the web, there are yards out there.
Essex, fortunately, also has an active Thames sailing barge yard at Maldon too with a very small pool of skilled craftspeople. Another shipwright freelances. One thing is clear: all are aging.
GRP building in the UK is all but dead other than small craft and top of the range brands that are well beyond the means of the ‘ordinary man’ but there are hundreds of thousands of GRP boat owners who from time to time need specialist repairs. A cousin of mine needed the removal of his boat’s rudder due to ‘falling over’ damage. It was quite a job to find a facility in his part of the Scottish west coast to get a repair.
Rebuilding the aft deck of the TSB Cabby at Maylandsea (Blackwater Marina) during 2025 – currently the barge is having her entire starboard side replanked with some new frames – the shipwright is in his early sixties…
The building side of the industry is one issue, however, there has been another flagged up and it is one many observant yotty folk may well be aware of – that is the demographics we see around the yards.
Take a good look at the age of the staff within your home yard. How close are they to retirement, or, are they actually well past retirement age? How many are youngsters on the learning pathway?
In the yard where we now keep Whimbrel, the demographics are reasonably spread. The manager is under sixty, the deputy is around thirty and there is a youngster on the bottom of his learning curve. A ‘metal’ man is edging towards the retirement age and there is another operative heading towards that bracket too.
Once you have a boat and a base for it, be it at a marina, boatyard or local ‘self-help’ club, the issue of annual maintenance and a lift out is about all that bothers you.
Maybe you prefer to get the yard to do anti-fouling, small repairs, hull polishing and varnish work – how old are the skilled staff doing these jobs. It is highly likely that a couple of skilled staff not only carry out repairs but chock boats too.
A few questions:
Do you ever give a thought about who lifts and chocks up your vessel?
Do you attend?
Do you help or offer advice?
Do you do all your own maintenance?
If the answer to these questions is: ‘I leave it to the yard’, then perhaps a rethink is required.
My experience of being at a self-help club/yard is that the owner is expected to assist and direct the chocking up. The owner is certainly expected to be present.
I continue to take a proactive approach at my current base and direct the setting down and chocking: with over forty years of experience with same boat, I know what I want.
There are such issues as gap for centre plate, ensuring main chocks are spaced under the ballast keel and not hardening up on the bilge stub supports until boat has settled.
In the view below, the yard placed the steel frame support under the bilge forward of the keel stub blocks – a position that I haven’t place anything ever! The two port & stb’d supports took no weight and ‘just got in the way’ of the mate when antifouling…
Whimbrel chocked up during early 2024 at Blackwater Marina.
The boat had three sets of keel chocks. If out for a while and moving about deck, I add a bow support. The bilge stubs lightly support the bilge – wedges are not ‘hammered’ home, just enough to support and steady her.
Below is a look around other yards…
A large bawley set up ashore in a Pin Mill yard.
The vessel above is set in keel blocks as well as props to maintain her upright composure. Very often these days keel boats are placed in custom frames or a set provided by a yard.
The Cirdan Trust’s Duet out for an emergency leak repair at Fox’s Marina in August 2025 – note she is not chocked but fully supported in slings and just touched down.
Interestingly, I chatted to the two crew (not in picture) and neither were particularly interested in the procedure taking place – recaulking, leading and fitting of a light batten over a seam. The young mate, a wisp of a girl looked astonished at a comment I made about careening on a bank to do the job – I said, ‘Well you might have had to…’ As the skipper smiled wryly! These are jobs that boat owners should have knowledge of.
A large motor-sailor chocked up at Suffolk Yacht Harbour.
Youngsters are not being attracted into the industry for whatever reason. May be the mind set of today is wrongly wired. Expectations are too high. That dirty job is not for me syndrome, and so on…
One thing is certain, the situation is likely to progressively worsen as time goes by.
