It is the time of the year when boat’s already out of the water begin to be aware of the loving caress of their owners as they muster themselves with energetic thoughts. This year there have been too many dismal days during January with more than a bucketful of wind thrown in, but now the month approaches its end. Whimbrel, sadly, has had just a single day’s use…
Down in my club’s yard there has been a noticeable pick up of busy bees around ‘the hives’ and I too have booked for Whimbrel to be lifted out towards the end of March.
The centre plate lifting wire and its pin are due to be renewed, but there is more to this unusual activity.
When ‘we’ antifouled Whimbrel’s bottom last spring, the boat’s Bottom Manager – yes that’s the good mate – pointed out that she thought the bottom could do with stripping off. Heck!
Christobel hard at her ‘favourite’ job last year…
That was quickly followed up with, ‘I can do it…’ so after discussing this ‘need’ I decided that it wasn’t a job for the faint hearted and began to think more about this during last summer and into the autumn.
She’s damned good Whimbrel’s mate is: she gets down to it. There are few boat wives in reality that actually do this and I greatly appreciate mine!
The mate gets down to it when the boat last came out in the spring of 2016.
The antifoul paint has never been cleaned back to bare wood since her build in 1983/4. In some places, especially around the wind/waterline area down to her bilge stubs it has been flaking for a number of years. In general excess coating thickness has become quite thick up to 2 to 3 mm. (or more…)
Yes, it could be scraped off after a hard blast. Our pressure washer often takes away chunks of late … but I did not feel as if I have the stamina currently (prostate cancer medication – essentially ‘chemo’) to be of much use and just couldn’t see Christobel doing it largely alone. She disagreed!
So, the old girl is coming out. The top sides need some attention too. It’ll be hard sanded, touched up and fully over-coated while out as well.
I plan to chock Whimbrel a little higher than in the plate above, to make underneath work easier…
The bottom is going to cleaned off with a water/slurry blast by Willpine Blasting Ltd who are based at Dauntless Boat Yard. The company doesn’t have a web site: they use a facebook page to ‘spread the word’.
before ‘attacking’ Whimbrel’s bottom, Charlie is going to do a test patch to check on bottom surface. He is confident that apart from a little roughness the wood will remain undamaged. Subsequent sanding will not be a hardship…
Once cleaned off, we’re away for a land holiday during our 42nd wedding anniversary week, leaving our good ship in the open air to dry a little.
Yesterday, the Bottom Manager called into our local paint supplier for the necessaries. Oh, the Toplac urethane enamel and varnish are for me!
A little while before the end of last year I was contacted by a chap from Lower Halstow in Kent about his desire for a copy of one of my books. In conversation I discovered he ran a firm which ‘built’ proper tenders, rather than the rubber tube types so often seen flapping astern in a breeze…
I have not, as far as I am aware, seen one of these dinghies afloat, but the numbers of boats with ‘proper’ tenders does seem to be rising again. Anyone who knows me and what I get up to with my Faversham dinghy would testify to the level of enjoyment gained from the little thing (Twitch is her name…) by not only myself, but most of the people who have sailed aboard Whimbrel.
Let’s face it, when away cruising the east coast, sitting at ‘anchor’ is the most time-loaded occupation we do and there is a limit to the length one can chat or read etc…
One of Whimbrel’s crew from last summer enjoying a ‘proper’ tender…
The firm has the most unusual name for one which builds boats – Pond Life, for they make garden ornaments and ‘toys’ … don’t be fooled though!
There is an interesting range of tenders currently available, ranging from vessels of a little over 6′ to 10′, simulated clinker or ‘slab-sided’ hulls with flat bottoms.
The company moved to Suffolk at the end of 2019 and is now located not far from the Butley River at Capel St Andrew.
10′ Pram rowing tender.
I raised the possibility of a sailing version of these dinghies. I was told that it is something being considered, so if interested ask for a price! The 10′ pram looks ideal for a use as a sturdy tender to give more pleasure than the function of getting to and from the boat.
Hard chine ‘flatty’ version.
The little ‘flatty’ version looks simple and functional.
10′ stem rowing tender.
The 10′ stem dinghy looks as if would tow well, but to my mind would benefit from a towing/painter point closer to the waterline.
6′ pram type.
The little 6′ pram is reminiscent of many little tenders that used to be available in past years. Most were clinker built too, although ‘flatty’ versions came along built from sheet ply. For someone cruising alone, this would make a grand follower astern…
The outfit of the Pond Life dinghy is quite lengthy with lots of extras to choose from (at a cost of course). Advertising says that layup is to Lloyds approved standards.
My Faversham Dinghy tender, stretching sail after spar varnishing…
Since the picture of my Faversham dinghy was taken early last year, I have fitted an additional towing point (a u-bolt) through the stem onto a backing pad during last autumn. The as built eye is located just below the bow fender and has always been too high, in my opinion. It took me a quarter of a decade to rectify!
The dinghy, in light breezes when mother is ‘running slow’, has a tendency to slew, but not when a sailing in more of a breeze. So, it will be interesting to see how the lower painter point performs under tow.
Alan Staley will still build a Faversham dinghy, but to my mind these tenders from Pond Life deserve to be looked at.
I’d love to see a sailing version from Pond Life!
Credits: Pond Life pictures published with permission of proprietors.
This time last year I was in a very different place, worried sick about what the future held and of the approaching hospital operations and radiation treatment visits that are now done and dusted.
Looking back it was ‘easy’ for I was in good hands and all I had to do was lie back and ‘think of England’ and not fret … ‘easy’, I said. Actually, I was S-t scared!
2019 began with a sail … which will not be a surprise to many!
Sailing out of Smallgains Creek early January 2019.
We kept at our walking too, even when it became a challenge to hike more than six miles in one go. I well remember a walk out on the Dengie, starting and finishing in Southminster … on a leg back up from the St Peter’s Way, I faltered and ground to a halt. A handy hay bale was at hand for a seat – after a long rest we ‘marched’ on. Southminster doesn’t have a lot in way of services, but there is a cafe run by a youngish couple, there, we found cake and coffee!
And that was the way I decided that I would have to approach the year.
On a loop walk taking in a section of St Peter’s Way on the Dengie peninsular. Looking over the River Blackwater.
The previous year (2018) began with life on a high – Christobel and I celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary in March and family and friends were looking forward to time afloat aboard Whimbrel. One group, my sister, Theresa, friends Hannah and Steve had been promised a trip up to London – from mid June 2018, life fell in tatters around my feet.
So with a bucketful of positive thoughts for 2019, I knuckled down, got on with life and planned: surely a future full of brightness lay ahead…
Last May, a week after my final radiation session, Whimbrel was on the club hard for her annual bottom clean and anti-fouling treatment. Christobel did the grafting and even cleaned the propeller!
Job nears completion … ready for me to cut in the line!
Soon after we had weekends away on the River Medway watching barges and over my birthday week we visited Conyer.
First to enjoy the boat were my youngest brother, Andrew, and our cousin, Roger – both good company and keen to have fun, love them both! We had a quiet sail over to Queenborough before setting of early on a Saturday morning – the 22nd of June – bound for Brightlingsea.
Up the coast with Andrew & Roger…
Christobel and I had a glorious week or so ‘bumbling’ around the Blackwater, Mersea Quarters and Colne with a night up at Colchester Hythe, before berthing in Brightlingsea for the eighth Finesse Rally. Some twelve craft attended with the owners and crew of several more coming by road.
Whimbrel amongst a some of her sisters…
Then it was the turn of my sister, Theresa, and friends Hannah & Steve. A good crew they are too! Steve is Welsh – well, in part, No English, he insists, just lives in England – love him and I’ve a Welsh flag for when he is aboard!
We enjoyed a romp around the coast from Bradwell. Taking in Lawling Creek, Maldon, Pin Mill, Brightlingsea and West Mersea before returning to Bradwell.
Heading in towards Harwich … not for the first time last summer I was ‘banished’ to the naughty corner’!
Then Christobel and I settled down to a summer of simple sailing, going with the weather and simply enjoying ourselves. At the end of July, I had a visit to my hospital. It was fantastic news: the treatment appeared to have been effective, my psa level had dropped to less than 1. (Told about in blog run)
Out walking on a glorious but seriously windy day whilst holed up in Fox’s Marina.
We eventually arrived back in Bradwell where I had arranged to pick up New Zealander Paul Mullings. He and his lovely wife came aboard for coffee and chat before departing … as we did soon after.
Cautiously heading upstream on a falling tide to get close to Iken Church…
We enjoyed a relatively benign week in which we covered a little under 170 nautical miles, taking in Bradwell, Brightlingsea, Butley river, Orford (via Iken Church and Aldeburgh), Pin Mill, Brightlingsea (planned for West Mersea), Queenborough and then home to my Canvey Island mooring. A great trip with a grand shipmate. A Yachting Monthly article is due out during 2020 about this trip.
During the autumn the three Finesse 24s at my club planned a heist to Conyer. One was still out of the water having new main decks fitted, so just two of us went.
Sailing in company with Calluna, on way home across the Thames highway.The owners of Gypsy couldn’t come: their boat was still out of water – but skipper’s hat came along!
We settled into autumn and enjoyed our regular walks, days out, sailing and a holiday based in Deal, Kent. A grand place to visit … we plan to have another dose next year!
Our ‘boy’ came for a sail too during the year!
As I’ve said to many people, who have all been aghast, I had just one letter of disapproval about going public with my health issues and my ‘prostate challenge’ to others.
Tragic really, especially in the light of recent history for I feel it a great pity some of the high profile men who have ‘come out’, e.g. Rod Stewart, didn’t do so at the beginning of their prostate journey’s. The BBC TV presenter Bill Turnbull, who has a serious case of prostate cancer, had a retrospective documentary on television about his journey from finding out, his subsequent treatments and the aftermath of living with an incurable case. Brave man.
Finesse 24 Gypsy’s owner enjoying a sail aboard Whimbrel…
Two sailing chaps I met recently in Leigh-on-Sea thanked me profusely for my stance, citing the fact that down in ‘their’ club’s foreshore headquarters men had actually sat and talked about it. And, more importantly, done something about it. Women do this all the time! We men all think it amusing, but they react … men, on the whole sit back and do nothing when something is blindingly wrong.
Don’t forget, my tale, there are those among us who don’t have those signs – hence the advertising campaign: the ‘Government’ too has noticed the rise and rise of prostate cancer deaths among us men.
Caught in time it can be fixed…
And now, driving along the streets of this fair land of ours, big posters can be seen at bus stops advising ‘you’ to save a life … your life.
During the mid part of the year Yachting Monthly published Dick Durham’s wonderful column about the need for men to talk and get tested. It was an inspiring piece which makes the point…
Dick Durham’s piece from Yachting Monthly during 2019.
The editor of Yachting Monthly told me that he had one ‘ardent’ objection to Dick Durham’s article, a few notes of ‘what is this doing in a yacht mag and many more notes of approval. If you’re a yachting man, you can be afflicted too: there are no boundaries.
So, to all of you who came aboard, sailed and chatted. To those I met ashore in the many places visited during my afloat times over the last year. To those that contacted through this site from afar (Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada, picking out notable countries). And those of you who just had a few kind words to say when met ‘out and about’ local to home, like the two gentlemen mentioned who I met in Leigh-on-Sea this last week – both Finesse Men. To all of you, my and Christobel’s heart-felt thanks go out with our very best wishes for a healthy New Year.
This august and historic yacht insurance group has ground to a halt and, as I understand from local sailing friends, it is being wound up and therefore consigned to history.
There is currently no information about the demise on the web site.
The organisation was a little different to the ‘bog-standard’ insurance company most of us are used to. The ‘Mutual’ was more of a club. The club essentially took the risk from the funds held in reserve.
‘Club men’ predominated along this shore in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex…
The Mutual was founded in 1897 and was intended for small sailing craft (no motor yachts – that remained to the end!) not exceeding 20 tons TM and a value of £500.00. Only 75% of the yachts value was insured: the premise was that you, the owner, accepted liability for the remaining 25% … thereby taking better care of your vessel. What a B- good idea, looking about today!
One of history’s stalwarts of the Mutual was Francis B. Cooke. He became its secretary in 1900 and remained in that post for decades…
Cover of Francis B. Cooke’s ‘Small Yacht Cruising’…
Cooke sailed into great age and I believe (can’t find the reference) he enjoyed his last sail at the age of 101 – he died shortly afterwards. For a great number of years he was a member of the North Fambridge Yacht Station and remains a revered ex member. The club house sits on ‘stilts’ on the foreshore next to the modern floating jetty now situated at N. Fambridge.
The web site gives scant detail about how they operate, what comes across is the ‘club’ nature of the organisation, insular to some extent.
Up to recent times, members (risks) were still ‘carefully selected…’ with a maximum value of £80,000 and a vessel no more than 50 years old. This last seems counter to the very founding ethos: it was aimed at the ‘small man’ and his boat – times change: now women are equal in being able to own!
The main premise remained, quote: ‘… is a non profit making concern run entirely for the mutual benefit of its members.’ They were after new blood, I know from a conversation I had with a member, but they didn’t seem to really open up to my mind, and, quite frankly, for a similar boat I thought they were expensive. Hey Ho!
During this autumn and early winter, I have received a number of emails asking me where I insure my Finesse 24, Whimbrel. There have been verbal requests too: it seems some former Mutual members are finding it difficult to find an insurer.
For anyone’s information, I currently insure with Nautical Insurance Services of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
If you don’t have a recent survey, they will probably want one. They are local to my sailing grounds. They know where the boat is berthed, its safety and such. Sometimes, a local firm is best.
I have a quote on file from nearly a decade ago from a ‘responsible national insurer’ … it is still well above what i pay annually now, and that is for 12 months in use.
The reason for the high quote from 10 years ago was … ‘you have a wooden boat and wooden boats are difficult to get repaired.’
What Rot! Not within the greater Thames estuary shores they ain’t! Several places trip off the tongue without any thought. So, I told the insurance Co. to proverbially ‘get stuffed’…
If anyone has any further information on the closure, I’d be pleased to know…
Yachting has changed immensely over the past 100 years, and even more so over the past few decades, where a boat is ‘just another thing’ and many are treated in that manner, sitting out the year, unused and racking up expense.
The simple life can still be attained and nurtured…
Long ago, at the beginning of 1994, we decided that Whimbrel needed a new dinghy. After looking around we plumped for a neat looking 9′ 6″ glass fibre simulated clinker moulded dinghy with a lug sail rig. She was built by Alan Staley of Chambers Wharf, Faversham.
She was launched in the autumn of 1994 and given a brief trial sail in the gathering gloom on a Saturday evening. Her name, thought up by my good ship-mate, is carved onto a name board – Twitch… The little thing is loved by all who have sailed aboard Whimbrel since that date giving huge pleasure. She has enabled me to potter into many inaccessible places too over the years when I have been busy investigating for my books.
Twitch under the capable helm of New Zealander Paul Mullings off Boynton Dock in the Butley River…
Since 1994 the dinghy has been covered over with the original cover made by Wilkinson Sails (then of Conyer) of Faversham. Over the years the cover has been cleaned and treated with a proprietary canvas proofing treatment, and on a couple of occasions, repaired.
Aft end of old cover with Christobel’s mast top sock!
Gradually the old cover began to shrink! I thought about getting a section let in at the aft end, but my good ship-mate said, ‘get a new one…’ I didn’t need any further encouragement. Lets face it twenty-five years isn’t bad for a bit of canvas!
I measured up the dinghy and produced a drawing for a sail maker – choosing Wilkinson Sails. P.S. the dinghy, we discovered, is actually 9′ 3″ upon measuring!
So, on ‘passage’ to Deal (lovely town) for a land holiday earlier this autumn we stopped off for a night in Faversham (no hardship) to drop the drawing off and show the sail maker the old cover – useful: for questions arose!
A few weeks ago, we popped over to Kent to collect the finished cover, but I’ve only just got round to fitting it.
Twitch with her new fitted cover…I had a ‘tail’ fitted to aft end so that it could wrap round top of mast which pokes out past the transom. It has worked!
I have to say, the new cover fits a treat. I was a little worried: I’d dispensed with a ‘bit of string’ in the fold back along the lower edge of the skirt.
I shall now sit back and see how it gets on over this winter. It doesn’t show signs of having any ‘droop’ – note cover on dinghy next door and its pool of water forward…
Happy Christmas Twitch, and too, to all at Wilkinson Sails…
During last month I had a three monthly blood test and a visit to my oncologist … I can honestly say I was a little daunted by the hospital visit: I have little or no way of knowing how things are other than that I’ve had little in way of any reaction to the radio therapy treatment which ended in mid May.
Broad open skies near Bradwell
A week before my hospital visit we did just short of an eight mile walk taking in another section of St Peter’s Way … walking has kept me going as well as sailing, of course – my wife and family too, obviously! We generally walk anything up to twenty miles each week. I haven’t been able to reach the peak distances we were doing a little over a year ago: energy levels are still lower.
A happy skipper…
Walking on the southern side of Great Baddow near Chelmsford.
I heard with a little disbelief during the autumn about Rod Stewart’s ‘battle’ with prostate cancer. His wife announced that Rod had been given the ‘all clear’ from the disease. Few knew anything about this, but apparently Rod discovered that he’d got this problem some three to four years ago. The ‘all clear’ would tell me that he finished his treatment two years ago.
I would like to talk to him: it would have been good if he’d been open about it … his saying to men, ‘get tested’ is something many would take notice of for many of us have ‘grown up together’ through his music.
Then a BBC breakfast TV presenter (Bill Turnbull) came out with a documentary about how he is dealing with prostate cancer …
All of a sudden, all over the media and on adverts there are warnings to men, yet, still surgeries are not offering tests to men!
The waterfront down in Old Leigh by the Belton Way Boat Club … when on a autumn wander…
A family visit took us into the border lands between Kent and Surrey. On the way home we came back down the old A225, a very scenic road passing through pretty villages dotted along the Darent Valley floor. At Eynsford we stopped for a walk around and found a cafe serving a very tasty soup.
The ford and bridge beside a converted mill below Eynsford’s Saint Martin’s church.
My appointed day arrived and I trundled off to the hospital with my good mate in tow. Appointments were running an hour and a quarter late!
I was eventually called and in came my oncologist … towards the end of the meeting he asked about my ‘elections’ as Christobel began to ask what, I swung into action, realising what he’d meant in a slip of the tongue: my response (rubbing her knee and saying how good she was) caused Christobel much embarrassment and the poor ‘old’ doctor shook his head, whilst rubbing his brow.
It was a happy meeting. My PSA level has dropped to 0.06 and I have been placed on a six monthly testing regime. Other medication will continue for the planned duration into the middle of 2020.
So, with happy hearts we left the hospital feeling on top of the world.
It is important to keep a positive mind on these things. I’m sure the attitude I struck upon at the beginning has helped enormously. I’m thankful to for the dedication and shared trust with the treatment department too. It is a ‘no holds barred’ situation with NO secrets!
So it was onward with a lighter feeling into the autumn.
On a visit to Faversham to pick up a new dinghy cover I popped into Alan Staley’s shed for a natter…
The Edith May
On the way home we dropped into Lower Halstow to drop off a book … lunching at the convivial Three Tuns. I couldn’t resist a visit to the dock where the Edith May has been stripped for winter.
On a recent Sunday, with bad weather in the outlook forecasts, we skipped the last service before Advent and went off for an early morning sail and communed out there on the water…
Early morning reflections on the lower Thames…
It was a quiet sail, at first, then a breeze set in and we romped along, homeward bound…
During this period we have also completed the last section of the St Peter’s Way on the Dengie Peninsular. On part of the walk, we followed the higher ‘reaches’ of Asheldham Brook which eventually flows out onto the sandy wastes between the Crouch and Blackwater.
What passes for a raging torrent in Essex…
Then, as autumn came to a very damp end for many across our country, I said to Christobel that it was a good time for an ‘over-nighter’ to the River Medway. Times of tides made Queenborough reachable before dusk … she declined (!) so I went alone … she later regretted this!
Sailing in Twitch back to Whimbrel at sunset after paying my dues…
A pint (or two) in the Admiral’s Arm was enjoyed…
Next morning dawned foggy, I departed two hours after my planned time!
Outside Queenborough harbour the sun sparkled and in the Medway the fog bank was clear to see…
I enjoyed a cracking sail back across the Thames, dropping sail outside my creek and continuing straight into the mooring.
We’re now in the meteorological winter and to celebrate I offered a friend a sail … the ‘poor’ chap hasn’t had use of his own vessel this year and has now enjoyed his fourth sail this autumn. It is the least I could do.
Down the setting sun…
It was an enchanting late afternoon sail which came to an end as the evening drew in.
Ghosting home…
It is moments like these that drive home the blessings of the world around us and the sanctity of life and the need to preserve what we have…
A sublime moment…
Yes, the world is a better place at this end of 2019 than it was in the last one. I have much to be thankful for.
Hi All, some of you out there may have followed ‘stuff’ on my facebook account as well as on here – I know of at least a few! Anyway, due to a suspicious activity, I have suspended my account. Sorry!
To compensate … here are a few pictures from an early morning sail from my mooring within Smallgains Creek.
We departed a little after 0800 … enjoying bacon sandwiches!
Wonderful light reflections…
It was so quiet … with gentle zephyrs.
Then the breeze set in, giving us a grand finale to our morning’s work!
I’ve been meaning to pop down to Old Leigh for a wander around the yard that was once Johnson & Jago. It is now styled as, Lower Thames Marina. There are mud berths to ‘floating’ pontoons and berths used by live-a-boards. The big shed is used for boat repairs whilst the yard’s eastern hard-standing is largely given over to craft under owner repairs and winter layup.
It is a little while since I’ve had ‘this’ wander about. Within the layup area were a number of old friends which came out of the water, in some cases, years ago. I’m certain I did a blog way back, so it can be found by scrolling back…
I dropped into the yard first of all, smiling broadly at a man that looked my way and waving. I walked round a few vessels that have, quite frankly, been out for some years. There is a clinker cutter, shapely, of 23 to 24 feet with a well raked transom. Not sure of her class, if there is one, but she is deteriorating. Her cockpit cover has given up and rain water will be pooled in her bilges. Sad. Anyway, I cam in to find a little barge yacht, Come at Last, which was rescued by a member of the little boat club just east of this yard.
The Come at Last well wrapped for the winter…
Close by this fine old barge yacht sits another. She’s now been fully covered over: I understand she’s due for a rebuild. She’s the Heron Lee, a barge yacht dating to 1913 and built by Robertson’s of Woodbridge on the River Deben. She has pedigree and it would be good to see her afloat again.
A friend had told me that a Finesse 21 was out here too. I soon found her. She’s Cumulus, a gunter rigged sloop, which is unusual. The owner has had problems with leakage around the cabin sides for some while and has decided to renew the ‘top hamper’ completely. The task is being helped along by a previous owner (Now with a nice little Seaking). Both belong to the little boat club I mentioned … they’re a caring helpful band.
My contact said that if Alan (Platt) the builder of these craft were deceased, he’d be turning in his grave … why, I thought: surely he’d be absolutely delighted that effort was being made to keep another of ‘his’ boats alive. And this is the thing, usually anything is fixable on a wooden boat if done before too much damage is done. If one has the skills, costs can be kept well below those form a yard…
The bow of Cumulus
Looking into the main cabin – I peeped under the cover…
Looking forward into main cabin – access to focsle is the ‘dark’ area beyond centre plate case and table assembly.
Leaving the yard I wandered towards the little club hut of the boat club. I spotted the barge yacht Calluna resting on her laurels, shut down for the winter. She’s owned by a sailing acquaintance who once owned the little Nancy Grey, a lovely wooden barge yacht now based in Faversham, Kent.
Calluna, a fine little ship…
The owner of Calluna took her down to Bristol this last summer. Amazingly, he bumped into my sister whilst passing though Devizes. It took him just a few moments to connect us by a ‘barge’ comment from my sister. I met the chap in the club hut and we had a little chuckle about it! For his trip, the mast was left ashore and she came home on a lorry … but the owner and his wife had a fabulous time.
Laying off the beach are two other Finesse 21s – Penny, out on the flats beyond the creek ditch and Seamew, closest in the picture below.
Seamew and Penny (beyond) awaiting the tide…
I didn’t go any further along the front: I got chatting, as like-minded sailors do and time flew.
It was time to high-tail it home to get the soup on for lunch: the Mate would be back from meeting old pals over coffee, feeling hungry!
Yes, its good to get out and look around like this, although I often feel saddened by what I see, there is often a happiness too in seeing a loved craft being rejuvenated…
Well over two years ago I sent Yachting Monthly an article discussing what goes on in a salt marsh creek yacht club’s work party: very often the yachting press covers the good deeds of ‘club officers’, but it is rare, if unknown, for the guys (boys and girls) who do what is needed to make the club operate…
So, I wrote about it and the result has been a guest column!
The biography of me has been intermixed with a lady though … I wrote to YM and said, ‘I know I’m on medication for my prostate cancer, but hadn’t realised I’d changed sex … and my wife can assure you that all is in order!’ The editor said they’ll get it right next time…
It provided a good laugh for the guys and gals in my club’s work party: they nicknamed be ‘Nicola’!
‘No boats…’ my mate said, when we booked a holiday in East Kent – an area briefly looked into many years ago on a flying visit to Sandwich. With the Isle of Thanet, the eastern part of Kent is oft forgotten as a place of interest. We had a thoroughly good time and saw some amazing sights…
Boats: yes, I found lots! Some in museums and others sitting either disused or fit for purpose.
I’ll start with Broadstairs (close by Ramsgate), where we walked down through the town’s entrance gate – once fortified against pirates and the French. The term ‘gate’ in these Eastern Kent place names harps to there being an entrance to the land from the sea. The gate led down onto the tiny harbour. This was a place much loved by Dickens and his old house sits overlooking the sea above the harbour in Viking Bay.
A fairly modern motor fishing launch, probably used for crabbing.
On the harbour top was a clinker launch in fairly good condition. It was being used as a ‘money box’ though and it was unclear if she had ceased to function as a fishery vessel. She had sturdy lines with, as can be seen, with a good rise in sheer to her high bow.
On one of our days, we spent it walking Deal … along the beach were a few older style fishing boats, some in a poor condition. There were several grp modern boats, but had the look of ‘day fishing’ types.
Lady Irene is of a typical type..
Note the lute stern, that is a counter stern built around the transom, which was decked over. Bit like a buoyancy tank…
Looking aft inside the Lady Irene. Note the wide beam and pinched stern – not unlike a 1970 cruiser/racer!
The other thing to note about the Lady Irene is that her tiller is clearly designed to move around a transom stepped mast for a lug sail. Note the ‘U’ kink…
This clinker launch looked pretty ordinary: it could of hailed from any part of our coasts. Her engine has been removed.
This old girl has the look of ‘Hastings’ but pretty standard for the Channel coasts of Kent. Her days look numbered.
Note the traditional step for boarding and alighting when launching and beaching…
This mini-model looked more loved…
Later, we found our way to The Deal Maritime Museum where there are a number of old craft on display.
A Deal Galley – Saxon King.
The Deal galley was a long open boat very similar to the Cornish Gig. They would be between 27 and 32 ft in length with fine lines. There were up to four or six oars. They also be fitted with a mast with a dipping lug. They were clinker built with elm planking on ash frames. They were generally used to take pilots to and from ships lying in the downs. Often the galleys would hook onto a ship and be towed along without the ship stopping – not unusual: this is still the basic method used by modern pilot boats, although powering alongside, not attaching…
An old ships’ lifeboat from the Southend Britannia, a estuary pleasure ferry which went out to the Dunkirk beaches.
This old ships’ lifeboat called Tender Too from the Southend Britannia. The boat lifted men from the Dunkirk beaches in 1940.
Outside in an uncovered yard is another larger collection of old boats. I am afraid to say that this is not the best place for them: they are slowly but surely decaying by an onslaught of sun and rain – fresh water, yes, the enemy of all wooden craft.
In the outside area there was no information boards at all…
This is a ‘whaler’ type…
These two pictures shows what can happen if exhibits are placed in such conditions…
I would have liked to have found out more information about these ‘out-door’ craft.
Unless something is done to preserve these craft in a proper manner, then I don’t believe they’ll be around in a decade. This is one of the problems that these small provincial museums have, sadly.
The museum is certainly worthy of a visit for it covers the town of Deal too.
