The last time Whimbrel came out of the water we suffered from exceedingly bad treatment from a large minority of Island Yacht Club members and we ended up leaving our club of forty years…
There was a little more to it than that: it rekindled the rancour following a complaint we’d made about a ‘RIB Bombing’ by an Island YC RIB, out of spite, following which the club and a protagonist – the RIB driver – were issued with Port of London Authority written warnings.
Last Tuesday, I went for a sail on my own. We’d both been out on the previous Saturday when I thought we’d hit something with the prop leaving the berth. All seemed well: we’d sailed away.
Preparing for that sail…
So, as the tide made, I began edging astern. The boat didn’t move! I went ahead. All well… I tried astern again, nothing. I then lifted the cockpit floor boards – the shaft was turning both ways normally…
I went astern again, nothing. Tried again, I was away… However, I wasn’t entirely happy.
Clear of moorings and sailing, although engaged, the prop shaft was spinning. I felt over the stern with the boat hook.
A ‘Clatter, clatter, clatter’ was heard and felt. Key, I thought…
Sailing back into our Blackwater Marina mooring on a different occasion.
The wind was in a good direction to sail back into the mooring under headsail, so thinking, ‘sooner than later’ dropped the main and scuttled back in, berthing nicely. I was pleased I’d sailed in on a number of occasions already!
The following day eschewing a walk, we both went over to the boat while the tide was out. I went overboard on a walking plank and discovered it was as thought. Clearly the key had failed!
Into the slings…
A conversation with the yard’s manager, Beccs Polden, and it was quickly arranged for Whimbrel to be lifted the next day – I had two weeks…
Bottom being pressure washed with a ‘serious’ washer!
The prop was soon off, then the yard pressure washed the boat’s bottom, which comes with a lift. As a mooring holder, yard time out of season is not invoiced, which is nice.
Removed propeller with part of ‘sliced’ key still in key way.
Remains of the key was soon removed from propeller and shaft. Fortunately I had a piece of bronze, long ago picked up in the gravel of a boatyard down on the Swale. Beccs gave me a telephone number for a local engineering firm (Millers and turners) – chap said come along…
Cleaved key from shaft.
Arriving at the works just a couple of miles away on the edge of Latchingdon, the owner/manager set to and milled up my chunk of bronze (reckoned to be phosphor bronze) and within less than an hour I had a new key that fitted snuggly into propeller keyway.
Joe Owen Machinists – 01621 740308
I was very grateful and had a long natter next day when taking in my payment… Chap had some interesting tales to tell of east coast traipsing.
Final word to me: ‘Keep sailing as long as you can…’
New key, with one end rounded to fit shaft in readiness to cut to length.
After refitting the propeller, I left it twenty-four hours and again hardened up the nut before re-drilling the safety split pin hole.
So, the ‘panic’ job was done within thirty-six hours!
The yard manager had dangled the prospect of time to do antifouling in front of us and after putting the question to my good mate, we’d decided to get the bottom antifouled while out rather than in just two months time on the slipway.
The weather being reasonably conducive, just, allowed for a coat of varnish round the transom, rudder and shearstrakes, these were sanded and given two coats.
The varnish work was given a good 180 grit sand to flatten off from our post strip down coats of last year.
All the usual out of water checks were made too: two lower pintle strap fastenings withdrawn and inspected, hull fittings for ‘brightness’ – that is looking for dezincification, centre plate pivot bolt renewal (very low wastage) and checking of lifting wire riveted pin condition.
Note bright metal lower side of intake.
While I was carrying out the checks and redrilling of the shaft, Christobel hit the antifouling…
Removed centre plate pivot bolt.My happy and contented bottom manager gets down to the serious stuff…
The hull topsides were checked over and a few odd paint repairs were completed too.
Aft end looking resplendent…
Although the bulk of the bottom paint application is carried out by my good mate, she leaves the cutting in to me!
Secured and polished propeller…lift wire and pin inspection.
So, within a week of being lifted out, Whimbrel was ready for the water.
It was interesting sitting between the yard’s tide flood gates and the painted yellow hatched foot path guide lines: a fair number of people stopped to admire and comment or ask questions. Christobel said I should have put up the ‘Finesse class board’ I’d made and used at events…
What was pleasing was that no one asked if she was a Dauntless! Several knew Whimbrel’s pedigree, and one person knew of me … ‘nothing bad he said…’
Another chap, a boat builder/repairer who works on projects in the yard said that Whimbrel was the finest Finesse he had looked over…
Flattery!
Sitting awaiting the natural feel of ‘Blackwater salt’ surrounding her…
Arriving at the yard at 0825 yesterday morning, Thursday 7th, Whimbrel was already hoisted from her chocks. That last inspection of the lifting pin done, a touch of antifouling on chock patches and we were back in the water and on our mooring by 0905…
Back on the mooring.
It was a little misty with a keen easterly, so we chose not to go off for a short sail, so after checking the bilges – no ingress – we cleared away homewards for a pleasant late morning walk in the sunshine around our local woods…
All there is left to say is thank you to the kindness and attention of the yard’s staff.
The other over riding joy was the fact that not a single vehicle ‘burnt past at speed’ showering the boat and us in dust and debris: that sort of behaviour is not tolerated.
P.S. Christobel took great delight in deleting ‘Antifoul weekend’ in our diary for May!
The responsibilities of a boat’s skipper was brought home in the news the other day and the story would, surely, be a bit of a surprise to many.
Small craft owners, whether sailors or motorboaters will know that underway, the skipper is in charge and not only that, is responsible, under law, for the well being of others aboard.
The law of the sea was clearly not understood by a refugee who elected to be in charge of a boat attempting to cross the English Channel during 2022. The boat, like many, came apart and several fellow refugee seekers died. The ‘skipper’ was charged with manslaughter and has since been tried under English law and convicted. It is the first time this has been done…
The MCA (the UK maritime authority) showed a mock up of the typical ‘safety’ gear carried, the gear amounted to, dinghy sailor buoyancy jackets, a bailer, couple of 5 L fuel cans and not much more.
I wonder how many boaters ‘play’ at this responsibility in respect to what the MCA and other organisations recommend?
The only organisation we now belong to is the RNSA…
The MCA and other organisations have recommendations about what should be carried by certain sized vessels – in the big ship world I worked in there are regular checks by statutory authorities – us mere boaters aren’t, unless chartering. But those recommendations if not complied with in a sufficiency can and will bite if an incident occurs…
This is how it is done aboard Whimbrel – an A5 notebook makes an admirable log book…
How many people keep a log of an activity, however small. A sail out on the tide can be as dangerous as a coastal passage. The MCA is quite clear and they use the words, You SHALL… (and there is a list).
As the winter has run along, bits of Whimbrel’s safety gear have been checked, serviced or renewed.
‘Burning’ off the boathook varnish.
Although not an item many would consider to be part of the safety kit, the humble boat hook surely is in many respects. Ours needed stripping of old coats and has been re-varnished.
Re-varnishing in progress – conservatory is purloined as a drying room!
We still carry flares pack for coastal sailing – currently in date and dry inside waterproof container…
The spare life jackets have come home for cleaning, checking over – making sure auto-inflation parts are screwed in tight and in date (although I am told by providers that provided considered fit for purpose, these can run over). Jackets are inflated for 24 hours before packing into covers.
Inflated life jackets…Next day – still inflated!
The skipper’s and mate’s life jackets get same treatment.
After the spring chart corrections come out, the chart sets held aboard will be corrected.
How many boaters still carry paper charts, I wonder? How many keep a record of where one is when on passage? The MCA say ‘You SHALL…’
Not a safety item as such, but essential for helm comfort.
Of course, there are other safety related items, but I do not wish to bore, but make a point, jog inactivity or just keep my readers amused…
As each year rolls over into the next, the numbers of small craft, fibre glass boats on the whole, abandoned by owners has grown steadily. Old wooden boats get abandoned too, however, these, in time, will break down and in any case, as a last resort an owner can ‘safely’ burn.
I wrote an article about this problem in a magazine, now long out of print, back in 2010. It was published in Anglia Afloat in the May/June 2011 issue.
At that time I had not seen anything in the press about the growing problem that was clearly there to be seen, however, over the past decade it has become a hottish issue with even the BBC getting in on the act. See inside one of the two web blog links below.
Walking the sea wall from Maldon to Heybridge Basin this weekend I photographed the head of Heybridge Creek (River Blackwater) where there is a plethora of dumped craft – wooden on the whole – and running round to Herring Point there were a couple of abandoned fibreglass yachts and what appeared to be an old plywood cruiser. In the back channel two old sailormen idly rust and rot away…
Head of the tidal River Blackwater (Heybridge Creek) with its wrecks…
There have been trials with chopping fibreglass up and reusing it – this was not very successful. Another trial was trialing chopping up the glass and fibres and ‘extracting them’ for reuse. This seemed to be working small scale – upscaling hasn’t as far as I know hit the sector yet…
A little cruiser in the throes of disintegration.
Meanwhile around the world, for this is a global phenomenon, authorities are becoming agitated…
Abandoned and stripped out…
A Woodbridge boatyard has for years been into the brokerage of small cruising vessels – of the type most brokers wouldn’t even look at. The yard can be found by the rail station!
Abandoned…
Now, a boat breakers based in Gosport, have begun a service where they match people with abandoned projects. The company has been disposing of craft for nearly twenty years it says and they have had some success in these endeavours.
Whilst I applaud the Gosport company, I would ask: what is the success rate of a match? However, they’re doing something – similar in my view to the Woodbridge enterprise.
One thing is certain, it will not be long before some form of legislation comes into the arena – it will affect us all.
Titchmarsh Marina Yard has for a while now been clearing their yard of abandoned craft. All fittings are removed – wooden boats are cut up for burning and fibreglass vessels are cut into pieces and go off into landfill…
Other yards are active in these endeavours too. Yacht clubs will need to step up and do likewise!
The operators of my new home berth have announced in their regular news letter that unclaimed dinghies will be disposed of and a process is being put into place to remove the craft of non-payers (mooring fees). Some of these craft have clearly loitered for some time. One appears in my article!
The big smack, Telegraph, along the wall near Heybridge Basin.
Along the sea wall near Heybridge Basin sits a big old wooden smack, the Telegraph. She has languished for years on the river – firstly for a couple of decades along the promenade at Maldon and more recently in a mud berth from which she ay never leave down stream.
The vessel is subject to possible ‘enforced’ sale but the owner as far as I am aware is not ‘playing’ – apparently there was (is) a buyer. This is a common problem. The UK Ships Heritage organisation is aware, but they are powerless.
Looking at the Telegraph this weekend, it was clear that her hull is out of shape with a hogged deck line especially to starboard and it was apparent that she does not often lift in her berth judging by hull/mud lines…
A few days into the New Year and an email tumbled from my letter box from a reader of my latest book, Sailing through life…
The chap and his wife have been in regular contact over the past decade or so and upon the sad death from cancer of a sister, they had donated her collection of my works to a prestigious London Yacht Club they belonged to – the Little Ship Club.
I remember meeting the lady not long before her death for Richard had asked for a couple of books and on a research trip to Kent (for Rochester to Richmond) we detoured to their home. Richard’s wife’s family were part of the ‘Parker’ clan of Bradwell – farmers and barge owners, May Flower and Veronica included.
Richard’s sister was being read ‘Salt Marsh & Mud’ by the couple during her lucid ‘well’ periods… That in itself left me rather choked. It was a reminder of childhood and adult sailing times in the waters of the Lower Thames, Medway and Swale waterways.
However, their words humbled me. It was tinged with much gratitude too at their taking the trouble to actually say something…
This is the content:
‘Hi Nick, Firstly, a very Happy and Healthy New Year to you and Christobel.
I’ve just finished reading your latest book that you kindly posted to me before Christmas. Personally, I think it is the best of all your great works and was a real page turner.
The advice that you give about prostate cancer and regular checks – I have my annual blood test for it on the 18th -is so important and I just hope that your readers take proper notice and follow up with their own checks.
As you might imagine, both Sue and I greatly miss Greenwitch and the east coast and so your writings take on an even greater value to us both as our sailing life recedes further into the past.
The wonderful thing about all your books is their ability to be read and re-read again and again without losing any of their charm. In that sense, they compare very much with Maurice Griffith, H. Alker Tripp and, of course, the great Frank Cowper.
We both send to the two of you our very best wishes and our heartfelt hope that you now remain fit and well. With best regards, Richard & Sue‘
Richard and Sue have with much sadness sold their beloved Cornish Cutter (30′) Greenwitch and hung up their sailing boots. Age and health issues caught up with them, as it will us all, but they live the life through their enjoyment of sailing and coastal literature.
Thank you seems not to be enough, but it is the simplest and most heartfelt…
Austin Macauley YouTube clip for book:
Books are available online, at book shops and through me…
At the beginning of 2023, although the mate and I were unhappy with the way the Island Yacht Club on Canvey Island were treating our ‘boy’ and that we have never forgiven the club at the way we had been treated over a ‘problem’ in 2019, we weren’t about to cast off and sail away permanently…
We were keeping a low profile whilst continuing as club volunteers with a continuous need for mooring repairs.
Sailing out of Smallgains Creek during early January.
We had a major ‘fortieth’ year refit planned for Whimbrel during the spring. it being forty years since the boat was ordered. I also had an impending new knee operation and an unknown was how long I would need to recuperate. It was going to be tight, possibly.
The year began with a refit for the main companionway hatch. This was written about at the time.
The refurbished companionway hatch.
As always, we fitted our lives around the joys of walking and sailing, plus our weekly Saturday club work party. Little did we know, this latter ‘joy’ was nearing an abrupt end.
A wintery scene at the top of Fenn Creek, S. Woodham Ferrers.Waiting for the kettle…
At the beginning of March, my youngest brother jumped at the chance to come sailing – something that has become almost a rite of passage over the past few years. Two nights were bagged in fine weather. We made it to Queenborough and to Upnor, enjoying great sailing.
Sailing off the Medway YC pontoon…
During the spring I was reminded of the honour ‘bestowed’ upon me by Yachting Monthly the previous year. I was, in their opinion, one of twenty-five people who’d furthered yachting around the UK and beyond. It came up in conversation at a work party – few knew and even less cared, apart from the enquirer!
The Island Yacht Club themselves, although told at the time, followed the award up with complete silence…
Our faces had never fitted. An old hand took me aside years ago and suggested we got out – as he himself did not so long afterwards (based at Brightlingsea now) If not in with a certain corp, then you were a nothing. We were generally happy with that situation, as are the majority of club members around and about.
My knee op was looming and it wasn’t long before I was under the knife…
On an early exercise walk…
I wasn’t out of action for long and with the exercises and day by day longer walks was up to five kilometres at the fifth week of convalescence. At that point, we booked a date for Whimbrel to be lifted out.
It was a little under eight weeks after my knee op that the boat was set on chocks ashore. During the work period – just four weeks – I had a bout of trouble with blood pressure medication caused by my GP Practice.
Further, we had problems with club members treating the compound as a race track with resultant dust clouds coating boat with fresh coatings taking place. Signs did nothing. Finally, I made an official complaint, verbally at first then formally in writing. That caused a stir… Old wounds were opened and vengeance against us was sniffed (and, privately, alluded to).
Our 2019 RIB perpetrators were now the head honchos of the club…
Whimbrel ready for the water.
The problems caused me angst and my disturbed sleepless nights returned – these began after the 2019 RIB bombing and then being bullied (cowered) into ‘shutting up’ about it all … during my cancer treatment…
There are some ‘nice’ people at the Island Yacht Club.
So, with my sister and two friends aboard (for their week of sailing) Whimbrel departed the Island Yacht Club for good.
As we left, I had just one look back down the line of creek buoys – buoys that I had looked after for fifteen years overseeing upgrade from painted drums to proper pucker floats… Never mind the estimated £100, 000 of Saturday work hours freely given. Now, it seems: for what!
Within a week of sailing away, my mind cleared and I was freed to sleep almost normally. It was magical. A leaden sinker miraculously became buoyant and the trauma suffered with the RIB attack and its aftermath floated free and drifted away on the tide…
Sailing away from Smallgains Creek – we never return.
One of my biggest regrets is the ‘joy’ I put into my writing about Smallgains Creek and our club mooring: they feature throughout all my estuary books. I don’t read back through them and probably never will.
Will I write about Whimbrel’s forty years at the Island Yacht Club sometime, maybe … maybe from another base, maybe!
Having booked a permanent berth at The Blackwater Marina before departing the Thames, we visited, as we oft had over the years, for a stopover. In fact we came in several times during the summer – for the last two visits the manager refused to charge us as we were about to pay our berthing charge. She said, it was ours in any case!
Very kind…
Whimbrel on a visit to what was to be ‘our’ berth…
On one visit with a flat calm, we motored past all the creek navigation buoys and marked them on the satnav whilst noting numbers/names. Later I inputted the details. Useful: however, they’re treated as a guide now for Whimbrel has found her liking for these waters…
It should be remembered that Lawling and Mayland Creek have been thoroughly explored by dinghy as well as on Whimbrel over many years and has been written about (Yachting Monthly and in my books).
During our time up on the Backwaters, Stour and Orwell, we popped into Suffolk Yacht Harbour to meet up with a cousin, a son of my mother’s brother, who had had a passion for sailing but never had a large boat. Retired, he has taken the plunge.
Christobel with my cousin and his wife next to the acquisition.
Their daughter, up on the boat’s deck, had sailed the Round Ireland Race recently and with her skipper won their class… The boat was sailed up to Inverness with a skipper aboard, then by family with friends down the Caledonian to the West Coast and down to Tarbert transiting the Crinan… My cousin is promising me a sail from Tarbert next year!
We had an interesting departure from Titchmarsh during August: Christobel had a ‘whoopsie’…
Briefly: The boat was all prepared for departure with sails ready to hoist – we were going to sail out.
Clearing Titchmarsh marina under sail…
As Whimbrel began going astern out of berth, Christobel stepped onto deck edge, late, forward of shrouds, slipped and ended up hanging down side of boat from the top rail wire!
I had to manoeuvre further astern to get the turn back in, whereupon a couple of helpers took her. She got wet, finally…
The episode and changing lasted ten minutes, and we sailed out cleanly at second attempt!
New Zealander, Paul Mullings had five days aboard – here passing the famous Pye End at sun rise…
While berthed at Halfpenny Pier at Harwich, a large forty-foot boat struck Whimbrel’s port bow a glancing blow. A stanchion base was deformed. However, later when looking closely, the deck edge had been stressed too.
Repairs to deck edge – re-securing and then epoxy coating…
We wandered up into Colchester’s Hythe using the city authorities conveniently placed pontoon for a couple nights. It is a lovely spot if mud isn’t a problem to you. The creek bed provides a feeding ground for much intermixed bird life – waders competing with many types.
The Wivenhoe SC played hast to us a couple of times, once with a fellow Finesse 24, Windsong. It was after that visit we attended a small rally of our class at Brightlingsea…
The summer dawdled on, we took life easy in all respects for I was being very careful with my new knee!
Approaching Stansgate Point on a sultry day with a zephyr of a breeze…
There were days when we sat at a mooring or at anchor just allowing life to carry on around. There was much reading enjoyed by both…
The latter part of the summer was spent dawdling up to Maldon and around the Blackwater to West Mersea. It was blissful. Then, the summer had to end!
Moving into early autumn, we had an enjoyable balmy weekend away to see the Colne Barge and Smack matches – something I had never experienced, then a cousin and my youngest brother spent a cracking weekend aboard, taking in West Mersea and Brightlingsea with a wonderful romp home up the Blackwater.
When stowing our gear, with the two boys, I dropped our weekend egg supply! They fell into the fore cabin bilge which made interesting cleaning, clearing the ‘white’ especially from under the ribs!!
Morning coffee at that delightful cafe opposite West Mersea church – note the eggs…Reefed main romp back from Brightlingsea.
After the trip with the two boys, the dinghy was stowed on its trolley and ‘berthed’ in the marina storage area, where in time, much varnish work was stripped back and coats built up. The oars, rudder, and dagger board were serviced at home. Finally the inside was repainted … ready for the new season.
The dinghy overhaul received many admiring glances and questions as to her origin…
During the autumn we got out as the weather (and space) allowed, getting away under sail, and, on a sultry afternoon, I sailed back into the berth single handed too…
Sailing out of our mooring past the manager’s floating home.A quick snap as I came into the berth – I have a short line which can be hitched to outer cleat, holding Whimbrel… The fendering on pontoon is perfect.
During the middle of the autumn, my latest book, ‘Sailing through life…’ finally came out.
See:
On our jaunts out on the boat and further walking exercises round the borders of Lawling and Mayland creeks, it became obvious that the area was a hotbed of overwintering birds. Many species of duck and of course the ubiquitous Brent goose!
Huge swirls of dunlin, knot and other waders (usually mixed up) have regularly been witnessed while sailing in the creek.
One thing was sure, I wasn’t missing out on the spectacles oft seen down off the end of Canvey Island. (A place I now rarely have the need to go…)
A huge flock of brent flew over the mast and out over the saltings.
So, how do we feel in our new home?
Happy. At peace. No stress. No hassles. No bullying or the threats of. Manager remarked that she’d suffered workplace bullying and in its unlikely occurrence, to report immediately…
Yes, we miss the chaps we worked with on the work parties, but the rest of the rot, not one jot.
We’ve still to ‘test’ the yard hard for our spring bottom refit (antifouling), but the manager has assured us it should all be to our satisfaction.
We feel blessed with our lot.
The Blackwater Marina under a moody sky.
Back in 2010 in the introduction to, ‘Mudlarking – Thames Estuary Cruising Yarns‘, published by Amberley, I wrote:
‘The pleasures of an arrival in a creek fringed with saline plants, with their heady scents of summer, are enough for this sailor and his mate. The sight of traditional craft, smacks, old wooden yachts, classics or otherwise, or the ubiquitous, evocative spritsail barge adds immensely to the aura: to fetch up with any of these, in the same anchorage, adds timelessness…‘
Well, we are now berthed within ‘that paradise’ – I should have moved us three years ago, we realise this now…
Finally, Whimbrel and her crew would like to wish all readers a very happy New Year and a peaceful coexistence with those around you.
Calor’s crazy decision of a couple years back now caused more than a stir in the boating circles, but it was in the caravan and motorhome world that the storm of dissent was loudest, and, earliest onto the block.
Whimbrel’s gas locker arrangements.
I tried my luck with the traditional boating press to no avail before getting the South Coast sailing news to do a piece.
As for the Royal Yachting Association, they were initially non starters with seemingly little care, ignorant in their response to myself, until finally a ‘Calor’ statement was published by them last April – I had disposed of my forty plus year membership by then!
So, as someone who had only one choice to make when supplies of the ‘small’ calor cylinders ceased, that was to change to the smaller and more expensive Campingaz, I have kept my ear to the ground.
Fortunately, we built up a bottle reserve and found a supplier who ‘never ran out’ of the 3.9/4.5 cylinder sizes.
Then from my friend in Aukland, New Zealand came a tip off…
A snippet of news on the East Coast Pilot site – not a place I visit often. So I went trawling towards the caravan brigade for they have been very proactive.
I found and interesting item. From Admin of the Caravan and Motorhome chat pages:
‘Seems Calor have u-turned on this one which is good news for many I am certain, from Calor:
In February we announced plans to streamline our cylinder range to phase out the 3.9kg propane and 4.5kg butane sizes.
Customers using these cylinder sizes, particularly in the boating and caravanning communities, told us they were frustrated by the limited availability of alternatives to these sizes of cylinder. We listened to their concerns and reviewed options for returning these cylinders back into circulation.
We’re now pleased to announce that we’ll continue to supply the 3.9kg propane and 4.5kg butane sizes.
What’s changed?
Since the announcement, we have continued to fill a small number of these cylinders. And, following recent modernisation to our filling centres, we can now increase the supply of these cylinders.
We’ll also start to refurbish and return cylinders back into the network to improve availability. This will take a little time as we are investing in a significant capacity increase in reconditioning facilities, but we’re working hard to return supply to normal as soon as possible.‘
It would appear that Calor are about to announce something: there is nothing other than the statements of early 2023 on pages currently.
Also: I know that many marinas have changed their supply lines and stock a greater amount of Campingaz, so, whether or not marinas will go back to Calor, if the pull out is rescinded, remains to be seen.
Stay alert!
Note: from fellow sailor, Brian, the Westerly Owners Association carries the same worded message.
A little while ago there was a warning in the ‘yachting press’ about boat safety and in particular safety on inland waterways craft.
This is nothing new: Marine Industry Federation and MAIB (Maritime accident investigation branch) of the MCA have raised concerns earlier this year.
While down in deepest ‘land locked’ Wiltshire recently visiting family in Devizes, we saw a blaze taking place whilst passing over the Kennet & Avon Canal. It turned out that a most serious fire had taken place aboard a canal boat moored near the road bridge.
Three pictures courtesy of Theresa Ardley
It is not known what caused the blaze, however, many of the occupants of these ‘live-aboards’ use wood for heating and gas for cooking. Stacks of wood are often seen atop the vessels as well as a miasma of other ‘junk’…
I was told that an intact gas bottle was seen floating by the wrecked vessel, indicating, perhaps, that it wasn’t a gas based conflagration.
It is pretty obvious that the inferno within caused partial destruction of the vessel as well as its sinkage – that, however, was most likely due to fire service flooding when combatting the blaze.
As soon as the book hit the streets, people began asking for signed copies, which is nice. Interestingly the hard copy was as much in demand as the soft cover …
I’ve had two glitches: a few weeks ago, I sent all my stock to Salty Dogs Christmas season shop in Maldon – fronted by Photographer Den Philips – keeping back copies to cover the orders I still had to fulfill.
I need to go back a ‘bag’ another couple of copies to keep punters happy!
I had one email saying:
‘I have bought several of your books as Christmas gifts and he (Dad) also enjoyed a recommendation I saw on your website for another boat book. Anyway, if you could sign a copy for him ‘Mike’ that would be much appreciated…’
Then this fairly fulsome piece from a lady on the the first half of her read…
‘I thought your first chapter was very thoughtful and encouraging to get men to get checked. It can’t have been easy writing about your feelings. I’ve told friends your story (a brief version) to encourage them too. I think of the time when you were going through it all and I can’t imagine what it must have been like for both of you in different ways. I’m just so glad you are so well now.’
Then, continuing:
‘I’ve read more and remember putting a bucket up the mast to go through the bridge in the Swale. Your time on the barge was so much nicer than a weekend I spent on Xylonite…
You provoke so many memories that I read the books twice to really enjoy the books properly usually with east coast rivers open too so I can see your route or a map for the walking.
Thank you for writing another one.’
Thank you!!
I had a card from a sailor in The Netherlands, thanking me for the safe arrival of a book, he said: ‘I have received your book in good condition! Now I am looking forward to a lot of reading pleasure…’
Another chap and his wife contacted asking for a signed copy, wrote:
‘I hope that you will keep sailing and writing those great books of yours because we’ll keep reading them!! ‘
A moody day on the Blackwater…
Yes, kind reader, I will keep sailing for as long as good grace and health coexist, I promise… As for further writing, hmm, I don’t know – too early yet.
And, thank you to all those who have so far bought a copy of this book, it is greatly appreciated.
Whilst away down in West Sussex a little while back during the early autumn, I alighted on a book that looked interesting in a historical way. Great Years in Yachting by John Nicholson. It was published by Nautical Publishing Ltd, of Lymington in 1970. It is therefore still under copyright and I acknowledge with thanks all photographs of book pages.
The book – bit jaded but completely intact.
This, of course, is the Nicholson of that famous Gosport (and Southampton) yacht designing and building fame. John is the son of Charles E. Nicholson, the doyen of yachting – designing, building and racing, as well as family cruising. The Nicholson’s owned and ran the firm of Camper and Nicholsons based adjacent to the Gosport/Portsmouth ferry.
Copy N0.2 – David Watts. Wonder who he was!
The book is ostensibly about Charles Nicholson and the life of the firm during his period of chairmanship (There were three brothers) – John assumed control in the fulness of time, retiring c 1970, but covers a little of the companies pre-history too.
The ‘great’ man…
The family yachts get a reasonable and interesting coverage. John and his sister Mary were clearly the sailors amongst the Nicholson siblings: they were regularly crewing…
Charles made the mistake of many a (gung-ho) sailor and frightened the wits out of his young wife and she rarely stepped foot aboard a yacht following a very bad passage…
How many people have done this, I wonder!
The family yachts during John’s younger years.
The shear size and volume of the Nicholson production at Gosport and Southampton was phenomenal. The Southampton yard was opened as yachts grew in size and, more importantly, draft. Gosport’s slip could manage up to 15′, just.
The Margharita of 1913. Eventually passed to Owner of shipping line, Reardon Smith and was converted for training use.
There is a chapter on ‘Captains and Skippers’… Up until after the cessation of hostilities of the second world war, crews were professional, although amateurs were creeping in. The early interlopers were generally termed ‘Hired Assassins’ or later, ‘pier-head jumpers’ to be kinder and less derogatory. The day of the professional was certainly cropped after a strike of the crew of a mid 1930s Americas Cup Challenger. She was essentially the better yacht, but still lost!
The Port of London Authority tender, Nore, in which the young Queen Elizabeth II was given a tour of the London River.
I was amazed at the attitude of ‘build at no expense’ and the huge alterations carried out after a year on the racing circuit, but, it must be remembered that the worth of such men as Tommy Sopwith and his industrial contemporaries was immense. Akin to the Oligarchs washing around today.
Charles E. Nicholson helming Candida against Britannia and Cambria. The deck edge is awash. The attire worn seems absolutely ridiculous today!
Charles Nicholson was involved with all of the Endeavour Americas Cup projects and the last, Endeavour II, was faster and technically better than the American vessel, however, the aluminium mast of Ranger gave her an advantage in less heel in the generally light wind sailing in which the cup was sailed…
The two Endeavours…One of the firm’s steam yachts.
Camper & Nicholsons not only built the big classes and steam/motor yachts, but 12, 8 and 6 metre vessels, as well as cruising vessels for the less wealthy, however, these were still on the large size if you compare to say a yacht from an east coast yard.
Two fine looking motor yachts.
The book ends with a short chapter on the ;Sound in the shipyard’ where John reminiscences on the lost cacophony produced by riveting, plate bending, hammering of the caulkers and the huge circular saws…
The firm moved with the times and a marina had filled the water off their Gosport Yard and they had slipped smoothly into the use of GRP.
The latter is not surprising for the firm had always been innovative using laminated timbers and diagonal planking etc throughout the early 1900s.
I was left with one huge overriding feeling of this lost world. The definite demarcation of the haves and have-nots – the ‘stench’ – not in a nasty way – of privilege…
Is it worth reading if you can find a copy, well, yes!
On the book’s launch day, a box packed full of the finished article arrived. Even though this is my seventh book, it was still an exciting moment to carefully open the box and lift out and hold a copy for the first time.
Holding a hard copy of Sailing through life…
It was a book that was very nearly ‘binned’ due huge angst I felt about the way a number of yachting folk treated me (us both actually) after I wrote a blog asking people not to go away sailing overnight when not allowed during the first Covid 19 period. This was termed the ‘Cummings Effect’ after that man’s lockdown failings – something which has already been raised at the public enquiry currently taking place under Baroness Hallett.
Interestingly, the enquiry will be covering, ‘…the effects transgressors had on the law abiding population…’
A local man publicly threatened to burn Whimbrel and admitted the fact to a yachting journalist, who, sadly, did not specifically talk to me about the incident. He later admitted that he should have listened to my truthful facts…
The ‘gentleman’ who made the threat was somebody who I once looked up to as a fellow spirit of the waters. He claimed I had informed the authorities about his transgression … an absolute and utter lie, as he well knows.
This came about after the Marine Section of Essex Police visited his yacht club wanting to speak to a number of boat crews about sailing away overnight for a weekend over Whitsun Bank Holiday, 2020. I strongly suspect that the informer, if there was one, was a member of that club: I was informed much later that club officers were scurrying around trying to stop boats going out!
At the time there were various yotty blog and Facebook ‘boasts’ doing the rounds with pictures of anchorages with boats and their AIS (automatic identification system) plots. Kent police ‘raided’ Queenborough, asking for help. Thames VTS had them too, surely. Stupid buggers!
One of my favourite yarns…
There was some vitriol on the ‘air waves’ too, by people who hadn’t even bothered to read my blog – they just wanted to wade in and vent their spleens.
There followed a vociferous and frightening verbal attack out on the water, the chap’s wife screamed at him to ‘stop it…’ Then, Essex Police treated the incidents as harassment…
All these people, to quote a news report I read, are no better than scum, essentially the cesspit of humanity. A damned good description.
I was still receiving my cancer treatment, so, ‘Thanks guys’, for they were all ‘men!’ You made our lives hell…
Inside, chapter 1, which is strong message to men and women about prostate cancer.
Following all of this, I completed magazine work that I had agreed to, but I have not written anything new for a magazine since, and current I remain in an indifferent mind to that world…
The book essentially covers my ‘battle’ with prostate cancer and is written as a severe warning to men: for me it was a close call…
There are various tales, some of which took place before my cancer and the over-lapping Covid period, others are tales and reminiscences during these episodes: both impinged in their own specific ways.
A day sailing aboard the Blue Mermaid.
We enjoyed a ‘mid-covid-breather’ day aboard the Sea Change Sailing Trust’s barge Blue Mermaid. It was a scintillating day with just another two ‘passengers’ crewing alongside the normal three. There were still certain ‘distancing’ rules in place where appropriate.
We enjoyed a little Finesse meet…
It’s during the last few chapters that I get into the nuts of what it was like, as a sailor and walker, during the pandemic, and I discuss the ‘attacks’ made on us and the disgraceful attitude of Essex Police.
The end…
The ending is optimistic for the future, full of thankfulness for our escape from Covid harm.
Now, coming up to five years on from my diagnosis and initial treatment, My PSA is essentially zero and I am continuing to head confidently towards the future with many more blissful years with my mate beside me…
