With a new central heating boiler taking up time last week, never mind the tides being down towards neaps, I took the opportinty to fetch our cockpit floor boards home for dishing up. They’re back on the boat now (more on this later…) So, sailing wasn’t on the agenda at all, however we fully intended to go on Saturday, but the wind blew old boots… I wasn’t that desperate!

“Can we go on Monday?” my mate asked as we were sitting in the car to go home, tired and aching a little from a ‘slog’ down on a Saturday work party fatigue. I nodded my head lots…

Monday came round … forecast good. House chores done and a 4 mile walk trotted off too, we packed a sandwich and headed to the boat. The tide was creeping up to the rudder – plenty of time to get ready and munch our lunch. I watched as a number of brent geese  paddled along the mud edge across from us, not minding our presence.

As soon as the tide lifted the boat we slid out into the tidal stream … swinging round to head up with the flow, against a steady westerly of mainly force 3, I left the helm with the mate. Sails were quickly hoisted: space to manoeuvre is limited. The mate tending the helm, kept her going – something it does alone when I’m on my own at that point – then, as I called, she put the helm down and the boat forged round with jib held aback to pull the bow round sharply. “Ease the main more” I called, to keep wind out of the sail.

We were off…

Heading out of the creek…

A gaggle of geese…

” Where to?” I said to the mate… She shrugged, telling me that it was just good to get out!

Clearing the first part of our creek’s buoys, I set the boat over the shallows and we headed up into Hadleigh Ray. It’s great going that way because, if tacking is needed then a run back over the tide is easy! There are a few more craft out on the moorings again, just a sprinkling – the ‘open’ water will soon be less so.

The wind came at us a little harder at times, heeling the boat, but not uncomfortably. Several sets of eyes were upon us as we cut quickly on the tide past Two Tree Island. I saw a couple of bird watchers in their hide too, equipment scanning the world beyond… We were able to fetch right past the old Salvation Army barge wharf before a tack was needed – grand.

Following that we had to put a series of shorts and longs in, the wind being bent by the closeness of the downs. The boat was worked up to the Benfleet YC and a little past … a friend was spotted. We watched him amble down to a perch atop a post at the foot of the club’s slip… A quick “Hi…” was all we managed, as we slipped past on the fast running flood.

“I’m coming round shortly…” I said to the mate, letting the boat fall off to give room for our tack round of 180 degrees… All went well, initially. The main was all slack, slatting slightly in  light breeze. Our jib was pulling the boat’s head nicely round.

Without any warning a blast of wind hit us. The boat heeled until the deck dipped, she picked herself up and shot off … the BYC floating pontoon in her sights! Down helm: back where we’d come was the only safe option …. and as soon as it had happened, the wind had gone on its way … round we came again.

The look on my mate’s face was a picture!

A lady walking past had stopped to gape, calling, “You didn’t see that coming…” Clearly not! My friend just seemed to look on nonchalantly – he hasn’t reported back yet. Above us, in the club’s busy lunch time bar, I could see many eyes gazing down at us … I waved and grinned…

We soon settled down on a slow at first run away from the ‘top’ end of the creek. As soon as the outer mooring trots are reached the wind strengthened and we rustled over the last of the flood.

Clear of the BYC moorings a Seaking 29 came up, motoring, she’d gone past earlier, cutting close past us! “She’s called Mister Pegotty…” I said to the mate.

The tide had reached that point loved by many, sailors and walkers alike: it had filled the saltings. Only the dead stalks of the previous year’s growth stood proud – the seed heads of sea asters mainly. A myriad of sea birds could be seen, black dots peppering the tufts and the water too. The early afternoon sun was tempered by a cloud or two, changing the light patterns. It was a picture of pure delight.

Pure delight…

On our approach to Two Tree Island the tide had slackened and was on the turn. Away, sea wards, fishing craft had already swung. Handing over to the mate I pulled out our fenders and grabbed the mainsail lashings. Surreptitiously I slipped my camera into my coat pocket … I wanted to catch the mate: she hates having her picture taken!

I caught her… The look says it all!

As I set about dropping, first the jib, and then the main, the mate guided us into the creek’s run and the engine was set in motion. I ruminated, quietly, up forward, on how lucky we were to be out on the water in such fine conditions in mid March. It really does make one appreciate life…

A little over two hours after we’d set off we slid alongside our berth, two happy and contented souls…

The Medway & Swale Boating Association (MSBA) is the organisation which took over the roles largely held by the Medway Yachting Assciation, which operated for some years.

The organisation has a very reliable and well informed web site offering all sorts of advice and general news. Look them up…

http://msba.org.uk/

Two years ago they held a conference to further the cruising destination aspects of the area with the Royal Yachting Association as lead partners. It is planned to continue the bi-annual format. The conference is supported by Medway City Council, Peel Ports (Medway) and others.

I was asked during the early part of last year if I would like to host a slot talking about the two areas of water – waters close to my heart. My task was to highlight some historical aspects, some of which can be seen yet often ignored for many reasons – generally due to a lack of knowledge. It is something I’ve written about over a number of years – as many will know!

Now the Medway & Swale  are two bodies of water which are particularly close to all the boaters moored between Southend to S. Benfleet. Apparently only three of these sailors were interested. Me and my mate were two and there was another from the Island YC! This surprised the secretary. People came from as far away as Suffolk. A good sprinkling of Crouch sailors and from the Thames above Sea Reach.

Yes, it is on ‘our’ front door – all the more reason for some giving it support… I enjoyed it. The mate enjoyed some of it… The Island YC chap enjoyed it too… It was held at the the St George’s Centre, the old naval chuch – deconsecrated, and owned by Medway City Council. It is a lovely building – I wish I’d had time to wander a little … perhaps next time!

Inside the conference Centre – within is a memorial to the many Frenchmen who died on prison hulks off St Mary’s Island during past conflicts of early 1800s… 

The conference got underway with an address by Stacey Clark, RYA Chairman. An interesting man…

There followed some burble about the good the RYA does for ALL yachting people – this covers all aspects of boating and watersports. Except, currently, the ‘hover’ crowd. Hover craft, especially on the Medway is a growing past time – the RYA have promised to look at this. They are also after upping membership by around 10% as a starter… They’re at a little over 100, 000 members currently.

Oh yes, I have been offered a trip out on a hover … lets see what happens. Do I want this?

Peel Ports then ran through aspects of their business that impacts small craft. The man to contact if in need of Medway & Swale advice is Kevin Beacon, he is Port Control Manager… Go to the port’s web site.

After a break, Dick Holness, from East Coast Pilot, gave a talk about spects of navigation in the area and new and improved things, such as pontoons at Queenborough and Chatham. He also raised the issue of siltation within the creeks around his end of the Swale in particualar. The Peel Ports team said that this was being looked at – dredging is being considered…

Me being introduced…

Some of these speakers over ran their 20 minute talk plus 10 minute Q&A slots. This impacted later. I stuck to mine – timed by the mate, about 22 minuts – but lost my Q&A time. Some ‘miffed’ people commented about this afterwards to me, however!

I get going…

The May Flower got a mention, of course!

The British Marine Federation (BMF) then had a slot discussing what they do for the area’s concerns etc…

Then a buffet lunch: I was ‘fed’ by the mate, but my stand was so busy it was difficult to talk to all, deal with book signings and eat too. Thank you Mrs Mate for all your sterling work… The buffet was excellent too.

Afterwards, first up was the RYA’s Stuart Carruthers (Current affairs) and Gus Lewis (legal boffin). This was generally interesting.

Guss remembered me from a ‘rant’ about the bridge over Milton Creek … written about in ‘Jottings’ of course.

Gus had some info on red diesel. Personally I don’t think this should be an issue: we should all pay the full duty … which we do now that a ‘heating’ and ‘lighting’ element has been agreed. But, caravan owners do not get this! The problem seems to be the colour on the whole. You are strongly advised that if going to or through Belgium, pay full duty and keep receipts. Red is accepted, but…

Do many know of the new Harbour Act 2013 – it has been in the press. Well it gives powers to many authorities, taking the place of the old bye-law system, which apparently could take anything up to 15 years to be enabled! Medway Ports are not affected: they’re incorporated, as ar the PLA … The Crouch and Brightlingsea etc will have these powers now…

There was some talk about conservation zones – MCZs – our east coast area has all been designated, as has the Medway & Swale. Impact is low, however the Swale is being looked at more closely. Some ‘guarded’ areas may result…

Life jackets and flares were discussed too … people are advised to be careful aboput buying flares online: you still own the old and ARE responsible. I have a set of old ones … I expect many do!

The Push the Boat Out scheme was briefly discussed … apparently it has been quite successful in gaining new, younger, members into many clubs. The RYA claim an average of 16 for each participating club. I cannot comment, although the Island YC took part last year. In 2015 it is due to take place in July over two weekends, due to differing tidal states around the coast. See, people do learn from post exercise comment!

An interesting session about the varied wildlife to be found around the edges of the waters we all enjoy. What surprised me was the percentage of national populations of many species that descend on us. Bird people will know this any way! It was here that a question was asked about the antics of hover craft operators within the Medway basin – running up over mud flats covered with feeding birds. The advice – be sensible! It was a one point I made too: looking around the saltings should only be carried out before or after nesting.

The “NO GO” period the ‘bird man’ said, is roughly End of March to End of June, perhaps into July. I don’t go ‘ashore’ until the end of July at the earliest.

In the Medway belly, Nor Marsh is a forbidden area…

My stand… Snapped before the start.

Ah, then we reached the last subject – Power Boat Racing. This was something that was a common yearly feature during the 1970s through to around 1996. Currently, it is planned to hold a trial event for exhibition purposes during the summer of 2015. Many hurdles have to be jumped first. The chap from SEPA – the power boat race people – talked long and hard about too much detail and other guff … but the rules and regs are very tight! It wasn’t until his last 3 minutes that he got down to the what and where. There were no pictures of power boats in action, sadly!

It is planned to hold the race around Nor Marsh Island … starting off Darnet, running south, round the ‘back’ of the island close past Horrid Hill – a spectator spot – out into Bartlett, then round back to Darnet via the S. Yantlet. A number of circuits being needed for the race. Interesting eh!

Bill Shepherd, RYA SE Region closing the conference with a short recap and thanks etc…

I have to say that I was greatly impressed by the way the conference was organised. Many clearly participated, as always, but I would like to thank Tony Lavelle, a Medway sailor, and MSBA secretary… Well Done Tony!

The last Finesse 24 to be completed (not last number: that is No.70) is seriously for sale. She is boat No. 69 and has been owned in Northumberland for a number of years based at the RNYC in Blyth.

Peter, her current owner, is moving abroad permanently so needs to achieve this. His asking price of £10, 000 is negotiable. This is a huge reduction on an earlier price.

It is a unique opportunity to take over the care of this vessel’s continuing life. As far as I am aware she was actually completed in 1994. Her layout below is a little different to the ‘standard’ F24, being built to order by a discerning boating couple.

If interested, look here:

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/Classic-sailing-boats-for-sale/finesse-24-built-by-a-f-platt/69979#.VPLn6e4mOWI.gmail#pMf2mShIYOkEZ0qu.97

Photograph of the Emma & Kate – P. Gosling.

After the sadness of our first leaving of Faversham the second going was a happy affair, other than the mate not being aboard to enjoy a fabulous twenty-four hour window of opportunity… Unfortunately she had a pre-booked pre-paid trip with her U3A group on Thursday last.

Alan Staley and his young shipwright had stripped out the centre plate casing sides, cleaned up and refitted leaving all as good as the original job.

When these boats were built a ‘paint glued’ joint was used by Alan Platt. I thought Alan Staley was going to put some lead powder in the red lead paint his lad used, but apparently this wasn’t the case. It didn’t work…

The joint surfaces were cleaned back to bare wood and everything was dried. A PU (Polyurethane) moisture curing glue was used on reassembly. The through post copper fastenings were upped one size: same size cannot go back. They look meaty and strong!

When the boat went back in she didn’t leak anywhere … the young shipwright was very relieved. So was I… Alan said, ‘… we tried … it didn’t work … this method has…’ Here lies a lesson for anyone doing the same.

The reassembled box… I was preparing my supper, note portion of pasta awaiting a simmering pan of water – my glass of amontilado is out of view!

The yard has been conducting tests with the PU glue – many makes now on the market – chucking glued bits in a steamer, leaving outside, leaving in creek . Upon trying to split these joints open has only resulted in tearing wood apart… So there we are…

I got to the boat during the Thursday afternoon after a fairly rapid journey: Bus from Hadleigh to S. Benfleet rail station, train to Tilbury Town , bus service to ferry … walk up to Gravesend station, then wow a fast train to Ramsgate via Faversham…

I then set about washing the boat through and getting ready. It rained at first, but as the tide came, slowly, up the creek, it stopped. Over to the west a tinge of late sunshine peaked beneath the cloud layer … I was getting excited. But the tide seemed so slow in making – was I nervous, yes!

However, I eventually departed around 3/4 hour before highwater…

Iron Wharf behind me, outward bound…

It was still light, but it was fading fast. It was an uneventful motor out into the E. Swale and I found a buoy by torchlight… It was dark by the time I passed Hollow Shore.

During the night a wind over tide situation woke me … all the paint I put round the forefoot recently has been bashed away onto the buoy’s hard surface. I HATE those hard plastic buoys!

Looking back at Harty as the sun rose…

I was awake before the alarm and set off as the new day’s light lifted eastwards of me and motored rapidly with the last of the flood westwards towards Elmley Ferry. There I was able to set sail…

Off Elmley Island’s hump with Grovehurst Jetty ahead.

Calling up the bridge keeper to alert him of my desire to transit, I was told that as it was rush hour – there coud be a delay … but he would do his best. I got there at 1/4 to 8!

On the approach, my breakfast bacon ready prepared under the grill had been set to sizzle … buttered rolls sat waiting too. The mate would have been impressed…

Approaching Kingsferry Bridge…

I spent around twenty minutes sailing up and down. During which the bacon had crisped and was soon being munched. By 10 past 8, I was going through… Full sail was soon set.

Tacking round the West Swale…

Running to Queenborough!

I enjoyed a lovely tack up to Long Point, then a rapid run towards that quaint town of Queenborough. Here the wind semed to pick up. Of course, it hadn’t, it was just that we were getting closer to open waters… A wonderful feeling!

Hard on the wind going past the old ferry terminous … the open ‘sea’ beyond beckons beyond.

The weather was just perfect. It could have been summer but for the temperature of around 6 degrees C. Did I care, not a jot, Whimbrel was bounding homewards … the mate, who had texted or called a couple of times, sounded overjoyed!

The bilges were still dry!

After working round the Grain in around 3 m of water I was able to point high enough to sail west of the Mid Nore Swatch. It didn’t last: as he deep water channel buoys were approached the wind died. Whimbrel was soon sagging away towards Holland! A ship was spotted too. On engine. YES, true … but off the pier it was stopped. It had done its bit…

The pier in sight…

Passing close by the Leigh Buoy and into the Ray…

The tide was still ebbing. It had around two hours left to run off the pier. So, on a fine day with a decent breeze, there’s nothing better than a beat to windward. It keeps the cold at bay too… So that’s what I did.

Sailing close into the edge of the Ray Bank, a little below Smallgains Creek. It was just before low water.

Sailing up near where the Leigh Beacon once stood, my phone buzzed … John Chapman, a sailing friend and past Finesse 24 owner, had sent a text. It read: ‘Ready about…’  I sent a message back, quckly, the tiller between the cheeks of my behind, ‘coming round’ and the boat was tacked, again…

I lost count of those tacks, but boy I was warm!

The waiting buoy, laid by the Island YC was soon reached. Close by sails were stowed and the buoy picked up…

After a light luncheon, I cleared away sails and covered the main. I have to say I then hit the sack. I hadn’t been out for more than fifteen minutes and that blessed phone jerked itself across the cabin table shaking and singing away until I answered … the mate … wanted to know if I was alright. Sweet of her! I went back to sleep.

Waking at around 5.20, the kettle was set to boil for a last mug of tea. Then it was time to get underway: the old girl could sniff her muddy berth and she was soon cosseted within its soft bosom as we slid in…

Home! The mate was jumping up and down on the end of the jetty, arms flapping like a demented clown, a grin spread across her face. Pleased to see me or the boat home?

It’s two days later, the mate says that I haven’t stopped grinning…

A few days ago another ‘blast from the past’ hit me.

An email winged its way into my post box from a chap who had read something about my meeting John Prime’s cousin aboard the Edith May last February. John owned the spritsail barge Gipping during my childhood and I’d met him when May Flower was in Maldon for repairs in 1964.

http://nickardley.com/barges-a-small-world/

Anyway, I’ve since put the two ‘lost souls’ in contact. And too, John wishes me to make contact. I would have been a boy of 9 at the time of our temporary home in Maldon. I have always remembered the barge: she was a sailing home, like our own home.

Most of the other barges were largely freshly rerigged and used as yachts – the charter trade hadn’t really started at that point in time. Some others had been in use as pleasure vessels for a little longer, such as Ardeer, Marjorie, Millie, Maid of Connaught and Saltcote Belle. Another, the Anglia, was also a sailing home too.

Only one of these names survives. She is the Marjorie… And in fact the last survivor from the 1962 Thames and Medway barge matches!

Happy Days!

My good mate has been on a post retirement (it being a short while since, now…) exercise in looking at things stowed away in the loft… Working on the general theory that stuff that gravitates to that section of one’s abode, hasn’t any real further use, that is, except for boating stuff that is in winter storage!

I have to admit, some boxes that found their way ‘below’ contained items dating back to my college days. Wow! There’s more to sift through…

Going through a box of trivia, the mate’s, we came across some old pictures. Why they were stowed where found will always be a mystery however. They fell from an envelope and fluttered to the deck… They were of Whimbrel dating back to our first season.

The pictures were taken by a group of people on a boat waiting to go through Kingsferry Bridge at the same time as we were. I seem to remember that they were sent, long after I’d returned to sea after my leave period. This goes back to my time with the Royal fleet Auxiliary…

Later, at Queenborough, the group rowed over and asked if they could have a look at the boat: she was barely two months old at the time!

Whimbrel in the Swale in 1984… Note the lack of kicker to stop boom lift. This was dealt with by end of season, and my season ended when I was called back to sea…

One chap wanted to know why gripfast nails hadn’t been used to fasten the boat up … instead of copper clenched fastenings. I tried to explain, but even to this day I can remember it all being lost on the poor soul! It was then that one of the group promised to send us some pictures, which he kindly did…

What is interesting about all of this is the bucket. We didn’t have a VHF in our early days and still relied on ‘old fashioned’ methods of communication. At Kingsferry the time honoured means of making your intentions known for a transit was the humble dip bucket. In days further down the line that bucket would have had other uses too!

When Whimbrel was young…

There are many places where time honoured systems were used … one wonders how many still are, and too, how many of today’s sailors know of these old tricks.

Thinking of this I wonder if all pilot books still make a note of such methods: there will still be water users without a VHF … the mobile phone has by-passed some of those needs, but do they know how to do it…?

My father used to tell me about using the dip bucket to get Benfleet Bridge to lift … of course now it is fixed!

Hey ho…

Last week I went went over to Faversham  with the good mate to board our good ship and bring her home. Our ‘boy’ kindly delivered us on the Sunday afternoon.

After the boat’s launch there had been a leak, but it had ‘gone’ the yard told us, and that appeared to be the case…

We spent the afternoon getting the mainsail back on and sorting out various things. The mate had another wipe round below too whilst supplying mugs of tea.

Then on a bright Monday afternoon we departed … setting sail as we left.

Sailind down past the old hard below Iron Wharf…

It was a pleasant trip out, with only a little engine needed at times. We spotted two wildly waving people, a Finesse friend and his partner, on the sea wall near the Shipwrights Arms, a little above Oare Creek – they were taking pictures!

Negotiating the Nagden bend…

Whimbrel photographed from sea wall by Tim Mulcahy & partner – lovely!

And out into the open…

All seemed to be well as we sailed out of the creek and jogged down against the young ebb to a buoy, by then under mainsail alone. The mate expertly lifted the line aboard as I luffed up to it. Nicely done, after our ‘long’ break away from such things…

Some while later, whilst pumping up the heater fuel tank, I realised we’d taken water. Earlier there had been a little dampness … I pumped it out. It was obvious that we had a little trickle at the back of out centre plate box, down by the rabbit joint. Too late to call the yard… Clearly mud had filled the seepage, stopping it. Movement had washed it away.

Sunset…

In the early hours I was up, twice, giving the bilge a pump out.

As early as I thought best, I called the yard. The yard, without hesitation, called us back in!

Then we sat out the morning in the cold instead of heading out round Shell Ness bound for home. It was a windless Swale, so, whilst awaiting that tide, we couldn’t even go for a warming sail!

The good little ship is now out of the water, today: she’d been neaped, with her box sides off again…

When I get the full reason as to why, I’ll post: this will surely be of use to all Finesse 24 owners, especially.

During the week our good little ship was gently lowered down the slipway at Alan Staley’s yard in Faversham. The mast was up with just her shrouds needing to be tensioned.

We had been over to take the final bits needed for our passage back home, when the weather permitted! I must say, it was a good feeling to see the old girl looking this way: we have all missed those winter sails … boat, mate and me! An old boy down my sailing club made a touching comment last week too: he said, “We’ve missed you down here…” Ah yes!

Cabin ready for sea…

The shipwright who did the donkey work inside the boat sidled up and nattered about his respect for the Finesse 24’s structure, he added, “She’s a fine boat … very well built” He has been astounded at the single lengths of timber used in her structure – something Alan Platt (builder) prided himself with…

Another of the yard’s staff, a lass, enjoyed a Finesse 24 some time back when her family owned one. She grinned with delight being aboard one again: it was her job (apart from me getting in the way…) to carry out a bilge inspection.

So, here are a few shots of Whimbrel’s first yard launching since her build in 1983 and launch in April 1984.

At the top of the slip when we arrived…

About to go…

Going in…

Nearly there…

Afloat…

And riding nicely…

She leaked a bit, but within a day has gone tight, Alan has told me …  “…she didn’t need any pumping this morning…” he’s said. Shrouds have been set up (they’ll need retensioning surely: they’re new) and boom is fitted.

All being well she’ll be sailed back to the south Essex shore early next week: there seems to be a week of ‘fine’ weather coming, how apt is that after the windy winter, so far…

I’m sure the creeks around have missed her swishing by, the bit between her teeth and with a trail of foaming bubbles in her wake… The brent geese better beware!

Copied from The Sea-change Trust Site…

Contract awarded to build new sailing barge

The Sea-Change Sailing Trust works with young people with learning difficulties, vulnerable adults, those suffering social exclusion as well as young people interested in learning traditional sailing skills. We are a RYA Training and Sailability Foundation Centre and an Approved Activity Provider for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

In order to further widen the range of activities available we have been fundraising to build a new steel sailing barge. She will be a replica of an original named Blue Mermaid, which was lost during the Second World War and was the last sailing barge built during their heyday, in 1930.

The contract to build the hull and deck has been won by Polruan based boatyard C Toms and Son, a long established builder of steel vessels and construction will start during the next few weeks. Following this she will be towed to Maldon later in the year for rigging and fitting out.

Blue Mermaid will enable us to offer more sea time than is currently available with the barges we rent. She will be engine less so will operate in a very low carbon environment. She will additionally have the ability to carry cargo under sail and to offer trainees the opportunity to consider maritime careers.

Sea-Change appreciates the support of both the Rt Hon John Hayes MP, Minister for Transport and Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

See: http://www.seachangesailingtrust.org.uk/

And: http://www.ctomsandson.co.uk/

All I can add is my, and the mate’s, sincere good wishes for the new ship’s good future, may it be long and fruitful: she’ll be doing a job  essentially outside the original barge’s design expectations in that she’ll not only carry cargo, but do so with trainees aboard, bonding and achieving something constructive together…

Well, wonders will never cease: my kid sister, a pleasing young lady of good disposition, called and asked if I was gong to the London Boat Show… She was going up with friend Steph for a chat with two flotilla organisations, in readiness for September and next year when my little sister hits 60 too! Yes, that’s right, I went too…

The good mate came along too, only because she could have a bit of a natter to the girls: on the whole, apart from a few stands she couldn’t see what it was all about, there again, neither could I really.

I did go aboard a couple of craft – one is shown below. She’s a modern skimming dish with one of those keel types that are currently under investigation. I didn’t like the chine … or the fit of a bow thruster: the hull pad sat proud of hull line with a ‘gap’ all round – a turbulance spot, surely! You can just see it in the picture…

New boat, I don’t think so. On the way aboard, over an opening wide enough and close enough to the double wheels, just right to accidentally jettison a hoard of little children, I showed my bilge paint marked hands to the little flipity gibit holding the fort – she asked what we had … I explained … then about having ballast keel bolts done… My mate, in the background called out, “She’s a proper boat…” Well, what could I have possibly added!

The girls were looking at this boat because they have plans to do a bit of scampering around the British Virgin Islands again… The company they’ve used before uses this class of boat…

On the way to this stand we’d stopped off at a retailer flogging GPS machines. Now my old thing has been problematic in that the back connections are ‘iffy’ and it goes dead just when you don’t want it to. Sailing oboard my friend Richard’s fine Westerly 34 in the autumn on a run down from Woodbridge, I was impressed with the contraption he has mounted by his big stainless steering wheel, especially when the world closed in during some heavy drizzle… So I’ve been doing a bit of homework – mate seemed happy…

We wandered, here and there, but generally to a plan worked out over a coffee before we went in. We passed a number of pretty little motor boats – little potterers.

This is an Intercruiser 28 – didn’t have a price tag on view, but looked the business for river and estuary pottering.

Now this little thing with a simulated clinker seemed made for our son, his aunts confidently stated, giggling a little!

It was about this time that we ambled away from the mass of shining plastic to find a wee libation, just one, I hasten to add. I was asked what I thought of the GPS’s I’d had a play with… “Still thinking…” I said, grinning.

On our wander round towards one of the charter desks we passed a few lovely sailing tenders and day boats … I had to stop and take them in: here were a few real boats, even if some had GRP hulls – they were oozing with varnished wood and sex appeal.

Tofinou 9.5, I believe. What a super looking thing. Just the job for a geezer looking for a return to a little of his boyhood thrills again – with a younger crew, what a thing to play with…

Ah, now here’s my sort of thing entirely – part of the crabber range, so expensive! She’s a 12 footer or was it a 14… The Crabber 24 was around £95,000 – think I’ll keep my trusty Finesse 24 which does actually have decent accommodation, including a separate toilet compartment!

Now this is a thing of beauty. She was on the same stand as a Dauntless Motor Boat (No connection to the old Dauntless Company – just the yard). She’s an International 12, constructed of Larch on Sapele with a sapele top plank. This boat was available for £7000 – a boat show saving on the normal price of £9250…

Here is a cracker from Anglia Yacht Brokerage – The Roach Dinghy… She’s 3m or 10′ with a nice lug sail – not unlike my own tender. Loved it! At £2950 inclusive of the VAT, for the basic boat she’s good value. There were various extras including floorboard and oars… This is where it starts to rack up…

Oh yes, that first stand. I did go back and today a little parcel arrived…

Mate got in (just now) and said, “Oh, I see your new toy’s arrived…”