Ah, Dick, you whipped out your colt 45 and blazed away, words zipping as the tale unfolds…
Courtesy of Amazon.
I was enthralled. I laughed out loud while reading (most unusual) and nearly cried as sobering and sad words spilled from the pages too.
I always knew Dick spent time in Fleet Street on a new newspaper which hit the world in a blaze of tabloid hype and steamy stories. It ‘s a world I knew nothing about, other than the scandals that have trundled from the news with a regularity over the last couple of decades, leading to a massive tightening of regulations.
Dawn on the hottest day in July, ever…
I knew Dick when I was young – being a ‘Thames barge boy’ – when he used to come aboard my spritsail barge home, the May Flower, to help out! Dick later sailed as mate aboard the mighty sprittie, Cambria as no. 2 to the inimitable Bob Roberts. I didn’t reacquaint until years later.
Now, I know what he was up to. Dick learnt his craft with the Dundee Courier at their offices by Fetter Lane – the building remains with its painted advert above and can be clearly seen from a bus.
He was soon having a rollicking good time as he sloshed his alcoholic way through the miasma of Fleet Street’s news desks and pub floors. As a news hound, he chased’ news’ and the people behind them, insinuating himself easily into the cracks in the stories.
What couldn’t be had from the coal face was made up … but the paper’s readership from the start lapped it up, gullible to the very core!
He names characters without a care: truth cannot be challenged. It silences detractors … something I’ve learnt.
Big press names rolled off the pages. ‘Huge people’ discussed by the media talking heads and tut tutters. Wow, he knew them in the work place. Now we do too…
A beer helped the story flow…
A bloody good read Dick, which I quaffed with equal eagerness with a beer or two whilst keeping cool afloat this summer.
Not a sailing book, but written by an amusing and characterful sailor.
Towards the end of June I wrote to the head honcho of the Royal Yachting Association, Sarah Sutcliffe, regarding the cancelation of my membership and my reasons why.
I received a confirmation of receipt from her personal assistant stating that my communication would be placed before the Chief Executive.
Time has ticked by. There has been no response.
The problems remain acute with supply to marinas and other outlets of calor gas in particular, yet the RYA clearly does not have the balls to respond to a member cancelling membership after some 40 plus years of loyalty.
All I was asking for was pressure from what purports to be ‘our’ governing body to be applied to suppliers…
It typifies the crassness of this organisation that clearly exists as a self-employment project with not a care for the ordinary sailor, other than the gathering of gold medals.
I can think of many an Olympians and I doubt if they would be similarly treated. The Royal Yachting Association needs to remember the greater majority of sailors sit on the lower rungs…
Now, I wrote to the editor of the ‘Yotty’ Newspaper – All at Sea. The editor was back to me in a trice.
The July 2022 issue of the paper has my letter and their findings – no more than I had gleaned. But, and this is an important point, they responded in a positive manner, agreeing it was something that needed to be sorted out.
The piece is added below:
Courtesy of ‘All at Sea’ – thank you.
I always try and pick up a copy of this publication when seen in a chandlery or marina office: it is quite informative, if largely south coast orientated (aren’t they all…)
So, I would like to say thank you to ‘All at Sea’ and the rags editor, Jane Hyde, and Simon Everett.
Over the past month I have enquired at five different outlets about the ‘gas problem’ and ALL reported the situation as dire!
Coming upstream on the River Orwell yesterday I spied Jack Coote’s old yacht, Blue Shoal on the mooring trot below Ostrich Creek. The vessel, was, I believe, Jack’s last.
Many possibly won’t know of Ostrich Creek. It is the seaward end of Belstead Brook which runs down to the salty Orwell where Fox’s Marina and the Orwell Yacht Club are situated.
Blue Shoal.
Ostrich Creek was the first sailing anchorage of the inimitable Maurice Griffiths who shared a ‘tore out’ with a couple of buddies for a short while in the early 1920s. MG lived up the Wherstead Rd running into Ipswich.
The Orwell YC cadets under training in the small area of water left between Fox’s and the club’s moorings.
Janet Harber, one of Jack’s two daughters, told me recently that Blue Shoal’s owner gives her a sail from time to time. How lovely…
I never met Jack, but I am sure my father and grandfather did back in the late 1940s and the 1950s. I would have relished the experience.
For years I have kept Janet supplied with updates for the East Coast Rivers pilot book. Updates can be obtained from the last issue publishers, Fernhurst.
Finished the last jobs, I don’t think so! However, the target has been achieved many time over this season what with the fine weather enjoyed.
Just before leaving for my birthday June cruise, I completed the final edit on latest book. See earlier post. I am now awaiting it to be finalised for final acceptance before it moves to next stage. Hey ho.
Laptop and file has to come sailing!
Sailing gently out of Conyer Creek this June…
We got home from an extended two week early June cruise around Medway and Swale, taking in the Pageant (that wasn’t) and the Finesse Rally on following weekends, two weeks ago now.
Whimbrel dressed overall on Jubilee Saturday – it blew old boots!
It seems an age and poor Whimbrel has had no sailing since – me as well!
There were various jobs to deal with. While away the mast step came adrift on Twitch. It was fixed but not completed while away – allowing it to be used. A coating of epoxy completed the job.
The mast leather needed re-tacking.
tacking the mast leather.
Then the thwarts had a sand and varnish too – the gunnels had been completed a couple weeks earlier.
All varnishing on Twitch completed.
In the meantime, I had to carry out some planking edge paint repairs caused by a hard mooring buoy – annoying!
The boat has been fully stored with her dry provisions ready for some weeks of cruising, pottering and exploring.
My sister and two friends join for a week this coming Saturday – a convivial little group, especially the chap who says he is Welsh, but actually only a quarter. We have fun!
I had an interesting conversation with the yotty paper ‘All at Sea’ and a letter and answer will appear. It is all about the gas problem. Editor was unaware, but staff on the paper were and no one had said anything!
As for the Royal Yachting Association – they have been given the big heave ho! A waste of space.
Spare gas cylinders to ensure our sailing security…
One morning was spent at a fruit farm picking luscious Gooseberries, raspberries and some red currants. So two types of jam now awaits our return from our holidays…
Jam time too!
If you yourself are off sailing or just off on land holidays, enjoy and make the most of a generally covid ‘free’ time.
Last year our summer sailing was particularly torrid in respect to an ability to obtain refill gas cylinders from marinas, or, as it later turned out, from anywhere.
Cooking on the majority of yachts is done with gas – a Whimbrel meal.
I followed this up with a little research. It would seem that the problem actually surfaced at least a year beforehand. There are numerous entries on caravan and boating forums about the problem running back to prior to the covid pandemic.
As an aside, I was astonished to read that one person decanted gas from a larger to smaller 4.5/3.9 kg bottle. I am sure it is possible, but safely…
A 4.5 kg cylinder of butane in an empties rack… Picture: Theresa Ardley
Last autumn I wrote to a ‘cooing’ editor of the Royal Yachting Association magazine congratulating the British Olympic team in all their medal glory. Yes, I am sure all sailors are pleased.
But what about the ‘humble’ sailor doing what our Government advise – have a staycation. That for sailors and caravaners, including campers, means the use of bottle gas for cooking…
Section from the June issue of RYA Magazine.
Nothing appeared in following magazines … I wrote to the membership section asking them the same question.
Neither elicited a response, which when you read the excerpt from the June issue of the RYA magazine is, quite frankly, a load of rubbish.
The saga continues – Calor have apparently stopped blaming Covid, drivers and Brexit and now accept they haven’t sufficient bottles. Apparently, 100, 000 have been ordered.
The problem is many people are ‘sitting’ on empties or no longer used cylinders in garages and sheds…
Swale Marina and a yard shop in Maldon have none of the smaller cylinders. Garden centres and other outlets report dire shortage.
As would have it, on leaving the office at Swale marina during the past two weeks my eyes alighted on the latest issue of ‘All At Sea’ so I picked up a copy.
Sailing out of Conyer Creek after a very pleasant stay.
The All at Sea paper trumpeted the forthcoming season with total silence on an issue that is vexing the minds of many boaters – paucity of bottled gas.
I emailed the editor, Jane Hyde. Within a few hours she responded. Upon checking with a certain Simon Everett, it transpires he has had the same problem. This chap has been tasked with investigating. A copy will come my way before publication. I await with interest.
Now, that is what the RYA should have done.
Sitting in Whimbrel’s cockpit watching the world go by whilst reading … I mused upon all of this. Surely, I am not the ONLY person to have raised the problem with people who should and can use influence and pressure.
I canvassed my Facebook ‘friends’ with the problem. Those that chose to respond, all agreed, essentially, that they find it hard to understand what exactly the RYA actually does for its members – cruising members that is.
Yes, they lobby Government on some important issues, but they have completely lost sight of the ‘humble’ sailor…
What am I going to do. Well, cancel my membership for one, then pay that same amount to a charity that actually works positively.
Update: All at Sea have investigated and found that what I have said is correct. One of the paper’s staff has experienced problems – part time delivery skipper.
All at Sea are responding in forthcoming issue – hopefully July/August issue.
We have cancelled our future direct debit to RYA and emailed our (my) termination of membership.
As promised for those who are interested in such affairs, I have been over the last week dealing with the final edit and insertion of illustrations and captions for the my editor to do their bit.
There is a little tale here: I quipped to the mate that I expected the job to appear in my inbox while we were doing the antifouling and hull touch-ups on Whimbrel.
Christobel getting down to one of her favourite jobs…
Well, we got on with the antifouling on a Friday evening a week and a half ago now. The job was all completed on the Saturday, including various ‘scuff’ marks being sanded and repainted – most due to damage caused by the modern ‘hard’ mooring buoys now almost universal around the east coast rivers. In the evening Whimbrel was returned to her mooring.
Well … checking my spam mail box on the desk computer on Wednesday following our boat work, with my finger hovering on the delete button, I suddenly noticed one from ‘AM Production’ – heck, my publisher.
Transferred safely and opened I found a request for my final edit. It arrived the day we started work on Whimbrel’s bottom!
So, I had to set to and get on with it. I had a week before we were due to sail off to the River Medway to participate in the Queen’s Jubilee Pageant on the river.
Christobel’s handiwork around the decks… This was before I found that ‘file’!
My current publisher was content for me to set the illustrations into the text, so once I got set up, it was just a matter of copy & paste.
The ‘book’ will later go through a pagination process where it is pushed into the published size, spacings and layout etc.
‘Planting’ illustrations and inserting captions.
Editing in hand.
Editing… The ‘red’ bits were my previous corrections
I had a break in the middle and overhauled Whimbrel’s two sheet winches. They were opened up, cleaned of old grease and crud. Pawls were checked and deburred. All was regreased and reassembled , then back to editing…
Finally, I came to the end!
The end!
A break was taken to clear the head and ‘sit’ on what I had done.
While the head cleared I had a couple of hours down the club preparing and antifouling the bottom of Twitch, the tender.
After dealing with Twitch, I again ran all the way through the text looking at my corrections. Around a half dozen other ‘mistakes’ were found too – some inflicted by others!
A busy couple of weeks for sure. Hey, but, you all say, you love it…
All my work has now been ‘put to bed’ and will go off to the publisher…
The paint coatings on the underside of the fore cabin top and fore deck had ‘crazed’ over a large area. It looked as if it was deep penetrated to the wood (ply) surface. It needed attention.
So, after moving to a club berth where we had a power supply, we set to work.
Stripping begins…
A large area on the underside of the fore deck was stripped back to bare wood first. During this operation, I noticed that the original coatings from when the boat was built 39 years ago were seemingly sound.
This was also found on the underside of the cabin top, however, stripping back continued. The original pink primer (long out of manufacture) was still well adhered.
Under foredeck done, onto underside of cabin top… Note the ‘pinkiness’ of the wood surface from original coats of primer.
As I moved aft with the hot air gun and scraper, Christobel inserted herself under the fore deck with 80 grade and 120 grade sanding paper…
She’s a grand boat mate!
Later, all was hit with 180 grade.
Meanwhile, the mate wields her sanding hands…
The mess was horrendous, however, the old sheets spread around collected most of the falling debris. Paint chippings and dust still managed to penetrate far beyond!
I had toyed with applying a 2-part epoxy type base coat but reverted to ‘old fashioned’ practice with two coats of metallic primer, the first thinned a little for penetration.
Strangely, neither International or Hempels (Blakes) now do such primers, relying on a one pot primer/undercoat product. I don’t like this!
Application of primer…
Having applied the base coats, the job was left a couple of days … fitting in a walk in glorious countryside west of Maldon.
A day off walking around Woodham Walter, near Maldon.
Back on the job, mainly me, alone, as coat after coat was applied, three coats of International OneUp was used – the trade name of their latest reincarnation of the one pot does all – before applying the first coat of gloss.
A light sand with a fine sanding paper was carried out between coats. Ater the first gloss was applied, the varnish work was checked for paint ‘splashes’ sanded again where required, cleaned and coated.
For the varnishing, I used a mix of Hempels Favourite and their matt internal finish. The matt is far too matt! The mix I have worked up to is 5/8 gloss to 3/8 matt. It seems to work…
Both are alkyd products and seemed to mix together.
First coat of gloss is on and varnishing in hand…
In the middle of this job, I also hard sanded the starboard shear strake, touched up bare areas and finally complete coated. Mud walking boards were used for this!
A job is now saved from the list when we go onto the club’s hard soon to scrub and antifoul – another of my mate’s favourite activities…
Varnishing the port side shear strake some weeks earlier…
Finally, after what seemed n age, yet a little over a week, the job was completed.
Gloss and varnish completed…
The boat was then thoroughly cleaned out and washed by Christobel. It was done in two stages – I kept out of the way on a club work party for the final part in the main cabin!
I have to say, I spent a couple of hours the previous day clearing the way…
Normality restored to the fore cabin!
While cleaning the deck head in the loo compartment, the mate discovered some loose paint – well it came away during her cleaning ‘binge’…
Ah well, so another area awaits.
It is relatively small, but the mate said, ‘…if you make a mess, you can clear it up…’
Thankfully, the time expended upon my next book has petered away to virtually nothing of late. The final edit has taken place and it has been in the publisher’s hands for a little while.
A few days ago I received an communication telling me that they will be in position to send the edited copy to me for my insertion of illustrations and captions. After which it goes back for a final edit and then pagination – laying out into published form.
New gas alarm fitted in mean time…
I have never done the illustrations in this manner. Usually the publisher has a numbering system, i.e., 001 – 080.
As the edited manuscript is a word document, the editor will have to remove and reinsert full byte images as per my instructions. Word documents reduce quality of photographs…
Clearly it is important to ensure that an illustration has a correct corresponding caption number. It is all too easy to make a ‘cockup’ that’s for sure!
In the meantime, we got away for a proper Bank Holiday weekend, but more of that in another post.
There was a spot of fun in that the mate’s hat went overboard. It was rescued safely and rinsed out. It took two days of the weekend to dry!
The mate’s hat…
After the bank holiday weekend, Whimbrel was moved up the creek to a temporary berth for us to do a large job in the fore cabin…
Whimbrel in a temporary berth for a job…
So, I hope to have news soon of the books next stage. My guess is that it’ll fly onto my desk in a couple of weeks when we’re doing the antifouling…
All of a sudden April drew nigh and I knew time for maintenance to Whimbrel would be calling loudly.
It is not often that the month of April swings by with so little rain: we can’t actually remember the last time we experienced rain, even the ‘famous’ April showers have been absent.
During March I carried out a job long overdue. Since the boat was built all the negative connections were on an ever growing terminal strip accessed under a cockpit locker seat.
Whimbrel’s electrical system negative terminals on dedicated busbars.
I obtained two busbars and transferred all wires to these over the course of a couple of days. Some wires had to be lengthened to make the run in. Having completed that job, I manufactured a boxing with a sliding cover for access – all completed as April dawned.
The completed job!
Back in February, we had popped over to Faversham to pick up our serviced sails, new dodgers and cockpit cover from Wilkinson’s Sails. I had pre booked a Valentines night away at a rather nice place we know locally too so we had a great time!
The boat’s old sails had been in use since October and it was about time the change back was made: we had plans to sail up to Limehouse for Easter, taking in the Passion Play at Trafalgar Square.
The ‘new’ mainsail back on. The other boat is the Finesse 24, Gypsy, who’s owner also fitted his sails ready for the season.
In the event, returning from the west country (Dartmouth) where we had enjoyed a holiday, we both went down with Covid-19. The mate’s ‘plague’ hung around and it took nearly two weeks to clear to a negative position so we abandoned going up the Thames and had a couple of nights away on the Medway.
Sanding winter damaged varnish work around sheer strake.
In the meantime, various areas of varnish were attacked. The winter’s damage wasn’t great so once sanded back these areas had coat after coat applied. I apply at least eight coats to bare wood…
Varnishing the port sheer strake.
Maintenance took a break over Easter Week when we got away – well not quite: time was used to build coats on those numerous areas.
Whimbrel sailing through Queenborough Harbour on her own!Whimbrel captured by Queenborough Harbour waterman, Harry Coughlan.
With the forecast, we had intended on sailing round the back of the Swale for a tranquil night in the South Deep, however, upon reaching Kingsferry Bridge and initially being told a lift time, the operator came back and said that due to traffic congestion we couldn’t go through. No update on when was available – apparently there had been an accident…
We cancelled our request and sailed round to Stangate Creek instead.
The mate enjoying a late afternoon row…An enchanting sunset…
It was an enchanting evening anchored along the west of Stangate along Greenborough Marsh. A huge flock of godwits with their russet fronts fed as the tide left the mud banks. A couple of avocet were spotted too.
The next day we poked right up into the entrance to Lower Halstow Dock with a fickle breeze before sailing to Queenborough for the evening. Of course, a pickled egg or two with a couple of pints just had to be enjoyed ashore at the Admiral’s Arm…
The window refitted and completing the job.
Returning to our home mooring, I soon had a window off for resealing and stripping back of varnish coating where it had broken down around the frame.
It was cockpit varnishing time this year too…
We attacked this after a morning on the club’s work party which was a mistake for post covid we both have lacked energy!
It got done…
Sanding the cockpit varnish work.
While Christobel cleaned up the mess and wiped the sanded area down, I added another coat around ‘my’ window – then she took a rest while I varnished round: working area is limited and the mate does not like applying varnish…
All bright and shiny.
With the grand conditions, I went overboard onto walking boards to strip back the bottom of the transom where the varnish had broken down. When doing this I’d decided to raise the boot top to keep the varnish out of the water. A few coats of primer were applied and a couple of hard boot top. It’ll get another when we antifoul in a few weeks time.
The varnished transom and rudder. The boot top was raised around 100 mm.
And so, the generally showery month of April draws to a close, with continued dry spring-like weather.
The May Bank Holiday weekend looms and we plan to be out there enjoying another bout of early season sailing in what looks currently like benign conditions. It wontr be ‘hot’ but pleasant…
Knowing we were going to be in South Devon over our Forty-fourth wedding anniversary on a ‘no boats’ holiday, I kept a little something up my sleeve…
Although we did travel across the pretty harbour on a ferry – for a trip on the Dart Valley Steam Railway, I saved it until last.
On the day planned for a scenic trip up the Dart Valley to Totnes with winding narrow lanes set deep into the land, I said, as we twisted past the head of Mill Creek, ‘We’re just popping along here…’ pointing to my right.
After the expected question, I added, ‘… the Snark is here…’ I saw a ‘look’ in the corner of my eye as I navigated another sharp bend.
We parked up in the yard alongside the creek with steep sided wooded slopes towering over us. Saying I wouldn’t be long, ‘Have fun, Snark Hunter..’ drifted from the closing door. I was met by the yard owner who had clearly witnessed our arrival.
As soon as I mentioned my quest, he grinned and took me to meet the owner, Paul Jenkins. I was welcomed aboard by Paul, but his partner wasn’t aboard at the time.
The Snark… Looks like a traditional sprittie. Her anchor is housed in a ‘snout’…
I first met Paul at the yard in Chatham where the Snark had originally been constructed from modules. The barge had originally been built at Walton-on-the-Naze some years ago. She ultimately was used for the barge on the beach for the film ‘Intonement’ from the book by Ian McEwan, of same name. The hull units were purchased by Paul who had them transported to Chatham where the hull was reconstructed with much rewelding. She was shortened too.
The Snark is an almost full sized spritsail barge, but is in fact a barge yacht and fits into the yacht category at maximum length of just under 24 metres. So, unlike a traditional Thames barge, she can go anywhere with the limitations of maximum of twelve passengers…
The Snark’s owners have plans this summer for a circumnavigation of Great Britain with a visit to Belfast in Northern Island. I picked up on this some time ago after seeing a post on a Barge blog site.
Berths are still available for most legs of the passage.
Looking down the main hull. Barge devotee’s will spot a number of differences.
It struck me that Paul’s Medway & Thames passage mirrors the passage in my book, Rochester to Richmond A Thames Estuary Sailor’s View. Changes to the river scenes are vividly described…
Additional cabins were under construction when I went below. My understanding is that these are two berth units allowing couples privacy and own space.
An uncluttered foredeck. No huge windlass. Note the ‘small’ yacht type anchor winch.
Back aft, the barge yacht has made use of the chaffcutter wheel and steering mechanism found on her ex-trading sisters. The barge has a large mullie mizzen with a slightly smaller main being fitted.
Snark has retained her traditional chaffcutter wheel and steering arrangements.
Interestingly, the mast, although in a traditional looking mast case is not lowered by the usual means. It would either have to be lifted out or lowered using a crane, Paul told me. Apparently a new mast is being fitted in 2023.
Paul heading for the warmth of down below…
Looking at the itinerary for the Snark’s summer cruise round Britain and Northern Ireland, I was greatly interested in the plans to sail through the Swale and through the lifting bridge on passage to Chatham. The date for the Swale passage looks likely to be Tuesday 14th June.
After that the Snark is due to reach Gravesend on the day before the Thames Barge Match which is on Saturday 18th June. From Gravesend she goes up to London for a change of guests at Limehouse.
After leaving Limehouse, she is due to be off Southend with plans to go through the inside passage at Havengore, enroute northwards…
‘Are you planning to race with your sisters…’ I cheekily asked Paul.
Paul told me that they wouldn’t be allowed – professional skipper and mainsheet man required – so his plans are to follow.
Spritsail barges setting off from Gravesend for start of 2018 Thames Match.
I suggested he should turn before the barges begin coming home to be in a position to witness the end.
We both agreed that it would be interesting to see how the Snark performed against her older sisters. I added that a visit to the Sea Change Sailing Trust’s Blue Mermaid should be of interest and a chat to Richard Titchener…
The line has been passed by the mighty engineless Cambria. Then, shortening sail, she sails ‘onto’ her mooring buoy.
I reminded Paul of what I wrote in my book, The May Flower A Barging Childhood: Put simply – ultimately, the future of the vessel type will mean building new for it is surely the rig and how it is operated which is of greater importance than maintaining very old vessels. The Sea Change Sailing Trust has since built the Blue Mermaid. The river barge Defiance has also been built (shortened to fit the 24 m rule).
Against the above, ‘millions’ from both private and charitable means (lottery largely) has been spent rebuilding wooden vessels … most of which rely on charities to sustain them.
I’m not saying it is wrong to preserve an original, but…
The day after, the lovely Marjorie ‘following’ Whimbrel across the Grain Flats in a little over a metre of water!
