I was alerted to the film, ‘The Long Memory’ by a fellow sailor during last autumn. I quickly discovered that it was based on a book by Howard Clewes, author and film script writer.

Howard Clewes was born in 1912 and died in 1988. His early life was in York – far from the silty Thames. He was a BAFTA award recipient during his career. As far as I can ascertain, The Long Memory was his only book to feature spritsail barges and the R. Thames.

The film was good, however, at the time the hacks tore into the ‘wooden’ characters depicted… The book is a fabulous yarn.

It is a story of a chap’s release from prison for murder. It was a murder he did not commit. The chap finds a home on a hulk amongst others in a graveyard The back story comes out as the book progresses with the character searching for the two people who’s untruths put him behind bars.

The untruths, wrongful corroborative statements that a deceased person was not who he was. As you will find, the deceased is later found alive and well in Shad Thames running a tug business and a racket besides.

The synopsis of the book is in a link within the link below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Clewes

The so-called murderer was heir to a tug business based at Gravesend but he fell in with the daughter of a barge owner (once of a small fleet) who drank all the profits. The owner agrees to transport a bank robber on the run to a ship out in the estuary … and the tale unfolds…

For me, the main story was enthralling. It is a clever tale with the London River’s reaches weaving through it. Anyone whether or not they have sailed this waterway will be carried along on the flowing tides…

The book and film both open with the released prisoner (on licence) taking up residence aboard an abandoned barge (lighter) with a hut on its deck in ‘Morocco Bay’ on the Grain peninsular along the Blyth Sands…

There are evocative views purporting to be in either Egypt of St Mary’s Bay that were filmed in Bedlams Bottom where lighters and a few other barge types and the odd spritty or two were laid up against the sea wall.

I think St Mary’s is the place for a track runs out from a road across the low grazing marsh from High Halstow. It was extended at start of WW2 to a set of buildings housing men protecting a river barrier built here.

Having sailed those delightful waters at the foot of Stangate for most of my life and investigated the wreckage, now containing the remains of the famous racer Veronica, it was fascinating to see how it all was several decades before my own wanderings. Google earth clearly shows these vessel remains.

In the book, towards its conclusion (film differs), the main character is set down on the boom end from a river boat and he walked ashore into danger…

An arial photograph I found on a web site ‘beyondcanvey.wordpress.com’ which has come from archives clearly shows a building of some sort at the outer end at edge of the Blyth. The deep channel floating boom was tended by naval-ised fish-trawler types manned by probably men of the ‘way navy’…

The web page was interesting for the archive photographs (not referenced) and is worth a look.

Very few of the places are now as described by Clewes and used for filming. The eastern end of Gravesend has changed dramatically, as has Shad Thames and the area immediately upriver of Tower Bridge. The only areas that are still hauntingly wild and lonely are St Mary’s Bay and Bedlams Bottom where filming took place. The remains of wrecks are still there too…

Copies of the book are available on line, but check your local library as it may well be held in a reserve stock.

I have not tracked down which spritsail barge was used, but it was a yacht-barge, and no, it was not destroyed in the film!

A link to a YouTube film:

https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t-s&ei=UTF-8&p=film+the+long+memory#id=1&vid=5960526ac7bc87d155b9b97e3aa6081b&action=view

A fascinating and enjoyable read which can be backed up with the 1953 B&W film that evocatively captures the book…

A bit of a delight was found under our Christmas tree, a present from my dear mate, a book.

The book, Arthur Ransome Master Storyteller, By Roger Wardale, has been around for some while, however, it’s title hadn’t fell my way. Christobel said that she found it while we were away on holiday in Norfolk – I suspect it was at the Museum of The Broads…

Of course, like many sailing adults, Ransome’s books have been enjoyed many times. I have read most of the books about Ransome’s books, but not this one.

The book covers the works of Arthur Ransome, more specifically, the twelve about ‘his’ children and their exploits. It was published in 2010 by Great Northern Books and is still available on line.

There have been a number of Ransome inspired books. Christina Hardyment’s Arthur Ransome and Captain Flint’s Trunk looked at the supposed and most likely places the stories were based. Hugh Brogan wrote a biography of Arthur Ransome and also Coots in the North & other Stories, which has sections of unfinished or abandoned yarns. Arthur Ransome also wrote an autobiography too. Taqui Altouayan’s In Allepo Once details a time Arthur and Evginia spent with the Altouayan’s where the family lived for some years.

There was of course, The Racundra First Cruise book by AR himself, which many say cemented ideas for the Swallows & Amazon series. The old seaman who sailed with AR is remembered as Peter Duck…

Don’t expect to find much about Authur Ransome’s own boats – they do get a mention, especially Nancy Blackett (Goblin) as she actually featured in two of the tales. His second cruiser, Lottie Blossom, completed just before WW2 was hardly sailed by Ransome, whilst Peter Duck was built, sailed, sold and promptly repurchased – his boats are told about elsewhere.

Was the book worth a read? Yes.

Do I recommend this volume to anyone who has an interest in Arthur Ransome’s books? Yes, certainly.

So, Ransome fans, go get and enjoy!

The start of the year was punctuated for us by the failure of our propeller key making it imperative for a lift out. This was our first at The Blackwater Marina.

It all went swimmingly well and the team listened to my ‘foiballs’ about chocking up… Beccs, the manager, kindly gave me a telephone number for a metal fabricator up the road in Latchingdon and I had a new key made (milled) up by the elderly owner that evening, on our way home from the yard. See blog for the story!

At the time we had not yet completed our first year in the yard, nor have we yet carried out the antifouling and other annual jobs on the slipway yet. These were all completed (early) whilst out end February to early March.

We have found sailing from our berth and returning simplicity in itself – no traumas or difficulty has been experienced. Only a hard easterly would cause, or likely to cause, any problems.

On many Saturdays in the early part of the year, we walked local to the boat, or just Christobel, while maintenance was carried out – often the second, third or fourth varnish coat etc.

During the autumn especially, we have enjoyed morning sailing with a delicious soup lunch at the bistro bar. The quality of the fare offered here has radically advanced since a change of proprietorship. I am even considering it a venue for the 2025 Finesse rally!

It has been an entertaining year all in all.

All my siblings have enjoyed the boat from the mooring including a cousin and extended family. All have commented on what a delightful place we are now based. For one thing, there is absolutely no bloody ‘club initiated stress’ to cope with!

The year has brought warnings from the authorities on boat safety, especially on the inland waterways where accident, fires and death have occurred. The RNLI has had a rise in rescues inshore caused in the main by paddle boarders and canoeists. Both past times grew during the pandemic exponentially. Large numbers of both are oft seen in Lawling Creek.

Yachting (sailing?) seems to have taken a dive around the east coast, although when visiting a cousin in Tarbert, Argyll, during Clyde Tarbert Weekend, the number of craft participating puts the ‘south’ to shame, I thought. I sailed aboard my cousin’s yacht on a dreek day, but boy it was enjoyable. water depth was in excess of 110 metres – unheard of in my locale!

The Olympics took place in France this summer too. The much heralded and grossly over funded Royal Yachting Association’s Team GB did crushingly poorly… It was disastrous. The RYA should get back to what its core membership used to be – cruising sailors and get a grip.

My membership was terminated over the Calor Gas bottle saga: the RYA were outstandingly useless. Calor themselves saw the light eventually, announcing purchase of new bottle stock and a continuation of supply of both propane and butane in the ‘small’ cylinder. That was a definite positive outcome for the year.

The numbers of empty moorings – buoys and marina berths – has seemingly continued to rise, with a resultant increase in craft laid up ashore. The laid up fleet is huge.

Active boats seem crewed by ‘older and older’ crews. To many this is worrying, but I believe is symptomatic of the way modern life has evolved. The youngsters of today, on the whole, do not want the hassle of maintenance and the trouble of running – looking after – a vessel. The growth in companies offering boats for short term use – essentially hired – is spreading to UK waters. It is a bit like going to the gym: there is no commitment to the equipment or premises. It is a case of use and go…

Be interesting to see how this develops.

One thing is for certain, many yards cannot cope with much more in the way of laid up craft being parked up and leave space for maintenance of regularly owned craft.

Whilst on holiday in Norfolk, we visited the Broads Museum where craft are being preserved, and, on another day visited the Norfolk Boat Rescue Centre where craft are being repaired and there was actually a new build nearing completion.

Sadly, a few weeks before the end of the year it was announced that the internationally famous Lowestoft Boat Building Centre is closing. This is a huge blow to the training of new specialists in wood. There are yards specialising in wooden construction and repair, but the numbers of trainees any one yard can support cannot be a substitute: the number of yards themselves is not high.

This last autumn I have had to make a new main section to my Genoa whisker pole – made from laminations of spruce. Also, a new gaff for Twitch’e lug sail. Both were jobs well within my capacity.

So, we are moving into 2025. For me it will be a a bit of a year: I reach the young age of seventy in June…

And, we would both like to wish all readers of this blog a very happy 2025, whether sailors or not, be happy and content with life and live it as it should be. Go…

The cockpit sole boards aboard Whimbrel have needed to be stripped back for a couple of seasons. The paint layer thickness was becoming excessive (notoriously tough resistance to sanding!) and in places adherence was breaking down.

As an experiment, I had applied a single coat of a different non-slip paint from Teamac as I was increasingly unimpressed with either Hempel or International products. Quite frankly neither of them gave a respectable non-slip finish, even with added ‘sand’ in the mix.

So, after enjoying a sail on the day the festive tree was set aloft and considering ongoing forecasts we transported them all home.

It was an excellent pre-Christmas sail, with a kindly breeze allowing us to break away from Lawling Creek and beat up to Heybridge Basin before running back downriver.

Over Christmas the tides are all ‘wrong’ that is they’re early and late. The New Year period brings middle of the day tides … so, just enough time for the job!

In many respects getting the boards home ‘early’ was more than helpful: it took longer to complete the project – I’m not one for shortcuts!

A heat gun and orbital sander came into their own as paint removal and preparation progressed nicely outside on two windy yet sunny days.

One of the things I have not done is to use a middle under coat between the silver primer/undercoat and non slip for we have found that deck paint does not adhere to coatings such as ‘oneup’ primer undercoat (made by International Paints).

I wonder if others have had similar problems.

I also wonder if the apparent incompatibility is due in part to the different make up of the paints. The aluminium primer/undercoat and non slip use a solvent thinners, whilst ‘oneup’ uses white spirit…

Some epoxy and filler repairs were needed to two of the boards as the ply surface had been torn by the heating and scraping off of the paint.

Words aren’t really needed as the pictorial flow tells the story, but not of the time and effort made!

Progress prior to Christmas was on course to allow shipping sole boards back aboard Whimbrel for a sail as soon as tide times allow.

Once the initial preparations were completed, it was a case of essentially a coat each day. The aluminium primer being quick drying allowed two coats on a day, which made life easier…

In the coatings completed view the course or roughness, if you like, texture of the deck coating can be seen. It is certainly effective when sailing and Whimbrel has some heel on her. With a single test coat previously applied, I did not slip on any subsequent occasion…

Time will tell!

There are many areas where a conservancy fee is ‘normal’ such as the Broads, inland waterways and river areas above the tidal limits such as the Thames and Medway in the south, but this news in the link below of what Peel Ports Clydeport wish to do is a bit of a shocker, or is it?

See:

Scotland’s recreational boating sector up in arms about Clyde boating fee proposal

The area ‘given’ to the Clyde Authority as it was instituted was very large indeed. It encompasses all waters from Kintyre peninsular to the Ayrshire coast, including the yachting centre at Troon. The private port owning company, Peel Ports, own this now and they have come up with a proposal to make a charge on all boaters within their domain.

It is the size of this domain with its far reaching tentacles that is infuriating boaters and others.

The proposed charges are within those levied down in England, on the River Medway in Kent. Circa £80-£100 for pleasure craft, annually. Note furor over the 2025 increases outlined below!

Something amongst the ‘stink’ of complaint seeped into my consciousness: there are conservancy fees around the United Kingdom.

Many coastal and river harbours are either privately owned, run by trusts or are instituted authorities. Some moorings are charged for, some not and anchoring is free. Fees are paid for marina style berthing and within that charge is generally an amount that is ‘a licenced fee’ which goes to whoever.

Down on the Thames estuary area of the eastern coast of England there are river fees in some areas, not however on the lower Thames waters below tidal limits, or on the rivers, Blackwater, Colne, Stour, Orwell, Deben and Alde.

Brightlingsea charges for moorings within their harbour, but nowhere else within their remit up to Colchester.

The River Medway as a ‘harbour’ is owned by Peel Ports and an annual licence fee is levied on privately owned craft moored within their jurisdiction.

See: Medway Swale Boating Association web site.

Peel Ports announce shocking fees hike

Peelports Medway conservancy licences are increasing by a whopping 15% as stated by association webmaster’s post :

‘Peel Ports have acknowledged the need to make these changes and have today announced that dates that the conservancy fee covers will be changed to align with the typical boating season, i.e. 1^st April to 31^st March.  

The letter from the Richard Goffin, Port Director, is shown below along with the new schedule of fees. The conservancy charge from 1st April 2023 will be £105.23 and the fee for yacht club moorings from 1st January will be £125.18. This is an increase of 14.2% (RPI to October) and 15% respectively.’

Interesting!

On the upper River Medway above Allington Lock the river is operated by the Medway Conservancy and private leisure craft are charged.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-medway-registration-charges/medway-navigation-boat-registration-and-other-charges-1-april-2024-to-31-march-2025

Although there is currently no conservancy fee for the Lower Thames, there was a charge made to the yacht club on Canvey Island, I once belonged to for forty years, for moorings.

The upper Thames beyond the Port of London Authority limit to Teddington Lock and beyond is run by an authority and a fee is levied.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-thames-boat-registration-charges/river-thames-boat-registration-and-other-charges-1-january-2025-to-31-december-2025

Both these southern conservancies (although the Thames runs from the mid-west) charge by a vessel’s waterplane area – as does the Broads Authority, I believe.

This is all very interesting and it is something not often talked about: people just pay, mutter into a foaming pint or a fizzing gin, with a grin and bear it…

Around the Thames estuary there is one river that does charge and that is on the River Crouch which is run by the Crouch Harbour Authority.

See:

Dues & Charges

Visitors to the Crouch Harbour Authority area do face charges, although I myself have never been charged…

See here: ‘ Visiting Vessels (Only applies to vessels coming in from seaward)
All visiting leisure vessels are entitled to one visit in any Dues year of up to 14 consecutive days free of charge before being charged for Harbour Dues.  If you are remaining in the river for longer than 14 consecutive days and do not intend to remain permanently, Short Visit Dues will apply.  Please see charges below.’

Short Visit Dues
Vessel Length
Feet	Metres	Dues
8.00 – 15.50	2.44 – 4.73	£9.00
15.51 – 21.50	4.74 – 6.55	£11.25
21.51 – 26.50	6.56 – 8.07	£14.00
26.51 – 32.50	8.08 – 9.90	£17.45
32.51 +	9.91 +	£21.95

These are the 2025 rates recently published.

Don’t stay around for more than two weeks…

So, for the Rivers, Blackwater, Colne, Stour, Orwell, Ore and Alde, this is something we currently are not saddled with, but for how long?

Back to the beginning of this post: googling the various rivers, it was clear that the issue is hot for the key words ‘Conservancy and fees’ brings up Clyde Ports…

Clearly, there can be no real gripe about being levied a charge within an area where efficient buoyage is laid and maintained by an authority. The entrance to the wider River Blackwater has been well buoyed by the West Mersea group of clubs and businesses – those yellow buoys with a black flags, local sailors know so well.

I have always assumed that Maldon District Council pays for the upkeep of buoyage in the upper reaches of the River Blackwater, from Thirslet Spit inbound. Whether or not this is spread over mooring charges, or licences, I do not know.

I will try to find out…

Reading the article below reminded me of a ‘man overboard’ incident from Whimbrel with my good mate, Christobel, being the victim. We were berthing in Limehouse Marina during Easter week, April 2017.

We had gone up for two reasons – to see a Passion Play at Trafalgar Square and see the tall ships which congregated off Greenwich for start of race to Canada.

Our assigned berth was in a far corner used at the time for visitors. A large yacht meant a tight turn to berth with our bow pointing out as it were.

Christobel got herself ready, however, I failed to spot that she was standing forward of the shrouds. The turn was a cinch … as we glided towards the pontoon, I bent to give a thrust astern to stop the boat…

As I looked up Christobel made to step onto pontoon and promptly ‘disappeared’ from sight. There was a great sploosh as she plunged into the freezing water then a loud hiss as her life jacket exploded into life.

I leapt ashore with a stern line taking it round a cleat and back to boat – the guard rail I seem to remember. Boat was secured.

Next, to rescue Christobel!

A group of adults with a few young ones saw it all happen. A lady called from the quayside, ‘Do you want a coffee…’

I called back, ‘Got that aboard … I need to get her out…’ None of the chaps offered to help me.

I got Christobel to hold onto jetty while I looked for a ladder. There was one, but the big boat ahead and a ‘Dutchman’ were in the way!

I had to drag Christobel up little by little until her chest was on pontoon, allowing water to drain. Once water drained from her upper clothing layers, I managed to complete the job.

Her life jacket made it difficult to pull her over the pontoon edge!

At that point our watchers sauntered off.

I gathered a bag of clothing and wash tackle and Christobel hot footed to the shower unit…

The article makes interesting reading – a tragedy and a major point regarding pontoon ladders.

Marina safety: Teacher’s drowning prompts ladder design warning

I have noticed that ladders are often difficult to reach due to berthing arrangements. Most though seem to be logically placed at the head of berths along the main walkways.

I haven’t (yet) had to use one in the emergency situation, nor do I really know how deep they go below the surface.

The transom ladder fitted to Whimbrel has two submerged steps which makes getting out far easier.

The report homed in on the ‘depth below’ aspect and has recommended a review by Marina operators…

Food for thought, for sure.

Whilst on holiday with the Mate based in a cottage in Holt, N. Norfolk recently we came across by complete accident a lovely museum dealing with boats of the Norfolk coast.

The museum, a working boatyard as well, is based at the former artillery training ground at Stiffkey. The site has all sorts within its bounds as well as caravan and holiday parks.

See: http://www.rescuewoodenboats.com/

The old working boats of the coast are unique to the local coast with its open beaches to the south on the curve from Sherringham to Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft and the shallow creeks that riddle the saltings on the more northern facing coast, running round to Kings Lynn.

The museum has a bent for lifeboats but has film footage of craftsmen (people) at work, artefacts and a spritsail barge model even, but it was the boat shed that lit my eyes. I think we got invited to view it as we (mate on the whole) got talking to staff about our own clinker sloop…

It was a howler dank sort of day, not really conducive to pottering, but we are hardy folk!

Inside the shed we met the resident boat builder and restorer, David Hewitt. He was actually star of one of the film clips in the main display shed. Chatting, I mentioned we owned a Finesse 24. His eyebrows raised as he said, fine boats … pity about the nailed decks! Indeed…

He had worked on two 24s locally and knew of a F21 along the coast which he had also done work on.

The boat builder told us a little about an old craft in the shed – in for some conservation as she was not on the radar for much else unless funding could be magicked up…

I was a little surprised at a lack of gunnel timbers at the top of the hull planking, but that was the way she was built.

A new vessel along similar lines was under construction with her hull all planked up ready for finishing.

Note the very deep sheerstrake plank also the wide gunnel,almost like a very narrow side deck.

Her propeller shaft was in and her engine beds were being set up ready to set up a small diesel engine.

Internal and external painting was not far off.

Within the shed too were a couple of boats receiving repair attention. One, seen above, had a large number of new ribs being fitted.

Further along the coast in Wells Harbour is a pontoon where a number of craft associated with the Boat Rescue Project are berthed. During summer months excursion outings can be booked…

Explore the web site and its sister site of the Coastal Exploration Company – fascinating stuff.

If you happen along that coastline in your travels, the museum and workshops are a worthwhile stop point. There is a cafe to quench thirst and post breakfast pangs too!

The first tender to Whimbrel was a little 8′ Tepco GRP moulded dinghy. It was a great carrier with a full bilge, but sweet she wasn’t being a bit of a tub.

In time after the demise of our Mirror dinghy, the tender was refitted with a dagger board and rudder made from the Mirror’s bits. The dinghy was rigged with a simple spritsail set on a mast made from the Mirror’s gunter gaff.

It was all rather rudimentary, but it worked!

As our boy grew up he expressed a desire for his own little boat. We looked a various, but he fancied a little Barrow-boat Sailer. This came in kit form and we all had fun building it. At the time I had looked at a 9′ ply-clinker dinghy seen at the Colne YC – she sparked and stuck in my mind.

At some point in 1994, I decided that I would like a proper tender built to sail, row and power with an outboard. A visit to Alan Staley’s yard on a jaunt up the creek into Faversham showed what was eminently suitable.

Alan fitted out a series of clinker tender GRP shells moulded by a friend. Alan kindly drove us over to his own boat’s moorings in Oare Creek to view a completed 9-footer., which he’d had for a few years.

So, that was that.

In the early autumn of 1994 I was posted to a shore based job for a two year stint (It became nearly five after being appointed to a project) and the order was placed before the days in September had travelled far.

I was based at my company’s ship refitting headquarters then located in Bath, travelling down for the week with weekends at home. The dinghy was collected from Faversham by car on a Saturday. I remember it being strapped down on a set of oars lashed to a roof rack, all tied trough the rear door window openings and to ‘bumpers’ front and back!

She arrived home safely…

The dinghy, without my knowledge, had been named Twitch by Christobel – don’t ask! The name has stuck: it is carved on a name plate inside the dinghy.

It was a late tide that particular weekend – no matter. She was rigged up to await her wetting. It was essentially dark by the time the tide made enough to get her in.

The dinghy is lugsail rigged with an un-stayed mast. She has a lift of rudder and a simple dagger board. Simplicity in itself. The same sail has seen her through too. It receives the occasional wash at home, other than that it is always on the spars, ready to hoist.

The dinghy has proved to be versatile. She is a little tender with minimal flat bilge but has great stability with four adults aboard when being rowed or propelled by the outboard engine.

With one aboard, she is an absolute joy to sail. Tacks easily and is very forgiving.

The one early lesson I learnt was to stow the mast on anything of a coastal passage. The tall mast makes her unstable in a sea. On one occasion the boat has slid down the side of a roller and capsized. Our boy was aboard once on a short passage (in a breeze) from Suffolk Yacht Harbour to Walton. Rollers were met outside Harwich Harbour. Yes. The dinghy capsized: I’d taken a risk!

Virtually all who have sailed aboard Whimbrel have enjoyed little jaunts around the harbours and creeks visited. They include, Theresa, Andrew (& Claire), Graham, Paul, Hannah and Christobel (rowing only).

I have appended a few pictures for posterity.

At the end of each season the dinghy is given ‘the once over’ to tidy up and repair varnish work. Every now and then the spars and oars get the home treatment.

Last year during the autumn, Twitch received a big refit.

See: https://nickardley.com/ditch-crawler-gets-autumn-into-his-head/

Many years ago, not so long after we purchased her, I fitted a stainless steel runner on the underside of the keel for concrete slipways and hard ground were taking their toll, chipping and wearing away the grp fell coat. It was a good move as it has surely lengthened the girl’s life.

Around fifteen years ago the hull was hard sanded and coated with a two-pot paint. These have been discontinued and current coatings are made with straight urethane paints. I’ve yet to do this.

The odd ‘disaster’ has sailed by over the years – I lost the rudder when beached on the sand bar at West Mersea – we were ashore for a BBQ. I didn’t unship the rudder! Alan Staley made up a new one after Christobel sent him the tiller…

I had to make a new tiller after the failure of the original some years ago. Other than that, little has been done.

However, stripping the sail off the spars this autumn to re-varnish them, I found several stress fractures in the sail’s gaff. Two were old with a new one sitting opposite an old which meant a repair was not available.

Alan Staley has come to my rescue and has provided a length of timber – Douglas Fir – for me to make a new one. I’d ordered a square section but he kindly made an eight-sided blank for me to finish off.

The mast was stripped to bare wood with all varnishing nearing completion as I write, the gear is almost ready to go back aboard Twitch.

Over the years, Twitch has taken me into rills that riddle the estuary’s rivers and creeks where old wharves or industries sit decaying and forgotten.

Slumbering barge remains have often been reached across shallow mud flats out of reach of land exploration. These have been recorded for soon many of these will meld into the environment and disappear.

So, bless the little ship and may she continue to serve for many more years to come!

I had taken the two part pole for booming out the Whimbrel’s headsails home for refurbishment as the ‘main’ part looked distinctly crabby.

Once dismantled I set too with a heat gun to strip the main pole of varnish. I quickly discovered the dreaded rot. The pole had to have a section cut off its outer end a few seasons back due to the very same. It had ‘collapsed’ whilst sailing with my youngest sibling as crew. At the time the wood looked good beyond the cutback.

This time it was terminal: the rot was in the middle area and along its length to outer end. It seemed to run down the centre of the original tree.

The main pole was initially made from a piece of Sitka Spruce I obtained from a long closed wood merchant in South Benfleet – they were general builders merchants but had other stuff in small quantities.

The outer pole is designed to run in housings I made from stainless steel and is secured by a pin.

I researched on line for suitable timber – it could be ordered at great expense. So, thinking that a couple of the Maldon boatyards might have some, I had a wander. Jim at Downs Road Yard had some pieces of Douglass Fir from a mast project but they were not of sufficient length, when section was good! So, onto the next yard. Scouting round the Shipways Yard by Marine Store, I spotted some suitable timber – the yard asked me to come back in a a couple of days and Adrian (manager – and boat builder/repairer) would sort me out…

Returning to the Shipways Yard, Adrian remembered me (and the mate) from a couple of visits over recent years staying at the yards visitor berth. We had a natter about ‘the Finesse’ – it transpired that he had been the man who converted F24, No.5, Mariette to gaff rig some fifteen years ago. Adrian was saddened to hear that the boat, as far as I knew, has been languishing in a rill at the Benfleet YC. Hey Ho!

Anyway, Adrian grabbed a couple of planks from a little pile of spruce planking and after ascertaining that I had neither a band saw or planer he proceeded to reduce the ‘grey’ boards of spruce to a number of battens making up a little over the finished size of the pole… Thirty quid!

I had to order up a West epoxy kit and as soon as it was delivered the battens were set up on a bench then glued and clamped.

The glued assemblage was left to cure for a couple of days before I set to and began squaring off. Our ‘boy’ who was fortunately working from his home popped over with his rudimentary but effective planer which saved some graft!

Once all the shaping with plane and then a spoke-shave was done, the pole was sanded until I was satisfied it looked and felt right.

The next job was to reassemble the housings for the outer sliding pole. Fortunately, I had been able to remove these without damaging them and a quick sand to remove old epoxy glue and they were ready.

The inner end where the mast fitting was to be fitted was given several coats of varnish prior to its final securing. That done, it was over to the varnish brush and a steady daily build up of eight coats of urethane varnish.

Once the varnishing was completed the new pole was re-leathered where the pole can come up against the forward mast stays.

The set up was originally a single pole made from the boom of Mirror dinghy 959 dating back to 1963, which I had played with for many years of childhood, as had my siblings too. The dinghy ultimately came my way and even Christobel ‘enjoyed’ a few jaunts out in it…

Within a short time, I decided that an extending booming out pole was required but did not want to go for the typical aluminium poles seen aboard cruisers. It was a kind of ‘magic moment’ when I contrived the idea of a sliding assembly in housings similar to the system in use on spritsail barges for housing and lowering of topmasts.

Oft referred to as, ‘You Play with Your Toy, I’ll steer…’ by the mate, it has worked extremely well with its adjustment ability to suit set of both the working jib and Genoa.

It was an interesting project. The laminations of the new pole are visible after varnishing and it all looks very strong: ready for the next thirty years, or so…

Now, if you had said to me eighteen months ago: ‘You’re going to sail to a new home soon…’ I’d have laughed outright. The mate would agree for she too, with reservations, was enjoying the camaraderie of the part of the Island Yacht Club we inhabited.

Weekend work party was a time to meet people and enjoy dong a myriad of maintenance and repair works.

I have wondered since how close that camaraderie actually was for the support we actually got with our prevails with the mean and bullying club hierarchy was pretty scant – no one really wanted to know. A mind set of keep heads down or I’ll be next attitude always prevails. However, that is all history now…

I wrote a post about reflecting on a ‘year of change’ on the last day of 2023.

Ditch-crawler reflects on a year of change…

The post lays out the facts behind our decision to break with a place we had loved. A place I wrote about, revered in words which will persist until the world crashes. It was sad, but necessary.

But, for me the sadness was almost fleeting as I busied myself into sorting out our new mooring and making it safe to come into a fixed fender protected pontoon.

We have now enjoyed a little over a year in our new home.

The yard has been very helpful. Yes, any services have to be paid for, but that was the case at the club. They are though a little more expensive. The mooring more so, but, as our son said, ‘you can’t take it (the money) with you dad…’ Indeed not!

The manager, Beccs, made us up a new floor board to replace one that got a stress fracture after Christobel crashed down onto it – a story to tell! I only asked if there was a piece of scrap offcut in the yard … there wasn’t a charge!

As always, I remain proactive though and if a fault is seen, I report it: staff do not always see things, and if deficiencies aren’t reported one cannot complain about them not being fixed!

At the end of February the propeller key failed as I was leaving the berth to go out. It wasn’t until clear that I fully realised as the pop rattled and knocked beneath the transom as the boat picked up speed under sail. With ideal conditions to turn back, I did, berthing under sail. Whimbrel required to be lifted out. This was achieved the day after the event. The problem was resolved the same day with a new key made by a local engineering concern – used by the yard.

See:

Ditch-crawler revels in tranquility of recent lift out…

We were out for exactly two weeks, however the charges were for a lift, wash and return at a weekend rate…

We both felt it was far to early to antifoul, but it held up well. During the summer, while sitting in Lower Halstow Dock in early August, I went over for the side for a look. It was not as bad as expected, but it needed to be scrubbed off. I set to and got to most of it apart from the middle body to port against the wall.

Coming back from an overnight sail on my own in May exemplified the friendliness of the mooring holders around us. I was early by probably ten to fifteen minutes and slid to a halt short of the berth. Going ahead, the long keel prevented boat from turning.

One of the chaps ashore called for me to toss a line … two of them then pulled as I went ahead and the bow came nicely round. They didn’t need to do that, but did, for a few minutes more the tide would have allowed…

We have often gone over to the boat and enjoyed a rural walk before completing jobs on a Saturday, also, we have gone sailing when the conditions down in Sea Reach of the Thames would have kept us ashore. The wind is not really felt until well out in the river beyond Stansgate Point, when in the northeasterly to southeasterly quarter.

With the boat moored into the face of the prevailing winds, leaving is easy and returning under sail is cool, calm and collected!

There are little differences, the Brent geese arrive a little later than down on the Thames, but they seep our way as the food sources get gobbled up and their shear numbers force a natural spreading. The terns ‘disappear’ at the same time as elsewhere, but waders, in general, are present throughout the seasons. I always look forward to the winter breeds which eventually smother the mud flats. Overwintering duck like the widgeon with their whistling call can be seen close up as they feed along the mud edges close by the boat.

Throughout the year we have a seal colony in the entrance to Lawling Creek and our regular anchorage spot when overnighting for whatever reason is almost in casting distance.

So, on reflection, it has all been rather refreshing. There are some regrets, there always are, but we have suffered from absolutely no stresses. I have gradually ‘washed’ off the hurt. Perhaps one day I shall write about it, but maybe not…

Oh, I mustn’t forget, cake. Yes, for we used to provide the work party regularly. Now, after our around six-weekly stints doing coffee morning at our church, a plate of spare cake goes to the yard. Boy do they appreciate it!

And on that note, before leaving the Thames, Medway and Swale at the end of August (2024), a cake, specially made by Christobel, was given to the helpful staff at Queenborough Harbour Trust.

Apparently, no one else has presented them with homemade cake since we left the area…