Some while ago I had a little rant about plastic and rubbish ‘thrown’ overboard by fellow yachting folk. I was so incensed that I dropped the editor of Yachting Monthly a letter. They responded, which is more that the commodore of my own yacht club, as far as I am aware… See:  http://nickardley.com/rubbish-ditch-crawler-can-only-agree/ Currently I’m sailing…

Whilst sailing aboard the Eda Frandsen around the Scottish western isles recently I spotted in Plockton harbour a pretty clinker craft which I gauged to be around 15′ when discussing them with another of our group. The craft appeared to have a ‘fifer’ type stem with a tight kicked up wine-glass raked transom. The boats…

Ah well, yes, I have been unfaithful to Whimbrel again! After my trip with my good Mate sailing in the Western Isles of Scotland last summer, my sister, who followed me into this world as close behind as is almost possible, decided to get a ‘family’ group together to celebrate her 60th year too. So,…

My latest book, Swinging the Lamp – Thames estuary Tidal Tales, has now been released by the publisher, Fonthill Media. It is better late than never, why the delay, I cannot fathom! Display board for Swinging the Lamp… The Book Inn, The Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Tel: 01702 716614, is hosting a launch event for the book…

Some while ago I took my old safety rail wires into Boatacs in Chalkwell for renewal. I had a surveyor coming and knowing that latest wisdom was for non-plastic covering, got ahead of myself. Boatacs had the wires made up for the next morning and were fitted same day. This meant I could ‘safely’ continuing…

Some while ago I had a walk through Old Leigh nosing about boatyards and associated areas where boat bits ‘congregate’. A reader, a fellow Finesse fan, has sent me a fulsome email expanding on a few things adding colour and detail. I have appended this to the original. See:  http://nickardley.com/ditch-crawler-takes-a-palm-sunday-wander-through-old-leigh/ Many thanks Norman. Norman owns the SK23…

I take a friend sailing twice a year for a long weekend – this began over a decade ago – long before the much trumpeted RYA take a friend scheme. But this year’s spring cruise coincided with a visit from my ‘Canadian’ brother. So, I ended up with two Graham’s… And yes, they played up…

Yes, it has happened. The new spritsail barge ordered by the Sea-change Sailing Trust from C. Toms of Polruan, Fowey, slipped into the water yesterday afternoon (Sunday 29 May 2016) and boy does she look handsome! The barge is a direct copy, with all welded construction as her namesake launched by Horlocks of Mistley in…

In the June edition of Yachting Monthly there is a superb article about rubbish. The rubbish in question is the type which finds its way into the sea. Most comes off the land now, however, seafarers are responsible for a proportion of it all, which is very unfortunate indeed. I have been banging the drum…

The Faversham Festival for traditional craft is approaching well, it’ll soon be upon us. The event is taking place over the weekend of 23rd and 24th July. Events are open between 1000 – 1800. Various craft can be viewed and visited. Those wishing to book berths for their craft need to contact www.faversham.org Berthing is…

The good ship is still propped up ashore looking ‘spick and span’ for this year’s rally. We still have a bit of her decks to finish, but the camera couldn’t see that! The Skipper hard at work… The finished result with lines cut in! Anyway, we left off doing ‘bat work’ for the weekend. On…

We had been getting on with the spring maintenance for several weeks, interspersed with sailing on the tide and our over joy, walking. But this year we decided the top sides needed a little attention – mainly because a number of fastening heads had ‘popped’ spoiling the finish! So, booking a lift out at my…

I received this email from a Finesse group member living ‘up north’ who has, for personal reasons, got to sell his beloved craft. This is always a sad event and we will all have to at some point (as my family keep telling me!) in our lives. I can only wish them well… Hi nick,…

Blog updated Tuesday 7th June with news from a reader, Leigh man Norman, owner of Shearwater, the SK23 pictured within… I’d not been well over the weekend, spending most of Saturday prone… So, feeling a little better on Sunday, but not ready for a ‘long’ country walk, the mate and I drove down to Old Leigh for a…

Out on the water one often sees lots of different boat types. Sometimes I look at the way boats are seemingly left, rotting, on their moorings. There are a number of these up my own creek, clogging a berth for someone who might be waiting for a berth, but that’s a different problem, however connected.…

A couple of weeks ago I spoke of my belief in the immanent arrival of spring. Well it has definitely arrived. My Mate and I got out on the tide, after I’d fitted a new oil lamp below – leaving the Mate getting the boat ready! We’d gone creek-wards laden with a generator, drill and…

The Wapping Group’s annual show is about to start … it runs from Monday 29th February to Saturday 4th March 2016. It is at the Mall Galleries, just off Trafalgar Square. Times are 1000 – 1700 Monday to Friday and 1000 to 1600 on Saturday. Call Mall Galleries on 020 7930 6844. www.mallgalleries.org.uk Also see…

Ah yes. My good mate was off on a wander across country driving a cousin of mine to see my aunt. It was an errand to help out a cousin of mine, in the main, but the mate has a soft spot for her and my aunt too… Bless her. So, when the cats away…

Hi All, So very sorry … Swinging the Lamp is going to be late off the press. I’m disappointed, yes, but since, as I said to someone recently, I’ve been working on this project for a considerable number of years and after having to wait upon my other main publisher for qualification of a ‘verbal…

I’d forewarned a friend of mine that today looked good for a sail … I’d got out on Tuesday this week rather unexpectedly, which made it all the nicer! My friend popped ’round’ after my return having been hard at it, up the road from me, digging his allotment… We had a pot a pot…