Calluna is Nick Hann’s ‘new’ barge yacht… See: http://nickardley.com/barges-in-ditch-crawlers-patch/

Well, Nick has been hard at work over the autumn and winter.

Whilst catching a sail on the best of the bank holiday days yesterday I came across Nick testing his autopilot. Passing, we chatted for a bit … he’s not tested the shower yet, but his mate soon will be! The topmast is still to be fitted and mainsail bent on.

This steel sensation has had her chunky wheelhouse removed and replaced with a conventional spray hood arrangement. Nick still has some work to do on hull paintwork, but there is time enough for that!

She looked a treat.

Calluna puttering past Whimbrel…

Having got a jib up on its roller gear, I watched as Nick slackened the hoist to enable a lashing to be reached, hoist up again and then heave on the out haul to tension the sail’s luff … his barge was away, her first sail for a very long time: her gear was stored by previous owners…

The Calluna under sail off the end of Two Tree Island.

The Calluna is going to be a credit to her type and, probably, be around the Lower Thames area for a long time – I hope!