I have known Nancy Grey and her sister Dione for most of my life from around 11 years old. Both are barge-yachts, built by Shuttlewood of Paglesham on the River Roach. The build shed still exists, but little takes place there these days. The yard was being used to build/fit out house barges for the River Thames some years ago and one still sits awaiting completion.

The Dione is owned in Kent and is berthed in Shoregate Dock off Milfordhope Creek – one of the Medway’s many creeks. Her owner also has the Thames spritsail barge Ethel Maud, which is nearing a complete rebuild in the dock.

But this is about the Nancy Grey. Years ago I received an email from a chap sailing in the water around Thailand – he’d been a previous owner of ‘Nancy‘ – the chap had just finished reading one of my earlier books and wanted to say ‘thank you…’ That was Paul Lester, father of Toby, owner of the spritsail barge Ironsides and manager of the Iron Wharf Boatyard.

Some time after returning from his trip abroad, Paul Lester decided to buy Nancy Grey, a boat he’d owned before, from Nick Hann, a Leigh-on-Sea man. Nick had decided to go for a steel barge-yacht which had become available – the Calluna. She is roomier and has a shower in the toilet compartment which enticed Nick’s wife afloat more often!

Nick had owned Nancy Grey for many years and in his time the vessel received a bit of a make-over – something all of her owners have had to do to some extent or other.

During this particular refit Nick told me that he also built a new hatch which gave better ‘standing room’ or sort of, beneath! She’s a bit low below…

Some frames were renewed to… All spars were completely stripped and re-preserved.

Nick Hann raced Nancy grey to some noyable wins around the lower Thames and on the Swale. In his hands she became a bit of a flyer, however, these little ships were noted for their speed.

If you take a good look at many of today’s yachts, you’ll see hard chines and very flat bottoms. They’re so barge-like. The pedigree rests with these humble ditch-crawlers of a bygone age.

I heard from a fellow Finesse fiend, Tim Mulcahy, very recently telling me he was thinking of selling his Finesse 21, Ivy May, and purchase a larger vessel. His boys are growing … and Tim needs space for his new lady.

Shortly after this conversation, Tim messaged me, ‘…Breaking news, Nancy Grey has new owner and is staying in Faversham…’

Tim had jumped!

I shall bring news of Ivy May, a delightful gaff rigged Finesse 21 soon.

I wish Tim well. He has a lot to live up to in the care of this piece of yachting history…