Because of Covid restrictions sadly I cannot be in Rochefort this coming weekend, writes Dan Houston, to join the photographer Nigel Pert in signing copies of our collaborative book - Celebrating Trad Boats (or Les Fêtes Maritimes de Brest ) to give it its French title. On Saturday 26th it's the annual general meeting of [...]
A TRIP TO BRISTOL WITH MY DAUGHTER. Reproduced with permission from Imray, Laurie, Norie and Wilson Ltd. by Annabel Bowker-Dance Lydney Yacht Club, based in the Severn Estuary in Gloucestershire, run a 9-day Summer Cruise around the Bristol Channel. For many years there have been a number of wayfarers in the fleet, and [...]
An elegiac film on Cdr Bill King RN who entered the 1968 Golden Globe race in his cold-moulded two masted junk rig schooner Galway Blazer II. With no shrouds or guard rails it looks a frightening boat to be on deck, especially looking at that camber but King rigged a wire jackstay from stem to [...]
The rule of tenths is a ready reckoner which you can use as a rough guide to working out the current height of tide in your head. It’s very easy to do – it’s based on percentages and all you need is the range for day. [/fusion_youtube]
The story of sailing aboard Mariquita - a big class yacht built in 1911 to the 19-M rule [/fusion_youtube] Update: Mariquita was sold in February 2020 at auction. See report: HERE Transcript Take a look at this boat… she’s one of the most beautiful boats ever built… She’s Mariquita launched in 1911 [...]
Guy Venables finds out that turning up in posh foulies is all wrong, but on the other hand attempting to ‘fit in’ with the crew is also fraught with hazards, both social and physical... and... the only useful tool on a Tall Ship is an axe, so throw away your shaving kit. So we can [...]
In which Bob Hammond discovers that, as the instructor aboard, his novice crew are likely to take him, very precisely, at his word… “Just try making it in the sink mate,” I suggested It is a fact that the human brain feeds off new ideas, and, when placed in an alien environment, is happy to [...]
The boat that inspired Arthur Ransome. Peter Willis talks to Dan Houston about his lifelong passion for the children's author Arthur Ransome and his 1931 Hillyard cutter Nancy Blackett. Peter was recognised in the 2019 Royal Yachting Association Volunteer Awards with a Lifetime Commitment Award for his 22 years with the Nancy Blackett Trust, [...]
Waldringfield Sailing Club, River Deben, Suffolk By Julia Jones. The weekend of September 5th-7th 2019 saw Waldringfield Sailing Club celebrating 70 years of its 14ft (4.3m) one- design ‘Dragonfly’ class (1949). And in a return match for when Waldringfield boats attended the Irish Dinghy Racing Association's 70th celebrations at Clontarf in 2016, there were three [...]
