Messing about in boats

Dinghy Cruising on the Bristol Channel

2020-11-06T11:20:41+00:00September 18th, 2020|Features, Life Afloat, Seamanship|

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 [...]

Voiles de Saint-Tropez extends to two weeks

2021-01-29T19:18:58+00:00June 25th, 2020|Life Afloat, News|

News from Maguelonne Turcat, SNST: Confirmed from Saturday, September 26th to Friday, October 9th, the new format of the Voiles de Saint-Tropez offers an event spread over two weeks, for the modern and classic yachts.  The programme differs according to boat category with the aim to optimise registration, organisation of start zones – which will [...]

Bill King on Galway Blazer, 1968 Golden Globe Race

2020-11-06T11:21:02+00:00May 14th, 2020|Heritage, Life Afloat, Snugberth Cinema|

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 [...]

Sailing aboard Mariquita

2020-11-06T11:21:10+00:00January 31st, 2020|Life Afloat, Seamanship|

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 [...]

James Lawrence: a sailorman in stitches

2020-11-06T11:21:22+00:00January 9th, 2020|Life Afloat|

When the last six working Thames sailing barges doused their canvas for the final time in 1963 it was the end of an era, but Jim Lawrence survived. Dan Houston first met him in 1999 and this interview mostly dates from that period. But while Jim had retired as a sailmaker, handing over the famous [...]

Tall Ship inspired by ice legend

2020-11-06T11:21:28+00:00December 12th, 2019|Heritage, Life Afloat|

ACTIV OF LONDON Polar legend has it that the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen dreamt up the ideal Arctic ship by gazing at an olive stone. Pressed laterally, its curves would slide its body upwards. So, he thought, a vessel could escape ice by getting pushed up and floating above it. This was the principle behind [...]

Irish boats at Dragonflies’ 70th

2020-11-06T11:21:36+00:00November 26th, 2019|Heritage, Life Afloat|

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 [...]

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