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June 2022 Boating News

Gillian Nahum
June 30, 2022

It's been another interesting month on the go as usual.

In the spirit of tradition

While some were mowing the lawn or having a lie-in on Sunday morning, June 12th, I was speeding in my electric Wunder-Auto to the south coast where the estuary in Warsash is really something to behold. 

Early bird yachts, ribs and other vessels of all shapes and sizes head for the sunny Solent and a possible mooring on the Isle of Wight for a lazy lunch.

'Allegiance'
'Allegiance'

One boat glistening across the busy passageway was the 50ft Camper & Nicholson design, ‘Allegiance’. She can only be described as a ‘passion project’ built over 11 years by a group of skilled French master boatbuilders heading for imminent retirement. 

The boat is built in a traditional way but with the addition of modern West System making the hull a true example of construction ‘in the spirit of tradition’. So while the plans dated from 1925, the actual construction period ran from 1992 to 2005 due to the limited amount of labour time per year that constructor Marijon in Port Camargue was able to devote to the project. 

Her current owner brought her to the UK via Rotterdam earlier this month, and with her twin Yanmar engines she cruised comfortably at around 15 knots to her UK mooring at Warsash sailing club.

'Allegiance'
'Allegiance'

My visit to not-so-sleepy Birdham

'Talisman IV' taking pride of place in Birdham Pool dock
'Talisman IV' taking pride of place in Birdham Pool dock

Leaving busy Warsash behind me I headed east to Chichester, where a boat restorer with a passion for Storebro cruisers had invited me for a visit. I arrived at sleepy Birdham Pool only to find the annual knees-up in full swing complete with band, hot dogs and copious bunting. 

I finally got to meet Tim, owner of Dolphin Quay Boatyard, who specialises in wooden boat restoration. His own Bates Star Craft named 'Talisman IV' had pride of place alongside the dock, framed by the 40ft Bates, 'Rajdhani', which we sold a few years ago to a local resident. Happily, Julia has had 'Rajdhani' maintained to the highest standard by the aforementioned Tim and his team.

Gleaming 'Zenique'
Gleaming 'Zenique'

Another blast from the past also gleaming in the sunshine was ‘Zenique’, a Rampart 39 which I sold in 2014.

A surprise Dunkirk Little Ship!

'Maimonde' dressed overall
'Maimonde' dressed overall

And there, among the smattering of Dunkirk Little Ships present in Birdham Pool marina on Sunday and dressed overall was ‘Maimonde’ with its distinctive canoe stern.

When her current owner, Howard, found her some years ago languishing in a Grimsby harbour, he knew that he was looking for a Saunders Roe, but at that time, he had no idea that he was also buying a Dunkirk Little Ship. Subsequent research confirmed the vessel’s wartime credentials.

Plaque in recognition of the commitment of the ADLS to maintain relations with the city of Dunkirk.
Plaque in recognition of the commitment of the ADLS to maintain relations with the city of Dunkirk.

Howard then undertook a restoration which would have allowed him to traverse The Channel with a select few Dunkirk Little Ships in 2020. 

The planned return to Dunkirk was cancelled due to the Covid regulations in force at the time. However, the Mayor of Dunkirk made plaques (like the one above) in recognition of the commitment of the ADLS to maintain relations with the city of Dunkirk. 

The Dunkirk Little Ships will be welcome again to return to Dunkirk in 2025, and the ADLS are determined to make the event even more memorable. 

If you are tempted to join them, see the HSC website for the current list of Dunkirk Little Ships we have on brokerage.

Want to help maintain the River Thames?

"What a difference a day makes", sings Jamie Cullum. Indeed just the previous Saturday morning I had been at a genteel riverside breakfast with fellow members of the Hennerton Backwater Association on Willow Lane in Wargrave. 

These lucky riparian owners care passionately about their reach of the Thames, and in the absence of maintenance by the Environment Agency the association has equipped itself to perform basic maintenance.

The River Thames Society
The River Thames Society

If you care about the Thames why not consider joining The River Thames Society (via their website).

Members receive their quarterly Thames Guardian magazine and branch communications, invitations to talks & river trips, news of current campaigns and planning issues affecting the river and its environment, opportunities to take part in voluntary activities, such as clean-ups, acting as River Wardens, rowing and supporting their watermen’s cutter, and many other events.

The Henley Houseboat has arrived!

Two weeks ago HSC's Henley Houseboat finally arrived! 

Here it is, leaving Ireland on the back of a lorry and getting hoisted into the water at its riverside mooring plot along the Wargrave Road.

Transportation and safe arrival of The Henley Houseboat.
Transportation and safe arrival of The Henley Houseboat.
Transportation and safe arrival of The Henley Houseboat.

Perhaps next year’s Hennerton Backwater Association breakfast will take place on board.

The Henley Houseboat ready to get decked out and furnished.
The Henley Houseboat ready to get decked out and furnished.

Shutter slut

Our skippers in their costume ready for filming.
Our skippers in their costume ready for filming.

The word 'shutter slut' entered our vocabulary last week as a result of some of our skippers enjoying star status on set for the 'The Boys in the Boat' film.

Time spent at anchor.
Time spent at anchor.
Time spent at anchor.
Frenetic bouts of cinematic action.
Frenetic bouts of cinematic action.

From what I hear, filming was a rather stop-start process with hours spent at anchor interspersed with frenetic bouts of cinematic action. 


'Rekindled' and 'Spirit' (both for sale through HSC) looked amazing. They are now back at our Beale Park location awaiting new owners.

Filming with our boats has now finished.
Filming with our boats has now finished.

The limelight fades as filming finishes for HSC.

Jubilee with the family

Spring half term and the long Jubilee weekend provided us with an opportunity to meet ‘en famille’ on the north Norfolk coast. 

Last year we explored the river Deben in Suffolk, so this year we decided to head further up the east coast for more exploration. 

The north Norfolk coast is renowned for bird watching, crabbing and its basking seals.

Basking seals
Basking seals

The morning we had booked to go seal spotting was perfect in every way; the sea was calm, the seals were present, and the onboard banter was priceless.

On the beach with my grandsons in our self-dug shelter.
On the beach with my grandsons in our self-dug shelter.

The next day it was predictably chilly on the beach at Brancaster. While other families erected their stripey windshields, we dug a deep hole to shelter us from the wind. 

Needless to say, a good time was had by all, although our crabbing efforts at Blakeney were a little disappointing for the grandchildren (but not for the crabs). 

Fortunately, great seafood could be purchased from a famous fish monger in Burnham market (Chelsea-on-Sea) named Gurneys.

Gurneys Fish Shop in Burnham Market
Gurneys Fish Shop in Burnham Market

Are you ready for the Trad?

Thames Vintage Boat Club plaque
Thames Vintage Boat Club plaque

It is not too late to get your tickets for the Thames Traditional Boat Festivalwhich will soon be upon us following Henley Royal Regatta and the Music festival.

'Deenar'
'Deenar'

If you want a little Dunkirk Little Ship, we have ‘Deenar’ that has just gone up on the website. A boat with lots of history.

A snapshot taken at a TTBF
A snapshot taken at a TTBF

I look forward to seeing familiar faces at our TTBF stand in its usual spot upstream of the small bridge. 

In the meantime, I shall be on the ocean waves cruising the Baltic in the wake of our Viking ancestors. More on that big adventure in next month’s summer edition of the newsletter.

If you see anything of potential interest as you browse through old photo albums, read interesting books or take photos on your daily walks, please send snippets to me [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you with your sales enquiries, your photos and your stories.

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Henley Sales and Charter Ltd have gained a reputation over the last 30 years for selling and chartering beautiful, classic boats. Experience of operating and selling boats on the river Thames enables us to offer expert objective advice to prospective owners on all aspects of boat ownership including purchase, surveys, repairs and moorings. We will do our best to find the ideal craft to suit your individual needs - for a day or for a lifetime.

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