Category Archives: BOATS

The Fastnet in a Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter – Morwenna

In my very early teens I sailed around the Solent in a small gaff cutter, but nothing like this. Morwenna is a modern replica of a Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter, and Underfall Boatyard took two and a half years to … Continue reading

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Drumbeat – a much-modified classic racing yacht

I count myself lucky to have spent the 60s and 70 sailing in the Solent. For all but the last few years I was dinghy racing, but being based in Hamble and making frequent visits to Cowes and Gosport meant … Continue reading

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A New Age of Sail in the Offing?

I’m sorry I’ll miss most of the 21st century. It could be interesting. I’m enjoying the headlong growth in conectivity and bandwidth – which is spreading to the mobile phone networks in parallel with the Internet -  but transport is … Continue reading

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Chasse-Marée – a man, a cart or a boat?

All of the above, actually – and also a superb French magazine devoted to maritime history. Based in Brittany, of course, and the site also sells books and nauticalia. The French word chasse means hunt or chase. Marée originally referred … Continue reading

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Tall Ships Fly the Black Flag – Elf & Safety strikes again

UK newspapers have been publishing a steady stream of reports of the nonsensical consequences of Health & Safety regulations and the way they are interpreted, but this is just one facet of a worldwide trend towards regulation and micro-management. Mainland … Continue reading

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