Nancy Blackett 2019

[ChrisB]

Got these in my weekly news letter from The Nancy Blackett Trust. Hillyards of Littlehampton certainly built them to last. She looks as good for the 2019 season as she must have done when launched in 1931.

This refit was by Robertsons of Woodbridge.

[Ray]

A thing of beauty is a joy forever... she looks stunning! 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

1 hour ago, ChrisB said:

Got these in my weekly news letter from The Nancy Blackett Trust. Hillyards of Littlehampton certainly built them to last. She looks as good for the 2019 season as she must have done when launched in 1931.

This refit was by Robertsons of Woodbridge.

My Brother bought a Hillyard last year. He`s looking to sail her round to Lowestoft from Birdham Pool Marina later this year. I`m not sure what model it is, but she has a centre cockpit.

[ChrisB]

Their centre cockpit yachts were very popular and built across the the range of their larger yachts at 6, 9, and 12 Ton.

I suspect their refered tonnage to be "Thames" which is in feet, length - beam x beam squared divided by 188.

Never did understand this rating but maybe someone here could explain.

PS.. Birdham Pool..very much my old stomping ground along with Bosham and Itchenor as it was JM's.

[JennyMorgan]

I had a 38 foot Hillyard centre cockpit jobby for a few years. Grand sea-boat and comfortable but I did need a thick skin! 'Humorous' comments about her dated appearance were legion!  Pretty she was not but she was sound and very well built. Her electrics were a disaster though! I couldn't giver the time that she needed or deserved.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

23 hours ago, ChrisB said:

Their centre cockpit yachts were very popular and built across the the range of their larger yachts at 6, 9, and 12 Ton.

I suspect their refered tonnage to be "Thames" which is in feet, length - beam x beam squared divided by 188.

Never did understand this rating but maybe someone here could explain.

PS.. Birdham Pool..very much my old stomping ground along with Bosham and Itchenor as it was JM's.

Hi Chris,

My Brother told me Birdham Pool Marina was supposed to be the oldest marina in the country, do you know anything about that, whether it`s true or not?.

[ChrisB]

I have heard or read that is so. The "Pool" is actually the pool of an old Tide Mill the building of which is still by the lock so it could easily be the first Marina . You have to also lock in and out of the much newer Chichester Yacht Basin that was created in the 60s. It is a lovely safe haven about 7 miles inland from the open sea and the famous or infamous Bar.

[JennyMorgan]

44 minutes ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Hi Chris,

My Brother told me Birdham Pool Marina was supposed to be the oldest marina in the country, do you know anything about that, whether it`s true or not?.

Their online brochure tells us that it is one of the oldest marinas. However I wonder if Lowestoft's Yacht Basin, 1890's, might be even older, at least in the context of purpose built pleasure boating facilities.

[ChrisB]

5 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

Their online brochure tells us that it is one of the oldest marinas. However I wonder if Lowestoft's Yacht Basin, 1890's, might be even older, at least in the context of purpose built pleasure boating facilities.

If Lowestoft is 1890s I doubt Birdham Pool predates that as a marina. As a reservoir for the Tide Mill it would probably, maybe a few gun punts were moored there!

Do you remember the gun punts that used to be at Bosham in the sixties? There were a couplein the reeds where the road goes round the end of the creek and a couple more nearer to the channel by Southwood Farm.

[JennyMorgan]

4 minutes ago, ChrisB said:

Do you remember the gun punts that used to be at Bosham in the sixties? There were a couplein the reeds where the road goes round the end of the creek and a couple more nearer to the channel by Southwood Farm.

I remember one that lived up Furzefield Creek, along with a pretty barge yacht called Dinah and registered at Lowestoft. 

[JennyMorgan]

For those of you who wonder what this Bosham place that Chris & I talk about looks like I have posted a few pictures. Coincidently we both did much of our courting down there. The first picture includes a punt, not dissimilar to our Broads punts. 

[ChrisB]

Great Pictures Peter. They bring back many memories as we also did much of our courting in and around Chichester Harbour.

The first picture was taken in Sept 2015 just before Judith was ill for the last time. This was the area that the gun punts were pulled up into, Southwood Farm was a few hundred metres further on. The last two were taken in 1968 in Sussex Nr Goodwood. The MK111 Spitfire had just replaced our Herald Convertible. Happy, carefree days, so much water was to flow, under so many bridges in the 48 years that followed.

[ChrisB]

As Judith and I were planning to leave Norfolk for Sussex prior to her being diagnosed with cancer for the first time I still brouse the property pages.

This one bedroom in the high street is up at present for £475K. Being in the high street it does not overlook the harbour, ones with a view go for fortunes.

I love the tiny "Sea-level rise ready front door" . What fun it was to see visitors roll up their trousers and take their shoes and socks off to retrieve their cars from the incoming tide. 

Chichester Harbour still pulls at my heart strings but I think it is a bit late for me now! Also living in a place is very different from visiting and West Sussex has become very crowded. Probably best to stick to North Norfolk!

[JennyMorgan]

I had a workshop. ex chicken shed, at Southwood Farm. 

[addicted]

I have heard it said many times that the oldest inland marina in the   U.K. is L.H.Jones at  St. Ives in Cambridgeshire and on the Great Ouse.

 

Carole