First Hello

[harnser]

Greetings. My name is Colin Smith, I am 88, and I have had a long association with the Broads.

My love of sailing was made by my early teenage reading of Arthur |Ransome's Swallows and Amazon series which also gave an interest in the Broads from “Coot Club” and “The Big Six”.

My first Broads event was hiring “Pandora 4” from Earnest Collins at Wroxham with 3 schoolboy friends in 1954 to show them the joy of sailing. Then yearly to 1958 in “Summer Breezes”.

A memorable event in 1959 was when my Judy and I first hired a beautiful half-decker called “Nancy” from Southgates Yard at Horning. We fell in love with that boat and sailed her for many weekends in subsequent years. Those years sailing “Nancy” on the North rivers and Broads were an absolute delight for us. We were distraught when the Yard told us in 1964 that she had been sold.

35 years later, by an amazing coincidence, we saw an advert for her sale from Ruth Knight at Herbert Woods yard, Potter Heigham, bought her and resumed our old pleasure.

Sadly my Judy passed away in 2009 and as the rest of the family have other sailing interests and the Broads are now populated by many cruisers and few sailing craft I have decided to part with “Nancy”. An advert appears elsewhere on this site.

[Smoggy]

Hi and welcome. 

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Colin welcome to the forum.

Regards

Alan

 

[MargeandParge]

Lovely to have you on board a very friendly forum. Please share some of your wonderful knowledge with us. It would be comforting for all.

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[YnysMon]

Welcome to the forum Colin. Very sad to hear that you have had to make the difficult decision to part with Nancy.

[ExSurveyor]

to the forum Colin.

[kpnut]

What a lovely memory you’ve shared. Thankyou, and welcome. 

[Ray]

What wonderful memories you have to look back on Colin, welcome to the forum 👍

With such a fine history I'm sure that Nancy will find her way to someone who will appreciate her and keep up her fine tradition.

[colino]

Colin from Colin

[Lulu]

Warm welcome to the forum:)

[Andrewcook]

Hi, Colin welcome to the Norfolk Broads Forum. You must have a very fond memory of the Broads as quite a lot of our forums are. As to your beloved Boat Nancy, you hag to sadly depart. The Forum looks forward to hearing about  your other adventures on the Broads .

[BroadAmbition]

Welcome - Great introduction 

Griff

[PaulN]

Welcome onboard. What a lovely sailing history, I will look out for Nancy.

I also loved the Arthur Ransome books, albeit I am 16 years younger than you. I was sailing from the age of 7, started on the broads where I learnt to sail, before sailing offshore and abroad for many years. Retired now and have a motor cruiser on the Broads, also based at Horning.

Hope to see Nancy and get a photo to post here.

[HEM]

On 01/02/2023 at 15:44, harnser said:

A memorable event in 1959 was when my Judy and I first hired a beautiful half-decker called “Nancy” from Southgates Yard at Horning. We fell in love with that boat and sailed her for many weekends in subsequent years. Those years sailing “Nancy” on the North rivers and Broads were an absolute delight for us. We were distraught when the Yard told us in 1964 that she had been sold.

Which would be about that time that my aunt & a teacher colleague must have bought her (Nancy).

 

See the second post on this thread:

 

 

[Royston]

On 01/02/2023 at 14:44, harnser said:

Greetings. My name is Colin Smith, I am 88, and I have had a long association with the Broads.

My love of sailing was made by my early teenage reading of Arthur |Ransome's Swallows and Amazon series which also gave an interest in the Broads from “Coot Club” and “The Big Six”.

My first Broads event was hiring “Pandora 4” from Earnest Collins at Wroxham with 3 schoolboy friends in 1954 to show them the joy of sailing. Then yearly to 1958 in “Summer Breezes”.

A memorable event in 1959 was when my Judy and I first hired a beautiful half-decker called “Nancy” from Southgates Yard at Horning. We fell in love with that boat and sailed her for many weekends in subsequent years. Those years sailing “Nancy” on the North rivers and Broads were an absolute delight for us. We were distraught when the Yard told us in 1964 that she had been sold.

35 years later, by an amazing coincidence, we saw an advert for her sale from Ruth Knight at Herbert Woods yard, Potter Heigham, bought her and resumed our old pleasure.

Sadly my Judy passed away in 2009 and as the rest of the family have other sailing interests and the Broads are now populated by many cruisers and few sailing craft I have decided to part with “Nancy”. An advert appears elsewhere on this site.

Wow what an amazing coincidence Colin , I too am a new member . You must have seen some real changes in the broads over such a long association with the area , Although it’s always sad letting go of any treasured item especially one tied to so many memories it is reassuring to think that Nancy,s next custodian may enjoy some of the same pleasure and adventures you had aboard her with Judy . Hope you find the time to share some of your stories , Thanks Royston