Category: Barges and wherries

Barges and wherries and other working boats originally for carrying cargoes

Old fashioned and classic sailing boats of the Norfolk Broads, autumn 2010

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On Barton Broad 13 Hunter's Yard sailing cruiser

On Barton Broad 8 Broads sailing cruiser

On Barton Broad 14 19th century Broads sailing cruiser Zoe sails by On Barton Broad 14 19th century Broads sailing cruiser Zoe sails by On Barton Broad 11 RNSA dinghy sails by

On Barton Broad 5 A Hunter's Yard boat sails by On Barton Broad 10 Broads sailing cruiser

Norfolk Broads Wherry Albion Norfolk Broads Wherry Albion How Hill boatshed

Photos of traditional sailing craft of the Norfolk Broads, including everyone’s favourite, the 19th century Broads sailing cruiser Zoe, a Royal Navy Sailing Association dinghy, the Norfolk wherry Albion, and a charmingly dilapidated boat shed. Click on the images for a much larger photo

We’re just back from a short trip to the Norfolk Broads in the Broads sailing  cruiser Camellia, hired from the helpful folks at the Broads Yachting Company, of Horning – and these are some of our snaps. If only we could have stayed longer!

We recently rather enjoyed the book The Norfolk Broads: The Golden Years, which we bought in Norfolk earlier this year. It’s a compendium of photos and descriptions by the charming Broads writer and keen sailor Philippa Miller, and include many shots of familiar scenes from the area going back to early in the 20th century. It’s difficult to get now, but I notice Amazon sellers have a few copies.

As seen on TV – the Humber sloop Spider T

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BBC film of Humber sloop Spider T

The BBC has made a short film about the 1920s New Holland-built Humber sloop Spider T, which is now available for charter, corporate events and so on. Click on the link above to go to the relevant BBC page – I don’t think this one will be limited to UK viewers only.

Owner and restorer Mal Nicholson tells her story as the cameras wander around the boat, and there’s even a nice clip of the Spider T sailing. Priceless stuff, and well done Mal!

For more on the Spider T story, click here for intheboatshed.net posts and here for the Spider T website.

As I write, Amazon lists just two copies of a book by Michael E Ulyatt about the Humber’s legendary sailing barges, which show clear evidence of both Viking and Dutch influence in their development: Flying Sail: Humber Keels and Sloops. Also, Tony Watts’ excellent book Holmes of the Humber includes George Holmes’ descriptions of many of the Humber’s characteristic boats, as well as his own boats and voyages.

Humber sloop Spider T gets a new riveted panel – and passes inspection

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Riveting Spider T panel

Spider T new plate riveting Spider T new plate riveting Spider T new plate riveting Humber sloop

Mal Nicholson has just had had Humber sloop Spider T in dry dock for two months, during which and colleagues replaced a 14ft plate in her port side using old fashioned riveting techniques.

‘I have had all the special equipment made, produced test pieces and then trained a team of five men to carry out the work,’ he says. ‘The results were first class results and have passed the marine surveyors inspection.’

Well done fellas! Click on the links to see video of the process from inside and from outside Spider T’s hull.

For more posts relating to the Humber sloop Spider T, click here.