Tag: wikipedia

Restored slipper launch Wishbone at the 2008 Earl’s Court Sail, Power & Watersports Show

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Thames Traditional Boat Rally Prize-winning slipper launch Wishbone.
Click on the photo for a larger image

Many intheboatshed.net readers will be interested in Wishbone, a Thames slipper launch due to appear at the Sail, Power & Watersports Show due to take place at Earl’s Court from the 26th to the 30th November.

Wishbone is in fact a Baby Greyhound model built by Andrews in 1931, and was restored in 2004 by Stewart Marine of Harts Boatyard, which is on the river near Kingston upon Thames. She has won the Top Boat Award at the Thames Traditional Boat Rally on three occasions, and I’m told she’ll probably be the oldest boat at the show.

See the Stewart Marine website at http://www.hartsboats.com. By the way, if the name Stewart is familiar, it may be because he won a Bronze Medal sailing keelboats in the 1992 Olympics.

Stewart Marine’s brokerage list currently includes Willow, a 1920s Messums rowing and sailing skiff complete with all sailing and rowing equipment, and Swift, a 20ft rowing rowing gig built by Turks’ in 1911, complete with a sliding seat, outriggers and two sets of blades said to be all in in fantastic condition. Now that’s two real objects of desire, I’d say!

There’s a short and rather incomplete entry on slipper launches at the Wikipedia, but I don’t know enough to sort it out. Is there anyone around with the knowledge, time and energy to fix it?

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Remembering the WWII seamen who braved Hellfire Corner bringing coal to the south

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Pill box at Rye Harbour, where seamen risked their lives
and the British feared invasion

Boating enthusiasts in the South East of England are constantly reminded about the battles that have taken place or have been expected in this corner of the country. The wartime relics are so many that almost the only time we can’t see them is when they’re obscured by foul weather.

But last night, the evening before Remembrance Sunday, I was pleased to see a repeat of the BBC Coast series programme covering the Channel Islands and Dover.

It was well worth watching as usual, but this particular transmission included an interesting segment about the brave Navy and merchant seaman of the convoys carrying essential supplies such as coal through the Dover Straits during World War II.

As every British schoolchild knows, the sea separating Britain from Continental Europe is just 21 miles wide, and so the convoys could be hit by land-based guns based in occupied France, and were very vulnerable to attack by both fast German E-boats and aircraft while passing along the coasts of Kent and Sussex.

See the programme here on the BBCi player – though I gather readers in the USA aren’t able to see this material.

There’s also an interesting summary of the big guns used by both sides at the Wikipedia.

Some inspiring reading for Sunday morning: weblog 70.8% on Blondie Hasler

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Single-handed yachting hero Blondie Hasler

Weblog 70.8% has an interesting piece this morning on single-handed sailing pioneer, self-steering inventor and junk rig specialist Blondie Hasler this morning.

See the weblog post at 70.8% and the Wikipedia entry for Hasler – they’re especially worth reading if you don’t already know about the man.

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