Recent visits - July 2006
In early July, taking advantage of the perfect weather, Martyn Heighton, Simon Stephens and Eric Kentley headed off to the south coast. The first call was to Corrie, the Fife yacht on the Core Collection, sitting like a jewel in the Gosport marina. The owner has not only managed to sail her as much as possible and keep her in an exemplary condition she is also compiling the definitive history of the yacht.
On the other side of Gosport, the Pinnace 199 is moored. Her duties later that week were to include the send off of Campbell McMurray on his retirement as director of the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth. it was in the museum that evening where a meeting was held to which National Historic Ships had invited owners of historic craft in the area. Twenty five attended, ranging from those involved with the big ships in Portsmouth Dockyard to private owners of more modest craft. It was an excellent opportunity not only to air concerns but also to meet fellow enthusiasts.
The following day began with a visit to the Harbour Defence Motor Launch HMS Medusa in Hythe. Currently undergoing a major refit, a particularly interesting approach has been developed, whereby the Medusa Trust has hired a yard, assembled its own workforce and even developed an apprenticeship scheme.
Whereas Medusa had secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the tug tender Calshot, our next visit, was still waiting to hear the result of a project planning grant application. We have subsequently heard that the application has been successful and she will be slipped so that the extent of the necessary works can be assessed.
The next morning saw us on board the Cornish lugger Our Boys at Cowes. In immaculate condition, she was immediately entered on the team’s list of ‘vessels we’d most like to go out sailing on’. The team had time to make a very quick visit to the paddle steamer Ryde, which may be almost at the point where she is beyond saving as a complete vessel.
Towards the end of the month, Martyn, Paula and Eric went to Maldon to visit Telegraph, an unmotorised Boston smack, saved from demolition some years ago. One of only two Boston smacks on the Register, and the only one on the Designated Vessel list, she is now 100 years old. Another one for the must-go-sailing-on list.