Remembering Stuart

My friend died very early in 2020, over the years we sailed together and enjoyed the occasional evening sipping whiskey. This was a bottle of 12 year old single malt Stuart had given me for a birthday present so it seemed like a fitting tribute to put a ship in it.

 His yacht was an Oyster 43 named Porcelain (last seen locally preparing to head off to the Caribbean with a new owner) so something modern with fore and aft sails seemed more appropriate than a traditional square rigger, plus I like schooners and the additional mast and length seemed to fit the bottle pretty well.

As with many projects life and work get in the way and the parts stood neglected at the back of my office for far too long, but it's finally up and sailing and a nice reminder of days spend with a good friend and mentor.

Shipping Lanes

I'm sure with the optical foreshortening that the two small yachts are no where near the shipping lane, but it's a useful comparison of the types of vessel that share the same and relatively small piece of water. 

 Taking the deepwater shipping  exiting Southampton Water and taking the channel west of the Bramble Bank, before turning east along the Solent and out past the remains of the Nab Tower. Ships operating have a moving exclusion zone 1000 meters ahead and 100 meters to the side, any vessel under 20 meters in length or any sailing vessel is strictly prohibited from entering the zone.

@61

Having attained a few years past 61,  I thought to take issue with the shop owner, "who are you calling antique" but then read the rest of the sign.

 

Classics at Locks Heath

Interesting Morgan at the local Locks Heath classic car rally

More substantial than the three-wheelers but significantly smaller the the later popular Plus 4 and Plus 8's which the model 4/4 with flat radiator was introduced in 1948 and were built until 1955 with both Coventry-Climax or Standard engine.

As with all Morgan's light weight equates to good performance even with the 30-40 HP available from the circa 1200cc  engines 

Altogether different approach to what I think was an Impreza, I've always been amazed how some people can keep the engine bay spotless.

Another English classic below, you can imagine and English road trip back in the days before motorways, picnic hamper for lunchtime stops along the way

 Nice Austin 7, with a display board showing the very extensive restoration, probably better now than when it came out of the factory

 Interesting hot rod with some interesting acknowledgements sign written on the bodywork - drivers Laurel & Hardy, mechanics the Chuckle Brothers..

 

Autumn Mists

Keats' Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness gave a spectacular showing with  morning mists filling the river valley.

 Having slept in a little later than usual, the sun was already burning the mist off from the higher ground, but along the river cloaked stillness remained.

Golden leaves both hung heavy on the trees and carpeted the ground, a few late fruits still on the blackberry bushes. There's a Dorset tradition that after the end of September the devil owns the blackberries which naturally become very sour due to the lack of sunshine to ripen with the shortening days.

As the mist lifted on Bursledon pool the mist still hung on the nearby woods.

 

Evening Calm

With the nights drawing in with the change of season, Hamble Sea Scouts held the last evening boating activity which ended with a clear and still twilight. 

Once the boats were put away there was almost no movement in the creek.

I recall the colours were a little darker and more intense, but that's the price of auto correcting software  in modern phones, which makes taking these pictures possible.

 

Donkey Path

The donkey sanctuary sadly closed in 2025 following the death of the principle, in all the years I can remember there were a couple of garden gnomes on a fallen tree by the entrance to the donkey field ,which I thought had disappeared until I noticed this one tucked away in a nearby tree trunk.

 Nice to see he's still there, we all miss the donkeys though.

Sunday Roast

Is it possible that Jonathan Swift's famous 1729 satirical pamphlet titled "A Modest Proposal" is being enacted at the Red Lion in Swanage?

 Actually we did go on a Sunday, the beer was excellent, the staff were welcoming and as I recall that week the choice of roast was beef or pork.

Topolino

Spotted this lovely Topolino in Brockenhurst and by good fortune had a chance to chat to the owner remarking that it's probably my favorite classic car of the era.

 

 

This one is not in fact Fiat but a French built version built by Simca presumably in the Nanterre factory north of Paris,where production ran from 1936 to 1948. The owner had traveled down to the Pyrenees to secure this one which has had a lot of remedial bodywork done underneath

 

The engine, a mighty 569cc four cylinder side valve was seized and required a lot of TLC and repair including if I recall correctly new cylinder head and pistons.

 

Not sure if the phrase built for comfort not speed really applies, the interior is basic but the latter top speed of circa 25 MPH (perhaps that was cruising speed, but certainly what the owner claimed) akes for leisurely cruising and a certain amount of patience.

 There were some subtle modifications, like tiny LED indicators tucked under the door hinges, necessary as the old style mechanical trafficators are simply not noticed in modern traffic.  I forgot to ask the year but likely an early model closed-roof steel coupe made before the popular popular fabric-sunroof (découvrable) model 

Overall a fabulous car for tootling around the New Forest.

Golant

 This Golant Gaffer 19-foot traditional-style pocket cruiser designed by Roger Dongray (of Cornish Crabber fame) has been featured here before, but it's such a good looking boat I couldn't resist stopping by when i was rowing past to take another picture.

 

Gaffer

 Nice gaffer beating up Southampton water on course for the Hythe shore, the photo was taken just after she tacked, before that she was beam on which would have been an ideal and better shot, but I didn't get the camera out in time.

 

Lobster HQ

Warsash’s association with the lobster stems from its history as a 19th-century shellfish trading hub where lobsters were imported from across the UK and France, stored in specialized waterfront pounds.

Originally a modest fishing hamlet, Warsash became a vital distribution point for shellfish. Boats brought lobsters and crabs from as far as Devon, Ireland, and France. The shellfish were kept alive in wooden chests known as "carbs" or in shoreline "lobster ponds".

At the turn of the 20th century, the village was a popular tourist destination. Visitors arriving on horse-drawn brakes and charabancs would enjoy fresh seafood and "strawberry teas" (strawberries grown in the local fields).  

Warsash sailing club founded 1957, the club's original clubhouse was built over the disused lobster pounds. The area is still known as Lobster Quay, and as a nod to the area's history, the sailing club features a lobster on its official burgee.

The habour office now displays a handsome hand painted lobster mural.

 

Omega Breeze

Omega Breeze is a Harrison Butler design, built in 1994 at the IBTC Lowestoft

Her story is not clear, it seems that after 25 years a mast was fitted while the yacht was at Birdham pool in Chichester harbour, making the first voyage under sail to Hamble in 2025.

 

Summer's ending

As the long hot summer slips away, the nights draw in there are conflicting signs.

 

 Early and prodigious fungi growing on oak, normally associated with damp and misty September mornings which still haven't quite arrived and below butterflies soaking up the afternoon sun, the days still often above 20 degrees C.

Unfortunately evenings and nights still seem warm enough to draw out mosquitos., small price to pay for an extended summer.   

 

 

Weston Open Day

Slightly late posting of the bank holiday open day at Weston SC, although the heavy rain on Saturday wasn't repeated winds were forecast at 15 -24 knots a so very few club members turned out.

Those that did enjoyed some lively sailing with occasional bright sun lighting up Southampton water.

Not one but two prospective new sailors turned up for a trial sail, the Rear Com Sailing gallantly took them out in turns on her Laser 2k, both seemed to have a good time and not put off at all by the conditions.

I only recall one capsize, the Topper below, the young and nimble skipper hopped over onto the gunnel and then righted it almost without getting wet.

Youngest sailor of the day.

Pretty sure this is an RS700 skiff, which was very quickly lost in the distance.

 As for me I cycled down to the club to give some support for the day, took some pictures and had a cup of tea while taking the photos - highly enjoyable.
 

Yellowdrama

 I mentioned Cougar Marine builders of fast catamaran powerboats in the 1970's in a previous post about Netley foreshore

Here's a photo courtesy of Greg  (and Powerboatnation.com and will remove if there's any infringement of ownership ) of Yellowdrama III

Which was a revolutionary 37-foot wooden catamaran built by Cougar Marine for British racer Ken Cassir. In 1977, she made history by becoming the first catamaran to win the prestigious Cowes-Torquay-Cowes

Pulhamite

Although the house has long since been demolished, much of the original 19th-century Sarisbury Court estate boasted gardens originally laid out by Sir Joseph Paxton, which now,in part form the sprawling local nature reserve and Holy Hill Park, featuring scenic lakes and grottoes, with trails down to the River Hamble.   

Much of the stone work for the grotto's around around the ornamental lake was man made, the work of the Pulham brothers,built in Pulhamite a cement based rock, the recipe for which has disappeared.

 The texture and shape reminds me of that in Central Park New York albeit on a much smaller scale. Apparently the brothers also did work at Buckingham Palace.

Lounging in Langstone

With an hour or so to wait to pick Joseph up in Portsmouth, I took myself down to Eastney at the entrance to Langstone harbour for a cup of tea and watch the coming and going of boats in the entrance.

The tide was more of less slack so with little current boats were taking the opportunity to sail both in and out.

 There's an interesting and amusing dedication on the table where I was sat:

"In loving memory of Ralph Plumpton, skipper of the charter fisherman Lady Tina  - One Sugar Please"

Netley foreshore

Friend Greg sent me some old photographs of Netley foreshore, which has changed somewhat.

Below sadly no drone footage, but looking back in the direction of that triangle created by the foreshore and Victoria Road. Currently retirement cottages and then the Netley Cliff SC, the aerial view is probably 1930s and shows the boatyard which  had a slipway a jetty and moorings both drying and deep water. 

 During the 1970s the yard found fame as the place where the  Curtiss family (Couger Marine?) built their very successful racing catamarans.

During the 1980's Greg reports there were as many as 50 boats moored off of the foreshore. 

Painting of a more interesting view, which is probably the old coastguard lookout that closed during the 1920's

And a photograph, the lookout station had commanding views of Southampton water.

 

Below the same view today looking south to the entrance to Victoria country park 

 Low water view of the coastguard station

 The Vctoria park entrance entrance and a nice viewing spot on the foreshore

Entrance to Netley Cliff SC

French Fancies

 We stumbled upon a classic car rally at St Aubin Sur Mer while on hols and it was very interesting to contrast the French event with our own Locks Heath classic car club.

As you would expect there was an eclectic mix of France's automobiles, above with the bonnet up I think was a Panhard, alongside the Citroen Mehari which was probably the perfect transport for a beachside town in the heatwave we were experiencing. The Fiat seemed to be as well appreciated as it's French neighbors.

 Probably a Light 12 and almost certainly a Traction Avant, looking great and sightly sinister with the matt paintwork.

 Fantastic camping rig, 2CV with matching teardrop trailer, this was one of two at the rally.

More than a few Brit cars on display including this immaculate Morgan with a few sophisticated French touches.

Wild racer is a SECMA about two thirds the size of a Lotus Elise, I was able to talk to the owner a couple of days later while waiting at the local pizza van, it's powered by a 1.6 liter Renault engine and sounds like a lot of fun.

The rally was held in a park so we left to find some refreshments on the sea front, only to be amazed as most of the cars did a cavalcade right past our table.

So no cycling or scooters on the parade, but it was ok for a bunch of classic cars, very French and great to see, even if one of WW23 jeeps almost knocked out umbrella over with it's massive radio antenna.