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. 

 

Albacore

Designed by legendary Uffa Fox the Albacore is a 15-foot, two-person dinghy very much is the tradition of fast  planning dinghies from thre1950s and which have passed the test of time. The design brief came about through a collaboration among Solent-area dinghy sailors for a sturdy, versatile 15-foot boat capable of handling the steep chop and high winds of the coastal

This example was sailing nicely in circa 15 knot winds in Southampton water.

 

Keyhaven classic

 I've seen and written about this lovely double ender previously, she was alongside the quay at Keyhaven recently and I thought it was worth a couple more photos

Super little boat for day sailing and the occasional weekend exploring down and around the western Solent.

 

Fast Cats

Fast cats were out at Weston SC on a fine day

The club has a long standing reputation for catamarans and there are normally a few in the fast fleet on club race days.

Due to illness I was single handed in the safety boat which was  OK while the winds were light and it was relatively east to hold station and keep an eye out for the Lasers etc in the slow fleet as well

But when the winds got up with some afternoon breeze the fleets got very spread out and keeping out of the way of the fast boats was important, on moment they were almost out of sight and the next....

 

Early morning up the creek

 Earle morning HW neap, Mrs BB dropped me off at the old wharf in Botley, no one around and not a breath on the water

Quick trip upstream nothing stirring.

And then down river which was like glass before it got busy with other kayaks and paddle boarders, a few of whom were still blowing up their boards back at the dock at Fairthorne Manor dock as I went past, then back hoe for breakfast.

 

Cormorant - old geezer boat

Early 1980's advert from Practical Boat Owner magazine for the Cornish Cormorant which is described as "....safe, simple and eminently sensible  ...Swallows and Amazon boat"

And sensible they are, our very own Tosh is sitting in the driveway, slightly neglected but nothing that a good clean and tidy won't put right. 

I spent much of 2025 learning or rather re-learning how to sail a Laser, not having been on one for 30 years or so, and while they are fast and fun at times I came to the conclusion that I just don't really like them. I want a boat that's steady, easy to handle, will heave-to while I pour a cup of tea or unwrap a sandwich, the Cormorant has all that and more.

 

I'm pretty similar with motor cycling, I rarely go much over 60 mph, just enjoy pottering around the famously bendy English country lanes - definitely an old geezer thing.

Hamble Village past time

The current waterfront in Hamble is still recognisable from this picture taken it looks like some time in the early 20th century.

The building center is a currently closed restaurant/bar, in fact it's had so many  openings and closures over the past 20 years it could probably have done with revolving signs like James Bond' car in Gold Finger, it's also looking a little the worse for wear these days.

 To the right is the Royal Southern YC which now extends well out into the river on a reclaimed waterfront.

To the left is now a gallery selling nautical  artwork and paraphernalia.

 The photo was taken from the town quay, below the more or less same view today

 

Keep Off

Could be a new and very unusual lifeboat?

 

Misty Islands

A fantastic account of a voyage by Miles and Beryl Smeeton sailing the length of Japan, then across to Alaska, running down the US Pacific seaboard, through the Panama Canal, then up around the top of Iceland, and to the Faroe islands on the way back to England, in fact Stornoway in Scotland..

The story is all told in a matter of fact, calm and common sense manner, that's so different to the many sailing you-tuber's, and reminiscent of a mostly by-gone world where unshakeable self-assurance is rooted in deep experience rather than loud validation.

 There's a passage in the book where Miles mindful of sharks inwardly lost his temper when Beryl decided she would go over the side to cut free a line which was tangling the propeller. "No you're bloody well not, give me that knife" was his reply, and then spend an uncomfortable time in the water cutting free the prop, imagining circling sharks anxious to feed and exasperated that "she never bloody well thinks of sharks".

It made me re-live a  similar experience, hove to some where off Africa, dangling head down over the transom to repair the damaged wind vane and being dunked from head up to waste by the passing swell. When eventually finished Mrs BB's reaction was very much the same as Beryl's, in my case a quick well done and made breakfast.

If you can find a copy buy it, a great read. 

Half boat - half track

Spotted by friend Greg on the Hamble hard recently, this could be the perfect tender when all you can do is crawl ashore after a hard day's sailing.

 Called the ⁠Iguana X100 which is a "luxury 10-meter amphibious adventure boat capable of driving directly onto the shore using fully integrated, motorized tracks." There are a few on Yachtworld.com for circa £300k for anyone who feels this is an indispensable way to get afloat.

Can't make out the power of the outboards but they look like a lot, the specifications say up to 600HP so probably quite a lot. Motorboat magazine described it prosaically as half boat, half tank.

Certainly useful getting into and out of Benbridge and the other drying harbours around the Solent.

 

Driftwood

It's amazing what washes up after a gale even in the shelter of Southampton water.

 

Ruby

 I've always had a soft spot for Nigel Irens Roxanne and Romilly designs, this one looks to the the smaller of the two the 22 foot Romilly.

The classic hull shape is simply lovely and easily driven with the inevitable restriction on interior space, but as a day sailer and weekender big enough - think lightweight camping.

 We were fortunate to sail and race on a Roxanne some years ago which was great fun, although dropping and taming that huge mainsail was quite a task in the conditions.

Lugworm's epic voyage

I'm not especially a fan of sailing and cruising travel books, they all start off well but they eventually and perhaps inevitably set into a repetitive pattern . No matter how daunting and epic the voyage there are only some many times I want to read about "setting the spitfire stay-sail and had whisky in my tea"  

Not so with Ken Duxbury's account of sailing an open Drascombe from Greece back to the UK, the writing moves along quickly, not too much nautical detail but enought to demonstrate the authenticity of the Duxbury's experience. 

 I first read the book back in the 1980's thinking what a wonderful boat to go off adventure cruising in. In the 1990's I met a couple who had spent 6 weeks cruising the western isles of Scotland in an open Drascombe but somehow life and lack of motivation have always got in the way which is a poor excuse.

These days Igor Stropnik is showing what fantastic adventures can be had in small boats, as does Log of Spartina linked from this blog, so the only thing stopping us is ourselves. 

Down memory creek - Horta

More from 1980's Practical Boat Owner, that looks like Horta with Pico in the distance.

Back in 1998 we were approaching the island of Faial in the Azores archipelago some 24 days out from the British Virgin Islands, all the sailing instructions had warned that we should have capacity for 150Nm or so motoring in the light winds caused by the Azores high.

 In the event we scooted along the southern coast of Faial and sailed right into the outer harbour of Horta before dropping the sails and coming alongside at the customs office.

The islands are probably a great place to explore by boat, but after over a year living on board we became marina dwellers while we were there taking buses around the island and the ferry over to nearby Pico. 

With direct flights  now available from the UK and air B&B's on the island it would be a great place for a holiday even if sailing there isn't a practical proposition.

Laser days

Weston 2nd fleet (apparently we're not supposed to use the term fast and slow fleets any more) comprised mostly Lasers

 The start line was just off the clubhouse due to recent fire damage to the race hut

One of the marks in the clear air and some tide out in Southampton water and a sparking sea on this fine day, things can get a little wild on occasions but still relatively protected water

 Finally back under the shadow of the castle, what a great location to sail.

Some like it hot

 

Judging by the crowds who took to the shoreline between Hill Head and Lee on Solent enjoying a sunset while the temperature was still up in the high 20's

Starter sailing

 A balmy evening during the recent heatwave was perfect for a joint sailing try out,  Hamble River SC provided the boats and instructors to take local cub scouts sailing.

The wind was very light but enough to get around, a lot easier for the Opi's but  the bigger boats managed pretty well. Definitely no danger of a capsize or crash gibe which are probably the most off putting experiences for beginners.