It was with interest and understanding that I read ‘On Owning Thea 2½ Tons’ by Anthony Siggery in Bulletin No. 72. Here, it seemed, was an established dinghy cruising enthusiast with the ultimate in cruising dinghies buying a pocket cruiser. It seemed from the article that Thea was a sound, traditional 1930’s-built pocket cruiser. I wondered at the time just what Mr Siggery was proposing to do with his new boat, other than sleep in a little more comfort at weekends. Had he considered the fact that Thea might demand a new approach to sailing in order to take full advantage of the tremendous potential a boat of her sort had on offer? It seems that Joan Abrams also had similar thoughts, and summed the questions very concisely in ‘Why A Cabin Boat?’ in the same DCA Bulletin, though I must admit, I found Joan’s comments making me bristle.

Alas! it was to my dismay that I read ‘Repent At Leisure’ in Bulletin No. 73. It seems that Mr Siggery has parted with Thea, but I wonder if she was ever given a chance to prove her worth. What did Mr Siggery do with his keel boat that he could not have achieved in a 15’ dinghy? Perhaps more important — for what reasons?

My sailing activities began in 1966. Since 1966 I have owned four sailing craft that I have always sailed single handed or, since 1969, with my wife as crew, and, from 1977, our daughter. We believe that each craft has been used to the utmost of its potential, and it is not surprising therefore that the nature of our sailing activities has changed, though we still have a dinghy cruising trait, if it is only the search for quiet harbours and secluded up-river anchorages, and a burning desire to drink beer with Messers Deacon, Bailey etc. at the Folly Inn during Cowes week.

It might be of interest to DCA members to learn something of the reasons for our changing our boat, and I hope that I am able to offer some answers to Joan Abrams questions. Our craft to date:

1966 — 1969 inclusive 12’ Tideway dinghy Our 01 1970 — 1971 inclusive 18’ Zola class dinghy Patricia D 1972 — 1974 inclusive 18’ Hurley 18 Mor Au Wra (Cornish = Sea Witch) 1974 — present 26’ Contessa 26 Sorina of Lymington

Space precludes a detailed description of each vessel, but such information is readily obtainable, except in the case of the 18’ Zola dinghy. Briefly, she was similar to a National 18’, but had 200 sq.ft. of sail on a 36’ Bermudian keel-stepped mast. She had 3 cwt of internal ballast and a lead centre plate of 1½ cwt. The side, fore and after decks were generously proportioned.

Our 01 was purchased at the 1966 Boat Show as a general purpose dinghy. The fact that she had sails was really incidental, since I was more interested in her sturdy build and clinker construction as a rowing boat. Eventually, under the guidance of Ron Dean and Ian McCreery, I learnt to sail on the Thames, and very quickly had the boat fitted with tent, Primus, and all the rest of the equipment necessary for dinghy cruising. Living at Windsor, sailing was on the South Coast and usually in the Solent, with the annual holidays in Falmouth and Dartmouth. The combination was easily trailed and launched, and suited to inland based sailing.

In 1969 I moved to Plymouth and was married. With the sea almost at the doorstep, we immediately began to be aware of the inordinate amount of time spent in holiday traffic towing and on beaches launching. In South Devon with a small dinghy, one is limited to the individual estuaries, since sailing from one to the other is usually a passage of 15 miles. The Tideway was ideal out of the holiday season, but in season there were problems. A larger dinghy based afloat at Newton Ferrers would avoid towing and traffic, and would be able to make the coastal passages. Regrettably, Our 01 was sold.

For two years, 1970 and 1971, we sailed our 18’ carvel dinghy Patricia D. She was some boat. Her sailing performance was better than the Tideway, and she could be made to steer herself. There was obviously plenty of living space and room for stowage. Towing was out of the question on account of her mast, but she was large and fast enough to make coastal passages. We cruised from Falmouth to Dartmouth regularly, and in 1971 I made a passage to the Jolly Sailor, Bursledon, via Dartmouth, Lyme Regis, Weymouth and Keyhaven. What a week was that Cowes week, and what leaks in our decks and cover it revealed. That was it — we must have a pocket cruiser, and on return to Devon we began the search.

Mor Au Wra was a standard Hurley 18. Fin keel requiring 3’ 3” of water. Performance was excellent, but she had one vice which we cursed every year — an inability to be balanced. It was impossible to leave the tiller. She did all the 18’ dinghy did, but in greater comfort. Much of the gear could be left permanently on the boat, and it was possible to navigate with some degree of comfort whilst under way. We had a permanent galley, and electric interior and navigation lights powered from a chargeable car battery. Auxiliary power was a Seagull outboard that failed to perform in the provided outboard well and had to be attached to the transom when required. An inboard engine could have been fitted beneath the self draining cockpit, and would have allowed battery charging on board.

One outstanding feature of the Hurley 18 was her sailing ability, and by this I refer to her ability to progress in a direction opposite to that of the wind. All boats are capable of progress in the same direction as the wind, but so too are beer cans and cardboard boxes. To my mind, a boat that will not sail is most unsatisfying. There are those content to drift sideways around the Solent, but for serious sailing enjoyment this cannot be tolerated. It is perhaps no coincidence that many small boats with accommodation enclosed are, in fact, cabin boats or boats with lids — literally floating accommodation that even in experienced hands could never be made to sail. This was not the case with the Hurley 18: she performed well, and was well able to sell the pocket cruiser concept to even the most adamant of dinghy cruising enthusiasts. Yachting Monthly Seniors, West Wight Potters and Silhouettes — cherished craft though some may be — do not perform to such a degree. In my experience I would go so far as to say that some do not sail at all — they are blown along.

By 1974, Mor Au Wra had a good set of Admiralty charts, echo-sounder, Seafix RDF, usual compasses, and at the end of August, with another Hurley 18 owner as crew, departed Salcombe at 0700 hours for St. Peter Port. After a surprisingly easy crossing we were greeted at 0100 the following morning by the harbour staff and directed to a berth. A day later we left St. Peter Port for Alderney, entering Bray Harbour via the Swinge. The return voyage was equally uneventful. On reflection, we were the smallest boat in both St. Peter Port and Alderney, and I am fairly certain that I would not undertake the same cruise in a Hurley 18 again. On a vessel of Hurley 18 size, it is most difficult to carry all the equipment that long passages require (e.g. life raft?) and can therefore be made with comfortable peace of mind.

In December 1974, Mor Au Wra was sold, and Sorina of Lymington, a Contessa 26, fetched by road from Holyhead. At this point it is worth mentioning that I had given up cars and been converted to Land Rovers. Sorina of Lymington received a more than thorough refit and, having experienced the previous year the taste and price of Bucktrout’s gin, my wife and I decided to plan for extended cruising across the Channel. The Contessa 26, based on the Folkboat, is an excellent boat at sea, is easily balanced, and has good performance. Speed is worthy of consideration if long distances are to be covered — 6 knots instead of 5 may mean a 2 - 3 hour difference in a Channel crossing. Accommodation is limited, but at least it is integrated with a hull designed to sail.

We now have a Walker log for distance, but no speedometer or accelerometer. Seafix RDF has proved satisfactory, though unreliable electronically. Echo sounder is Seafarer. We have two compasses. The main compass is the Sestrel Radiant handbearer with beta light. This is used to set up the steering compass — a Heath bosun — found to be most reliable and accurate. We have VHF radio, which allows us to remain in touch with surrounding events. All charts are Admiralty or French. Steering can be automatic via a Navtech Autohelm Plus, which has transformed our approach to passage making. One now keeps watch for ships rather than for a compass. Engine is Vire 7 inboard.

Our cruising last season included a single handed long weekend which I made in May to St. Peter Port, followed by a second visit at Whitson when my wife and I were able to put our folding cycles to the test on the flatter parts of Guernsey.

In July, with a student as crew, I took part in a cross Channel race, and spent a week between Tréguier and Paimpol on the North Brittany coast. In August my wife and I crossed to L’Aberbenoit and cruised east to Paimpol before turning for home, crossing in a NE force 6 in 13 hours, which, we would add, is not likely to be a permanent practice! Our total mileage is 1750 miles for the season, with approaching some 45 days spent aboard. We have tended to sail for periods of 2-3 days rather than afternoon picnic which seems to be the general practice amongst owners on our river. What we have not done is to stay at sea for more than 48 hours, and this is an experience we look forward to in 1977 when we propose cruising for 5-6 weeks to anywhere! This time we’ll have a 6 month daughter to provide for, and more problems to solve.

Of course, many of Joan Abrams points are valid, but the pocket cruiser owner could equally well present a similar list of points that he sees as advantageous. Surely the point is that pocket cruisers and dinghies cannot be compared. They have been designed with different aims in mind, and therefore have different potentials available for exploitation. Some pocket cruisers can do some of the things dinghies do — especially if shallow draft with centreplate or bilge keels. The better pocket cruiser is, in my opinion, fin-keeled, and outperforms the others in terms of its sailing and seaworthiness. It cannot, however, compete equally with the dinghy, and therefore we must exploit its other virtues, and be sure of what these are before we start — otherwise we may well ‘Repent at Leisure’; but not so me!