Issue 36 August 2009

Newsletter of the Friends of the Hunter Fleet

WherryHathor at the recent AGM - Photograph by Jennifer Mack

In this issue Editorial - Zoë King 2 How to Moor in One Easy Lesson? AGM Report - 3 Christopher Bishop 9 Membership News - Jennifer Mack 4 From the Yard - Vikki Walker 11 Skippered Two-Day Sails - 5 A Return to Sail - David Clarke 14 A Bit of a Blow - Neil Hopkinson - 6 ‘The Back Page’ 16 Friends of the Hunter Fleet Editorial Committee Members MyfirstdutymustbetowelcomeLesGeeto (Acting) Chairman the position of ‘Acting Chairman’ of the Les Gee MulberryHill,44NorwichRoad Friends. Les has agreed to be ‘caretaker’ of Stoke Holy Cross, Nr14 8AB theroleuntilanewnominationismadeand Tel: 01508 495059 approved. As a result, we have no direct Committee Secretary/NHFT Trustee report from the Chair this time. Instead, Philip Bray youwillfindaprecisofproceedingsatthe 5 Westfield Road Swaffham, PE37 7HE Annual General Meeting held on Saturday E: [email protected] 9 May,2009. Tel: 01760 725931 Asatasterforthatreport,ourcover Membership Secretary/NHFT Trustee picture features the wherryHathor , which Jennifer Mack joined us on the day,looking resplendent, as The Old Rectory Antingham she inevitably does. I was privileged to visit North Walsham, Norfolk NR28 0NW her recently at one of her ‘farewell tour’ E: [email protected] venues.Isohopethecurrentappealto Tel: 01263 833375 secure her future is successful. Treasurer My other recent venture onto the water Peter Wall Flycatcher featured a nighttime trip on the solar- School Road poweredRa , courtesy of Ludham NR29 5PF Authority. We went ‘bat hunting’ armed E: [email protected] with bat detectors and plenty of hot drinks. Tel: 01692 678060 Beingonthewaterindarknesswasan Chairman - NHFT -BryanRead E: [email protected] amazing experience; the water seems to Tel: 01603 454281 take on a completely different quality, the NHFT Administrator - Vikki Walker skieswereclear,andwewereblessedwitha E: [email protected] good moon. Furthermore, after hiding Tel: 01692 678263 fromusforanhourorso,thebatsputon NHFT Trustee -PaulStevens their display, and our bat expert was able to Tel: 01692 678210 identify them for us and give us a little of Jean Gee Tel: 01508 495059 theirhistory.OK,itwasn’tsailing,butitwas Neil Hopkinson the nearest I’ve been to it for quite some Tel: 01455 203167 time now! Eric Diffey Zoë Tel: 01603 457248 Newsletter editor: Derek Herriott Tel: 01692 631387 Zoë King Email: [email protected] Broadlea House Rodney Longhurst Tel: 01603 453889 Heron Way Hickling COPY DATE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 10 October, 2009 Norfolk NR12 0YQ' 01692 598287

-2- 13th Annual AGM Report fewwhousedtotakeadvantageoftheold 9 May, 2009. ‘C’ rates. But despite resulting difficulties in budgeting this year, he felt the change Around 70 members attended the AGM would make administration far easier. this time, for the meeting itself, and the subsequent barbecue and sailing. It was Bryanthenmentionedthatanew pointed out that the sheds seem so empty apprentice had been taken on, on a day- aftertheboatshavegoneoutontothewater, release basis from Yarmouth College. He sotoseeitused,andfilledagainwith also mentioned that another member of interested and animated people was very staff had been recruited, though this one, heartening. with an external apprenticeship under his belt, needed only his ‘Graham’ Outgoing Chairman, Andy Cowburn, apprenticeship! Looking further into the announced that the pleasure wherry, future, Bryan said the Trust is considering Hathor, was moored in the dyke for those RYA accreditation for teaching, which interested in looking her over. He also whileitisunlikelytobecomeamajor thanked‘TheBitterBoys’whohadso undertaking, would offer possible benefits. kindly agreed to defer their booked sailings He then talked in some detail about until 4.00pm, to allow Friends to use the Woodruff,andthedisappointmentfeltthat boatsintheafternoon. theTrusthadnotbeenabletotakeheronas Following his report, in which he detailed aproject.However,itwasfeltthatbecause thecurrentfinancialsituation,andgave of the major rebuild which would have been thanks to committee members and yard needed, the cost could not be justified. volunteersfortheireffortsonbehalfof Moving on, Bryan then talked about the Friends,Andysaidhowsorryhewastobe problemsofsealevelrise,andreferredto stepping down after so many years. He the alarmist reports in the press regarding handedthereinsoverto‘caretaker’ the Natural reports. He said short Chairman,LesGee,whoproposedavoteof term measures had been taken to protect thanks to Andy, and presented him with a theyardinwinter,whenitwasliableto watercolour picture of St Benet’s Abbey as a flooding,andthatthelongertermissueis small token of appreciation. under consideration. However, he stressed InhisreportfromtheNorfolkHeritage that Hunter’s is a 1930’s Yard, and it is not Fleet Trust, Bryan Reed ran through some the Trust’sjob to replace it with a 2010 yard. ofthehighlightsofthelastyear.Hemade Attention then turned to the Friends’ particular reference to the new Hunter’s Autumn Event on 26 September, which Yardwebsite,overayearlate,butnowup becauseitalwaysprovespopular,would and running successfully, thanks to the once again be a sailing picnic, with an dedicated work of Vikki Walker. He then optionforthosewhodonotsailtogoout talked about the single rate for hirers for the for a short cruise on the waterbus, Princess whole season, which has replaced seasonal Katherine. Booking forms are with this rates. There would, he felt, be benefits for issue. some hirers, and disadvantages for those Zoe King

-3- Friends. Past Newsletters can be viewed and the Members Section, which will display the current Newsletter, should be in action by the autumn the Log-in password for the year will be given to all current Friends with the next edition. The News&Eventspageisplannedtogiveup- to-date information on forthcoming events; for example, the new 5-part series on BBC1, “Rivers with Griff Rhys Jones” that is being shown on Sunday evenings from26July,isfeatured.Vikkiwrote aboutitlastyearinIssue33anditwill include Griff Rhys Jones' adventures on Wood Rose which looks as though it will be shown towards the end of the series so I only hope that you get the Newsletter before the series has ended and Wood Rose has been quanted through Potter Heigham Bridge! Les Gee presents outgoing Chairman Andy Cowburn with a token of thanks from Those of you whose subscriptions are still Committee Members. outstanding will be getting a ‘Final Membership News Reminder’ from me with this Newsletter. I am confident that we shall end this year on AsalwaysIhopethatwecancontinueto a much more positive note than we did in rely on your valuable and generous support. 2008 after the somewhat depressing Withbestwishesforthelastmonthsofthe combination of the shake-out from the Summer season. Bankers Orders discrepancies and the start oftheeconomicdownturn.Wehave Jennifer Mack July 2009 welcomed over 40 new Friends so far in 2009 thanks largely to Vikki’s efforts. The total now stands at over 850 families; sadly we have again lost members over the year and there are still some overdue subscriptions but I hope, with over two months of the season still to go, that we can achieve a good net gain. Our new website is now up and running andthereisalarge‘Friends’Section.The facility to download Membership Forms direct has already resulted in several new

-4- NEW! Skippered Two-Day Sails! Neil Hopkinson

Oneofthepleasuresofbeinga‘Friendof 2.Amber House Hotel, Upton . Wewill sail to the Hunter Fleet’ is sailing or being sailed in Broad where we have secured one of Percy Hunter’s magnificent boats. At someprivatemooringsfortheyachtsnear themomentwerunskipperedsailsafterthe thevillageshopandwillenjoyamealatthe AGM and at the autumn picnic. These are newlyopenedMaltstersPubbefore always very successful and are enjoyed to spending the night at the Amber House the full by all who take part. As a result, we Hotel. This charming former rectory, set in we have decided to offer a new event to grounds of 4 acres, is situated amongst ‘Friends’. tranquil open countryside near Upton. Can you imagine how much fun you could Imagine the fun and excitement of have if, instead of sailing back to the yard spendingtwodaysononeofyourfavorite after a few hours, you continue to sit in the yachts, sailing on the Thurne and the Bure, well of aHustler, Wood or one of the Lustre whilst being looked after by one of our Class of yachts and enjoy a thrilling excellent skippers. At the moment we do skipperedsailfortwodaysonTheThurne nothavefirmdates,butassoonaswehave and Bure? an indication of numbers, we will finalise We are looking at running two, two-day things. The cost will be around £180 - £210, skippered sails from Hunter’s Yard, which depending upon your chosen boat. will visit either of two venues: If you would like to join us for one of these 1.TheSwanInnatHorning , where we shall adventures then please get in touch by spend the night after a splendid meal with email: [email protected] aglassofwine,beforesailingbacktothe or phone: 01455 203167 or 07930 910870. yard during the following day. The Swan Inn overlooks the sharp bend in the River Bure at Lower Street. The origins of The Swan date from 1696, when a cottage was built on the site. In the early 19th centurythemainpartoftheInnwasbuilt, and it has become a distinctive landmark ontheNorfolkBroadsforriverusersand locals alike, its most recent claim to fame beingthesettingfortwoofArthur Ransome’s children’s books - Coot Club and The Big Six.

-5- ABitofaBlow Neil Hopkinson

As we arrived at Hunter’s Yard to enjoy a conceivable to turn round, open the door to days sailing with one of the Woodcuts, the the outside world and find that your car had wind was rushing across Norfolk’s turned into an old Austin or Series landscape at a considerable 25 knots or so. Landrover. Luckily the clouds scudding across the GrahamwasbusywithJohnputtingsome enormous Norfolk sky were white and not finaltouchestoBuff Tip andtoldmethatI ‘laden grey’ with rain so we were definitely would be sailingBrown Bess instead of a in for an exciting day’s sailing. Woodcutasshewasagoodboat“inablow”. We managed to squeeze my Range Rover Hesaidhewouldjoinmeinafewminutes into a space near the bins. Loading tohelpwithcastingoff. ourselvesupwithwetweathergearanda Afewoftheboatswereinthedyke picnic, we entered the sheds to find Graham looking resplendent in their covers as we and our boat. walked down toBrown Bess on her mooring Every time you walk into the boatsheds at near the head of the dyke. Jo and I readied Hunter's Yard, a sense of timelessness BrownBessforsailing,carefullystowing envelopesyou,anditwouldseemquite

-6- theawninginthesternandcastingoffthe She shot out of Womack onto the Thurne stern line so that she came head to wind in likeacorkoutofabottle;weturnedtoport preparation for hoisting her sail. Some to begin a series of fast exciting tacks twenty minutes later and she was ready, towards Potter Heigham. On the outskirts bitingatthebitwantingtosail.In of the ‘houses’ we came round to run before consultation with Graham we had decided thewindallthewaytotheBure.Thespeed that she should have at least two reefs. The and excitement was immense. Two previous skipper had left three in so three it enormous bow waves creamed out whilst wasgoingtostayandasitprovedthatwas thecurveofthewakepouredoutastern, most definitely the right decision to make. seemingly reaching down to the river bed. Grahamegaveherbowsagentlepushinto Today was most certainly a day for Hunter theheadofthedykeandIbroughther boats. We saw three other yachts sailing on roundsothatthemainsailfilled.AsBrown the Bure,Rebel Reveler and two Hustlers. Bess becamealiveasonlyasailboatcan,we There were some other yachts but all were shot off down Womack Water. The wind under power. was behind us for the length of the water so Our mornings sail took us all the way to we sped along, the only boat, with a Martham. The sun shone whilst the wind glistening wave coursing away from the blew giving us such an exhilarating sail, so bows. muchsothatitwasonlytherumblingofour

-7- tummies which reminded us that we should least. At every tack, spray dashed aft, take lunch. dousing us with cool river water, boats On one of our reaches across the broad we treateduswithextremecautionbecauseof came into the wind to gracefully come up at the speed and frequency of our tacks. Once theislandsothatwecouldhavelunchand duringaparticularlystrongblowwe stretch our legs at the same time. On overhauled a cruiser and passed across her opening our picnic basket we found that in stern to run along her starboard side for a ourexcitementbackattheyard,wehad moment or two. neglectedtoputintheflaskofhotwaterin! Eventually after one of the best days Sandwiches and milk was our fare and very sailingthatIcanrememberforalongtime, nice too, the warm sweet cup of energy- Womack Water hove into view. These boats giving tea would have to wait until we got arejustsomuchfun,andsafewithittoo. back to the yard. We were still creaming along as the mouth Wesharedourlunchwithafamilyof ofthedykeattheyardappearedaroundthe coots and the ubiquitous mallards. I always cornersoIloosenedoffthemainsheet, enjoy watching coots going about their spillingsomewindtoeaseourpassageinto business; the young cannot be taken thedyke.Brown Bess cameserenelytoa seriouslywiththeirpunkhairandred stop inches away from the quay, half way heads. along the dyke betweenHustler 3 and one of Afterlunchwehadanintensebeatup theWoodcuts. Ranworth Dam, especially so at the halfway Somethreequartersofanhourlaterwe mark as the Broads Authority were had bailed out three buckets of water, dredging. The dredger and tugs were taking stowed everything away and had her up half of the width of the river, leaving us securely ship shape and Bristol fashioned so only slightly more thanBrown Bess’ s length that she was ready for the next sailor to sail. to work with for40 feet or so. We were almost blown backwards back to Ranworth atonepointbutjustmanagedtokeepsome wayontoclearthebarges. Once on the Bure we struggled against a headwind for a few minutes before breakingfree.Itisalwaysveryinteresting whenjustoutofreachofourboatthewind is rippling the waters just off the bows as youstrugglewithawindthatisswirling around trees, backing all the time. As the afternoon progressed the wind freshened so our sail beating down the Bure and Thurne was exhilarating to say the

-8- HowtoMoorinOneEasyLesson? Christopher Bishop

Thereisnooneeasylessononmooringas shouldthenjumpwhenready,andbe every time you do it there will be a prepared to grab the stern line thrown by difference, wind, speed, direction and other the helmsman. A temporary mooring boatsintheway.Ifyouareadinghysailor should be fixed, then after lowering the andareusedtosailingontoaquayyouwill sails, the mooring lines should be find little problem mooring a Hunter boat, rechecked and made firm. it is just a little bit bigger than most dinghies Having been sailing all week you then andcanbealotmorepowerful. have to come back to base. The dyke has WhileNorthernBroadsdonothave been designed so that it is tricky to get into much of a tide to worry about, except for andyoudonotwanttomakeamessinfront Potter Heigham, (see later) be careful if you ofeverybodyelse.Ifthewindiscoming gosouthofAcleBridge. fromtheNorthyouturnoffthemainriver Aside from the tide, the main thing to and then find you are broad reaching along look out for is the wind. Always, almost thecuttowardstheyard.Bepreparedtolet withoutexception,youshouldmoorhead themainsailouttolosesomeofthewind. into the wind. Alternatively, if the wind is Turn to starboard, and gently drift into the coming off the bank, moor on the first available mooring. Then, walk the boat windward bank if at all possible. It is wiser toitsrightfulplaceonceyouhavethesails totryitoncewithoutactuallymooringto down and tied up. If the wind is from the gaugeyourspeedsothatyoudonothave South you might find it better to go just the scenario of someone leaping ashore beyond the entrance and either do a with a mooring line and a boat weighing controlledgybeandlanduponthe more than them pulling in the opposite mooring at the entrance, or go into the dyke direction. Wet clothes take a long time to with the sails right out to keep you moving dry. slowly,thendoatackandendupatthe Having looked at where you want to entrance. moor,tellyourwell-preparedcrewwhat Howtodoitinpractice... youwantthemtodo.Onafourberth On one occasion, I sailed into Ranworth Hunteryoushouldideallyhavetwoonthe andfoundtherewasnospaceonthequay bow and one on the stern, or amidships. butontherighthandendtherewereboats Thefirstoneonthebowshouldjumponto moored at right angles, with a Hunter boat the bank, and the second one throw the moored on the main quay, its bows facing mooring line. The reason for having two outtotheBroad.Thewindwasagentleone people is that so often people will try and coming off the land. We tacked towards the jumpafourfootgapwithathreefootpiece mooredboatsand,atthelastminute of line. Remember if you are mooring on a dropped the mainsail, swung to port, bankusingarondanchor,throwittomiss pulled the headsail in and gently turned your crew member! The person amidships and moored alongside the Hunter boat.

-9- Unfortunately no one was there to see it all Andhownottodoit... happen. Had there been, it may well have During my early sailing days, I went into been a different story. South Walsham Broad, planning to join Oneofmybestmooringsthoughwaslate someboatsthatweremooredtothebank.I oneafternoon,aswedriftedthrough wasnottoosureoftheboatIwasin,anda Kendal Dyke towards Horsey Mere with keen wind was blowing. We sailed up the justabreathofwindpushingusalong.As dyke and then pulled in to lower the sails, wehittheMere,sothewindhitus.We thinking it would be a nice slow quant to the creamed across the Broad and then realised moorings.HowwrongIwas!TheminuteI Horsey Dyke was downwind. HELP! pushed off from the bank, the wind did its We stayed on the Broad near the entrance utmost to make things difficult. Any to the Dyke, about 100 yards away. Wecame movementawayfromastraightdeadinto headtowind,broughtthemainsaildown thewindimmediatelybroughtaswing and put it on the crutches, making sure it round. Not nice. Eventually one of my was secure. By this time we had drifted friends came out in a dinghy with an nearertheDykesowetightenedthejib outboard and towed me in. I have met up sheet, pulled the boat round and sailed with them since and have managed to moor serenely in, spilling wind out of the jib so alongside with no problems. thatwesloweddownandwereabletocoast intothebank.Aswewentalongwepasseda motorboatwithallwindowsshutandthe television on. I felt so tempted to tap on their window and regret not doing so now, asitwouldhavebeenfuntoseetheir reaction.

The Friends of the Hunter Fleet Autumn Sailing Picnic Saturday 26 September, 2009 Becauseithasprovedpopularinpreviousyears,ourAutumnEventwill again be a sailing picnic to the EACC moorings opposite Thurne Mill. TheWaterbusPrincess Katherine willbeavailableasanoptionfor non-sailors. Cost is £8.00 per person, under 21 year olds FREE Please see booking form with this issue for further details

-10- From the Yard Vikki Walker

HELLO again guys and gals! Friends of Hunter Fleet do for us - the new We’rejustoverhalfwaythroughtheseason awnings; spare sets of tin gear to help us now and as well as seeing our wonderful with our ‘turn round’ days; new pillows and regular faces, we’ve also welcomed quite a blankets; a new Hoover and soon, some few new ones this year too. The two-hour new buoyancy jackets too, to name but a skippered sails are once again proving very fewoftheitemsyou’veallhelpedwiththis popular, with budding new sailors being year. Your support for the Fleet is invaluable introduced to the joys of ‘real’ sailing. (We and we can’t thank you enough for all of should have a sticker that says ‘REAL sailors yourgenerosity,itreallydoeshelpto do it at Hunter’s Yard!’) maintain the Fleet to a high standard. So YouknowthisisthefirstseasonI’vebeen please accept this as a heartfelt thank you here when we’ve started it without rain or from all of us for all you do to help keep ‘The snow! And what a nice year it’s been so far Girls’ just as they should be! And let’s face (compared to the last two that is). Don’t get it,asweallknow,we'olegals'justkeepon me wrong now, we’ve had a bit of the old gettingbetterwithagebutit’snotwithout rain and wind but for the main it's been its costs! (Right guys?!) nowherenearasbadasthelasttwo!Oh NowthatLucent isinthewaterand Zin dear, as I’m writing this it’s dropping a hail Zin isfinisheditmeanstheguyshavejust storm of golf balls out there, blowing a startedtohavesomeextratimetodosome hoolie and other things! (By the way, I’m of the repairs (and a small addition) to the told they’re called squalls. I think that's how shedthathavebeenlongneededdoing. you spell it!) Guess I talked that up! OK, Things like renewing some of the ‘wooden now the weather has been covered, we’ll get thingies’ holding the shed up on my side of on with it. Why is it we English (I can say the shed no less! I tell ya, I knew I’d been that now I’m dual nationalised) always talk puttingonalittleweightthisyearbutitwas about the weather? Right! On with the a shock to me when I heard the guys outside news... from the Yard that is. my office putting those new ‘wooden Itwasreallygreattoseesomanyofyouat thingies’ in to hold the office up! I've been the AGM in May. We love these events; it’s assured it’s not for re-enforcement, just that so nice to see so many of you with smiling they’d gone rotten and needed replacing. faces having fun right here at the Yard. But really, they have actually had to renew We’d like to take this opportunity to all down that side this year. So you see, it’s mention all the great things YOU, The another thing they could do while the

-11- volunteers help out with the other things. And as I write this, the quay heading in frontofthefarshedisbeingrepairedbythe guys. As you can see in the picture, Darryl isdoingagreatjobandhasevengivenus some bright spots during some of our rainy spells here, when he tripped over and fell into the water while standing on the slipway! Bless him, guess wellies in the water can do that... and I thought it was only us oldies that do the falling over your own heading they are also fixing the slipway feet stuff! But really they are doing a grand wheretheconcretehadbrokenupanda job of the quay (under the experienced eye hole had appeared. This was causing the of Graham of course). I'm sure some of you guys a problem when they were bringing may even remember how much it actually the Fleet and out of the shed. It's a bit of a needed doing but it’ll be much better when messatthemomentbuttheyareagain it’s completed. doing a great job and making light work of it Not only are they repairing the quay all too.

-12- And now for the 'small addition' bit... do the other jobs that need doing here, like Hopingnottoupsettoomanypeople,our the sheds, slipway and quay heading. So little kitchen area has now had a few once again THANKS TO ALL OUR cupboards added to it. I know that some VOLUNTEERS! folks think it’s a great idea and others didn’t The new website is working quite well, want the change. It’s a very practical finally. It does look like our current addition for us really because it means we brochurebutwedohavetheabilityto can keep all of the crockery,cups, glasses etc change it ourselves now so once we get a bit down near our working area for turn round moretimewe’lldosomecontentchanges days. Before, we had to go up and down and also add the 2010 bookings we’re those steep steps near the office to get holding so far. There is also a nice page for things which is not a good thing if you’re in the Friends of Hunters Fleet that Jennifer is a hurry that’s for sure! So a good plan as far doingagreatjobofkeepinguptodatewith as H&S is concerned (good old H&S) and newsletters and current events. You may also for our weary old legs. These were also like to take a look sometime. donatedtotheYardsotheyonlycostusthe www.huntersyard.co.uk time it took young Tim, our ‘new kid on the We still have a few more weeks to go for block’, to fit them. And they’re oak so I theseasonandhopefullythislovely think they fit in well, however, I’m sure not weather here will keep on going until the all would agree so for those of you who end. Don’t forget the next Friends Event in haven’tseenthemyet,here’saphoto. Septemberisonlyafewweeksawaytoo; we’re looking forward to seeing ya’ll again. And any of you folks who didn’t manage to come to May’s event - hopefully you’ll be able to come along this time so you can have somefuntoo.LikemydearolePasays,it’s bettertobepartofthenewsthanonly reading about it. So come on down, the price is right! Till next time... May the fair windsbewithyou!

The volunteers have all been working really hardagainthisyear.Whetherthatbethe guys who help with the garden, Pat doing the hanging baskets and the flower beds or alltheguysandgalswhohelpoutwiththe two-hour skippered sails. You know, we really do appreciate all the help our volunteersgiveus,itgivestheguystimeto

-13- A Return to Sail David Clarke

On 10 June, David Clarke hired Brown Bess forward. I was underway! I purposefully after an absence from sailing of some 15 steeredfromonebanktotheotherandback years. He didn’t fill in the user’s log book so againtofeelhowtheboatrespondedto sent us this report instead. tiller movement. IhiredBrown Bess fortheafternoonon The wind quite easily and gently took me Wednesday 10 June, the first time I had down to the main river (Thurne?). I still sailed since late September, 1993, when I neededtofeelIwascompletelyincontrolof took outGem. My last experience with a theboatsoIturnedtotheleft,takingthe Hunter boat was in 1992, so it was with frontpastthesourceofthewindsothatthe some apprehension that I tried again. sail moved from the right hand side to the Ihadnogreatambitions;Isawmyself left hand side. I repeated the procedure to playingwiththeboatfortheafternoon, turn the boat right, then I tried turning the which is why I declined Graham’skind offer boat to left and right with the source of the to help me get underway. I considered wind behind me. It all worked, and I felt taking off the awning and checking things more in control. over as part of the experience. One of the The only thing I still had to try was taking first things I noticed was that my legs were thesaildowntocomeintoamooring.I nolongerfamiliarwiththerockoftheboat, builtupsomespeed,slackenedtheropeto though stowing things away came thesailsoitwasfree,heldoutthesailsothe instinctively. wind was on the wrong side, and... the boat I remembered to tie the crutches to the stopped.Iwenttothehookatthebottomof boat before hoisting the sail. I also themast,untiedanddroppedthesailan rememberedtogivetheropewhichhoists inchortwo.NowIknewIcouldlowerthe the sail a pull from the side before I looped it sail, I pulled it up again and retensioned. I offonthehookatthebottomofthemast.I went back to the tiller and sailed on, now askedthegentlemanwhowascuttingthe feelingfirmlyincontrol. grass (whose name I should know) if he I sailed on towards Potter Heigham, wouldcheckwhatIhaddone.Hesaid though I did misjudge how even a small tree everything was OK, and he untied and gave candisturbtheairflow,andIendedupwith myboatapushbacktoenableittoclearthe the wind on the wrong side of the sail in a others. I was underway and on my own; longslowturn.Asthebridgecameinto nowwasthemomentoftruth.Ipulledin view, it began to drizzle so I came up to the theropetothesail-thesailfilledoutandit mooring on the north bank. I accidentally stopped the boat going backwards. It tipped caughtthesailropeonamooringpost over to spill some wind, and the boat surged which stopped me a bit sharp. I donned my

-14- waterproof jacket then headed gently back had been plenty. I felt happy and my success to Ludham, with the wind mainly behind had boosted my self confidence, which had me.Ifeltapprehensiveabout cominginto beenlow.Iintendtotrytofindthetimeto moorupbutthewindwasgentlesoIcame sailagainthisyear. in perpendicular to the bank and back AsImentioned,ithadbeenatleast15 windedthesail.Ijumpedontothebankand yearssinceIlastsailed,andIsuspectIhave fended off. The bow bumped lightly, which forgotten the technical jargon, but the feel disappointedme,butthepeopleonHustler of handling the boat came back quickly; it 3 told me it was near perfect. The sail came feltasthoughIhadn’tsailedforabouttwo down and the awning went on. It had been a yearsratherthan15. perfectafternoon,twohoursonthewater The Gift with a Difference Hunter’s Yard Gift Vouchers

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-15- Hunter Merchandise: The ‘Friends’ and the ‘Trust’ There seems to be some confusion about the T-Shirt: difference between the ‘Friends of the Hunter Child £ 4.50 Fleet’ and the ‘Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust’. Adult £ 8.00 When Norfolk County Council put the Hunter Fleet up for sale in 1995, a group of concerned Polo Shirt: people organised a public subscription and a Child £12.00 successful bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund. This Adult £13.50 enabled theTrust to be formed as a charity which Sweatshirt: purchased the Fleet from NCC. The Trust owns Child £10.00 theboatsandtheyard,andemploysthestaffwho run them. Adult £15.50 As a result of the public subscription, there was Hooded Sweatshirt: still much interest and good-will expressed Adult £27.50 towards the Hunter Fleet, so the Friends Child £22.00 organisationwasformedtokeepthosepeople informed of progress and to enable them to Embroidered badge £ 7.50 continue to provide support. The Friends have (10th anniversary logo) their own constitution and Committee but their Baseball Cap: accounts are technically part of the Trust, in order Child £ 4.25 to enjoy the benefits of being a charity. TheTrustChairman,aTrustrepresentative,and Adults £ 5.25 the Yard Administrator are all co-opted onto the Hunter’s Fleet book £7.00 Friends’ Committee, which takes a keen interest Hunter’s Fleet mug £2.75 in the running of the Fleet. However, it is the ‘Friends’ Calendar £7.00 TrustwhichisactuallyresponsiblefortheHunter Fleet’s management. ‘Heritage Boat-Yard’ Fly the Flag... DVD £10.00 The Hidden Broads Hunter’s Yard DVD £12.00 PleasenotethatbecauseonlyHunterboatsare Commemorative Embroidered allowedtoflytheHunterflag,whichisbluewith Badge £7.00 a plain central red-on-white stripe, the Friends’ Playing Cards £3.00 version, which incorporates the international Water Bottle £3.00 code flag F, can be flown on member’s own yachts or attached to the starboard shrouds by Friends Writing Pad £3.00 hiring Hunter boats. The pin is the normal hunter (Clothing sizes - Adult: XL, L, M, S. flag design. These items are available only to Friends. Orders for all merchandise (with cheque Child: 12-13 yrs, 9 -11 yrs, 7-8 yrs, 5-6 payable to Friends of the Hunter Fleet) to: yrs.) Hunter’sYard,HorsefenRoad,Ludham,Great Postage and Packing: Gift Vouchers, Yarmouth, Norfolk NR29 5QG Calendars, and DVDs, please add £1.00 Printed by Century Printing All other items, pleased add £2.50. 132 High Street, Stalham, Norwich Norfolk NR12 9AZ Tel/Fax: 01692 582958 -16-