Hi Red,
Interesting to hear what dinghies you and your father built, I had a Heron a few years ago, I took it to my sister's in France some years ago and she still has it there together with the last Mirror I had. She has a couple of lovely lakes quite nearby, including, my favourite, Lake Geneva. A friend of mine had a Flying Dutchman, they never really caught on in the UK, but he did manage a bronze medal in the Olympics with his. The trials that produced the Flying Dutchman as the official Olympic class, the UK seemed too ignore and the two boats that came through on top in the UK were the Tempest and the 505, both of which, and particularly the 505 were built in large numbers.
Always thought the Mermaid looked an interesting boat, I liked the fact she was gunter rigged, it was a pity they did not catch on so well in the UK, I think I only ever saw one and she was competing in the handicap dinghy class at our annual regatta. I have a vague idea they were sponsored by 'The Times' newspaper. You talk about the Pintail duckboat you had, I don't know it but wonder if it was anything like the American Puddleduck. I got interested in those not so many years ago, when I was having to stop playing with dinghies but still wish I had built one. They looked tremendous fun.

Cheers, Nerys

Father & I produced 4 boats on our front verandah - and he previously built a Pintail duckboat in the garage for us kids to use. Easy paddler - very stable - held three kids with ease. Many adventures on the Pungwe river including going over the drift with a 4 ft drop on the down side - and circumnavigating some small rapids. Used in a lot of other local dams & rivers - Troutbeck being one.

The boats we built together were a Heron, GP14, Enterprise, and finally a Mermaid. The easiest was the Mermaid - stitched ply like the Mirror. Surprisingly fast with her Gaff rig.
Sailed well for years but unfortunately rotted under her cover when I left my hometown. Brother in law used bits of her to build a sailing pram dinghy later.

The other three dinghys were sailed for a while and then sold .

Had a Flying Dutchman on Kariba for a while - did not get enough use - and you had to be really fit to sail her properly. Very aptly named boat.

Final boat I was lucky enough to have the use of for a while was a 19.5' gaff rigged Cape Cutter - similar to the Cornish Shrimper but much faster - based in Hout Bay. The owners wife got seasick the moment she stepped aboard - so I was allowed the use of her at times . Great sea boat - handled the Cape rollers very well - we often went to sea when the bigger ones were running for shelter. The designer Dudley Dix used to live in Hout Bay but emigrated to the USA. Often think about building a model - but would spend my time wishing for a magic wand to increase her to full size.........Believe the one I sailed was sold to a buyer from the UK as the builders ( now in UK ) could not keep up with demand.

Tony, Percy Blandford produced many successful designs in the great days of newly discovered marine ply, when the whole world seemed to be building small boats. I think the Lysander was probably one of his most successful, but in saying that, they all worked.

Cheers, Nerys

She was a Blandford boat -as designed marine ply hull. Sailed really well. As it happens the remaining canoe I have is also a Blandford with a rudder operated with foot pedals.
I hope your situation improves -life can't be much fun at present.
Cheers. Tony🤞

Hi Tony, you say about your only remaining boat being a single seat canoe, well mine is a River Teifi coracle. I haven't been in it for years, but it is tied up, standing upright at the back of one of our sheds. Curiously enough, the last sailing boat I owned was a 10ft Tideway dinghy and she had a nice balance lugsail. I sold her when it became difficult for me to move around. That was about seven years ago. I really regretted saying goodbye to her, she was a lovely little boat and I'd had a lot of fun in her. I remember the Lysander, wasn't she a Percy Blandford design?

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Nerys,
Your mention of the 12' lugsail skiff brings back memories. As a boy addicted to the water I used to envy the people who were able to sail lugsail dingy's on the River Medway. Never got to own one, yet even now I hanker after building one. These days the only remaining boat I have is a single-seater canoe. I used to paddle/camp the Arun and the Thames. When my kids were young (young enough to get into mischief) I rescued a wreck of an apple hull shaped yacht from the mud in Brick Kiln lake which borders Whale Island and rebuilt it on the beach. With materials I bought from a builder/carpenter who was closing down, I replaced broken ribs with a long grained hardwood (I can't remember the name of it now) which took weeks to soften in sea water, replanked with elm, fitted a Stuart 8, built a cabin, redecked her -all with hand tools. Didn't remast her -used her for fishing mostly. Eventually sold her and bought a Lysander. One eye on the kids -one eye on the boat, it gave my wife some free time!

This is a page with a picture of my friend Kens boat R9 in her original condition . He kept her name as R9 - the other being called Circe which he is renovating - think her pennant no was R5. The other rescue boat shown went adrift off Cape Point at night in a storm - diesel was contaminated although it was supposed to have been cleaned. The idiot skipper/owner told Ken he was just jealous of him having a better boat when Ken advised him not to go to sea as he thought the diesel had not been cleaned properly - she had to be towed in to Hout Bay previously as the engines had stopped on the trip round Cape Point from the Simonstown Naval Dockyard. R31 washed up ashore in Cape Point Nature Reserve that night - as it was spring tide she was driven ashore along a small stream some 300 metres from the sea. Ken worked diligently on the wreck - offloading nearly 3 tons of diesel , removing the engines , shafts etc and boarding up holes in her hull. (triple planked mahogany) the plan was to anchor his 82footer just beyond the reefs and to use her to drag R 31 clear on the next spring tide. Unfortunately the vandals at Parks Board ordered her destroyed and they did so with chainsaws. I still have a small piece of her from when I helped Ken - hope to use it on one of my models. Always thought the Parks Board officials should have been charged with vandalism...........

Aspirations to own a boat of some sort, any sort came early. The war was over, one could wander all over the docks.The yacht club was functioning once more. I looked everywhere, then behind the lifeboat station I found something that was definitely unwanted. I made enquiries and found that it belonged to a friend's father. It's ancestry was unknown , some said that it had been built by a ship's carpenter for his skipper who wanted a punt for wildfowling on the Cardiff flats. Others said that it had been picked up derelict at sea and brought home and dumped. Anyway, it was mine for 15/- or 75p in today's money.
'It' was 12ft of ugly flat bottomed tarred one inch thick planking and did resemble a duck punt. When my father saw it, apart from horror he went for the ship's carpenter theory saying that it was a typical rough chippies bodge up.
Anyway he agreed to make her useable for me. Timber was still a bit difficult just after the war, but he eventually found the materials to build up the topsides by 6 ins, half deck her, fit a daggerboard and rig her with an old lugsail I had acquired. Work took all the winter and eventually we put her in the water and tried her out. She sailed, just about, she rowed and she sculled (one oar over the stern type sculling).
I was thirteen, school holidays came and with a friend we sailed all over the upper part of the Bristol Channel, Barry to Weston Super Mare, back to Penarth, out to Flatholm island., across to Burnham on Sea. Luckily we had fantastic weather for the few weeks/ Did we take chances, I'm sure we did, but we always got ourselves home. My parents were very understanding, my father took the attitude that the more 'adventures' I had the more there would be to write about one day Today, they would probably be taken to court under some health and safety law.

Cheers, Nerys

Years later I worked on the Thames Barrier and took photos Of the Belfast sailing between the middle piers on her final berth she looks beautiful will add later

First sea trip I remember apart from the Union Castle Liners was on a converted Miami Crash Boat running trips to Seal Island in False Bay from Kalk Bay harbour (Cape in SA) - aged about 8 - in the company of brother , father , and godfather (they were both ex SANVR) - on the way back a storm blew up without much warning - huge waves - felt like the 63' boat was standing on her transom at times. Skipper was amazed as only the 4 of us and his crew were not seasick and were enjoying it - rest of the passengers were not..............

Some six years later an older cousin and his friend were asked to move another Miami from Simonstown to Cape Town . Belonged to the friends father and was to be re-engined at CT harbour. Only one original engine working . Brother and I accompanied them when they set off at midday. Insisted on going far out to sea before rounding Cape Point and the bad shoals . Long story short the engine died - radio not working and we were drifting towards Antartica. We saw a couple of large ships as we drifted across the shipping lanes - but frantic waving only produced a few waves back from the odd crew member. Fortunately two SAN boats on exercise spotted us and towed a very relieved foursome back to Simonstown . The father was given a severe dressing down for letting unqualified 18 year olds undertake a trip like that. Cant remember but think it must have been Ford Class SDB's that rescued us.

Irony of it all is a friend in Hout Bay owns two WW2 Miamis (which he used to use for tripping to HB's Seal Island) and two Ford class SDB's . (currently refurbishing one of the Miamis ). He now runs an 82' steel hulled excursion boat which he built himself using enlarged Miami hull lines and V16 Detroit Diesels. Miamis are far better sea boats than the Fords which require anti roll devices. Nice touch here in that he bought all the spares along with SAS Rijger & Oosterland. Has lots of spare Paxman V16 2 stroke diesels which nobody wants but sold two sets of the anti roll devices to Cunard which they desperately needed for QE2 .............

I went to sea at an early age, When I was born, my father was second mate on a ship called the 'Westbury' a tramp ship of just over 4000 grt owned by Capper Alexander of Cardiff. She was in regular trade between UK and Buenos Aires. As she would rarely see my father if she didn't do it, when he arrived in this country my mother would go by train to wherever he came in, often one of the North Eastern ports, stay on board with him whilst they unloaded. then as they used to go back to Buenos Aires with coal from one of the South Wales ports, go round the coast and stay on board until they were ready to leave Cardiff or wherever it was, then catch the train back to Barry where we lived. And just because I had arrived on the scene, she saw no reason to discontinue that arrangement. Consequently, I did my first sea voyage at three weeks of age and this continued to happen for several more years until my father came home to sit his captain's ticket and then joined another company.

Cheers, Nerys

I was born and grew up in woolwich not far from the woolwich ferry traveled back and forth on all of them. the gordon. will crooks .john benn ,the squires all had the tall smokestacks we would crawl under the flat bottom of the hull when due for painting the hole lot rested on this large wooden platform just up from bell water gate this was in the 1940-etc later traveled on them when i was in the merchant navy served on the mv Ruahine . new zealand shipping company spent more time sailing around new zealand than in the uk

Hi Tony.
Great days.
I remember the Belfast at Devonport on many occasions.
I also did a guided tour of her in her early years tied up on the Thames although when I did it there wasn’t much open.
Now, I think you can tour virtually the whole ship.
Time for a Tot of Pussers me thinks.
Regards Bill

Hi Bill,
I remember the Roberts. I was in Plymouth crewing my first ship HMS Belfast. During workup trials in the channel we fired what was likely the last 6" gun broadside (the Belfast had 4 triple turrets). The ship literary jumped sideways and all kind of stuff was loosened internally -we never did it again. The dockies were none to pleased with us!
Until then I'd done a fair bit of sailing, cox'ing whalers and cutters in Pompey harbour -exciting when it was blowing force 5 or 6. I blotted my copybook in Malta whilst boarding a 14' dinghy preparing to race in Sliema I capsized it with half the ship's company watching!🤣

Nerys.
Good plan re this thread.
I have always loved the sea and as a boy grew up sailing with my Dad who taught me so much.
We lived at Cargreen,a little village directly on the shores of the River Tamar in Cornwall and the boat was moored there on the river.
As a young lad in the 60’s I well remember we would always go to Plymouth Navy Days to “See the ships and Meet the men” and somewhere upstairs I still have the Navy Day catalogue from various years.
I do recall my best mate and I who were typical lads with a eye for excitement/devilment canoeing down river to the trots by Brunel’s railway bridge and paddling around all the old laid up warships awaiting scrapping.
We managed to climb aboard HMS Robert’s...WW2 Monitor and have a good look around before being collared by the RN police on patrol in their patrol launch.
Having been given a good ticking off and sent away with a flea in our ears we dare not go back again.
When Robert’s was scrapped they took one of her main guns that had originally been on HMS Resolution and mounted it outside the Imperial War Museum in London where it remains till this day along with another from HMS Ramillies.(See attached pictures).
I went on to join the MN as a Radio Officer (attached very young picture of a cadet in training 😂).
Still love my sailing today but don’t do much if any other than sailing the RN ships I love to build.

Happy Days.
Regards Bill.

Sept.2018 Nancy and I boarded the New Amsterdam from Vancouver to Alaska and back. It was the first time on a ship.I have a phobia of being on water so up until this cruse had not wanted to sail on any ship. Had been on small boats and ferries but nothing of this size.Must say it was amazing.Walking the decks and the food at all hours of the day.Stops at Ketcikan ; Juneau and Skagway. We were able to side tours in each of the cities.Rain forest ,whale watching and a train trip from Skagway to the Yukon gold rush destination. By rail we fallowed the river trail the miners would have had to take. Called the trail of death as the trail was so narrow you could not pass anyone.The RCMP forced all how went up for the gold to carry two thousand lbs of supplies as once you were up there this was your only way to survive.Man , horse and mule all on a path less than 3ft wide.
When this pandemic is over and thoughts of travel can happen this is a voyage and trip you would remember.
Rick

Hi Nerys,
my first boating experience was in the immediate aftermath of the 2nd world war. as a small lad with other 'tykes' I used to mess about in a small river (the Len) which ran into Moat Park lake in Maidstone. The area we frequented was a basin headed by a waterfall. We dragged an underwing empty fuel tank from an adjoining field where remnants of a crashed plane had yet to be removed -sat astride it and paddled with bits of wood. It enabled us to get to the other side of the basin into an apple orchard, which we then 'scrumped' at our leisure. Eventually we were found out and our 'boat' removed.

I am sure it is only running due ti the congestion at the 'Blackwall tunnel(s) In the 60's the ferry was free, the second tunnel wasn't finished until 1967 and Dartford Tunnel was a pay to use. Woolwich Ferry is a still 'free to use' crossing.
Interesting Wikipedia link giving the story of the Ferry

Now that's what I call a real boat, the Woolwich Ferry, though I must say I'm surprised it is still operating, it's the sort of thing I'm surprised the authorities would have wanted to dispense with years ago.
My skipper, when I was mate on the sailing barge 'Adriatic' later worked on the Woolwich Ferry, said it was the best job he ever had, especially as he lived in Woolwich, but that was the old ferry with the tall smokestacks.
How about the Tilbury/Gravesend foot and bicycle ferry, still running but covid regulations prevent the carriage of more than 20 passengers.

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Nerys,
Been on the Woolwich ferry a couple of times😀😀Seriously though I sailed from Southampton on the Windsor Castle to South Africa in 1972 and remember stopping at St Helena as you know the Castle ships were Mailships. A forgotten Era.
I have also done a couple of cruises on MSC to Mozambique (4 Days) They aren't real ships although I managed to get a tour of the Engine Room which was interesting.

My earliest memories (8 yrs old) are of a ferry ride across the Straits of Mackinac we were going to Saskatchewan to visit my father's family.Why I remember is not for the ferry ride but the leading up to. Must remember we are talking 1954 and a car that was not new maybe 1951.A ticket was purchased for the next ferry and the lineup had already started we were well back but moving slowly the car started to over heat Dad was getting as hot as the car.Finally had to pull out of line and get to a service station where repairs were made.Two days later we made the trip across.A very expensive boat ride.
Rick