We look after Nancy Blackett, the favourite yacht of "Swallows and Amazons" author Arthur Ransome.
Find out more below...

Latest news

Nancy Blackett and the Coronavirus emergency

The effect of the lockdown has so far meant that Nancy Blackett has been unable to be launched for the season and all sailing plans have been scrapped or suspended. No private pleasure boats are now allowed on the waters controlled by the Harwich Harbour Authority, and in any case, sailing aboard a boat of […]

Listen again to Paddling With Peter Duck

You can listen again this week to the 2011 BBC Radio 4 documentary Paddling With Peter Duck, where John McCarthy travels around the UK visiting and sailing in Ransome’s boats. The half-hour programme features John McCarthy exploring the life of Arthur Ransome through the boats he has owned, including Nancy Blackett and Peter Duck. Peter Willis, then Chairman […]

Brian Hammett Memorial Talk moved to September

The inaugural Brian Hammett Memorial Talk with Julia Jones has been rescheduled to Friday 18th September. Existing bookings are being transferred to that date with the option of cancellation and refund for anyone who is unable to make the new date, while all attendees should already have been notified by the RHYC, who would be […]

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Arthur Ransome’s East Coast

  • Download the Arthur Ransome Walking Trail Map (pdf)
  • See the Selina King Exhibition at Pin Mill

    • Welcome

    You can visit and sail the Nancy Blackett, once owned by “Swallows and Amazons” author Arthur Ransome and the star of his novel “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea”, the seventh book of his “Swallows and Amazons” series, and probably his best sailing novel.

    Nancy Blackett, lightly disguised in the book as the Goblin, was named after the “Amazon” pirate girl character who featured in “Swallows and Amazons”.

    Nancy Blackett was Arthur Ransome’s favourite yacht and is now owned by the Nancy Blackett Trust, preserving her as a living part of the Arthur Ransome heritage. Each year many Ransome fans enjoy the experience of sailing her, and many more visit her at maritime events.

    Explore our website to find out more about Nancy Blackett’s history, how you can sail her, how you can help support her, and the mission and work of the Nancy Blackett Trust.

    You can keep updated with e-mail alerts by clicking here.

    Nancy Blackett passes Pin Mill, June 2017.
    Photo: Bill Wallace-King.