The Nancy Blackett has a new jib and a new staysail, thanks to the generosity of members of the Nancy Blackett Trust, and others.

The staysail is about 50% larger than the previous sail, which Jim Andrews noticed looked undersized during the Arthur Ransome Society AGM in 2003. We checked and found that it was indeed so. Thanks to an anonymous donor, it has now been replaced.

The jib had been looking unsightly ever since a new panel had been let in to repair a rip. The new one was bought with donations in memory of our late member Mike Burton.

Both new sails, made by James Lawrence of Brightlingsea, were delivered in time for the Trust’s AGM, the staysail hoisted the same day, the jib, which required some modification a little later.

Skipper Bryan Bonser said that the larger staysail enables Nancy to point about 5 degrees closer to the wind, and can add up to a knot to her speed through the water.