The summer sun came out just in time for the 10th AGM of the Nancy Blackett Trust on Saturday 7th. Following a typically unsettled start to the summer, Nancy was able to take visitors on trips along the River Orwell in near perfect conditions for most of the day. Indeed, the only rain that appeared did do so conveniently during the AGM itself in the afternoon.

The AGM was held at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club at Woolverstone, and marked the tenth anniversary of the Nancy Blackett Trust. Founded a year after the initial appeal was started to buy her, the Trust has been steadily fulfilling its aims of preserving the Nancy Blackett and presenting her to the public view as part of the legacy of Arthur Ransome.

Nancy Blackett at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club, Woolverstone

The Nancy Blackett remains the most tangible and visible usable part of that legacy still in circulation – as an inspiration to sailors of all ages, and as a boat to be sailed.

In the past decade, Nancy has probably travelled in excess of 20,000 miles on voyages, yet ironically the pattern of sailing remains very similar to that of Arthur Ransome’s, during his relatively brief period of ownership: local trips along the East Coast, occasional longer trips along the South Coast, and a number of trips across the North Sea to the Netherlands. Later this year Nancy will be attending the Hellevoestsluis and Woodbridge Maritime Festivals.

The Nancy Blackett has attended numerous maritime festivals and events over the years, and continues to do so, while the Trust itself has been slowly establishing involvements with other organisations, such as the Old Gaffers Association, the Cirdan Trust and the Ocean Youth Trust, as well as two local schools: Woodbridge and Thetford Grammar.

As a charity, the membership of the Trust plays a vital role in supporting Nancy. In particular, last year a special long-term appeal was launched to raise funds to cover the cost of engine replacement and to provide a reserve for future maintainance costs. The target was to raise at £10,000, and so far £7,000 has aleady been raised.

Two of Arthur Ransome’s other boats were also at Woolverstone for the AGM. Ragged Robin, formerly Arthur Ransome’s first Lottie Blossom, built like Nancy at Hillyards, and now owned by Ted and Diana Evans, and Peter Duck, which he owned after selling Nancy Blackett, and whose current owner, Julia Jones, gave a talk about after the AGM to mark its 60th anniversary.

Peter Duck at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club, Woolverstone