Nancy Blackett's voyage to Vlissingen in Holland, 75 years after Ransome's own trip, was delayed by 36 hours by both weather conditions, and the discovery on Sunday morning that a bolt holding the alternator to the engine had sheared off. Repairs however were quickly achieved on Monday, once Volspec at Woolverstone Marina were open for […]
New photos of the movie Swallow being expertly sailed in the rain at Woolverstone after our 14th AGM, with special guest Sophie Neville. The full album and slideshow are available here.
It was an event to befit the celebration of an 80th birthday – Nancy’s. The Nancy Blackett Trust’s 14th AGM on Saturday seemed to go in for two of everything: two guest boats in attendance – Peter Duck, and Swallow from the 1974 film, and two guest speakers. Surprise guest Sophie Neville, who played Titty […]
An oil painting of Nancy Blackett by Geoff Hunt, Britain’s foremost marine artist, is to be auctioned at the Nancy Blackett Trust’s AGM on 16th July. Geoff Hunt, a past president of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, specialises in interpretations of historic naval vessels; his cover artwork for Patrick O’Brien’s novels is well-known and […]
The Nancy Blackett departed from Woodbridge late this morning, on her first trip of the 2011 season to Woolverstone, with Sarah Peay skippering. The weekend had seen her annual fitting-out, culminating in the fitting-out dinner yesterday evening, held this year in Ye Olde Bell and Steelyard.
Our photo album from the relaunch of the Swallow from the 1974 “Swallows and Amazons” film at Coniston on Sunday 10th April 2011, including shots of Bank Ground Farm (“Holly Howe”) and Swallow’s restored boathouse, with additional photos by Dan Ford. (Further pictures can be found at Sailing in the Lakes.) View the album directly […]
Watch our video below of Swallow under sail on her maiden relaunch voyage on Coniston Water, with Sophie Neville and Helen Lewis, plus the final visitor trip of the day on 10th April 2011.
Following the relaunch of the Swallow on April 10th 2011, Rob Boden of Sail Ransome decided that it would a great idea to recreate a scene of the Swallows being seen off by Mother. With a willing crew of volunteers and Sophie Neville playing Mother, this is what happened…
Below is our video edit of yesterday’s relaunch of Swallow at Coniston Pier.
One year ago, Swallow from the 1974 “Swallows and Amazons” movie was being auctioned. Thanks to the efforts of Magnus Smith, Rob Boden and the Nancy Blackett Trust, today, purchased and restored, she is about to be relaunched at Coniston by Sophie Neville, who played Titty Walker in the movie. Below are photos of Sophie […]
Yes – the Nancy Blackett is eighty years old this year! Born in 1931 at Hillyards boatyard in Littlehampton, Sussex, she was first registered as a British Ship, under her original name Spindrift, on 30th March. Her actual launch date is lost in the mists of time and Hillyard’s notoriously non-existent record-keeping. After a short […]
Earlier today, the Nancy Blackett Trust had the honour of making a donation to leukaemia survivor Oliver Rofix, in support of his Round Britain Challenge to recruit one thousand new donors for the Anthony Nolan Trust. The donation was presented to Oliver by Skipper John Smith at 2pm, five years to the hour that Oliver […]
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