Sophie Neville, President of the Arthur Ransome Society and “Titty Walker” in the 1974 “Swallows and Amazons” film, spent a week sailing Nancy Blackett in Dutch waters earlier this summer. Here’s the first part of her story… This summer, I grabbed the chance to sail Arthur Ransome’s favourite little ship, the Nancy Blackett. If you recognise […]
The Nancy Blackett Trust’s Sailing Secretary John Smith tells the story of a very special day out sailing Nancy Blackett for two of the Trust’s members… I took newly-weds Laura and James for an overdue wedding present sail on Nancy Blackett on Saturday. Setting off from Woolverstone soon after 10am, we managed to slip into a […]
Nancy Blackett spent this August Bank Holiday weekend on an expedition to “Secret Water”, with Trust members Jonathan and Elizabeth Watson onboard… They spend the night at the Walton Backwaters and loved helming Nancy Blackett, the knot practice, and working the sails. At the end of the weekend the Trust’s Simon Jackson gave Elizabeth Watson […]
The Nancy Blackett Trust’s Sailing Secretary, John Smith, reports… “Had a message from Nancy Blackett at sea this morning off the entrance to the river Deben: “Approaching Bawdsey at 0825. 6.2 knots over ground. ETA Woolverstone 1130. A little wind, hardly enough to fill sails. Flat calm. Occasional light shower.” And an hour later… “More […]
The Nancy Blackett Trust’s Sailing Secretary, John Smith, updates us on the last leg Nancy’s homeward voyage… “I checked Nancy Blackett out yesterday after our engineer left and approved that was it now OK to her sail again. “Since then, with a fresh crew comprising Skipper Neil, Mate Simon and the Trust’s Chairman Roger Sturge, […]
The Nancy Blackett Trust’s President Peter Willis and Chairman Roger Sturge spent a fairly ‘interesting but ultimately frustrating’ Saturday afternoon at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club in Lowestoft investigating the cause of Nancy Blackett’s recent engine failure. Following further inspections during the week repairs have since been made and tests successfully run. With favourable […]
A historic yacht reputed to be favourite of “Swallows and Amazons” author Arthur Ransome has been rescued by a Lowestoft crew after her engine failed off the Suffolk coast, writes Stuart Anderson in the Eastern Daily Press. A historic yacht reputed to be favourite of “Swallows and Amazons” author Arthur Ransome has been rescued by […]
Nancy Blackett is now in Lowestoft, having left Vlissingen early on Thursday morning (27th July) to avoid the worst of the forecast winds. Unfortunately the engine kept stopping and then stayed stopped, so she was towed into Lowestoft by Lifeboat. Fuel problems are suspected, most likely a fuel feed issue, and there is talk of […]
Rod Webb reports on Nancy Blackett’s progress during her final week in Zeeland… We went to Yerseke yesterday and are now in Goes. We’re having a good time but we’re keeping our options open about which day to return. The weather situation is complex and the forecasts disagree and change from day to day. We […]
Rod Webb reports on the start of Nancy Blackett’s final week in Holland… The new crew, Dave Hart, Adam Pentelow and I had all reached Nancy Blackett in Middelburg, and joined Paul Wray on board, by late Saturday afternoon. Nancy was looking very well cared for. We started our week with an excellent meal at […]
At the end of her penultimate week in Zeeland, skipper John Dixon reveals how Nancy Blackett once again worked her magic… On Thursday we awoke to torrential rain. With a force 7 gale forecast for later in the day, we just had a short but delightful 3-sail reach to Goes in flat seas and sunshine. […]
In the latest update from Nancy Blackett, Barry Goldbourne writes… On a sunny Wednesday we got underway early from lovely Zierikzee in an easterly force 4 wind. We motored backwards under the Zeelandbrug, letting the flood-tide take us slowly through, before heading to Yerseke for the seafood. With the mainsail reduced in F6 squalls, having […]
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