Blog

Someone once mournfully said that owning a boat was like standing in a cold shower tearing up banknotes. Maybe so a few years ago, but as the Wembley Sailing Club shows, nowadays it ain’t necessarily so. Here a few quid gets you on the water in one of the club boats. In fact at the Welsh Harp reservoir in North London, sailing costs less than joining your local netball club. So at Bart’s Bash us lot at Maritime Films UK got to see a lot of young people under sail – and the day was a good one, sunny with a brisk breeze. Easy to imagine that among the sailors might be some new Olympians. Just make sure you’ve got big fluffy towels and access to some strong hot tea when you come in. And learn how to de-capsize (see picture!)

It’s a Sunday. You’re a Mayor, and you’re a local councillor, with a host of local duties, as well as your work and your family to think about. And here’s a chance for a bit of time off. And, frankly, sailing isn’t really your thing. But you can spot a good cause when you see one, so you lose a fat chunk of your day off to open the latest facility, a new pontoon, at the Welsh Harp reservoir in the North London Borough of Brent. So full marks (and a bit more) to the Mayor of Brent, Councillor Kana Naheerathan and  Councillor Sury Khatri from neighbouring Barnet. Here’s the thing though – bizarrely, part of the lake is in Brent and part in Barnet. So… how do you draw a council boundary in a lake? These are deep waters, Watson…

It’s a national event, Bart’s Bash, but Maritime Films UK went to one bit of it – with Wembley Sailing Club at the Welsh Harp reservoir in North London. The Bash is in memory of the much loved yachtsman Andrew Simpson (nicknamed Bart because of his spiky hair) who sadly lost his life during training for the America’s Cup in 2012. Now the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation has been set up in his memory – to encourage more young people to get on the water – and UK-wide sailing events were held to raise funds to support it. We came along to film for our Maritime Media Awards movie ‘Boat Nation’ – looking at how and why the boating and yachting people of the UK have become Britain’s No 1 maritime ambassadors. And we weren’t disappointed. And didn’t even get our feet wet…

On a sun-misty day, the Jubilee Sailing Trust’s Sail Training Ship Lord Nelson came up the Thames at the end of an epic round the world, 2-year voyage. All the more epic because like her Jubilee Trust sister Tenacious, she was built specifically with inclusiveness in the very heart of her: to enable even those with severe disabilities to enjoy the fantastic experience of sailing in a tall ship. Yes and that does mean going up the mast for everyone, including wheelchair users. It seemed just right that Tower Bridge was raised to its highest point – normally only done for Royalty – to see her come alongside HMS Belfast with her sister staying just the other side of the bridge. Filming this, and seeing the joy of her volunteer and full-time crew at voyage end, was a complete privilege.

They seek him here, they seek him there… they seek that yachtsman everywhere… Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (picture) has very kindly agreed to give us an interview for our Maritime Media Awards film ‘Boat Nation’, but actually getting that interview … is another story. Prob 1: I miss him on our Day 2 at the Boat Show. Damn. But he’ll do it at his boat in Gosport. Prob 2: Getting to Gosport. Big taxi bill. Prob 3: Where the hell is his marina???? Gosport’s city fathers clearly think it’s fun not to signpost anything, even major attractions and revenue-raisers like marinas. Find him in the end though and he does triff interview. And no I’m not being luvvie: it is very kind of him to fit us in, as he’s late-stage preparing for another solo voyage in his boat Grey Power.

Propane gas, that is. Powering your outboard motor. Really? Yes really… Of course Boat Show means a dazzling selection of boats, many of them with price tags that make your knees buckle… and a legion of pretty girls near or on those boats… and marine beauties of the hull-and-mast kind, too. (Don’t expect decent food though. The main concessions were heart-attack-on-a-plate awful.) But what’s best of all is when you find a brilliant idea like using propane gas to power outboard motors – eco-friendly, easy to refuel (just hook up a bottle), power-efficient, and much less damaging to motors. With an electric starter and a long-life internal battery. But if you meet Captain Bernardo Herzer (picture), you get to know his Lehr outboards in double-quick time. He’ll see to that. And it’s a cracker (as far as this blogger can tell.)