Introduction
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| Maggie Lou - my 12 ft 6 ins replica Smacks Boat in Chichester Harbour |
I had long admired the look of the Essex Smacks Boats, they are the ones you see towed behind the picturesque fishing smacks, usually about 12 to 13 feet in length. They look seaworthy and robust, a proper fisherman's type of boat, so when I learned a friend was making grp shells of them, I sold my Mirror Dinghy, and purchased one in November 2000 from Paul, a member of SWFYC as my next project.
My aim was to make a proper working boat; " over engineered", would be the phrase used nowadays. A dinghy, I decided, that would look after me if a blow came on whilst out sailing. A heavy, comfortable boat that I could enjoy: at sea or in the rivers, soaking up the atmosphere of the elements, the spectacular scenery and saltings that make up the creeks and estuary here.
Paul is a first rate grp laminator, who had taken a mould from a 100 year old "smacks boat" in Tollesbury before the tired old hull was burned. It was so authentic the new grp shell even had a slight twist in the keel ! He moulded me the shell in cream to match my other boat, the 1908 old converted ships lifeboat "Sheba" which was also cream. I had said that I would complete all the woodwork, sails etc.
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| Working on the shell in my garage |
The basic design for a smacks boat had evolved over time to suit the robust needs of the fishermen who used them. They had to be a stable and efficient load carrier and also have a sea-kindly, easily driven hull whether under sail or oar. They were towed behind the old (sailing) fishing smacks as both their tender and work boat and had to be small enough to be used effectively by one man, in all weather conditions, yet big enough to carry the catch from the larger fishing smack, or carry all the crew. Mostly they were rowed ashore loaded with the catch, but sometimes, if used on the deep sea fishing grounds, they transferred the catch to the faster 'fish carriers', where a stable, seaworthy, but manageable by one person, in all weather conditions, was of paramount importance.
What about the rig? I had discussions with friend Jim, an ex barge master, sailmaker and owner of the smack 'Saxonia'. I decided to order a gaff sloop rig rather than the more traditional lugsail, as my new dinghy would have to be very manoeuvrable with so many tightly laid moorings off the Yacht Club.
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| Fitting out the shell |
Planning the detail was usually done whilst commuting on the train. I used to come home from my job in London and enjoy unwinding from the stress, by doing an hours woodworking on the boat. Bending the gunwales on, however, was definitely not stress free, it was the most difficult job as they were so springy.
To my surprise I was made redundant in 2002. At least I could now spend some time finishing the boat!
I asked Jim to design the sail plan and I said I would make the spars to suit rather than the other way round. As it turned out his son-in-law Mark had a set of sail plans for a 12 ft Smacks Boat in the sail loft. After questions such as was I going to race the boat (No) and did I want sail battens in the mainsail (definitely No) the sails were delivered.
I made the mast from Douglas Fir, the gaff from a spar I already had in the garage and the boom from Sheba's old topmast.
After looking at various make and type of road trailers, I opted for a small powerboat road trailer ( because there were roller supports the length of the keel useful when towing) made by West Mersea Trailers. It has been very successful to date.
Finally I named the boat after my two daughters' middle names, Margaret and Louise, so Maggie-Lou was finished and I thought the name had a nice traditional ring about it.
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| Finished boat |
Fitting out Maggie Lou to be a cruising dinghy
Once I had sailed Maggie Lou for a couple of seasons I was aware there were some limitations and if I was to use her to attend rallies. picnics and longish trips she needed some modifications.
Bow dodger
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| Bow of Maggie Lou showing sunken deck |
When the tide turned after lunch the flooding tide created quite a little chop against the opposing breeze. A few white horses broke over the bow as I tacked back and I had to bale her out. I decided the boat needed a bow dodger or foredeck to keep the spray out.
I read up a few of the classic dinghy cruising books and decided to make a canvas bow dodger rather than a clip on solid plywood foredeck. The advantage was a canvas dodger could be kept folded and only used when necessary.
The prototype (which I sewed up myself) looked great, but after attending a DCA rally in 2006 when I had to sail against a Westerly F5, wind over tide, it collapsed miserably. It simply didn't have the strength to repel the water. Version 2 had a jib stick modified like a ridge tent to reinforce the dodger goes just underneath the gooseneck. The dodger is secured with hooks underneath the gunwale and tied back to the shroud fittings.
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| Detail showing jib stick |
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| the finished version |
I was originally worried about the working jib fouling the dodger, but it just brushes over it. The added bonus is that gear can also be stored on the foredeck. It has been a success but does add windage, so is only used if necessary.
Sleeping aboard
I attended the DCA 50th Anniversary at Cobnor and slept in a cheap canvas tent, erected on land, when I day sailed Maggie Lou. Fortunately there was an article about sleeping arrangements aboard boats in the DCA Bulletin, and I had looked with interest to see what other examples were at Cobnor.
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| Cockpit showing buoyancy tanks |
The layout of Maggie Lou has buoyancy tanks under the thwarts and side benches, which means it is impossible to sleep underneath them against the hull. I had read an article in the DCA Bulletin about raising a sleeping deck to be level with the thwarts. It was important, so I read, to only deck half the boat so you could swing your legs over and into the cockpit. Useful for dressing, cooking etc. I spent many happy winter hours playing about with cardboard templates!
Eventually I came up with the final version; made from two pieces of plywood for ease of stowage when under way. They bolted together and used the centreboard casing for support to give a rigid structure. As it was ordinary ply I painted it to seal the edges
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| Cockpit showing first sleeping board |
The
DCA had a rally on the River Deben so I decided to try things out. I ran Maggie Lou up onto the mud to dry out on the saltings just down from Ramsholt and settled down for the night. The boards were a success but hard. I was stiff for days afterwards! Being able to stow gear underneath was also a boon.
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| Cockpit showing second sleeping board |
DCA had a rally on the River Deben so I decided to try things out. I ran Maggie Lou up onto the mud to dry out on the saltings just down from Ramsholt and settled down for the night. The boards were a success but hard. I was stiff for days afterwards! Being able to stow gear underneath was also a boon.
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| Overnighting on the River Deben |
The tent.
I had bought a cheap canvas ridge tent for the Cobnor Rally that was on special offer. It then occurred to me that perhaps it could be adapted for the boat as well. On measuring it, it wasn't quite long enough, to stretch the length of the boat, so I bought another and sewed them together. Although this sounds quite simple it did take some time to get a reasonablet fit.
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| Tent rigged over the boom |
The tent is secured by hooks under the gunwale which have rubbers attached to make it easier to erect from within the boat. There are two zips one offset at the bow and one at the stern. It is possible to roll half the tent back on itself to half cover the cockpit if you want a 'sundeck'.
Anchoring
I use a Thames anchor with 12ft of chain shackled to 100ft of anchor warp, all kept secure in a nylon shopping bag just aft of the mast. Various people use different factors for calculating the length of warp, for the dinghy I use 4 times the depth of water. The warp is marked for 3 metre depth ( at 12 metres), for 5 metre depth (at 20 metres) and all out 7metre (at 30 metres). Just the two marks makes measuring the line so easyand I haven't dragged yet. I also have a rond anchor and line for mooring alongside a river bank.
As I usually sail singlehanded, I use a short strop to help anchor from aft of the mast, and especially weighing anchor. It isn't that easy to go to the bow of the boat with all the gear set otherwise.
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| Anchoring using a strop |
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| Weighing anchor using a strop |
Some thoughts
Whilst researching building my Essex Smack's Boat, I was struck how similar the design of boats doing similar jobs evolved. The skiff used by Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters was also 12 and a half feet in length - because the boat had to be big enough to carry the pilot to the ship and small enough to be rowed by one man back to the Pilot Cutter - and used in rough seaways too! The Tideways sailing dinghy developed by Lou Walker from the Leigh Bawley's boat is remarkably similar and hard to distinguish from my Maggie-Lou Smacks Boat. So is the Twinkle twelve.
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| A SWFYC meet of two tideways and my smacks boat in July 2011 |
I attended the Dinghy Cruising Association rally at Cobnor, Chichester Harbour in July 2005
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| A Christmas card scene |
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| Cruising chute made from an old (blown out) spinnaker in June 2011 |
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| Saltings opposite Stow Creek |
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| When sailing around Bridgemarsh Island in August 2011 I was shocked to see this lump of metal wreckage |
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| Well reefed down ,windy conditions of the Crouch |
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| Maggie-Lou off SWFYC with the new jib I made waiting for the start of a dinghy race |
Saturday and Sunday 24/25 the September
- The DCA Crouch Rally -
The breeze was a light Easterly, about force 1, and completely different from the South Westerly 3-4 that was forecast. I was taking part in the Dinghy Cruising Association Crouch Rally, launching at SWFYC at high water 10:30 and going with the other DCA boats downstream heading towards Burnham. A number of SWFYC dinghies had also launched to "show solidarity" with the DCA visit to our Club, but didn't come with us much past Oyster Ledge.
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| Launching at SWFYC Slipway |
It was a glorious day, with a blue sky and a light late summer breeze. The three of us sailed downriver in company, through the Fambridge moorings, and on down the Crouch, the breeze alternating between a force 2 and a 3 from the South East allowing the boats to stay mostly on one tack .
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| Maggie Lou taken from the Roamer "Jessica" |
I slouch sitting on the bottom of the boat rather than sitting on the side benches, it is far more comfortable, as well as keeping the my weight lower down - and far more efficient. I was happily drinking my flask coffee, chatting to the others: Peter in his Gull dinghy, hailing from Maidstone in Kent and Dave in his newly completed Roamer who had come all the way from Lincolnshire.
We agreed to stop for lunch at a small beach just before the cliffs at Cliff Reach, beaching the boats on some clean single that we noticed, then breaking out the sandwiches. Some other dinghies from the Creeksea Sailing Club came to join us and beached their boats, to have a friendly chat, look at our boats and find out what we were up to. After being surprised at the concept of sleeping aboard such small boats, they very kindly invited us to an evening barbecue and to overnight at their club if we wished, just downriver from where we were.
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| First there were 3 of us |
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| Then there were 6! |
As it was the evening of the torchlight Burnham Carnival, which attracts people and boats from far and wide, mooring spaces and drinking spaces at the pubs were likely to be very crowded. Dave had already booked us into the North Fambridge pontoons for the night. So sadly we had to decline their kind offer.
After half an hour or so we relaunched the boats and sailed down through the Burnham moorings in a faltering breeze and tide. Various boats were making for Burnham Yacht Harbour as we passed, probably to watch the carnival, I surmised. I recognised some, the Commodore of BHYC for example. As the tide turned at 17:00 we gave up trying to get to the Roach (to see the new preferred channel marker installed by the CHA) and sailed back up to Fambridge.
The breeze was now light and I was quite apprehensive about getting back in the daylight. Just as we were off the Cliffs I was chatting to Peter, when the breeze started to harden up to a good sailing breeze. Was it that just that we were passing Black Point, also known locally as Windy Corner, or was the breeze actually increasing? As we passed Bridgemarsh Island we had to tack over towards the Canewdon shore. As Sod's law dictates, whilst tacking, a sudden gust flicked my jib sheets neatly around a mast cleat, twice, so I had to go forrard to clear things resulting in losing all the ground that I had gained in the tack!
The rest of the trip up river was straightforward, we still had plenty of daylight as we approached Fambridge, however, the breeze, which had been a good force 4 began to falter and fade once again. I dropped the jib and stowed it, as the boat followed the others and ghosted up inside the pontoons to find a berth adjacent to the others. We secured for the evening, once again, meeting a warm and friendly welcome from people on the pontoon surprised at people actually sleeping aboard dinghies.
The Ferryboat were serving food from 19:00 so once the others had put their tents up ( living locally, I was going home to sleep) we all adjourned to the pub.
The breeze was now light and I was quite apprehensive about getting back in the daylight. Just as we were off the Cliffs I was chatting to Peter, when the breeze started to harden up to a good sailing breeze. Was it that just that we were passing Black Point, also known locally as Windy Corner, or was the breeze actually increasing? As we passed Bridgemarsh Island we had to tack over towards the Canewdon shore. As Sod's law dictates, whilst tacking, a sudden gust flicked my jib sheets neatly around a mast cleat, twice, so I had to go forrard to clear things resulting in losing all the ground that I had gained in the tack!
The rest of the trip up river was straightforward, we still had plenty of daylight as we approached Fambridge, however, the breeze, which had been a good force 4 began to falter and fade once again. I dropped the jib and stowed it, as the boat followed the others and ghosted up inside the pontoons to find a berth adjacent to the others. We secured for the evening, once again, meeting a warm and friendly welcome from people on the pontoon surprised at people actually sleeping aboard dinghies.
The Ferryboat were serving food from 19:00 so once the others had put their tents up ( living locally, I was going home to sleep) we all adjourned to the pub.
Sunday 25th September
- DCA Crouch Rally -
I joined the others on the pontoon at 07:30. The morning was misty and there was a flat calm with no wind. The others had breakfasted and showered and were striking their tents as we chatted through the plan for the day.
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| Early morning reflections on the Fambridge pontoons |
It was agreed that we would try and get up to the start of tidal navigation at Battlesbridge. High Water was at 11:15 and I suggested that we not only get to, but come away from the Battlesbridge narrows on a rising tide. Too many friends had run aground at high water and had to spend the night there!
By 09:00 a ghost of a Southerly Breeze had sprung up and setting sail I cast off and was first away, on reach, slowly sailing over the incoming tide and down to the 8 knot buoys. We sailed in company back up river as the breeze filled in to a Southerly force 3, with an increasingly blue sky as the early morning mist was burned off.
Sailing back up to SWFYC I used my local knowledge and hugged the South Shore, making use of the wind bending which lifted me along, inside the moored boats.The others, following the widshifts had to tack through the moorings. We were soon off SWFYC where we were joined by another Gull dinghy sailed by "the hat". Once past the tall trees that are on the Hullbridge shore and the associated wind shadow, there was a good sailing breeze (the top end of a force four I would say). We sailed up through Spitty Reach to Hayes Farm Caravan site on one tack until the river narrows and bends up towards Watery Lane when we had to become more energetic and tack.
Things became more tortuous, most of us touched the bottom at some time as the river bed snaked about . "The hat" broke a rudder fitting and turned back to deeper water as we carried on up river. We passed the small colony of liveaboards just before Battlesbridge and said "hello," to a guy varnishing the skylight of his houseboat high and dry on the saltings. It was a really picturesque and peaceful scene, blue skies, wafting reeds down to the small channel, ducks flying overhead. The channel really narrowed here and it became difficult to tack around the bends. When Dave touched bottom amongst a reed bed we all agreed it was time to turn back, we had about 10 minutes before High Water.
The return down river was far quicker, we soon caught up with "The hat" and sailed back down to SWFYC in company to recover the boats and have a cup of tea.
A fabulous weekend.
Tuesday 27 September
The forecast was really good once again, another sunny day with soaring temperatures, but the reality was disappointing an overcast really misty morning with the faintest of breezes from the South West. I needed my cruising chute but had left it at home in the garage.
I launched the dinghy and slowly ghosted down river trying to catch a back eddy that I know occurs close in to the North bank, rather than fight the flooding tide.
Progress was slow but eventually I arrived at Brandy Hole. The morning sun had slowly, and steadily been burning up the mist and now there was a blue sky and a more persistent gentle breeze. I beached the boat on a small pebbly inlet in the saltings and decided to have lunch.
Four women ornithologists who were walking the seawall stopped to talk and compliment me on the appearance of the dinghy, as one of them used to sail dinghies on the River Blackwater. They had seen a Stonechat, quite rare visiting bird apparently, the first spotting of the year,which they were quite thrilled about, but added that it heralds the arrival of winter! The breeze was enough to take me back on the last of the flood to arrive at the deserted SWFYC slipway at High Water and recover the boat.
Saturday 29 October
This was a SWFYC Dinghy race. There were five boats taking part in the dinghy race: Me in my smacks boat Maggie Lou, Len and Trevor in the GP14, Roger in a Tideways (similar to my boat) Roger and Francis in a Gull and Stephen in his Torch. The day was dry with the wind Southwesterly a moderate 4 then 5 on the Beaufort Scale, so breezy to quote the television forecasters. Consequently most of us put a reef in. The tide was one of the highest of the year so when setting the course we decided to set a fairly long course from the shelter of the Clubhouse downriver to turn at Stow Pole a large redundant tide gauge in the entrance to Stow Creek then after rounding it back up river through the mile or so of moorings to round River racing mark to come back and finish at the Clubhouse.
After a delayed start, Stephen in the Torch was first away followed by Len and Trevor in the GP14 who quickly streaked into the lead, hugging the North shore to dodge the fierce incoming tide, with Maggie Lou in hot pursuit. The water was smooth on the Hullbridge stretch down to Brandy Hole but once past the old Arun lifeboat “Maximus” the exposed water became waves and the breeze picked up to a force five. The boats responded with a bone in their teeth and surged onward to the pole frequently shipping water.
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| Roger and Francis in the gull |
Rounding the gaunt Stow Pole in the prevailing conditions was challenging to say the least. Our Rescue Boat was positioned nearby, correctly anticipating that this may be a problem area. As the first boats approached the mark –normally a gybe- a massive gin palace motorboat thundered up river, the huge wake adding to the 2½ ft waves caused by the wind over tide conditions. The Gp14 managed to stay upright ….just. Then it was my turn, I bore off a shade to slice over the motorboats wake but was stopped dead by the sea-saw motion after the initial huge wave. I decided to tack around the pole rather than gybe but it was a still hairy moment . Once around the pole I could not quite lay up river and had to tack across to the South side which had its benefits as I could sail in the lee of the saltings in slightly smoother water. I glanced back across where I had come from in time to see Stephen in the Torch obviously in trouble sailing up Stow Creek hotly pursued by our Rescue Boat!
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| Len and Trevor in the GP14 |
Tacking back up river became easier the further up river you were as the water calmed due to the shelter of the banks and the tide slackening. The problem then was the gusty conditions, one minute a force 3-4 then whoosh a full force five. As I tacked past the Clubhouse up towards River I saw Len and Trevor on their way to the finish line line about 15 minutes ahead of me! Roger in the Tideways was about 10 minutes behind me. I couldn’t see the others. The rest of my trip was uneventful the only hazard being that the saltings were now covered with water and posed something of a hazard, so I stayed away from the banks. Rounding the yellow buoy was no problem and I was joined by the Rescue Boat at the finish line, who had towed the Gull back from Stow Pole another casualty.
All in all a challenging but really enjoyable race, I reflected, as I put Maggie Lou away.
Wednesday 23 November
At 07:30 when I was clearing the cover off the dinghy, I was surprised to note the covering of frost that made the dinghy cover as stiff as cardboard to lift off. The first frost of the year; it had been surprisingly mild up to now. I made a mental note to lift the geraniums out of the garden for winter storage.
As I prepared to launch the dinghy down the slip I glanced around, the sun was just rising over the Brandy Hole marshes, a beautiful pink sunrise against a blue background of sky. No hint of the thick fog that had enveloped the river for the last 3 days although the visibilty was about a mile I noted. It was cold. I was fully prepared for winter sailing, but my fingers were tingling as the cold penetrated my sailing gloves, I had to rub them together to keep warm. There was only a faint breeze from the South West so after hoisting the mainsail I set the large white genoa and set off downriver against the flooding tide, hugging the North Shore to take advantage of the back eddy that exists here.
As I glided down beside the river bank, I chatted to a man walking his dog along the seawall. He remarked how surprised he was that I was sailing quite fast against the tide when there wasn't any wind. Every boatowner likes to hear praise on his sailing skills and boat's performance, so I was cheered up, but then, he added that there was thick fog at Brandy Hole and the temperature had dropped about 15 degrees when he was in it.
This was bad news. Should I carry on or turn back? After glancing around again to check for fog banks I decided to carry on. I was enjoying the challege of sailing against the tide, and the dog walker's comments spurred me on. I rigged my bungee self - steering and played with it, yes it worked OK, I should use it more I thought. As I sailed up to the sea wall promontory opposite Brandy Hole Yacht Club I glanced astern, the SWFYC Club house has gone. FOG! I looked out at the opposite bank, it was misty, then it too had gone ! As I sailed on into thick fog there was no risk, I told myself; I knew where I was, and anyway had sailed this area so many times before. Nevertheless when the large Ex Arun Class Lifeboat Maximus lurched out of the fog right ahead of me, it quite spooked me.
I decided to go alongside the Ski Club pontoon, which I could just about make out on the port bow. I dropped and furled the mainsail, then gently sailed up alongside the pontoon, put a tie around the genoa to stop it flapping , secured the boat and poured out a coffee from my flask to think things over.
I decided to go alongside the Ski Club pontoon, which I could just about make out on the port bow. I dropped and furled the mainsail, then gently sailed up alongside the pontoon, put a tie around the genoa to stop it flapping , secured the boat and poured out a coffee from my flask to think things over.
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| Alongside the Ski Club pontoon |
I carry a very small transistor radio and settled down to listen to BBC Radio Essex and a debate with Dave Monk about the forthcoming Thames Coastguard closure. More doom and gloom to add to my mood. The fog was cold, clammy and spooky. At one point I could hear a dog owner chatting to his dog on the adjacent seawall but couldn't see them.
A glance at my watch showed it was half past nine, an hour before High Water, so it was time to return. I cast off and sailed away under genoa, then rounded up into the breeze and hoisted the mainsail. I regularly checked that there was nothing ahead of me in the fog.
As I tacked back to my Club slipway I could hear a motor. I do carry a foghorn and was just about to reach for it when John Neagus appeared out of the grey murk in his work boat, with a wave he had gone, back into the fog and vanished. I carried on in the opposite direction. Once past Brandy Hole the fog started to lift, burned off by the sun I suppose, but the breeze also faltered. As I approached the SWFYC my arrival was welcomed by Roger and Mike winding the old sailing ships foghorn from the balcony. Another interesting days sail over.
Thursday 22 December
Three intrepid boats ventured out for for a lovely sail yesterday just 3 days before Christmas, in a weather window between gales and rain. They were Maggie-Lou - Doug, Francis - Roger, Bluebell- Mike and Grace. Mike Bushell has to pay a forfeit for not wearing a Santa hat whereas Roger's was so ridiculous he doesn't.
We all set off as dawn was breaking enjoying the unseasonal warm(ish) weather and magical sunrise down to Clements Green Creek to secure alongside the Ski Club pontoon for breakfast. Unfortunately as no waterskiers had been using the pontoon recently it was covered in "guano" which made Roger C feel quite queasy. It didn't put Grace off her breakfast though tucking in to a veritabl;e treasure chest of goodies......
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| Roger, Mike and Grace withe the 3 boats in the background |
As the gentle force 3 breeze had now increased to about a moderate force 4 it was time to cast off. As we sailed out of the Creek a red fishing boat was just trawling off the mouth of the creek ( The lease of the riverbed from here down to Fambridge moorings has just been bought by 3 Leigh fishermen). Then the Fambridge workboat hove into view and intercepted the tack of Maggie Lou to say how nice the Smacks boat looked. Toby, who was at the helm of the workboat, now sported a beard, but rejected the idea it was to be a santa lookalike or to avoid creditors. They were going off to collect "Maximus" the old Arun Lifeboat and take it into the marina.
We had a cracking sail back to the SWFYC slip to recover the boats together, Roger C complaining of taking quite a lot of water over the bow of the boat in the wind over tide waves. Any excuse to be last back!!
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