Oulton Broad – A Broadsman

Privateer – Pt. 2

Starting where we left, July 1963 – the Bown family have taken ownership of ‘Privateer’, https://broadssailing.blog/2020/03/15/privateer-clippers-big-sister/

I mentioned the white painted transom previously as an indication of an older yacht needing TLC… this perhaps was reflected in the price, £450!

The Bown family duly put ‘Privateer’ to use, often sailing as a family. Compare this photograph from the early 1960’s to Privateer in 1936.

Alas this proved to be quite true, as Mr Bown senior undertook a significant amount of work in 1965 on ‘Privateer’. At that time, much of the planking & many of the ribs were replaced.

Paul Bown (Mr B’s son) recounted that there was little evidence of Privateer’s hire-career, aside from a repair to a cabin-side, which was a legacy of the Royal (!) cock up on Breydon in ’48.

Interestingly – Paul also discovered evidence that ‘Privateer’ had been altered throughout her hire career at C&H, there were multiple holes in the hog, indicating that the keel had been moved on at least two occasions (!)

I suspect, that Privateer when built was almost entirely balanced, and that the re-positioning of the keel was an attempt to bring some weather helm into play for safety reasons.

(most Broads hire cruisers had enormous weather helm, which meant if a hirer panicked, they just luffed themselves and stopped)

Unfortunately the 1965 rebuild cost £720 (!), which reflects the nature of the bargain price.

During the 1965 rebuild – ‘Privateer’ underwent a significant change in physical appearance. Many C&H yachts have cockpits which are ‘snug’, ‘Privateer’ being no exception. Hence the tiller linkage during her early years.

To provide useful additional space, Mr Bown senior re cut the coamings, raised the benches & splayed the short coamings ‘outboard’ to give a little extra space, as seen here.

Privateer with new windows & an enlarged cockpit. Moored at NBYC, Wroxham Broad.

The external sliding windows & their frames also disappeared at this point, apparently they could be opened by a jib-sheet – resulting in VERY wet bunks!

The final addition during Mr Bown senior’s ownership was the addition of a bowsprit, added in 1970. Paul Bown can be seen here – attaching the new jib!

Mr Brittain had purchased new sails in 1956, aside from the larger jib for the bowsprit, that suit soldiered on until early 1990’s, another long-lived Jeckells suit. (not quite as long-lived as ‘Corsair’s’)

Privateer was sold in 1979, to Peter Dunham, who kept her in a boatshed at South Walsham (it appears S.Walsham has a ‘draw’ for C&H boats!). He didn’t keep her long however, as in 1983 she changed hands again…

… to Paul Bown! Mr Bown’s son. Evidently despite having sold her 1st time round because she was ‘abit much to handle’ -she was bought again!

Following a similar pattern, after 2 years of family-sailing, Paul took the opportunity to undertake some signficant works to ‘Privateer’ during 1985;

Paul managed to squeeze her into his front garden for this work!

So, in 1985, with a new deck, and a new rudder – Paul was able to enjoy racing ‘Privateer’, predominantly at Wroxham Broad;

Privateer – racing – Paul Bown helming.
S/N 52 ‘Maidie’ & S/N 119 ‘ButterCup’ also photo’d.

In 1990 though, Paul had another project lined up, and ‘Privateer’ soon changed hands again, this time going to Jean Vaughan & Terry Secker.

Jean Vaughan, was in fact Jean Oliver – whose family had regularly hired ‘Privateer’ in the 1950’s, the boat having made such an impact on Jean, she snatched her up given the opportunity!

Jean & Terry kept ‘Privateer’ at Oulton Broad for a further 8 years. During this time, the tan sails disappeared. She lived on a buoy in Oulton’s South Bay.

Their ownership wasn’t without the occasional excitement. One day having rowed out the buoy, the tiller was found lying on the deck… The rudder having detached itself & helpfully sunk!

A diver was summonsed, and with breathtaking luck, he jumped off the stern of ‘Privateer’, and stood straight on the rudder! Given that on a buoy, say about 40ft overall, that’s an 80ft diameter circle it could have been lost on the circumference, so 1st dive to find it is bloody amazing!!

In 1998, Jean & Terry sold ‘Privateer’ to Mr Child, who still owns her today – the longest period of single ownership ‘Privateer’ has had to date. Tim has continued to enhance her, starting with a jackyard topsail rig;

Undoubtedly the addition of a larger jib, and a topsail enhanced ‘Privateer’s’ sailing performance, and kept her a regular figure on the regatta circuit throughout the early 2000’s.

In fact, Tim further pushed for performance by introducing one of the first ‘integral’ topsail rigs to be seen on the Broads, seen here to good effect at another Yare Sailing Club event, Breydon Open Regatta;

Aren’t they both fantastic photos? Really showing the A.L. Braithwaite ‘sleek’ look, with the added bonus of being a sunny day. Fantastic!

Which brings us upto now – Tim still owns ‘Privateer’, he was my next door neighbour for a prolonged period of time, re-enforcing that somehow, C&H boats are bizarrely never too far away from me or my life…

Next time, we go back to ‘Corsair’ – and how she came to be a ‘southern rivers’ boat…

Olorenshaw & Hinde

So, back to the 1960’s – Peter Olorenshaw had disposed of ‘Corsair’ quite soon after acquiring her, and she was on the bank at Brundall. In truth, she was having an ignominious time of it.

Peter Olorenshaw is credited however with reducing the sail gear by lowering the peak slightly, and fitting an inboard engine. A Vire 6hp, with a hotch-potch arrangement of different height cockpit seats to accommodate this.

Whilst the engine itself is long gone, there is a remaining legacy, namely the ‘slot’ for the gear change lever in one of the cockpit lids.

The Campbells had swapped her for a fairly new White Boat (No. 79 – The Old Lady), seen here in 2010;

In 1964 – brothers John & Peter Olorenshaw registered as a owners of Norfolk dinghy, essentially each time ‘Corsair’ found herself moved on, for a smaller boat!

The Norfolk Dinghy was originally conceived by Herbert Woods, legendary Broadsman and boatbuilder from Potter Heigham. The prototype is actually No. 2, that’s another story!! The first Norfolk dinghies were built in 1931, costing approximately £65. It’s rumoured they were an alternative to the International 14, which at that time cost 150 guineas. The Norfolks were mostly built pre-war.

For the Olorenshaws, their dinghy was built in a period where that class was slowing down. In fact from 1951 to 1968, only 9 new boats were built. In the pre-war days, averages of 6 or 7 new dinghies a year wasn’t uncommon! The Olorenshaw brothers only kept their Norfolk from 1964 until 1977.

Sorry – I’m supposed to be writing about my boat. But if you want some fantastic photographs of Norfolk Dinghies, please visit my friend Sandy’s page; https://sandymillerphotography.pixieset.com/norfolkdinghies/?fbclid=IwAR0L9aGkQDIYVF1ZGSzbtTLx_YtI7AqqnwBVA6iWT9BvEYKklAZtDtuY-eQ

Prior to the Olorenshaw’s passing ‘Corsair’ on to her next owner, (she was sold in 1969). Her next owner was in fact, across the Atlantic!

As a young man, Stephen Hinde had taken 6 months’ work in a department store in Detroit, Michigan, which lead to him being in a position to purchase ‘Corsair’. Although he first covered approximately 12,000 miles on Greyhound buses, travelling around America.

Once back in the UK, Stephen was mulling over which river cruiser to purchase – prospective craft being either ‘Corsair’ or ‘White Wings’ (S/N 1)

So yes. ‘Corsair’ was purchased at Brundall (Brooms Boats) there being a family connection between the Brooms, and the Olorenshaws. Her new owner Stephen Hinde. His family interestingly, also were business owners in Norwich. His great grandfather founded ‘Bonds’ department store, now part of the John Lewis chain.

If you are interested, some history of Bonds is available here; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonds_of_Norwich

His grandfather Ernest Bond also owned the wherry ‘Lorna Doon’;

Wherry Lorna Doon – presumed onboard, Robert Bond & possibly his sons Ernest & William.

Again – ‘Corsair’ had secured the attentions of a devoted owner, thankfully with the means to keep her well. Stephen’s first impression was that a lovely boat, but in the wrong place!!

I have been lucky enough to correspond with Stephen, and having met both he and his wife Janice at their home – and as such I was able to piece together more of ‘Corsair’s’ history.

At this time, Stephen was a member of the river cruiser class committee, so it made sense for ‘Corsair’ to be kept at Wroxham broad, with her own buoy near the public beach. Hence on the 29^th June, 1969 he undertook his maiden cruise, sailing ‘Corsair’ from Brundall to the northern rivers.

I am fortunate enough to have in my possession several photographs of Stephen’s ownership. He not only sailed ‘Corsair’ actively within the river cruiser class, but also achieved some success, winning the ‘Rogue Tankard’ one Barton regatta. He also competed in the 1970 3 rivers race, with the Bakelite plaque now kept in my desk drawer.

L-R; Rogue, Corsair (in the lead) Swallow & Barracuda – Wroxham c.1965

During this time, ‘Corsair’ was over-wintered at John Clabburn’s yard; ‘Dawncraft, where it was necessary to replace some of the original sapele planking, even at this comparatively early stage in her life.

Also in 1970, he took ‘Corsair’ down Yarmouth harbour, just so she could sniff at the salt water – something to my knowledge which wasn’t repeated for her until 2012, where she was berthed at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club for their regatta on Lake Lothing.

Stephen had fitted an accessory which I understand is entirely bespoke to ‘Corsair’, and I’m not aware this has not been repeated by another Broads yacht before or since!

On the cabin roof, in the aftermost port corner, there is a shaped wooden holder, which receives a chromed spotlight. This was to enable night-time sailing! It too, is retained and lives in the forward cabin drawer under the starboard bunk.

Given the context of Stephen’s work (he was part of the family business, Bonds department store) it is evident that the search light was actively used, particularly as Saturday was a working day for him. He specifically recounted its’ use on a midnight navigation of Meadow Dyke, one summers’ evening – eventually mooring under the familiar silhouette of Horsey Mill.

During 1974, after Stephen had married – another Broads yacht caught his eye – s/n 101 ‘Loyalist’, a larger fully varnished Broads yacht that had been built for estuary/coastal work in addition to Broads sailing. He’d bought ‘Loyalist’ whilst still owning ‘Corsair’, and no doubt needed to focus his energies on the new…

RCC S/N101 – Loyalist. Built by Ernest Woods, as an estuary / inland cruiser. A beautiful and powerful boat.

As such, after a busy 6 years of racing and cruising, which included taking ‘Corsair’ to every single head of navigation on the Broads, Stephen put her into a boat auction at Potter Heigham. He recounted to me that the price achieved was somewhat lower than he’d hoped, and as such he removed certain equipment from her itinerary. Much later (42 years in fact) I was able to reunite ‘Corsair’ with certain items, including a fitted winter cover, still bearing the legend “Jeckells Sailmakers, Wroxham).

I’m going to finish now, with two my my favourite photographs of Stephen’s ownership. They show a young man, with his dog – enjoying the boat.

Which is exactly what me and the dogs are now going to do now.

1961 – demobbed & ‘yachted’

In 1961, there was a lot of upheaval at Chumley & Hawke. For reasons I didn’t know at the time I was in correspondence with Jamie Campbell and learning when ‘Clipper VI’ was sold off.

However I know now – and will write about in the future. I’m trying to explain my ownership, and how I learnt what I did.

C&H – Horning
Wenonah & possibly Viking

Chumley and Hawke were selling off their hire fleet of yachts. Rangers, Clippers, Privateer, Wenonah I & II, The Elfs, and Viking all up for grabs. To be fair, by the 1960’s the fleet would have been predominantly pre-war. The only yacht built post-war was ‘Corsair’, although she was built as ‘Clipper VI’;

Several local boatyards moved decisively – Martham Boats snatched up the Rangers, the Clippers and the Wenonahs. Tim Whelpton (her builder) bought the Elfs and the Imps from Chumley & Hawke, to start his own hire fleet at Upton.

The clippers certainly had enjoyed a fine history of being an exhilarating yacht to hire – featuring as the ‘cover’ boat in the yachts section of Blakes catalogues for several years. Although to be fair – all of Chumley & Hawkes fleet had been described as boats where ‘good sailing was the principle concern’. Even in 1960, Clippers were described as;

“a distinguished class of craft giving first class performance with a high degree of comfort”

‘Corsair’ is actually built slightly differently to her sisters, with an extra plank in the hull. Certainly when she was in hire, this would have given her a ‘dumpy’ appearance when compared to her sister ships.

Anyway. Yes, in 1961 both ‘Clipper VI’ and ‘Privateer were sold privately. I can write about ‘Privateer’ another time, and will do I promise!

The Campbell family purchased ‘Clipper VI’, as they were warned off ‘Privateer’, which I understand was something they regretted, in terms of size. Meanwhile, ‘Corsair’ was whisked to Wroxham, where Leslie Landamore and Raymond Jeckells were tasked with making her ‘suitable for racing in private ownership’.

The budget was £500, which I understand those two nearly doubled! But, here she is, newly ‘yachted’ at Landamore’s shed in Wroxham;

At that time, her condition was mixed. Her original planking is Sapele, a poor substitute for Mahogany, and apparently even in the 1960’s there were problems with rot. Broken timbers also featured. Being in hire clearly came with lots of bumps and bashes! Chumley and Hawke had actually fitted some galvanised steel frames as sisters… (!) These hung around until 2018, where they were cut out by my irate boatbuilder – during the rebuild. (I’ll write about that later).

Her original round cabin ports had been cut and changed to ovals with hopper windows. This echos the arrangement on ‘Evening Flight’, a much larger river cruiser – which incidentally is now owned by Jamie Campbell.

The porthole surrounds were fabricated and chromed courtesy of a local Rolls Royce dealership!

67 years on, all the chrome still looks fantastic.

The conversion was obviously looked on favourably, as the Campbells were asked if she was glassfibre as they took her downriver for the first time. I have some photographs of their first sail, and some others.

First sail ‘a yacht’
Black Horse Broad
BH broad II
The Campbell family
‘Corsair’ & ‘Rogue’ – Wroxham Broad 1960’s
Tea with RCC ‘Bryony’ & ‘Goldfish’

‘Corsair’ then moved to the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club – where she lived for some years during the 1960’s. It’s clear that during this time, she was a family boat. Just look at her condition from the photo with the riverside picnic!

Although, I have heard a rumour that the bodywork apprentices at Mann Egerton (a large coachbuilders) where often tasked with the painting and varnishing of ‘Corsair’, so no surprises that she looked gleaming.

Jamie Campbell actually won the first cruiser race he ever sailed in ‘Corsair’ in 1962. Although he does claim that as a 12 year old he had ‘no clue what I was doing’ – and was instructed to steer a straight course!!

You’ll also see a nice Lapstrake dinghy astern of ‘Corsair’ in the family portrait, this is still Jamie’s today.

Her racing career with the Campbells was… chequered! In 1964, at Oulton week regatta they over-cooked it slightly, as Jamie recounted; “We moored at Leo Robinson’s yard for Oulton weeks, and I can remember seeing the mast ‘snowdropping’ – it was inevitable it was going to break for at least 100yards. Lowering the stump wasn’t easy against the lead counterweight!!”

In the end, the stump was cut short, and ‘Corsair’ was motored back to Wroxham with a venerable Seagull outboard. She got a new mast and a set of runners.

‘Corsair’ – 1964 with broken mast & Seagull outboard – Leo Robinson’s boatyard, Oulton Broad.

The Campbell family kept her for a comparatively short duration, compared to later owners. They swapped ‘Corsair’ for a nearly new ‘White Boat’ (Yare & Bure One Design) halfdecker with Peter Olorenshaw. Peter and his brother John were directors of the Norwich Motor Company, based on Prince of Wales road, so doubtless competitors of Mr Campbell at Mann Egerton (albeit friendly).

Sadly – Peter Olorenshaw died in 1990, and a conversation with his widow Elizabeth just elicited the information that they didn’t own the boat for very long at all. ‘Corsair’ was ignominiously placed on the bank at Brundall – in a boat auction.

So still a yacht – but as yet her future was uncertain.

I’ve written quite alot, so I’ll leave the stem repair for next time, when I’m able to introduce her next owner.