Tales from a tall ship
Practical Boat Owner|November 2020
Bill Howlett recalls a youthful week on board TS Sir Winston Churchill that cemented his love of sailing (if not a love of heights)
Bill Howlett
Tales from a tall ship

In 1972 I was working in the City of London in a personnel department for one of the ‘big four’ banks. One of my jobs was to seek nominations from staff under the age of 21, whose managers thought they would benefit from attending Outward Bound-type courses, designed to develop personalities and help with maturity. Of course, we all knew that these courses were a good excuse for a fully paid week away from work and, being 23 years old, I couldn’t see why there should be an age restriction. I therefore suggested that, as a trial, the bank should seek nominations from staff aged over 21 to go on a week’s trip on a Sail Training Association vessel. I was very relieved when only two applications were received for the two places because one had come from me! My manager, with a wry smile, agreed that I could go.

So, in the spring of 1973, I duly arrived at Southampton docks on a Sunday morning to embark on the Sail Training Association (STA) ship the TS Sir Winston Churchill, along with 38 other trainees for a week’s adventure on the high seas.

The first task was to find a bunk space which would be mine for the week. Being concerned about seasickness, I found a bunk in the lowest possible point of the ship, nearest the middle and was relieved to find that, unlike some later arrivals, I was not destined to sleep in a hammock! We were all mustered on deck and split into three watches: Fore, Main and Mizzen, with each under the supervision of a watch officer and watch leader.

この記事は Practical Boat Owner の November 2020 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Practical Boat Owner の November 2020 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

PRACTICAL BOAT OWNERのその他の記事すべて表示
Orca sink yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
Practical Boat Owner

Orca sink yacht in Strait of Gibraltar

Spain's maritime rescue service, Salvamento Maritimo, has reported that a 15m (49ft) yacht sank in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar following interaction with a pod of orca.

time-read
1 min  |
Summer 2024
No kill cord or lifejackets were worn during fatal powerboat crash
Practical Boat Owner

No kill cord or lifejackets were worn during fatal powerboat crash

A kill cord and lifejacket are useless unless worn-that's the warning from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), following its investigation into a powerboat crash that killed a 32-year-old woman and five-year-old girl on 2 October 2022.

time-read
2 分  |
Summer 2024
Multihull sail work
Practical Boat Owner

Multihull sail work

Brush up on multihull sailing skills before heading off on charter with Gavin Le Sueur's guide to spinnaker handling, tacking and gybing

time-read
4 分  |
Summer 2024
Five top causes of engine failure and how to prevent them
Practical Boat Owner

Five top causes of engine failure and how to prevent them

Jake Kavanagh talks to Sea Start marine engineer Nick Eales about how to avoid the five major causes of an engine breakdown at sea

time-read
10+ 分  |
Summer 2024
Sail the Atlantic with strangers
Practical Boat Owner

Sail the Atlantic with strangers

Would you sail across the Atlantic with someone you've just met? Ali Wood meets the cruising crews who've done just that

time-read
10 分  |
Summer 2024
IZIBoat: simple sailing
Practical Boat Owner

IZIBoat: simple sailing

Rupert Holmes sails an innovative catamaran design intended to widen participation in sailing among those with little time to get on the water in more conventional craft

time-read
7 分  |
Summer 2024
30 WAYS TO GET AFLOAT
Practical Boat Owner

30 WAYS TO GET AFLOAT

From tall ships to small dinghies, you needn't own a boat to sail. Ali Wood looks at the options, and how skippers can also find crew

time-read
10+ 分  |
Summer 2024
Boats for restoring under £20,000
Practical Boat Owner

Boats for restoring under £20,000

Duncan Kent picks the best sub-35ft sail and power boats to look for when aiming to undertake a restoration on a budget

time-read
10+ 分  |
Summer 2024
Seaworthy dinghies for less than £500
Practical Boat Owner

Seaworthy dinghies for less than £500

For low cost traditionally-styled GRP trailer-sailers, consider the Foreland and the Otter available at bargain basement prices

time-read
5 分  |
Summer 2024
Playing with coloured sails
Practical Boat Owner

Playing with coloured sails

Maintaining an hourglass-shaped balloon and ratcheting up the log numbers

time-read
3 分  |
Summer 2024