A mug of tea in Glacier National Park, Alaska 

Sailing and the sea have been a life-long passion. I have  owned a variety of boats, and have published a number of maritime articles and books. Now a maritime historian, I lecture extensively on the cruise ships and elsewhere.

During National Service in Berlin I became a competitive helmsman sailing the Olympic 'Stars' on the Havel. Once married, a posting to India saw me in the Royal Bombay Yacht Club and sailing on the magnificent waters of Bombay Harbour. Once back in the UK the children became fed up with hiking the Pennine Way or the Yorkshire Moors, but fortunately they loved the Westerley Centaur sloop 'Nutshell', based at Ramsholt on the River Deben.

My East Coast One-Design mahogany on oak sloop 'Saljahan' was a magnificent sea boat and in her I learnt how to master the North Sea. The Decca Navigator and the Autohelm worked hard as the boys and I made frequent crossings to Europe. It was then that I discovered the joys of  single-handed night crossings of the busy shipping lanes.

Another splendid sloop was the Dolphin 31 'Peppermint'. Made in grp she was very beamy and comfortable. Thelma loved her. She was very happy dispensing G&T's to our guests, but she much preferred the boat not to be moving. Having retired at 58 I was able to wander far afield. Down to Ushant and Brittany, the Channel Isles, Scillies, Ireland, St Kilda, Cape Wrath, and all over Holland. I sold her reluctantly when my reducing strength and stamina were making it difficult for me to deal with the sails safely and quickly.

In her place came a Perkins diesel engine driving a heavy steel motor boat 'Braywood Hawk'. This was luxury. She had everything including a bow-thruster. We went to Berlin and the Baltic. Around Cape Wrath, through Paris and down to Marseille. Then across to Corsica and the Tuscany Coast. With Johnny Hacker, my lifelong chum and reliable crew, we had some fantastic trips as she trundled along at 6 kts.

Then, on the Med, came a marina berth with a Fairline SunFury, 'Juan de Nova'. I had my 'boy-racer' at last. At best she is a weekend boat, and much as we enjoyed quick trips to St Tropez or Monaco, I was missing working out the tides and dodging the sand-banks. And so it is we are back on the East Coast. After fourty years, there is however one difference. I have forsaken the delights of the mud and the swinging mooring at Ramsholt for the ease of a berth in the splendid Neptune Marina in the Wet Dock, Ipswich.

I have been privileged to have enjoyed the sea and sailing in this way. In some small way hopefully my web-site will bring amusement and pleasure to all who choose to look at it.

Click on Left-hand column to see My boats and My other hobby