COLUMNSJANUARY 2016 27PETER CUMBERLIDGE: How better to while away the long winter darkness than with some
pleasant daydreaming and virtual shopping of life-changing craft?CUMBERLIDGE
ON CRUISING
A
t this time of year, when
the days are short and
chill, you can’t help
dreaming a little –
especially about boats.
Without even realising
it, I find myself browsing
classified ads and
brokers’ pages, just to see what might
reasonably be afforded. The answer is usually
not that much, yet sometimes you come
across a classic ‘gentleman’s motor yacht’ for
sale at an almost manageable price, perhaps
with some careful downsizing ashore.
Many folk fantasise about living on a boat
and travelling the world, but I’ve met couples
who have found the cramped reality, and
indeed the world, rather disappointing. If I were
to live permanently on a boat it would need to
be large-ish with plenty of comfortable cabins
and a well-organised study. Being 6ft 6in tall
I’d want clear headroom and also a bathroom
with room to manoeuvre.
Real central-heating radiators, a proper
separate wheelhouse, a walk-in engineroom
and enough deck for a gentle stroll- these would all be vital for civilised
living. Jane might also list a modest herb
garden, but that’s another matter.
Such eminently reasonable requirements
would be far out of our reach in a modern
motor yacht, but a ‘classic’ in fair condition
can look feasible enough on paper to set the
pulse racing. To my mind you need at least
70ft overall for the necessary living space. For
the budget this ship of a certain age would
have to be timber built, but I like wooden hulls
with their easy motion, quietness under way
and sheer aesthetic appeal.
So as 2015 draws to a close, here I am
drooling over tantalising, artfully composed
photos and descriptions, which seem
perfectly to match my ideas about
comfortable living afloat.
I have seen a mouthwatering John Bain-
designed 72ft Silver Ormidale, built in the
1950s with gracious accommodation for two.
How wonderful to start up her two 6-cylinder
Gardners and hear that soothing, aristocratic
putter from the exhausts. Or to potter in the
engineroom, polishing and checking, indeed
almost communing with such fine specimens
of English engineering.
I spotted a sleek 1930s G L Watson of
similar length, a 1962 Fleur de Lys not quite
long enough, and a 75ft Camper & NicholsonsSo as 2015 draws to a close, here I am
drooling over tantalising, artfully
composed photos and descriptions, which
seem perfectly to match my ideas
with gleaming varnish, all just affordable if,
for our bolt hole ashore, we moved from a
detached house near the coast into a
convenient, lock-up apartment somewhere
pleasant which could generate a little rent.
The running costs for two displacement
speed engines wouldn’t be that great, and in
any case we wouldn’t actually want to travel
far. The sunny west coast of France has plenty
of sheltered bays and rivers where you can
potter in beautiful surroundings, within easy
reach of good food and inexpensive wines.
Sounds just the ticket.A Fleur de Lys – a
classic for sure, but
is it long enough?If you’re going to
liveaboard, you need
plenty of deck spaceNothing beats
the cosy warmth
of woodA proper engineroom, crying
out to be tinkered in