Tom Cunliffe

[Poignard]

Has anyone else been watching Tom Cunliffe's talks on the Pantaneus website?

What a character, what a life he's had.

He's doing some more later in the year.

 

[ridgy]

He has documented his interesting life throughout his many books. I always admired the photo of his young daughter playing mid ocean on the foredeck of his wooden cutter at the time. His escapades will be nothing new on here.

 

[johnalison]

His sailing world is very different from mine, but I have enjoyed his occasional contributions to YM. He gave an after-dinner speech at a dinner that I was at some years ago. It was perhaps a little professional, but was very enjoyable nevertheless. He had an anecdote that was a sort of nautical version of 'the Bricklayer'.

 

[Bajansailor]

I was with a mutual friend in Lymington at the Yacht Haven bar about 12 years ago when Tom wandered by and my friend asked him to join us for a beer, which he readily accepted. And we had a most enjoyable chat with him - he is the ultimate raconteur.

I also remember seeing him and his wife arrive here in Carlisle Bay, sailing around Needhams Point and into the bay on their Colin Archer gaff cutter Saari about 45 years ago - I thought they had crossed from the Canaries, but they had come up from Brazil, as noted in the article below.
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And I enjoyed a series on BBC (we had it here on BBC World about 20 odd years ago) called Island Race, about Tom taking Hirta on a cruise around Britain with Sandi Toksvig and John McCarthy.
Island Race - Tom Cunliffe

 

[capnsensible]

Top bloke. He moderated my Yachtmaster Instructor course many tides ago, prepped by John Goode. Awesome week.

Have socialised a few times in the years I lived in Gibraltar. I can remember my hangovers......??

 

[Topcat47]

Top bloke. He moderated my Yachtmaster Instructor course many tides ago, prepped by John Goode. Awesome week.

Have socialised a few times in the years I lived in Gibraltar. I can remember my hangovers......??

Lucky B*****d

 

[LittleSister]

Not just a sailor. I read a book by him a few years back about crossing the USA (twice) on motorbikes. He had his Harley shipped out there, and his wife bought one there and sold it after the trip. They rode East Coast to West and back, taking scenic routes.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, they had no breakdowns at all from their Harleys (but were diligent with maintenance), though his Harley (but not hers) did get a bit breathless at high altitudes.

 

[alexincornwall]

I love Tom's style of writing - very knowledgable yet very witty . The chapter about dealing with cockroaches on board in The Complete Ocean Skipper is probably my favorite piece of writing in any sailing instructional book. Absolutely brilliant!

 

[Blueboatman]

He wrote a piece many years ago about cruising back from the Caribbean via the ICW. Which put it firmly on the map for me too.. ( thank you TC?)..
In the best spirit of Eric Hitchcock , how to navigate and cruise sanely , safely and enjoyably but with fun and a true spirit of adventure too..

I love Pat Cookseys version of Gerard Hoffnungs The Bricklayer , known as The Sick Note.
I imagine that as a raconteur TC would take that to a whole ‘nother level !

 

[Skylark]

Not just a sailor. I read a book by him a few years back about crossing the USA (twice) on motorbikes. He had his Harley shipped out there, and his wife bought one there and sold it after the trip. They rode East Coast to West and back, taking scenic routes.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, they had no breakdowns at all from their Harleys (but were diligent with maintenance), though his Harley (but not hers) did get a bit breathless at high altitudes.

I had a TURP in 2013. After the op I was swapping stories with the guy in the next bed and he told me about the above book. I duly contacted Tom via his website and he sent me a signed copy with a nice note and good wishes for a speedy recovery of the plumbing, in his typical dry sense of humour.

 

[38mess]

Toms a great guy, I love his stories, especially when he goes off piste.
His videos are worth a look.

 

[davidej]

I bumped into him at a harbour in Holland.

Very friendly to a complete stranger.

 

[DJE]

I also remember seeing him and his wife arrive here in Carlisle Bay, sailing around Needhams Point and into the bay on their Colin Archer gaff cutter Saari about 45 years ago - I thought they had crossed from the Canaries, but they had come up from Brazil, as noted in the article below.

He told the story of the passage from the south of Brazil to Barbados at a talk to the Sadler Association years ago. Great talk though a bit vague about why he had to leave in a hurry and was unable to put in to any Brazillian port. Sounded like he didn't want to incriminate himself. ?

 

[BobnLesley]

Not just a sailor. I read a book by him a few years back about crossing the USA (twice) on motorbikes...

It may have changed since, but I recall a conversation with TC about 18 or 20 years ago during which he reported that despite sailing journalism/writing being the day job, that Harleys in the USA book was his biggest seller.

 

[DownWest]

Had a memorable evening with them in La Rochelle, when he was giving some instruction on a friend's boat. We retreated to a decent restaurant after and it was fun. Mrs DW asked Ros how they met. Well, I went along with a friend who wanted to see this bloke on an old sailing boat. As we arrived at it on a river bank, Tom leaped ashore in his Y fronts with a roll of TP, said hallo and dissapeared into the bushes.

 

[Gary Fox]

He wrote a piece many years ago about cruising back from the Caribbean via the ICW. Which put it firmly on the map for me too.. ( thank you TC?)..
In the best spirit of Eric Hitchcock , how to navigate and cruise sanely , safely and enjoyably but with fun and a true spirit of adventure too..

I love Pat Cookseys version of Gerard Hoffnungs The Bricklayer , known as The Sick Note.
I imagine that as a raconteur TC would take that to a whole ‘nother level !

I wonder if you can remember where to find the ICW piece? I have ambitions to do the same, and would love to read it.

 

[Blueboatman]

Gosh
Yup I will have it still in the attic Gary..
Would have been pre 1995, Yachting Monthly..
Great fun bit of writing , when TC had his BPCutter. ..
I will have a looksee and pm you over the weekend. Could always iPhone/photo the pages /send em...
The ICW is in part glorious . Some bits plain dull .
But going north you can dip in and out riding the Gulf Stream north..
Truly memorable
Shallow draft helps ?

 

[mjcoon]

I had a TURP in 2013. After the op I was swapping stories with the guy in the next bed and he told me about the above book. I duly contacted Tom via his website and he sent me a signed copy with a nice note and good wishes for a speedy recovery of the plumbing, in his typical dry sense of humour.

So I expect you are familiar with "TWOC" as well as "TURP". My TURP took two goes, but the relief of going on Mediterranean sailing holidays without a catheter was considerable! No Tom link, though...

 

[pyrojames]

Gosh
Yup I will have it still in the attic Gary..
Would have been pre 1995, Yachting Monthly..
Great fun bit of writing , when TC had his BPCutter. ..
I will have a looksee and pm you over the weekend. Could always iPhone/photo the pages /send em...
The ICW is in part glorious . Some bits plain dull .
But going north you can dip in and out riding the Gulf Stream north..
Truly memorable
Shallow draft helps ?

We cam up about 3/4 of the ICW on our way to NY, but draft was an issue. Nominally dredged to 8 feet north of Canaveral, but we had some fun with quite a bit of it, sounder showing 0 most of the time, and the you stopped. Ended up putting out to see from Ponce de Leon as far as Beaumont before re-joining the ICW through to Chesapeake. Magical though, and very friendly locals in the Caroliners.

 

[Gary Fox]

Gosh
Yup I will have it still in the attic Gary..
Would have been pre 1995, Yachting Monthly..
Great fun bit of writing , when TC had his BPCutter. ..
I will have a looksee and pm you over the weekend. Could always iPhone/photo the pages /send em...
The ICW is in part glorious . Some bits plain dull .
But going north you can dip in and out riding the Gulf Stream north..
Truly memorable
Shallow draft helps ?

That's very kind, yes please do.